1-Mule Variations-Tom Waits
2-Mock Tudor-Richard Thompson
3-Bad Love-Randy Newman
4-Midnite Vultures-Beck
5-Echo-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
6-Go Simpsonic With The Simpsons
7-Sinatra 57'-Live In Seattle/The Summit Live-Tie

Andy Finkelstein

Here is a list of my Top 10 favorite albums of 1999:

1 - "Through The Darkness" by D-Generation
2 - "Mule Variations" by Tom Waits
3 - "Loose Monkeys: Spare Tracks and Lost Demos" by Graham Parker
4 - "The Battle Of Los Angeles" by Rage Against The Machine
5 - "Cheating At Solitaire" by Mike Ness
6 - "This Desert Life" by Counting Crows
7 - "Suicaine Gratifaction" by Paul Westerberg
8 - "Pistolero" by Frank Black and the Catholics
9 - "Hours" by David Bowie
10 - "Euphoria Morning" by Chris Cornell"

With honorable metions going to (in no particular order) "Symphony No.
1" by Joe Jackson; "Apple Venus Volume 1" by XTC; "Midnight Vultures" by
Beck; "The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner" by Ben Folds
Five; "Mock Tudor" by Richard Thompson; and "In Reverse" by Matthew
Sweet; and "The Fragile" by Nine Inch Nails.

I know, I know, it's a pretty mainstream type of list. I'm sorry.

And my list of Top 10 favorite EC songs from the 90's

1 - "Kinder Murder"
2 - "The Other Side Of Summer"
3 - "My Mood Swings"
4 - "Complicated Shadows"
5 - "How To Be Dumb"
6 - "13 Steps Lead Down"
7 - "Shallow Grave"
8 - "Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over)"
9 - "Little Atoms"
10 - "Pony Street"

Not a very inspired list, but hey, I like the upbeat/rocking Elvis. His
ballads don't do all that much for me.....

Samerivertwice@aol.com

I postred one of these a couple of months ago, but it's changed slightly
since then.

1. Tom Waits -- Mule Variations
2. Masada -- Live in Jerusalem
3. Masada -- Live in Taipei
4. Uri Caine -- The Sidewalks of New York, Tin Pan Alley
5. Billy Bragg -- Reaching to the Converted
6. Myra Melford -- Almost Blue, The Same River Twice
7. Uri Caine Ensemble -- Mahler in Toblach
8. The Clash -- From Here To Eternity Live
9. Charlie Haden -- The Montreal Tapes, Liberation Music Orchestra
10. Tim O'Brien -- The Crossing

Honorable mention: new releases by Henry Rollins, Don Byron, Kristen Hersh,
Randy Newman, Dave Douglas, Pavement, Lyle Lovett, The Candy Butchers, Bevis
Frond, BFF

Top 10 Elvis songs of the 90's:

1. CCIU#4
2. All The Rage
3. 13 Steps
4. Sulky Girl
5. Do You know What I'm Saying?
6. Basement Kiss
7. My Mood Swings
8. All Grown Up
9. All This Useless Beauty
10. In The Darkest Place
(That's three "All" songs!)


Top 10 Albums of the 90's:

1. Elvis Costello -- Brutal Youth
2. Tom Waits -- Bone Machine
3. Masada -- Bar Kohkba
4. Rollins Band -- The End of Silence
5. REM -- Automatic For The People
6. Bob Dylan -- Time Out of Mind
7. Dave Douglas -- Charms of the Night Sky
8. Roger Waters -- Amused To Death
9. PJ Harvey -- Rid of Me
10. Bruce Springsteen -- Ghost of Tom Joad

Reissues and box sets don't count, other wise I'd have included MANY other
jazz and country artists. Everything above was released for the first time
in the 90's. I gave myself a "no repeat artists" rule just to see what
albums/artists shaped my 90's listening experience. So when I put "Brutal
Youth" as my favorite 90's album, it means that Elvis was my favorite
performer/recording artist of the decade in every respect and his other
albums (with the possible exception of PFM) are implied. Masada's "Bar
Kohkba" is at #3, but I listen to about 15 Masada disc regularly. Ditto Dave
Douglas. And I think "Mule Variations" is a better album than about 5 of my
top ten choices, but "Bone Machine" was the genesis of my 90's listening
experience so it gets the #2 spot. Does any of this make sense?

Benjamin J. Herman

It was a bad year; I only have 5:

1. Belle and Sebastian, "Tigermilk"
2. Sleater-Kinney, "The Hot Rock"
3. Kristin Hersh, "Sky Motel"
4. XTC, "Apple Venus Vol. I"
5. Lori Carson, "Stars"

Bill Nemec

OK, here goes:

In no particular order (apples and sparkplugs, ya know...)

Mule Variations - Tom Waits
Not for everyone, Mr. Waits again displays his talents for writing
timeless songs that sound like they are part of american music history.
Although many people can't listen past the booze-and-cigarettes vocals,
no one evokes a mood with spare instrumentation and some noise better than Ol' Tomcat.
Utopia Parkway - Fountains of Wayne
Best new purveyors of what used to be called "Power Pop" -
jangly guitars, catchy hooks and harmonies, juvenile but fun lyrics -
irresistable stuff.
Mock Tudor - Richard Thompson
RT makes a poppy, band-based disc with retro-sounding songs,
and it works for me, wonderfully. Another fine songwriter, he also
shows his noted electric guitar chops, although nothing as incendiary
as the outro to Valerie.
Santana - Supernatural
Carlos and Clive Davis get together, plan an album with each song
featuring a different guest star and vocalist, solicit songs from everywhere -
sounds like a recipe for something that would suck the wind out of the chicago,
but oddly enough, it works! The songs are better than he's had in recent years,
and Devadip weaves his luscious guitar lines lovingly around them,
creating his most inspired playing and most enjoyable disc since Abraxas.
XTC - Apple Venus Vol. 1
Strange and experimental yet uniquely XTC, this one was a "grower"
for me, it took a few listens to get into it. But it was worth the effort,
since this is a gem, classic pop hooks wrapped in beautiful orchestration
like sweet chocolates in shiny foil. Can't wait to hear Volume 2.
Elvis Costello - Very Best of Elvis Costello (cheating, I know ;-)
While we fans didn't really need another "Best of" - this one made my
CD player alot more than I thought it would. I like the song selection
and sequencing, the CD "sounds" great, and it's got some of EC's (many)
gems strung together - so what's not to like?

Biggest disappointment - Frisell's Sweetest Punch -
a punch-less easy-listening pseudo-jazz snoozefest.

Rediscovered:
John Sebastian/Lovin' Spoonful -
picked up the Rhino Best of Sebastian and the Spoonful's Anthology,
and really enjoyed hearing these tunes again.
Although I would have preferred to have just the
classic John B. Sebastian disc, half the songs on it are included
on the Best of so I can't really complain.
The Spoonful disc is just pure nostalgia - but shows that Sebastian,
along with Creedence's Fogerty and The Rascals' Cavaliere,
wrote some really great pop songs in the sixties.
REM -
Saw them over the summer, liked Up,
pulled out my old faves (Lifes Rich Pageant, Murmer, etc.)
and remembered what a really fine songwriter and band REM is.

That's all I can think of, for now.

Carol Rousseau

1) Marshall Crenshaw -- #447
2) Tom Waits -- MULE VARIATIONS
3) XTC -- APPLE VENUS VOL.I
4) Richard Thompson -- MOCK TUDOR
5) Paul McCartney -- RUN DEVIL RUN
6) Beck -- MIDNIGHT VULTURE
7) Randy Newman -- BAD LOVE
8) Blondie -- NO EXIT
9) Robyn Hitchcock -- JEWELS FOR SOPHIA
10) Foundains of Wayne -- UTOPIA HIGHWAY (or is that Parkway? or Freeway?)=

Carson Craig

some of mine have to be..

tom waits- mule variations

built to spill- keep it like a secret

low- secret name

american analog set- the golden band

richard thompson- mock tutor

pavement- terror twilight

bonnie 'prince' billy- i see a darkness

silver jews- american water

tindersticks- simple pleasure

Christina Rockwell

1. John Linnell--State Songs...
2. Ben Folds Five--The Unathorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

Why you ask?? Because in all of 1999 I had money to buy but _2_ new
cds!!!!!!! Every other CD i bought was older than 1999...and these cds are
not really the best things i ever heard anyway...

Clay Clifton

1. Fiona Apple - When the Pawn...
2. Counting Crows - This Desert Life
3. Wilco - Summerteeth
4. Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway
5. Jason Falkner - Can You Still Feel?
6. Randy Newman - Bad Love
7. Ben Folds Five - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner
8. Beck - Midnite Vultures
9. Gus - Word of Mouth Parade

Coni (Marcus Kuley)

I thought '99 was a good year for music on the whole. Those ten albums
are certainly good fun to listen to. I'll grant you, though, that none
of this stuff is very challenging. In fact, I don't think that I have
ever compiled such a mainstreamish best-of-the-year list.


1. XTC - 'Apple Venus Vol. 1'
A true return to form. The chorus of 'Easter Theatre' is arguably the
most glorious moment of pop music that I have heard in years. For the
first four weeks or so I played this record at least once a day.

2. Supergrass - 'Supergrass'
Almost as good as their debut album.

3. Flaming Lips - 'The Soft Bulletin'
I suppose that this record will come up on many of the lists. One of
those rare albums that has a completely original sound.

4. Chemical Brothers - 'Surrender'
Don't know why people are disappointed by this album. It's great fun.

5. Moby - 'Play'
Features last year's finest single 'Honey'.

6. Divine Comedy - 'A Secret History'
Steve T. likes it. He's right of course.

7. Travis - 'The Man Who'
I'm going to see them live on Wednesday. With support by Ben Folds
Five and Gay Dad this should be an interesting night.

8. Doug Wimbish - 'Trippy Notes for Bass'
Every single list member has danced to Doug's pleasant bass - they
just aren't aware of it. This is his first solo album and features the
Tackhead posse. The only OnU-Sound release I bought this year.

9. Thievery Corporation - 'Abductions and Reconstructions'
I always include a remix album in these best-of-lists. This one is
rather restrained but impeccably tasteful. (Remixes of the usual
suspects Rockers Hifi, Stereolab, Gus Gus and, umh, David Byrne.)

10. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - 'Spanish Dance Troupe'
Not really a great record but that title track is absolutely
wonderful.


Single of the Year:
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - 'Spanish Dance Troupe'


Biggest Disappointment:
Audio Active - 'Return of the Red I'
They had *it* for a few precious years .... now they've completely
lost *it*. You know there is something wrong when your favourite band
of the nineties releases a concept album about Star Wars and
marihuana. 'Emergency HosPOTal' (cringe!!).


Three Essential Rereleases
Roxy Music - 'Roxy Music'
Tackhead - 'Strange Things'
Bim Sherman - 'Love Forever. The Classic Jamaican Recordings'

Craig J. Pinhey

1. David Sylvian - Dead Bees On A Cake - still the 2nd most fascinating
voice in pop music - ambient jazzy dreamy music.

2. XTC - Apple Venus Vol I - although dissapointing due to stupidly high
expectations, this is a wonderful record that improves with each listen
- the Homespun demos CD with explanation of songs is a must for fans.
Now that I have a tape of Vol II demos I am excited about 2000!

3. Tom Waits - Mule Variations - a pleasure for Waitniks and torture for
fans of In Sync, 98 degress, Backstreet Boys, Britney, Celine and the
other nonmusic out there 3D PERFECT!

4. Sloan - Between the Bridges - I hate the words "Tour de Force" but...

5. Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway - Pure Pop for Now People -
'Laser Show' sounds like a sequel to Rollers Show to me. Red Dragon
Tattoo is worth price of admission alone.

6. Ron Hawkins and the Rusty Nails - Greasing the Star Machine - a cool
CD from ex Lowest of the Low frontman. Great lyrics, great horn section
- homages to Strummer and Waits. St. Valentine's Day Massacre is the
best Anti Love Song of the year ("there's been a change of frequency is
my cupidity"). www.ronhawkins.com

7. The Smithereens - God Save The Smithereens - more good pop from the
veterans, but something changed in the rhythm section arrangements which
make this more interesting than expected!

8. Clive Gregson - Happy Hour - he still keeps putting out great songs
with no notice.

9. Ron Sexsmith - Whereabouts - one wonders how Clive can be
unsuccessful while Ron is a rising star -- albeit deservedly so...

10. Ben Folds 5 - The Unauthorized etc. - consistently good songwriting
and performaces from this great live band -- time for them to take
another tack though, I think.

I didn't count the Billy Bragg since it is B sides, but it is great.
Ones that would have probably made it if I had bought them are:
New Graham Parker
New Joe Strummer
New Prince

Craig Montoya

I thought I'd have a tough time coming up with ten, but it ended
up being difficult to narrow it down to that few.


1. Tom Waits, "Mule Variations"
By the time the dust settles, this may end up becoming
my favorite Tom Waits album. Not a bad song in the
bunch, and "House Where Nobody Lives" and "Take
It With Me" in particular absolutely destroy me every
single time I hear them. Waits also gets my vote for
best concert of '99 (narrowly edging out Elvis and Steve
in Nashville) for his 9/25/99 show at the Beacon in NYC,
where the final encore was comprised of the two songs
listed above, and EC was in the audience.

2. Buddy Miller, "Cruel Moon"
I picked this up during my trip to Nashville to see Elvis,
and it has been on constant rotation ever since. Buddy's
best known for his role as guitarist for Emmylou Harris
and Steve Earle, but he and his wife Julie are making
incredible music of their own. This album is fantastic.

3. Richard Thompson, "Mock Tudor"
This is the Richard Thompson album that I've been
wishing for. I've liked many of his songs in the past,
but was never able to sustain my interest over a whole
album. This one is a gem. "Sights And Sounds of
London Town" is one of the best songs of the year.

4. John Zorn & Masada, "Live In Middelheim 1999"
A blistering live set from one of the most consistently
exciting jazz bands out there. Just when it seems
that they're veering completely out of control, they
snap together perfectly.

5. Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, "Ancient Tones"
Bluegrass at its best. The 2 or 3 original songs are
the weak points, but the covers of classic bluegrass
tracks like "Walls In Time" and "I Believed in You
Darling" are magnificent. The playing is perfect and
so are the harmonies.

6. Brigitte Fontaine, "Morceaux De Choix"
A strange disc a friend brought me from France. I
know nothing about Brigitte Fontaine, but I've really
been enjoying this one. Some tracks are lush ballads,
and others remind me of the jazzier tracks on Yoko Ono's
"Rising" disc.

7. Dave Douglas, "Songs For Wandering Souls"
Yet another great album from Dave Douglas -- in my
opinion the best jazz trumpet player since Miles. Not
quite as good as last year's "Charms of the Night Sky",
but highly recommended nonetheless.

8. Los Lobos, "This Time"
Didn't like this one much at first, but it's really grown on
me the past few months.

9. Paul McCartney, "Run Devil Run"
Macca kicks major ass on these old rock 'n' roll songs.
A delightful listen from beginning to end. Leaves me
waiting impatiently for his next album of new material.

10. Steve Earle & Del McCoury Band, "The Mountain"
Steve Earle just keeps putting out great albums and
this one is no exception. I regret missing the live
shows at Nashville's "Station Inn" around the time
of the album's release.

Honorable Mentions: Julie Miller, "Broken Things"; Moby,
"Play"; The Artist... "Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic"; Emmylou
Harris/Linda Ronstadt, "Western Wall"; John Wesley Harding,
"Trad Arr. Jones"; Magnetic Fields, "69 Love Songs"

Dan Ream

1. Mock Tudor--Richard Thompson
2. Number 2--Henry Phillips (funniest rock album of the 90s)
3. Apple Venus Volume 1 --XTC
4. Run Devil Run--Paul McCartney
5. Echo--Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
6. Ride With Bob --Asleep at the Wheel
7. As Time Goes By-- Bryan Ferry
8. Weatherhole --Michael Hurley
9. Don't Tell Me You Do--Rockapella
10.Live in Texas--Lyle Lovett

--Dan (who's sure he's forgotten at least one favorite here)

Dave Lifton

This is in no order...

Ben Folds Five -- Reinhold Messner
Magnolia- Soundtrack
Ron Sexsmith - Whereabouts
Richard Thompson - Mock Tudor
Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Echo
Beck - Midnight Vultures
Paul McCartney - Run Devil Run
XTC - Apple Venus Vol. 1
Wilco - Summerteeth

If order is important...
Wilco
BFF
Sexsmith
XTC
Magnolia
Petty
Thompson
Beck
Fountains of Wayne
McCartney

DiDi Gramm

A little late as usual on this, but I've been laboring over this for a
while now and I could only come up with 9 deluxe albums that I bought which
were released this year. Feelin' really good about these selections:

1) Hamza el Din - "A Wish"

2) Bloque "de Busqueda" (the only band EVER who has made me feel lazy!)

3) Ron Sexsmith - Whereabouts" (love this album so much I donated a copy to
my public library)

4) Ibrahim Ferrer

5) Los Lobos "This Time"

6) Olivia Tremor Control - "Black Foliage"

7) Sloan - "4 Nights at the Palais Royale"

8) Fountains of Wayne "Utopia Parkway"

9) Christy Moore "Traveller"

I really like "Shri Durga" by DJ Cheb i Sabbah, but maybe not enough to
include in the top ten listing (Loki, I'll get back to you on this).

Majorly disappointed with releases by Luka Bloom(after 5 yr wait!) and
REM(was that really this year?) and that Bill Frisell Punch album - yuck! I
kind of soured on Wilco "Summerteeth" too, possibly a result of mass
airplay here in Chicago, but a couple of months ago it would have been on
the list.

John Fredland

I've held out as long as possible, in hopes that I could have the chance to
listen to as many 1999 releases as possible (which wound up being 22 or so).
Here goes:

1. Frampton Brothers, "File Under F (For Failure)"
2. Chemical Brothers, "Surrender"
3. Blur, "13"
4. Flaming Lips, "The Soft Bulletin"
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Californication"
6. XTC, "Apple Venus"
7. Richard Thompson, "Mock Tudor"
8. Cobra Verde, "Nightlife"
9. Pet Shop Boys, "Nightlife"
10. Wilco, "Summerteeth"

Hon. mention: Matthew Sweet, "In Reverse"; Old '97s, "Fight Songs"; Beck,
"Midnight Vultures"; Self, "Breakfast With Girls"; Vitamin C, "Vitamin C";
Fountains of Wayne, "Utopia Parkway"; Los Straitjackets, "The Velvet Touch of
Los Straitjackets".

Gary Vollano

Look, I'm like a lot of people who have already chimed in here, my
purchases in 1999 contained little of what was released in 1999 (for that
matter, little at all), but then again my Top 10's never really conformed
to the "released" rule anyway. My criteria for my annual Top 10 is to
include any release purchased or acquired within the year, regardless of
the release date, with the exception of previously owned discs/Lps (In
Other Words, if I've already owned it previously, it doesn't count, but
if it's a disc that was originally released in....let's say...1986, and
I'd never heard or owned it before, it's eligible). Anyone who wishes to
adopt my logic here is free to do so...

10. The Dan Emery Mystery Band - Love & Advertising
Just received this a week ago and it has totally captivated me with its
Ben Folds Five/Weezer crossbreed. Should be a future Feature Band of
IndepenDisc in early 2000

9. Rage Against The Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles
Just picked this up 2 days ago & it already cracks the Top 10 for the
year! Probably THE best band out there today. And I'm sure the stock will
rise after I see them on Dec. 5th.

8. (Tie) D.J. Lauria Band - Satellite Pictures
& Black & White - Hepcat
2 party discs', DJL is pure power pop & B&W is Rockin' Rhythm & Blues.

7. (Tie) Crenshaw - add the good
& Pawnshop - Three Brass Balls
I'm cheating here, Crenshaw made #8 & Pawnshop #10 in my last years list,
but both these Great discs saw many, many hours of heavy rotation
throughout 1999 & deservedly so..Crenshaw is a laid back Dave
Matthews/Traffic type jam band & Pawnshop is acoustic/electric Pub Rock
at its finest.

6. Echo & The Bunnymen - Evergreen
released in '97, I kick myself for waiting so long before picking it up,
truly a masterpiece, goes head to head with Crocodiles as their best.

5. Charlie Burton - One Man's Trash
A One disc Box Set covering 22 years of Charlie's career & 45 years of
musical influence, chances are you'll recognize every song on here even
though you've never heard them before. An American institution, no home
should be without it!

4. secretsunday - television.
"Music is the television of the soul" Out OK computer's Radiohead. This
disc is what psychedelic rock in the new millennium should be.

3. Moss Browne - Wandering and Wondering
Alt. country rockers with a hippie rock groove that's equal parts Little
Feat/Allman Bros./Dead/CSN&Y/Santana/Traffic/Lynyrd Skynyrd/Blind Melon
just to mention a few.

2. Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue
Yes, released in 1998 but I didn't get around to it until June...Damn
this pairing is Unbelievable!! & the life they breathe into Woody Guthrie
is Incredible! The man was a pure Genius, sadly I had always overlooked
this before, but this disc opened my eyes, do yourself a favor & buy it
if you don't own it, if only for "Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key".

1. Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 "Live 1966" The "Royal Albert
Hall" Concert
Yes, another released in 1998, It was under the tree at Christmas last
year (thus sort of unofficially disqualifying it from my list according
to *my* rules) But it quickly established itself as the GREATEST RECORD
EVER RECORDED, Yes, it vaulted to the TOP of my GREATEST ALBUMS EVER list
with the first listen as I sat there totally dumbfounded at the GREATNESS
of the performance!!
Dylan is THE MUSIC GOD.

Holly Morrison

I can't do a top TEN of 1999 because most of the CD's I've bought were
cut before 1999, but I'll give it my best shot.
5. In Reverse - Matthew Sweet
A beautifully written and produced masterpiece. Matthew never lets me down.

4. to venus and back - Tori Amos
I know there are some people in here who can't stand Tori, but dammit
that woman can play!!

3. Diana Krall - When I Look in Your Eyes
Such a beautiful voice and a kick ass piano player to boot.

2. Mule Variations - Tom Waits
It's Tom....and that's all that has to be said

1. The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner - Ben Folds Five
What an album!! The opening track *Narcolepsy* alone makes it worth
buying! I love every single song on that album. And *Your Most
Valueable Possession* cracks me up everytime!! hooooraaay for ben!!!
HERE'S TO BEN!! ;)

Wow!! I really came up with five! And let me say that I have spent all
of 99 restocking my EC collection, along with discovering other great
artists (Thanks to my buddies in ECOLAND)

------------------------------------------------

Ok...so I have a Top 6 list....Jason Falkner...I'm not sure of the album
title cuz i only got a copy from a friend...but this album is genius!!!!
EVERYONE MUST CHECK IT OUT!!!

Jason Wilson Brown

New Albums
1. Mule Variations- Tom Waits
2. Keep It Like a Secret- Built To Spill
3. Apple Venus- XTC
4. Jewels For Sophia- Robyn Hitchcock
5. 13- Blur
6. Terror Twilight- Pavement
7. Whereabouts- RonSexsmith
8. Utopia Parkway- Fountains of Wayne
9. Rock Art and The X-Ray Style
10. Run Devil Run- Paul McCartney
11. Snowbug- High Llamas
12. Bad Love- Randy Newman
13. Back on Top- Van Morrison
14. Summerteeth- Wilco
15. Pistilero- Frank Black and the Catholics
16. There's a Poison Goin' on- Puiblic Enemy
17. Did You Know?- Preston Mill
18. Midnite Vultures- Beck
19. ...hours- David Bowie
20. Smartie Mine- Dan Bern
21. State Songs- John Linnell
22. The Sweetest Punch- Bill Frissel
23. Can You Still Feel?- Jason Flakner
24. Sideways Soul, In a Dancehall Style- Dub Narcotic Sound System Meets
The John Spenser Blues Explosion
25. Owsley- Owsley

Reissue (of sorts)
1. Reaching to the Converted- Billy Bragg
2. Stop Making Sense- Talking Heads
3. From Here to Eternity- The Clash
4. Yellow Submarine- The Beatles
5. Homespun- XTC

Jay Nagy

i've got disappointments of 99, to be sure. then again, i just moved back
to my college town and look forward to hearing and seeing all the bands you
don't get in the suburbs again. :) so i do profess i've been a bit
ignorant, nonetheless:

the beautiful south let me down again with "quench", i've only played it
once. the last thing i really liked was "0898", and it's seemed really
bland ever since. sigh.

"terror twilight" by pavement didn't exactly set me on fire, it's *okay*,
but not as arresting as "brighten the corners" or even "wowee zowee".

"midnite vultures" by beck, i don't think i've even played the whole thing
through yet, at least not in one sitting. johnny marr's on it, not that
he's noticeable at all! come on! and "animae animus" (sp) by the
creatures? sold! what a gigantic disappointment after waiting a decade
since "boomerang"!!!!

i've bought lots of things this year that i like, but not much new stuff.

but........... there's

"tigermilk" by belle and sebastian, not a new record, but its first real
availability, played this a bunch but then it started to really depress me.
it's still great, i just don't want to hear it until i'm in a better mood
and don't relate to it as much :)

"69 love songs" (vol. 1-3) by the magnetic fields, parts of this opus have
the same problem as "tigermilk" for me, but there's so much good stuff it's
still in rotation.

"the soft bulletin" by the flaming lips. wow!

"mule variations" by tom waits. i don't even have to say anything on this
one.

"apple venus vol. 1" by xtc. i can't stand colin's songs, but the
miraculous density of "river of orchids" alone gets this a spot. definitely
a sleeper album, but it got a deathgrip on me in the late summer :)

"the tender trap" by janis siegel. "huh?" that's what i said. got this
as a free promo working at borders. former manhattan transfer member.
slinky, saucy, jazzy...big ol' left field delight.

sticklers be damned part 1: "rushmore" soundtrack. just admit it.
sticklers be damned part 2: "stop making sense" i join mike, jess et al.
in breaking the rules. now, if only "cities" and "big business/i zimbra"
didn't get the chopped liver treatment (not on the album, separated on the
new video and *not* remastered) i'd be absolutely over the moon on this one.

aw, to hell with you all: "making spirits bright" by dean martin :)
(also, check out anne sofie von otter's "home for christmas", you know EC
did! :) )

still to be purchased and evaluated: "jewels for sophia" by robyn hitchcock,
"days of our nights" by luna and "cobra and phases group play voltage in the
milky night" by stereolab (excellent show though!)


well, i guess that's actually 11 , if you allow that i had to buy the
magnetic fields in three parts :) still, what a crummy year, especially
after 96-98 was slapping me left and right. (but it was a great chance to
catch up on earlier music, introducing galaxie 500 and the zombies into the
collection and expanding the blue note jazz) let's get this year over with!
and somebody wake up nick cave and U2, nick's been middling IMHO for a few
years, and U2 got shit on for the wonderful "pop", come on boys, hit me one
more time! :)

jay, who hadn't realized just how rotten 1999 has been all over the place
until he wrote this out. bad jobs, bad feelings, bad music; at least i know
it was a problem with the universe and not just me. EC's tour definitely
saved it from being a complete washout :)