PETE'S TOP TEN MOST UNDERRATED CD'S
This is my personal list of cd's that I believe are highly over-looked releases. All of these cds were released without too much fan-fare, but I found them to be well-listened to additions to my collection. If you have the chance, track some of these down and give them a try. Here they are, in no particular order...
The Pretenders- "Viva El Amor!" This release from 1999 is probably best remembered for the cover shot that was taken by Linda McCartney
shortly before here death. All trivia aside, "Viva" is probably the strongest release by
the Pretenders since 1983's "Learning to Crawl". "Pop Star" recalls some
of the punk toughness that made Chrissie Hynde and Co. famous over 20 years ago.
"Human" is another catchy sounding pop tune with some great harmonies
while "Legalize Me" is the proto-type Pretenders rocker featuring pounding
drums from Martin Chambers. Hynde sounds like she has settled in comfortably
with her latest band personnel, which includes Adam Seymour on guitar, and Andy Hobson on bass.
Liz Phair- "White Chocolate Space Egg"
Liz Phair's third album release didn't get as much attention as her 1993 debut "Exile in Guyville".
Gone are most of the guy bashing and cursing that helped to make her one of the top alternative divas of
the early '90's. But Phair returned in 1998 after a four-year hiatus with a strong release. She
now writes about her new husband ("What Makes You Happy"), her son ("Perfect World"), and "Shitloads
of Money"; probably is a fantasy for many of us. The truth is that this is probably the strongest release
of Phair's career. It's a broader and more dynamic in sound than her first two releases. The folky acoustic
guitar in "Uncle Alvarez" and "Fantasize" (courtesy of R.E.M) are evidence of her maturation
as a performer.
Paul McCartney- "Run Devil Run" I should really only describe this release with the generic
term: "This album ROCKS!". McCartney took only a few days to pump out rock and roll standards with
his band that includes veteran rockers Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd) on guitar and Ian Paice (Deep Purple) on drums.
McCartney mixes the popular rockers ("All Shook Up", "I Got Stung"), with some lesser known
numbers ("Blue Jean Bop", "No Other Baby"), and some well-written originals ("What It Is", "Try
Not to Cry"). The biggest surprise is "Brown Eyed Handsome Man". Accordian wails along with
the standard rock instruments creating an almost polka-like tune that's fun and danceable. I'll
put Mac and his old-timers up against the Limp Bizkits of the world any day. Find this cd and turn up the volume!
David Bowie- "Earthling" The ever changing Bowie is usually hit or miss with every release.
After coming close with "Outside" in 1995, he hit his stride in '97 with "Earthling". The best way
to desribe this release, his best since 1983's "Let's Dance", is industrial goth meets techno metal. Guitarist
Reeves Gabrels is Bowie's right-hand-man, and I don't think that this album would have the same
effect without him. His playing, bluesy at times, is sharp and loud. This is best heard on "I'm Afraid
of Americans". Co-written with Brian Eno, Bowie was inspired to write this song after seeing
a MacDonald's in a third-world country. This idea fits in perfectly with the album's decline
on western civilization concept.
Highwater Limit- "Absolutely" The second release from this Milwaukee
four-piece band was a nice addition to the local music scene. Featuring Tom Held's
distinctive vocals, this cd is a diverse collection of well-written pop and
rock songs. The title track is a light and catchy song that wouldn't be
out of place on the radio. "Always Anyway" and "The Sound" are as close to
"unplugged" renditions as you can get. The subject matter of their song writing
includes deep analysis of the complexities of relationships and love. What ever happened
to this local band is still a mystery, but here's hoping that another release isn't
too far off in the future.
