Top CDs of 1997

[Seth Rogovoy <rogovoy...>]

What follows is a pop-music critic's (mine) list of the best albums of the
past year. While all the CDs on the list are not pertinent to this
newsgroup, I felt that enough of them are to warrant this posting, if only
to show that some in the general media are writing about the music that
gets discussed here. This appeared in the Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield,
Mass., circ. approx 35,000; readership 100,000; circulation throughout
Western Mass., and Eastern NYS) last Friday. Enjoy.

--sr

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THE BEAT (Weekly pop culture column)

Best CDs of 1997

by Seth Rogovoy

(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Dec. 5, 1997) -- The Beat's annual list of the 
top 10 albums of the year makes no claims to objectivity. Rather, 
it reflects the wholly arbitrary preferences of one listener. 
Readers can therefore judge these selections accordingly, based on 
their relative experience with the critic's point of view.  

And so, my favorite CDs of 1997 were:

1. Bob Dylan, "Time Out of Mind" (Columbia): No surprise here. In 
any ordinary year, even sub-par Dylan is better than 95 percent of 
the "product" released by the recording industry. It just so happens 
that this year we were treated to one of Dylan's greatest albums 
ever: a dark, haunting look at loneliness and mortality; a bitter, 
acerbic, intimate self-portrait; a major statement from our elder 
folk-rock statesman wrapped in blues-man's clothing.  

2. Cornershop, "When I Was Born for the 7th Time" (Luaka Bop/Warner 
Bros.): As refreshingly post-modern and sample-heavy as anything by 
Beck while being firmly rooted in the vantage point of the outsider, 
this album by the Anglo-Indian outfit blends raga-rock, Velvet 
Underground drones and '70s funk with a sensibility that virtually 
defines state-of-the-pop 1997.  

3. Yo La Tengo, "I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One" (Matador): 
Yo La Tengo updates its guitar-based, indie-rock sound to 
incorporate state-of-the-art percussion and electronic textures and 
grafts it all onto the catchiest hooks and melodies of its career on 
a sequence of songs that reads like a series of private letters 
between husband-and-wife duo Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley. Call it 
rock-as-eavesdropping.  

4. Prodigy, "The Fat of the Land" (Maverick/Warner Bros.): Let 
the purists go ahead and fuss and whine about this not being genuine 
electronica but a watered-down, pop-rock version for the masses. Of 
course, that's exactly the point, which is what makes this so 
infectiously appealing. This is POP music, after all.  

5. Ani DiFranco, "Living In Clip" (Righteous Babe): She still has 
to be seen to be believed, and maybe she always will, but this two-
disk live set comes the closest so far to capturing on recording 
DiFranco's multi-faceted personality -- humorous, sexy, self-
effacing -- to say nothing of delivering her primal folk-funk in its 
rawest, most stripped-down fashion.  

6. The Klezmatics, "Possessed" (Xenophile): Since its beginnings, 
klezmer has always been a music that while rooted in tradition has 
spoken to its contemporary surroundings, and perhaps no current 
group in the tradition explores this dynamic as eloquently as the 
Klezmatics. This latest effort is almost operatic in scope, and 
while it may be too cutting-edge for purists, it's unlikely to leave 
any but the most closed-minded listeners behind.  

7. Cliff Eberhardt, "12 Songs of Good and Evil" (Red House): Up 
and down the line, as a writer, guitarist, performer and vocalist, 
Eberhardt is the equal of any singer-songwriter in contemporary pop. 
On his latest and best effort, he gives his darker side free reign 
to explore itself with the aid of wit, intelligence and a rare, 
refreshing lack of self-righteousness.  

8. David Bowie, "Earthling" (Virgin): While all the hype focused 
on U2's supposed embrace of electronica and the resultant flop of 
the group's flaccid "Pop," Bowie's own PAS DE DEUX with state-of-
the-art dance rhythms was unjustly overlooked. "Earthling" is 
vintage Bowie, full of wrenching juxtapositions, surreal narratives 
and musical drama -- his best work in nearly 20 years.  

9. Wolf Krakowski, "Transmigrations" (Kame'a): On paper it seems 
preposterous. Take old Yiddish folk, theater and pop tunes and set 
them down in roots-rock arrangements while remaining true to their 
melodies and Old World-spirit. With the aid of some incredibly 
talented and sympathetic musicians and through the sheer power of 
his timeless vocals, Northampton's Krakowski pulls it off, making 
for a startling fusion that flies in the face of logic and history.  

10. Deb Pasternak, "More" (Signature Sounds): In the wrong hands, 
the jazz-folk bohemian thing can be a travesty. Boston's Deb 
Pasternak is a case study in how to do it right: with both feet 
planted firmly on the ground, with earthy sensuality to balance the 
poetic flights of fancy and with blues and rock instincts equal to 
the challenge. Of course, it helps if, like Pasternak, you're 
blessed with one of the most dynamically expressive voices in pop, 
period.  

Also definitely worth checking out: Andy Statman, "Between Heaven 
and Earth" (Shanachie), Dan Bern, "Dan Bern" (Work), June Tabor, 
"Aleyn" (Green Linnet), Brooks Williams, "Seven Sisters" (Green 
Linnet), Dar Williams, "End of the Summer" (Razor and Tie).  

Fred Eaglesmith, "Lipstick Lies and Gasoline" (Razor and Tie), Ben 
Folds Five, "Whatever and Ever Amen" (550 Music), Alice Svigals, 
"Fidl" (Traditional Crossroads), Steve Earle, "El Corazon" (Warner 
Bros.).  

Greg Brown, "Slant Six Mind" (Red House), David Byrne, "Feelings" 
(Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.), Leon Parker, "Belief" (Columbia), Charlie 
Chesterman, "Dynamite Music Machine" (Slow River).  
  
[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on Dec. 5, 
1997. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1997. All rights reserved.]  



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Seth Rogovoy                        
rogovoy (at) berkshire(dot)net
http://www.berkshireweb.com/rogovoy
music news, interviews, reviews, et al.
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