Items17The creator’s order
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Copper Blue (1992)Released Jan 1, 1992“A Good Idea” starts with a bass figure that could carry the song on its own. By the time the guitars crowd in, there’s still a clear shape to follow. “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” shows what Sugar can do with a lighter touch. Start here if you like the way a pop tune can survive a roomful of…0 - 2
One in a Million (1996)Released Jan 1, 1996Listen to the title track for the way Aaliyah draws out a phrase while Timbaland’s beat keeps changing where it seems to land. “If Your Girl Only Knew” uses that same space for something slyer. It’s an album to try if the decade’s big R&B ballads leave you wanting a singer who can draw you in at a…0 - 3
Re (1994)Released Jan 1, 1994Put “La Ingrata” next to “Madrugal.” Café Tacvba can go from the clipped momentum of norteño to a slow bolero without losing the sense of a band enjoying its choices. This is the album for anyone who misses the pleasure of finding a sound on the next track that they weren’t expecting.0 - 4
Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996)Released Jan 1, 1996“Metronomic Underground” finds a groove early and keeps shifting the layers around it. “Cybele’s Reverie” offers a brighter point of entry. Try it if you like the textures of guitar records but want the rhythm to have as much say in where a song goes as the melody does.0 - 5
Star (1993)Released Jan 1, 1993“Feed the Tree” will get you in, but “Gepetto” makes the better case for staying. Tanya Donelly can carry a bright melody while the guitars around it make the song feel less settled. Choose this when you want a guitar record that leaves room for a strange turn inside a familiar hook.0 - 6
A Toda Cuba Le Gusta (1997)Released Jan 1, 1997If Buena Vista Social Club is where you usually go for Cuban music from the 1990s, try the Afro-Cuban All Stars’ companion recording. “Amor Verdadero” gives you an easy way in. Listen for the way the voices answer one another as the arrangement fills out around them. The pleasure here is hearing…0 - 7
Gentlemen (1993)Released Jan 1, 1993The little delay before “Debonair” leans into its groove makes the record feel charged from the first bars. On “What Jail Is Like,” that tension turns into a more direct rush. The Afghan Whigs are the pick if you want a 1990s guitar album where the rhythm section is as good a reason to stay as the…0 - 8
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (1990)Released Jan 1, 1990Harriet Wheeler makes the melody on “Here’s Where the Story Ends” seem to drift over the guitar part. The song can sound light until you notice how firmly the rhythm keeps it moving. Put this on when you want a guitar record with enough detail for a close listen and enough air to let it go by.0 - 9
Painful (1993)Released Jan 1, 1993There are two versions of “Big Day Coming,” one at the start and one near the end. The distance between the patient opener and the louder return tells you how much Yo La Tengo can do with the same song. Listen for that contrast if you want a record whose changes in volume do some of its…0 - 10
In on the Kill Taker (1993)Released Jan 1, 1993“Facet Squared” takes its time finding its footing, then makes the opening tension pay off. Put on “Smallpox Champion” next to hear how much a band can change the feel of a song by rearranging where the accents fall. Fugazi makes a good detour if you want 1990s guitar music that keeps you guessing…0
