Four fantastically perfect rock albums from the 1990s

To say that there have been an untold number of great rock albums would be obvious and silly. But still, I just wrote it. Even if obvious, what was said is still true.

Rock can go a lot of different ways. The music can be extremely soft or loud and frightening. This is partly what separates the genre from any other kind of music.

The 1990s were a bit of a mixed bag as far as excellence. There was Nirvana, of course, but there was Creed too. There were also the four excellent albums below that you should be listening to quite often.

Four perfect rock albums from the 1990s

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (1993)

A wall of sound has been something that many rock bands have tried to explore. A lot of the feel goes into the production, of course, but that can be a bit hit-and-miss. Go a bit wrong and the slickness overpowers the organic songwriting and the band comes through as more of a "want to be great" instead of "hey, we've got a collection of really snappy tunes!"

Siamese Dream owes a lot to Boston's way of making albums in the 1970s. Layer the guitars and then hopefully have a good enough melody that will shine through. In the case of the Smashing Pumpkins, they one-up Boston. Sure, there are some bangers, but Smashing Pumpkins' frontman Billy Corgan fully understands how to go soft to loud with impact.

"Today" is terrific, but far from the best song on the record. "Disarm" will, well...disarm you with its sweetness and ache. "Cherub Rock" is full-on adrenaline and the best example of how the album sounds.

Grant Lee Buffalo - Might Joe Moon (1994)

One of the more underrated bands of the 1990s, Grant Lee Buffalo put out a few excellent albums before they disbanded. Grant-Lee Phillips has long been a solo performer and might be remembered by many as the troubadour on the TV show, Gilmore Girls. He has a number of good tunes by himself, but nothing as consistently excellent as Might Joe Moon.

There is some bombast on the record, including the opener, "Lone Star Song," but there is beautiful tenderness as well throughout the record. There might be no album ever made with a three-song close-out so touching and wonderfully written. You will sing most of these songs for the rest of your life and you will be appreciative of doing so.

Suede - Dog Man Star (1994)

This could be the most divisive record on this list (only, it won't be!) because there are some who could see it as too glammy and too Smiths-like. The issue with the last part is that was a stereotype that stuck with the band based on their first album. Even that great self-titled record did not sound like Morrissey and Johnny Marr. It sounded like a Britpop band that had different inspirations than Oasis.

Like Might Joe Moon, Dog Man Star has moments of sheer volume and aggression. "We Are the Pigs" is a wall of sound, and "This Hollywood Life" is a glam-rock stomp. The record also contains the beautiful tracks "Still Life" and "The Wild Ones." The latter of which will be one of your favorite songs ever.

Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar (1996)

So, OK...This is probably the most divisive album on the list not because of the record itself but because of the person who made it. Marilyn Manson has been accused of sexual violence but has never been proven. Does that mean he is innocent? Of course, not.

Taken by itself, Antichrist Superstar is a brilliant, chaotic, angry collection of songs that are so well thought-out that that alone is impressive enough to respect the album. One might not be ready for songs such as "1996" and "The Beautiful People" might be the most unsettling radio-friendly tune ever. Still, if you need catharsis, listen to this record and forget who made it.

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