If you grew up when grunge blew up—in the Northwest or unfortunately far away, like me—you probably felt a few tugs at your heartstrings via your eardrums (and eyeballs) this year. Maybe what you heard gave you a little thrill. Maybe it pissed you off. Either way, it was a fine year for remembering and reliving Seattle’s flannel-rock heyday. Here's the most compelling (first half of the) evidence.
10. News flash: Satchel is back!
Mid-year, founding members Shawn Smith and Regan Hagar both said Satchel was long-gone history. A reunion for the melodic rock band, defunct since 1997, was admittedly an old-school fan's sentimental wish. Or was it? By fall, Smith was tweeting hints that he and former Satchel cohorts (drummer Hagar and guitarist John Hoag) were playing together again. Then Smith's site boasted an official reunion, fresh tunes, and a new studio record (Heartache and Honey, appropriately). And finally, this belated Christmas Twitter-gift from Smith on the 28th: "Satchel confirmed, Feb. 18th 2010 at The Crocodile in Seattle." Awesome. I so want to believe I helped make this happen.
9. Pearl Jam’s Ten turns 18, gets deluxe reissue
The first step in a promised 2011 celebration of 20 years of music, the reissue of Pearl Jam's big-time debut was a doozy. Multiple packages boasting multiple music formats (viva la vinyl!) and replicated grunge-era memorabilia sated hardcore fans while a complete crisp, Vedder-vocal-boosting new mix from producer Brendan O'Brien pleased everyone. By clearing up the hitherto unnoticed echo effects and cloudy fuzz, O'Brien made a classic rock album sound even classic-er. Look for similar reissues of Pearl Jam's successive records in the coming years.
8. Grunge books recount the era's look and feel
Rock journalist Greg Prato put together the most comprehensive and fascinating account of Seattle's global musical domination with spring's Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music. The book's so good because the tales are told by the people who lived them, before and after the term "grunge" became synonymous with local rock: producers (Jack Endino), concert-goers, girlfriends (Tracy Marander), label owners (Pavitt and Poneman), roadies, managers (Susan Silver), and band members (Mark Arm, Jerry Cantrell, Kathleen Hanna, Mark Pickerel, Kim Thayill, Eddie Vedder...). You'll learn about the iconic (and forgotten) bands of the era, their members' personal struggles, and the clubs that hosted their genre-founding awesomeness.
Grunge isn't as must-have a book, but it's an honest, telling document of that time. Half street-punk album and half band portrait, Michael Lavine's photo book captures the souls of the people who made the music and of those who ate it up—or fashionably rejected it, preferring those bands' pure punk and metal predecessors. (Lavine was a Sub Pop-sanctioned photographer at the time. Cha-ching!) Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore adds some introductory color (and amusing ain't-I-cool lyricism). It's a super look back; the release party, featuring Tad Doyle's Brotherhood of the Sonic Cloth and Mudhoney, was even better.
7. Chris Cornell "sells out" with Scream
How far the mighty do fall. And those who thought former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell plummeted with Scream were wrong. Yes, it was produced by self-inflated beat deity Timbaland. Yes, it's a hip hop- and R&B-flavored album. Yep, it includes a silly, stereotypical rap-album intro. And yeah, Cornell sings about "the club," the hoochies, and uses harsh language. But Scream's a tasty piece of catchy candy. It's an instant singalong-dancealong. Lamentable lack of all-out Cornell vocals aside, it's seriously pretty fantastic. And proves the musician will do what he wants without worrying about what you, Badmotorfinger-lover, will think. Good for him.
6. Alice in Chains releases first studio record in 14 years
The last time Alice in Chains had a new album, Bill Clinton had just met Monica Lewinsky and the sting of Kurt Cobain's suicide was still relatively fresh in Seattle. And when Alice in Chains was new, the band itself was unfortunately sliding toward defunctitude. Years later, when no new music had been made and Layne Staley died, it seemed AIC was history. But vocalist-guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Inez never called it quits; instead, they recruited Comes with the Fall frontman William DuVall. After a few one-off shows, the rejuvenated band started recording new tunes. Black Gives Way to Blue, a heavy, contemplative love letter of sorts to Staley, was the end result. In short: it's classic, yet new-century AIC. Staley's haunting voice is gone, yes; but DuVall's own solid larynx complements the band's signature sound with apparent comfort and grace. Surprisingly or not, Black Gives Way is one of the best records of the year.
Can you guess the top five? Stay tuned.
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