Unlike the 80's, we're going to take on the 90's year by year (and we may yet go back and revisit the '80s that way). We start, obviously, with 1990, which had a real dearth of good punk albums.

1990

Fugazi - 13 Songs

This album was the mold off of which every alternative record after it was shaped.. On first listen you might tilt your head and say "what the fuck is this?" but then you listen again. And again. And again. And you get it. It reaches in and grabs your gut and pulls. 16 years later, it still has a hold on me.

Fugazi - "Promises"

Mr. T Experience - Making Things With Light
Combines all the great things about pop music with all the perfect things about punk. It's like doing a square dance in a pit. Everyone is going to look at you like you're nuts, but eventually they'll join in the fun
MTX - "Velveeta"

Breeders - Pod
The initial offering of a post Pixies Kim Deal offered up a wide range of music styles. When I bought it I was surprised at the difference between her music writing and Frank Black's. But the big difference was Donelly. She had big tits. So it rated an A+ for a kid who never had seen a girl naked.

Dwarves - Blood Guts & Pussy
Any album that kicks with a less than one minute song about getting fucked in a car has got to be good. The Dwarves were something to behold. A great album that makes you want to break things. Plus a midget covered in blood is fucking a rabbit on the cover. That's cool.
Dwarves - "Back Seat of My Car"

Steel Pole Bathtub - Tulip

Tulip was album that shook your teeth. In fact it kinda did mine. This album was on when I walked down the stairs and was knocked in the face by the sound. Its so raw and so "What the fuck is this?" that it deserved the attention of my front tooth that was sucked out by the power. Don't chew gum and listen to this CD at the same time.

Operation Ivy - Energy Hearing this was the least of my worries. Seeing them was the greatest. Drunk at the Gilman on a Saturday night hearing "Sound system gonna bring me back up!" was something that couldn't be placed on vinyl. But, they did a pretty good job transferring energy to wax.

Op Ivy - "Sound System"

And that's about all we came up with for 1990; we were even stretching it by including The Breeders. For the record, both Social Distortion and Bad Religion had albums this year, but did not make the cut. Your mileage may, of course, vary.