Under the Table and Dreaming
Artist: Dave Matthews Band
Community Score: 8.39

On their major-label debut, Under the Table and Dreaming, the Dave Matthews Band is helped by the lean production of Steve Lillywhite, who manages to rein in the group's tendency to meander. The result is a set of eclectic pop/rock that is accentuated by bursts of instrumental virtuosity instead of being ruled by it. That also means that the... Read More

P.S.: A Toad Retrospective
Artist: Toad the Wet Sprocket
Community Score: 6.80

Toad the Wet Sprocket was among the best and most popular of the adult alternative pop/rockers of the early '90s. They harnessed R.E.M.'s jangle pop, smoothed it out, and turned it into something pretty, melodic, and accessible to a wide audience. Toad the Wet Sprocket never was as idiosyncratic or edgy as R.E.M., so they could reach a totally... Read More

The Trinity Church Sessions
Artist: Sheryl Crow

Numerous Sheryl Crow bootlegs came out in 1990s, many of which boasted excellent sound quality. The thing that set The Trinity Church Sessions apart from other Crow bootlegs is the fact that Crow isn't joined by a full band. Recorded live at the Trinity Church in Canada in January 1999, this CD finds the singer/songwriter having very little... Read More

Spirit - AUSTRALIA BONUS CD
Artist: Jewel
The Globe Sessions - AUSTRALIA BONUS CD
Artist: Sheryl Crow

Since her dense, varied, post-modernist eponymous second album proved that Sheryl Crow was no one-album wonder, she wasn't left with as much to prove the third time around as she was the second, especially since she found her voice with her sophomore effort. Having created an original variation on roots-rock with Sheryl Crow, she was left with... Read More

Whereabouts
Artist: Ron Sexsmith
Community Score: 8.90

Ron Sexsmith's third album continues the singer/songwriter's talent -- and perhaps his need -- for revealing his delicate and contemplative reflections on life and himself. On Whereabouts, Sexsmith sounds vulnerable yet a bit more worldly than on his previous two albums, and his clear, plaintive vocals sound best on the most introspective tracks... Read More

Mile High Live
Artist: The Freddy Jones Band

After four studio albums, it seems logical for the Freddy Jones Band to finally come with a live release that draws upon those previous outings. The band also has developed quite a rep as a live unit around their native Chicago area and this disc goes a long way toward capturing some of that live excitement. A Mile High Live draws selections... Read More

Live at Luther College
Artist: Dave Matthews
Community Score: 9.17

After the bootleg industry was revolutionized by CDs in the late '80s, it seemed that every contemporary recording artist had at least one bootleg on the market. It wasn't that studio outtakes were suddenly available -- it was that it was easier than ever to record, press, and distribute live concerts. Rock bands who jammed, whether they were... Read More

Angels & Electricity
Artist: Eddi Reader
Community Score: 10.00

In these health-conscious times, it's tempting to distrust the sweet and pretty. But not everything that tastes good is bad for you. Bear that in mind as you listen to Eddi Reader's latest solo album, on which she teams up with fellow British pop-folkie Boo Hewerdine (who plays guitar, produces and wrote half the songs) to deliver a luscious... Read More

White Ladder
Artist: David Gray
Community Score: 7.92

David Gray's fan base is strong and active. They have seen him through his years with Virgin Records, during which time he was applauded for his talent, emotive voice, and songwriting skills yet never quite broke through to a mainstream audience. White Ladder showcases Gray like never before; it's an album of such depth and quality that one... Read More