#843 - Genius + Soul = Jazz, Ray Charles

"One of the best early-'60s examples of soul/jazz crossover, this record, like several of his dates from the period, featured big-band arrangements (played by the Count Basie band). This fared better than some of Charles' similar outings, however, if only because it muted some of his straight pop aspirations in favor of some pretty mean and lean, cut-to-the-heart-of-the-matter B-3 Hammond organ licks." (allmusic guide)

#842 - Sweet Old World, Lucinda Williams

"Although Sweet Old World isn't really a concept album, it often feels like one. Its first half is dominated by the title track and "Pineola," two stunning meditations on suicide. Their sense of tragedy is reinforced with the closing cover of Nick Drake's "Which Will," and their shadow hangs heavy over the rest of the album. Several character portraits ponder where and why their subjects' lives went wrong; in this context, the dead-end situations seem that much more tragic and final." (allmusic guide)

#841 - Impossible Dream, Patty Griffin

"Listen to Patty Griffin's fifth CD, and you'll understand what it means to sound seasoned. Her folky musings are melancholic and spare but rich with the sediment of a life lived for love. Emmylou Harris makes stunning cameos throughout." (real music guide)


#840 - Birds of Fire, Mahavishnu Orchestra

"The first band to combine space rock, space jazz, free jazz, free rock and free-space jazz-rock with spiritualism and flat-out intergalactic travel. McLaughlin's nova-like playing soars like the birds of the album title, and Jan Hammer keeps up with equally ecstatic synth work. Together, they completely shattered the notions of how rock and jazz were supposed to be played." (real music guide)

#839 - Oranges and Lemons, XTC

"Released 3 years after the brilliant Skylarking, Oranges & Lemons was the equivalent of the Beach Boys following Pet Sounds with Smile. A more ambitious record than the previous, but less successful. Still, it's great smart, psychedelic power pop and "Mayor Of Simpleton" is almost faultless." (real music guide)


#838 - Songs From the Big Chair, Tears for Fears

"It is not only a commercial triumph, it is an artistic tour de force. And in the loping, percolating "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Tears for Fears perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the mid-'80s while impossibly managing to also create a dreamy, timeless pop classic. Songs From the Big Chair is one of the finest statements of the decade." (allmusic guide) (Blogger's note: This is one of the first CD's I ever bought. I could not agree more with the reviewer's comments.)

#837 - Step Inside This House, Lyle Lovett

"Lovett's place in Texas' progressive country tradition has always been evident, and his good taste has never been in question, but this not only confirms his strength as a performer, but also illustrates the origins of his clear, wry narratives." (allmusic guide)