Five Highlights from ‘90s Tribute Albums

All-star tribute albums have been a popular medium in the world of popular music for many years. But the CD age brought with it a renewed interest in the form. As the ‘90s dawned, record stores seemed to be filled with tribute CDs honoring a wide range of artists. And the storage capabilities of the compact disc – initially 74 minutes, soon expanded to 80 – meant that there was plenty of room for more songs, more-more-more artists.

One of the most celebrated among the 1990s crop of tribute collections was If I Were a Carpenter, a compilation on A&M Records paying tribute to sister-and-brother pop act Karen and Richard Carpenter. On the 30th anniversary of that album’s release, here’s a look at five tribute compilations from that era.

“If You Have Ghosts” by John Wesley Harding from Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson (1990)
Roxy Erickson was the guitarist and front man for Texas’ trailblazing psychedelic rock band the 13th Floor Elevators. Erickson’s story is filled with injustice and tragedy. During one of his most troubled period – during which he was imprisoned for stealing mail – an all-star coterie of artists led by Erickson fan and friend (and music industry heavyweight) Bill Bentley put together this compilation to raise funds for Erickson. Artists as varied as ZZ Top, R.E.M., the Jesus and Mary Chain and Butthole Surfers lent their talents to the project. A highlight of the collection – which would be reissued on vinyl in 2017 for Record Store Day – is this track by modern-day troubadour John Wesley Harding, singing and playing a cover of a swinging, psychedelic track first heard on from Roky’s classic 1981 LP The Evil One.

“Valleri” by Mitch Easter from Here No Evil: A Tribute to the Monkees (1992)
When they first hit American television screens in 1966, the Monkees divided audiences: fans loved them, but many critics assailed what they considered the group’s “pre-fab,” made-for-TV status. But the charts were the final arbiters: the Monkees were one of the ‘60s most popular acts. And time has been kind to their legacy. As early as 1992, a variety of then-current artists lent their talents in tribute of the Monkees. Hear No Evil featured many “college rock” artists from the South, including Peter Holsapple (the dB’s) and Anne Richmond Boston (Swimming Pool Q’s). Mitch Easter had already earned fame for both his work co-producing early R.E.M. albums and for his own band, Let’s Active. The prodigiously talented Easter sings and plays everything on this recording of the Boyce-Hart classic.

“Hey Joe” by Body Count from Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (1993)
As one of the most important recording artists of any era, Jimi Hendrix seemed ideal for the tribute treatment. And a dizzying array of artists came together for Stone Free. Among the highest-profile tribute projects f the era, the album featured The Cure, Eric Clapton, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck and others covering music from Hendrix’s catalog. The 14-song set is filled with inventive readings of Jimi’s songs, but among the most unexpected is a faithful reading of “Hey Joe” – a song popularized but not written by Hendrix – featuring thrash metal band Body Count with its front man, rap icon Ice-T (who, by the way, sings rather than raps here).

“Top of the World” by Shonen Knife from If I Were a Carpenter (1994)
Conceived by producer Matt Wallace, this album earned widespread positive reviews and paved the way for even more similarly-themed releases. A parade of didn’t-see-that-coming choices characterizes this collection of songs written by or for The Carpenters. The Cranberries, 4 Non Blondes and Sheryl Crow are among the 14 songs on this set. Sonic Youth’s idiosyncratic take on “Superstar” (which Richard Carpenter reportedly disliked) is one of the album’s odder tracks, but at the other end of the spectrum is a chirpy pop-punk take on the Carpenters’ Top Ten hit single from 1972, courtesy of Japanese trio Shonen Knife.

“Promise Her Anything” by Gladhands from What the World Needs Now… (1998)
Songwriting team Burt Bacharach and Hal David were one of the biggest hitmakers of the 1960s. The duo composed his for Dionne Warwick, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and many others, scoring more than 50 Top 40 hit singles in the U.S. Most of their work fell into the pop of “easy listening” category, but their influence would extend far beyond those confines. That fact is illustrated by this 1998 collection from Big Deal Records, featuring many of that label’s power pop artists covering Bacharach/David classics. Alongside Shonen Knife, Wondermints and BMX Bandits is this thrilling reading of “Promise Her Anything” by overlooked North Carolina band Gladhands. They rock up the song while remaining faithful to the original’s brassy pop vibe. The album’s cover art by Mad Magazine’s Jack Davis is the icing on the tasty cake.