Singles
Artist: The Smiths
Community Score: 7.86

The Best of the Smiths collections didn't work because they didn't have a sense of history and distorted the underlying sense of urgency that helped make the Smiths important. Singles simply collects all of the singles from one of the greatest singles bands since the Beatles. It's essential and influential guitar pop, presented in a way that... Read More

The Best of Dramarama: 18 Big Ones
Artist: Dramarama

Despite all of their good reviews, Dramarama was never able to break into the mainstream. Nevertheless, they left behind a number of terrific rock & roll albums, which found a dedicated cult following. For anyone interested in joining that cult, Best of Dramarama: 18 Big Ones provides an excellent primer, featuring 16 of the group's best songs... Read More

Greatest Hits
Artist: Robyn Hitchcock
Community Score: 10.00

Disappointingly, the 1980s failed to recognize the genius of Robyn Hitchcock. As a member of the Soft Boys until they broke up in 1981, Hitchcock went on to write some extremely witty, off-the-wall, and peculiarly clever music. With a sound reminiscent of Lloyd Cole and even Elvis Costello at times, Hitchcock's jangly Brit-pop is made up of... Read More

Limbo
Artist: Throwing Muses
Community Score: 7.60

On the one hand, KRISTIN HERSH and mates are guilty of running in place: It's difficult to distinguish between the production and style of this LP with 1995's University. Indeed, one of Limbo's strongest efforts, "Ruthie's Knocking," sounds like a re-write of "Shimmer." Moreover, nothing grabs as much as the spine-tingling "Bright Yellow Gun"... Read More

Shoe Box EP
Artist: Barenaked Ladies

Do they have the worst band name since Haircut One Hundred? Yes. Are they one of the finest pop groups in the world? Almost certainly. Their debut album was a tuneful, slapstick adolescent romp and their second was a remarkably mature folk-rock outing filled with as many irresistible hooks as a good Beach Boys album. This four-song EP previews a... Read More

Lemon Parade
Artist: Tonic
Community Score: 7.67

"Open up your eyes, don't let your mind tell the story now," reverberates the chorus of Tonic's feverish radio hit single. For this group, it meant bringing a message of openheartedness and vitality to its listening fan base. Certainly, Tonic's sounds can be linked to many of the heavy-hitting alternative rock groups during their heyday in the... Read More

Wax Ecstatic
Artist: Sponge
Community Score: 6.33

With their second album, Sponge returned to the '70s hard rock roots they had only hinted at on their alterna-metal debut, Rotting Pinata. Before Rotting Pinata, the group had slogged it out on the Detroit hard rock circuit under a variety of names, honing their chops and developing their skills. They managed to have a moderate hit with Rotting... Read More

Happy Nowhere
Artist: Dog's Eye View
Community Score: 8.00
The Devil May Care
Artist: The Psyclone Rangers

Though The Psyclone Rangers' debut was a one-pop-culture-reference-per-second explosion of 1960s garage rock funneled through the '70s and '80s, the follow-up The Devil May Care follows a more direct line to the ears. The band instead offers lyrics centered more upon feeling than culture. Again, the music is post-punk garage band raucousness as... 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