995: MIGHTY JOE MOON | GRANT LEE BUFFALO

1994: You know those CDs that have been stored away for many years in some moving box. The ones that the used record store rejected when you tried to sell or trade them in years ago. Not even a nickel?! The land of forgotten CDs. Well, I found this one in one of those boxes complete with a scratched jewel case that looked like it was recovered from a bomb site. I grabbed it and drove around listening to it recently. After I came down from my state of 90s nostalgia I realized that this dark Waterboys-like folk mixed with American indie folk-rock still holds up. "Mockingbirds", "Sing Along" and "Side by Side" stand out for me.  

Tim Lawerence writes: Mighty Joe Moon is a criminally underrated and under-appreciated album that sounds exactly opposite to the music that was invading the radio waves at the time. Filled with beautiful melodies, rich lyrics and an incredibly big sound for just three guys, Mighty Joe Moon is a start to finish masterpiece of weird American folk-rock. 

Grant Lee Phillips is a master of the 12 string acoustic guitar, and he switches from beautiful acoustic tones to massive distorted riffs throughout, often in the same song. Opener "Lone Star Song" sets the tone, with its giant guitar and cryptic lyrics that could be about either Kennedy's assassination or the Waco siege, quite likely both.

And it just gets better from there, folks. "It's the Life", "Mighty Joe Moon" and "Honey Don't Think" showcase the band's acoustic side, while "Sing Along", "Demon Called Deception" and "Drag" continue the heavy promise of "Lone Star Song". Everything else on the album is equally as memorable. Anyone who's a fan of Mighty Joe Moon surely has a favorite track, and I'm sure it's different with each person.