Top 5 - Joann Ball
1) Randi Driscoll, Climb (East River Records). On her superior debut Climb, Southern California-based singer/songwriter Randi Driscoll brilliantly captures the passion, power and purpose of music. The heart and soul of Climb is "What Matters," a moving tribute to hate crime victim Matthew Shepard that was recently spotlighted in Rolling Stone Magazine. On "What Matters," which is now the official song of The Matthew Shepard Foundation, Driscoll sings with conviction about the value and importance of unconditional love. And on the other eleven tracks, she similarly captures the essence of the human spirit and expresses it through her inspired melodic piano playing and amazingly rich and crystal clear vocals that is the basis of her adult acoustic pop-rock sound. Among the standout songs on this excellent collection are the simple piano and strings arrangement of record opener "Paper Hearts," the mid-tempo "Who I Am" which celebrates the joys of true love and "Drive Me Home" a seductive number that is convincing in its surrender to temptation. Without a doubt, Climb has all the elements that could make it this generation's Tapestry and could move just as many listeners.
2) Sally Taylor, Tomboy Bride (Blue Elbow). Sally Taylor is an extremely talented singer/songwriter who rejuvenates and updates acoustic guitar folk-rock. On her stellar debut Tomboy Bride, the Boulder, Colorado based Taylor sings of the determination needed to follow dreams on "Alone," laments love lost on "The Complaint," and celebrates self-confidence and independence on the bouncy "Happy Now." And Taylor suggests with the beautiful "Sign of Rain," a song that brings to life the sounds and images of Martha's Vineyard at Christmastime, that she is definitely a rising star in her own right.
3) Skunk Anansie, Post Orgasmic Chill (Virgin). Why Skunk Anansie, one of this decade's best British musical offerings, still flies below the radar in the U.S. is one of popular music's great mysteries. Not only does the band kick out an extremely potent blend of punk-inspired rock, but extraordinary lead singer Skin infuses her amazing vocal range with a level of intensity that is simply unmatched by her contemporaries. Once again on Post Orgasmic Chill, Skunk Anansie delivers the goods with characteristic style and present it in a superbly polished package. The complex signature changes of the aggro-charged lead track "Charlie Big Potato," as well as the aching, emotion-filled "Tracy's Flaw" and the simply perfect, radio-friendly melodic rock of "Lately" and "Secretly" are just four of the twelve reasons why Post Orgasmic Chill is an experience that shouldn't be missed.
4) Jact, Jact (Trauma Records). Whether you call it post-Britpop or Britpop the next generation, Jact has a patent on the musical ingredients that make the formula work. Under a moniker that is slang for amped, excited and ready to go, ex-Pusherman Andy Frank injects his gritty slice-of-life lyrics with smoky pub-worn vocals over Ted Hutt's sizzling guitar licks. With a solid rhythm section in bassist Jeff Peters and drummer E.J. Eiriksson, Jact captures the glitter and sex of seventies glam on "Magic #3" while displaying fine acoustic sensibilities on the mortality tale "Losing More Than Heaven." And midway through the 13-track release, Jact deliver a winning triple power play with the shimmering guitar numbers "Future's Gone," "Starred in This Film Before" and "Barricades." On their self-titled debut Jact, the Los Angeles-based quartet of Brits Frank, Hutt and Peters and Canadian Eiriksson prove that quality Britpop for the new millennium can indeed be produced Stateside. The added bonus here is that it's even more filling and with less bickering than the brand imported from Manchester.
5) Pretenders, Viva El Amor (Warner Bros.). On Viva El Amor, the Pretenders proudly showcase the essence of pop-rock that will land the band in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a few years. Twenty years into it, Chrissie Hynde is definitely a legend in her own time and she still has that special tough and tender vocal touch. And the band is in top form with expert drummer Martin Chambers, talented guitarist Adam Seymour and rock solid bassist Andy Hobson complementing Hynde's underrated rhythm guitar work which rounds out the Pretenders' signature melodic sound. Driven by songs like "Human" (which should have been the lead American single), the Swinging London buzz of "Popstar," the rabble-rousing "Legalise Me," and the touchingly sincere "From the Heart Down," the Pretender's seventh studio effort is a testament to the fact that they really don't make 'em like they used to!
