| 1995
- EastWest  |
"Baby
Chaos had a tiny bit more to offer than their popularity would seem
to imply. The guitars are consistently good with grinding riffs and
infectious melodies. The songs aren’t particularly pretentious,
although then again they also aren’t notable." |
|
| 1996
- Atlantic  |
"Bad
Religion is old fashioned punk rock music. The life expectancy of
So Cal punk is usually pretty short, but this band has managed to
stick around longer than the rest of their peers." |
|
| 1995
- A&M  |
"Not
one of the albums recorded by The Badlees has been of any interest.
In fact, the only reason that River Songs was awarded any attention
was because of it’s label. Otherwise, it too would have faded
into its deserved obscurity." |
|
| 1994
- Reprise
|
"Their
sound wavers somewhere between pure pop and folky rock. However you
look at it, you can’t help but laugh at the lyrics and the commentary." |
|
| 1998
- Reprise 
|
"BNL
shed too much of their humor and instead went for big pop hooks and
tailor-made MTV appeal. It worked as far as sales went, but at the
same time the new “look” and the new “sound”
alienated most former macaroni-throwing fans." |
|
| 1986
- Def Jam |
"It’s
frat rock and rap all rolled up into one tight little ball." |
|
| 1995
- Capitol
|
"Sure,
I like the three versions of ”Root Down”, but the live tracks
are at best mediocre. The two worthy of any attention are ”Time
To Get Ill” and ”Flute Loop”. " |
|
| 1967 - Capitol |
"As far
as individual songs go, there are some classics and some which may
have been best left unearthed. Whether or not the album is a worthy
addition to your collection is all dependent on how big a fan of The
Beatles you are." |
|
|
2005 - Geffen |
"He can be folk, pop,
disco, funk, electronica, rap, country, or rock. Heck, he can do
all those things at once if you give him an opportunity" |
|
| 1994
- Geffen |
"There
is more to this album than the alterna-rock anthem "Loser."
Listen up, or step off. Be brave and listen past what you recognize..." |
|
| 1999
- Geffen
|
"Rather than focusing on his folk-rock early influences, Beck
looks to a different group of individuals for inspiration. He comes
off sounding strange and uncomfortable, yet very talented and full
of humor." |
|
| 1998 - Geffen |
"Whereas
Odelay was hip, hyper, and appealing Mutations was strange, dark,
and druggy. Mutations separated the fair-weather fans from the true
Beck fans." |
|
| 1996 - Geffen  |
"Looking
at Beck Hansen reveals much about his personality. He is a nerd, an
artist, a free spirit, and awkward. Listening to his music also reveals
these same characteristics. He is truly unique and well respected
as a singer-songwriter." |
|
| 2002
- Geffen |
"Rather
than sounding kooky and upbeat in a unique way, Beck turns to his
inward singer-songwriter self and churns out twelve melancholic, unpredictable
songs." |
|
| 1994 - Flipside
|
"With
twenty-six incredibly brief, lo-fi, gravelly recordings Stereopathetic
Soul Manure hops around like an inebriated kangaroo. Whatever goodness
may otherwise be apparent is buried beneath layers of distortion and
feedback." |
|
| 1998
- Matador
|
"...contains
some of the most brilliant pop music I’ve heard in a very, very
long time." |
|
|
1997 - Jeepster |
"The thing that really
appeals to me about them is that they offer up catchy pop tunes
but don’t sacrifice quality for quantity or filler. Belle & Sebastian
seem to revel in the knowledge that they are different" |
|
| 1996 - Matador
|
"Belle
and Sebastian is something of a unique entity among indie pop as a
whole. And this creative, eclectic, off-kilter sense is what drew
me initially to the band and what continues to hold my attention." |
|
| 1996
- Matador [re-release]
|
"They
don’t neatly fit into any genre…some might just simply call
them indie pop. Others may apply various other descriptors (twee,
chamber, etc…) to describe them." |
|
2003 - StarTime |
"His
songs are outstanding and his sound is immediately memorable. They
present in various shades of folk, country, pop, and rock and the
end result is something more than any one genre even if at times
it lacks cohesion." |
|
|
2002 - StarTime |
"The world seems a little
bit sweeter with Brendan Benson and Lapalco in it." |
|
|
2005 - V2 |
"...modest, stylish,
and happy—everything alt-power-pop should be without any
pretension." |
|
| 1994
- Elektra
|
"...the
album is much more than just a single hit." |
|
1996 -
Elektra |
"My
overall impression of Friction, Baby is that it is lazy. This isn’t
to say the band didn’t put effort into the recording but
it as a whole seems rushed and unrealized." |
|
| 1996
- Elektra
|
"Better
Than Ezra deserves more fans. They are talented, they are interesting,
and they have already proven themselves thanks to their three major
label albums." |
|
| 2004 - Sanctuary
|
"It’s
a wonderful, shimmering release that sheds a favorable light on the
oft misunderstood and overlooked pop-rockers." |
|
| 2004 - Vanguard |
"It’s
not perfect (few if any Christmas albums are), but it is a great option
for people looking for a little different way to celebrate the holiday
season." |
|
| 2003 - Independent |
"The
disc itself may be short, but it packs sufficient punch to catch my
attention. I've missed rock n' roll desperately for the past few years,
and Big Fast Car reminds me of what rock should sound like." |
|
| 1993 - Giant |
"Sister
Sweetly is cohesive and entertaining but not what I would call revolutionary
or creatively free." |
|
| 1994
- Giant |
"I
realize that there are redeeming qualities about it. It's just that
I am not it's ideal audience. If you like soft, mellow, blues-infused
rock like Hootie or Dave Matthews Band this album could definitely
be for you. " |
|
| 1993
- Elektra |
"She’s
bridged the gap between experimental music and mainstream audiences
with seamless ease. There’s no question that her presence will
be felt in the music industry for years and decades and eras to come.
" |
|
| 1995 - Elektra |
"In an
era when the most popular bands were post-grunge schlock Björk
ignored all trends and laid out her own path. With a playful glint
in her eye, the Icelandic pixie crafted with seamless precision a
free wielding album." |
|
| 1997 - Elektra |
"Be patient,
open your mind, and simply relax…like all things by Björk
this disc takes a great deal of effort to fully digest." |
|
| 2002 - Elektra |
"This
maturity doesn't translate to lacking playfulness-rather it just seems
as though Vespertine resides in a cozy space very close to Björk's
heart." |
|
| 1994 - American |
"Amorica
taught me that I do really like The Black Crowes at one of two extremes.
I’ve always loved them when they rock, but I also can readily
admit that the band is also stellar when they are light and emotional
and drop the electrics for the acoustics." |
|
| 1999
- American |
"The
problem is in the emotion, little is expressed and therefore little
can be felt. It pains me to admit to not enjoying a Black Crowes album
completely." |
|
| 1990
- American
|
"They
haven't "sold out" like other rock bands (cough-Metallica-cough)." |
|
| 1992
- American |
"...the
album when paired with the debut is a lovely primer and a very necessary
addition to a complete rock music collection." |
|
| 1996
- American
|
"The
Crowes have upped the ante in songwriting and have bridged the otherwise
huge gap between traditional soul, Southern hospitality, and good
ol’ fashioned rock and roll." |
|
| 2004 - Shout
Factory |
"Paying
tribute to their own personal idols along side the performance of
their original tracks, The Blasters (at least the original lineup)
have gone off into the sunset with honor and dignity." |
|
| 2003 - Aware |
"I suppose
had the actual music been outstanding, I would have been able to overlook
the gargantuan supporting cast and crew of Redhead. Unfortunately,
the twelve songs are merely pleasant and often forgettable." |
|
| 1992
- Capitol/EMI |
"Blind
Melon was one of the most promising bands in the early 1990’s
alternative movement. Their sound was rock and roll with hints of
wonder and woe. But little success would ever come to pass." |
|
| 1996 - Capitol
|
"It hurts
to hear the band at their earliest, best, most emotional, and most
inspired all at the same time." |
|
| 1995
- Capitol/EMI
|
"...a
lukewarm reception by critics and buyers alike, an unfortunate response
to a better than average album." |
|
|
2005 - V2 |
"I think the band has
room to grow to be more individually creative rather than pulling
entirely from their influences, but as it stands this is a near
perfect album that most people already fond of the whole retro-rock-pop-groove
movement." |
|
| 1981-
Chrysalis |
"Surely,
the band could have included more tracks from Blondie and Plastic
Letters." |
|
| 1990
- Sony |
"But
the fact remains that regardless of the entertaining allusions and
occasional juicy and novel track Blue Oyster Cult does not catch my
fancy." |
|
| 2003 - Sanctuary |
"Damage
features work from not just the band, but also various other producers,
writers, and musical talents. Most surprising are the fantastic hip
hop elements unexpectedly scattered throughout." |
|
| 1990
- A&M |
"Blues
Traveler is distinctive in both style and substance." |
|
| 1994
- A&M
|
"Thanks
to great talent and a wry sense of humor, Popper and company was allotted
the critical and commercial attention that they so deserved." |
|
| 1997
- A&M
|
"Straight
on Till Morning is certainly chipper but that fact can't make up for
the hollowness of the whole thing. I feel as if the band just recorded
an album for the sake of recording an album and nothing more as it
lacks conviction and heart." |
|
| 1999 - Virgin |
"The
songs are split between those that are uncharacteristically emotionally
gripping and stupidly indulgent. It doesn't help that electronica
producer William Orbit had a hand at this work-his style of production
isn't in the least bit fitting to Blur's music." |
|
| 1997 - Virgin |
"It’s
the kind of thing that really shouldn’t have been released,
but was because of the band’s immediate popularity." |
|
| 1994
- SBK |
"There
are tracks I honestly enjoy; yet the album doesn’t quite feel
right. Blur intended it to be a snapshot of living in England during
the 1990’s. Honestly, I don’t believe the album to be quite
that profound." |
|
| 1994
- Mercury
|
"It
was in fact the video age. I was a child of MTV and I couldn’t
help but be entertained by the tight pants, flowing locks, and clean-shaven
faces." |
|
|
1988
- Mercury |
"The formula to New
Jersey isn’t at all dissimilar to that of Slippery When Wet.
Jon Bon Jovi was the frontman with the lovely voice, great smile,
and glimmering eyes. Richie Sambora was also a very important force
with his great guitar talent and backing vocals." |
|
| 1986
- Mercury
|
"Catchy
songwriting (in part as a result of song guru Desmond Child), great
production, good looks, and impressive guitars are the key to any
great hair metal acts. And in the late 1980’s bands didn’t
get more famous than Bon Jovi." |
|
| 1995
- Cherrydisc |
"I
don’t suspect that Bonham will ever become a major success story,
but as long as she continues to assemble songs like those featured
on her albums since 1995 her peers and small fan base will continue
to greet her with respect." |
|
| 1995 - Columbia
|
"It is
a relaxed, bubbly, cheerful, and fantastically appealing piece of
pure pop. What The Boo Radleys don’t do on this outing is impress
with their creativity and innovative style on the whole, rather they
entertain." |
|
| 1996 - Fontana
|
"More
or less, it works as a Booth solo effort with a few barely important
contributors. Badalamenti’s work only occasionally pokes through
as on tracks like Hit Parade." |
|
| 1997
- Virgin
|
"Simply
put, the song is too simple and when twisted by six different interests
the entire point was lost." |
|
| 1972
- Rykodisc [re-release] |
"Ziggy
Stardust is an unpredictable, amazing, effervescent album." |
|
| 1996 - RCA |
"From
Bellybone’s groovy opening melody through the end notes of For
the Night this disc is impeccable." |
|
| 1993
- 4AD
|
"At
moments, the genius of the work shines though. At other moments, songs
feel disjointed and unfinished. But, in all, it is an impressive enough
effort." |
|
| 2003 - 1120
Music |
"Within
the confines of just ten songs, Buckley explores many different themes
both musically and lyrically." |
|
| 2002- Arts
& Crafts |
"Broken
Social Scene’s music is built on the instrumentals—the
vocals, lyrics, and even melodies are secondary. This doesn’t
sit well with me, especially considering the indie/alt direction of
the album." |
|
| 1994
- Columbia |
"Within
the confines of just ten songs, Buckley explores many different themes
both musically and lyrically." |
|
| 2000 - Columbia |
"Mystery
White Boy shouldn't have ever happened and had Buckley still been
alive it wouldn't have been released." |
|
| 1996
- Trauma
|
"Razorblade
Suitcase is definitely darker and more intense than the highly produced
melodic Bush debut effort. For some listeners, this is a good thing.
For most, it was too much of a departure and seemed to lack sincerity." |
|
| 2000 - Creation
|
"Friends
and Lovers is chock full of the straight ahead glam-space pop-rock
that made Suede successful." |
|
| 1998 - Creation
|
"The
production is distinctly problematic in that it too often comes off
as convoluted and busy. Butler's voice isn't particularly strong.
He's not a balladeer, rather his vocals are better suited to more
overt pop. He would have been better off with fewer textures and layers." |
