Catchy melodies, driving rhythms, rock tones: 1995, it's the golden age of what can be called "American Alternate Pop Rock".
This mixtape is a celebration of this music: post-hair metal, post-gunge, pre-9/11: full of excitement and hope. The bands present here have sold a hell lot of records in America and still today accumulate an impressive number of views on youtube. Less present on the old continent, these bands are the testament of an era.
Counting Crows, Spin Doctors, Matchbox Twenty, Blind Melon... All these bands have a "je ne sais quoi" in common that makes them belong to the same family, to the same movement: a rock sound with good guitars but very efficient pop melodies, lyrics a bit poetic, a grungy look based on jeans and flanel shirts : they are "men of the people" : simple and efficient. These bands were a huge success and then disappeared...
Here is my time capsule of a bygone era:
1. Deep Blue Something - Gammer Gerten's Needle 2. Spin Doctors - Little Miss Can't Be Wrong 3. Blind Melon - No Rain 4. Hootie & The Blowfish - Hold My Hand 5. Matchbox Twenty - Push 6. Counting Crows - Time And Time Again 7. Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffany's 8. The Lemonheads - It's A Shame About Ray 9. Cracker - Whole Lotta Trouble 10. Live - I Alone 11. Dada - Posters 12. Better Than Ezra - Circle Of Friends 13. Spin Doctors - Two Princes 14. Counting Crows - Perfect Blue Buildings 15. Matchbox Twenty - Long Day 16. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Crazy Life
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"Empire Records" is the film that best captures this atmosphere. Unknown in our country, cult in the States. Snippets of dialogue run through this mixtape and three tracks from the soundtrack found their way to this mixtape! Go check it out!
A feel good movie that is good to the ears.
Hootie & The Blowfish's "Cracked Rear View Mirror" is the 19th best-selling album in the US with over 21 platinum records and 1 grammy! The band broke up and the singer is now doing country music...