War and Peace--Syd Straw
When catching Syd Straw's live show, it's best to prepared for anything; one never knows what offhand, offbeat comment Straw will toss off. Much the same could be said for this terrific album. From an ode to a squirrel to the words of an ancient Chinese poet to a recounting of a serendipitous meeting with an old flame, Syd's lyrics run the gamut. And the music rocks.
Among My Swan--Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star revisits the trancey, atmospheric navel-gazing music of their previous release, So Tonight That I Might See, with just a pinch of Cowboy Junkies-esque downer folk thrown in. And their live show, at Manhattan's Supper Club, though, without a doubt, the most dimly lit concert I've ever witnessed, was moody, atmospheric and surprisingly effective.
Colossal Head--Los Lobos
The best damned band in East LA offers another pastiche of musical styles and found sounds. Not, to my ear, the masterpiece that Kiko was (or their side project, Latin Playboys, for that matter) but a fine album. I cranked it up at the office and had folks poking their heads in, asking, "Who is this?" all afternoon. Not sure producers Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake are for everyone but they meld just fine with David Hidalgo and company.
Garbage--Garbage
This probably ranks second-highest on my most-played list.
Under the Bushes Under the Stars--Guided By Voices
To paraphrase Will Rogers' quip regarding Oklahoma's ever-changing weather, if you don't like any given GBV song, just stick around a couple of minutes. These boys cram so many short tunes onto an album, you're bound to find a hook or two that grabs your ear. This one's chock full of them.
Viva! La Woman--Cibo Matto
I first heard these two NYC-dwelling Japanese women, and their songs about food, at a packed CBGB's show held several months before this album's release. They went on over an hour later than advertised, the band preceding them sucked and I could barely breathe for all the smoke. It was still worth it. And the album's even better than that terrific show led me to expect.
New Adventures In Hi-Fi--REM
I'm scratching my head over this one. I can't imagine why this album's sold so much worse than Monster; I think it's every bit as good. It is slower to take hold, however. Perhaps it lacks the radio-ready hooks that so often are the mark of a multi-platinum record. Fine. Just give it enough listens, it'll ingratiate itself.
Odelay--Beck
Something for everyone here. Beck has clearly been listening carefully all his 24 years, soaking it all in...funk, hip-hop, folk, blues, rock. It's all here and it all works.
Peace At Last--Blue Nile
Blue Nile manage effortlessly what hacks like Michael Bolton strains so desperately to achieve...heartfelt, evocative, soulfully sung love songs. Another band that requires a bit of commitment on the part of the listener; few will be instantly hooked. But the payoff is sweet. Their previous release, Hats, remains, some seven years later, one of my all-time favorites.
Revival--Gillian Welch
A sweet surprise, like a Jimmie Rodgers record on the car radio. Simple, straightforward, beautiful music sweetly played and sung. A little bluegrass, some country, a dash of blues, a healthy portion of folk, a lot of talent. Had I selected one, this might have been my Record of the Year. Buy it. Now.
The Secret Museum of Mankind, Vols. 1 & 2--Various Artists
Collected by one Pat Conte, this is music like none you've ever heard or will likely ever hear again. Recorded between 1925 and 1948 in every remote corner of the globe, this music will transport you. After all, when did you last hear music that was like nothing you'd ever heard before?
Emperor Tomato Ketchup--Stereolab
A friend and I were recently asking ourselves, "How many Stereolab albums should one own?" Their discs do tend to share a certain something and yet their sound changes, at least slightly, with each new release. This is one of their strongest yet. I suspect two is the optimal number of Stereolab albums one should own and this should be one of them.
Irresistible Bliss--Soul Coughing
I'm in the minority, I suspect, but I found this, SC's second album, a stronger effort than their first. Somehow it seemed they were straining to incorporate too many influences the first go-around but they seem to have their feet under them a bit more now. I'm sorry I didn't catch them live the last time through.
The Road To Ensenada--Lyle Lovett
I was so relieved upon listening to this album. It seems Lovett's last effort, I Love Everybody, a collection of older songs that were not included (and with good reason) on his earlier albums, really was an effort at recycling and not a sign that he'd lost his creative spark. The Road to Ensenada offers some of his strongest work to date, the highlight being That's Right, You're Not From Texas.
Nine Objects of Desire--Suzanne Vega
What is it about Vega's tunes that makes them sound so instantly familiar? I don't believe they quite qualify as repetitious but I could recognize one of her tunes, even one with which I'm unfamiliar, after just a few notes, I believe. Her husband, Mitchell Froom, serves her particularly well in the producer's chair, livening her up a bit and keeping those familiar-sounding tunes from running together. Nine Objects... is perhaps her strongest album to date; it's certainly her most stylistically varied.
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