Tag: 90’s Alt Rock

This band was the epitome of one of those all-too-common scenarios in 90s Christian music: the frustratingly great one-album wonder. Driver Eight released Watermelon via Tooth and Nail Records in 1996, to high acclaim from fans and critics alike, and then disappeared into the . . . well, that’s just it–we don’t know what happened! The album featured a highly-effective mix of alternative rock styles including Britpop (even though the band was American), quasi-shoegaze, and jangle pop. It seemed that they were channeling equally such disparate influences as Smashing Pumpkins, Catherine Wheel, R.E.M.,… Continued →

Cloud Merchants fall in the same 90s alternative art rock category fare along with bands suck as Choo Choo Pye, Midnight Oil, The Ocean Blue, etc… The band hails from San Diego, Cali & appears to have done 2 LPS. It was hard to narrow down between this catchy SOTD & another called It’s Dark Outside. Chose this one as YouTube did not have this one uploaded & due to feeling frustrated sometimes just like we all do & wanting to shout out loud. … Continued →

Raspberry Jam is one of the earliest Christian alternative rock bands when alternative was such a genre. Heard their music through an indie rock station out of Springfield, MO while I was visiting fiends back in the early-mid 90s. This same station is where I discovered other greats such as Cloud2Ground, The Violet Burning & The Prayer Chain (the later 2 who evolved from the same southern California scene as Raspberry).  The band released and EP & 3 LPs before disbanding. Released on Metro One Records in 1993 (the same label who brought us Spoken & Precious Death), the 3rd release Chi-Ro was an alternative rock/funk hybrid with 2 vocalists: Phillip Kim & Angel Short.… Continued →

Beloved Southern California 90’s alt-rock band, The Prayer Chain, have just announced a new campaign to fund the vinyl pressing of their much loved debut full length “Shawl”. The band crossed all barriers and industry confines to write songs that conveyed emotions which the general “Christian” market just wasn’t prepared to deal with at the time. Their music transcends all labels and tags that may be associated with the band to truly be recognized as the powerhouse rock act that they were. This and “Mercury” were the band at their finest.… Continued →

Check out this music video for “Splendor” by independent Orange County, CA. artist David Di Maria. The song appears on David’s latest demo disc “Apple of Your Eye”. You can also stream the song below via David’s soundcloud page. … Continued →

Check out a new track from Glower (Ex-Hands) titled “Black Hole Baby”, below (Originally posted at Substream). This isn’t standard post-metal or ambient-metal like the aforementioned Hands tinkered with. This is straight up melodic alt-rock with a strong 90’s influence. If you dig the era of bands long since past, definitely dive head first into Glower and their addictive, strong material. You can pre-order the Glower / Of Sinking Ships 7″ Split right here at Broken Circles Records. The split will release in February.… Continued →