A quirky but hard-rockin’ band drawing on thrash metal, hard rock and punk influences, the obscure Tad made a memorable, if underrated, contribution to grunge and alternative rock with 8-Way Santa. In contrast to the consistently dark and pessimistic tendencies of many other grunge units, Tad (named after lead singer Tad Doyle) comes across as more fun and lighthearted than anything. Titles like “3-D Witch Hunt,” “Jack Pepsi” (a goofy parody of truck driver songs) and “Hedge Hog” point to the fact that Tad isn’t without a healthy sense of humor. At times, this abrasive, freewheeling foursome almost sounds like grunge’s answer to Aerosmith. But unfortunately, Tad never escaped obscurity. – Alex Henderson