Top 5 - Bob Gajarsky
1) Fatboy Slim, You've Come a Long Way, Baby (Astralwerks/Skint). He's part Housemartin, Pizzaman, but Norman Cook has finally found a home with his new alias, Fatboy Slim. The beats don't stop, as "Praise You", "Gangster Trippin'" and the irresistible surf-guitar meeting hip-hop "Rockefeller Skank" proved.
2) Barenaked Ladies, Stunt (Reprise). If you hated the Ladies before, Stunt won't convert you. But if you purchased Gordon, and wondered where the fun went on subsequent BNL releases, here's the answer. The group even go power-pop on "It's All Been Done".
3) Semisonic, Feeling Strangely Fine (MCA). Not radically different from previous work as Semisonic or Trip Shakespeare, Feeling had that magical element - a hit single, "Closing Time" - which became an anthem at bars around the country. True power-pop for the 90s.
4) Garbage, Version 2.0 (Almo). A commercial disappointment, a critical success. Manson and Vig venture further than on the debut, without the benefit of radio kissing their feet. To their credit, Garbage stay two steps ahead of the numerous copycat bands.
5) Plastiscene, Seeing Stars (Mojo/Universal). If Oasis and Blur met the Stones, the results could be quite similar to this California band's debut. Unfortunately, even with an appearance on the Baseketball soundtrack (or maybe because of?), airplay for a Brit-sounding band was scarce. The Dandy Warhols have experienced the same effects.
