Blake Babies, "Rosy Jack World EP," Mammoth. The final release from Blake Babies was the fantastic Rosy Jack World EP. The songs have an interesting, almost distant feel that gives this record more of an indie and less straightforward sound than "Sunburn." While there's only five tunes, fans should seek this one out. It features a great cover of the Grass Roots' "Temptation Eyes," and the original version of Juliana's "Nirvana," that was re-made for the "Hey Babe" album.
Natalie Cole, "Unforgettable," Elektra. It may look out of place on this list, but I heard it a million times during the Summer of 1991 when I worked in a record/video store. Natalie does a great job re-interpreting her father's songs. More artists should put this much feeling into cover songs. Well worth seeking out if you're a fan of this style or jazz standards.
Lenny Kravitz, "Mama Said," Virgin. Lenny is a frustrating artist for me to listen to. At times brilliant and at times a derivative bullshit artist. That said, "Mama Said" is his most consistent and least annoying album. There are times here when I am forced to hit the track advance button, as he trys to hard to sound like some else (the title track for instance.) However, "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" is excellent, "Fields Of Joy" has a neat psychedelic feel and he actually sounds pretty damn convincing on the beautiful "All I Ever Wanted." For me, this is as good as Lenny gets. And believe me it got pretty bad as the 90s wore on (ie: "Circus").
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Into The Great Wide Open," MCA. One of my favorite Petty albums, although it seems to be roundly dismissed by many. Perhaps the addition of Jeff Lynne's production (being a hard-core ELO fan) does it for me in some way. Most of all, these are some of Petty's most pop-oriented songs. "Kings Highway," "The Dark of The Sun" and "Learning To Fly" contain some of his catchiest hooks. The band rocks on tunes such as "Makin' Some Noise" and "Out In The Cold." The album also features one of the best sensitive closing numbers that Petty is known for, "Built to Last." To me, this is the last Heartbreakers album before Petty really changed his sound, dropped Stan Lynch from the drum stool and frankly started to become rather bland. While the still have their moments, this is the last really solid Heartbreakers album in my collection.
PM Dawn, "Of The Heart, And Of The Cross: The Utopian Experience," Gee Street. PM Dawn is the only rap group I can truly say I'm a fan of. Unlike most artists in this genre, PM Dawn concentrates on the music as much as the message. Melody is an essential element in my favorite music and these are rap songs that you can actually hum after listening to them. While many blatant samples annoy me (read Puff Daddy), the use of Spandau Ballet's "True" in "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" is enjoyable. This is just the start of what they would perfect on their next two albums: romantic and spiritual rap set to great music.
The Smithereens, "Blow Up," Capitol. - More of the same from the Smithereens, which infuriates some, but generally pleases me. "Now and Then" has such a great hook, "Top of the Pops" is a standard Smithereens rocker and "Too Much Passion" shows their sensitive side. Recommended for fans but prone to criticism from the ambivalent.
Matthew Sweet, "Girlfriend," Zoo, BMG. The impact of this album on my musical tastes and creativity cannot be overstated. "Girlfriend" was one of those songs I heard on the radio once and then waited desperately to hear again because I had to know who sang it. At the end of the over-produced 1980s, this album was like a breath of fresh air. Tuneful, yet rocking pop music with stripped-down arrangements and great lyrics. Like other great pop artists before him (The Beatles), Sweet mixes blissful rock numbers (the title track, "Divine Intervention" and "Evangeline,") tuneful mid-tempo songs ("Looking At The Sun" and "I Wanted To Tell You") and soft acoustic ballads ("Winona" and "You Don't Love Me") with ease. While his influences are firmly rooted in the past, Sweet manages to add original flair to his songwriting and the performances (with the help of spastic lead guitarists Richard Lloyd and Robert Quine.) As a power pop fan, "Girlfriend" has the same impact on me that Nirvana's "Nevermind" seemed to have on everyone else. It was empowering and liberating, proving that great pop music was still alive in the new decade. If I was forced to pick my top album of the decade, this would be it.
Velvet Crush, "In The Presence of Greatness," Ringer's Lactate. This was actually the second Velvet Crush album I heard after becoming introduced to the band through their brilliant second album, "Teenage Symphonies to God." Matthew Sweet produced "In The Presence of Greatness," which features a less refined and charmingly raw sound compared to the band's later releases. There are several great tunes here that spiced up their lives shows well into the 90s, including "Window to the World," "Drive Me Down," "Ash and Earth" and "Speedway Baby." It's been out of print for some time and may be hard to find, but it's worth the look.