Fossils
Artist: Dinosaur Jr.
Community Score: 8.50

A brief, eight-song compilation of the group's SST singles, Fossils effectively sums up the power and vision of Dinosaur Jr.'s early work. Not only does it contain the two masterpieces from You're Living All Over Me and Bug -- "Little Fury Things" and "Freak Scene," respectively -- but it also gathers several excellent B-sides, including... Read More

Puzzle
Artist: Dada

Guitar riffs permeate dada's pleasing debut Puzzle, wedded to thick slices of an equally important influence -- 60s psychedelia. The L.A. trio offers plenty to keep the ears busy: the orchestral sadness of "Timothy," and insidious melody of "Dog, " strung-out ravings of "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, " and over-the-edge teen-angst of "Dizz Knee... Read More

Hit Parade 1
Artist: The Wedding Present

The Wedding Present have been unanimously despised by the British music press following a brief honeymoon period in the mid-'80s. When they announced their desire to issue a single a month for a whole year, one particularly caustic Melody Maker journalist pointed out that she now had two low spots in her monthly cycle to endure. It must also be... Read More

Gordon
Artist: Barenaked Ladies
Community Score: 7.42

Gordon picks up where the Barenaked Ladies' famous demo "The Yellow Tape" left off and moves them into majors. Their first for Reprise, this witty songbook finds the Canadian five-piece to be a clever group -- charming, but not childish, yet the Barenaked Ladies are pretty close to overstepping the boundaries of silliness. The thing that keeps... Read More

Ferment
Artist: Catherine Wheel
Community Score: 7.38

Centered around re-recorded versions of four songs from the band's two Wilde Club singles and the seven minute lovelorn "Black Metallic" - which was referred to as the "Like a Hurricane" of the ‘90s - the deeply rich Ferment firmly established Catherine Wheel amongst the shoegaze contingent of the early ‘90s. The band would proceed to denounce... Read More

Copper Blue
Artist: Sugar
Community Score: 7.00

How ironic that after years fronting the hugely influential but desperately overlooked Hüsker Dü, Bob Mould's first project with new band Sugar, 1992's Copper Blue, would become the most commercially successful project of his career. Of course, it was released just as the seeds sown by his former band were bearing bountiful fruits in the... Read More

Little Magnets Versus the Bubble of Babble
Artist: Transvision Vamp

One 1991 release that certainly didn't deserve to be neglected was Transvision Vamp's \Little Magnets Vs. The Bubble of Babble, an eccentric and quirky effort drawing on both early-'80s new wave and '60s rock. Though the group sometimes inspires comparisons to outfits like the Divinyls and Siousxie & the Banshees, this obscure band has a sound... Read More

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
Artist: The Sundays
Community Score: 9.20

The Sundays' debut album builds on the layered, ringing guitar hooks and unconventional pop melodies of the Smiths, adding more ethereal vocals and a stronger backbeat. As evidenced by the lilting, melancholy single "Here's Where the Story Ends," it's a winning combination, making Reading, Writing and Arithmetic a thoroughly engaging debut. ~... Read More

Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Community Score: 8.19

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' best album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik benefits immensely from Rick Rubin's production -- John Frusciante's guitar is less overpoweringly noisy, leaving room for differing textures and clearer lines, while the band overall is more focused and less indulgent, even if some of the grooves drag on too long. Lyrically, Anthony... Read More

Smell the Magic
Artist: L7
Community Score: 7.50

On 1991's Smell the Magic, L7 begins to find the sense of melody to complement its distorted punk guitar assault. The band deserves ultimate praise for writing from a completely female perspective at all times, and the fabulous "Fast and Frightening" just might be the ultimate "riot grrrl" anthem. "Shove" pleads the case for mosh pit etiquette,... Read More

The Way to Salvation
Artist: King Missile

King Missile's initial stab at the world of major labeldom was fair if not great -- lacking absolute standout numbers like Mystical Shit's genius "Jesus Was Way Cool" and "Gary & Melissa," The Way to Salvation is enjoyable enough but lacks a final killer touch. Having Lou Giordano on production instead of Kramer is also a bit disconcerting --... Read More

Gold Mother
Artist: James
Community Score: 7.50

James completely revamped their lineup for Gold Mother, adding a violinist, a keyboardist, and a trumpeter to the band and attempting to write grand, ambitious arena-rock that recalled U2 and the Waterboys. Although a few of the tracks captured the sprawling, epic splendor that James wished to achieve, they have difficulty writing convincing... Read More

Go Go Harlem Baby
Artist: Flat Duo Jets

This band's deliciously dirty and rough brand of rockabilly is unrivaled, and this disc is perhaps their finest. Whether they are running a chainsaw through "Froggie Went A-Courtin'" or crooning a baleful "You Belong to Me," the result is pure joy. ~ Tim Sheridan, All Music Guide Read More

Reluctantly We
Artist: Ellen James Society
Un-Led-Ed
Artist: Dread Zeppelin

Despite singer Tortelvis' reputed propensity for gas, there is no denying that, initially, Dread Zeppelin was a breath of fresh air in a stale music scene which oftentimes took itself way too seriously. Anyone jaded enough to think they had seen it all in rock & roll was forced to think again when faced with the band's improbable reggae... Read More

Smoke 'em If You Got 'em
Artist: Reverend Horton Heat

Given how the psychobilly/punk/greaser/whatever underground just seemed to grow and grow throughout the '90s, there's every reason in the world to choose this album as one of the things that sparked it off. Little doubt as to why, too, re-recorded on two-track after a more technically complex version was deemed to lack that certain something,... Read More