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J and Tim dig into the grunge, alt-rock, and indie albums that changed everything—the forgotten classics, the underappreciated masterpieces, and the legends worth hearing again. One album at a time. Let’s dig it out.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Our fifteenth season is in the books. Check out our picks for most surprising discoveries, the top review albums, and more from 2025. Stay tuned as towards the end we cover some changes to the DMO schedule and more choices for album picking patrons starting in 2026.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
In our fourth installment of Surviving the 90s, we’re revisiting Heart - the band that not only churned out hits across multiple decades, but played a key role in the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the 80s and 90s. Known for a string of massive hits like "Barracuda," "Crazy On You," "Magic Man," and more in the 70s, the chart-topping band suffered a downturn in the early 80s only to return with two successful albums, 1985's self-titled record and the 1987 follow-up Bad Animals, both of which achieved multi-Platinum status. But as the musical landscape shifted in the 90s, the band released their 1990 album Brigade to a shifting musical landscape, and doubled-down with the out-of-step Desire Walks In in 1993. Though new hits failed to materialize, they continued to remain relevant thanks to their strong ties to the Seattle scene and the undeniable talent of Ann and Nancy Wilson. We revisit their biggest hits, their activity in the 90s, and try to determine: did Heart thrive, adapt, or fade during the decade?
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Barracuda
21:49 - Heartless
41:31 - Wild Child
51:16 - Will You Be There (In The Morning)
Outro - Magic Man
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Tuesday Dec 16, 2025
Tuesday Dec 16, 2025
Fantômas’ self-titled 1999 debut establishes the concept from note one: an exercise in extreme, avant-garde expression, and as a listener it’s easy to understand what the band is attempting. The barrage of short, fragmented pieces and sudden stylistic shifts signal a deliberate rejection of traditional song structure. Mike Patton’s vocalizations function more as sound effects than performances, reinforcing the record’s abstract intent. While the musicianship, particularly Dave Lombardo’s precision drumming and the band’s tight execution, is impossible to deny, the experience can feel more clinical than engaging. The experimental nature creates distance, making it difficult to emotionally connect despite appreciating the idea behind it. In the end, Fantômas succeeds intellectually, but the album’s confrontational approach may leave some listeners admiring the concept more than the music itself.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Book 1: Page 1
12:12 - Book 1: Page 4
16:42 - Book 1: Page 17
21:12 - Book 1: Page 7
Outro - Book 1: Page 30
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Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Star, the 1993 debut album by Belly, blends dreamy alt-rock textures with Tanya Donnelly’s airy, emotionally charged vocals and songwriting. Shimmering guitars and off-kilter hooks give the album a distinctive, almost fairy-tale quality that set it apart from its grunge-era peers, drawing as much from UK dream and jangle pop as American alternative. Singles like “Feed the Tree” and “Gepetto” highlight Donnelly’s knack for bright melodies wrapped around enigmatic lyrics. Throughout the album, the band balances buoyant energy with darker undercurrents, creating a sound that feels both inviting and haunting, though it does a bit long at fifteen tracks and over fifty minutes.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Feed The Tree
15:36 - White Belly
20:06 - Gepetto
21:58 - Angel
Outro - Dusted
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Eve 6’s 1998 self-titled debut delivered a punchy slice of late-’90s alternative rock loaded with catchy hooks and teenage urgency. The band utilizes pop-punk energy without the whine, creating a sound that’s both radio-friendly and tightly performed, showcasing their knack for clever, rapid-fire lyrics and instantly memorable choruses. The album balances angst and humor, giving it a charm that sets it apart from many of its era peers, and more twists and turns than one might expected based on the lead single "Inside Out."
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Inside Out
19:51 - Jesus Nitelite
23:44 - Leech
39:26 - Showerhead
Outro - Small Town Trap
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Another Thanksgiving is upon us, and our yearly post-Covid tradition continues as we gather patrons together and give thanks for the new music that gave us happiness and good vibes in 2025. There's a wide array of bands and artists, new and old, that helped make 2025 another great year for music!
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers
Outro - Disintegrate by Suede
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Human Clay by Creed is a polished, radio-ready slab of late-’90s hard rock that helped define (fairly or unfairly) the aesthetic now cheekily labeled “butt rock.” The album leans heavily on soaring, overly-earnest choruses and Mark Tremonti’s muscular guitar work, which give tracks like “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open” a memorable arena-rock punch. Scott Stapp’s vocals, full of dramatic baritone gravitas, remain divisive but central to the band’s signature sound. The record can feel repetitive in its reliance on inspirational platitudes, its glossy production, and melodic hooks without much depth. Ultimately, Human Clay stands as both a commercial triumph and a touchstone for the era’s post-grunge mainstream, embracing the very qualities that later sparked the backlash “butt rock” label.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Higher
28:42 - Beautiful
33:40 - Are You Ready
37:57 - Never Die
53:57 - What If
Outro - With Arms Wide Open
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Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
In 2002 Speedstar released their debut, Bruises You Can Touch, and unless you were in Australia, you probably never heard it. The Australian band's first album is a quietly affecting collection of melancholic indie pop that trades in mood and atmosphere over flash. Restrained production gives the band’s delicate melodies and wistful vocals room to breathe, creating an intimate and emotionally resonant experience. The album blends acoustic warmth and subtle distorted textures that recalls early Coldplay, Keane, Starsailor, and other 2000s post-Britpop bands, and stands as an overlooked gem of early-2000s indie.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Song For You
9:24 - Crazy Happy
16:39 - This Everyday Life (Into Your Arms)
22:59 - Piano Song (Sometimes)
26:09 - Wishing Your Life Away
29:12 - It's Ok To Be Sad When It Rains
Outro - Revolution
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Virtuoso guitarist Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme stepped out on his own for the 1997 solo debut Schizophonic to explore a more diverse sonic landscape. Blending alt-rock, power pop, and electronic influences, the album showcases Bettencourt’s strong sense of melody and knack for songwriting. Tracks like “Gravity” and “Swollen Princess” highlight his ability to fuse inventive guitar riffs with catchy hooks, with production that leans toward the dense, experimental textures of late-’90s rock. Having flown under the radar, Schizophonic stands as an underrated and inventive record that captures an artist unafraid to reinvent himself, a fascinating glimpse of what happens when a guitar hero eschews showmanship for songwriting.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Gravity
14:23 - What You Want
19:28 - Karmalaa
25:43 - Swollen Princess
36:31 - Fine By Me
47:28 - Fallen Angels
Outro - Severed
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Appalachian folk, Gothic country, and fire-and-brimstone intensity are not sounds you heard often on alternative albums in the 1990s. Sixteen Horsepower, led by David Eugene Edwards’ trembling voice and Old Testament fervor, sings like a sermon delivered from the traveling pulpit of redemption and ruin on their 1996 debut Sackcloth 'N Ashes. Songs churn with banjo, accordion, and tremolo guitar, evoking both frontier hardship and Calvinistic spiritual warfare. The production is stark yet cinematic, allowing every haunted whisper and stomped rhythm to resonate. While fans of Nick Cave, The Handsome Family, The Gun Club, etc. will find commonality, those unfamiliar may take a bit to warm up.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Black Soul Choir
21:14 - Prison Shoe Romp
23:37 - Horse Head
34:09 - Red Neck Reel
Outro - Strong Man
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.