CD Spotlight

Updated 3/2/2009 23:15 EST

CD Spotlight Archive

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Alanis Morissette: Unplugged December 15, 1999 Alanis Morissette's "Unplugged" is my December CD of the Month. I'll be quick to admit that I didn't get into Alanis' second album (the artful Supposed Former Infactuation Junkie) nearly as much as her first (the hard-edged Jagged Little Pill). But a funny thing happened on the way to this Unplugged collection: Alanis quietly released a handful of the songs from her second disc, and they grew on me. "Unplugged" provides a great mix of tracks from both albums, a few rarities, and a cover of the Police's "King of Pain." And from the first notes of "You Learn" to the haunting ending of "Uninvited", each tune is delivered with intense emotion, making this collection much more than a live performance of Alanis' greatest hits. In fact, don't look for all the hits here. Instead, enjoy a collection of tunes that were obviously selected because they sound great in the Unplugged setting. Foo Fighters: There Is Nothing Left To Lose November 20, 1999 The November CD of the Month is the new release from the Foo Fighters, There Is Nothing Left To Lose. Dave Grohl and the Foos have now released the same number of studio albums as the last band Mr. Grohl was in (what was their name again?), and Grohl continues to prove that he is a worthy frontman and songwriter. This CD, like the last, provides a tasty mix of floaty pop melodies and all-out rockers. It's a pretty safe bet that 4 or 5 of these tunes will be coming to a radio station near you over the course of the next year or so (not to mention a series of corny -- but fun -- videos!). I'll admit I'd still give the edge to the Foo Fighters' last release (1997's The Colour and the Shape). But the tunes on There Is Nothing Left To Lose are just as addictive, and the album is definitely a standout in the stack of new discs I've picked up in the past few months. Live: The Distance To Here October 11, 1999 As expected, I've been overwhelmed with great new music for the past month or so. As a result of that I bring to you TWO CDs of the Month for October. Live's The Distance to Here finds the boys from York shedding the dark mood of Secret Samadhi and cranking out 13 high-energy tunes that are guaranteed to reel you in. Make no mistake - this is still the Live you know and love. The soft/loud dynamics, driving rhythm section and passionate vocals are intact. But the accessibility of this album instantly put it on my (relatively short) list of CD's that have spent their first week as the only CD in my Car Discman. Chris Cornell: Euphoria Morning October 11, 1999 ...speaking of that list... The only reason I took Chris Cornell's Euphoria Morning out of my CD player was to hear the new Live disc (a full two weeks after the release of Euphoria Morning). This is not just a Soundgarden album without the rest of the band. To be honest, I was kind of hoping it WOULD be just that, because I was (and am!) a huge Soundgarden fan. But we got something much better: Chris Cornell the solo artist. Cornell explores a wide variety of musical styles, and somehow manages to wrap them up into a very cohesive and listenable album. Don't expect the loud in-your-face rock of Soundgarden -- in fact, you'll hear more acoustic guitar than electric -- but do expect well-written songs you'll appreciate more with each listen! ...Honorable mention to Creed's Human Clay and Our Lady Peace's Happiness... Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch. D'arey October: Fighting The Moon September 5, 1999 D'arey October's Fighting The Moon is my CD of the Month selection for September. As their bio accurately reflects, the band is a "female-fronted power trio who writes songs flooded with teenage energy and emotion." Hailing from my hometown of Reading, D'arey October are probably the youngest band I've ever been into (okay, early Silverchair may provide some competition there), but they've got a polished sound that can compete with some of the best all-originals bands in PA. You owe it to yourself to check out the RealAudio version of their album, available for download at their web site. Then check 'em out live to be completely blown away. You'll want to pick up their CD while you're there, too. After all, RealAudio's quality leaves a bit to be desired, and I'm sure the band will appreciate the dough. Here's hoping D'arey October has continued success well beyond their high school years! Republica: Speed Ballads August 1, 1999) This month's CD of the Month is Speed Ballads from Republica. It's a unique choice in that it is not yet available in the U.S. But it's a great disc, and I didn't want to miss it when it finally is released in the U.S. later this year (along with hopeful returns from several of my favorite bands). Republica is a female-fronted rock group from England. Their style might be described as "electronica", but a solid guitar-and-bass foundation keeps it out of the "dance crap" category I despise. Republica's self-titled debut, fueled by singles "Ready to Go" and "Drop Dead Gorgeous", won them a strong U.S. following in 1996-1997. You may have even heard "Ready to Go" as the theme music for a certain car commercial. In October 1998 Speed Ballads was released in the U.K. The style of the new disc is similar to the first, although I find the new songs even catchier than the ones on Republica. Among my favorites are "From Rush Hour With Love", "Try Everything", and the tongue-in-cheek "Millennium" and "Kung Fu Movies". Rumor has it that Republica are currently in the studio putting together a slightly-modified version of Speed Ballads for its U.S. release. But if you just can't wait (and you're not fortunate enough to enjoy a business trip to England) you can it order online at Amazon.com. It'll cost you a little more than the £6.99 (about $11) I paid, but it's cheaper than a plane ticket! The Jellybricks: Soap Opera June 20, 1999 Q: What do you get when you cross a Soul Asylum and a Cracker? A: A Jellybrick (?). Yes, The Jellybricks remind me of some strange cross-breed of those two (awesome) groups. Recently the Harrisburg-based band released their second CD, Soap Opera. This CD marked the long-awaited followup to 1997's Kinky Boot Beast, which featured a local radio favorite called "Who is God". These guys are masters of the hook, and I have a weakness for catchy songs. The lyrics range from humorous ("I saw her later at the laundromat / Watched her as I washed my hat") to downright ridiculous ("Bone-crunching, blistering, bad-acid bowling for premature pregnant teenagers with no soul"). Definitely a fun album. I don't know where these guys stand with the major labels right now, but I've got a sneaking suspicion we may soon be paying $15-$20 to see them from far away (*cough cough* FUEL *cough cough*). ...So you might want to pick up this disc and catch them live soon! The Cranberries: Bury The Hatchet May 13, 1999 My May CD of the Month is Bury The Hatchet from the Cranberries. The Cranberries struck gold - several times - with their debut album in 1993. Their 1994 follow-up was an even bigger success, thanks to the smash hit "Zombie". The Cranberries' third CD, released in 1996, was slightly less successful, but still managed to supply some good tunes. All told, the Cranberries sold over 20 million albums prior to the 1999 release of Bury The Hatchet. Expectations were high for the new CD, and the Cranberries delivered! This album is by far their most rockin' set of tunes to date. The band emerged from exhaustion and a near-breakup with a new & improved positive attitude and the strongest effort of their 8-year career. Expect to hear a lot of these songs on the radio over the course of the next year. But do yourself a favor and go pick up the CD now. I've been listening to this disc at least once a day since I got it, and I'm liking it more and more with each listen! Silverchair: Neon Ballroom April 17, 1999 Silverchair's third effort, Neon Ballroom, is my April CD of the Month. The band's first release, Frogstomp, spawned the larger-than-life single "Tomorrow", and had a lot of critics tossing them into the dreaded "Nirvanabees" category. It didn't help that they were about 16 years old when "Tomorrow" launched them into the international spotlight. Put all that behind you, though, and join us 4 years later. I think the best word to describe Neon Ballroom is schizophrenic. At least half of the songs are melodic and include string arrangements. But Silverchair's trademark arena rock songs are still there. Be careful with that volume knob, because soft songs and hard songs are unapologetically placed back-to-back at several places on this CD. I'll admit, I've been a fan since the beginning, and the first two albums have a special place in my heart. But for some reason Neon Ballroom has stayed in my CD player for quite a while now, and songs like "Ana's Song (Open Fire)", "Anthem For The Year 2000", "Miss You Love" and "Emotion Sickness" are constantly running through my head. These guys are cranking out some great tunes, and I think they're on the verge of getting some of the international respect they've always deserved. Check 'em out! Collective Soul: Dosage March 8, 1999 Collective Soul's latest effort, Dosage, is my March CD of the month. Their breakthrough hit "Shine" got the band a lot of attention but also a lot of criticism as a one-hit-wonder riding the crest of the alternative wave. But Collective Soul came back with a self-titled album I easily rank in my favorite 10 CDs of all time. No fewer than 5 songs from that CD became radio staples. Their third CD churned out more hits and further defied critics who considered Collective Soul a temporary novelty. Dosage, the band's FOURTH effort, shows amazing growth as a band, and should prove once and for all that these guys will be making great albums for years to come. For the first time ever, Collective Soul experimented with some electronic looping on this album. But don't expect an "electronica" album out of the band anytime soon. According to its members, Collective Soul are and always will be a guitar rock band. Amen! Eve 6: Eve 6 February 8, 1999 February's CD of the Month is the self-titled debut from Eve 6. "Inside Out" was a radio staple all last summer, and I was hesitant to buy this CD without hearing any of the other songs first. When "Leech" was released as the album's second single, I decided the CD was worth the money for those two songs alone. I was pleasantly surprised to find the entire CD is excellent! This is one of those albums you'll listen day in and day out for weeks without getting tired of it. In an age when so many bands put their "good" song on the radio and a bunch of filler on the rest of the album, Eve 6 had cranked out a CD that rocks through and through. If you like the singles, you WILL like the rest of the album. Not bad for a bunch of guys just out of high school! Word has it their record company actually paid them to finish school before embarking on their musical career. Admirable, but I doubt these guys will be needing a "day job" anytime soon! Big Wreck: In Loving Memory Of... January 2, 1999 Okay, if you've been visiting this page for a while, this is NOT the first time you've seen me plugging this CD. Although it has been around for a while now, I'm making Big Wreck's In Loving Memory Of... both CD of the Month for January 1999 and CD of the Year for 1998. This is another one of those rockin'-from-start-to-end albums that will never get the respect it deserves. You may have heard "The Oaf" on the radio last summer, but you've probably never heard the other 12 incredible songs on this CD. Pick it up - You won't regret it! For the record, my second choice for CD of the Year was Hole's Celebrity Skin (see my CD of the Month Archive for a review).

Past CD Spotlights: Alter Bridge: One Day Remains Alanis Morissette: Unplugged Audioslave: Audioslave Avril Lavigne: Let Go Avril Lavigne: Under My Skin The Beatles: 1 Big Wreck: In Loving Memory Of... Big Wreck: The Pleasure and the Greed Black Sabbath: Reunion Chevelle: Wonder What's Next Chris Cornell: Euphoria Morning Clove: Go Clove: Absolutely Nothing Collective Soul: Dosage Collective Soul: Blender Courtney Love: America's Sweetheart Darcie Miner: Down To Earth D'Arey October: Fighting The Moon D'Arey October: Guide To Teenage Glamour Evanescence: Fallen Eve 6: Eve 6 Eve 6: Horrorscope The Exies: Inertia Foo Fighters: There Is Nothing Left To Lose Foo Fighters: One By One Fuel: Something Like Human Fuel: Natural Selection Garbage: Beautifulgarbage Gas Giants: From Beyond The Back Burner Hole: Celebrity Skin Jane's Addiction: Strays Julian Fist: Pushing Audio Platinum Lennon: 5:30 Saturday Morning Live: The Distance To Here Live: V Liz Phair: Liz Phair Mary Prankster: Blue Skies Over Dundalk Mary Prankster: Roulette Girl Michelle Branch: The Spirit Room Moodroom: Hung Up On Breathing Muse: Showbiz Nina Gordon: Tonight and the Rest of My Life No Doubt: Return of Saturn Our Lady Peace: Gravity Pearl Jam: Live On Two Legs Pearl Jam: Live in State College 5/3/03 Pearl Jam: Lost Dogs Puddle Of Mudd: Control Republica: Speed Ballads Silverchair: Neon Ballroom Stone Temple Pilots: Thank You The Cranberries: Bury The Hatchet The Jellybricks: Soap Opera Thornley: Come Again Tonic: Head On Straight Tony Iommi: Iommi U.P.O.: No Pleasantries Velvet Revolver: Contraband Veruca Salt: Resolver Zwan: Mary Star of the Sea