>

AMAZON.COM DELIVERS
TOP SELLERS: TOP 10 OF 1999

Editor, Beth Massa

It's been a year of exploding trends. Harmonizing teeny-bopper bands sync-stepped their way into the hearts of hysterical young fans. Rock-hip-hop hybrids blistered our ear drums. And a wave of Latin artists showed us how to live la vida loca. Comparing our editors' choices of the 100 best CDs of the year to our customers' choices, we found 10 outstanding albums that both camps agree on.

1. "Central Reservation"
Beth Orton
There's no way to offer a shortcut description of what Beth Orton sounds like. There are so many musical styles pulsing through "Central Reservation"--jazz, folk, pop, rock, and dance--that the album could easily have ended up an empty exercise in genre hopping. Instead, it's a bracing example of mongrel music at its best as Orton carves out a new musical vocabulary with deep roots in familiar sounds. Read more

Our Price: $11.88 | You Save: $5.09 (30%)   


2. "The Mountain"
Steve Earle and Del McCoury
When country-rock icon Steve Earle teamed with blazing bluegrass act the Del McCoury Band, the result was more invigoratingly intense than even die-hard fans could have imagined. These energetic songs somehow sound innovative and timeless at the same time, merging the finest, first-person-narrated politico tunes of Springsteen or Dylan with the plaintive, hard-driving mountain wails of the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe. Whew. Read more

Our Price: $12.99 | You Save: $3.98 (23%)   


3. "Play"
Moby
Those who've followed Moby's career are familiar by now with his deep convictions and spiritual connection. On his 1999 release, "Play," he celebrates his faith in a masterful, unobtrusive way, channeling gospel and other inspirational samples through beats so earthy they could grow grass on a cement dance floor. It's impossible to separate the joy of the message from the joy of the grooves. Read more

Our Price: $11.88 | You Save: $5.09 (30%)   


4. "Temperamental"
Everything but the Girl
Cool but not at all chilly, Everything but the Girl's "Temperamental" is the sound of the sweetest melancholy. Tracey Thorn's lyrics and vocals here are among her most affecting, tracing patterns of loss, loneliness, and a slightly unsettled happiness. This electronic pop makes for the perfect winter listening experience, as warm and bracing as a sip of cognac. Read more

Our Price: $11.88 | You Save: $5.09 (30%)   


5. "On How Life Is"
Macy Gray
Gray starts from a solid foundation of retro funk and soul and builds on that by adding hip-hop signifiers and modern studio techniques. The result is one of the better debuts of the year, thanks to Gray's blunt proclamations ("I've committed murder... and I don't feel bad about it") and inimitable vocal phrasing. "On How Life Is" offers the sass of a '20s blueswoman and the don't-mess-with-me strength of a 21st-century R&B icon-in-the-making. Read more

Our Price: $11.88 | You Save: $5.09 (30%)   


6. "Mule Variations"
Tom Waits
After Tom Waits's six-year stint indulging in other artistic endeavors, hearing his familiar growl is like revving up a beloved old motorcycle after driving around an SUV. The hard-earned wisdom and arcane sensibilities of this set make it one of strongest releases of his eclectic catalog. Read more

Our Price: $12.58 | You Save: $5.39 (30%)   


7. "When the Pawn Hits..."
Fiona Apple
"When the Pawn Hits..." fulfills the promise of Fiona Apple's debut, "Tidal," a strong statement given that her first outing was one of 1996's most exciting collections. Dark and emotionally dense, Apple's sophomore effort is awash in alluring and witty undercurrents that betray its creator's youth. Read more

Our Price: $12.58 | You Save: $5.39 (30%)   


8. "The Fragile"
Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor took five years to record this monstrous double-CD set, wielding a perfectionist's touch in the production and the subtlety of a chainsaw in the musicianship. The result is uncompromising, full of hysterical noise, and yet utterly accessible. Somehow, someway, this is one of the best pop records of the year. Read more

Our Price: $18.88 | You Save: $8.09 (30%)   


9. "Fanmail"
TLC
Rumors of TLC's impending breakup were especially worrying in light of this excellent disc, which was even more consistent than 1994's "CrazySexyCool." Great singing and the usual huge hooks--not to mention the smarts of songs such as "Unpretty" and "I'm Good at Being Bad"--made "Fanmail" one of the most striking R&B releases of the year. Read more

Our Price: $12.58 | You Save: $5.39 (30%)   


10. "Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer"
Ibrahim Ferrer, Ry Cooder, et al.
Picking up where "Buena Vista Social Club" left off, "BVSC Presents Ibrahim Ferrer" soothes with the hushed romanticism of Cuba's yesteryear while boasting the talents of one of its greatest singers, Ibrahim Ferrer. Again there's an all-star lineup of musicians led by pianist Ruben Gonzalez and singer Omara Portuondo creating music at the renowned Egrem studios, whose live room brings the slow lucidity and intense vigor of the Cuban classics to life. Read more

Our Price: $12.58 | You Save: $5.39 (30%)   

Peruse the entire list of titles our customers chose as 1999's best.

Or click here for the Best of 1999 selections by our music editors.

return to top

Looking for power tools? From screwdrivers to scroll

saws, our brand-new Home Improvement Store offers
the planet's best selection of tools and more.
You'll find more great music in Amazon.com's
Top Sellers section.

Please note that the prices of the items featured above were
accurate at the time this e-mail was sent. However, because our
prices sometimes change, the prices in the e-mail occasionally
differ from those you see when you visit our store.

Search:

Keywords:

In Association with Amazon.com





Copyright 1999 Amazon.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1