Best Albums of the Nineties

Eraserheads (From left to right: Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zaballa, Ely Buendia and Raymund Marasigan)

 
Magkabilaan, Joey Ayala at Ang Bagong Lumad (1992). A little bit of cheat here. This was originally released in the late eighties and re-issued in 1992. Two tracks from this album, “Ilog” and “Padayon” were covered by Rivermaya in their last album with Rico Blanco. Other more popular songs here are “Magkabilaan” and “Walang Hanggang Paalam”.

Yano, Yano (1994). Nevermind if Dong Abay seemed to have gone one-off wonder after Yano (i.e. Pan, Flipino) – his works are always among the decade’s best.

Cutterpillow, Eraserheads (1995). It’s not “it’s either Circus or this”. If I have to include Circus, I may also need to include Natin99, Ultraelectromagneticpop, Fruitcake and even Sticker Happy. So I have to stick with Cutterpillow.

Patak, Agaw Agimat (1997). A slew of punk, politics, folk and ska formed into sharp pointed invectives, the best of which, their tirade on then Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos. Now that's something not even Yano were able to pull off. Robert Christgau will definitely love this.

It’s Not Easy Being Green, Rivermaya (1999). Bamboo plus singles equals Rivermaya, otherwise known the country’s most popular band after the Eraserheads. That was before this. This is Rivermaya minus Bamboo plus relative obscurity equals the best alternative album (that never sold well) since Cutterpillow.

Runner-ups:

Ultraelectromagneticpop!, Eraserheads (1993)

Hand-Painted Sky, Color It Red (1994)

Circus, Eraserheads (1994)

Put3ska, Put3ska (1995)

Freeman, Francis M. (1995)

1896 Ang Pagsilang, Various Artists (1996)

Semenelin, Wolfgang (1996)

Beggar's Moon, Razorback (1997)

Natin99, Eraserheads (1999)

I Was A Teenage Tree, Teeth (1999)