Foo Fighters
Artist: Foo Fighters
Community Score: 6.90

Essentially a collection of solo home recordings by Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters' eponymous debut is a modest triumph. Driven by big pop melodies and distorted guitars, Foo Fighters do strongly recall Nirvana, only with a decidedly lighter approach. If Kurt Cobain's writing occasionally recalled John Lennon, Dave Grohl's songs are reminiscent of... Read More

30° Everywhere
Artist: The Promise Ring
Community Score: 6.00

These young Wisconsin boys certainly know how to write sharp, powerful, and beautiful songs. 30° Everywhere, the debut album from the Promise Ring, is still their best; it's basically straight-up pop/emo, very catchy, very intense, very powerful. Beautiful lyrics and melodies move from somber thoughts to moments that will make you smile in... Read More

Way Beyond Blue
Artist: Catatonia
Community Score: 8.00

Catatonia's major-label debut, Way Beyond Blue, is an infectious set of jangle pop, injected with the punkish attitude of indie rock. The guitars ring as if they were recorded in the late '80s, but it has a muscular backbone, and vocalist Cerys Matthews has a tough edge to her voice, which never makes the music sound weak. And a good majority of... Read More

Casanova - BONUS DISC
Artist: The Divine Comedy

Turning back to a slightly more straightforward rock/pop format turned out to be advantageous for Neil Hannon; Casanova turned into a smash hit in the U.K., while the singles "Something for the Weekend" (at once soaring, cheeky, leering, and truly weird, with lyrics detailing a guy led astray by his lover and attacked by her secret thug... Read More

Everything I Long For
Artist: Hayden
Community Score: 7.00

Solitary, rootsy post-punk of the best kind, delving into somewhat dark and twisted terrrain, but invested with a lot of passion and unflinching grit. The sparse and haunting arrangements put acoustic guitars at the forefront, but vary the pace with occasional searing licks, eerie solo piano, and harmony vocals. It's one of the relatively few... Read More

Gotta Get over Greta
Artist: The Nields

Acoustic folk music meets pop/punk/country in a strong and daring shoot out. Listen to the dominating rhythm section and the fuzzed guitar of the opening cut, "I Need a Doctor," you know you are listening to an acoustic band making a strong, rocking statement. They even have Kevin Moloney (Sinead O'Connor and U2) as producer. However, the... Read More

Example
Artist: For Squirrels

Example was For Squirrels' debut album, but also, due to the tragedy which killed two of the band members in 1996, it was the only album that featured their original lineup.

Musically, REM casts a huge shadow over Example, with its jangly guitars and glorious melodies. Indeed, John Vigliatura's singing sits comfortably somewhere... Read More

Intoxicated Man
Artist: Mick Harvey
Community Score: 8.00

Intoxicated Man is the first of Mick Harvey's tributes to French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Released at a time when the icon was largely unknown outside his home country, the album offers 16 English translations. Years spent in a supporting role with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds taught Harvey the importance of yielding to the song. Whether... Read More

311
Artist: 311
Community Score: 7.41

It is the seamless way the songs on the eponymously titled 311 combine the band's influences into a potent blend of rap, funk, and rock that renders this album a cut above those of their competitors. These riff-heavy and radio-ready songs are underscored by a tight drum sound (often with a piccolo snare), the scratching of turntables, and the... Read More

Presidents of the United States of America
Artist: Presidents of the United States of America
Community Score: 7.45
Frogstomp
Artist: Silverchair
Community Score: 7.38

Silverchair's debut album, Frogstomp, faithfully follows the alternative rock tradition of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, which means that the group of Australian teenagers winds up sounding not like their idols, but like Stone Temple Pilots and Bush. For their age, their instrumental capabilities are quite impressive, as the guitars and vocals growl... Read More

Running on Ice
Artist: Vertical Horizon
Community Score: 9.50

Fans of Vertical Horizon's breakthrough album Everything You Want may want to add Running on Ice to their collection. First released in 1995, their debut was distributed by Rhythmic Records (home of Jacopierce) for a reason. The album is a folk-based collection of songs with none that resemble the hard rock, electric guitar sounds that made them... Read More