Class Note 1990
Issue
March-April 2022
Here is Part IV of your answers to the question, “What’s your favorite album that was recorded after we graduated in 1990 or who’s your favorite musical artist whom you discovered after we graduated in 1990?”
Chris Marlow writes, “Nevermind by Nirvana. It is one of the few times in my life I can remember the moment I heard a song. Nothing special, just driving home to Alexandria from Washington, D.C. It was such a singular moment that I nearly stopped my car to listen to it. That album was so unique and entrancing. And Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrisette had wonderful songs that slapped one in the face. This album was musically simple, tight, and personal. It expressed an angst, a pain all of us experience. It was raw, powerful, honest.”
Marcus Weiss writes, “Hands-down my favorite album released after we graduated is October Road by James Taylor. I love it so much that I was singing the title song to my unborn first child in my wife’s belly! We have both continued to sing it to our two boys as a lullaby at bedtime to this day (they are 12 and 9).”
Cheryl Shepherd writes,“Coldplay, definitely, and then the Chainsmokers. (Oh, and there’s this guy my daughter likes too—Max Drazen—who may be going places.)” Tom Warren writes, “My favorite album would have to be Sonic Highways by Foo Fighters. The songs were all inspired by the musical traditions and histories of several music cities across the United States.”
Jonathan Sullivan writes, “I’m going to have to go with Dirt by Alice in Chains. It cemented them as one of my favorite bands of all time and though my musical tastes have evolved through time, I keep coming back to this album and this band.”
Kevin Stone writes,“I can’t explain why I am moved to respond, since I can’t remember if I ever contributed to the ’90 news. Lyle Lovett sits high on my list of artists discovered since graduation. His was one of the most enjoyable concerts I’ve attended: listening to Lyle and his Large Band, sitting in a field on a beautiful summer evening in central New York, watching a sunset. I’ve been enjoying his music ever since.”
Jim Wilhelm writes,“The National and their album Alligator. I saw them live for the first time in Seattle in the fall of 2006. A week later I asked my now wife if she wanted to take a road trip from Seattle to Portland [Oregon] to see them live. She said ‘yes’—it was our second date. We got engaged six months later. Since then we have seen them in N.Y.C., Seattle and most recently in Berkeley [California] back in 2019. I love their music and the fact that they are originally from Ohio, like most great things!”
Laurin Grollman writes,“My favorite band since 1990 is Train.”
Paul Haffner writes,“Black Crowes! They saved rock ’n’ roll after the rather hideous decade for pop music that was the 1980s. And Jack White is pretty damn good too.”
—Rob Crawford, 22 Black Oak Road, Weston, MA 02493; crawdaddy37@gmail.com
Chris Marlow writes, “Nevermind by Nirvana. It is one of the few times in my life I can remember the moment I heard a song. Nothing special, just driving home to Alexandria from Washington, D.C. It was such a singular moment that I nearly stopped my car to listen to it. That album was so unique and entrancing. And Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrisette had wonderful songs that slapped one in the face. This album was musically simple, tight, and personal. It expressed an angst, a pain all of us experience. It was raw, powerful, honest.”
Marcus Weiss writes, “Hands-down my favorite album released after we graduated is October Road by James Taylor. I love it so much that I was singing the title song to my unborn first child in my wife’s belly! We have both continued to sing it to our two boys as a lullaby at bedtime to this day (they are 12 and 9).”
Cheryl Shepherd writes,“Coldplay, definitely, and then the Chainsmokers. (Oh, and there’s this guy my daughter likes too—Max Drazen—who may be going places.)” Tom Warren writes, “My favorite album would have to be Sonic Highways by Foo Fighters. The songs were all inspired by the musical traditions and histories of several music cities across the United States.”
Jonathan Sullivan writes, “I’m going to have to go with Dirt by Alice in Chains. It cemented them as one of my favorite bands of all time and though my musical tastes have evolved through time, I keep coming back to this album and this band.”
Kevin Stone writes,“I can’t explain why I am moved to respond, since I can’t remember if I ever contributed to the ’90 news. Lyle Lovett sits high on my list of artists discovered since graduation. His was one of the most enjoyable concerts I’ve attended: listening to Lyle and his Large Band, sitting in a field on a beautiful summer evening in central New York, watching a sunset. I’ve been enjoying his music ever since.”
Jim Wilhelm writes,“The National and their album Alligator. I saw them live for the first time in Seattle in the fall of 2006. A week later I asked my now wife if she wanted to take a road trip from Seattle to Portland [Oregon] to see them live. She said ‘yes’—it was our second date. We got engaged six months later. Since then we have seen them in N.Y.C., Seattle and most recently in Berkeley [California] back in 2019. I love their music and the fact that they are originally from Ohio, like most great things!”
Laurin Grollman writes,“My favorite band since 1990 is Train.”
Paul Haffner writes,“Black Crowes! They saved rock ’n’ roll after the rather hideous decade for pop music that was the 1980s. And Jack White is pretty damn good too.”
—Rob Crawford, 22 Black Oak Road, Weston, MA 02493; crawdaddy37@gmail.com