3 Underground Bands From the 1990s You Should Know

There were so many great bands in the 1990s that it was hard on your wallet just trying to keep up with them all. (Yes, people used to buy music.) But not every band sold millions of records or landed in full rotation on MTV. (MTV stands for Music Television, and it was a TV channel that once played music videos all day. It was great, but I have no idea what it does now.)

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However, some underground bands existed below the radar, with cult followings, and many of them inspired those groups dominating MTV. Consider this a time machine back to the 1990s, before social media, when artists existed in the underground and created music pushing against the conventions of radio, MTV, or the music business generally.

Tortoise

While The Smashing Pumpkins and Wilco are two of Chicago’s finest rock groups, the city is also known for its experimental music scene. Tortoise formed in 1990 and helped popularize post-rock. The group blends krautrock, jazz, and electronic music in a minimalist style. Check out their 1998 release, TNT. It sounds like a live band remixing itself across 12 instrumental tracks like Lee “Scratch” Perry producing indie dub.

Spiritualized

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space.” That’s the first thing you hear on the third studio album by Spiritualized. The title track recycles Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” in one of the best space rock tunes you’ll ever hear. Jason Pierce, a.k.a. J Spaceman, writes of heartbreak and despair following his breakup with keyboardist Kate Radley, who left to marry The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft. It’s Radley’s voice you hear opening the album.

All I want in life’s a little bit of love
To take the pain away
Getting strong today
A giant step each day.

Sebadoh

Lou Barlow formed Sebadoh in 1986, but its breakthrough album Bubble & Scrape was released in 1993. Barlow had left Dinosaur Jr. following the release of Bug. With Sebadoh, he helped pioneer lo-fi indie rock, using a four-track cassette recorder instead of professional recording studios. “Soul And Fire” opens Bubble & Scrape, which finds Barlow in utter despair following a painful breakup. Devastatingly gorgeous.

As you walk away, think of all the joy we shared
If you decide you need me, I’ll be wondering if I care
Not there to soothe your soul, friend to tender friend
I think our love is coming to an end.

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