This double album is widely regarded as their breakthrough achievement, and with good reason. The band rips right from the beginning with the single "Teenage Riot," and the rollicking good time rarely lets up after that. Moreover, the LP is remarkably coherent; they even manage to pull off a 14-minute three song medley which could have been ridiculously pretentious but ends up flowing well, ending the album on a high note with the killer hyped-up "eliminator jr," the band's one-up tribute to ZZ Top. Go out right now and buy this - almost every track is brilliant. The only possible throw-away is "Providence," a silly piano and tape-loop song often compared to the Beatles' "Number Nine." Anyway it's pretty funny the first time you hear it. The band at their pre-DGC peak. (JLM)

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By the time Sonic Youth released "Daydrem Nation" in 1989, a huge shadow of expectancy had moved over them. Their two previous efforts - "Sister" and "EVOL" - had set particulary high standards and another big one was expected. How little did people know what they had up their sleeves. "Daydream Nation" was a spawling concept without a concept album, the sound of a band totally in tune with each other. Calmly strummed guitars, Kim Gordon whispering and a quiet rhythmic kick off "Teenage Riot", until it explodes into a revelry of all that was great about American indie music at the time. "Silver Rocket" kicks itself around a punk playground before losing control and ending up in fuzz of feedback. Kim spits anger and lethargy over "The Sprawl" before "Eric's Trip" slips in and out of your head in a staggering psychedlic manner, "Total Trash" calls to mind the new wave of late Seventies New York, sounding like the Ramones on downers. "Hey Joni" is a druggy love song being constantly stabbed by Steve Shelly's drums. A taped phone conversation with Mike Watt is played over static noises and a delicate piano lullaby on "Providence" resulting in one of Sonic Youth's best moments, incredibly simple and incredibly exquiste. "Kissability" is a cascading whirl of noises and words tumbling out of control, falling down and down and being pushed back up by some unseen force. Things finish off with "Trilogy" three pieces of power pop from the darkside of the American dream. "Daydream Nation" was a landmark in the American guitar scene that was not reached again until "Nevermind" was released. After it, Sonic Youth signed to a major label and their career stuttered with only occasional moments of genius that they so carefully crafted the whole way through on "Daydream Nation". As essential as other great New York albums like "Marquee Moon" or "Velvet Underground And Nico". (John Dee)

Ironically, the band's major-label debut was a step down from their last LP, albeit a solid effort. They're most in command on the faster tunes: the psychedelic, almost danceable "Tropical Flesh Mandala," the rockabilly-flavored "Sleeping With Your Devil Mask," the New Wave rocker "Unsettled," and the catchy, hand-clapping gimmick song "Balloon Man." Plus the similarity of Hitchcock's mid-tempo pop craftsmanship and twangy guitar style to REM (e.g., "Vibrating") is brought out in the open by two Peter Buck guest spots: "Chinese Bones" and the cheerful, mid-60's style album closer, "Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis)," which also features harmony vocals by Glenn Tilbrook. But too often they slow the tempo; on the title track they deliver a weird, evocative blend of Indian mysticism, Dylan-style harmonica, and a creepy late 60's John Lennon-style chorus. This sort of approach gets out of control on the plodding, soporific "Luminous Rose," and some of the rockers are dull ("The Shapes Between Us..."). It's not a career high point, but the disc still shows off enough intelligence and creativity to make itself worthwhile."

(J.Allroy)

After making most of their earliest records on their own dime, Camper Van Beethoven moved up to the big leagues with 1988's Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, their first album for Virgin Records. While some fans wondered if a larger budget and corporate oversight were going to change the shape-shifting folk-punk smart alecks, the results offered a decisive answer: yes and no. Producer Dennis Herring gave CVB a much bigger and glossier sound than they had ever had before, and between the horn charts, the gated drums, the tasty electric guitar tones, and the keyboards that no longer sounded like they'd been rescued from a junk shop, Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart made the band sound like professionals rather than enlightened (and slightly sloppy) amateurs, which had always been a certain part of their charm. There was also a greater snark in Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, as the cockiness of their humor developed a sharper and more defensive edge on tunes like "Never Go Back," "Life Is Grand," and particularly the darkly witty paean to Patty Hearst, "Tania." But for all the polish, Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is still very much a Camper Van Beethoven album, especially when Victor Krummenacher's loping bass kicks in, Jonathan Segal's fiddles and keyboards color the melodies, and David Lowery spins his tales confirming that, despite his loose-limbed attitude and goofy sense of humor, he wasn't a hippie -- or a hipster for that matter. Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart revealed you could clean up Camper Van Beethoven but you couldn't necessarily make them behave, which was certainly a good thing.

(by Mark Demming, All Music Guide)

Heather Phares Though it's often seen as just a precursor to their magnum opus Loveless, in its own way My Bloody Valentine's Isn't Anything is nearly as groundbreaking as their 1991 masterpiece. Not only was it the most lucid, expansive articulation yet of the group's sound, it virtually created the shoegazing scene and spawned legions of followers. The album's tightly structured songs still bore traces of My Bloody Valentine's previous incarnation as jangly indie popsters, but Kevin Shields and company crafted wide-ranging experiments within those confines. "Feed Me with Your Kiss"'s mix of bruising guitars, drums, and sensual boy-girl vocals define My Bloody Valentine's signature sound, while "All I Need"'s weightless guitars and vocal melodies melt into a heady haze. Shields' unique tunings, tremolo, and miking techniques stand out on "You Never Should" and "Nothing Much to Lose," but Deb Googe's surprisingly funky bassline on "Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)" reaffirms that all of the Valentines contributed to their innovative sound. Indeed, many of Isn't Anything's disturbingly beautiful highlights come from Bilinda Butcher. On the wrenching "No More Sorry," she sings abstractly pained lyrics like "Your septic heart and deadly hand/Loved me black and blue," barely audible over a swarm of fragile yet menacing guitars, while on "Several Girls Galore" she's sexy, yet dazed and distant; it sounds like she's whispering in your ear outside of a blaring nightclub. the Valentines' dark side is especially prominent on the album, particularly on "Sueisfine," where the chorus slyly morphs from "Sue is fine" to "Suicide." Isn't Anything captures My Bloody Valentine's revolutionary style in its infancy and points the way to Loveless, but it's far more than just a dress rehearsal for the band's moment of greatness.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Mike Scott had been pursuing his grandiose "big music" since he founded the Waterboys, so it came as a shock when he scaled back the group's sound for the Irish and English folk of Fisherman's Blues. Although the arena-rock influences have been toned down, Scott's vision is no less sweeping or romantic, making even the simplest songs on Fisherman's Blues feel like epics. Nevertheless, the album is the Waterboys' warmest and most rewarding record, boasting a handful of fine songs ("And a Bang on the Ear," the ominous "We Will Not Be Lovers," "Has Anybody Here Seen Hank?," and the title track), as well as a surprisingly successful cover of Van Morrison's breathtaking "Sweet Thing."

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

With both early EPs and the M/A/R/R/S smash success behind them, A.R. Kane found themselves more than ready to go ahead with a full album in 1988, and did so wonderfully. It's safe to say that the start of the opening track alone, "Crazy Blue," resembles little else recorded that year or any other one -- a few plucked guitar notes, a sudden jazzy scat-vamp by singer Rudi with his truly unique voice, then a more direct poppish strum, the woozy line, "Ooooh...everything's gone crazy now," followed by a series of intense reverbed chime sounds and bongo-like percussion. From there on in, things take a turn for the strangely captivating in song after song. Never simply poppy nor completely arty, and definitely not just the Jesus and Mary Chain/Cocteau Twins fusion most claimed they were (admittedly song titles like "Spermwhale Trip Over" and "Baby Milk Snatcher" easily led to the description!), A.R. Kane here feels playful, mysterious, and inventive all at once, impossible to truly pin down. The best one-two punch on the record comes from "Sulliday," with buried, measured percussion and evocative drones, and "Dizzy," featuring a mesmerizing call-and-response by Rudi with himself, veering between more gentle, direct vocals and echoed shouts, eerily foretelling much of what Tricky would similarly do years later. An unfairly long-lost classic.

(by Ned Raggett, All Music Guide)

"The Millpond Years" is a kind of cult secret that is literally begging to be discovered by a new generation of music fans. When this record was released in 1988 it barely registered in England and the music press (apart from Melody Maker) seemed oblivious to it's existence. And Also The Trees are a great British group who are in dire need of a reassessment by the public. This album is in retrospect their finest simply because it combines the poetical with the organic in a completely new way never heard in any music up to this point. Like all AATT's music, "The Millpond Years" is haunting and complex. They conjure up a world of intense rural disharmony and darkness which is increasingly seductive with each listen. I think the great problem with AATT for many people is the "awkward" sound which greets them on initial listens. Like the greatest paintings or poetry, the beauty of this record is that it creates a unique vision which seeps into your mind and soul and still rewards you years later. Forget all those ridiculous "Cure-comparisons" and "gothic" tags that this remarkable band have been lumbered with over the years and just listen to "The Millpond Years" and share 45 minutes of your life in a deep and sensuous world that rock music has never dreamed of before. An unequivocal masterpiece.

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As debut albums by young bands go, Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars is nearly flawless. With a slight southern twinge in her voice, the 23-year-old Brickell churned out brilliant lyrics and captivating vocal performances, backed by the solid and innovative players that comprised the original New Bos -- Kenny Withrow, Brad Houser, John Bush, and Brandon Aly. Twisting words like putty, Brickell wraps herself up in phrases and melodic lines with layers of meaning not easily grasped at first listen. Her simple observations offer deep contemplations for the willing disciples of her musical philosophies. The catchy breakthrough hit "What I Am" is the perfect example: "I'm not aware of too many things/I know what I know, if you know what I mean." Zen and the art of songwriting. On other fronts, Brickell's fascination with actress Edie Sedgwick turned itself into "Little Miss S.," while strained friendships inspired "Circle." Every song on this record hits its mark and is worthy of special attention. How well does "Nothing" capture the frustration of a non-communicative partner? Very well, indeed. Then there's "The Wheel," "She," and "Air of December." Highlights, one and all. Rather than an overblown big rock finish, Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars closes with a solo acoustic performance of "I Do," a quiet plea for a partner who's equal and true, complete and steady; yet another testimony to the simplicity and thoughtfulness that this album and this band offer. "What I Am" did more than kick off a record, it jump started a career amidst the clamor of the late '80s folk-rock scene. Along with 10,000 Maniacs, Tracy Chapman, and others, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians took their place in the spotlight, basking in every second of their 15 minutes of fame.

(Kelly McCartney, www.allmusic.com)

A big improvement on Going to England. The sound is still somewhat cleaned up from what you'll hear on Cleaners' cassettes, but not so much so that it gets in the way of the songs. Some of Newell's most jubilant ("Let's Get Married") and gleefully silly ("I Was a Teenage Idiot Dancer") writing is here; "The Beat Generation and Me" is one of the best examples of his ability to write about the icons of the past with bittersweet nostalgia that steers clear of revivalism. Giles Smith proves to be a songwriter of merit as well on his two compositions, particularly the dainty "Felicity."

(by Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide)

Following the strum of their own twin-guitar attack, Chicago-by-way-of-Kentucky's Eleventh Dream Day issued their second release (the purposefully misspelled), Prarie School Freakout, in 1988. It certainly didn't have much in common with the noise rock other Chicago-area bands like Big Black and the Jesus Lizard were grinding out at the time. Granted, it rocks almost as hard, but sounds a whole lot more Californian, or even Southwestern. References include Neil Young (the guitar work, not the vocals), X (the vocals), the Dream Syndicate (the vocals and the guitar work), and Giant Sand (the raw, country feel). And although they predated the No Depression movement inspired by Belleville, IL's Uncle Tupelo and spin-off bands, Wilco and Son Volt, in the '90s, they were mining similar alt-country territory. By the time they recorded their first full-length (after 1987's self-titled EP), the band's basic sound was in place — they'd already been together for several years — but the songwriting still had a way to go. Each song sounds like it would have been a hoot to witness live, particularly "Watching the Candles Burn," but only a few are particularly memorable. At its worst, the record is also a little samey (a problem that would be rectified on subsequent releases), but then it comprises ten out of an impressive 15 songs recorded in a whirlwind six hours in Louisville, KY, in July. From start to finish, Prarie School Freakout sounds inspired — not tired. One of the more notable indie debuts of the '80s.

(Kathleen C. Fennessy)

With an unchanged lineup but more attention due to their A&M deal, the Feelies hit the jackpot with their third album, a warm, inviting collection that finally addresses the endless Lou Reed comparisons with a cover of his "What Goes On." With its clearer feeling and peppier overall delivery, it avoids simply cloning the original arrangement and performance. The rest of the album shows off the band's distinctive yet flexible sound, as much jangle as it is quietly moody. Mercer and Million's previously tense guitar power becomes attractive shadings, implying a louder approach without always delivering it, while the Demeski/Sauter rhythm team takes the lead throughout; his steady drums and her low, rolling performances giving the guitarists something to play around instead of dominate. The Feelies always make this tranced-out rock their own, but this time around it's as quietly thrilling, if not more so, than ever. "Higher Ground" is a great example, with Mercer and Million trading off not merely notes and passages but differing approaches, whether laden with distortion or chiming clearly. Though Weckerman's work, as earlier, isn't easily distinguished from Demeski's, from the sound of it everything fit in right when recording. Where appears more audibly, as on the start of "The Undertow," his percussion adds an intriguing wild card to the proceedings, aiming at the same goal with slightly different sonics. Mercer's ghost-of-you-know-who vocals still pop up at times, but here his own ability to actually sing and hold notes comes forward, giving him a technical edge that he uses to great effect on the brisk "Away."

(by Ned Raggett, All Music Guide)

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The third official album of the Feelies came out in 1988: called Only Life, it's another masterpiece. The sound is someway a melting of the first two records, with more electric guitars and a harder drumming (reminding in part of those crazy rhythms of their debut) but also with the quiet atmosphere of the predecessor. A great record. The Feelies started then a cross-country tour with Lou Reed, even if they still didn't like to play live, and thanks to some promotion by their new label (they got signed to A&M) their audience grew up. Unfortunately, A&M was bought by the big corporation Polygram and the new management didn't care a lot about the band.

„...exquisite torch song terrain that had folks swooning.“

(Auf Platz 88 der Greatest Album Ever Made im Mojo)

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„Obwohl von der Kritik noch weit überschwenglicher gepriesen, war O’Hara’s Debut Miss America ein überragendes torch song-Meisterwerk, dass eine k. d. Lang blaß vor Neid machen müßte, hierzulande nur kurzfristig mal 1988/89 importiert ... das auch klangtechnisch ganz superbe Werk ...“

(Rolling Stone. 5 Sterne)

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Originally recorded in 1984 and not released until 1988, Miss America still sounds light years ahead of its time: Mary Margaret O'Hara is a force of nature, a remarkable singer and composer whose crystal-clear soprano acrobatics and hypnotic songs defy accepted conventions. Flirting intermittently with country ("Anew Day," "Dear Darling") and jazz ("Keeping You in Mind"), O'Hara works primarily with pop dynamics, but deconstructs and reassembles the form according to her own blueprint: "Year in Song" is jaggedly intense, "To Cry About" is gorgeously ambient, and "Body's in Trouble" is delicately gripping, yet none conform easily to such facile assessments, with hairpin turns in mood and atmosphere which blindside expectations. Following instead its own abstract internal logic, Miss America is a work of mad-scientist genius, and it remains a singular experience.

(by Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide)

Perhaps the most fully realized of Pepper's own albums, "The Path" showcases all of his varied abilities, with the confident energy that was his personal bounty after several successful years on the European jazz circuit. A highlight among seven strong performances is the quietly beautiful duet arrangement of "Witchi Tai To" with Kirk Lightsey.

(by Jim Olding, www.inmotionmagazine.com)