Top 5 - Joann D. Ball
1) Olive, Extra Virgin (RCA). Trip-pop with all the right flavors. Olive's Tom Kellett and Ruth-Ann Boyle are heavily influenced by sweet soul music and it shows as they incorporate dub reggae, drum & bass, and ambient into the grooves. "You're Not Alone" was the only single I heard on the radio this year that sent me into the record store for the full-length release. As a fan of melody and intelligent lyrics, it was a pleasure to find all of this plus great music under the umbrella category "electronica." A must have debut disc that is perfect for all moods and activities.
2) Love Spit Love, Trysome Eatone (Maverick). This stellar sophomore release from Richard Butler's new band Love Spit Love is on par with his finest work with The Psychedelic Furs. Butler's classic rasp is skillfully complemented by collaborator Richard Fortus' fretwork and a tight rhythm section - a combination that produces all the right textures and layers. On Trysome Eatone, the quartet delivers a collection that is emotional, mature and poetic. Radio singles "Long Long Time" and "Fall on Tears" are mere samples of this incredible offering.
3) Salt-n-Pepa, Brand New (London/Red Ant). The mike sounds nice indeed! Cheryl "Salt" James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton and DJ Dee Dee "Spinderella" Roper are in full effect on their fifth release. They enjoy a new sense of direction and creative freedom while exploring the diverse territories of rap, R&B, pop, rock and gospel. Salt-n-Pepa continue to express themselves and remain upfront and honest with their demands, needs and desires. Lead single "RU Ready" is only the beginning of this hour long celebration of life, faith, sexuality.
4) Prodigy, Fat of the Land (Maverick/Warner Bros.). Hailed as the electronica record that finally broke the sound barrier in U.S., Prodigy's aggrotechno had the edge that Americans needed to hear. And it didn't hurt that the band had a video poster boy in the form of Keith Flint with his Johnny Rotten-come-lately looks. "Firestarter," with its Art of Noise sample, and "Breathe" were the mega hits here. The new single "Smack My Bitch Up" and its controversial video are currently generating a new wave of attention and publicity for the band and the record. But it's too bad that "Diesel Power" was probably considered too rap-oriented for alternative rock radio because Prodigy owes much of its power and sound to rap pioneers Public Enemy. In fact, there are moments during "Breathe" when I swear I hear Chuck D. shouting "Bring the Noise!" After all, that's what Prodigy is all about.
5) Catherine Wheel,_Adam and Eve (Mercury). Adam and Eve is Catherine Wheel's fifth release and the most ambitious one to date. A superbly crafted concept album which explores the range of human experiences and emotions, it features short transitional pieces between songs which provide flow and cohesion. From the sweeping rises and falls of "Future Boy," through the crashing and pulsing of lead single "Delicious," to the atmospheric "Ma Solituda," this record earns its place in the cd changer. Complex and intricate, it's guaranteed that you'll discover something new during every listen.
