Jawbox

Formed in 1989 in Washington, D.C., Jawbox's career would go on to span 8 years and encompass four acclaimed albums, the band would be one of the landmark groups of the 90s, inspiring many who would go on to form the nu-metal sound of the early 21st century. Their debut album, Grippe, landed in 1991, and demonstrated a tremendous amount of promise for the young up-and-comers. It was followed shortly thereafter by 1992's Novelty, moodily produced by the famed Iain Burgess, whose handling of the recording resulted in a slightly darker experienced than fans had come to expect. Still, the album was heralded in the indie world, and led to the recording of the band's third LP, For Your Own Special Sweetheart, in 1994. Jawbox started to pick up a few more fans at this point, partially due to their status as the headliners for Stone Temple Pilots at the time. The group's fourth and final album, Jawbox, arrived in 1997 but was all but ignored by the public. Frustrated, the band threw in the towel shortly thereafter.
It's difficult to really appreciate some of the darker elements of music in the 90s without examining the music of Jawbox. Fittingly, they at one time released a cover of a Joy Division song, "Something Must Break," which gives the uninitiated a pretty good idea of the mindset the band was in during its brief 8-year long career. Capable of weaving complex melodies and guitar riffs together, Jawbox was able to generate some incredibly interesting music, the likes of which would inspire countless others to dig deeper and rise above the din that was the rush of grunge bands in the early '90s. Jawbox also wasn't afraid to experiment a bit, and their trademark sound was able to grow and evolve as their albums progressed. Fans who start at the beginning and work their way through to the end will be richly rewarded with an unforgettable music experience that ended long before its time.