Pavement's style is lazy and loose and with a tinge of Nirvana, Sebadoh, and the Flaming Lips. But in more ways than one, Pavement surpasses them all. They define honesty, attitude, and even heartbreak in a satisfying unpretentious sound. Pavement's "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" is as fresh today as it was in 1994 when it first came out. It was a masterpiece then, and now with unreleased songs and awesome liner notes, the reissue is an alternative classic must-have album for anyone who was in high school when "Nevermind" came out.

Love is one of those albums that still sounds fresh almost twenty years after released. It's also one of the Cult's best albums, and this reissue from Beggars Banquet is a huge improvement from the first edition CD. Liner notes now have lyrics, new images, and the original cover. But the packaging aside, this is simply the most creative and darkest Cult album. Songs like "Nirvana," "Love" and "Phoenix" are the best hard edged rock songs out there, but they still have emotion while being a little sinister at the same time. It's a satisfying and timeless combination.

Joy Division is a band that exudes frustration, pain, and sadness in a provoking combination. The band can be excruciatingly depressing, and "Unknown Pleasures" fulfills the expectation here, but the album is also one of the most interesting post-punk records of all time. It starts with "Disorder," a beat-driven, tight-drummed lick that is almost danceable. Then the album transcends into an introspective melancholy that can be difficult to listen to. It's wrenching and doesn't leave you feeling happy. But it soon changes. There are moments that remind you how original and talented this band is. "Shadowplay," "She's Lost Control," and "Wilderness" strike a nice balance of merging moods and controlled emotion.

Then you must get this Elvis record. "Elvis 56" is a compilation of Elvis's recordings from 1956, and it is a masterpiece of pure rock and feeling. Forget about the two versions of "Hearbreak Hotel," which are remarkable in their rawness and candor. Other songs carry the weight even if those songs were removed from the album. "Don't Be Cruel," "My Baby Left Me," and "Too Much" leave one feeling disposed, torn, and wounded. Hearing Elvis's voice gives one a sense of pain and heartbreak, and we've all been there at one time or another. This is what rock 'n' roll is about folks—honesty, roughness, and saying what you feel.

I had high expectations for this album. When I first heard "Walking With Thee," Clinic's second album, I was almost awestruck with its creativity and originality. Now with "Winchester Cathedral," the sound is the same with the horns and piano, with a little Radiohead-like electronics thrown in, and that's a good thing. It is an interesting sound that is original and distinct in today's crowded alternative scene. The album is far better than other alt bands releasing albums and getting air play today. Stand out tracks are "The Majestic #2" and "The Magician." "Anne" is a slow one but honest, and with those excellent and distinct vocals from Ade Blackburn. "WDYYB" is more rockin' and gritty than the others, and it's another high point of the album.