1+1 - Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock
Jazz/R&B, review by Ezra Gale
On "1+1," Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter are at it again, and in contrast
to some of the pair's recent solo efforts, it's the kind of work that
reminds us of why these two jazz giants are so revered in the first place.
(07/23/97)
50 Eggs Dan Bern
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Heim
Dan Bern, the neo-folkie who was dubbd the "next Bob Dylan" after his
self-titled debut, has developed a Tori Amos problem on "50 Eggs": He
vomits words, sets them to music, and somehow thinks this makes him an
inspired songwriter (04/28/98)
11,000 Virgins (Chants for the feast of St. Ursula) -Anonymous 4
Pop/rock review by Brett Campbell
The upsurge in the popularity of medieval and early Renaissance music has
produced dozens of albums, but none as compelling as these recordings of
the music of German abbess Hildegard von Bingen
(12/18/97)
"1212" - Barbara Manning
Pop/Rock, review by Stephanie Zacharek
Unlike gloomsters like Nick Cave, Barbara Manning doesn't distance herself from the misery of the characters in her songs on "1212" -- she
collapses that distance, moving right in like a zoom lens to show us what makes these people tick. (06/13/97)
60s Girl Groups - Various Artists
Pop/Rock, review by Donna Gaines
The Girl Group era is often dismissed among feminists and rocker grrrls
alike as the golden age of codependency training for women, but on "60s
Girl Groups" the sicky-sweet lyrics and sassy, sexy attitude coalesce into
a heartfelt statement of female teen torment, hope and defiance
(01/19/98)
7 Park Avenue - Pete Ham
Pop/Rock, review by Sean Elder
Pete Ham, lead singer of the other Fab Four, offers a glimpse into his more introspective side. (03/26/97)
II - Presidents of the USA
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
A case for term limits. (11/5/96)
99th Dream - Swervedriver
Pop/Rock, review by Michelle Goldberg
Just file Swervedriver's new album, "99th Dream," under "psychedelic
alternative" -- and pull it out to use in Volkswagen commercials.
(03/03/98)
Miles Davis Box Set: five discs - Miles Davis
Jazz/R&B, review by Ezra Gale
Miles Davis Box Set: Five discs ("Black Beauty: Live at Fillmore West,"
"Davis at Fillmore," "Live/Evil," "In Concert:Live at Philharmonic Hall,"
and "Dark Magus") that verify the musical merit of Davis' heavily
criticized early '70s work.
(09/16/97)
1987-1991 Box Set - Galaxie 500
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Rosenthal
Defunct minimalists rock on in 4-CD set. (11/15/96)
200 More Miles - Cowboy Junkies
Gentle Creatures - Tarnation
Country, review by Sam Hurwitt
Sam Hurwitt mainlines the Cowboy Junkies and Tarnation. (12/2/95)
"2001: A Space Odyssey:" The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists
Soundtracks, review by Tim Riley
Classic movie music: New takes on "Psycho" and "2001." (11/8/96)
3 Russian Fairy Tales - Natalia Makarova
Classical, review by Paul Festa
A ballerina speaks: Revelatory narration brings Stravinsky to life (01/10/97)
68 Million Shades - Spring Heel Jack
Pop/Rock, review by Milo Miles
Spring Heel Jack: Non-stop drum 'n' bass head trip (02/03/97)
A Go Go -
John Scofield (with Medeski, Martin & Wood)
Jazz, review by Ezra Gale
On his funky new album "A Go Go," John Scofield and his backing band --
acclaimed trio Medeski, Martin and Wood -- mesh so tightly, it's hard to
believe this is their first recording together. (04/09/98)
About to Choke - Vic Chesnutt
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Heim
The beneficiary of "Sweet Relief II" sings his own songs on his major-label debut. (11/11/96)
Accelerator Royal Trux
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin Mcnett
Resolved: Ozzy rules; Hanson sucks. These categories are eternal, and
are unrelated to issues of quality. But Gavin McNett's favorite band right
now is Royal Trux. And he submits that Royal Trux blows. (04/22/98)
Adored - Day Behavior
Pop/Rock, review by Alex Abramovich
Now that the new Swedish record company North of No South, or NoNS, is
bracing itself for an all-out assault on our shores, it's a good time to
ask why Sweden has long been such an anomaly in the global music market
(01/07/98)
The Aeroplane Flies High - The Smashing Pumpkins
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
New Smashing Pumpkins: Smells like 5-CD hubris (12/3/96)
All for Nothing- The Replacements
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Heim
"All for Nothing" highlights the waning years of The Replacements, one of
the most influential bands of the '80s (10/29/97)
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)
All Over Me - Various Artists
Soundtracks, review by Michelle Goldberg
From Riot Girl to Righteous Girl: No other collection of songs has ever
expressed the poignant agonies and sheer rage of girlhood like these from
"All Over Me." (05/06/97)
All over the map - Wilco
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
Wilco's new double CD is a woozy and wondrous roots-rock sojourn.
Text-only version.(10/28/96)
All the Pain Money Can Buy Fastball
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
If Fastball's "All the Pain Money Can Buy" sounds like a Revolver-esque
throwback, it's worth noting that sounding like a throwback in this day and
age is an act of bravery (04/24/98)
All This Useless Beauty - Elvis Costello and The Attractions
Pop, review by Joyce Millman
Mr. Costello records the songs he wrote for his favorite singers -- because they won't. (5/13/96)
Alma Brasileira: Music of Villa-Lobos - Michael Tilson Thomas
Classical, review by Michael Ullman
Michael Tilson Thomas' shining interpretation of Villa-Lobos (2/26/96)
A Woman & A Man - Belinda Carlisle
Pop/Rock, review by Michelle Goldberg
She may be gorgeous now, but like Madonna, Carlisle made her best music
when she was chubby and funky. But beneath layers of treacly production on
"A Woman & A Man," Carlisle's voice trills just as prettily as it did when
she was the fabulous lead singer of the Go-Go's.
(07/22/97)
American Teenage Rock-n-Roll Machine - The Donnas
Pop/rock, review by Natasha Stovall
The Donnas may say they're "Seventeen, and already going nowhere" -- but
their kickass music says otherwise
(02/10/98
And the band played on - Music played on the Titanic
Soundtrack, review by Mark Athitakis
So winsome are the tunes on London's "Music Played on the Titanic" that
they could almost get your mind off Leonardo DiCaprio
(02/19/98)
Animal Rights - Moby
Pop/Rock, review by Douglas Wolk
Thar she blows: Moby's guitar rock is a monumental misfire (2/13/97)
Anthology - Al Green
Jazz/R&B, review by Keith Moerer
Al Green's "Anthology": Heaven on earth (2/12/97)
An Anthology: The Elektra Years" - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Pop/rock, review by Geoff Edgers
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: Sad deaths, the fire of youth and a brotherhood born of the blues
(02/17/98)
Anthology: The Colpix Years By Nina Simone
Jazz/R&B, review by Steven Stolder
Three decades of rage and passion: A sterling Nina Simone collection (12/19/96)
The Anthology of American Folk Music - Harry Smith
Folk, review by Alex Abramovich
Even today, 45 years after it's initial release, an entire generation of
musicians inspired by Harry Smith lapse into reverential, religious terms
when speaking of "The Anthology of American Folk Music" -- and record
stores are having a hard time keeping the Smithsonian's reissue in stock. (10/06/97)
Apartment Life -Ivy
Pop/rock review by Joshua Klein
Ivy's sophisticated and pleasant new album of hazy pop songs flows
with impeccable taste and songcraft, picking up where the band's somewhat
drab debut, "Realistic," left off
(12/17/97)
Arkology - Lee Scratch Perry
Pop/Rock, review by Roni Sarig
As both a producer and all-around demented genius, the Jamaican-born Lee
"Scratch" Perry is without peer. Though "Arkology" captures only a fragment
of his career that spans five decades, it includes some of his best work.
(08/07/97)
Art of Noise: The Drum And Bass Collection - Various Artists
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
Art of Noise tribute: Like monkeys screwing with the sequencer. (01/15/97)
The Art of Rhythm -
Tom Harrell
Jazz, review by Marc Greilsamer
When the opening cut of an album called "The Art of Rhythm" includes
several instruments -- but not a single percussion instrument -- clearly
it's an ambitious recording.
(04/16/98)
Au Théâtre Champs-Elysées - Michel Petrucciani
Disques Dreyfus, review by Doug McLennan
Pianist Michel Petrucciani understands that having ugly in your
pocket helps you appreciate beauty, and on the live recording of his 1994 concert "Au Théâtre Champs-Elysées," he offers fortunately only a little bit of the former and a lot of the latter.(06/18/97)
Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
Pop/Rock, review by Jon Dolan
Teen queen Britney Spears invites you to hit her with your best shot. (08/27/99)
The Beatles Anthology, Volume 2 - The Beatles
Pop, review by Mark Hertsgaard
Their "new" single "Real Love" is one of the highlights of the Beatles' second Anthology CD. (3/23/96)
"Being John Malkovich" - Various Artists
Soundtrack, review by Michelle Goldberg
Creepy and romantic, subtle and strange, the music from "Being John Malkovich" is good enough to stand on its own.
(12/24/99)
Being There - Wilco
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
Wilco's new double CD is a woozy and wondrous roots-rock sojourn.
Text-only version.(10/28/96)
The Basement Tapes - Sebadoh and Scrawl
Pop/Rock, review by Milo Miles
Persistence pays off for two veteran indie rockers, Sebadoh and Scrawl.
Text-only version. (9/23/96)
The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum - L7
Pop/Rock, review by Jennie Yabroff
The SoCal punk band's fifth album delivers fast-food for thought. (3/6/97)
The Beautiful Thing - Stephen Scott
Jazz/R&B, review by Andrew Gilbert
Thelonius would be proud: Young piano master Stephen Scott comes of age. (01/31/97)
Becoming X - Sneaker Pimps
Pop/Rock, review by Hans Eisenbeis
The trip-hop trio's debut stays true to the po-mo brew (2/27/96)
Beg, Scream and Shout - Various Artists
Jazz/R&B, review by Douglas Wolk
Almost every track on the wonderful "Beg, Scream & Shout!," a 6-CD set in a
very cute "45 box" package, is somebody's long-unheard favorite song. It
includes 144 '60s soul singles (by 144 different artists), almost all chart
hits in their day -- but almost all unknown now.
(08/19/97)
Be Here Now - Oasis
Pop/Rock, review by Stephanie Zacharek
Oasis' third album, "Be Here Now," is a massive, angry woolly mammoth of a
record, sounding less like pop music than some kind of sonic fantasy
conquest.
(09/02/97)
Berlin Cabaret Songs - Ute Lemper
Classical, review by Paul Festa
Ute Lemper: Music too degenerate for Hitler (2/21/96)
Best Of, Vol. 1 - Van Halen
Pop/Rock, review by David Fenton
When Van Halen rocked.(11/6/96)
Beyond and Back: The X Anthology -X
Pop/rock review by Gary Kaufman
There are some interesting demos and rehearsal tapes from the late '70s on
"Beyond and Back: The X Anthology," a two-CD attempt to tell the story of
Los Angeles' finest punk band without resorting to a greatest hits format
(12/11/97)
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 Big 3 - 60ft Dolls
Pop/Rock, review by Douglas Wolk
Spinal Tap reincarnate: Clichéd Welsh rockers break like the wind (01/29/97)
Big Calm - Morcheeba
Pop/rock, review by Frederick Woodruff
Classify Morcheeba under "Neo-pop, country/blues shoegazing with a trip-hop
tap root that aims to please" -- and for the most part does
(03/24/98)
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)
Blood Brothers - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Pop/Rock, review by Joe Heim
Heavy music, lite video. (11/29/96)
Blood On The Fields - Wynton Marsalis
Jazz, review by Andy Gilbert
"Blood on the Fields," the triumphant jazz symphony for which Wynton
Marsalis recently became the first jazz composer to be awarded the Pulitzer
Prize for Music, finds transcendence in the brutal story of American
slavery through love and community. (07/10/97)
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)
Blush - Bows
Pop/Rock, review by Lydia Vanderloo
On the debut "Blush," Bows creak and skitter like a haunted house. (08/31/99)
Blur - Blur
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
With the Brit-crits on their case, Blur goes American-eclectic -- and sounds
suspiciously like a bald-faced caricature of the Amerindie style (3/20/96)
Blush - Bows
Pop/Rock, review by Lydia Vanderloo
On the debut "Blush," Bows creak and skitter like a haunted house. (08/31/99)
The Boatman's Call - Nick Cave
Pop/Rock, review by Sam Hurwitt
The godfather of goth lets his lyrics into the limelight on "The Boatman's Call." (3/19/97)
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)
Boys For Pele - Tori Amos
Pop, review by Cynthia Joyce
This time, not even sex can save Tori Amos. (1/13/96)
Brand New - Salt-n-pepa
Pop/Rock review by Gina Arnold
Salt-n-Pepa is the more empowered, more thoughtful, and ultimately higher
artistic expression of the Spice Girls pop-like confectionary -- but to
knock either is to be on the wrong side of the argument.
(11/13/97)
Brand New Knife - Shonen Knife
Pop/Rock, review by Michelle Goldberg
In the heydey of sarcasm-sick American bands, no one comes close to Shonen
Knife for pure cotton-candy punk exhilaration.(3/25/97)
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)
Bridges to Babylon- Rolling Stones
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)
"Brighten the Corners" - Pavement
Pop/Rock, review by David Fenton
Pavement's irresistibly quirky "Brighten the Corners" (2/17/97)
The Brown Album - Primus
Pop/Rock, review by Ezra Gale
Primus bassist and vocalist Les Claypool has always written some of the
craftiest lyrics around, and "The Brown Album" proves he hasn't lost his
knack for satire.
(07/18/97)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 -Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Classical review by Paul Festa
At the very least, Bruckner's is an Old Testament god, full of fire and
brimstone and willing to use it along with a brass section armed with
Wagner tubas. This music uses religion the way a Puritan preacher does: to scare the pants off you
(11/19/97)
Bug Music - Don Byron
Jazz/R&B, review by Milo Miles
Wacky jazz CD inspired by The Flintstones. (11/13/96)
Building a Mystery - Sarah McLachlan
Pop/Rock, review by Michelle Goldberg
Sometimes, its the simplest pop-music banalities that are the most sublime.
It's not just Sarah McLachlan's pain that seems more real on "Surfacing" --
her voice sounds even more sensual and more sultry than it did on 1994's
"Fumbling Towards Ecstasy."
(07/29/97)
Butterfly - Mariah Carey
Pop/Rock, review by Gina Arnold
The woman may have a ruthless career plan, but Mariah Carey also has
genuine pipes, and, seemingly, her finger directly on the pulse of the
populace. Carey, now sure of her fanbase, divorced Mottola just in time for
the release of "Butterfly," her fifth and cheesiest LP yet. (09/30/97)
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)
Carnival - Wyclef Jean featuring Refugee Camp All-Stars
Pop/Rock, review by Natasha Stovall
Fugee Wyclef Jean's "Carnival" is a collection of intricately mixed tracks
that weaves traditional Caribbean music with healthy chunks of classic pop
chestnuts and endless samples so fleetingly familiar, they dance right on
the tip of your tongue.
(07/25/97)
Caught in a Trap and I Can't Back Out Because I Love You Too Much, Baby - Mark Eitzel
Pop/Rock, review by Jerry Dannemiller
The gloomy-Gus-with-open-wounds role has always suited Mark Eitzel, and on
"Caught In A Trap," he seems all too eager to carry a few more sad
sacks on his back
(01/15/98)
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)
Chant d'Amour: Melodies Francaises By Cecilia Bartoli
Classical, review by Andrew O'Hehir
Unmitigated Gaul: Cecilia Bartoli tackles French art songs. (12/13/96)
Chaos and Disorder - Prince
Pop/Rock, review by James Marcus
Prince says Warner Bros. has "enslaved" him, but with "Chaos and Disorder" he's doing his best work in years. (7/22/96)
Sarge - Charcoal
Pop/Rock, review by Staphanie Zacharek
Gentle bravery beyond belief (02/05/97)
"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)
Casanova - Divine Comedy
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
Divine Comedy's adult-pop album "Casanova" is a big-ticket, technicolor
Alfa Romeo ride through a landscape of antique Eurochic, moody sensuality
and unfiltered cigarettes. (10/21/97)
C'est La Vie -
Henri Dikongué
Pop/Rock, review by j. poet
"C'est La Vie" tips its hat to the international cadences of the African
Diaspora by embracing reggae, samba, salsa, soul and jazz as well as the
expected Cameroonian rhythms of makossa and bikutsi. (04/08/98)
Celestial Light (music of Hildegard of Bingen and Robert Kyr) -Tapestry
Pop/rock review by Brett Campbell
The upsurge in the popularity of medieval and early Renaissance music has
produced dozens of albums, but none as compelling as these recordings of
the music of German abbess Hildegard von Bingen
(12/18/97)
Chocolate Supa Highway - Spearhead
Jazz/R&B, review by Donnell Alexander
Former Disposable Hero Michael Franti brings his adventurous spirit to
Spearhead's head-nodding hip-hop on "Chocolate Supa Highway." (04/24/97)
City Life - Steve Reich
Classical, review by Matthew Daines
Collaborating with conductor Paul Hillier, New York composer Steve Reich
embodies both the old and new of his best minimalist works on the colorful
"City Life." (04/14/97)
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)
Classics for moderns
Classical, review by Tim Riley
Ten new classical music recordings that even a novice will want to own. (7/15/96)
Closed on Account of Rabies -Various Artists
Sountrack review by Douglas Wolk
"Closed on Account of Rabies" works as a reclamation of Edgar Allan Poe for
the world of sound: the croak of an insistent, dark bird that won't go away
(12/04/97)
Colossal Head - Los Lobos
Pop/Rock, review by James Marcus
Los Lobos gets wild and crazy on "Colossal Head." (4/22/96)
The Coming - Busta Rhymes
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)
Coming Up - London Suede
Pop/Rock, review by Charles Taylor
With a pop craft so confident, it's hard to resist, the London Suede
attempt to navigate the fine line between the discontents of pop culture
and its pleasures on "Coming Up." (04/18/97)
The Complete Chess Recordings - Jimmy Rogers
Pop/Rock, review by Pete Golkin
With this long-delayed collection, one could argue that the late bluesman
Jimmy Rogers' only error was in working among too many legends
(01/13/98)
The Complete '50s Chess Recordings (2CDs) - John Lee Hooker
Pop/rock, review by Andrew Hamlin
If old blues records tell the story of one man and one guitar against the
world, then these tell how the earth must have trembled at the sight of
John Lee Hooker climbing in the ring circa 1951.
(01/29/98)
The Complete Columbia
Studio Recordings - The Miles Davis Quintet
Jazz, review by Geoff Edgers
The Miles Davis Quintet: The reissue market has become jazz music's saving grace, but no player,
dead or alive, has been given a star turn like Miles Davis
(03/23/98)
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)
Complete Lute Works, Vols. 1-5 - John Dowland
Classical, review by Paul Festa
Odette's reserve, while perhaps appropriate to stereotypes of the English
character, may leave some listeners wondering if this quiet little
instrument might not be capable of a little bit more oomph
(01/27/98)
The Complete Trios Plus (1936-47) - Les Paul
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
"The Complete Trios Plus" reveal Les Paul as a highly talented and stylish,
though fairly conventional, pop-jazz player.
(01/05/98)
Contact From the Underworld of Redboy - Robbie Robertson
Pop/rock, review by John Milward
Robertson casts throat singers, peyote healers, an imprisoned activist,
computer programmers and his own lead guitar in an ornate soundscape that
evokes a John Ford movie without the cowboys
(03/18/98)
Contemplating the Engine Room- Mike Watt
review by Mark Athitakis
Contemplating the Engine Room" is, among other things, the story of what
Mike Watts discovered during his experiences with the Minutemen, the
band he started that helped define American independent rock in the 1980s.(10/31/97)
Contents Under Pressure - Various Artists
Hip-Hop/R&B, review by D. Strauss
Who dropped the Bomb? The "Contents Under Pressure" compilation oddly normalizes hip-hop's avant-garde (08/26/99)
Cowboy - Erasure
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
On "Cowboy," synthpop duo Erasure makes every song seem like an offhand
gesture -- even while continuing, against the trend, to do things the hard
way. (05/05/97)
Mixing it up - The concert for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame
Pop/Rock, review by Joyce Millman
The concert for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame showcases rock's wide-ranging family.
Text-only version. (9/2/96)
Crescent City Soul - Various Artists
Jazz/R&B, review by Tony Scherman
A new four-CD box, "Crescent City Soul" digs deeply into the hot, soulful world of New Orleans r&b. (4/6/96)
"Curtains" - Tindersticks
Pop/Rock, review by Allen Sheetz
Irony and pathos -- strange bedfellows in contemporary British pop music --
commingle like ingredients in an extra dry martini on the London-based
Tindersticks' third full-length release, the crafty and pointillistic
"Curtains."
(07/16/97)
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)
Dan Bern - Dan Bern
Pop/Rock, review by Lori Leivobich
Singer-Songwriter Dan Bern may sound like and even sing about Bob Dylan on
his self-titled debut EP -- but that doesn't mean he's not sick of the
comparison. Lori Leibovich talks to Bern about what it's like to be
anointed the new folk king. (07/04/97)
Decksanddrumsandrockandroll -
Propellerheads
Pop/Rock, review by Gina Arnold
The mainstream-sounding techno grooves on Propellerheads'
"Decksanddrumsandrockandroll" may make it the "Walk this Way" of
electronica.
(04/07/98)
Deconstructed (Techno remixes of album material) -Bush
Pop/rock review by Gavin McNett
Tricky manages to bring out qualities of depth and reverie in singer Gavin
Rossdale's voice on this collection of Bush remixes
(12/09/97)
Dedicated to the One I Love - Linda Ronstadt
Pop/Rock, review by Joyce Millman
Linda Ronstadt joins a generation of rockers with a brand new reason to sing "Baby I Love You." (6/10/96)
Die Vögel - Walter Braunfels
Classical, review by Paul Festa
A forgotten composer's forgotten opera to refresh your cultural wardobe. (3/21/97)
Dilate - Ani DiFranco
Pop, review by Lori Leibovich
Ani DiFranco is making it the hard way -- on her own. (6/3/96)
Dig Your Own Hole - Chemical Brothers
Pop/Rock, review by Terri Sutton
With its hip-hop influenced hybrid of techno and rock, the Chemical
Brothers' "Dig Your Own Hole" is dangerous enough to seduce all your sullen
guitar diehards into crashing the all-night disco party. (04/09/97)
Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy Talkin
Jazz/R&B, review by Michael Ullman
Wildly unexpected Latin rhythms from Dizzy Gillespie (02/04/97)
Do It Yourself - The Seahorses
Pop/Rock, review by Natasha Stovall
A passel of English blokes as dedicated to the revival of opulent '60s Brit-pop as John Squire's Stone Roses ever were,the Suire-fronted Seahorses rev up jangly guitars and fat choral vocals like Vespa scooters on "Do It Yourself." (06/24/97)
Don't Look Back - John Lee Hooker
Pop/Rock, review by Keith Moerer
John Lee Hooker no match for Van Morrison's bloated ego (3/11/97)
Dots and Loops - Stereolab
Pop/Rock, review by Joshua Klein
On their latest release, "Dots and Loops," England's prolific smart-poppers have found use for things long ago dismissed or discounted as outmoded: antiquated analog synthesizers, cheesy cocktail jazz, crusty Krautrock, even hand-me-down Marxist ideology (09/23/97)
Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, The Ballad of Easy Rider, The Notorious Byrd Brothers - The Byrds
Pop/Rock, review by Sean Elder
Columbia's reissue of four album's from the Byrds' own "Blue Period"
(1967-1970) harkens back to a time before lite rock, when the band's
distinctly Southern California sound projected an optimism and sense of
possibility that perfectly captured the mood of the times. (04/10/97)
"Drag" - k. d. lang
Pop/Rock, review by Natasha Stovall
k.d. lang knows that when it comes to love we all have addictive
personalities: "Everyone thinks that they know what they want," she
breathes on "Drag," her new album of covers. "But sometimes your drug
chooses you." (06/16/97)
"The Drop" - Brian Eno
Pop/Rock, review by Joshua Klein
No doubt "The Drop"
will sound to some like aural wallpaper peeling. But for those willing to
invest the time to get to the bottom of Eno's theory, it may be
his most satisfying release since 1982's epochal "On Land."
(08/13/97)
Easy Listening For Armageddon - Mike Ladd
Pop/Rock, review by Roni Sarig
While "Easy Listening" is full of trip-hop's musical signposts, the tracks
are always spare and elastic enough to accommodate what's really trippy:
Ladd's free-form, stream-of-conscious, over-the-top and deep-down-inside
verse.
(07/24/97)
Egyptology - World Party
Pop/Rock, review by Richard Overton
A lone musician that refers to himself as World Party, Welshman Karl
Wallinger sifts through the ashes of his musical ancestors on "Egyptology." (06/26/97)
Emancipation - Prince
Pop/Rock, review by Patrick Macias
Prince's 3-CD set flaunts his new family values. (11/25/96)
Eat - Charming Hostess
Pop/Rock, review by Douglas Wolk
The women of the funk-folk band Charming Hostess draw on dozens of
traditions that have never met before, and even when the results are
flawed, they're never less than interesting
(01/22/98)
Earthling - David Bowie
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
Ground Control to Major Tom: David Bowie goes techno on
"Earthling," gets lost in space. (2/11/97)
Eat/Kiss - John Cale
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
Like some of John Cale's more experimental solo records (like "Fear" or
"Music For a New Society"), "Eat" and "Kiss" conjure up a sense of both
forboding and joy -- and often blurs the line between the two. (06/19/97)
Elvis in clubland - Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve
Pop/Rock, reviewed by Stephanie Zacharek
The new live CD set "Costello & Nieve" is a magical memento of five intimate concerts. (12/9/96)
The End Of Summer - Dar Williams
Pop/Rock, review by Steve Matteo
On "The End of Summer" Dar Williams proves to be one of the best-kept
secrets of the singer-songwriter genre. Much like Roseanne Cash and Amy
Rigby, Dar Williams writes refreshingly unadorned and honest portrayals of
women over 30 facing life in the '90s with wisdom, humor and unpretentious
introspection.
(08/05/97)
Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan - Chaka Khan
Pop/Rock, review by Michael E. Ross
Sizzling tribute to a funk goddess. (11/21/96)
Eric Dolphy: The Complete Prestige Recordings - Eric Dolphy
Jazz/R&B, review by Milo Miles
A magnificent, new 9-CD box set by Eric Dolphy, jazz's classic modernist. (1/13/96)
Eventually - Paul Westerberg
Pop/Rock, review by Stephanie Zacharek
Former Replacement Paul Westerberg is in recovery. And on his new CD he's not afraid to show it. (4/29/96)
EV3 EASTWEST - En Vogue
Pop/Rock, review by Laura Jameson
It's a good thing the women of En Vogue can sing as well as they do -- even
with their hackneyed proselytizing, EV3 is still a joy to listen to.
(07/21/97)
Evergreen - Echo and the Bunnymen
Pop/Rock, review by Mark Athitakis
For all of the drab middle-of-the-road pop "Evergreen" proffers, none of it
erases any of the impact and power of what Echo and the Bunnymen
accomplished back in the days of "The Cutter" and "The Killing Moon" -- but
it does make it look that much more like distant history.
(08/04/97)
Every Other Day at a Time, Something Special for the Kids Liquor Giants
Pop/Rock, review by Gina Arnold
Liquor Giant Ward Dotson's got one of those clever but twisted minds which
can make the dopeyist lyric sound poignant -- which is a great help when it
comes to imbuing Dusty Springfield covers with meaning (04/30/98)
Everybody Wnats Some - Van Halen
Pop/Rock, review by Gavin McNett
The "Everybody Wants Some" collection drives home the point that it
wasn't David Lee Roth's personality alone, but chemistry and -- above all
-- songs that drove the 'Halen engine. (10/27/97)
Evolution - Martina McBride
Country, review by Charles Taylor
Martina McBride may be capable of more genuine emotion than any female
singer working in country pop right now, and her latest album, "Evolution,"
is a set of empowerment songs delivered by a singer with the chops -- and,
what's more important, the passion -- to plumb romantic loss and confusion
and resentment.
(09/18/97)
Exotic Dances from the Opera "Stravinsky" - The Minnesota Orchestra
Classical, review by Paul Festa
A "Firebird" so lascivious you want to get to know the violinist better (12/23/96)
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