Sunday Morning Playlist: Grunge - Page 4

5. Stone Temple Pilots: Plush

Core was released in 1992 to almost universal negative reviews; much of the criticism suggested they were a rip-off. It's true that on their debut, Scott Weiland sounds a lot like Eddie Vedder, and the band plays like an ultra-murkified Soundgarden. Still, STP had the last laugh, by lasting longer than most of their peers, and developing a sound of their own. "Plush" is a triumph, though; a stately rocker in a heavy 70's mold, fuzzed up and juiced. Weiland currently fronts Velvet Revolver; essentially replacing Axl Rose in Guns 'n' Roses.

6. Mudhoney: Touch Me I'm Sick

Mudhoney probably deserves credit as the most influental grunge band, both on record and behind the scenes. Mudhoney would be the first band to really score for Sub Pop records, the label that made the scene possible. "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More" b/w "Touch Me I'm Sick" was their debut single. Mark Arm's wailing, degenerate lyrics atop a guitar cacophony proved a potent combination. Mudhoney was signed to a major deal by Reprise records in 1992, but never placed an album higher than #189; after being dropped, they returned to Sub Pop and released an album in 2002.

7. Screaming Trees: Nearly Lost You

Where many grunge bands took their sonic cues from the 70's, Screaming Trees borrowed as far back as the sixties, particularly sixties psychedelic garage band music. This combined with the requisite 70's riffing and 80's punk aesthetic, distorted and fuzzed, to create a neo-psychedelic grunge sound. They recorded for SST and Sub Pop, with a discography going back to 1986; in 1989 they became the first grunge band to land a major deal, with Epic. "Nearly Lost You" was their biggest hit, from the summer of 1992. The band recorded through the 90's, but broke up in 2000.

8. Mother Love Bone: Stardog Champion

Grunge's first major loss was that of Mother Love Bone's Andrew Wood. Flamboyant in a vaguely glam-rock manner, he and the band struck a contrast to the more taciturn demeanors of most gunge frontmen. The playing was strongly 70's classic rock influenced; Led Zeppelin meets Aerosmith. Featuring Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard from Green River, the band created an instand buzz, and was signed right out of the box to Polygram, where they recorded Apple, their debut. Sadly, Wood died of a heroin overdose months prior to the scheduled release. "Stardog Champion" is a good example of their sound and Wood's charisma.

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