3 Great Songs From a Rock Band’s Least-Loved 1990s Album

When a rock band releases a masterpiece, or in some cases, two in a row, most of what follows gets buried beneath the shadow of what came before. Then conventional wisdom sets in, and you might overlook great songs, thinking an album isn’t worth listening to. Let’s take a look at a few bands’ least-loved 1990s rock albums and highlight three songs you don’t want to miss.

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‘Be Here Now’: “All Around The World” by Oasis

Noel Gallagher said Be Here Now “isn’t a great album.” Many critics have panned the record as being an avatar for the bloat and excess of Britpop. Still, the first two Oasis albums were so great and culture-shifting that anything after was going to seem small by comparison, even an album loaded with layers of guitars and an orchestra. However, don’t dismiss Be Here Now entirely. “All Around The World” contains multiple movements across nearly 10 minutes and stands as Gallagher’s attempt at “Hey Jude”. This one’s for the flag-wavers. Be Here Now marks the end of Oasis’s first period, and unofficially, perhaps the end of Britpop.

‘Adore’: “To Sheila” by The Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Corgan made Adore while his band was crumbling beneath the weight of success, addiction, and itself. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin had left, and if you’ve heard “Cherub Rock”, you’ll know he cannot be replaced. (Chamberlin returned for the Pumpkins’ next album, Machina/The Machines Of God.) Corgan’s electronic album feels like a cyborg version of The Smashing Pumpkins, prompting mixed reactions. But this album is better than you think, and “To Sheila” is a gorgeous introduction to Adore. Any other band opening an LP with “To Sheila”, “Ava Adore”, and “Perfect” would have been universally praised.

‘One Hot Minute’: “My Friends” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

On paper, Dave Navarro from Jane’s Addiction joining the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers in the 1990s seemed like a perfect fit. Though the band was nowhere near its superpowers without John Frusciante, Navarro is a like-minded rock star who returned RHCP to its earlier funk metal roots. Many ignore One Hot Minute, and with Frusciante’s return, these songs are notably absent from the band’s live sets. But “My Friends” remains a RHCP classic. For Anthony Kiedis, the lyrics reveal the other side of “Under The Bridge”. Now his friends are reeling and falling into the same despair that prompted him to write his life-changing poem. One Hot Minute also features “Aeroplane”, yet another funk masterpiece you shouldn’t miss.

Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns