Mike’s 1994 (revised)

Okay, I’ll be the one to break the silence here, and see if I can help keep this train rolling. Apologies for missing out on the Bowie month. I’ve got my long list of favorites, of course, and really wanted to share them vis a vis a sincere and elegiac essay. May still try do so sometime down the line. I got a huge kick listening to all of the other site contributor’s picks.

So, in 1994 I was beginning to enter my age of maturity. Began working in the occupation in which I still find myself employed. Was engaged to my wife. I began to accept that I would no longer be able to keep track of all the great stuff that was coming out, and so I largely ignored a lot of it, especially all the “indie” stuff that will surely fill some other’s lists for 1994.

In addition to many of the artists listed below, I was particularly enamored at the time with XTC, King Crimson (their double-trio comeback!), Smashing Pumpkins, Adrian Belew, the NYC downtown music scene (Zorn, Laswell, compatriots, and the things they liked), and, correspondingly and ever increasingly, jazz in its more avant-garde forms.

LPs

1. Tim Berne’s Caos Totale–Nice View. Some online discographies claim this is a 1993 release. It isn’t, but feel free to replace Nice View with either of the incredible live “Paris Concert” Bloodcount albums those same discographies claim were released in 1994 but were actually released in 1995: Poisoned Minds or Lowlife.  Berne is so prolific around this time, and in general, but this is for me probably his high point.
2. Sonic Youth–Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star. Might be my favorite SY record.
3. Frank Black–Teenager of the Year. “Freedom Rock” should really be our site’s theme song. A true 5 star album in my eyes. So rare for every single song on an album (that contains 22 of ’em!) to reach such heights.
4. Richard Buckner–Bloomed. A great production and even sounds good on youtube! Love the clarity of his acoustic guitar. Such great songs.
5. Kyuss–[Welcome to Sky Valley]. Oh, fuck, yes.
6. Helmet–Betty. See above.
7. Red Red Meat–Jimmywine Majestic. Their live show opening for the pumpkins at the Unicorn around this time (maybe a year or so earlier?) remains one of the great shows I’ve ever witnessed. Almost 20 years passed before I heard this record in full, and I swear I remember several of these songs performed live that night, that show made such a lasting impression on me.
8. Melvins–Stoner Witch. Can’t figure why I never became a full-on metal head.
9. Joni Mitchell–Turbulent Indigo. May be every bit as good as her Hejira, Don Juan 70’s prime. This record comes close.
10. They Might Be Giants–John Henry.

Some other great songs that don’t appear on those albums:

1. Jawbox–“Savory.” A go-to song for achieving a manic, head hit the ceiling, high.
2. Boredoms–“Acid Police.” I really dig the wholly strange Beefheartiness of this entire record. Still haven’t acquired and fully digested the Super Roots stuff. If I had, the “3” EP would have to appear somewhere here. Hah! 
3. Jon Spencer’s Blue Explosion–“Bellbottoms“
4. Henry Threadgill–“Come, Carry the Day.” When he is on, nothing really compares.
5. Luna–“Tiger Lily” and “California All the Way.” Seemingly effortless beauty.
6. Material–“Words of Advice” (with William Burroughs)
7. Craig Harris–The first several tracks on the F-Stops album, including “1st Flow,” “2nd Flow,” and so on, are sublime. The last couple tracks do bring it down to earth.
8. Adrian Belew–“Dream Life“
9. Jeff Buckley–“Hallelujah“