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Mandy's Music: Coming of Age in the '90s
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Moon Safari - by Air
1998. French duo Air's debut album is a superlatively happy collection of experimental disco-mood sound nestled between ambient soundscape and breathy pop.
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Tidal / by Fiona Apple
1996. With exotic beats and luscious pop textures Fiona Apple's debut album demonstrates great talent. At 18 years old, she shows great sophistication while playing the piano.
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Live / by Erykah Badu
1997. Contains soulful, gritty versions of cuts from Badus debut album, Baduizm, a few covers, and the spectacular new single, Tyrone.
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Remedy / by Basement Jaxx
1999. Utilizing infectious, accessible song structures and incorporating a sense of musical history, the album showcases sounds from '70s-derived rock to late-'80s club.
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Big Bad Voodoo Daddy / by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
1998. For their major-label debut, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy didn't change their tune at all; they stayed with big-band swing, and performed it with energy and tongue-in-cheek style lyrics.
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Post / by Bjork
1995. Bjork shows even more creativity with Post. The sounds are more eclectic than before with songs ranging from the show-tune style of It's Oh So Quiet, to the menacing Army of Me. This Dual Disc edition has several videos including It's Oh So Quiet.
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Burdens of Being Upright / by Tracy Bonham
1996. Classically trained violinist Tracy Bonham emerged from Boston with this first major-label release. The album yielded a significant radio hit with the seething message "Mother Mother," which leads off the album. Bonham and bandmates tear through tracks like "Navy Bean" and "Bulldog" with energetic punk abandon. Bonham's lyrics are intelligent and her voice is powerful,
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Dirty Boogie / by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
1998. Evidently, Brian Setzer doesn't take the jump blues and swing of the Brian Setzer Orchestra as a joke. Dirty Boogie is his third album with his large band, and instead of sounding tired, the record is the group's best effort yet. Setzer rocks the band hard, tearing through blues and rock & roll covers with vigor, and delivering made-to-order originals that are surprisingly well crafted and memorable.
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Fashion Nugget / by Cake
1996. Keeping up with college students may be hard for some, but not for Cake. They make good quality music with no hassle. The platinum group makes hits like The distance and I Will Survive.
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Zoot Suit Riot / by Cherry Poppin' Daddies
1997. Includes the best of the swing tracks from the Cherry Poppin' Daddies first three albums: Zoot Suit Riot; When I Change Your Mind; Here Comes the Snake; Pink Elephant; and many more.
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Viva! La Woman / by Cibo Matto
1996. A superb ten track 1996 debut album from the Japanese duo Cibo Matto. Their alternative dance, indie rock and trip-hop music blend nicely together and produce great tunes like Beef Jerky and Birthday Cake.
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This Desert Life - by Counting Crows
1999. Two years in the making, This Desert Life is the kind of collection that will please the Counting Crows faithful and leave doubters unconverted. Adam Duritz's recognizably emotive vocals and the group's classic-rock stylings remain in the fore as the Crows stick near the nest with their third studio outing.
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No Need to Argue / by The Cranberries
1994. It was a tough act to beat when Irish group the Cranberries released the follow-up to their debut disc Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We, an interesting and intimate album highlighted by the memorable hit "Linger." Critics chided that Everybody was timid in nature both musically and lyrically, but No Need to Argue quickly changed all that. The 1994-released effort was decidedly more confrontational, instantly evident by the lyrics, inspired by the Irish conflict, in their hit "Zombie." Since anger is more difficult to embrace than love, many fans were initially disappointed with the tougher stuff, but those who stayed discovered a much more emotionally layered effort.
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Before These Crowded Streets / by Dave Matthews Band
1998. Two years after the smash hit album Crash, the Dave Matthews Band returns with Before These Crowded Streets. The album captures the band's onstage freestyle jam sound with tracks like Don't Drink the Water; Stay (Wasting Time); and more.
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Dewdrops in the Garden / by Deee-Lite
1994. Dee-Lite used infectious club and rock music to create a very enjoyable and original album that utilizes their instrumental and vocal talents.
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Living in Clip / by Ani Difranco
1997. This is Ani Difranco's first live album, cramming several years worth of live performances into these two CDs. This collection of songs serves as an excellent best-of compilation for an artist who is sometimes a bit too prolific for her own good.
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You've Come a Long Way, Baby / by Fatboy Slim
1998. Fatboy Slim brings big beat music to the mainstream with his second album. You've Come a Long Way, Baby combines hip-hop, reggae, pop and more with thunderous beats. The CD includes the hits Praise You and The Rockafeller Skank.
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Version 2.0 / by Garbage
1998. Version 2.0 is the perfect title for Garbage's second coming album. They follow their debut albums sound with Shirley Manson's seductive strength, strong pop sensibility, and a production that falls halfway between alternative rock and techno.
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Goldfinger / by Goldfinger
1996. The year 1996 was a breakthrough year for a new sound: the fusion of ska and punk. The album is an emotional roller coaster, from the self-affirming "Bedroom" to the confusion of "Mind's Eye" to the oh-well-I-give-up humor of "My Girlfriend's Shower Sucks". And there's plenty of anger and aggression left over for songs like "Answers."
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Live Through This / by Hole
1994. Courtney Love completely revamped Hole before recording their second album, keeping only Eric Erlandson in the lineup. The album has a set of gripping hooks and melodies that retain their power through carefully considered dynamics.
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Velvet Rope / by Janet Jackson
1997. Control, Rhythm Nation, and janet. may have been bigger albums with more hits, but The Velvet Rope represents Janet Jackson at her creative peak. Released 20 years ago, it remains her most personal and powerful work.
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Return of the Space Cowboy / by Jamiroquai
1994. For their second album, Jamiroquai delivered another funky mix of rock, jazz, and soul. Their fan base also began to grow as tracks like Light Years became club favorites across the globe.
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Throwing Copper / by Live
1994. The modern rock classic features a string of successful hits that are as prominent today as they were in 1994, including I Alone, Selling The Drama, All Over You, and the song that put Live on the map, Lightning Crashes.
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Ray of Light / by Madonna
1998. Madonna teams up with acclaimed dance producer William Orbit for her most personal album yet. Along with the title track, the album features the hits Frozen; The Power of Goodbye; Nothing Really Matters; and more.
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Mezzanine / by Massive Attack
1998. After a three year gap Massive Attack releases one of their biggest albums to date thanks to tracks like the hit single Teardrop.
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Fumbling Towards Ecstasy / by Sarah McLachlan
1994. Stretching her lyrical wings and experimenting a bit more instrumentally, the radiance of her work has solidified here. Includes the tracks Possession; Ice Cream; and Hold On.
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Play / by Moby
1999. Moby creates one of his most successful albums to date, filled with gospel and blues samples, big beats, and melancholy melodies. Includes the hits South Side; Bodyrock; Natural Blues; and more.
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Jagged Little Pill / by Alanis Morissette
1995. Winning the '96 Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, Jagged Little Pill features the chart-topping and Grammy-nominated hits You Oughta Know; Ironic; and Hand in My Pocket.
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The Downward Spiral / by Nine Inch Nails
The Downward Spiral positioned Trent Reznor as industrial's own Phil Spector, painting detailed, layered soundscapes from a wide tonal palette. Not only did he fully integrated the crashing metal guitars of Broken, but several newfound elements -- expanded song structures, odd time signatures, shifting arrangements filled with novel sounds, tremendous textural variety -- can be traced to the influence of progressive rock. So can the painstaking attention devoted to pacing and contrast -- The Downward Spiral is full of striking sonic juxtapositions and sudden about-faces in tone, which make for a fascinating listen.
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Tragic Kingdom / by No Doubt
1995. Mixing '90s punk, third-wave rock, and pop sensibility, it accentuates their appeal of mixing new wave and post-grunge rock.
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Vitalogy / by Pearl Jam
1994. Dark and intense, Pearl Jam's third album includes the Grammy-winning song Spin The Black Circle and the hit Better Man.
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Hello / by Poe
1995. Blending technology with organic rock, this debut by the well-traveled singer/songwriter Poe is a striking record that manages to groove and feed the head with well-written observations.
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Portishead / by Portishead
1997. Portishead was an innovator in the alternative rock genre as they really helped develop trip-hop music. Their self-titled second album continues their success in that genre and features 11 tracks of uniquely blended rock, trip-hop, and electronica.
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Fat of the Land / by Prodigy
1997. With intense beats and kinetic music that defies every genre from rock to techno, Prodigy achieved global super stardom with Fat of the Land. The CD includes the singles Breathe and Firestarter.
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Evil Empire / by Rage Against the Machine
1996. After a four-year hiatus, the group returned with their same attitude. Using the militant style of Chuck D, they expressed their dislike for the American economic system. This album includes the song Tire Me, which won a Grammy Award for Best Performance.
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Thanks For The Ether / by Rasputina
1996. Rasputina's debut is a rare accomplishment. The Columbia release has a depth and playful creepiness just barely reminiscent of Kate Bush and the Beatles, but the record really has no sonic predecessor. Rasputina paint a completely new gothic landscape on this debut, and fans of the genre or anything dark and artful simply must own it.
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The Best of Sade / by Sade
1994. Like a fine wine, Sade's music gets better with age. Her best-of album is one of a kind. It includes Smooth Operator and The Sweetest Taboo.
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Spice / by Spice Girls
1996. Co-writing every song on the album, the Spice Girls' debut album includes the debut single and smash hit Wannabe.
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Sublime / by Sublime
1996. The band comes up with great songs, particularly the catchy track What I Got. Dub-reggae undertones go with the snappy horns and astoundingly progressive lyrics that attack sexism and other social issues.
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Crazysexycool / by TLC
1994. On their second album, TLC matured into a very modern, deep Southern soul. The album's centerpiece is the magnificent Waterfalls.
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Dulcinea / by Toad the Wet Sprocket
1994. Toad the Wet Sprocket followed the success of the album Fear on this, their fourth album. It features a bit more edge and a touch of folk. The CD also includes the hits Something's Always Wrong; and Fall Down.
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Rubberneck / by Toadies
1994. The debut album from the grunge-rock band, Toadies. Features a total of 11 tracks and includes the intriguing single, Possum Kingdom.
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Beaucoup Fish / by Underworld
1999. The fifth album by Underworld, released in 1999 was their most successful album release. It spawned several successful singles, including Push Upstairs; Jumbo; and Moaner.
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Eight Arms to Hold You / by Veruca Salt
1997. Throughout, the dual-tracked siren calls of Kim Gordon and Louise Post ensnare just long enough for the group's rock-amplified guitars-bass-drums to smash you stupid.
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Weezer (Blue Album) / by Weezer
1994. The self-titled album Weezer is straightforward and to the point. At ten short, punchy tracks, virtually every one is driven by an impressive chorus or a simple but effective lyric.
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