1991
Noah’s Barks pages covering things relating to the year 1991.
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Kyuss – “Wretch” (1991)
As everyone says, the production on Wretch does indeed suck (I wouldn’t call it wretched, but I want you to know I thought of the pun and could’ve used it). Everything’s too low-level, and this can’t rock as hard as it’s trying to. But you can still feel the energy, and Wretch is Kyuss‘s most… (read more)
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Slowdive – “Just for a Day”
Slowdive frontman Neil Halstead falsely claimed to the band’s label Creation Records that they had enough songs for an album. In six weeks, Slowdive created their debut. It shows. (read more)
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Slowdive – “Holding Our Breath”
The final EP recorded by Slowdive before their debut album is also their final recording with drummer Neil Carter, whose hypnotic rhythms defined the band’s early sound. (read more)
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Slowdive – “Morningrise”
1991’s "Morningrise" EP has Slowdive make gigantic strides in songwriting. (read more)
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Catherine Wheel – “Painful Thing E.P.”
The two exclusive songs on the Painful Thing E.P. (“Spin,” “Painful Thing”) are great but really held back by awful production values. Additionally, the two early versions of songs that would end up on Ferment are better experienced there. Rob Dickinson’s vocals sound much younger here than they’d be on their debut and beyond, which… (read more)
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Blur – “Leisure”
“She’s So High” and “Wear Me Down” are pretty good songs, but the rest of Leisure is mostly just serviceable Baggy-Madchester rock. The band tries to cover up a lack of hooks and good melodies with a lot of minor noisy psychedelic guitar wash. Sometimes it works and makes for a pleasant shoegaze-ish song, such… (read more)
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The Smashing Pumpkins – “Gish” (1991)
The Smashing Pumpkins’s first album Gish arrived at the forefront of the coming alternative rock and grunge movement, and like other acclaimed bands of the time, the Pumpkins pioneered the new sound and attitude shift from the currently mainstream ’80s heavy metal/glam scene. The Pumpkins certainly know how to rock just as hard, and they… (read more)
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My Bloody Valentine – “Loveless” (1991)
2/5/2026: Man, I should probably have something written for my favorite album of all time. But hopefully you can empathize with having to write about something you connect to on such a deeply emotional level. Sure, I could go through Loveless track-by-track and describe why I think every composition choice works using adjectives yanked out… (read more)
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Nirvana – “Nevermind” (1991)
Nevermind‘s praise is definitely deserved, as it contains some of the greatest pop/rock songwriting ever put to record. Any song here could be a single (except for the possible exception of the mellower “Polly”). Even better, the songs are backed by the authentic and relatable emotions of the depressed and alienated frontman and songwriter, Kurt… (read more)
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Massive Attack – “Blue Lines” (1991)
Some days, I think Blue Lines has better album flow than Mezzanine. “Safe From Harm” hits as soon as the sun fully sets, the skies darken, the streetlights dim, and not a voice can be heard coming from the barely-lit alleyways of the city. A sense of danger approaches—you’re a stranger in a bad part… (read more)