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 | Album: 1 of 55 Artist: Oasis Title: Definitely Maybe Released: 1994-08-30 Tracks: 27 Duration: 2:10:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Rock ’n’ Roll Star (05:22) 2 Shakermaker (05:08) 3 Live Forever (04:36) 4 Up in the Sky (04:28) 5 Columbia (06:17) 6 Supersonic (04:43) 7 Bring It On Down (04:17) 8 Cigarettes & Alcohol (04:49) 9 Digsy’s Dinner (02:32) 10 Slide Away (06:32) 11 Married With Children (03:12) 1 Columbia (white label demo) (05:28) 2 Cigarettes & Alcohol (demo) (04:37) 3 Sad Song (04:29) 4 I Will Believe (live) (03:48) 5 Take Me Away (04:32) 6 Alive (demo) (03:58) 7 D’Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman? (02:41) 8 Supersonic (live) (05:15) 9 Up in the Sky (acoustic) (03:34) 10 Cloudburst (05:23) 11 Fade Away (04:16) 12 Listen Up (06:42) 13 I Am the Walrus (live Glasgow Cathouse June ’94) (08:18) 14 Whatever (06:20) 15 (It’s Good) To Be Free (04:23) 16 Half the World Away (04:27) |
| Definitely Maybe : Allmusic album Review : Definitely Maybe begins with a statement of aspiration, as Liam Gallagher sneers that "tonight, Im a rock & roll star" -- the words of a bedsit dreamer hoping hed break out of those four walls and find something greater. Maybe all he could muster is a fleeting moment of stardom as he sings in front of a fleet of amps pushing out power chords, or perhaps hed really become a rock & roll star; all that matters is he makes the leap. This dream echoes throughout Oasis debut, a record which takes the dreams of its listeners every bit as seriously as those of its creators. Both the artist and audience desire something greater than their surroundings, and that yearning gives Definitely Maybe a restlessness that resonates. Certainly, Oasis arent looking to redefine rock & roll here; theyd rather inhabit it. They scour through the remnants of the past three decades to come up with a quintessentially British rock & roll record, one that swaggers with the defiance of the Rolling Stones, roars with the sneer of the Sex Pistols, thieves from the past like the Happy Mondays, and ties it all together with a melodicism as natural as Paul McCartney, even if Definitely Maybe never quite sounds like the Beatles. All the Fab Four comparisons trumpeted by the brothers Gallagher were a feint, a way to get their group considered as part of the major leagues. Soon enough, these affirmations became a self-fulfilling prophecy -- act the way youd like to be and soon youll be the way you act, as it were -- but that bravado hardly diminishes the accomplishment of Definitely Maybe. It is a furious, inspiring record, a rallying cry for the downtrodden to rise above and seize their day but, most of all, its a blast of potent, incendiary rock & roll. Soon after its release, Noel Gallagher would be hailed as the finest songwriter of his generation, an odd designation for a guy drawn to moon/June rhymes, but his brilliance lies in his bold strokes. He never shied away from the obvious, and his confidence in his reappropriation of cliches lends these bromides a new power, as do his strong, sinewy melodies -- so powerful, it doesnt matter if they were snatched from elsewhere (as they were on "Shakermaker" or the B-side "Fade Away"). The other secret is of course Noels brother, Liam, the greatest rock & roll vocalist of his generation, a force of nature who never seems to consider either the past or the present but rather exists in an ever-present now. He sometimes sighs but usually sneers, shaking off any doubt and acting like the rock & roll star Noel so wanted to be. This tension would soon rip the group apart but here on Oasis debut, this chemistry is an addictive energy, so Definitely Maybe winds up a rare thing: it has the foundation of a classic album wrapped in the energy of a band who cant conceive a future beyond the sunset. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 55 Artist: Portishead Title: Dummy Released: 1994-08-22 Tracks: 11 Duration: 49:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 1995 | 1 Mysterons (05:06) 2 Sour Times (04:13) 3 Strangers (03:58) 4 It Could Be Sweet (04:19) 5 Wandering Star (04:53) 6 It’s a Fire (03:49) 7 Numb (03:57) 8 Roads (05:05) 9 Pedestal (03:41) 10 Biscuit (05:04) 11 Glory Box (05:04) |
| Dummy : Allmusic album Review : Portisheads album debut is a brilliant, surprisingly natural synthesis of claustrophobic spy soundtracks, dark breakbeats inspired by frontman Geoff Barrows love of hip-hop, and a vocalist (Beth Gibbons) in the classic confessional singer/songwriter mold. Beginning with the otherworldly theremin and martial beats of "Mysterons," Dummy hits an early high with "Sour Times," a post-modern torch song driven by a Lalo Schifrin sample. The chilling atmospheres conjured by Adrian Utleys excellent guitar work and Barrows turntables and keyboards prove the perfect foil for Gibbons, who balances sultriness and melancholia in equal measure. Occasionally reminiscent of a torchier version of Sade, Gibbons provides a clear focus for these songs, with Barrow and company behind her laying down one of the best full-length productions ever heard in the dance world. Where previous acts like Massive Attack had attracted dance heads in the main, Portishead crossed over to an American, alternative audience, connecting with the legion of angst-ridden indie fans as well. Better than any album before it, Dummy merged the pinpoint-precise productions of the dance world with pop hallmarks like great songwriting and excellent vocal performances. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 55 Artist: Guy Barker Title: Into the Blue Released: 1994 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:03:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Into the Blue (06:45) 2 J J Swing (06:10) 3 Oh Mr Rex! (10:52) 4 Low Down Lullaby (06:02) 5 Did It n Did It (03:50) 6 The Sphinx (04:11) 7 Enigma (07:28) 8 Ill Wind (05:40) 9 This Is the Life (For Stan Tracey) (08:48) 10 Weather Bird Rag (03:10) |
 | Album: 4 of 55 Artist: Oasis Title: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Released: 1995-10-02 Tracks: 12 Duration: 50:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Hello (03:21) 2 Roll With It (03:59) 3 Wonderwall (04:19) 4 Don’t Look Back in Anger (04:48) 5 Hey Now! (05:41) 6 [untitled] (00:44) 7 Some Might Say (05:28) 8 Cast No Shadow (04:51) 9 She’s Electric (03:40) 10 Morning Glory (05:03) 11 [untitled] (00:39) 12 Champagne Supernova (07:27) |
| (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? : Allmusic album Review : If Definitely Maybe was an unintentional concept album about wanting to be a rock & roll star, (Whats the Story) Morning Glory? is what happens after the dreams come true. Oasis turns in a relatively introspective second record, filled with big, gorgeous ballads instead of ripping rockers. Unlike Definitely Maybe, the production on Morning Glory is varied enough to handle the range in emotions; instead of drowning everything with amplifiers turned up to 12, there are strings, keyboards, and harmonicas. This expanded production helps give Noel Gallaghers sweeping melodies an emotional resonance that he occasionally cant convey lyrically. However, that is far from a fatal flaw; Gallaghers lyrics work best in fragments, where the images catch in your mind and grow, thanks to the music. Gallagher may be guilty of some borrowing, or even plagiarism, but he uses the familiar riffs as building blocks. This is where his genius lies: Hes a thief and doesnt have many original thoughts, but as a pop/rock melodicist hes pretty much without peer. Likewise, as musicians, Oasis are hardly innovators, yet they have a majestic grandeur in their sound that makes ballads like "Wonderwall" or rockers like "Some Might Say" positively transcendent. Alan White does add authority to the rhythm section, but the most noticeable change is in Liam Gallagher. His voice sneered throughout Definitely Maybe, but on Morning Glory his singing has become more textured and skillful. He gives the lyric in the raging title track a hint of regret, is sympathetic on "Wonderwall," defiant on "Some Might Say," and humorous on "Shes Electric," a bawdy rewrite of "Digsys Diner." It might not have the immediate impact of Definitely Maybe, but Morning Glory is just as exciting and compulsively listenable. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 55 Artist: Van Morrison Title: Days Like This Released: 1995-06-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 58:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Perfect Fit (04:36) 2 Russian Roulette (04:00) 3 Raincheck (05:54) 4 You Don’t Know Me (04:35) 5 No Religion (05:17) 6 Underlying Depression (04:38) 7 Songwriter (02:51) 8 Days Like This (03:13) 9 I’ll Never Be Free (03:41) 10 Melancholia (03:58) 11 Ancient Highway (08:55) 12 In the Afternoon (06:23) |
| Days Like This : Allmusic album Review : Van Morrisons 22nd album of new studio material will have a familiar sound to anyone who has followed his career thus far. The songs are set to steady mid-tempo grooves, with tasty guitar and organ solos and warm horn charts, over which Morrison sings in his butterscotch baritone, employing his characteristic slurs and repetitions, exploring topics that have interested him over the years. If there is any difference from earlier works, it is one of degree: Days Like This is typically introspective and given over to spiritual, psychological, and romantic concerns, but its songs are unusually straightforward. Beginning with a direct, up-tempo love song, "Perfect Fit," Morrison provides a statement of purpose in "Raincheck" ("Wont let the bastards get me down...I dont fade away, unless I want to"), yet confesses to doubt ("Underlying Depression," "Melancholia"). He matter-of-factly describes his profession ("Songwriter"), and discounts spirituality, at least in formal terms ("No Religion"), though in the extended song "Ancient Highway" he prays to "my higher self." In the title song, he turns the usual cliché on its head -- the "Days Like This" he means are the good ones, "when everything falls into place like the flick of a switch." Morrison changes the pace with two covers of 1950s oldies, the 56 Eddy Arnold hit "You Dont Know Me," and the 50 Kay Starr and Tennessee Ernie Ford hit "Ill Never Be Free," on both of which he duets with his daughter Shana. As he approaches 50, Van Morrison remains interested in the same subjects and is able to sing about them with the same forcefulness. "I cleaned up my diction, I had nothing left to say," he confesses at one point. Nothing new, perhaps, but on Days Like This Morrison says some of the same things with a new clarity. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 55 Artist: Pulp Title: Different Class Released: 1995-10-30 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 1996 | 1 Mis‐Shapes (03:46) 2 Pencil Skirt (03:11) 3 Common People (05:51) 4 I Spy (05:55) 5 Disco 2000 (04:33) 6 Live Bed Show (03:29) 7 Something Changed (03:18) 8 Sorted for E’s & Wizz (03:42) 9 F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E (06:01) 10 Underwear (04:06) 11 Monday Morning (04:18) 12 Bar Italia (03:43) |
| Different Class : Allmusic album Review : After years of obscurity, Pulp shot to stardom in Britain with 1994s His n Hers. By the time Different Class was released at the end of October 1995, the band, particularly lead singer Jarvis Cocker, were genuine British superstars, with two number two singles and a triumphant last-minute performance at Glastonbury under their belts, as well as one tabloid scandal. On the heels of such excitement, anticipation for Different Class ran high, and not only does it deliver, it blows away all their previous albums, including the fine His n Hers. Pulp dont stray from their signature formula at all -- its still grandly theatrical, synth-spiked pop with new wave and disco flourishes, but they have mastered it here. Not only are the melodies and hooks significantly catchier and more immediate, the music explores more territory. From the faux-show tune romp of the anthemic opener "Mis-Shapes" and the glitzy, gaudy stomp of "Disco 2000" (complete with a nicked riff from Laura Branigans "Gloria") to the aching ballad "Underwear" and the startling sexual menace of "I Spy," Pulp construct a diverse, appealing album around the same basic sound. Similarly, Jarvis Cockers lyrics take two themes, sex and social class, and explore a number of different avenues in bitingly clever ways. As well as perfectly capturing the behavior of his characters, Cocker grasps the nuances of language, creating a dense portrait of suburban and working-class life. All of his sex songs are compassionate, while the subtle satire of "Sorted for Es & Wizz" is affectionate, but the best moment on the album is the hit single "Common People," about a rich girl who gets off by slumming with the lower class. Coming from Cocker, who made secondhand clothes and music glamorous, the song is undeniably affecting and exciting, much like Different Class itself. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 55 Artist: Elastica Title: Elastica Released: 1995-03-13 Tracks: 15 Duration: 38:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Line Up (03:15) 2 Annie (01:13) 3 Connection (02:20) 4 Car Song (02:24) 5 Smile (01:40) 6 Hold Me Now (02:32) 7 S.O.F.T. (03:58) 8 Indian Song (02:46) 9 Blue (02:21) 10 All-Nighter (01:33) 11 Waking Up (03:15) 12 2:1 (02:33) 13 Vaseline (01:22) 14 Never Here (04:26) 15 Stutter (02:23) |
| Elastica : Allmusic album Review : Elasticas debut album may cop a riff here and there from Wire or the Stranglers, yet no more than Led Zeppelin did with Willie Dixon or the Beach Boys with Chuck Berry. The key is context. Elastica can make the rigid artiness of Wire into a rocking, sexy single with more hooks than anything on Pink Flag ("Connection") or rework the Stranglers "No More Heroes" into a more universal anthem that loses none of its punkiness ("Waking Up"). But what makes Elastica such an intoxicating record is not only the way the 16 songs speed by in 40 minutes, but that theyre nearly all classics. The riffs are angular like early Adam & the Ants, the melodies tease like Blondie, and the entire band is as tough as the Clash, yet they never seem anything less than contemporary. Justine Frischmanns detached sexuality adds an extra edge to her brief, spiky songs -- "Stutter" roars about a boyfriends impotence, "Car Song" makes sex in a car actually sound sexy, "Line Up" slags off groupies, and "Vaseline" speaks for itself. Even if the occasional riff sounds like an old wave group, the simple fact is that hardly any new wave band made records this consistently rocking and melodic. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 55 Artist: Supergrass Title: I Should Coco Released: 1995-05-15 Tracks: 34 Duration: 1:47:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 I’d Like to Know (04:02) 2 Caught by the Fuzz (02:17) 3 Mansize Rooster (02:34) 4 Alright (03:01) 5 Lose It (02:39) 6 Lenny (02:42) 7 Strange Ones (04:19) 8 Sitting Up Straight (02:20) 9 She’s So Loose (02:59) 10 We’re Not Supposed To (02:03) 11 Time (03:10) 12 Sofa (of My Lethargy) (06:18) 13 Time to Go (01:56) 1 Caught By The Fuzz (acoustic) (03:01) 2 Odd? (04:10) 3 Wait for the Sun (04:08) 4 Sex! (02:34) 5 Just Dropped In (To See What My Condition Was In) (02:44) 6 Je suis votre papa sucre (01:45) 7 Stone Free (03:15) 8 I Believe in Love (Unfinished Out-take) (04:46) 9 Id Like To Know (Demo) (02:47) 10 Caught By the Fuzz (Backbeat version) (02:18) 11 Mansize Rooster (Backbeat version) (03:18) 12 Alright (Demo) (02:45) 13 Lose It (Demo) (02:35) 14 Lenny (Demo) (02:42) 15 Strange Ones (Backbeat version) (04:00) 16 Sitting Up Straight (Backbeat version) (02:05) 17 Shes So Loose (Demo) (02:46) 18 Were Not Supposed To (Demo) (02:06) 19 Time (Demo) (03:50) 20 Sofa (Of My Lethargy) (Instrumental) (07:16) 21 Time To Go (Demo) (01:57) |
| I Should Coco : Allmusic album Review : Tearing by at a breakneck speed, I Should Coco is a spectacularly eclectic debut by Supergrass, a trio barely out of their teens. Sure, the unbridled energy of the album illustrates that the band is young, yet what really illustrates how young the bandmembers are is how they borrow from their predecessors. Supergrass treat the Buzzcocks, the Beatles, Elton John, David Bowie, Blur, and Madness as if they were all the same thing -- they dont make any distinction between what is cool and what isnt, they just throw everything together. Consequently, the jittery "Caught by the Fuzz" slams next to the music hall rave-up "Mansize Rooster," the trippy psychedelia of "Sofa (Of My Lethargy)," the heavy stomp of "Lenny," and the bona fide teen anthem "Alright." I Should Coco is the sound of adolescence, but performed with a surprising musical versatility that makes the records exuberant energy all the more infectious. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 55 Artist: Black Grape Title: It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah Released: 1995-08-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Reverend Black Grape (05:13) 2 In the Name of the Father (04:21) 3 Tramazi Parti (04:45) 4 Kelly’s Heroes (04:22) 5 Yeah Yeah Brother (04:10) 6 A Big Day in the North (04:10) 7 Shake Well Before Opening (05:40) 8 Submarine (03:50) 9 Shake Your Money (04:13) 10 Little Bob (05:34) |
| It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah : Allmusic album Review : When Happy Mondays fell apart in 1992, most observers assumed that Shaun Ryder would never recover from his numerous drug addictions. No one could have ever predicted that he would return to the top of the charts three years later, relatively fit and healthy, with a new band that fulfilled all of the promises of his old group. Black Grape is what Happy Mondays always were, only better. Leaving behind the stiff musicianship that plagued even the best Mondays records, Black Grapes debut, Its Great When Youre Straight...Yeah, is a surreal, funky, profane, and perversely joyous album, overflowing with casual eclecticism and giddy humor. Working with a band that is looser and grittier than the Mondays, Ryder sounds reinvigorated, creating bizarre rhymes that tie together junk culture, drug lingo, literary references, and utter nonsense. Ryders lyrics have always been freewheelingly impenetrable, but now hes working with Kermit, a rapper that is the equal of his skills. Even better, the music has deep grooves and catchy pop hooks that come straight out of left field. From the blaring harmonica of the triumphant "Reverend Black Grape" and the trippy sitars of "In the Name of the Father" to the seedy, rolling "Shake Your Money" and the stinging guitars of "Tramazi Parti," Its Great is filled with music that goes in unconventional directions without ever sounding forced. Not only is Its Great When Youre Straight a triumphant return for Ryder and his sidekick Bez, its the first album they have ever recorded that justifies all of the hype. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 55 Artist: Leftfield Title: Leftism Released: 1995-01-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:09:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Release the Pressure (07:40) 2 Afro‐Left (07:34) 3 Melt (05:12) 4 Song of Life (07:03) 5 Original (06:22) 6 Black Flute (03:46) 7 Space Shanty (07:15) 8 Inspection (Check One) (06:29) 9 Storm 3000 (05:44) 10 Open Up (06:51) 11 21st Century Poem (05:45) |
| Leftism : Allmusic album Review : Leftism spans most of Paul Daley and Neil Barnes singles output from 1992 to 1995 (excepting only "Not Forgotten") and adds several new tracks. Far from being just a stale progressive house LP, it spans a wide range of influences (tribal, dub, trance) and includes a good mixture of vocal tracks (with Toni Halliday, John Lydon, and Earl Sixteen) and instrumental workouts. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 55 Artist: Tricky Title: Maxinquaye Released: 1995-02-20 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:16:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Overcome (04:30) 2 Ponderosa (03:30) 3 Black Steel (05:40) 4 Hell Is Round the Corner (03:47) 5 Pumpkin (04:30) 6 Aftermath (07:38) 7 Abbaon Fat Tracks (04:26) 8 Brand New You’re Retro (02:54) 9 Suffocated Love (04:53) 10 You Don’t (04:39) 11 Strugglin’ (06:38) 12 Feed Me (04:03) 1 Pumpkin (edit) (04:07) 2 Moody Broody Buddhist Camp (05:18) 3 Brand New Youre Retro (Alex Reece remix) (04:51) 4 Pumpkin (ambient) (04:44) |
| Maxinquaye : Allmusic album Review : Trickys debut, Maxinquaye, is an album of stunning sustained vision and imagination, a record that sounds like it has no precedent as it boldly predicts a new future. Of course, neither sentiment is true. Much of the music on Maxinquaye has its roots in the trip-hop pioneered by Massive Attack, which once featured Tricky, and after the success of this record, trip-hop became fashionable, turning into safe, comfortable music to be played at upscale dinner parties thrown by hip twenty and thirtysomethings. Both of these sentiments are true, yet Maxinquaye still manages to retain its power; years later, it can still sound haunting, disturbing, and surprising after countless spins. Its an album that exists outside of time and outside of trends, a record whose clanking rhythms, tape haze, murmured vocals, shards of noise, reversed gender roles, alt-rock asides, and soul samplings create a ghostly netherworld fused with seductive menace and paranoia. It also shimmers with mystery, coming not just from Tricky -- whose voice isnt even heard until the second song on the record -- but his vocalist, Martine, whose smoky singing lures listeners into the unrelenting darkness of the record. Once theyre there, Maxinquaye offers untold treasures. There is the sheer pleasure of coasting by on the sound of the record, how it makes greater use of noise and experimental music than anything since the Bomb Squad and Public Enemy. Then, theres the tip of the hat to PE with a surreal cover of "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos," sung by Martine and never sounding like a postmodernist in-joke. Other references and samples register subconsciously -- while Isaac Hayes "Ikes Rap II" flows through "Hell Is Around the Corner" and the Smashing Pumpkins are even referenced in the title of "Pumpkin," Shakespears Sister and the Chantels slip by, while Michael Jacksons "Bad" thrillingly bleeds into "Expressway to Your Heart" on "Brand New Youre Retro." Lyrics flow in and out of consciousness, with lingering, whispered promises suddenly undercut by veiled threats and bursts of violence. Then, theres how music that initially may seem like mood pieces slowly reveal their ingenious structure and arrangement and register as full-blown songs, or how the alternately languid and chaotic rhythms finally compliment each other, turning this into a bracing sonic adventure that gains richness and resonance with each listen. After all, theres so much going on here -- within the production, the songs, the words -- it remains fascinating even after all of its many paths have been explored (which certainly cant be said of the trip-hop that followed, including records by Tricky). And that air of mystery that can be impenetrable upon the first listen certainly is something that keeps Maxinquaye tantalizing after its become familiar, particularly because, like all good mysteries, theres no getting to the bottom of it, no matter how hard you try. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 55 Artist: Courtney Pine Title: Modern Day Jazz Stories Released: 1995 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:08:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Prelude - The Water Of Life (01:26) 2 The 37th Chamber (04:20) 3 Dont Xplain (04:57) 4 Dah Blessing (08:50) 5 In The Garden Of Eden (Thinking Inside Of You) (05:59) 6 Creation Stepper (10:42) 7 After the Damaja (01:12) 8 Absolution (07:34) 9 Each One (Must) Teach One (03:51) 10 The Unknown Warrior (Song For My Forefathers) (06:38) 11 Ive Known Rivers (03:40) 12 Outro - Guiding Light (01:11) 13 Prince of Peace (08:25) |
 | Album: 13 of 55 Artist: James MacMillan Title: Seven Last Words from the Cross Released: 1995-05-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:07:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Seven Last Words from the Cross: I. Father, Forgive Them, for They Know Not What They Do (06:09) 2 Seven Last Words from the Cross: II. Woman, Behold Thy Son! (05:46) 3 Seven Last Words from the Cross: III. Verily, I Say UntoThee, Today Thou Shalt be with Me in Paradise (08:22) 4 Seven Last Words from the Cross: IV. Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani (06:37) 5 Seven Last Words from the Cross: V. I Thirst (04:57) 6 Seven Last Words from the Cross: VI. It Is Finished (06:33) 7 Seven Last Words from the Cross: VII. Father, into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit (07:21) 8 Cantos Sagrados: I. Identity (08:41) 9 Cantos Sagrados: II. Virgin of Guadelupe (07:36) 10 Cantos Sagrados: III. Sun Stone (05:49) |
 | Album: 14 of 55 Artist: PJ Harvey Title: To Bring You My Love Released: 1995-02-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 To Bring You My Love (05:33) 2 Meet ze Monsta (03:29) 3 Working for the Man (04:49) 4 Cmon Billy (02:50) 5 Teclo (04:58) 6 Long Snake Moan (05:15) 7 Down by the Water (03:14) 8 I Think Im a Mother (04:02) 9 Send His Love to Me (04:20) 10 The Dancer (04:05) |
| To Bring You My Love : Allmusic album Review : Following the tour for Rid of Me, Polly Harvey parted ways with Robert Ellis and Stephen Vaughn, leaving her free to expand her music from the bluesy punk that dominated PJ Harveys first two albums. It also left her free to experiment with her style of songwriting. Where Dry and Rid of Me seemed brutally honest, To Bring You My Love feels theatrical, with each song representing a grand gesture. Relying heavily on religious metaphors and imagery borrowed from the blues, Harvey has written a set of songs that are lyrically reminiscent of Nick Caves and Tom Waits literary excursions into the gothic American heartland. Since she was a product of post-punk, shes nowhere near as literally bluesy as Cave or Waits, preferring to embellish her songs with shards of avant guitar, eerie keyboards, and a dense, detailed production. Its a far cry from the primitive guitars of her first two albums, but Harvey pulls it off with style, since her songwriting is tighter and more melodic than before; the menacing "Down by the Water" has genuine hooks, as does the psycho stomp of "Meet Ze Monsta," the wailing "Long Snake Moan," and the stately "CMon Billy." The clear production by Harvey, Flood, and John Parish makes these growths evident, which in turn makes To Bring You My Love her most accessible album, even if the album lacks the indelible force of its predecessors. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 55 Artist: The Boo Radleys Title: Wake Up! Released: 1995-03-27 Tracks: 33 Duration: 2:24:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1995 | 1 Wake Up Boo! (03:36) 2 Fairfax Scene (02:14) 3 Its Lulu (03:04) 4 Joel (06:10) 5 Find the Answer Within (04:34) 6 Reaching Out From Here (03:02) 7 Martin, Doom! Its Seven OClock (06:21) 8 Stuck on Amber (05:24) 9 Charles Bukowski Is Dead (02:39) 10 4am Conversation (02:43) 11 Twinside (04:45) 12 Wilder (06:56) 1 Janus (03:07) 2 Blues for George Michael (08:48) 3 Friendship Song (05:24) 4 Wake Up Boo! (Music for Astronauts) (08:55) 5 And Tomorrow the World (04:37) 6 The History of Creation Parts 17 & 36 (04:38) 7 Find the Answer Within (The High Llamas mix) (05:45) 8 The Only Word I Can Find (03:06) 9 Very Together (03:19) 10 Dont Take Your Gun to Town (03:52) 11 Wallpaper (04:03) 1 This Is Not About Me (04:02) 2 Reaching Out From Here (The High Llamas mix) (02:53) 3 Martin Doom! Its Seven OClock (Stereolab mix) (06:39) 4 Joel (Justin Warfield mix) (04:49) 5 Tambo (01:47) 6 Donkey (01:54) 7 From the Bench at Belvidere (04:23) 8 Hi Falutin (03:23) 9 Crushed (03:23) 10 Almost Nearly There (03:36) |
 | Album: 16 of 55 Artist: Suede Title: Coming Up Released: 1996-09-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Trash (04:06) 2 Filmstar (03:25) 3 Lazy (03:19) 4 By the Sea (04:16) 5 She (03:38) 6 Beautiful Ones (03:50) 7 Starcrazy (03:33) 8 Picnic by the Motorway (04:45) 9 The Chemistry Between Us (07:04) 10 Saturday Night (04:35) |
 | Album: 17 of 55 Artist: Manic Street Preachers Title: Everything Must Go Released: 1996-07-22 Tracks: 4 Duration: 17:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Everything Must Go (03:41) 2 Everything Must Go (The Chemical Brothers remix) (06:32) 3 Everything Must Go (Stealth Sonic Orchestra remix) (03:44) 4 Everything Must Go (Stealth Sonic Orchestra soundtrack) (03:27) |
 | Album: 18 of 55 Artist: Norma Waterson Title: Norma Waterson Released: 1996 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Black Muddy River (04:21) 2 St. Swithins Day (02:56) 3 God Loves a Drunk (04:39) 4 The Birds Will Still Be Singing (02:56) 5 There Aint No Sweet Man Thats Worth the Salt of My Tears (02:52) 6 Rags and Old Iron (04:18) 7 Pleasure and Pain (06:03) 8 Hard Times Heart (03:20) 9 There is a Fountain in Christs Blood (03:48) 10 Anna Dixie (03:41) 11 Outside The Wall (06:14) |
 | Album: 19 of 55 Artist: Mark Morrison Title: Return of the Mack Released: 1996-03-01 Tracks: 6 Duration: 29:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Return of the Mack (C&J X-tended radio edit) (07:21) 2 Return of the Mack (Da Beatminers remix) (04:34) 3 A Cappella of the Mack (03:00) 4 Trippin (C&J mix) (04:20) 5 Trippin (Salaam Remi remix) (04:24) 6 Return of the Mack (instrumental) (05:48) |
 | Album: 20 of 55 Artist: Underworld Title: Second Toughest in the Infants Released: 1996-03-04 Tracks: 18 Duration: 2:24:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Juanita / Kiteless / To Dream of Love (16:36) 2 Banstyle / Sappys Curry (15:22) 3 Confusion the Waitress (06:47) 4 Rowla (06:31) 5 Pearls Girl (09:37) 6 Air Towel (07:37) 7 Blueski (02:55) 8 Stagger (07:37) 1 Born Slippy (original instrumental version) (08:32) 2 Cherry Pie (08:25) 3 Oich Oich (08:35) 4 Puppies (03:54) 5 Mosaic (05:00) 6 Deep Arch (08:25) 7 Confusion the Waitress (She Said) (04:54) 8 Rowla A1806 (03:59) 9 Pearls Ver2 (08:11) 10 Born Slippy .NUXX (11:40) |
 | Album: 21 of 55 Artist: Spice Girls Title: Spice Released: 1996-10-29 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Wannabe (02:52) 2 Say Youll Be There (03:57) 3 2 Become 1 (03:59) 4 Love Thing (03:35) 5 Last Time Lover (04:08) 6 Mama (05:03) 7 Who Do You Think You Are (04:00) 8 Something Kinda Funny (04:02) 9 Naked (04:20) 10 If U Can’t Dance (03:46) |
| Spice : Allmusic album Review : Spice doesnt need to be original to be entertaining, nor do the Spice Girls need to be good singers. It just has to be executed well, and the innocuous dance-pop of Spice is infectious. None of the Girls have great voices, but they do exude personality and charisma, which is what drives bouncy dance-pop like "Wannabe," with its ridiculous "zig-a-zig-ahhh" hook, into pure pop guilty pleasure. What is surprising is how the sultry soul of "Say Youll Be There" is more than just a guilty pleasure, and how ballads like "2 Become 1" are perfect adult contemporary confections. The rest of the album isnt quite as catchy as those first three singles, but it is still irresistible, immaculately crafted pop that gets by on the skills of the producer and the charisma of the five Spices. Sure, the last half of the album is forgettable, but it sounds good while its on, which is the key to a good dance-pop record. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 55 Artist: Peter Maxwell Davies; BBC Philharmonic, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Title: The Beltane Fire / Caroline Mathilde (Concert Suite from Act II of the Ballet) Released: 1996-03-01 Tracks: 14 Duration: 38:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 The Beltane Fire: Scene 1: In the Barn of the Bu (06:39) 2 The Beltane Fire: Interlude I (02:09) 3 The Beltane Fire: Scene 2: A Field (09:12) 4 The Beltane Fire: Interlude II (02:11) 5 The Beltane Fire: Scene 3: The Kirk (04:10) 6 The Beltane Fire: Scene 4: The Field (04:36) 7 The Beltane Fire: Scene 5: The Beltane Fire (09:06) 8 Caroline Mathilde: I. A Public Square (?) 9 Caroline Mathilde: II. The Conspiracy (?) 10 Caroline Mathilde: III. The Masked Ball-Court Dance (?) 11 Caroline Mathilde: IV. The Masked Ball-Pas de Deux (?) 12 Caroline Mathilde: V. The Arrest (?) 13 Caroline Mathilde: VI. The Execution (?) 14 Caroline Mathilde: VII. The Exile of Caroline Mathilde (?) |
 | Album: 23 of 55 Artist: Beth Orton Title: Trailer Park Released: 1996-10-14 Tracks: 10 Duration: 59:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 She Cries Your Name (04:46) 2 Tangent (07:28) 3 Dont Need a Reason (05:04) 4 Live as You Dream / Sugar Boy (07:20) 5 Touch Me With Your Love (07:26) 6 Whenever (03:54) 7 How Far (04:26) 8 Someones Daughter (04:16) 9 I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine (04:43) 10 Galaxy of Emptiness (10:09) |
| Trailer Park : Allmusic album Review : A folkie for the electronica age, Beth Orton brilliantly bridges the gap between acoustic songcraft and digital dance beats with her extraordinary debut album, Trailer Park. Fusing the plaintive emotional power of the singer/songwriter tradition with the distanced cool of trip-hop rhythms, Orton creates a fresh, distinct, and surprisingly organic sound without obvious precedent; blessed with a warm, ethereal voice capable of adapting comfortably to Spartan folk ("Whenever," a touching cover of the Spector/Greenwich/Barry-penned "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine"), buoyant pop ("Live as We Dream," "How Far"), and spacy, densely layered electronica ("Tangent," "Touch Me with Your Love"), she shifts gears with remarkable ease, the depth and clarity of her unique perspective connecting even the most disparate tracks together into a unified whole. Simply put, Trailer Park is one of the most promising and innovative debuts of its era. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 55 Artist: Mark-Anthony Turnage Title: Your Rockaby Released: 1996-08-12 Tracks: 6 Duration: 55:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Your Rockaby (21:49) 2 Night Dances: Prelude (01:21) 3 Night Dances: Dance 1 (04:40) 4 Night Dances: Nocturne (03:34) 5 Night Dances: Dance 2 (03:33) 6 Dispelling the Fears (20:37) |
 | Album: 25 of 55 Artist: Black Star Liner Title: Bengali Bantam Youth Experience! Released: 1997-10-20 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Sita D (03:36) 2 Swimmer (04:43) 3 Low BMW (02:28) 4 Gurdeeps Yellow Funk (04:06) 5 Superfly and Bindi (03:47) 6 Pink Rupee (03:14) 7 Ethnic Suicide of the Volga Boatmen (03:57) 8 Inder Automatic (03:39) 9 Khaatoon (03:06) 10 Silvini (03:33) 11 Dark Shadow (03:04) 12 Intafada Powder-Line (02:17) |
 | Album: 26 of 55 Artist: The Chemical Brothers Title: Dig Your Own Hole Released: 1997-04-07 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:03:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Block Rockin’ Beats (05:13) 2 Dig Your Own Hole (05:27) 3 Elektrobank (08:18) 4 Piku (04:55) 5 Setting Sun (05:28) 6 It Doesn’t Matter (06:14) 7 Don’t Stop the Rock (04:49) 8 Get Up on It Like This (02:46) 9 Lost in the K‐Hole (03:52) 10 Where Do I Begin (06:56) 11 The Private Psychedelic Reel (09:21) |
| Dig Your Own Hole : Allmusic album Review : Taking the swirling eclecticism of their post-techno debut, Exit Planet Dust, to the extreme, the Chemical Brothers blow all stylistic boundaries down with their second album, Dig Your Own Hole. Bigger, bolder, and more adventurous than Exit Planet Dust, Dig Your Own Hole opens with the slamming cacophony of "Block Rockin Beats," where hip-hop meets hardcore techno, complete with a Schoolly D sample and an elastic bass riff. Everything is going on at once in "Block Rockin Beats," and it sets the pace for the rest of the record, where songs and styles blur into a continuous kaleidoscope of sound. It rocks hard enough for the pop audience, but it doesnt compromise either the Chemicals sound or the adventurous, futuristic spirit of electronica -- even "Setting Sun," with its sly homages to the Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" and Noel Gallaghers twisting, catchy melody, doesnt sound like retro psychedelia; it sounds vibrant, unexpected, and utterly contemporary. There are no distinctions between different styles, and the Chemicals sound as if theyre having fun, building Dig Your Own Hole from fragments of the past, distorting the rhythms and samples, and pushing it forward with an intoxicating rush of synthesizers, electronics, and layered drum machines. The Chemical Brothers might not push forward into self-consciously arty territories like some of their electronic peers, but they have more style and focus, constructing a blindingly innovative and relentlessly propulsive album thats an exhilarating listen -- one that sounds positively new but utterly inviting at the same time. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 55 Artist: Robbie Williams Title: Life Thru a Lens Released: 1997-09-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 52:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Lazy Days (03:54) 2 Life Thru a Lens (03:07) 3 Ego a Go Go (03:34) 4 Angels (04:25) 5 South of the Border (03:53) 6 Old Before I Die (03:53) 7 One of God’s Better People (03:33) 8 Let Me Entertain You (04:22) 9 Killing Me (03:56) 10 Clean (03:55) 11 Baby Girl Window / Hello Sir (14:10) |
| Life Thru a Lens : Allmusic album Review : One of the best U.K. debuts of the 90s, Life Thru a Lens is an uninhibited joyride through all manner of British music, from glam to alternative to soft-rock to dance-pop. Beginning with the joyous "Lazy Days," the album continually betrays overt influences from Oasis and other Britpop stars, but triumphs nevertheless due to gorgeous production, Williams irresistible personality, and the overall flavor of outrageous, utterly enjoyable pop music. Whether hes romping through aggressive burners like "Ego A Go Go" and "South of the Border," crooning on the ballad "Angels," or offering a slice of life -- working-class style -- on the title track and "Lazy Days," Williams is a pop star through and through. For those who appreciate great pop with plenty of cheek, Life Thru a Lens is an excellent album. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 55 Artist: Radiohead Title: OK Computer Released: 1997-05-21 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Airbag (04:44) 2 Paranoid Android (06:23) 3 Subterranean Homesick Alien (04:27) 4 Exit Music (for a Film) (04:24) 5 Let Down (04:59) 6 Karma Police (04:22) 7 Fitter Happier (01:57) 8 Electioneering (03:50) 9 Climbing Up the Walls (04:45) 10 No Surprises (03:48) 11 Lucky (04:19) 12 The Tourist (05:24) |
| OK Computer : Allmusic album Review : Using the textured soundscapes of The Bends as a launching pad, Radiohead delivered another startlingly accomplished set of modern guitar rock with OK Computer. The anthemic guitar heroics present on Pablo Honey and even The Bends are nowhere to be heard here. Radiohead have stripped away many of the obvious elements of guitar rock, creating music that is subtle and textured yet still has the feeling of rock & roll. Even at its most adventurous -- such as the complex, multi-segmented "Paranoid Android" -- the band is tight, melodic, and muscular, and Thom Yorkes voice effortlessly shifts from a sweet falsetto to vicious snarls. Its a thoroughly astonishing demonstration of musical virtuosity and becomes even more impressive with repeated listens, which reveal subtleties like electronica rhythms, eerie keyboards, odd time signatures, and complex syncopations. Yet all of this would simply be showmanship if the songs werent strong in themselves, and OK Computer is filled with moody masterpieces, from the shimmering "Subterranean Homesick Alien" and the sighing "Karma Police" to the gothic crawl of "Exit Music (For a Film)." OK Computer is the album that established Radiohead as one of the most inventive and rewarding guitar rock bands of the 90s. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 55 Artist: John Surman Title: Proverbs And Songs Released: 1997 Tracks: 9 Duration: 49:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Prelude (03:11) 2 The Sons (04:55) 3 The Kings (06:41) 4 Wisdom (07:39) 5 Job (04:50) 6 No Twilight (07:42) 7 Pride (05:00) 8 The Proverbs (04:06) 9 Abraham Arise! (05:24) |
 | Album: 30 of 55 Artist: John Tavener; Steven Isserlis Title: Svyati Released: 1997 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:10:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Svyati "O Holy One" (13:58) 2 Eternal Memory: I. With great peace and serenity (03:06) 3 Eternal Memory: II. Slightly grotesque; dance-like; rough and an illusion of motion (03:12) 4 Eternal Memory: III. With great peace and serenity (04:22) 5 Akhmatova Songs: I. Dante (02:12) 6 Akhmatova Songs: II. Pushkin and Lermontov (01:53) 7 Akhmatova Songs: III. Boris Pasternak (01:50) 8 Akhmatova Songs: IV. Couplet (02:12) 9 Akhmatova Songs: V. The Muse (03:15) 10 Akhmatova Songs: VI. Death (04:19) 11 The Hidden Treasure (25:31) 12 Chant (04:09) |
| Svyati : Allmusic album Review : Since the composition of The Protecting Veil in 1987, the cello has played an important role in John Taveners music. Even when he was writing for instruments during the 1989-1995 period when the music on Svyati originated, Taveners works carried strong overtones of Russian Orthodox church services, and the cello here, as Tavener himself points out, sometimes seems to stand in for the voice of a priest. These pieces have been recorded before, but cellist Steven Isserlis, who premiered The Protecting Veil and some of the works included here, sheds valuable light on this phase of Taveners career by bringing them together on one disc. The five works included are quite diverse, with the cello playing a slightly different role in each. The most typical of Taveners predominantly choral output, as well as perhaps the most successful of the five, is the opening work and title track; Svyati is based on a segment of the Russian Orthodox liturgy known as the Trisagion ("O holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy on us") that carries special impact during a funeral service. Tavener wrote the work after the death of a friend, and it gradually brings the intonations of cello and choir together over each of its two halves. The Kiev Chamber Chorus is just one of several fine Russian ensembles performing the English-Russian music on this disc. The veteran Moscow Virtuosi under Vladimir Spivakov excel in the three-movement Eternal Memory, which rises in an Ivesian fashion from calm to disorder and then returns to its opening mood. Taveners five Akhmatova Songs, settings for soprano and solo cello of texts by the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova, are more dramatic and varied in mood than most of his other works; concise and intense, they are beautifully realized here by Isserlis and the soprano with whom he premiered them, Patricia Rozario. The disc is rounded out by the less instrumentally successful string quartet The Hidden Treasure and by a solo cello piece, Chant. Like Arvo Pärt, Tavener has been known for reworking pieces into new forms and new media, and The Hidden Treasure is related to Taveners The Resurrection. RCAs engineers unite performances recorded at different times and in different places into a coherent whole, and the disc may serve as a good introduction to Taveners music for those who would rather avoid his explicitly religious large choral works. One complaint in the presentation: if just one less artsy abstract photograph had been included, that would have made room for Russian and transliterated texts of the Akhmatova Songs. Svyati is recommended for lovers of Taveners music and especially for instrumentalists and presenters who are curious about his ability to write music on a smaller scale. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 55 Artist: Prodigy Title: The Fat of the Land Released: 1997-06-30 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:23:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Smack My Bitch Up (05:42) 2 Breathe (05:34) 3 Diesel Power (04:17) 4 Funky Shit (05:16) 5 Serial Thrilla (05:11) 6 Mindfields (05:39) 7 Narayan (09:05) 8 Firestarter (04:40) 9 Climbatize (06:36) 10 Fuel My Fire (04:18) 11 Smack My Bitch Up (Noisia remix) (05:53) 12 Firestarter (Alvin Risk remix) (03:18) 13 Breathe (Zeds Dead remix) (04:36) 14 Mindfields (Baauer remix) (03:51) 15 Breathe (The Glitch Mob remix) (04:25) 16 Smack My Bitch Up (Major Lazer remix) (05:05) |
| The Fat of the Land : Allmusic album Review : Few albums were as eagerly anticipated as The Fat of the Land, the Prodigys long-awaited follow-up to Music for the Jilted Generation. By the time of its release, the group had two number one British singles with "Firestarter" and "Breathe" and had begun to make inroads in America. The Fat of the Land was touted as the album that would bring electronica/techno to a worldwide audience (Of course, in Britain, the group already had a staggeringly large following that was breathlessly awaiting the album.) The Fat of the Land falls short of masterpiece status, but that isnt because it doesnt deliver. Instead, it delivers exactly what anyone would expect: intense hip-hop-derived rhythms, imaginatively reconstructed samples, and meaningless shouted lyrics from Keith Flint and Maxim. Half of the album does sound quite similar to "Firestarter," especially when Flint is singing. Granted, Liam Howlett is an inventive producer, and he can make empty songs like "Smack My Bitch Up" and "Serial Thrilla" kick with a visceral power, but he is at his best on the funky hip-hop of "Diesel Power" (which is driven by an excellent Kool Keith rap) and "Funky Shit," as well as the mind-bending neo-psychedelia of "Narayan" (featuring guest vocals by Crispian Mills of Kula Shaker) and the blood-curdling cover of L7s "Fuel My Fire," which features vocals by Republicas Saffron. All those guest vocalists mean something -- Howlett is at his best when hes writing for himself or others, not his groups own vocalists. "Firestarter" and all of its rewrites capture the fire of the Prodigy at their peak, and the remaining songs have imagination that give the album weight. The Fat of the Land doesnt have quite enough depth or variety to qualify as a flat-out masterpiece, but what it does have to offer is damn good. | ||
 | Album: 32 of 55 Artist: The Verve Title: Urban Hymns Released: 1997-09-29 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:10:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Bitter Sweet Symphony (05:58) 2 Sonnet (04:22) 3 The Rolling People (07:06) 4 The Drugs Don’t Work (05:05) 5 Catching the Butterfly (06:31) 6 Neon Wilderness (02:42) 7 Space and Time (05:41) 8 Weeping Willow (04:54) 9 Lucky Man (04:57) 10 One Day (05:08) 11 This Time (03:55) 12 Velvet Morning (05:02) 13 Come On (06:42) 14 Deep Freeze (02:12) |
| Urban Hymns : Allmusic album Review : Not long after the release of A Northern Soul, the Verve imploded due to friction between vocalist Richard Ashcroft and guitarist Nick McCabe. It looked like the band had ended before reaching its full potential, which is part of the reason why their third album, Urban Hymns -- recorded after the pair patched things up in late 1996 -- is so remarkable. Much of the record consists of songs Ashcroft had intended for a solo project or a new group, yet Urban Hymns unmistakably sounds like the work of a full band, with its sweeping, grandiose soundscapes and sense of purpose. The Verve have toned down their trancy, psychedelic excursions, yet havent abandoned them -- if anything, they sound more muscular than before, whether its the trippy "Catching the Butterfly" or the pounding "Come On." These powerful, guitar-drenched rockers provide the context for Ashcrofts affecting, string-laden ballads, which give Urban Hymns its hurt. The majestic "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and the heartbreaking, country-tinged "The Drugs Dont Work" are an astonishing pair, two anthemic ballads that make the personal universal, thereby sounding like instant classics. They just are the tip of the iceberg -- "Sonnet" is a lovely, surprisingly understated ballad, "The Rolling People" has a measured, electric power, and many others match their quality. Although it may run a bit too long for some tastes, Urban Hymns is a rich album that revitalizes rock traditions without ever seeming less than contemporary. It is the album the Verve have been striving to make since their formation, and it turns out to be worth all the wait. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 55 Artist: Primal Scream Title: Vanishing Point Released: 1997-06-25 Tracks: 11 Duration: 53:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1997 | 1 Burning Wheel (07:06) 2 Get Duffy (04:09) 3 Kowalski (05:50) 4 Star (04:24) 5 If They Move, Kill em (03:01) 6 Out of the Void (03:59) 7 Stuka (05:36) 8 Medication (03:52) 9 Motörhead (03:38) 10 Trainspotting (08:07) 11 Long Life (03:49) |
 | Album: 34 of 55 Artist: Cornershop Title: When I Was Born for the 7th Time Released: 1997-09-08 Tracks: 15 Duration: 54:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Sleep on the Left Side (04:06) 2 Brimful of Asha (05:17) 3 Butter the Soul (03:19) 4 Chocolat (01:24) 5 Were in Yr Corner (05:47) 6 Funky Days Are Back Again (03:41) 7 What Is Happening? (02:15) 8 When the Light Appears Boy (02:41) 9 Coming Up (01:03) 10 Good Shit (04:40) 11 Good to Be on the Road Back Home (05:45) 12 Its Indian Tobacco My Friend (04:51) 13 Candyman (03:49) 14 State Troopers (03:07) 15 Norwegian Wood (02:27) |
 | Album: 35 of 55 Artist: Propellerheads Title: Decksandrumsandrockandroll Released: 1998-01-20 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:08:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Take California (07:21) 2 Echo and Bounce (05:26) 3 Velvet Pants (05:47) 4 Better? (02:03) 5 Oh Yeah? (05:26) 6 History Repeating (04:03) 7 Winning Style (05:58) 8 Bang On! (05:45) 9 A Number of Microphones (00:45) 10 On Her Majestys Secret Service (09:20) 11 Bigger? (02:20) 12 Cominagetcha (07:02) 13 Spybreak! (06:59) |
| Decksandrumsandrockandroll : Allmusic album Review : Really, the title says it all -- Decksanddrumsandrockandroll is about as close to rock & roll as big-beat techno is going to get. Taking their cue from the Chemical Brothers, the Bath-based duo Propellerheads offer a set of pummeling, ultra-loud beats that may dabble in funk, house, hip-hop, soul, and rap, but which all come out sounding as aggressive as rock. Not that theres anything wrong with that -- at its best, big beat is as invigorating as any other music -- but Propellerheads dont have the finesse, innovation, or style of the Chemical Brothers, the leading proponents of big beat. When they shake the beat up, whether on the wah-wah-drenched "Velvet Pants" or the pair of John Barry/James Bond tributes (a reworking of their cover of "On Her Majestys Secret Service" and "History Repeating"), it sounds like a tactical move, since they know they cant spend the entire album on thundering dance cuts like "Bang On!" and "Take California." That said, Decksanddrumsandrockandroll remains a strong big beat album, even if it ultimately doesnt reveal anything new, because the duo knows how to craft a hard-hitting, infectious rhythm track. And while that doesnt make them the next Chemical Brothers, it does make them the best in this style since the Chemicals. | ||
 | Album: 36 of 55 Artist: Catatonia Title: International Velvet Released: 1998-02-02 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Mulder and Scully (04:11) 2 Game On (02:51) 3 I Am the Mob (03:09) 4 Road Rage (05:09) 5 Johnny Come Lately (04:36) 6 Goldfish and Paracetamol (03:50) 7 International Velvet (04:23) 8 Why I Cant Stand One Night Stands (02:40) 9 Part of the Furniture (04:08) 10 Dont Need the Sunshine (03:49) 11 Strange Glue (03:44) 12 My Selfish Gene (02:26) |
| International Velvet : Allmusic album Review : Prior to International Velvet, Catatonia offered modest, lovely pleasures -- pretty, ringing pop songs filled with sweet and sour melodies. Apparently, the band was concerned that they were a little too precious, a little too similar to late-80s indie pop groups like the Primitives, so they beefed up their sound, turned up the guitars and toughened up their attack for International Velvet, their second major-label album (the first to be released in America). Its a gambit that fails as often it succeeds. Part of the problem is that the hard rock sounds forced, never quite rocking with the abandon it should and keeping much of the album grounded. More problematically, Cerys Matthews has a captivating voice but a weakness for gimmicks -- "I Am the Mob" and "Mulder and Scully" have terrific hooks, but its hard to get with their self-conscious pop culture references. Still, at least they bring memorable melodies to the songs. When their songwriting comes up short, there isnt enough attitude or snarl to the performances to make them enjoyable -- which is precisely what the sonic revamping should have given them. Even with the flaws, International Velvet has its fair share of pop delights -- it just doesnt deliver as many as Way Beyond Blue, which had a surplus of melody and grace. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 55 Artist: Massive Attack Title: Mezzanine Released: 1998-04-17 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:03:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Angel (06:19) 2 Risingson (04:58) 3 Teardrop (05:30) 4 Inertia Creeps (05:56) 5 Exchange (04:11) 6 Dissolved Girl (06:06) 7 Man Next Door (05:56) 8 Black Milk (06:21) 9 Mezzanine (05:56) 10 Group Four (08:12) 11 (Exchange) (04:10) |
| Mezzanine : Allmusic album Review : Increasingly ignored amidst the exploding trip-hop scene, Massive Attack finally returned in 1998 with Mezzanine, a record immediately announcing not only that the group was back, but that theyd recorded a set of songs just as singular and revelatory as on their debut, almost a decade back. It all begins with a stunning one-two-three-four punch: "Angel," "Risingson," "Teardrop," and "Inertia Creeps." Augmenting their samples and keyboards with a studio band, Massive Attack open with "Angel," a stark production featuring pointed beats and a distorted bassline that frames the vocal (by group regular Horace Andy) and a two-minute flame-out with raging guitars. "Risingson" is a dense, dark feature for Massive Attack themselves (on production as well as vocals), with a kitchen sinks worth of dubby effects and reverb. "Teardrop" introduces another genius collaboration -- with Elizabeth Fraser from Cocteau Twins -- from a production unit with a knack for recruiting gifted performers. The blend of earthy with ethereal shouldnt work at all, but Massive Attack pull it off in fine fashion. "Inertia Creeps" could well be the highlight, another feature for just the core threesome. With eerie atmospherics, fuzz-tone guitars, and a wealth of effects, the song could well be the best production from the best team of producers the electronic world had ever seen. Obviously, the rest of the album cant compete, but theres certainly no sign of the side-two slump heard on Protection, as both Andy and Fraser return for excellent, mid-tempo tracks ("Man Next Door" and "Black Milk," respectively). | ||
 | Album: 38 of 55 Artist: Talvin Singh Title: OK Released: 1998-10-14 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:06:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 1999 | 1 Traveller (11:18) 2 Butterfly (04:26) 3 Sutrix (05:55) 4 Mombasstic (05:45) 5 Decca (01:20) 6 Eclipse (05:50) 7 OK (04:19) 8 Light (06:23) 9 Disser/Point.Mento.B (02:43) 10 Soni (05:59) 11 Vikram the Vampire (06:47) 12 Wrist Flick (05:48) |
| OK : Allmusic album Review : Talvin Singh first rose to notoriety running a popular Monday night London club, Anokha. That experience led to the release of the album Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground, a highly regarded sampling of Asian-esque sounds from artists who performed at Anokha. OK is Singhs debut release, and it was nine months in the making. The title was chosen because of the universality of the word OK, which can be understood almost anywhere. It is mostly a reinterpretation of hypnotic Indian classical music with plenty of flute, sitar, and of course tabla. Theres also Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan-like devotional qawwali and traditional Okinawan dance music mixed in to make OK truly pan-Asian. Singhs subtle craftsmanship in fitting the old with the modern make this album seductive and one of the best efforts yet at blending Asian sounds with techno. "Light," a truly wondrous fusion of Indian flute and rich atmospherics, encapsulates what Singh is all about and should convince even the most skeptical. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 55 Artist: Asian Dub Foundation Title: Rafis Revenge Released: 1998-05-08 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:11:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Naxalite (04:45) 2 Buzzin (04:29) 3 Black White (03:35) 4 Assassin (04:02) 5 Hypocrite (04:00) 6 Charge (03:39) 7 Free Satpal Ram (03:46) 8 Dub Mentality (04:29) 9 Culture Move (04:30) 10 Operation Eagle Lie (03:21) 11 Change (03:09) 12 Tribute to John Stevens (05:16) 13 Free Satpal Ram (Russel Simmins remix) (05:44) 14 Culture Move (Pusher Sound mix) (07:36) 15 Charge (live version) (03:39) 16 Naxalite (live version) (05:04) |
 | Album: 40 of 55 Artist: Eliza Carthy Title: Red Rice Released: 1998 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:50:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Accordion Song (Accidental Saturday Night Kitchen Mix) (04:54) 2 10,000 Miles (02:59) 3 Billy Boy / The Widows Wedding (05:06) 4 Time in the Son (03:28) 5 Stumbling On (03:38) 6 Stingo / The Stacking Reel (06:13) 7 Greenwood Laddie / Mrs Caprons Reel / Tune (06:02) 8 Walk Away (03:35) 9 Adieu, Adieu (04:34) 10 Russia (Call Waiting) (05:56) 11 Red Rice (04:20) 1 Blow the Winds / The Game of Draughts (07:51) 2 The Snow It Melts the Soonest (03:29) 3 Picking Up Sticks / The Old Mole / Felton Lonnin / Kingston Girls (04:50) 4 Miller and the Lass (02:02) 5 Herring Song (04:40) 6 Mons Meg (05:26) 7 Tuesday Morning (02:56) 8 Haddock and Chips (02:44) 9 The Americans Have Stolen My True Love Away (04:48) 10 Zycanthos Jig / Tommys Foot / Quebecois (06:14) 11 The Sweetness of Mary / Holywell Hornpipe / Swedish (06:44) 12 Benjamin Bowmaneer (04:23) 13 Commodore Moore / The Black Dance / A Andy O (03:34) |
 | Album: 41 of 55 Artist: Pulp Title: This Is Hardcore Released: 1998-03-16 Tracks: 2 Duration: 11:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 This Is Hardcore (06:25) 2 Ladies’ Man (04:44) |
 | Album: 42 of 55 Artist: Manic Street Preachers Title: This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Released: 1998-09-09 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:12:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 The Everlasting (06:08) 2 If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next (04:50) 3 You Stole the Sun From My Heart (04:20) 4 Ready for Drowning (04:32) 5 Tsunami (03:51) 6 My Little Empire (04:09) 7 I’m Not Working (05:51) 8 You’re Tender and You’re Tired (04:37) 9 Born a Girl (04:12) 10 Be Natural (05:12) 11 Black Dog on My Shoulder (04:48) 12 Nobody Loved You (04:44) 13 S.Y.M.M. (06:16) 14 Socialist Serenade (04:13) 15 Black Holes for the Young (04:09) |
| This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours : Allmusic album Review : If Everything Must Go found Manic Street Preachers coping with Richey James sudden, unexplained disappearance, its follow-up, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, finds them putting the tragedy behind them and flourishing as a trio. Wisely, the group builds on the grand sound of Everything Must Go, creating a strangely effective fusion of string-drenched, sweeping arena rock and impassioned, brutally honest punk. Since the band never writes about anything less than major issues, whether it be political or personal, its appropriate that their music sounds as majestic and overpowering as their pretensions. Given that the first single was titled "If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next," calling the Manics pretentious is fair game, but they make their pretensions work through a blend of intelligence, passion, and sheer musicality. This Is My Truth sports more musical variety than its predecessors, which means it can meander a bit, particularly toward the end. Nevertheless, these misgivings disappear with repeated listens, as each song logically flows into the next. If the album ultimately isnt as raw or shattering as The Holy Bible or emotionally wrenching as Everything Must Go, its because the ghost of Richey has been put behind them. That doesnt mean that This Is My Truth is light, easygoing listening -- the portentous, murky closer "SYMM" guarantees that -- but its not as torturous as its immediate predecessors. But what it shares with them is a searing passion and intelligence that is unmatched among their peers on either side of the ocean -- and, in doing so, it emphasizes the Manics uniqueness as one of the few bands of the 90s that can deliver albums as bracing intellectually as they are sonically. | ||
 | Album: 43 of 55 Artist: 4hero Title: Two Pages Released: 1998-06-24 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:17:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1998 | 1 Loveless (05:54) 2 Golden Age of Life (06:01) 3 Planetaria (A Theme From a Dream) (06:02) 4 Third Stream (06:03) 5 Wormholes (00:32) 6 Escape That (05:23) 7 Mother Solar, Part 1 (00:11) 8 Spirits in Transit (04:54) 9 Greys (02:00) 10 The Action (03:17) 11 Star Chasers (04:53) 12 Wishful Thinking (04:39) 13 Normal Changing World (00:13) 14 Universal Reprise (05:25) 15 We Who Are Not as Others (07:56) 16 Humans (03:27) 17 Pegasus 51 (04:17) 18 [symbols] (06:25) 19 De-Sci-Fer (00:06) |
 | Album: 44 of 55 Artist: Blur Title: 13 Released: 1999-03-15 Tracks: 27 Duration: 2:16:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Tender (07:40) 2 Bugman (04:47) 3 Coffee & TV (05:58) 4 Swamp Song (04:36) 5 1992 (05:29) 6 B.L.U.R.E.M.I. (02:52) 7 Battle (07:43) 8 Mellow Song (03:56) 9 Trailerpark (04:26) 10 Caramel (07:38) 11 Trimm Trabb (05:37) 12 No Distance Left to Run (03:27) 13 Optigan 1 (02:34) 1 French Song (08:19) 2 All We Want (04:32) 3 Mellow Jam (03:56) 4 X-offender (Damon/Control Freaks Bugman remix) (05:40) 5 Coyote (Daves Bugman remix) (03:50) 6 Trade Stylee (Alexs Bugman remix) (05:58) 7 Metal Hip Slop (Grahams Bugman remix) (04:16) 8 So You (04:11) 9 Beagle 2 (02:54) 10 Tender (Cornelius remix) (05:23) 11 Far Out (Beagle 2 version) (03:57) 12 I Got Law (demo version) (02:42) 13 Music Is My Radar (05:29) 14 Black Book (08:30) |
| 13 : Allmusic album Review : Blurs penitence for Brit-pop continues with the aptly named 13, which deals with star-crossed situations like personal and professional breakups with Damon Albarns longtime girlfriend, Justine Frischmann of Elastica, and the groups longtime producer, Stephen Street. Building on Blurs un-pop experiments, the groups ambitions to expand their musical and emotional horizons result in a half-baked bakers dozen of songs, featuring some of their most creative peaks and self-indulgent valleys. Albarn has been criticized for lacking depth in his songwriting, but his ballads remain some of Blurs best moments. When Albarn and crew risk some honesty, 13 shines: on "Tender," Albarn is battered and frail, urged by a lush gospel choir to "get through it." His confiding continues on "1992," which alludes to the beginning -- and ending -- of his relationship with Frischmann. On "No Distance Left to Run," one of 13s most moving moments, Albarn addresses post-breakup ambivalence, sighing, "I hope youre with someone who makes you feel safe while you sleep." While these songs reflect Albarns romantic chaos, "Mellow Song," "Caramel," and "Trimm Trabb" express day-to-day desperation. Musically, the saddest songs on 13 are also the clearest, mixing electronic and acoustic elements in sleek but heartfelt harmony. However, "B.L.U.R.E.M.I." is a by-the-numbers rave-up, and the blustery "Swamp Song" and "Bugman" nick Blurs old punky glam pop style but sound misplaced here. "Trailerpark" veers in yet another direction, a too-trendy trip-hop rip-off that emphasizes the bands musical fog, proving that William Orbits kitchen-sink production doesnt serve the songs -- or the bands -- best interests. 13s strange, frustrating combination of expert musicianship and self-indulgence reveals the sound of a band trying to find itself. With some closer editing, this could have been the emotionally deep, sonically wide album Blur yearns to make. | ||
 | Album: 45 of 55 Artist: Denys Baptiste Title: Be Where You Are Released: 1999 Tracks: 10 Duration: 59:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Be Where You Are (04:41) 2 Rollin Stone (04:53) 3 Have a Talk With God (05:13) 4 Of Stars (05:50) 5 State of Flux (07:19) 6 Hall of Mirrors (08:20) 7 Naima (05:38) 8 My Ideal (05:26) 9 Shades of Green (05:52) 10 Parallax (05:50) |
 | Album: 46 of 55 Artist: Underworld Title: Beaucoup Fish Released: 1999-02-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:14:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Cups (11:45) 2 Push Upstairs (04:34) 3 Jumbo (06:57) 4 Shudder / King of Snake (09:31) 5 Winjer (04:29) 6 Skym (04:08) 7 Bruce Lee (04:42) 8 Kittens (07:31) 9 Push Downstairs (06:03) 10 Something Like a Mama (06:37) 11 Moaner (07:37) |
| Beaucoup Fish : Allmusic album Review : With the buzz almost completely died down from "Born Slippy," Underworlds Trainspotting hit of over two years before, Beaucoup Fish emerged to a distinctly uncaring public. And though it is a disappointing record compared to the groups high-flying previous albums, it displays Underworlds talents well -- the trio is still the best at welding obtuse songcraft onto an uncompromising techno framework and making both sound great. Karl Hydes nasally vocals are a bit more obtrusive on tracks like the trance-rant "Moaner" and first single "Push Upstairs," but as before, impeccable production saves the day. While Second Toughest in the Infants showed Underworld were no mere novices at introducing super-tough breakbeats, here the focus is on throwback acid-house and trance. The effect is that Underworld have refused to compromise their artistic vision to anyones view of commercialism; as such, the few excesses on Beaucoup Fish can be forgiven. | ||
 | Album: 47 of 55 Artist: Gomez Title: Bring It On Released: 1999-06-28 Tracks: 3 Duration: 13:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 1998 | 1 Bring It On (03:55) 2 Dire Tribe (04:04) 3 M57 (05:41) |
 | Album: 48 of 55 Artist: Beth Orton Title: Central Reservation Released: 1999-09-13 Tracks: 3 Duration: 17:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Central Reservation (03:59) 2 Central Reservation (Spiritual Life / Ibadan remix) (08:51) 3 Central Reservation (William Orbit remix) (04:43) |
 | Album: 49 of 55 Artist: Stereophonics Title: Performance and Cocktails Released: 1999-03-08 Tracks: 13 Duration: 50:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Roll Up and Shine (03:58) 2 The Bartender and the Thief (02:54) 3 Hurry Up and Wait (04:40) 4 Pick a Part That’s New (03:33) 5 Just Looking (04:14) 6 Half the Lies You Tell Ain’t True (02:55) 7 I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio (03:50) 8 T-Shirt Sun Tan (04:04) 9 Is Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today? (04:02) 10 A Minute Longer (03:46) 11 She Takes Her Clothes Off (03:55) 12 Plastic California (04:30) 13 I Stopped to Fill My Car Up (04:29) |
| Performance and Cocktails : Allmusic album Review : In December 1998, the Stereophonics released the single "The Bartender and the Thief," which became an unexpected explosion on the charts, peaking at number three in the U.K. In March 1999, the bands sophomore effort, Performance and Cocktails, was released to impressive sales -- it was reportedly outselling Blurs 13 when that album was released. A second single, "Just Looking," also peaked within the U.K. Top Ten, making the first half of 1999 a very unexpectedly busy time for the Stereophonics. Never a favorite to become a hugely successful Brit-pop band, their noisy, raw hard rock came into favor after the more produced and calculated sound of Brit-pop had become passe. Unfortunately, however, this disc isnt quite as consistent as the debut. Part of the reason why Word Gets Around was so appealing is that there was a sense of urgency that, on this release, seems to have disappeared. There are more ballads than before, and some of the rockers dont burn with the intensity that they did on the last album. This doesnt make Performance and Cocktails a bad album, though; fans will be very pleased that the Stereophonics have released another slab of indie-flavored hard rock. Some highlights include "T Shirt Sun Tan," the acoustic "She Takes Her Clothes Off," and the poppy "Pick a Part Thats New." (Japanese versions of this album include three live tracks, but the quality is mediocre and the performances are unspectacular, making this version of the release for hardcore fans only.) | ||
 | Album: 50 of 55 Artist: Kate Rusby Title: Sleepless Released: 1999 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 The Cobblers Daughter (02:38) 2 I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love This Night (04:42) 3 The Fairest of All Yarrow (03:00) 4 The Unquiet Grave (04:37) 5 Sho Heen (04:05) 6 Sweet Bride (03:36) 7 All Gods Angels (04:13) 8 The Wild Goose (04:24) 9 The Duke and the Tinker (03:44) 10 Our Town (04:47) 11 The Sleepless Sailor (03:49) |
 | Album: 51 of 55 Artist: The Chemical Brothers Title: Surrender Released: 1999-06-21 Tracks: 11 Duration: 58:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Music: Response (05:20) 2 Under the Influence (04:16) 3 Out of Control (07:20) 4 Orange Wedge (03:06) 5 Let Forever Be (03:55) 1 The Sunshine Underground (08:38) 2 Asleep From Day (04:47) 3 Got Glint? (05:26) 4 Hey Boy Hey Girl (04:49) 5 Surrender (04:29) 6 Dream On (06:45) |
| Surrender : Allmusic album Review : By the time of the Chemical Brothers third album, Surrender, the big beat phenomenon they had done much to engender was more apt to be heard on a soft drink commercial than the worlds hipper dancefloors. And with the growing omnipresence of big beats simplistic party vibes threatening to cave in the entire scene, Tom and Ed came to grips with what is -- compared to their previous work -- a house record. The pounding four-on-the-floor thump of tracks like "Music:Response," "Got Glint," and the duos take on KLF-style stadium house for the single "Hey Boy Hey Girl" signals that this is a transition record for the Chemical Brothers, one that could eventually take them back into the straight-ahead dance mainstream status enjoyed by acts from Daft Punk to Armand Van Helden. The irony here is that even considering the changes, Surrender still feels very similar to its predecessors. The focus on wave-of-sound production, buckets full of old-school vocal samples, and various sirens and beatbox effects sound like they were lifted wholesale from their breakout album, Dig Your Own Hole, or their first release, Exit Planet Dust. And while a few of the vocal tracks focus on new collaborations, theyre along the same lines, making it tough to spot the differences from past albums -- the quavering British vocals of Beth Orton have given way to the quavering American vocals of Hope Sandoval, and the Charlatans Tim Burgess is replaced by New Orders reclusive Bernard Sumner (a sure sign that the Chemicals have moved up a notch on the music-industry food chain). Also, two returning guests (Noel Gallagher and a member of Mercury Rev, here Jonathan Donahue) make very similar contributions to the record in the identical places they appeared on Dig Your Own Hole. Even besides its simpy title, the Gallagher track "Let Forever Be" is the very same electronica update of the Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" that made their 1996 collaboration single "Setting Sun" a number one hit in Britain. And the Donahue track, "Dream On," is very similar to the indie psychedelia of "The Private Psychedelic Reel" from Dig Your Own Hole. Sure, the Chemical Brothers do this type of music very well; its just that Surrender isnt quite the change of direction theyd been aiming for -- its simply the same great album theyd made two years earlier. | ||
 | Album: 52 of 55 Artist: Faithless Title: Back to Mine: Faithless Released: 2000-10-16 Tracks: 11 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 My Life (?) 2 Childhood (?) 3 Bug Powder Dust (feat. Justin Warfield) (Kruder & Dorfmeister Session Tm) (?) 4 Never Goin Down (Ben Chapman remix) (?) 1 Solo Flying Mystery Man (?) 2 I Love My Man (original version) (?) 3 The Child (album version) (?) 4 Hercules (?) 1 Throw (?) 2 Fade Into You (?) 3 Billie Jean (?) |
 | Album: 53 of 55 Artist: War for War Title: War Is the Only Way Released: 2006-12-14 Tracks: 9 Duration: 49:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1996 | 1 Father of All Beings (04:24) 2 Messenger of War (05:39) 3 The Wolf Spoke My Name (04:00) 4 Nálet (04:30) 5 Satan Is My Meaning of Music (05:44) 6 War Is the Only Way (02:57) 7 Válečná Mračna (09:32) 8 Panzer War (07:06) 9 Mardröm (05:52) |
 | Album: 54 of 55 Artist: Roni Size / Reprazent Title: New Forms² Released: 2008-04-07 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:12:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 1997 | 1 Railings (2008 re-edit) (02:05) 2 Brown Paper Bag (2008 re-edit) (03:46) 3 New Forms (2008 re-edit) (04:47) 4 Lets Get It On (2008 re-edit) (01:40) 5 Trust Me (2008 re-edit) (05:03) 6 Digital (2008 re-edit) (06:35) 7 Matter of Fact (2008 re-edit) (03:57) 8 Heroes (2008 re-edit) (04:13) 9 Share the Fall (2008 re-edit) (06:09) 10 Heart to Heart (04:50) 11 Less Is More (06:14) 12 Down (2008 re-edit) (05:12) 13 Hi Potent (2008 re-edit) (05:07) 14 Dont Hold Back (02:57) 15 Beatbox (2008 re-edit) (01:07) 16 Encore (04:31) 17 Destination (2008 re-edit) (03:51) |
 | Album: 55 of 55 Artist: Thomas Adès; London Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès Title: Asyla / Tevot / Polaris Released: 2017-03-03 Tracks: 7 Duration: 1:02:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 1999 | 1 Asyla, op. 17: I. (05:50) 2 Asyla, op. 17: II. (06:34) 3 Asyla, op. 17: III. Ecstasio (06:35) 4 Asyla, op. 17: IV. Quasi leggiero (05:02) 5 Tevot (20:19) 6 Polaris "Voyage for Orchestra" (13:30) 7 Brahms, op. 21 (05:05) |