Best albums of 1996

Favorite song: "Guest List"


Songs I might have written list

Had you asked me in the '90s what my 5 desert island albums were, this would have easily made the list. Funny how things change over time, but I still say this was Tori's best album.

Favorite song: "Little Amsterdam"

I'm in the minority on this, but I think this was Pantera's best album. Looking back, they spent their first 4 albums getting progressively heavier & in that sense this is their heaviest album. Lots of people couldn't swallow it, but I loved every minute. Brutal.

Favorite song: "War Nerve"

This album grew on me over time to become one of my favorites. It's also got special meaning to me for being the album that played while I got my first tattoo.

Favorite song: "Vietnow"

The last Great Weezer album, and the only thing that prevents it from being a little higher on this list is that half the time I skip "Across the Sea" which remains my least favorite song. It's funny to me how this album went from unappreciated to widely loved, and disappointing to me that Weezer never recorded anything this heartfelt & honest again.

Favorite song: "Butterfly"

The Jesus Lizard's first major label release, and one I've found to generally be underrated perhaps because this was where I started before working my way backwards. I loved the ways they incorporated melody a little into their sound, and it was especially nice to be able to make out what singer David Yow was going on about for a change. It's still as dark and weird as any other album they put out, just not as unrelentingly aggressive as the ones that preceded it.

Favorite song: "Too Bad About the Fire"

In 1996 I saw O9MM open for Deftones in a club & blow Deftones off the stage with their performance. Considering I've seen Deftones in concert more times than any non-Texas act because they're AMAZING live, that's saying something. I immediately bought this album, then worked my way backwards & remained a fan to the very end.

Favorite song: "Method"

An underrated, unfortunately overlooked gem. Plexi's music was in a similar vein as Placebo & Orgy (but better & with more guitar feedback), and thus I'll forever insist that had they stuck it out a little longer they could've found a wider audience.

Favorite song I could find: "Dayglo"

Possibly my favorite Sponge album, and the one that converted me from a casual listener into a full-time fan. Oh wait, no, that's not quite accurate. Seeing them in concert while touring behind this album converted me, as they consistently killed it live.

Favorite song: "My Baby Said"

Legendary Pink Dots crossed with Skinny Puppy apparently yields a band I like better than both aforementioned acts combined.

Favorite song: "Crying from Outside"

In 1996 I had a friend in a local ska band, & they opened a club show for LTJ so I went. LTJ were so much fun live I absolutely had to pick up this album & see them again every time they came through Texas for a few years after.

Favorite song: "Shindo"

Prior to this album, if you'd told me that Vanilla Ice would ever record a favorite song of mine I would have called you a liar. Of course I never expected a band to come along & name drop Frank Black then quote from "Monkey Gone to Heaven" in a rap-rock song either, so clearly Bloodhound Gang were a pleasant surprise all around. This one remains my favorite album of theirs.

Favorite song: "Boom" (the only time Vanilla Ice has NOT sucked)

If you'd asked me in 1996, this would have been my 2nd favorite album of the year behind Boys for Pele. However, as time has passed I've gotten over the segue/interlude tracks which now only seem like filler to me rather than interesting. Remove all of them but "Intermission" and you've got a perfect album in my book. Instead there's 5 tracks too many.

Favorite song: "jimmy"

Fun fact: I didn't like this album when it first came out. More accurately, I dismissed it because I thought the video for "Criminal" was terrible & that this was just another angry grrl trying to cash in while angry grrls were in vogue. Then a few years later I gave it an honest chance & have loved Fiona ever since. Sometimes the first impression isn't what matters.

Favorite song: "Slow Like Honey"


See also: Tiny Mix Tapes article on Tidal

Like Ænima, this album also falls short due to filler tracks though fortunately they're all located at the ends of the disc, so you can skip to track 3 and listen through the rest, turning it off after "Haunted" ends. This would wind up being the last Type O Negative album I enjoyed in its entirety.

Favorite song: "Red Water (Christmas Mourning)" (which I listen to every Christmas day without fail)

Even on Placebo's debut, Brian Molko's lyrics enchant & astound me. The music isn't as complex as their later works, but it's still a great start.

Favorite song: "36 Degrees"

Driving home late one night in '96, I happened to switch the radio on & heard this song that was full of samples from Johnny Dangerously, a movie I love. The song was "High Fiving MF" by Local H, and while I've never managed to find a physical copy of that radio edit I've spun this album so many times I'm surprised I can still listen to it. I love every song on it, but the one below really moves me whenever it comes on.

Favorite song: "No Problem"

Surely you heard their hit single "Hell" at some point. I like every other song on this album better.

Favorite song: "Twilight"

On which Soundgarden mix it up a bit without overdoing it on the production side. I tend to like this album better than Superunknown, but definitely not as much as Badmotorfinger.

Favorite song: "Ty Cobb"

The last TMBG album I fully enjoyed.

Favorite song: "Till My Head Falls Off"

Busta's solo career kicks off with a bang.

Favorite song: "Abandon Ship"

A wonderful mix of goth, industrial, glam (the Bowie kind, not hair metal), and theatrics. Psychotica put on very interesting live performances, and this album had their best songs from what I've heard.

Favorite song: "Little Prince"

See also: Best albums of 1998

Favorite song: "Mas No Mas"

Love the movie, love the soundtrack.

Favorite song: "Angry Cockroaches (Cucarachas Enojadas)" by Tito & Tarantula

"Machine Head"

"You're the One that I Want" by Baboon