In our second installment of Surviving the 90s, we're revisiting one of the hitmakers from the first half of the 80s - Billy Squier. Responsible for such hits as The Stroke, Lonely Is The Night, Everybody Wants You, My Kinda Lover, and Rock Me Tonite, to name a few, Squier was all over radio and early MTV. Albums like Don't Say No, Emotions in Motion, and Signs of Life each went Platinum, and while musical trends changed, Squier still managed radio airplay into the early 90s. But by 1998, he was done, releasing his final record, Happy Blue, an all acoustic affair. We revisit his greatest hits, his 90s releases, and try to determine if Billy Squier thrived, adapted, or died in the 90s.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - The Stroke (from Don't Say No)

10:32 - 42nd Street by Piper (from self-titled)

17:41 - The Big Beat (from The Tale of the Tape)

28:19 - Rock Me Tonite (from Signs of Life)

38:28 - Young at Heart (from Creatures of Habit)

1:02:42 - Happy Blues (from Happy Blue)

Outro - Angry (from Tell The Truth)

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Previously we revisited Idlewild's 2000 breakthrough sophomore album 100 Broken Windows, but for this episode we're going backward to their 1998 debut. The punkier, more aggressive Hope Is Important leans into noisy, almost unpolished intensity, while moments of introspection hint at the more refined songwriting the band would develop on following albums. Frenetic guitars and urgent vocals create a chaotic yet compelling sound, with tracks like "When I Argue I See Shapes" showcase their knack for anthemic hooks. Though it may lack the polish of their later work, Hope Is Important captures Idlewild’s youthful spirit and unfiltered passion.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Everyone's Says you're so Fragile

19:58 - You've Lost Your Way

25:54 - I'm Happy to be here Tonight

30:27 - A Film for the Future

34:34 - When I Argue I See Shapes

Outro - Paint Nothing

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Alien Lanes by Guided By Voices, their first for Matador Records, expanded upon the lo-fi, hook-driven bursts of songs from previous release Bee Thousand. Its chaotic, collage-like structure packs 28 tracks into just over 40 minutes, thanks to the raw, four-track production gives the album an intimate, unpolished feel. Songs end abruptly, vocals are buried, guitars are out of tune, yet the melodies emerge from the fuzz with a mix of power pop charm and punk spontaneity.Widely considered one of their best works, Alien Lanes remains a cult favorite and a defining record of '90s indie rock.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Watch Me Jumpstart

17:09 - Motor Away

20:20 - Closer You Are

30:38 - Ex-Supermodel

36:20 - Strawdogs

38:19 - My Valuable Hunting Knife

Outro - Blimps Go 90

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Two Monkeys, the 1997 album by veteran punk band Cock Sparrer, blends old school British pub rock and Oi! with surprising melodic elements. Despite being released twenty-five years into their career, the album retains the raw energy of their early work, featuring socially conscious lyrics while tackling themes like working-class struggles and personal resilience. The production is cleaner than their classic albums, but it still maintains a gritty, pub-rock feel, though a few of the faster tracks could benefit from a remix due to overly-compressed and thin sounding drums. 

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Bats Out

21:10 - Back Home

24:36 - A.U.

29:05 - Time To Be Me

32:52 - Battersea Bardot

37:00 - Goodbye

Outro - Lies

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Los Lobos' 1990 album The Neighborhood showcases their signature blend of rock, blues, and Latin influences through the lense and ears of East Los Angeles. While it didn’t achieve the commercial success of La Bamba, the album captures Los Lobos’ musical versatility and deep-rooted cultural influences. The band shifts from Texas blues and roots rock to old school rock 'n roll and acoustic balladry with the ease of seasoned players, with lead singer/guitarist David Hidalgo guiding the band all the way. At times the reliance on traditional blues structures can stifle the endlessly creative band by locking them into particular styles and arrangements, whereas tracks written outside the format flourish thanks to the skilled band.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Down On The Riverbed

19:17 - I Walk Alone

24:25 - The Giving Tree

26:25 - Georgia Slop

43:37 - Be Still

Outro - The Neighborhood

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Fiona Apple's 1996 debut album Tidal remains a landmark in alternative music, blending jazz-infused piano melodies with deeply introspective lyrics. The album's breakout single, "Criminal," propelled Apple into the mainstream, earning her a Grammy and solidifying her as a unique voice in the industry. With raw emotion and poetic lyricism, songs like "Shadowboxer" and "Sleep to Dream" showcased her maturity beyond her years. Tidal was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, influencing a generation of singer-songwriters with its confessional style. Nearly three decades later, the album's haunting beauty and vulnerability continue to resonate with listeners.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Sleep To Dream

25:03 - Shadowboxer

34:26 - Pale September

46:16 - Criminal

50:12 - The First Taste

Outro - Slow Like Honey

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We'll forgive you if you missed Swimmer's one and only album, 1999's Surreal, because we did as well. Though released on Madonna's Maverick label, the band came and went rather quickly, leaving without making a blip on Billboard, radio, MTV, and the internet in general. What they did leave behind was a forty-three minute long compact disc full of drama-laden alternative rock that sweeps through the eleven tracks with equal parts quiet emoting and bombastic explosion. Nothing about the record is ground-breaking, but as is usually the case, the sum is equal to more than the parts.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Playing Jesus

19:12 - Dumb

21:12 - Because Today

30:11 - Kick In The Head

34:59 - Spaced Out Hat

42:50 - Dirty Word

Outro - Surreal

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Back in the day (i.e. the 90s), the idea of an indie band jumping to a major label was usually followed by the words "sell out." But without the restrictions of a smaller budget and less time, many artists put their increased resources to good use. Source Tags and Codes, released in 2002 by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, might be one of the first landmark albums in the post-hardcore world of the 2000s. The album blends intense, chaotic energy with lush, orchestral arrangements, creating a sound that is both visceral and melodic. It received near-universal critical acclaim upon release, with many praising its ambitious scope and emotional depth, but has it retained a lasting influence Source Tags and Codes remains a defining moment in the band's career and is considered a classic by fans of the band, but does it stand up over twenty years later?

Songs In This Episode

Intro - It Was There That I Saw You

18:09 - Another Morning Stoner

22:09 - How Near How Far

25:23 - Baudelaire

30:34 - Relative Ways

Outro - Monsoon

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Here at Dig Me Out we spent the last ten years starting each new season by looking back at the albums from each year that stood the test of time, disappeared without a trace, and everything in between. We kicked off with a roundtable in 2015 and revisited the albums of 1995, so it made sense to start a new series of roundtables in 1995 as well. This time we're checking out the singles of each year, looking at the year-end Modern Rock/Alternative and Hot 100 charts in the US, as well as charts from Canada, the UK and Australia for comparison. Like with all roundtables, we enlisted the help of some special guests to revisit this interesting transitional year that saw the rise of the second generation of grunge bands like Bush and Silverchair, the continued success of 1994's pop-punk breakthroughs by Green Day and The Offspring, and the juggernaut that was Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette. But that doesn't tell the entire tale, so former A&R executive and audio tech writer James Barber and music writer Kevin Alexander join us to talk about all the hits, the near misses, and the weirdness that was 1995.

Lastly, our third guest, S.W. Lauden aka Steve Coulter was unable to attend due to the tragic loss of his and his family's home in the Eaton, CA. fires. If you are able, please consider donating to the Go Fund Me set-up by Steve's friends.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette (Jagged Little Pill)

12:15 - Possum Kingdom by Toadies (Marvel's Thunderbolts 2025 trailer)

24:48 - A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins (Empire Records soundtrack)

33:18 - Bright Yellow Gun by Throwing Muses (University)

53:24 - No More I Love You's by Annie Lennox (Medusa)

1:00:23 - Common People by Pulp  (Different Class)

Outro - Alright by Supergrass (I Should Coco)

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Papa Vegas' 1999 album Hello Vertigo offers a radio friendly mix of alternative rock with polished production. It showcases the band's bi hit potential, but the songwriting occasionally feels formulaic, relying on the familiar soft/loud trope from the mid to late '90s rock scene. Tracks like "Bombshell" stand out with catchy hooks and a radio-friendly vibe, but others struggle to maintain the same level of energy or memorability. While the album has moments of creativity, such as its layered guitar work and atmospheric touches, it tends to play it safe, rarely straying from the verse/prechorus/chorus format. The album is more than competent at delivering a chorus, but the safe rhythm section and lack of dynamics give the overall record a consistency that could use a shake-up from time to time.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Super Telepathy

17:57 - Something Wrong

20:42 - No Destination

36.37 - Mesmerized

46:38 - Bombshell

Outro - Sermon Underground

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