----------------------------------(the next week...)--------------------------------

On Mon, 29 Nov 1999, Benjamin J. Herman wrote:

> 2. Sleater-Kinney, The Hot Rock

Yes! Of course! How did I leave this off of mine? It is awesome! I
highly recommend that everyone check these chicks out. "Burn Don't
Freeze" may well be my favorite song of 99.

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On Thu, 2 Dec 1999, Monica Turnbaugh wrote:

> 5. Robyn Hitchcock, Jewels for Sophia ("Viva viva viva Seatac! They've got
> the best computers and coffee and smack." How was this NOT a hit in Seattle?)

It was a hit at WMHC! I love this song so much!!!! I had never heard
anything by Robyn Hitchcock (though I know the name's been mentioned on
this list more than once) until this album, and the rest of it's great,
but "Viva Seatac" is by far the most upbeat, amusing song I've heard in
ages and ages.

Jess, inspired, runs back to revise her top ten list.

John Ottaviano

Let me say that after gathering as many 99 albums as I could, I have
come to realize this is a pretty good year for music. What a variety? I
also found myself torn about leaving some good stuff off the list.

Without further ado....

I regretfully could not find room for Ani DeFranco, Ben Folds 5 or local
faves, Waterstreet and Spider Nick and the Maddogs. See the end for the
one I did not include, only because it will not be an OFFICIAL release
until 2000.

10. Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session
Sure there both dead, but Albert (the better guitar playing King IMHO)
tones down Stevies pyrotechnics nicely in this 1983 session. Just some
killer axe licks here. Whoever said that playing blues guitar isn't hard
(on this listserve) doesn't realize how few play it this well.

9. TLC - Fanmail - Certainly not faves on this listserve, these girls
are true R & B divas and they play fun, intelligent and sophisticated
tunes - pure ear candy.

8. Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway - If I were from North Carolina,
Ben Folds 5 would have made this list instead. Since I'm from Long
Island, this disc is the soundtrack of my youth. These guys sound like
Weezer channeling Blotto. A whole lotta fun.

7. Beth Orton - Central Reservation - I am surprised to see this
mentioned by so few listers, especially the Brits. This is so beautiful
and forlorn and you can dance to it!! This is what Lucinda Williams
would sound like if she were British and had better rhythm.

5. & 6. Prince/O(+> - The Vault (Old Friends 4 Sale) & Rave un2 the Joy
Fantastic
I can't decide which of these I like better. Vault is pretty much a
compilation of stuff that's been around on boots, but it's the bluesiest
stuff P's ever put on vinyl. Rave is a blending of modern trends with
mixed results, but when it works, like on the JB rave-up Partyman, it
works.

4 - The Roots - Things Fall Apart - This album rocks. These guys put out
the most soulful, sophisticated, and intelligent hip-hop around and it's
100% totally organic. Real instruments, real music. And the cover shot
of '60's urban street riots is a classic.

3- Kid Rock - Devil Without a Cause - I am sure this guy is the poster
boy for everything bad about contemporary music for a lot of people, but
this was easily the most exciting release I heard (I still haven't
picked up the new Rave Against the Machine, however). It's dangerous,
funny, un-pc and most importantly, it rocks like nothing else around.
Once you get past the gruff exterior, this guys got soul.

2 - Beck - Midnite Vultures - Man, this guy is the coolest. He sounds
like David Byrne channeling Prince, living on the west coast. There is
nothing funkier out today. Or more fun.

1 - Luscious Jackson - Electric Honey - This is a sweet album (no pun
intended). Very danceable, seductive, intelligent, heartfelt, fun,
smooth and lighthearted. Easily the best disc by a band that has made
several good ones. The underrated band of the '90's

Next year's top ten will feature Kevin Gilbert's "The Shaming of the
True". Kevin passed away some time ago. This album, a scathing
indictment of the music industry that covers already covered ground, is
soulful, well sung melodic and deeply emotional. It is said to be
realesed by his estate later this year. I highly recommend it.

Kim Coddington

I only wish I had 10 favorites this year. Any-old-way ..

5. Wilco, Summer Teeth
4. Luka Bloom, Salty Heaven
3. Martha Argerich, Chopin - The Legendary 1965 Recording (Just released due
to contractual constraints)
2. Ron Sexsmith, Whereabouts
1. Tom Waits, Mule Variations

I, too, would like a chocolate jesus for xmas.

Kristina Engberg

...is it too late for me to revise my 98 top-ten list?? I looked at that list recently, and
gosh, some of my choices were just dead WRONG!

anyhow:

10. Hedwig and The Angry Inch, cast recording
9. Beth Orton, Central Reservation
8. Richard Thompson, Mock Tudor
7. Fiona Apple, When the Pawn...
6. David Bowie, ...Hours
5. Belle & Sebastion, Tigermilk
4. Aimee Mann, Bachelor #2 EP
3. Moby, Play
2. Beck, Midnight Vultures
1. Nine Inch Nails, The Fragile

Mark Friedman

Of the 11 disks I bought this year, only one was a 1999 release -- The Sweetest Punch.

Mike Hernandez

I've been sitting on this list for about a week now and I think I'm
comfortable with it. I didn't do much venturing this year, it seems, I just
stuck with what I knew and what I knew I'd like. So here goes:

1. Summerteeth - Wilco
2. Utopia Parkway - Fountains of Wayne
3. The Mountain - Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band
4. Mule Variations - Tom Waits
5. Back On Top - Van Morrison
6. Bad Love - Randy Newman
7. Fight Songs - Old 97s
8. Midnite Vultures - Beck
9. Live In Texas - Lyle Lovett
10. Run Devil Run - Paul McCartney

Just barely missed the cut:
Who Else - Jeff Beck
4 Nights At The Palais Royale - Sloan
#447 - Marshall Crenshaw
Viva El Amor - Pretenders
Can You Still Feel? - Jason Falkner
Mock Tudor - Richard Thompson

More I liked, but weren't favorites:
No Exit - Blondie
Get Skintight - The Donnas
The Real Sock Ray Blue - Mojo Nixon
Bleeker Street - various

Kinda disappointing:
Echo - Tom Petty
Suicane Gratification - Paul Westerberg
Between The Bridges - Sloan

Compilations and reissues:
Loud, Fast, & Out Of Control: The Wild Sounds of 50s Rock
The Doings - Nick Lowe
Stand Up Comic - Woody Allen
Tip Of The Freberg - Stan Freberg
Tapestry - Carole King
One More For The Road, Give The People..., State Of Confusion, Word Of Mouth
- Kinks
I Just Can't Stop It, Wha'ppen, Special Beat Service - English Beat
Nobody Can Dance - Big Star
Yellow Submarine Songtrack - Beatles
Pet Sounds (mono and stereo) - Beach Boys
Stop Making Sense (special new edition) - Talking Heads

There must be more, but that's all I can think of at the moment. It's too
many, anyway.

Mike Carter

I usually don't do these things, but....here are what I think are the most
noteworthy albums of the year in no particular order:

Midnight Vultures - Beck
(a worthy follow up to Odelay)

Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic - the Artist Formerly Known as the Pretentious
Jackass
(since there's no Parliament-Funkadelic album this year- "The Greatest
Romance Ever Sold" stands next to anything from Sign O' The Times)

The Battle of Los Angeles - Rage Against the Machine
(best when driving in a car real fast- also political in the best sense of
the term)

Mule Variations - Tom Waits
(I'm late to the Tom Waits camp, but I'm appropriately in awe)

Run Devil Run- Paul McCartney
(I bought it for my 59 year old Dad's birthday)

Nightlife - Pet Shop Boys
(I'm glad we did something to deserve this)

Devil Without a Cause - Kid Rock
(Does this count? It was technically released last year, but I didn't hear it
until now)

"A Thousand Years" Sting
(the one salvageable song off the Deepak Chopra dreck that is Brand New Day)

"The World is Not Enough" Garbage
(A tired franchise produces ironically this year maybe its best theme song
ever)

Hours - David Bowie
(A fine return to form)

_Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ soundtrack - Various
(the best show currently on television)

"Brand New Day" Bono and Wyclef Jean
(At least the self-righteousness is spread among two people)

"After the Gold Rush" Natalie Merchant
(from her live album...this Neil Young cover is better than her
Springsteen/Smith cover)

Falling Into Place - Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers
(I saw 'em at the New York Fleadh, and I was hooked - did anybody catch 'em
on Conan last night?)

Runner Up, album of the year
Yellow Submarine reissue - Beatles
(stereo "Eleanor Rigby"- need I say more?)

Album of the year
Stop Making Sense: Special 15th Anniversary Edition - Talking Heads
(You're damn right it counts- there's simply not a more beautiful song in the
world than the previously unreleased acoustic version of "Heaven")

Best Movie of the Year (so far)
Being John Malkovich
(like I can even begin to describe this)

Worst Movie of the Year
American Beauty
(How can anybody not see this thing as the most phony, self-conscious, and
condescending thing to hit the screens in years?)

Mitch Atkinson

1. Apple Venus, vol.1 - XTC
2. Can You Still Feel? - Jason Falkner
3. Summer Teeth - Wilco
4. In Reverse - Matthew Sweet
5. 13 - Blur
6. Utopia Parkway - Fountains of Wayne
7. Between the Bridges - Sloan
8. The Unauthorized Biography... - Ben Folds Five
9. Nu-Clear Sounds - Ash
10. Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons - tv soundtrack

Monica Turnbaugh

Well, Don and I have a long way to go before we buy everything on our CD wish
list. Here are the '99 releases that got bumped to the top of the list and
are actually on our shelves. Not a disappointment in the bunch. Otherwise,
I think we're up to 1992.

6. Richard Thompson, Mock Tudor
5. Robyn Hitchcock, Jewels for Sophia ("Viva viva viva Seatac! They've got
the best computers and coffee and smack." How was this NOT a hit in Seattle?)
4. Built to Spill, Keep it Like A Secret
3. Gigolo Aunts, Minor Chords and Major Themes (Try to stop singing "Super
... Ultra ... Wicked" after hearing the song)
2. XTC, Apple Venus vol 1
1. Jason Falkner, Can You Still Feel?

Ken (Napoleon Dynamite)

All I want for Christmas is a Chocolate Jesus! My
number one Cd of the year...
Tom Waits - Mule Variations

Loki (Brian Boitano)

Taking advantage of the extension, I reevaluated my original list.
As a result, Everything But the Girl now go home empty-handed,
Cassandra Wilson emerges from the shadows, and an upstart band
named Travis appears courtesy of my Dublin spree...

The Top Tentwelve:

1. Eurythmics - Peace
2. Ron Sexsmith - Whereabouts
3. Billy Bragg - Reaching To The Converted
4. Cibo Matto - Stereo Type A
5. Various - Bleecker St.: Greenwich Village In The 60's
6. Luscious Jackson - Electric Honey
7. Cassandra Wilson - Traveling Miles
8. Travis - The Man Who
9. Original Cast - Hedwig And The Angry Inch
10. Various - Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
(tie) Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
(tie) Van Morrison - Back On Top

Hon. Mention:

Boy George - The Unrecoupable One Man Bandit
Everything But The Girl - Temperamental
Electronic - Twisted Tenderness
David Bowie - 'hours...'
Blondie - No Exit

Tom Ragatz

my top 9 of '99

tie for first:
Wilco - Summerteeth
Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway

and, in no order:
Jack Logan - Buzz Me In
Randy Newman - Bad Love
Tom Waits - Mule Variations
The Church - A Box of Birds
John Prine - In Spite of Ourselves
Richard Thompson - Mock Tudor
Joe Henry - Fuse

-honorable mention to the new cds by Freedy Johnston, Beck, and Paul
Westerberg
-caveat: haven't yet heard, but expect to like, the new cds by Gomez, the
Continental Drifters, and the Pet Shop Boys

and as long as I'm in list-making mode, my top 20 of the '90s, in no order:

Pulp - Different Class
The Church - Hologram of Baal
Radiohead - Ok Computer
Cracker- The Golden Age
Crowded House - Together Alone
Paul Kelly - Words and Music
Pet Shop Boys - Very
John Prine - Jesus, The Missing Years
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Wilco - Summerteeth
Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway
Grant McLennan- Horsebreaker Star
John Wesley Harding - Why We Fight
Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs
Morrissey - Vauxhall and I
Amy Rigby - Diary of a Mod Housewife
Shonen Knife - Let's Knife
Elliott Smith - XO
Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad
They Might Be Giants - Factory Showroom

Ron (Sardonico@aol.com)

...these were my favorite recordings of the past year that I actually bought:

1) Mike Ness - Cheating at Solitaire
2) Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway
3) Jason Falkner - Can You Still Feel?
4) Owsley - Owsley
5) Shades Apart - Eyewitness
6) Old 97's - Fight Songs
7) Squeeze - Domino
8) Showoff - Showoff
9) Me First & the Gimme Gimmes - Are a Drag
10) Damnations TX - Half Mad Moon

Scott Gibbs (sagibbs@uswest.net)

Summerteeth is an amazing record and my No. 1 album of the year and one of
my all-time faves. I've also got lots of Jeff Tweedy solo acoustic material
on CDR from his legendary Lounge Ax solo performances. The performances are
amazing and so is the sound quality. It's a shame that the Lounge Ax closed
for good this last Sunday. In fact, NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday did a
story on the closing of the LAX last Saturday.

Anyway, if anybody is interested in a CDR trade, email me off-list.

Steve Getchell

It took me a long time to just figure out what I bought that was released
this year...And I could only come up with 9

1 Randy Newman-Bad Love *A great disc, but would have been further down on
last years list.*
2. Ron Sexsmith-Whereabouts *This guy got skills, his 3rd release, and they
just get better.*
3. The Gentle Waves-The Green Fields Of Forever Land *From here on out, the
list gets thin and weak.*
4. Belle & Sebastian-Tigermilk (CD reissue)
5. Paul McCartney-Run Devil Run
6. Harry Chapin-Story of A Life (Box Set) *I don't like putting reissues and
sets like this on this list, but he's the greatest storyteller of all-time,
and this is a nice collection.*
7. John Prine-In Spite Of Ourselves *I love this guy, but the disc is only
fair, he was barely meant to sing by himself, he shouldn't be singing with
other people!*
8. Luke Bloom-Salty Heaven *Not bad, but not his best either...*
9. XTC-Apple & Venus
10. Tom Waits-Mule Variations *I like old Tom Waits, this goes back to the
roots a bit, but not enough for my liking.*

Peter (snackeyp@earthlink.net)

1. Gay Dad-Gay Dad
2. Manic Street Preachers-This Is My Truth...
3. Supergrass-Supergrass
4. Ron Sexsmith-Whereabouts
5. Tom Waits-Mule Variations

There's just a few. I'm sure I'm forgetting many, but my favorites
are out in my car and it's too damn early in the morning to go out
there and find them. More later?

Stephen Newbold

..................and here they are, in no particular order:

Wilco: Summerteeth
Beth Orton: Central Reservation
XTC: Apple Venus
REM: Up
Emmylou Harris: Western Wall
Richard Thompson: Mock Tudor
Return of the Grievous Angel - Gram Parsons tribute (EC, Pretenders, =
Emmylou, etc...)
Shack: HMS Fable
Joe Henry: Fuse
Tom Petty: Echo

still haven't heard this year's releases by Tom Waits, Ben Harper and =
Beck, so I can't comment on those

favorite concerts of the year all came in an april/june rush: EC/SN =
royal albert hall, REM earls court, Tom Petty shepherds bush empire & =
Bruce / E Street Band earls court

Steve Bachman

I don't have 10 to contribute, but my favorite discs of 1999 are:

1. Ron Sexsmith - Whereabouts
2. Beth Orton - Central Reservation
3. Van Morrison - Back On Top
4. Counting Crows - This Desert Life

Steve Horan (Slo)

I said this already but, to be official:

1. Mojo Nixon "!Sock Ray Blue!"

I didn't buy anything else.



While I'm at it:

Album of the 90's: MLAR

TV Show of the 90's: Seinfeld

Movie of the 90's: Pulp Fiction

Political Phenomenon of the 90's:
The Republicans self-destructing
in their weird, futile pursuit of Bill
Clinton.

World Cultural Phenomenon of
the 90's: The Internet.

US Cultural Phenomenon of the
90's: Our gun obsession in reel
and real life has reached a point
of no return.

Steven (The HOOVA Administration)

Beck - Midnite Vultures
Jo Strummer - Rock Art...
Tom Waits - Mule Variations
The GoBetweens - the lost album
Leftfield - (forgot name)
Underworld - Beaucoup Fish
Ron Sexsmith -Whereabouts
Missy Elliot's latest
Rage Against The Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles
Ibrahim Ferrar
Freddy Fresh - The last Great family man
xtc - apple venus

there are many more - but i'll stop here.
who said there has been no inspiring music in 99 !
just don't listen to "formatted" radio folks!

Suzan Snider

OK I have to get in on this, although it may be harder for me to actually
come up with TEN!
1.Mule Variations, Tom Waits
2.Midnight Vultures, Beck
3.Come On In, R.L. Burnside
4. Back To Bacharach, Casino Royal
5 Who Else, Jeff Beck ( just because of track 3)
6.Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic, The Artist (not his best, but I support all his
efforts)
7.
8.
9.
10. ????????
Oh I am so unthrilled with the music you kids listen to these days! I hope
to become more enlightened by all your lists....

tommy amoeba

to be perfectly honest . . .
i havent been following the list
as a good amoeba should
but if john fredland's heads-up is spot-on
i'm just in time to give my 1999 best of list:
(although theres still so much
from last year i havent heard
like fer instance xtc)

1 fountains of wayne - utopia parkway
2 wilco - summerteeth
3 beck - midnite vultures
(song of the year - debra!!!!)
4 royal trux - veterans of disorder
(best g-tar riff in years - witch's tit)
5 frampton brothers - file under f (for failure)
6 flaming lips - the soft bulletin
7 eminem - slim shady lp
8 built to spill - keep it like a secret
9 sloan - between the bridges
10 handsome boy modeling school - so ... hows your girl?

2 rap albums & no techno???
whutz this world coming to??

its been a better year for movies anyway...
1 being john malkovich
2 fight club
3 american beauty
4 three kings
5 lock stock & three smoking abrrels
6 election
7 dick
8 summer of sam
9 eyes wide shut (yeah i liked it a lot -
and being a kubrick fan probably elevated
my expectations & actually hurt its ranking
besides the orgy room & the digital overlay
has been my pop cultuire metaphor
of choice for the past 6 months
and thats gotta count for something)
10 go

i resolved to keep in touch
with the list for the new millenium
but that other no-hard-liquor resolution
already fell by the wayside
so i wouldnt hold my breath

Mr. Tommy Smarty-Pants

1) Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers -- None of my friends believe me
when I tell them that this is a really great record, but it is.
"Otherside" is the best single of the year, even if they refuse to release it.

2) Summerteeth, Wilco -- I like this more now than I did when it came out,
especially "She's a Jar" and "How to Fight Loneliness". One terrific pop
record.

3) Midnite Vultures, Beck -- I've only had it for two weeks. Otherwise, it
might be #1. Step inside my Hyundai.

4) Rage Against the Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles

Top 10 of the 90s -- Records

1) Nevermind, Nirvana
2) Trace, Son Volt
3) Odelay, Beck
4) The Bends/OK Computer, Radiohead
5) Achtung Baby, U2
6) Either/Or, Elliott Smith
7) This Perfect World, Freedy Johnston
8) Girlfriend, Matthew Sweet
9) Ritual de lo Habitual, Jane's Addiction
10) Mermaid Avenue, Billy Bragg & Wilco

Films

1) Pulp Fiction
2) Goodfellas
3) Out of Sight
4) Smoke
5) Silence of the Lambs
6) Groundhog Day/Something About Mary/Dumb & Dumber
7) Bound
8) Unforgiven
9) Heat
10) Rushmore
11) The Usual Suspects

Tony Gaskell

A quick look through the stuff I've bought this year reveals just one that
was released in 99, by Coloursound. So I suppose that means my vote is easy
to count. I leave it to you to decide on what this means about the music
being released just now.

I want the new stuff by James & Joe Strummer, but I've not got round to
buying them yet.

Wouter Pronk

I'll play too.

My top 10 1999

1. John Prine - In Spite Of Ourselves
2. Norma Waterson - The Very Thought Of You
3. Cheryl Wheeler - Sylvia Hotel
4. Johnny Cash/Willie Nelson - VH1 Storytellers
5. Erin McKeown - Monday Morning Cold
6. Rose Polenzani - Anybody
7. Lori McKenna - Paper Wings & Halo
8. Natalie Merchant - Live
9. Pamela Means - Cobblestone
10. The Clash - From Here To Eternity

Runners up:
Ron Sexsmith - Whereabouts
Tom Russell - The Man From God Knows Where

Cheers