Prins Obi "New World Boi" 2023***

The first time I got a CD by Prins Obi I didn't know what to expect; I used to be well informed over the Greek alternative rock scene, but since I left the country 15 years ago it's been hard to keep up. My impression at the time was of a band creatively recycling elements from rock's glory days of the 60's and early 70's. Nothing wrong about that; only downside was that they sounded like a studio band, whereas I prefer bands who pay their dues honing their craft in front of live audiences. This time I (thought I) knew what to expect, but I was mistaken: from the first few seconds, it's evident that Prins Obi's gone funky: opener "New World Boi" reminds me of those 70's Stevie Wonder albums where the artist played all instruments including primitive synthesizers. Indeed, New World Boi doesn't feature The Dream Warriors from the previous album; in fact it's a solo project by Prins Obi a.k.a. Georgios Dimakis, a more varied and ambitious one. Second track "The Slumber Machine" is also funky, but more contemporary, featuring rapping and electronic beats. It's followed by the first Greek language track "UFO από Άλλο Πλανήτη" (UFO from another planet): this has a rather 80's disco-style production and an earworm of a chorus. The day after I received this CD, I played it on the car stereo on the way to the beach with my girlfriend and our two nieces. The girls didn't seem to notice the other songs, but sang along to this one, then asked for continuous repeats - it's now our official anthem of Summer 2024! After three quite upbeat songs, we get a melancholic piano ballad called "Sister Can't Help Falling Down". Along with "Yawning Caves of Blue" and "Oh Vera", they constitute a trio of sympathetic Bowie (or is it Suede?)- indebted glam ballads. "Deep Sleep" incoherently incorporates chants, tribal beats and Jamiroquai-like funk, while "Resurrection" seems to take its cue from Tricky, and "Alice (Don't You Call Me Back Home)" from Beck. So many different styles, and it's not over yet: there's still a successful stab at dub reggae ("Ninja Assassin") and spoken word ("Αυτοψυχανάλυση"(auto-psychoanalysis)). The former also offers some sound voting advice: voting for the anarchists, communists, or ecologists is OK, but we should never vote for the scumbags; if only more people heeded your advice, dear prince... 

**** for UFO από Άλλο Πλανήτη, Yawning Caves of Blue

*** for New World Boi, The Slumber Machine, Sister Can't Help Falling Down, Resurrection, Alice (Don't You Call Me Back Home), Ninja Assassin, Oh Vera

** for Deep Sleep, Αυτοψυχανάλυση

Various "Pure... Psychedelic Rock" 1966-1976 (rec) 2010 (comp)****

These Pure... comps are a cheap series pairing well-known hits with semi-random songs from Sony Music's back catalogue. And while this isn't a promising premise, it gives the novice a lot of music at a bargain price, and hopefully introduces them to some lesser known but interesting artists. So far I've only bought two box sets from this series; in both cases I already had 70-80% of the songs in other comps or the original albums, but I thought they'd be nice to listen to in the car - yes I have a palaeolithic car with a CD player, the very next model after the Flintstones'. This one really impressed me with its tracklist: at first glance, it's a hodge podge collection. I mean I like Pavlov's Dog and Blue Öyster Cult as much as the next guy, probably more in fact, but they don't fit with the rest of the bands here, either stylistically or chronologically. Then, you have pop hits that do come from the "psychedelic" era but can hardly be considered psychedelic: e.g. "American Woman", "Summer in the City", "The Letter" etc. But you know what? Who cares whether they justify the title of this CD? These tunes are classics for a reason, and are always fun to listen and sing along to while driving. Bob Dylan was probably the only major artist who didn't succumb to the psychedelic craze, but no 60's retrospective is complete without him, so this collection starts off with his "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" which belongs here by virtue of that memorable line "everybody must get stoned". The Beatles and Rolling Stones are just as essential, but it seems the compilers couldn't get permission to include them, so instead we get some nice covers of their songs: a heavily orchestrated version of "Ruby Tuesday" by Melanie and a Hendrix-influenced "Day Tripper" by Randy California (of Spirit, two of whose best songs are also included here). The San Francisco psychedelic scene is represented by the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape, and Big Brother and The Holding Company (with Janis Joplin on vocals). The Grateful Dead may be absent, but there's a track by their affiliates, New Riders Of The Purple Sage. Also present, of course, is the unofficial anthem of the Summer Of Love "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)", sung by Scott McKenzie and written - which was news to me, until now- by "papa" John Philips. The two Byrds tracks included ("8 Miles High" and "Mind Gardens") are the most conceptually appropriate for this comp, while other famous artists here are Santana, Fleetwood Mac, and Van Morrison - the latter is represented by an early version of "Madame George" i.e. not the familiar one from the Astral Weeks LP. There's also a healthy dose of soul (Sly Stone, Shuggie Otis, 5th Dimension, Redbone, Chambers Brothers etc), as well as garage rock dynamites like "Kicks", "Teenage Head" and "Race With The Devil". But my favourite thing about this compilation is not the big names, but the "padding": genuinely underground artists like Captain Beefheart, Skip Spence (the American Syd Barrett?), electronic music pioneers The United States Of America, or English prog-folkers Trees. The compilers dig further to unearth hidden gems, like Lou Reed's "Wild Child". On hearing it, I though it was a great lost Velvet Underground song, but is turns out it's a cut from his first solo LP, which I own but hadn't heard in a while. Sagittarius were a "sunshine pop" band by LA producers Gary Usher (Beach Boys, Byrds) and Curt Boettcher (Millenium, Association). Yet, the sitar-heavy track included here is dark, melodic, and positively psychedelic. There are a couple more great acid folk pieces by L.A.'s Stone Country and Brewer & Shipley, none of whom I had heard of previously. Also a live recording by Grace Slick's pre-Airplane band, The Great Society; recorded at San Fransisco's Matrix club in 1966, it's jazzier than Jefferson Airplane, with a lot of flute. We even get a fantastic single B-side by those English expats operating in Italy, The Rokes - that's some deep digging, man. Furthermore, it was good to listen to the original versions of "Groupie (Superstar)" (it was a hit for The Carpenters, but the first version I heard was by Sonic Youth, in the 90's) and "Different Drum" (best known by Linda Ronstandt and The Stone Poneys). There's a version of "Hush" by a band called Love Affair that's contemporary to Deep Purple's - the organist would give Jon Lord a run for his money. Lastly, there's some jazz rock/experimental music by Miles Davis, Robert Wyatt, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra etc. That may be too challenging for those who bought the box set for the hits, and the compilers indirectly acknowledge that by bundling most of them towards the end of Disc 3. As I said before, this may not be the most uniform collection, but there's no denying the quality of the music within; there's something here for the novice as well as for the connoisseur, so it's 4* from me.

***** for Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob Dylan), Get Together (The Youngbloods), Summer In The City (The Lovin' Spoonful), Eight Miles High (The Byrds), White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane), Sure 'Nuff 'n' Yes I Do (Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band), Teenage Head (The Flamin' Groovies), Journey To The Center Of The Mind (The Amboy Dukes), (Don't Fear) The Reaper (Blue Öyster Cult),  I Want To Take You Higher (Sly & The Family Stone), Fresh Garbage (Spirit), Race With The Devil (The Gun), Time Has Come Today (single version) (The Chambers Brothers), Julia (Pavlov's Dog), Ball And Chain (Big Brother & The Holding Company), American Woman (The Guess Who), Kicks (Paul Revere & The Raiders), Coming Down (The United States Of America), I Got A Line On You (Spirit), Albatross (Fleetwood Mac), Strawberry Letter 23 (Shuggie Otis), Spinning Wheel (Blood, Sweat And Tears)

**** for San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) (Scott McKenzie), Wild Child (Lou Reed), Indian Reservation (Paul Revere & The Raiders), Green Tambourine (The Lemon Pipers), Groupie (Superstar) (Delaney & Bonnie And Friends), Different Drum (Michael Nesmith), Soul Sacrifice (Santana), In The Year 2525 (Zager & Evans), Omaha (Moby Grape), Day Tripper (Randy California), Stoned Soul Picnic (Laura Nyro), Hold Your Head Up (Argent), War In Peace (Alexander 'Skip' Spence), Hoboin' (Tim Hardin), Frankenstein (The Edgar Winter Group), Red Chair Fade Away (The Cyrkle), Theme From An Imaginary Western (Mountain), When The Wind Arises (The Rokes), Road (Trees), Garden Of Eden (New Riders Of The Purple Sage), Sittin' In Circles (The Electric Flag), Mind Gardens (The Byrds), Abba Zaba (Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band), Meeting Of The Spirits (Mahavishnu Orchestra), The Letter (Box Tops), Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo (Johnny Winter), Say You Don't Mind (Colin Blunstone), Hush (The Love Affair), Love Psalm (Stone Country), So You Say You Lost Your Baby (Gene Clark), 8:05 (Moby Grape), The Witch Queen Of New Orleans (Redbone), Up Up And Away (The Fifth Dimension), Simon Says (1910 Fruitgum Company), Witchi-Tai-To (Brewer & Shipley), Daydream Nightmare (Grace Slick & The Great Society), Glass (Sagittarius)

*** for Ruby Tuesday (Melanie), It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (Al Kooper & Stephen Stills), Sweet Blindness, (The Fifth Dimension), Madame George (Van Morrison), John McLaughlin (Miles Davis), Two Heads (Jefferson Airplane), Las Vegas Tango Part 1 Repeat (Robert Wyatt), Singing Winds Crying Beasts (Santana), Waterfall (Weather Report), Lay Down (Candles In The Rain) (Melanie)

UNCUT: The 500 Greatest Albums of The 1990's ...ranked!

As you probably already know, I love those Best-of editions: they give you a chance to see how many classic albums you own, or have at least heard, and ideas on how to proceed with your record collecting. There's of course the coffee table effect; always nice to leaf through, looking at the pictures of album covers. On the other hand, one always gets annoyed when their favorite artists are ignored in favor of others, less deserving; but at least that provides fodder for conversations. I was looking forward to UNCUT's special of the 500 Greatest Albums of The 1990's, as this decade corresponds to my own twenties: I have a lived-in relationship with most of these albums: I remember when each of them appeared in the record shops; at the time I would visit Athens' record stores two or three times per week, if not to buy CDs then to check out the new arrivals, special offers, and chat over music with record store clerks. I can also remember reading about them in music magazines, and which ones were on heavy rotation on the radio, MTV, and DJs' playlists at the rock bars. So which of the albums released in my youth have achieved classic status according to the "experts?" More or less, the expected ones, especially if you switch numbers 1 with 9. Of course the list leans heavily on the British side (80% of the Top 10), but that's always the case with the British music press. A very self-important island, Britain, but with good reason when it comes to its contribution to pop and rock music: just take a look at this list; it makes me want to get those CDs out (I have -exactly!- 200 of these albums, mostly on CD) and start DJing. Ah, the memories! Of partying, of studying with the music on, of the summer music festivals... Which reminds me that I recently saw Pulp live, for the first time since the 90's. Amazing concert, it made me more than a little nostalgic. Anyhow, this is the list, below. If you want, you can cross check it with Q magazine's list from a few years ago; Q covers more electro and hip hop artists, but there's otherwise a lot of overlapping. 

1. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless - 1991

2. Radiohead - OK Computer - 1997

3. Massive Attack - Blue Lines - 1991

4. R.E.M. - Automatic For The People - 1992

5. Portishead - Dummy - 1994

6. Pulp - Different Class - 1995

7. Suede - Dog Man Star - 1994

8. Primal Scream - Screamadelica - 1991

9. Nirvana - Nevermind - 1991

10. Radiohead - The Bends - 1995

11. Spritualized - Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space - 1997

12. Tricky - Maxinquaye - 1995

13. Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque - 1991

14. Talk Talk - Laughingstock - 1991

15. Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas - 1990

16. Jeff Buckley - Grace - 1994

17. Elastica - Elastica - 1995

18. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - 1995

19. Slint - Spiderland - 1991

20. Blur - Parklife - 1994

21. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted - 1992

22. Air - Moon Safari - 1998

23. Suede - Suede - 1993

24. Pj Harvey - Rid Of Me - 1993

25. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road - 1998

26. Ride - Nowhere - 1990

27. Johnny Cash - American Recordings - 1994

28. Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball - 1995

29. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love - 1995

30. Oasis - (What’s The Story) Morning Glory - 1995

31. Pet Shop Boys - Behaviour - 1990

32. Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - 1992

33. Bob Dylan - Time Out Of Mind - 1997

34. Neil Young And Crazy Horse - Ragged Glory - 1990

35. Nirvana - In Utero - 1993

36. Depeche Mode - Violator - 1990

37. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin - 1999

38. Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One - 1987

39. Blur - Modern Life Is Rubbish - 1993

40. Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible - 1994

41. The La’s - The La’s - 1990

42. Mazzy Star - She Hangs Brightly - 1990

43. Massive Attack - Mezzanine - 1998

44. Pixies - Bossanova - 1990

45. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang - 1993

46. Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha - 1991

47. Oasis - Definitely Maybe - 1994

48. Beck - Odelay - 1996

49. Scott Walker - Tilt - 1995

50. Julian Cope - Peggy Suicide - 1991

51. Super Furry Animals - Radiator - 1997

52. The Breeders - Last Splash - 1993

53. Mercury Rev - Deserter’s Songs - 1998

54. Happy Mondays - Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches - 1990

55. Blur - 13 - 1999

56. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet - 1990

57. Pulp - His ‘N’ Hers - 1994

58. The Lemonheads - It’s A Shame About Ray - 1992

59. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory - 1991

60. Bark Psychosis - Hex - 1994

61. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - The Boatman's Call - 1997

62. Neutral Milk Hotel - In An Aeroplane Over The Sea - 1998

63. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly - 1997

64. Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists - 1992

65. Saint Etienne - So Tough - 1993

66. Underworld - Dubnobasswithmyheadman - 1994

67. Pulp - This Is Hardcore - 1998

68. Sonic Youth - Washing Machine - 1995

69. Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See - 1993

70. Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die - 1996

71. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - 1994

72. Jellyfish - Bellybutton - 1990

73. Boards Of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children - 1998

74. Bjork - Homogenic - 1997

75. Sugar - Copper Blue - 1992

76. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead - 1991

77. Elliott Smith - Xo - 1998

78. Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup - 1996

79. One Dove - Morning Dove White - 1993

80. U2 - Achtung Baby - 1991

81. Stereolab - Transient Random noise Bursts With Announcements - 1993

82. Smog - Knock Knock - 1999

83. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Let Love In - 1994

84. Teenage Fanclub - Grand Prix - 1995

85. Broadcast - Work And Non Work - 1997

86. Jim O’rourke - Eureka - 1999

87. The Oliva Tremor Control - Music From Unrealized Film : Dusk At Cubist Castle - 1996

88. Prefab Sprout - Jordan: The Comeback - 1990

89. Gza - Liquid Swords - 1995

90. Tindersticks - Tindersticks - 1993

91. Sonic Youth - Dirty - 1992

92. Gillian Welch - Revival - 1996

93. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill - 1988

94. Suede - Coming Up - 1996

95. Elliott Smith - Either/Or - 1997

96. Mark Hollis - Mark Hollis - 1998

97. The Cure - Wish - 1992

98. Blur - Blur - 1997

99. Cardiacs - Sing To God - 1996

100. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville - 1993

101. Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20, 1992 - 1992

102. Massive Attack - Protection - 1994

103. Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go - 1996

104. Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club - 1997

105. Pet Shop Boys - Very - 1993

106. Pavement - Wowee Zowee - 1995

107. Stina Nordenstam - And She Closed Her Eyes - 1994

108. Spritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies - 1992

109. Underworld - Second Toughest In The Infants - 1996

110. Maxwell - Embrya - 1998

111. Super Furry Animals - Guerrilla - 1999

112. David Bowie - Outside - 1995

113. Shack - Waterpistol - 1995

114. The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony & Music Companion - 1992

115. D’Angelo - Brown Sugar - 1995

116. The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole - 1997

117. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head - 1992

118. Wilco - Summerteeth - 1999

119. Stereolab - Dots And Loops - 1997

120. Fugazi - In On The Kill Taker - 1993

121. Mercury Rev - See You On The Other Side - 1995

122. Low - I Could Live In Hope - 1994

123. Julian Cope - Jehovahkill - 1992

124. The Beta Band - The Three Ep’s - 1998

125. Built To Spill - Perfect From Now On - 1997

126. Belle And Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister - 1997

127. The Stone Roses - The Second Coming - 1994

128. Silver Jews - American Water - 1998

129. Bjork - Debut - 1993

130. Daft Punk - Homework - 1997

131. Slowdive - Pygmalion - 1995

132. Electronic - Electronic - 1991

133. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing - 1996

134. The Sundays - Reading, Writing And Arithmetic - 1990

135. The Auteurs - New Wave - 1993

136. Eminem - The Slip Shady Lp - 1999

137. Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7th Time - 1997

138. This Mortal Coil - Blood - 1991

139. Tortoise - Tnt - 1998

140. Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci - Barafundle - 1997

141. Tom Waits - Bone Machine - 1992

142. Leftfield - Leftism - 1995

143. The Divine Comedy - Promenade - 1994

144. The Charlatans - The Charlatans - 1995

145. Lush - Split - 1994

146. Sonny Sharrock - Ask The Ages - 1991

147. Ride - Going Blank Again - 1992

148. Richard Thompson - Mock Tudor - 1999

149. Bob Dylan - World Gone Wrong - 1993

150. Sinead O’connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got - 1990

151. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy - I See Darkness - 1999

152. Leonard Cohen - The Future - 1992

153. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay - 1994

154. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs - 1999

155. Madonna - Ray Of Light - 1998

156. Tom Petty - Wildflowers - 1994

157. Sparklehorse - Good Morning Spider - 1998

158. Gillian Welch - Hell Among The Yearlings - 1998

159. Supergrass - I Should Coco - 1995

160. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York - 1994

161. Catherine Wheel - Adam And Eve - 1997

162. American Music Club - Everclear - 1991

163. Neil Young - Harvest Moon - 1992

164. The Jesus And Mary Chain - Honey’s Dead - 1992

165. The Pastels - Illumination - 1997

166. The Spice Girls - Spice - 1996

167. Henryk Gorecki - Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs - 1992

168. John Prine - The Missing Years - 1991

169. Kate Bush - The Red Shoes - 1993

170. The Handsome Family - Through The Trees - 1998

171. Global Communications – 76:14 - 1994

172. Prince - Diamonds And Pearls - 1991

173. Jane’s Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual - 1990

174. The Hypnotics - Soul, Glitter - 1991

175. Silver Jews - The Natural Bridge - 1996

176. Old 97’S - Too Far To Care - 1997

177. Outkast - Aquemini - 1998

178. Movietone - Day And Night - 1997

179. Supergrass - In It For The Money - 1997

180. Uncle Tupelo - No Depression - 1990

181. Garth Brooks - No Fences - 1990

182. Urge Overkill - Saturation - 1993

183. It’s Immaterial - Song - 1990

184. Palace Music - Viva Last Blues - 1995

185. Evil Superstars - Boogie Children R-Us - 1998

186. Manu Chao - Clandestino - 1998

187. The Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic - 1995

188. The Fall - Extricate - 1990

189. The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall - 1992

190. Aphex Twin - … I Care Because I Do - 1995

191. The Fatima Mansions - Lost In The Former West - 1994

192. New Order - Republic - 1993

193. The Wedding Present - Seamonsters - 1991

194. Lush - Spooky - 1992

195. Galaxie 500 - This Is Our Music - 1990

196. John Cale - Walking On Locusts - 1996

197. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime - 1994

198. Erykah Badu - Baduizm - 1997

199. Morrissey - Bona Drag - 1990

200. Fun Lovin’ Criminals - Come Find Yourself - 1996

201. Fushitsusha - Fushitsusha - 1991

202. Shelby Lyne - I Am Shelby Lynne - 1999

203. XTC- Nonsuch - 1992

204. Talvin Singh - OK - 1998

205. Peter Perrett In The One - Woke Up Sticky - 1996

206. The KLF - Chill Out - 1990

207. Stereolab - Cobra And Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night - 1999

208. PJ Harvey - Dry - 1992

209. East River Pipe - The Gasoline - 1999

210. Robbie Fulks - Let’s Kill Saturday Night - 1998

211. Seefeel - Quique - 1993

212. Fugazi - Red Medicine - 1995

213. Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Return Visit To The Rock Mass - 1996

214. Morphine - Cure For The Pain - 1993

215. East Village - Drop Out - 1993

216. Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes - 1992

217. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness - 1995

218. Plush - More Becomes You - 1998

219. Belle And Sebastian - Tigermilk - 1996

220. Goldie - Timeless - 1995

221. Weezer - Weezer (Blue) - 1994

222. Denim - Back In Denim - 1992

223. Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin - 1999

224. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication - 1999

225. Cesaria Evora - Cesaria - 1995

226. Aztec Camera - Stray - 1990

227. Morrissey - Vauxhall And I - 1994

228. Neil Young And Crazy Horse - Weld - 1991

229. Van Morrison - Days Like These - 1995

230. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream - 1993

231. Spratleys Japs - Pony - 1999

232. Paul Westerberg - Suicaine Gratification - 1999

233. Ice Cube - The Predator - 1992

234. Regular Fries - Accept The Signal - 1999

235. Iggy Pop - American Caesar - 1993

236. Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell Ii: Back Into Hell - 1993

237. Slowdive - Just For A Day - 1991

238. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders - 1993

239. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Mustt Mustt - 1990

240. Kendra Smith - The Guild Of Temporal Adventures - 1992

241. Prefab Sprout - Andromeda Heights - 1997

242. Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out - 1997

243. Super Furry Animals - Fuzzy Logic - 1996

244. The Stairs - Mexican R ‘N’ B - 1992

245. Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble - Officicum - 1994

246. Aphex Twin - Richard D James Album - 1996

247. Robert Wyatt - Shleep - 1997

248. Silver Sun - Silver Sun - 1997

249. Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac - 1997

250. Dr Dre - The Chronic - 1992

251. Fiona Apple - When The Pawn… - 1999

252. Paul Weller - Wild Wood - 1993

253. Morrissey - Your Arsenal - 1992

254. The Orb - The Orb’s Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld - 1991

255. Kyuss - Blues For The Red Sun - 1992

256. The Magnetic Fields - Get Lost - 1995

257. Sonic Youth - Goo - 1990

258. Kristin Hersh - Hips And Makers - 1994

259. Autechre - LP5 - 1995

260. Youssou N’Dour - The Guide - 1994

261. Idaho - Year After Year - 1993

262. The Delgados - Peloton - 1998

263. Leslie Winer - :Witch - 1999

264. Iris Dement - Infamous Angel - 1992

265. Ruben Gonzalez - Introducing - 1997

266. Taku Sugimoto - Opposite - 1998

267. Helium - The Dirt Of Luck - 1995

268. The Jayhawks - Tomorrow The Green Grass - 1995

269. Neil Young - Unplugged - 1993

270. Frank Black - Frank Black - 1992

271. Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen - 1993

272. The Auteurs - Now I’m A Cowboy - 1994

273. Fugazi - Repeater - 1990

274. Jonathan Fire*Eater - Tremble Under Boom Lights - 1996

275. The Magnetic Fields - The Wayward - 1992

276. Elvis Costello - Brutal Youth - 1994

277. Screaming Trees - Dust - 1996

278. Old 97’S - Fight Songs - 1999

279. Shack - Hms Fable - 1999

280. Orbital - Orbital (Brown Album) - 1993

281. Charlie Rich - Pictures And Paintings - 1992

282. Weezer - Pinkerton - 1996

283. Smog - Red Apple Falls - 1997

284. Lou Reed And John Cale - Songs For Drella - 1990

285. Willie Nelson - Teatro - 1998

286. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral - 1994

287. Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West - 1997

288. The KLF - The White Room - 1991

289. The Verve - Urban Hymns - 1997

290. Fatboy Slim - You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby - 1998

291. Cath Carroll - England Made Me - 1991

292. The Sabres Of Paradise - Haunted Dancehall - 1994

293. Ghostface Killah - Ironman - 1996

294. Jackson Browne - Looking East - 1996

295. Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain - 1997

296. Michael Head And The Strands - The Magical World Of The Strands - 1997

297. Turbonegro - Apocalypse Dudes - 1998

298. The Divine Comedy - Casanova - 1996

299. Bob Dylan - Good As I Been To You - 1992

300. The Jesus Lizard - Liar - 1992

301. Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart - Take Me To God - 1994

302. The Sea And The Cake - The Sea And The Cake - 1994

303. Scritti Politti - Anomie And Bonhomie - 1999

304. Steve Earle - El Corazon - 1997

305. Hole - Live Through This - 1994

306. Wheat - Medeiros - 1997

307. George Michael - Older - 1996

308. Yo La Tengo - Painful - 1993

309. Elvis Costello - Painted From Memory - 1998

310. The Wedding Present - Saturnalia - 1996

311. Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost Of Tom Joad - 1995

312. Grandaddy - Under The Western Freeway - 1997

313. Deee-Lite - World Clique - 1990

314. Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of… - 1992

315. Various Artists - Artificial Intelligence - 1992

316. Dixie Chicks - Fly - 1999

317. The Jesus And Mary Chain - Munki - 1998

318. Roni Size & Reprazent - New Forms - 1997

319. The Nectarine No9 - Saint Jack - 1995

320. Boredoms - Super Ae - 1998

321. Fugees - The Score - 1996

322. Pram - The Stars Are So Big, The Earth Is So Small… - 1993

323. Oumou Sangare - Worotan - 1996

324. Earl Brutus - Your Majesty..We Are Here - 1996

325. Jim O’rourke - Bad Timing - 1997

326. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand - 1994

327. The Fall - Code:Selfish - 1992

328. Stereo Mc’s - Connected - 1992

329. Eagles - Hell Freezes Over - 1994

330. R.E.M. - New Adventures In Hi-Fi - 1996

331. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt - 1996

332. Ultra Vivid Scene - Revival - 1992

333. Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun - 1999

334. Mercury Rev - Yerself Is Steam - 1991

335. Five Thirty - Bed - 1991

336. Afghan Whigs - Black Love - 1996

337. The Future Dound Of London - Dead Cities - 1996

338. Kd Lang - Ingenue - 1992

339. Levitation - Need For Not - 1992

340. Joni Mitchell - Night Ride Home - 1991

341. The White Stripes - The White Stripes - 1999

342. Paul Giovanni And Magnet - The Wicker Man - 1998

343. Pearl Jam - Vitalogy - 1994

344. The Cure - Wild Mood Swings - 1996

345. The Rolling Stones - Bridges To Babylon - 1997

346. Edith Frost - Calling Over Time - 1997

347. The Lemonheads - Come On Feel The Lemonheads - 1993

348. Denim - Denim On Ice - 1996

349. The Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust - 1995

350. Wilco And Billy Bragg - Mermaid Avenue - 1998

351. Willard Grant Conspiracy - Mojave - 1999

352. Beck - Mutations - 1998

353. The Sandals - Rite To Silence - 1994

354. Willie Nelson - Spirit - 1996

355. Tori Amos - Under The Pink - 1994

356. Aimee Mann - Whatever - 1993

357. Keiji Haino - Affection - 1992

358. Autechre - Incunabula - 1993

359. Brian Eno - Neroli - 1993

360. Pere Ubu - Ray Gun Suitcase - 1995

361. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die - 1994

362. Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume Ii - 1994

363. Everything But The Girl - Walking Wounded - 1996

364. Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne - 1993

365. LFO - Frequencies - 1991

366. Robert Forster - I Had A New York Girlfriend - 1994

367. Black Grape - It’s Great When You’re Straight - 1995

368. Loren Mazzacane Connors - Moonyean - 1994

369. Gene - Olympian - 1995

370. Simply Red - Stars - 1991

371. Quasi - Featuring ‘Birds’ - 1998

372. Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky - 1992

373. Verve - A Storm In Heaven - 1993

374. Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes - 1995

375. Paul Weller - Heavy Soul - 1997

376. Bonnie Raitt - Longing In Their Hearts - 1994

377. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.. - 1995

378. The Hair + Skin Trading Co - Over Valence - 1993

379. World Of Twist - Quality Street - 1991

380. Barry Adamson - Soul Murder - 1992

381. Stereolab - Switched On - 1992

382. Sun City Girls - Torch Of The Mystics - 1990

383. Pixies - Trompe Le Monde - 1991

384. Lambchop - What Another Man Spills - 1998

385. David Byrne - David Byrne - 1994

386. David Bowie - Earthling - 1997

387. Codeine - Frigid Stars Lp - 1990

388. Pulp - Intro: The Gift Recordings - 1993

389. Sleep - Jerusalem - 1998

390. Gavin Bryars - Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet - 1993

391. Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Nigga Please - 1999

392. Joni Mitchell - Turbulent Indigo - 1994

393. To Rococo Rot - Veiculo - 1997

394. The Verve - A Northern Soul - 1995

395. Wilco - Being There - 1996

396. Acetone - Cindy - 1993

397. Voice Crack - Earflash - 1990

398. Pram - North Pole Radio Station - 1998

399. Global Communications - Pentamerous Metamorphosis - 1993

400. Prolapse - Pointless Walks To Dismal Places - 1994

401. Robbie Fulks - South Mouth - 1997

402. Polygon Window - Surfing On Sine Waves - 1993

403. The American Anolog Set - The Golden Band - 1999

404. Primal Scream - Vanishing Point - 1997

405. Mary J Blige - What’s The 411? - 1992

406. 4hero - Two Pages - 1998

407. Current 93 - All The Pretty Little Horses - 1996

408. Bitch Magnet - Ben Hur - 1990

409. Sebadoh - Bubble And Scrape - 1993

410. Matthew Shipp Trio - Circular Temple - 1992

411. Philip Glass - Low Symphony: Music Of David Bowie & Brian Eno - 1993

412. The Dead C - Harsh 70s Reality - 1992

413. Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret - 1999

414. Los Super Seven - Los Super Seven - 1998

415. Stereolab - Mars Audiac Quintet - 1994

416. Palace Brothers - There Is No-One What Will Take Care Of You - 1993

417. Matt Deighton - Villager - 1995

418. Ben Folds Five - Whatever & Ever Amen - 1997

419. The Lilac Time - Astronauts - 1991

420. Dirty Three - Dirty Three - 1995

421. The Wildhearts - Earth Vs The Wildhearts - 1993

422. Lo-Fidelity Allstars - How To Operate With A Blown Mind - 1998

423. Vic Chesnutt - Is The Actor Happy? - 1995

424. The Pernice Brothers - Overcome By Happiness - 1998

425. Van Morrison - The Healing Game - 1997

426. Son Volt - Trace - 1995

427. Dark Star - Twenty Twenty Sound - 1999

428. That Petrol Emotion - Chemicrazy - 1990

429. Ian Hunter - Dirty Laundry - 1995

430. Lloyd Cole - Don’t Get Weird On Me Baby - 1991

431. Willard Grant Conspiracy - Flying Low - 1998

432. The High Llamas - Hawaii - 1996

433. Various Artists - New Electronica: Chronological Harmonisations Vol.1 - 1993

434. The Necks - Next - 1990

435. Natalie Merchant - Ophelia - 1998

436. Portishead - Portishead - 1997

437. Suede - Sci-Fi Lullabies - 1997

438. Various Artists - Songs For The Jet Set - 1997

439. The Fatima Mansions - Valhalla Avenue - 1992

440. The 6ths - Wasps’ Nest - 1995

441. Baader Meinhof - Baader Meinhof - 1996

442. Guy Clark - Boats To Build - 1992

443. Robert Forster - Danger In The Past - 1990

444. Dr Octagon - Dr Octagonecologyst - 1996

445. The Necks - Hanging Gardens - 1999

446. Warren Zevon - Mtr Bad Example - 1991

447. Toumani Diabate And Ballake Sissoko - New Ancient Strings - 1999

448. ROC - ROC - 1995

449. Kraftwerk - The Mix - 1991

450. Tindersticks - Tindersticks - 1995

451. Ian Brown - Unfinished Monkey Business - 1998

452. Kate And Anna McGarringle - Matapedia - 1996

453. Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island - 1996

454. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Orange - 1994

455. Kitchens Of Distinction - Strange Free World - 1991

456. Stereo MC’s - Supernatural - 1990

457. Television - Television - 1992

458. The Charlatans - Tellin’ Stories - 1997

459. David Bowie - The Buddha Of Suburbia - 1993

460. Wagon Christ - Throbbing Pouch - 1995

461. Orbital - In Sides - 1996

462. Loop - A Gilded Eternity - 1990

463. Johnny Cash - American II: Unchained - 1996

464. Shellac - At Action Park - 1994

465. Black Star Liner - Bengali Bantam Youth Experience! - 1999

466. The High Llamas - Cold And Bouncy - 1998

467. The Magnetic Fields - Distant Plastic Trees - 1991

468. They Might Be Giants - Flood - 1990

469. The Posies - Frosting On The Beater - 1993

470. Faithless - Reverence - 1996

471. Lewis Taylor - Lewis Laylor - 1996

472. The Blue Nile - Peace At Last - 1996

473. Maxwell - Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite - 1996

474. Earth - Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version - 1993

475. Cassandra Wilson - Blue Light ‘Till Dawn - 1993

476. Disco Inferno - D.I. Go Pop - 1994

477. Godspeed You! Black Empror - F#A# - 1997

478. Steve Earle - I Feel Alright - 1996

479. The Breeders - Pod - 1999

480. Shudder To Think - Pony Express Record - 1994

481. Epic Soundtracks - Rise Above - 1992

482. Dreadzone - Second Light - 1995

483. The Fall - The Infotainment Scan - 1993

484. Ja Rule - Venni Vetti Vecci - 1999

485. Robert Forster - Warm Nights - 1996

486. Catatonia - Way Beyond Blue - 1996

487. Randy Newman - Bad Love - 1999

488. A Guy Called Gerald - Black Street Technology - 1995

489. The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa - Free-D (Ost) - 1993

490. Momus - Hippopotamomus - 1991

491. Lucinda Williams - Sweet Old World - 1992

492. Herbie Hancock - The New Standard - 1996

493. Mark Lanegan - Whisky For The Holy Ghost - 1994

494. U2 - Zooropa - 1993

495. Come - Don’t Ask Don’t Tell - 1994

496. Guy Chadwick - Lazy, Soft & Slow - 1998

497. Belly - Star - 1993

498. Etienne De Crecy - Super Discount - 1996

499. Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - The Continuum - 1997

500. Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band - The Mountain - 1999