Big Country "No Place Like Home" (1991)

No Place Like Home

release date: Sep. 16, 1991

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]

producer: Pat Moran

label: Vertigo - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "We're Not in Kansas" - 3. "Dynamite Lady" - 4. "Keep on Dreaming" - 5. "Beautiful People" - 9. "You, Me and the Truth" - 10. "Comes a Time"

5th studio album by Big Country following three years after Peace in Our Time (Sep. 1988). Before this, drummer Mark Brzezicki had left the band in early '90 and also prior to the recordings of the album, however, he nevertheless works as sessions drummer on the album.

Stylewise, the album comes out as something aiming at the American market - a bit like the predecessor, where the Celtic rock tone has been put in the background of a bolder r&b appeal. In terms of sales numbers, the album didn't deliver - neither nationally, nor on the American market - and it simply took the band further into anonymity. Following poor album sales the band was released from its contract with Mercury and the band subsequently disbanded for a short period of time, until Stuart Adamson returned to Watson and Butler, free from label control and with an opportunity to do what they themselves believed was their path in music, they saw a chance to give it another try.

I have only come across this album in retrospect and I see the dead-end they had round up in at this point of their career. The album is, as in all cases with music by Stuart Adamson, far from without potential. It just wasn't arranged, produced, and mixed in the most original way. The best tune here, "We're Not in Kansas" also made it to the follow-up in a an even better arranged version alongside "Ships". The album is not the place to start when looking this band up, and it remains a lowest point in the band's total discography of eight studio albums featuring founding member Stuart Adamson.

[ 👎allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Beth Ditto "EP" (2011)

EP [debut]

release date: Jan. 10, 2011

format: digital (4 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: James Ford, Jas Shaw

label: Deconstruction - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "I Wrote the Book" - 2. "Goodnight Good Morning" - 3. "Open Heart Surgery" - 4. "Do You Need Someone"

Studio solo debut by Beth Ditto, who has teamed up with producers James Ford and Jas Shaw as trio behind all four tracks. This solo effort follows two years after the acclaimed Music for Men by Gossip and it shows a new side to Ditto's talent, or: the style is different, but ultimately, Ditto contributes with her energy and brilliant vocal. Stylewise, this is uptempo dance-music - sometimes touching on alt. dance but mostly it's held in a dance-pop and electro pop universe. "Open Heart Surgery" comes closest to the music by Gossip, although, it's fused by a distinct electronic foundation.

I like it, it's goood, and it's a promising side-kick to the alt. rock by Gossip.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, SputnikMusic 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Björk "Debut" (1993)

Debut [debut]
release date: Jul. 13, 1993
format: cd (519715-2)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Nellee Hooper
label: Mother Records / One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Human Behaviour" - 2. "Crying" - 3. "Venus as a Boy" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Like Someone in Love" - 6. "Big Time Sensuality" - 9. "Come to Me" - 10. "Violently Happy"

Studio solo debut after leaving the successful indie pop band The Sugarcubes - actually, it's not her actual debut as solo artists since she released her first cover-songs album in her Christian name at the age of 12 in 1977; however, with the title Debut, she initiates her (artistic) adult music career pointing to the fact that her childhood debut should not have critics search for comparisons some 18 years down the line. This is her actual debut as Björk. This is the first issue of the album that consisted of 11 tracks, but already as of Nov. '93, the label reissued the album with 12 tracks and the addition of "Play Dead" on cd issues - later vinyl issues contain the original 11 tracks.
The loss of The Sugarcubes wasn't positively welcomed as they had been a nice blow of fresh air to the music industry, so a solo album by Björk at this point was like a secondary option.
Musically and instrumentally, she wasn't renowned for her musical capabilities, as her main instrument in her former band had been her voice. Therefore, the album almost came as a bit of a shock to everyone - including fans of Sugarcubes. Her vocal remains the same, but the music was brand new. It's literally one of the rare occasions where everything turned out just right. Stylistically, it's a difficult task to pin out - even today, as it represents a huge blend of influences and styles. Yes, it's art pop, and perhaps one should just refer to it as that leaving out the electronic, alt. dance, dance-pop, electropop, trip hop, and house elements, which by no means are just filler styles.
That year the album was aired everywhere. Not just on local and national radio stations, in record stores, not just bars and cafés - the album would be heard in restaurants, in clothes boutiques, shoe shops, and at sports retailers, in airports - you name it. It was like the soundtrack of the year, and it was naturally nominated dozens of prizes all over Europe. Across the Atlantic critics were a bit more controlled, and Rolling Stone even called the album 'a disappointment'; however, the general and wide-spread reception was more than just a thumbs up.
I played the album again and again and truly found it one of the absolute best releases of '93, but I also tired of the sound - not as much the music qualities but the sound of Björk, in general. Anyway, the album is a 'must-have' in any collection of popular music, and it's a quite natural inclusion in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Furthermore, the album is included in many best of lists like Slant Magazine's "The 100 Best Albums of the 1990s", Spin's "The 125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years", Channel 4's "125 Nominations for the 100 Greatest Albums", Elvis Costello's list of "500 Albums You Need", Melody Maker's "Albums of the Year", Mojo's "The Greatest Albums of All Time... and How They Happened", NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" - just to mention some. In retrospect, I find the album worth the positive reviews and think of it as an essential contribution to modern popular music as well as a cornerstone in the history of contemporary popular music.
A musical cornerstone and highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Spin NME 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine, Select 4 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 3,5 / 5 but Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

1993 Favourite releases: 1. Tindersticks Tindersticks - 2. Björk Debut - 3. The Breeders Last Splash

Antony and the Johnsons "Cut the World" (2012)

Cut the World (live)

release date: Aug. 7, 2012

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Karl Bjerre Skibsted

label: Rough Trade - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Cut the World" - 3. "Cripple and the Starfish" - 4. "You Are My Sister" - 6. "Epilepsy Is Dancing" - 8. "Kiss My Name" - 10. "Rapture" - 12. "Twilight"

Live album by Antony and the Johnsons recorded live with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra in recordings made Sep. 2011. The album consists of twelve tracks all but two stemming from the four studio albums and an ep by Antony and the Johnsons.

Three tracks (tracks #3, #10, #12) comes from the debut album Antony and the Johnsons (2000), one song (track #4) is taken from the second album I Am a Bird Now (2005), four tracks (tracks #6, #7, #8, #11) stem from the third album The Crying Light (2009), one song (track #5) is from the fourth album Swanlights (2010), and one track is the title song from the ep I Fell in Love With a Dead Boy (2011) (track #9); and then two tracks are new. Track #1 "Cut the World" is a song made for the play "The Life and Death of Marina Abramović" directed by Robert Wilson (2011), and track #2 ("Future Feminism") is a speech by Antony performed during one of the concerts. And then you could argue that all tracks here are new as they are all in new arrangements made by Antony, Nico Muhly, Rob Moose and Maxim Moston.

The album and the song selection is fine, there's nothing bad about it, it just doesn't entirely sum up the strong energy and the best performances by Antony but there's still something special about the arrangements made for a chamber orchestra, and imho, it doesn't necessarily, in every instance, bring out the best versions of the material. They do, however, present alternate dimensions to his work, and for many reasons, Antony's music is perfect for orchestral arrangements, and The Danish National Orchestra seems made for this kind of music. Antony... well, he naturally sings and performs so elegantly that it alone heightens the whole experience. I for one, now prefer both studio and live versions.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👉Pitchfork 8,1 / 10, NME, Drowned in Sound 4 / 5 stars ]

Chris Isaak "Heart Shaped World" (1989)

Heart Shaped World
release date: Jun. 13, 1989
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Erik Jacobsen
label: Reprise Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Heart Shaped World" - 5. "Wicked Game" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Blue Spanish Sky" (4 / 5) - 8. "Forever Young" - 9. "Nothing's Changed"

3rd studio album by Chris Isaak is a strong album with his own blend of rock & roll, rockabilly, americana and with clear country elements. The album was the first I discovered by Isaak, and I still consider it one of his absolute best.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Sputnik Music 4 / 5 stars ]

Chris Isaak "Chris Isaak" (1987)

Chris Isaak
release date: Feb. 16, 1987
format: cd (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Erik Jacobsen
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "You Owe Me Some Kind of Love" - 2. "Heart Full of Soul" - 3. "Blue Hotel" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "Lie to Me" (4 / 5) - 7. "This Love Will Last"

2nd studio album by Chris Isaak is like the debut produced by Eric Jacobsen and released by Warner. The title signals an early new - but still second - start. Perhaps because the debut was rather unnoticed by critics and music buyers, which also explains a more mainstream approach with more jangle pop instead of the more laid-back americana sound on the debut.
I don't think it betters the debut much, but it certainly has more mainstream potential. The songs are still pretty good, and it's basically a more homogeneous album, although, I find that the first half is clearly the best.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Chris Isaak "Silvertone" (1985)

Silvertone [debut]
release date: Jan. 10, 1985
format: cd (1987 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: Erik Jacobsen
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Dancin' " - 3. "Livin' for Your Lover" - 5. "Voodoo" - 6. "Funeral in the Rain"

Studio debut album by Chris Isaak named after his 3-piece backing band consisting of James Calvin Wilsey on guitar and lap steel, Prairie Prince on drums and with Chris Solberg on bass. The credit list on the back cover only enlists James Calvin Wilsey in the same character font as Isaak himself with production staff mentioned afterwards, which points to Wilsey's significance. It is after all his lap steel guitar and its 'surf rock' sound that has become a kind of a trademark of Isaak's.
I didn't come across this album until recently, and I must confess that it overshadows his more successful later releases. At this point he was overlooked in the chart lists and it wouldn't be until his "Wicked Game" single from '89 that he became an international star. Three of the album tracks (#1, #5 and #6) are issued on the Wicked Game compilation album from 1991.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Durutti Column "The Guitar and Other Machines" (1987)

The Guitar and Other Machines
release date: Dec. 1987
format: vinyl (fact204) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Stephen Street
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Arpeggiator" (4 / 5) - 2. "What Is It to Me (Woman)" - 4. "Jongleur Grey" - 5. "When the World" - 6. "U.S.P." (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Bordeaux Sequence" - 2. "Pol In B" (4 / 5) - 3. "English Landscape Tradition" (4 / 5) - 5. "Don't Think You're Funny" (4 / 5)

6th studio album by The Durutti Column following 1 year after Circuses and Bread.

This is one of my favourite albums by The DC. The sound and style is very different with the introduction of drum machines and a heavier use of synthesizers. Somehow the album felt right when it came out and I recall how I used to listen to this at full volume on my walk-man while travelling to work by train. It's not his best but I like his experiments and will to expand his repertoire. My main critique of the album is that it points in too many directions to be a really great album.
[ allmusic.com hands it 3 in 5 stars ]

[ collectors' item ]

Nena "Cover Me" (2007)

Cover Me
release date: Oct. 2007
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Derek von Krogh, Philipp Palm, Nena; Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen
label: Warner Strategic Marketing - nationality: Germany

9th solo album by Nena is a 2 cd and 31 tracks covers album.
Disc 1 are all songs of German origin, which is produced by von Krogh, Palm and Nena, whereas Disc 2 are of foreign (meaning primarily English) origin, all produced by Fahrenkrogh-Petersen, and these generally count the least favourable compositions as they are also the most familiar songs, e.g. The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love", Bowie's "Heroes" (here: "Helden") and "Starman", Rolling Stones' "The Last Time" and "She's Like a Rainbow", Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "Blowin' in the Wind", Neil Young's "After the Goldrush", and Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi".
Initially, I found it superfluous, but it's actually quite fine once you dig into the material. It's really a huge blend of sources, representing songs from all eras and various original styles, but Nena has handpicked the songs, claiming them as personal favourites, and she mostly manages to make them her own with her own personal interpretations. Now, Nena doesn't possess the strongest vocal instrument and you would perhaps believe her hardest parts would be to cover Joni Mitchell or Mazzy Star, but these are actually fine personal songs that add new dimensions to the original versions. Generally, the more difficult covers here are the ones where the arrangements come too close to the originals, e.g. the songs originally performed by Rolling Stones, Moby, Air, and T. Rex.
All in all, it's a fine collection, which both include fine interpretations as well as mildly unneccessary inclussions, but Disc 1 definitely saves the whole album.

Arctic Monkeys "Humbug" (2009)

Humbug
release date: Aug. 24, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "My Propeller" (3 / 5)

3rd studio album by Arctic Monkeys.
I find that the album is a rather huge disappointment. It's more like: "Say what!!? Left-handed, or just AM now without pilot?? Alex Turner decided to have someone else decide for a change."
The album hasn't even got one great song, and it's like you sense there's another agenda than sending out new songs. It's more like a statement from a highly popular band. They've already been lauded prize winners and both music critics and the audience love the band, so is this just to say: "Sod off, we do the unexpected. Have an American come in and produce, and take over our sound, so no one knows what happened!?" I dunno, I just don't like the result. The style is still indie garage rock but this time with a clear psychedelic element in a heavy and much darker production.
Not recommended.

Natalie Merchant "Ophelia" (1998)

Ophelia
release date: May 25, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Natalie Merchant
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Ophelia" - 2. "Life Is Sweet" - 3. "Kind & Generous" (4 / 5) - 4. "Frozen Charlotte" - 6. "Break Your Heart" - 7. "King of May"

2nd solo album by Natalie Merchant, again self-produced and released through Elektra Records. The album is mostly in the same style as her debut Tigerlily, although, the focus on folk has been if not left then at least subdued to focus more on her singer / songwriter profile with the addition of chamber pop traits. More strikingly, this is a much stronger release with a number of fine tracks that once again documents her status as both songwriter and singer.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Lisa Ekdahl "Sings Salvadore Poe" (2000)

Sings Salvadore Poe
release date: Oct. 27, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Salvadore Poe, Magnus Lindgren, Lisa Ekdahl
label: RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

4th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl released after the collaboration album Back to Earth (1998). This is her first album of bossa nova and latin jazz to lyrics and music composed by American composer, and husband, Salvadore Poe, and with additional orchestral music arranged by Magnus Lindgren.
Well, the lyrics may very likely be fine - I haven't been able to concentrate much on that part, 'cause the music isn't performed to my liking. I don't mind latin jazz, bossa nova or easy listening, but sung by Ekdahl, the lyrics, and music become somewhat tiresome. Her English is... not good, and her bright and light singing voice doesn't fit, I think. Of course it could be a lot worse, and the album is by no means a mediocre one, but for the standards of Ekdahl, this is probably her least favourable album.

Astrud Gilberto "Beach Samba" (1967)

Beach Samba
release date: 1967
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Stay" (4 / 5) - 2. "Misty Roses" - 3. "The Face I Love" - 4. "A Banda (Parade)" - 5. "Oba, oba" - 6. "Canoeiro" - 7. "I Had the Craziest Dream" - 8. "Bossa na praia (Beach Samba)" - 9. "My Foolish Heart" - 10. "Dia das Rosas (I Think of You)" - 11. "You Didn't Have Be So Nice" - 12. "Não bate o coroção"

5th studio album by Astrud Gilberto is a more of a pop and standards-styled album. This is better than her first attempt with the standards, her second album, The Shadow of Your Smile (1965). Primarily, she succeeds better because on this album the pop songs are more easy listening tracks that do not demand a voluminous voice like her best albums with bossa nova vocal jazz. An enhanced re-issue was released in 1993 with 17 tracks. The album is included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Signe Svendsen "Rift" (2016)

Rift

release date: Mar. 15, 2016

format: cd (BRCD20161)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]

producer: Lars Skjærbæk

label: Bear Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Rift" - 2. "Strejfer" - 4. "Min værste fjende" - 5. "Drømmerester" - 6. "Hjertet brister" - 9. "Den sidste generation"

3rd studio album from Danish singer / songwriter Signe Svendsen following 2½ years after Kun de faldne rejser sig (Oct. 2013) is like that released by Bear Records and produced by Skjærbæk, who's also credited guitars, keyboards and backing vocals. On ten new songs Svendsen thematically investigates the non-perfect in us all - 'Rift' [translates to 'tear' as in 'scratch' / 'wound'] is here that unperfect mark everyone has, physically, or hidden on the inside, but she also raises a concern for the global climate.

Stylewise, the soundscape is more influenced by rock - the arrangements have a basic rock-foundation making the songs edgier and more direct, and the song material no longer contain traces of familiar international names. Svendsen has made her so far most mature and convincing collection of original songs.

Recommended.

[ Jyllands-Posten 4 / 6 stars ]

Anneke van Giersbergen "Drive" (2013)

Drive
release date: Sep. 20, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Arno Krabman
label: Inside Out Music - nationality: The Netherlands

Track highlights: 1. "We Live On" (4 / 5) - 2. "Treat Me Like a Lady" - 3. "She" - 6. "Forgive Me" - 7. "You Will Never Change" - 8. "Mental Jungle" - 9. "Shooting for the Stars"

2nd solo studio album from Dutch artist Anneke van Giersbergen, former vocalist of the gothic metal band The Gathering. Producer Arno Krabman also plays guitar and is co-composer of the majority of the songs. The album follows 1½ years after her solo debut Everything Is Changing (Jan. 2012).
Drive is the first album I have come across by van Giersbergen and it's mostly a really nice encounter. It's not extremely original but rather energetic with loans from Madder Rose (tracks #2 and #4), Echobelly (tracks #2 and #3), Skunk Anansie (tracks #4 and #6), Alanis Morrissette (tracks #3, #5, #9 and #10) and with bits and pieces from The Cranberries / Dolores O'Riordan, which is mostly to say: it's alt. rock but also with a certain amount of hard rock, and (thankfully) not the type of gothic metal, which she apparently played with her former band, The Gathering. Quite often van Giersbergen tend to sound like a clone of Dolores O'Riordan and Alanis Morrisette, which frankly isn't all that bad, and the comparison only serves to give an idea of her vocal qualities without implying that she doesn't stand on her own two feet.
The track "Mental Jungle" features Turkish hardcore, industrial metal vocalist Hayko Cepkin (who also co-wrote the song).
The first two rocking tracks and track #7 are easily the best with the remaining songs sounding a wee bit like some of the aforementioned artists or like cloned on other pop / rock hits - however, it's rather well-crafted as the music is catchy and pretty good background noise when hoovering the house. That is: it's music meant to be played loud, and van Giersbergen demonstrates a strong, clean and full-bodied vocal that makes it all worthwhile.
Anneke van Giersbergen has played with various other artists, often lending her voice on a few songs and performed with artists representing very different scenes. After Drive, she contributed with vocals on heavy metal artist Devin Townsend on his four consecutive albums The Retinal Circus (2013), Z2 (2014), Sky Blue (2015), and Ziltoid (2015). In 2015 she also stood behind The Diary, a double album released in collaboration with Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Anthony Lucassen under the name of The Gentle Storm, and in 2016 she collaborated with Icelandic indie-folk band Árstíðir on the classical / folk album Verloren Verleden (Feb. 2016). Not many albums have been released under her own name as solo artist.
Drive is an energetic, warm and recommended listen.

The Beat "I Just Can’t Stop It" (1980)

vinyl cover

I Just Can’t Stop It [debut]
release date: May 16, 1980
format: vinyl (BEAT 1) / cd (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,95]
producer: Bob Sargeant
label: Arista / Go Feet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Mirror in the Bathroom" (4 / 5) - 2. "Hands Off… She’s Mine" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Two Swords" - 6. "Rough Rider" - 8. "Ranking Full Stop" - 9. "Big Shot" - 10. "Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret" - 11. "Noise in This World" - 12. "Can’t Get Used to Losing You" - 13. "Best Friend" - 14. "Jackpot"

Studio album debut originally released on Go Feet Records by The Beat (aka The English Beat / aka The British Beat), a sextet founded in Birmingham 1978 consisting of Dave Wakeling on lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Ranking Roger (aka Roger Charlery) on vocals & toasting, Andy Cox on lead guitar, David Steele on bass, Everett Morton on drums and with Saxa (aka Lionel Augustus Martin) on saxophone. The Beat released its first single releases on 2 Tone Records much like other ska revival acts like The Selector, The Specials and Madness. The Beat then signed with mother-label Arista and formed its own sub-label Go Feet Records. The name of the band was The Beat; however, because of an American band with that name (later identified as Paul Collins' Beat), they were launched as The English Beat in North America and as The British Beat for the Australian market. The original album release contains 12 tracks, the US re-issue comes with two bonus tracks (#5, "Tears of a Clown" and #8, "Ranking Full Stop" both of which had been released in '79 as a 7'' single (by 2 Tone). Much like The Specials and Madness, The Beat was highly inspired by the original Jamaican ska and also covered songs by Prince Buster - here: tracks #5 and 8, and the band's saxophone player, Saxa, had in fact played with Prince Buster and other Jamaican acts.
Stylistically, The Beat plays "2-tone" new wave in an original blend with 2-tone and pop reggae, which puts the band in the same drawer as Madness, The Specials, The Selecter and Bad Manners, but The Beat still sounded quite original with its bold focus on new wave, which in another way linked the band close to bands like The Clash, Magazine and Squeeze.
The album was met by critical acclaim and it peaked as high as #3 on the British albums chart list, and the best faring single, track #1 reached #4 on the singles chart list in the UK.
It's quite an achievement to produce this list of quality songs on the band's debut, also because many songs point in various stylistic directions: #1, 11 and 13 are tight new wave compositions, #5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 are fine 2-tone songs with harmonic pop reggae, and track #2, one of my favourites, is the sheer positive conglomerate of all styles in one song.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Spin 5 / 5, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Tindersticks "Philharmonie de Paris" (2016) (live)

Philharmonie de Paris (live)
release date: Feb. 2016
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Live album by Tindersticks recorded from one and the same live concert at the Philharmonie de Paris, Feb. 10, 2015. The album offers 12 tracks with a total running time at just under 57 minutes, and with songs stemming evenly from the band's many albums, but with main emphasis on releases since 2006.

The front cover was created by Staples' wife, Suzanne Osborne.

Alanis Morissette "Under Rug Swept" (2002)

Under Rug Swept
release date: Feb. 26, 2002
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "21 Things I Want in a Lover" - 2. "Narcissus" - 3. "Hands Clean" - 4. "Flinch" (4 / 5) - 6. "Precious Illusions" - 9. "You Owe Me Nothing in Return" - 10. "Surrendering" - 11. "Utopia"

5th studio album release by Alanis Morissette following Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998.
Now this is a better release than her '98 album. I think, many people actually missed this one out because of sheer disappointment with her follow-up to her extremely popular Jagged Little Pill (1995). The '98 release sold really well coming after such massive success, despite the fact that it was really a lesser album, so people may have concluded that she only did one great album, but I actually really like this one. "Hands Clean" and "Precious Illusions" were the single releases from the album but it's "Flinch" that really lifts the level.

John Frusciante "Curtains" (2005)

Curtains
release date: Feb. 1, 2005
format: cd (2009 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: John Frusciante
label: The Record Collection - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The Past Recedes" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Lever Pulled" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Anne" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "A Name" - 6. "Control" - 7. "Your Warning" - 9. "Ascension" - 10. "Time Tonight"

7th solo album by John Frusciante following less than three months after Inside of Emptiness (Oct. 2004). In 2004 he released Shadows Collide With People (Feb.), The Will to Death (Jun.), with the project-band Ataxia Automatic Writing (Aug.), the solo ep DC EP (Sep.), Inside of Emptiness (Oct.), and a collaboration album with Josh Klinghoffer: A Sphere in the Heart of Silence (Nov.); and after all that he released this in Feb. 2005.
Not only is he enormously productive in this period, he also manages to write great songs, AND to compose music that differs, being however, still very true to his expression. This is not like any of the other albums. The umbrella style is still alt rock, a genre he stays true to, but this is much more of a singer / songwriter album with little additional orchestration. It's like a progression from Shadows... a multi-layered complex album with additional vocals and instruments, over The Will... with its simple and raw expression, exploding in white noise on ... Emptiness, and ending with this, a "naked" narrating Frusciante and his first primarily acoustic guitar album.
"The Past Recedes" is such a marvelous track.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Sputnik Music 4,5 / 5 stars ]

XTC "Nonsuch" (1992)

Nonsuch
release date: Apr. 27, 1992
format: cd (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Gus Dudgeon
label: Ape House - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" - 2. "My Bird Performs" - 3. "Dear Madum Barnum" - 6. "The Disappointed" - 9. "Rook" - 10. "Omnibus" - 14. "Wrapped in Grey" - 16. "Bungalow" - 17. "Books Are Burning" - *18. "Didn't Hurt a Bit"
*Extra track on 2013 remaster

10th studio album by XTC is like the predecessor, Oranges & Lemon (1989), originally released as a double vinyl album. Stylistically, the album follows closely on the same path laid out with the '89-album - both of which incorporate the psychedelic influences of primarily The Beatles and Beach Boys. The biggest difference on this is a delicate addition of chamber pop.
I never played the album much as I found that it only served to document that the band hasn't been able to find their feet, or a style to explore and make theirs. In retrospect, I must confess that I just wasn't ready for this retro-styled conglomerate and obliviously didn't share the same warm feelings for the band anymore. And much undeservedly, 'cause Nonsuch doesn't contain any poor or bad compositions. I still don't find it one of their best, but I hear some of the same influences like eg. Neil Hannon a decade later should investigate when making strong contemporary classics for The Divine Comedy. Just listen to "Bungalow".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Select, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]