Let’s take a look back at the year of Violator, Pills ‘N’ Thrills & Bellyaches and Some Friendly.
They Might Be Giants – Flood: released 15th January 1990
The New York duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell released their first album for a major label (Elektra) which included the huge hit Birdhouse In Your Soul.
They Might Be Giants – Flood: album cover artwork.
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The Sundays – Reading, Writing And Arithmetic: released 15th January 1990
The fondly-remembered band released their debut, which included Here’s Where The Story Ends and the all-time favourite Can’t Be Sure.
The Sundays – Reading, Writing And Arithmetic album cover artwork.
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The Lightning Seeds – Cloudcuckooland: release date 29th January 1990
After years as a faceless musician and producer, Ian Broudie finally launched his own solo project with the single Pure, issued in June 1989. It appears on this debut album, which also includes the tracks Joy and All I Want.
The Lightning Seeds – Cloudcuckooland album cover.
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Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine – 101 Damnations: released 29th January 1990
Jim Bob and Fruitbat’s debut album included Sheriff Fatman and the punning Twenty Four Minutes From Tulse Hill.
Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine – 101 Damnations album cover artwork.
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The Mission – Carved In Sand: release date 5th February 1990
The Leeds goth band released the follow-up to their successful second album, Children. Singles included Deliverance, Into The Blue, and the Number 12 hit Butterfly On A Wheel.
The Mission – Carved In Sand album cover.
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The Fall – Extricate: release date 19th February 1990
The 12th album from Mark E. Smith’s ongoing post-punk project was the first since Brix Smith had departed, and includes Telephone Thing, a collaboration with British DJs Coldcut. The song Bill Is Dead topped John Peel’s Festive 50 at the end of the year.
The Fall – Extricate album cover.
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The Beloved – Happiness: released 19th February 1990
The duo issued their second album, which saw them embrace rave culture and featured the singles Hello, Your Love Takes Me Higher and The Sun Rising.
The Beloved – Happiness album cover artwork.
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The House Of Love – The House Of Love (aka Fontana): released 26th February 1990
Guy Chadwick’s combo released their second album (eponymous, like their first), which featured Shine On, The Beatles And The Stones and I Don’t Know Why I Love You.
The House Of Love – The House Of Love (aka Fontana) album cover artwork.
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Depeche Mode – Violator: released 19th March 1990
The Basildon electro-pop heroes released their seventh album, featuring Enjoy The Silence, Personal Jesus and World In My Eyes.
Depeche Mode – Violator album cover artwork.
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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Good Son: release date 17th April 1990
The Australian singer-songwriter’s sixth album with The Bad Seeds followed up the acclaimed Tender Prey and included the singles The Ship Song and The Weeping Song.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Good Son album cover.
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Inspiral Carpets – Life: released 23rd April 1990
Clint Boon and co released their debut album, which included the singles She Comes In The Fall and This Is How It Feels.
Inspiral Carpets – Life album cover artwork.
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The Soup Dragons – Lovegod: release date 30th April 1990
The Scottish band’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ I’m Free was added to later pressings of their second album, which peaked at Number 7 on the UK albums chart.
The Soup Dragons – Lovegod album cover.
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The Breeders – Pod: released 29th May 1990
The alternative supergroup – which initially featured Kim Deal (Pixies), Tanya Donnelly (Throwing Muses) and Josephine Wiggs (The Perfect Disaster) issued their Steve Albini-produced debut album, which featured When I Was A Painter and a cover of The Beatles’ Happiness Is A Warm Gun.
The Breeders – Pod album cover artwork.
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James – Gold Mother: released 4th June 1990
The Manchester band released their third album, which included Come Home and How Was It For You. The album was reissued the following year with the classic Sit Down added.
James – Gold Mother album cover artwork.
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Teenage Fanclub – A Catholic Education: released 11th June 1990
The acclaimed Scottish power-pop band released their debut album, which included Everything Flows.
Teenage Fanclub – A Catholic Education album cover artwork.
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Sonic Youth – Goo: released 26th June 1990
The alt rock legends issued their sixth album, which included Dirty Boots, Cool Thing and spawned a million fashion t-shirts.
Sonic Youth – Goo album cover artwork.
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Pixies – Bossanova: released 13th August 1990
The Boston band released their third full length album, which included the singles Velouria and Dig For Fire.
Pixies – Bossanova album cover artwork.
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Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual: released 21st August 1990
Perry Farrell’s alt.rock heroes released their second album, which included the huge radio hit Been Caught Stealing.
Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual album cover artwork.
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Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas: released 17th September 1990
The sixth album from the ethereal rock trio featured the hit Iceblink Luck.
Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas album cover artwork.
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The La’s – The La’s: released 1st October 1990
The hugely-influential band from Liverpool released their first – and, to date, only studio album. It contained the classic There She Goes and the singles Timeless Melody and Feelin’.
The La’s – The La’s.
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The Charlatans – Some Friendly: released 8th October 1990
Tim Burgess released his debut album, which featured the single Then and the live favourite Sproston Green. Later editions included the dancefloor hit The Only One I Know.
The Charlatans – Some Friendly album cover artwork.
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Ride – Nowhere: released 15th October 1990
The incredibly popular shoegaze band released their debut album, which included Vapour Trail and Dreams Burn Down.
Ride – Nowhere album cover artwork.
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Pop Will Eat Itself – Cure For Sanity: release date 22nd October 1990
The third album from the Stourbridge indie/hip-hop collective included the singles 92°F, X Y & Zee and their anthem for the 1990 World Cup, Touched By The Hand Of Cicciolina.
Pop Will Eat Itself – Cure For Sanity album cover.
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Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches: released 5th November 1990
Shaun Ryder, Bez and co released their third album, which featured Step On, Kinky Afro and Loose Fit. Baggy had arrived!
Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills & Bellyaches – the copyright-troubling original.
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The Cure – Mixed Up: released 5th November 1990
Robert Smith’s merry men jumped on the dance bandwagon with this album of remixes, which bore a hit in the baggied-up version of the classic Close To Me.
The Cure – Mixed Up album cover artwork.
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