Spiders
Artist: Space
Community Score: 7.44

Quirky and often highly clever, Space had one of the most appealing alternative rock releases of 1996 in Spiders -- which grossed some listeners out with a cover depicting tarantulas. This eccentric, risk-taking band (not to be confused with the late-'70s disco group Space) doesn't take itself too seriously, and brings an enjoyably twisted sense... Read More

Holiday Man
Artist: The Flys
Community Score: 7.00

Produced by Masters of Reality member (and champion of retro sounds) Chris Goss, the Flys' debut, Holiday Man, succeeds on inspired performances and their willingness to experiment with the standard alt-rock songwriting formula. The band is successful at creating mind-altering soundscapes ("Groove Is Where You Find It") as well as dark,... Read More

Cocoon Crash
Artist: K's Choice
Community Score: 9.17

On Cocoon Crash, their followup to their breakthrough second album Paradise in Me, K's Choice is determined to showcase their musical diversity. As a result, the album is a bit scattershot, since it runs the gamut from jangling folk-rock to roaring post-grunge. It's all tied together by Sarah Bettens' vocals, but she's more of a chameleon than a... Read More

The Chinese Album
Artist: Spacehog
Community Score: 5.00

"In the Meantime" was a huge hit, and Resident Alien went gold, but Spacehog's debut earned them no critical respect. At any other time, the group's glitzy revival of Bowie, Roxy and Mott the Hoople would have earned kudos, but it arrived at the height of Brit-pop, when other, more celebrated (and, frankly, better) bands were dominating the... Read More

Heaven
Artist: Jai
Community Score: 10.00

Jai's debut album, Heaven, is a stylish amalgam of jazzy sophisti-pop, Motown, swinging '60s rock, trip-hop and contemporary soul. While the songwriting in Heaven is uneven, Jai's voice is consistently thrilling, soaring to new soulful heights. That voice -- along with songs that show how powerful his updated blue-eyed soul can be, like "I... Read More

The Best of the Call
Artist: The Call
Community Score: 10.00

The Best of the Call compiles all of the hits and best-known songs from the group's career, adding a couple of solo tracks from their leader, Michael Been, as well as two new tracks by the band, which feature contributions from Bruce Cockburn and Jim Keltner. It's a near-definitive collection, and for the casual fan, it contains all the Call... Read More

Lipslide
Artist: Sarah Cracknell

Recorded as St. Etienne was on an extended hiatus, Sarah Cracknell's solo debut Lipslide is a breezy, endearing record that wears its lightweight aspirations proudly. Divided equally between Euro-dance and British Invasion pop, Lipslide is a triumph of style over substance, but its surfaces are so appealing that the uneven songwriting doesn't... Read More

Farmer
Artist: Farmer

On their self-titled debut, Farmer offer up folk-accented heartland rock not dissimilar from Hootie & the Blowfish, although frontman Marshall Altman lacks the vocal resonance of Hootie's Darius Rucker; anthemic and heartfelt, cuts like "Sadie" and "Make Some Time" resurrect the spirit of 1970s AM radio. ~ Mark Donkers, All Music Guide Read More

The Best of 1980-1990
Artist: U2
Community Score: 8.29

As one of the most popular bands of the '80s, U2 didn't quite fit into any particular category. They were a post-punk band that quickly found acceptance from a hard rock audience, a group that made fully formed albums but often made their best statements on individual songs, especially during the '80s. Consequently, they're a very hard band to... Read More