City of Refuge/Standing In My Shoes - John Fahey and Leo Kottke
Country/Folk, review by Gary Kamiya
John Fahey's "City of Refuge" offers tonal noodlings that could have been done better by an autistic monkey, leaving acoustic steel-string guitar virtuosity to be picked up by Fahey protege Leo Kottke on the smart and understated "Standing in my Shoes." (05/20/97)

Retrograde - Friends of Dean Martinez
Pop/Rock, review by Natasha Stovall
If nothing else, the Friends of Dean Martinez are sincere as hell -- lounge lizards without the sneer and drifters without the con, who thankfully leave irony out of their repertoire on the instrumental "Retrograde."(07/14/97)

Quartet - Bill Frisell
Jazz/R&B, review by James Marcus
Bill Frisell's grainy, elegant jazz emanates straight from the national unconscious. (5/20/96)

"Calling Over Time" - Edith Frost
Pop/Rock, review by Jason Zengerle
Edith Frost's achingly beautiful debut album is an exercise in heartbreak, but it's remarkable for the fact that it never once trips the treacle-detector.(08/12/97)

Pardon My French - Fuck
Pop/Rock, review by Sam Hurwitt
Though the name may suggest a garage punk group, this San Francisco combo is a more slow and languorous Fuck than one might expect. "Pardon My French" is music for sleepyheads, soporific and yet far from boring. (07/15/97)

The Score - The Fugees
Rap/Hip-Hop, review by Milo Miles
The Fugees, Busta Rhymes and Positive Black Soul take black music back from the gangstas. (5/13/96)

Memories of Love - Future Bible Heroes
Pop/Rock, review by Doug Wolk
Legendary Unknown Stephin Merritt steals the show on the Future Bible Heroes' first album and delivers the kind of deliberately synthetic, genuinely sad, deeply funny music for which he's famous -- that is, if you already know who he is. (06/09/97)

Yeah, It's That Easy - G-Love and Special Sauce
Pop/Rock review by Natasha Stovall
G-Love returns to the original spirit of jamming with his soulful new "Yeah, It's That Easy." (11/11/97)

1987-1991 Box Set - Galaxie 500
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Rosenthal
Defunct minimalists rock on in 4-CD set. (11/15/96)

Calling All Stations- Genesis
Pop/Rock review by Sean Elder
Maybe it's comforting to know that rock 'n' roll's elder statesmen can still crank out rock riffs and boozy ballads in their sleep -- but it's too bad they have to take that judgment literally. Sean Elder makes an arhument for early retirement.(11/05/97)

Butch - Geraldine Fibbers
Pop/Rock, review by Natasha Stovall
It's hard to draw a straight line between where the Geraldine Fibbers' punk roots end and their country obsession begins, but on their new, nearly perfect, "Butch," both camps are equally represented. (07/31/97)

Live From Uncle Sam's Back Yard - Paul Geremia
Folk, review by John Milward
If your idea of a solo singer-guitarist is an earnest guitar-strumming folkie or a rocker trading in his Les Paul for a plugged-in Ovation on MTV's "Unplugged," your ears will be opened by the musical intricacy of Paul Geremia's performance on "Live From Uncle Sam's Backyard." (10/06/97)

Live From Uncle Sam's Back Yard - Paul Geremia
Folk, review by John Milward
If your idea of a solo singer-guitarist is an earnest guitar-strumming folkie or a rocker trading in his Les Paul for a plugged-in Ovation on MTV's "Unplugged," your ears will be opened by the musical intricacy of Paul Geremia's performance on "Live From Uncle Sam's Backyard." (10/06/97)

Braver Newer World - Jimmy Dale Gilmore
Country, review by Kevin Berger
Zen country singer Jimmie Dale Gilmore's music is "therapy for the world." (7/1/96)

Anthology - Al Green
Jazz/R&B, review by Keith Moerer
Al Green's "Anthology": Heaven on earth (2/12/97)

Nimrod- Green Day
Pop/Rock review by Mark Athitakis
Scruffy punkers Green Day are just going through the motions on "Nimrod"; all that's different this time around is that they've discovered a few more motions to go through.(11/04/97)

Blue Roses from the Moon - Nanci Griffith
Country/Folk, review by Dwight Garner
Nanci Griffith is never going to be Lucinda Williams. But as "Blue Roses from the Moon" proves, it's a mistake to underestimate her. (04/11/97)

Mag Earwhig! - Guided By Voices
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
GBV's Robert Pollard has always had a real talent for using tiny details that turn a song from passable to great, but with "Mag Earwhig!" he's hitting the bullseye instead of raiding the cutting room floor. (05/16/97)

Beyond the Missouri Sky - Charlie Haden/Pat Metheny
Jazz/R&B, review by Michael Ullman
Home is where the Heartland is: Metheny and Haden deliver jazz with a country twang on "Beyond the Missouri Sky" (3/18/97)

The New Standard - Herbie Hancock
Jazz/R&B, review by Ezra Gale
Herbie Hancock's interpretations of pop and rock classics from the last 30 years reveal an honest search for a new direction in jazz,one that manages to break new ground while reconnecting to its roots. (04/29/97)

So We Go - The Hang Ups
Pop/Rock, review by Terri Sutton
With their graceful,frisky hooks, melancholic choirboy harmonies, and pensive moods, the Hang Ups show they're proudly twee, cheerfully sensitive and shamelessly addicted to beauty on "So We Go." (05/09/97)

Han-Na Chang, cello
Classical, review by Tim Riley
The masterful debut CD from cello whiz-kid Han-Na Chang (11/18/96)

Middle of Nowhere - Hanson
Pop/Rock, review by Keith Moerer
Looking at the teen stars of Hanson and Radish as well, as 16-year-old blues prodigy Jonny Lang, it's clear that the youth of these teen idols is supposed to grab our attention -- but they'll be damned if they're confined by it. (06/06/97)

Habana - Roy Hargrove
Pop/Rock, review by Andrew Gilbert
Hargrove explores new rhythmic territory on "Habana" but keeps it close to home. (2/10/97)

The Will to Live - Ben Harper
Pop/Rock, review by Michael E. Ross
Ben Harper understands the breadth of modern music's vocabulary, from folk to urban blues, reggae to rock, and "The Will to Live," Harper's diverse and occasionally brilliant new album, signals his arrival at an impressive command of that vocabulary. (07/01/97)

Rapunzel - Lou Harrison
Classical, review by Brett Campbell
Composer Lou Harrison said he chose the text of poet William Morris' reinterpretation of "Rapunzel" in part as a vehicle to help him work through his own emotional upheavals. And this music, with its simple yet powerful lyricism, reflects his attempt to soothe inner demons. (05/15/97)

Please Do Not Disturb (EP) -Juliana Hatfield
Pop/Rock review by Michelle Goldberg
Strange that Hatfield should be complaining about her lack of success after 10 years and eight recordings, while Loeb already has already had a number one single, a Grammy nomination and a Brit award. Isn't it ironic? (11/18/97)

Magic City- Helium
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Heim
Helium is a less kind, less gentle B-52s for the late '90s. What better antidote for the bubble-gum-flavored sawdust that is the current alternative grind?(10/30/97)

In From the Storm/Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix tributes
Pop/Rock, review by Bill Kisliuk
Two new tribute albums aim to channel Jimi Hendrix. (1/27/96)

Little Head - John Hiatt
Pop/Rock, review by Sean Callahan
John Hiatt's tell-tale fingerprints are all over his fourteenth album "Little Head" -- it's his heart that's hard to find. (07/09/97)

Moss Elixir - Robyn Hitchcock
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
Perfect pop songs from pervert-creepy, acid-damaged, hyperlucid eccentric Robyn Hitchcock

The Complete Commodore Recordings - Billie Holiday
Jazz/R&B, review by Michael Ullman
A complete set of Billie Holiday's controversial Commodore recodings. (2/6/97)

Don't Look Back - John Lee Hooker
Pop/Rock, review by Keith Moerer
ohn Lee Hooker no match for Van Morrison's bloated ego (3/11/97)

Cut You - Penelope Houston
Pop/Rock, review by Charles Taylor
In "Cut You," Penelope Houston, formerly of the ur-punk band The Avengers, delivers psychotic lyrics in a soft, pleasant tone. (3/9/96)

Natty Dread - Charlie Hunter
Jazz/R&B, review by Ezra Gale
Berkeley jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter attacks the overplayed standards of reggae great Bob Marley with fresh ears. (03/27/97)

Ready ... Set ... Shango! - The Charlie Hunter Quartet
Jazz/R&B, review by Milo Miles
Charlie Hunter brings jazz guitar into the '90s, without apology. (6/24/96)

Fly Stereophonic - Lida Husik
Pop/Rock, review by Keith Moerer
Lida Husik's music is clearly the sum of her inspirations: '60s psychedelia, '70s sci-fi movies, and '90s indie-rock. It doesn't sound like a promising combination, but Husik compresses these elements into three-minute confections that sound like pop hits from another galaxy on "Fly Stereophonic." (07/08/97)

All Mod Cons/Sound Affects - The Jam
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
Two stunning re-issues dust off one of the punk era's most heroic bands.
Plus: The Undertones' irresistible teenage kicks. (7/29/96)

The Ultimate Collection - Rick James
Pop/Rock, review by Althea Hughes
Rick James' "Ultimate Collection" captures the King of Funk at his best: brash, bold, outrageous and openly horny. (04/15/97)

Traveling Without Moving - Jamiroquai
Pop/Rock, review by Aidin Viziri
Jamiroquai: Play that funky music, New Age British white boy. (01/17/97)

Waltzes, Nocturnes And Mazurkas - Byron Janis Plays Chopin
Classical, review by Douglas McLennan
After a 34-year hiatus, pianist Byron Janis returns to recording and proves that while every pianist plays Chopin, there are still few who express him so eloquently. (06/03/97)

La Scala - Keith Jarrett
Jazz, review by Michael Ullman
The intelligence and integrity in jazz pianist Keith Jarrett's playing distinguish this concert, despite its occasional flaccid moments, from the mood music of the new age (09/26/97)

The Sound of Lies - Jayhawks
Pop/Rock, review by Jon Maples
When Jayhawks co-founder Mark Olson took a hike late in 1995, it appeared that the band was history. But after a year hiatus, the remaining members pulled together and produced "Sound of Lies," an album that suggests the band's bold new direction. (06/05/97)

Individually Twisted - The Jazz Passengers
Pop/Rock, review by Stephanie Zacharek
Deborah Harry shines with screwball Jazz Passengers (2/25/96)

The Big Picture- Elton John
Pop/Rock review by Sean Elder
Maybe it's comforting to know that rock 'n' roll's elder statesmen can still crank out rock riffs and boozy ballads in their sleep -- but it's too bad they have to take that judgment literally. Sean Elder makes an arhument for early retirement.(11/05/97)

Never Home - Freedy Johnston
Pop/Rock, review by Scott Rosenberg
On his third songwriting masterpiece in a row, Johnston keeps his bleakly beautiful songs from wafting into the ether.(3/12/97)

I Lived To Tell It All - George Jones
Country, review by Dwight Garner
With "I Lived to Tell It All," country legend George Jones recalls his journey across "a sea of whiskey and a mountain of cocaine." (8/19/96)

Ghostyhead - Rickie Lee Jones
Pop/Rock, review by Natasha Stovall
More than anything else that she does, it's Ricki Lee Jones' singing that drives people into paroxysms of worship, and on "Ghostyhead" -- a mix of hip-hop, electronica and experimental music -- it's still her voice that provides the most transcendent moments. (06/27/97)

Bohemian Rhapsodies - Leila Josefowicz with the Academy of St. Martin in The Fields, Sir Nevill Marriner
Classical, review by Jack Skelley
Leila Josefowicz, a lovely 19-year-old, is part of the recent crop of cover-girl violinists. Reaction to her latest Philips album, "Bohemian Rhapsodies," is mixed, but perhaps she deserves the success she's getting.(08/14/97)