Madeline Peyroux | Dreamland | Atlantic 82916 | Young French
bred American singer harkens back to jazz age |
Medicine Band | Dangerous Kingdom | Prime CD 023 | Tasteful
60s-influenced folk-rock |
Afro-Celt Sound System | Volume 1 Sound Magic | Realworld 2359 | African+Celtic+hip-hop plus musical creativity |
Rusted Root | Remember | Mercury 314534050 | Nice new effort by
young group that recall hippie days |
Counting Crows | Recovering the Satellites | DGC 41109 | Sophomore effort didn't sell as well as debut, but solid effort |
* Donovan | Sutras | American 43075 | Like he never left... Like sequel to Sunshine Superman |
Iris Dement | The Way I Should | Warner Bros. 41689 | Appealing
country folk |
various | Christine Lavin Presents Laugh tracks Vol 1 & 2 | Shanachie 8022, 8023 | 2 separate anthology CDs of humorous folk live |
Van Morrison et al | Tell Me Something | Verve 314533203 | Van
keeps busy, this time with more of his own songs |
various | True Life Blues, The Songs of Bil Monroe | Sugar Hill 2209 | Nice anthology of bluegrass luminaries feting genre's father |
The Civil Tones | Rotisserie Twist # | Pravda 6361 | More fun
twangy guitar instrumentals |
Marti Jones | My Long-Haired Life | Sugar Hill 5503 | Tuneful
studio effort by pop songstress |
Clarence Spady | Nature of the Beast + | Evidence 26080 | National debut release by Scranton blues great |
Gary Frenay | Jigsaw Puzzle + | Tangible 56807 | Fine melodic, jangly guitar pop |
* Dick's Hat Band | Got the Whole Town Talkin' | Vent 30004 | Outstanding big blues band with horns |
Exit 13 | Wind on My Back | FRC 0648 | All-female bluegrass
band with fine original material |
Wyatt Rice & Santa Cruz | Picture in a Tear | Rounder 0372 | Classy bluegrass & new Acoustic from Tony's brother |
Lucky Dube | Serious Reggae Business | Shanachie 45029 | Good
reggae from S. Africa |
Carl Perkins | Go Cat Go! | Dinosaur 640184508 | Rock & roll
pioneer in nice new set |
Aztec Two-Step | Highway Signs | Prime CD 025 | Another reprise
of 70s group's earlier material in good live set |
Michelle Shocked | Kind Hearted Woman | Private Music 100582145 | Some dark, brooding songs from folk-rocker |
Joe Cocker | Organic | 550 Music 67880 | Woodstock singer's
best in nearly 20 years -- great selection of material |
* Susan McKeown & Chanting House | Bones | Prime CD 027 | Great Celtic-rock mix, creative material |
Darden Smith | Deep Fantastic Blue | Plump 6905 | Nice new
collection from respected Austin songwriter |
Rob Spence | Rhythm of the Universe + | R.A.S. | British-born
regional singer-songwriter with melodic original songs |
Brother | Black Stone Tramp | Rhubarb RR 03 | Australian band
does Celtic-rock w/ didgeridioo |
Beatles | Anthology 3 | Apple 834451 | Lots of interesting
material, especially acoustic outtakes and demos |
Kathy Kallick | Call Me a Taxi | Sugar Hill 3856 | Fine
bluegrass singer-songwriter |
Paul DeLay Band | Ocean of Tears | Evidence 26079 | Worthwhile
electric blues |
T.J. Kirk | It Four Was One # | Warner Bros. 45885 | Creative,
eclectic jazz-rock instrumentals |
13th Floor | Circus Under the Sky | Very Independent 11312 | Melodic Beatles-influenced pop |
* Pierce Pettis | Making Light of It | Compass 74236 | The best yet from this fine singer-songwriter in anyone's book of folkies to watch |
Kula Shaker | K | Columbia | Paisley psychedelic revival
complete with sitars |
Rees Shad | Anderson, Ohio | Sweetfish 0720600012 | Good
articulate folk singer with narrative bent |
* Allen Toussaint | Connected | NYNO 9601 | New Orleans songwriter & producer legend returns with excellent set of R&B |
Barenaked Ladies | Rock Spectacle | Reprise 46393 | Live CD by
fun Canadian folk-erock group |
* Värttinä | Kokko | Nonesuch 79429 | Creative global sounds from Finland with Nordic influence |
Stewart Copeland | The Leopard Son # | Ark 21 | Mostly short,
interesting instrumentals of film music by Police drummer |
Amy Rigby | Diary of a Mod Housewife | Koch 7922 | Interesting,
fun alt. rock influenced singer-songwriter |
Junior Wells | Come On In This House | Telarc 83395 | All-star
gathering with blues harmonica legend |
David Wilcox | The Nightshift Watchman | Koch 7921 | Reissue of
this fine singer-songwriter's 1988 debut |
The Outsidemen | Band Overboard # | Terra Nova 9012 | Thoughly
creative jazz-rock trio |
* Steve James | Art and Grit | Discovery 74706 | Acoustic blues with sound that harkens to 1930s and 40s. |
Joni Mitchell | Hits | Reprise 46326 | Nice collection,
including first release of "Urge for Going" |
Joni Mitchell | Misses | Reprise 46358 | This was Joni's choice
of songs -- interesrting mix |
BoDeans | Blend | Slash/Reprise 46216 | Wisconsin roots-rock
duo returns with competent set |
Carl Verheyen | Slang Justice | Mighty Tiger 6004 | Rock guitar virtuoso in set ranging from blues to fusion |
Terry Robb | Stop This World | Burnside 9925 | Acoustic blues
from John Fahey cohort |
Jimmy Breaux | Le Chemin que t'as Pris | La Lousianne 1015 | Fine traditional-style Cajun from Beausoleil member |
Those Darn Accordions | No Strings Attached | Globe 017 | Fun
band mostly covering rock & roll classics with multi-accordions |
The Mighty Reapers | Trouble People | Terra Nova 9014 | First-rate Australian blues with horns |
Boys of the Lough | Midwinter Night's Dream | Blix Street 10033 | Good traditional & contemporary Celtic |
various | SKAndalous: I've Gotcha Covered | Shanachie | Fun
collection of often wacky ska covers of old tunes |
Africando | Gombo Salsa | Stearn's Africa 1071 | Fascinating,
enjoyable blend of S. American and African |
The Seldom Scene | Dream Scene | Sugar Hill 3858 | Great
bluegrass |
John Brown's Body | All Time | I-Town 001 | Good reggae from
Upstate New York |
Laurence Juber | Winter Guitar # | Solid Air 909 | Nice
acoustic guitar instrumentals |
The Bobs | Too Many Santas | Rouder 9060 | All-new, often wacky
acapella songs of seasons |
Nashville Mandolin Ensemble | Gifts # | Columbia | Nice
mandolin instrumentals of carols |
various | A Hometown Christmas II | regional independent benefit CD | Eclectic sampler of regional musicians |
various | Snow Angels | Compass | Mostly acoustic
singer-songwriters for the holidays |
Jimmy Buffett | Christmas Island | Margaritaville/MCA 11489 | Xmas with the Coral Reefers |
Pat Godwin | Reindeer Games | Ikon 364928159 | Another
collection of humorous songs for the holidays |
Best of 1996, Part 2: April-June
Best of 1996, Part 3: July-September
The 1996 Graham Awards
Index of Weekly Album Reviews