Episode 1.08: Edge Of Seventeen: Tamia / Veruca Salt

This week, we’re redeeming two songs by R&B singer Tamia and alternative band Veruca Salt that blew our teenaged minds, but didn’t really blow up the pop charts; was it just our raging hormones?

This week, Jason relived his swoony teenage years with Tamia’s 1998 single “So Into You”:

He decried her constant bubbling under status despite a slew of great songs, including “You Put A Move On My Heart” with the legendary Quincy Jones, and her more recent output like 2015’s “Sandwich And A Soda”

As recently as this year, Tamia continues to show off her vocals, including a recent collaboration with Deborah Cox and Shep Smith, covering Whitney Houston & Cece Winan’s “Count On Me.” 

 

Barry, meanwhile recalled existing in a state somewhere between Robin Tunney’s and Liv Tyler’s characters in Empire Records in high school. He discussed Veruca Salt’s 1997 single “Volcano Girls” and his feeling that late 90s alternative rock is largely frowned upon by early 90s alternative aficionados.

 

He noted that even when “Seether” came out, Veruca Salt fell under some unfair criticisms for being too successful too soon:

 

Admittedly, the landscape of alternative rock was changing throughout the 90s. In 1996, Tracy Bonham was notably the last solo female to score a #1 on the alternative rock charts until 2013, when Lorde released “Royals”: