#765 - Ben Folds Five, Ben Folds Five

"The debut album from piano-playing Ben Folds' smart-ass trio is a potent, and extremely fun, collection of postmodern rock ditties that comes off as a pleasantly workable combination of Tin Pan Alley showmanship, Todd Rundgren-style power pop, and myriad alt-rock sensibilities." (allmusic guide)


#764 - Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Joe Cocker

"A live recording done in tandem with a killer documentary film of the same U.S. tour, it was recorded at the Fillmore East, where the movie was a cross-country affair, and the two were, thus, completely separate entities -- also, as people couldn't "buy" the film in those days, the double-LP has lingered longer in the memory, by virtue of its being on shelves, and also being taken off those shelves to be played." (allmusic guide)

#763 - Queen II, Queen

"Two minutes into "Father To Son," Brian May unleashes some of the heaviest guitar roar ever, with a brutal majesty no one can even imitate. As each song skirts the border between hard rock, heavy metal and Broadway indulgence, you get Queen just starting to hit their stride. This album simply cannot be played loud enough." (real music guide)


762 - Stolen Moments, John Hiatt

"He abandons his more acid commentaries and turns in a self-deprecating set full of promises of reformation and celebrations of marriage and family life. But the observations remain acute, and Hiatt's singing (so much camouflaged in his early days) is becoming his secret weapon." (allmusic guide)


#761 - Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), Brian Eno

"The second of his vocal albums, this one is purportedly a concept record about the revolution in communist China. To whatever his increasingly strange lyrical concepts were referring, Taking Tiger Mountain is a quiet progression from the debut, forms are smoothed, stretched and decorated with studio processing. "Third Uncle" and "Burning Airlines" are highlights." (real music guide)


#760 - Cold Roses, Ryan Adams

"After a couple of self-conscious forays into rock, Adams revisits his alt country stomping grounds, and his footing seems sure when he's pacing his band through heartfelt tunes like "Let It Ride" and "Rosebud." Perhaps not as fresh as 2000's brilliant Heartbreaker, Roses is still a solid return to form for the mercurial singer." (real music guide)

#759 - Ella & Louis, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

"Who knows why Ella's distinctly smooth and Louis' famously rough vocal styles mesh together so perfectly -- but they do. This is the single greatest duets album of all time, and it still has the power to make you fall in love with the entire world." (real music guide)