#497 - Low, David Bowie

"Bowie fled from fame, cocaine induced madness and America to make the first of his celebrated Berlin albums. The fragmented lyrics, detached vocals and the big, spare drum sounds first heard here later became the signature style of the 1980s. Half instrumental, the album's highlight is "Sound and Vision," which luxuriates in the heavenly sphere inhabited by music, not man." (real music guide)

#496 - Band Of Gypsies, Jimi Hendrix

"Recorded live at the Fillmore East on New Year's Eve 1969, Band of Gypsys is less psychedelic and more blues-based than Hendrix's work with the Experience. Buddy Miles and Billy Cox dole out pulsating rhythms, while Jimi unleashes his inimitable guitar wizardry. Standouts include "Changes" and "Machine Gun."" (real music guide)


#495 - Hollywood Town Hall, The Jayhawks

"At base, Hollywood Town Hall found a finely balanced point -- accessible enough for should-have-been success (sclerotic classic rock station programmers were fools to ignore this while still playing the Eagles into the ground) but bowing to no trends. Its lack of variety tells against a bit -- while there are certainly stronger moments than others, most of the songs do have a tendency to blend into each other -- but the core strengths of the group come through." (allmusic guide)

#494 - Too Far To Care, Old 97's

"Serving as the ideal apex between the Old 97's' Texas twang and smart pop fascinations, Too Far to Care is instantly catchy and endearing; heartbreaking desert soul and punk-fueled swagger all at the same time. Chief songwriter Rhett Miller turns a phrase like a doorknob and opens doors to dusty barrooms and tattered bedrooms, both containing the same boozy characters in various states of emotional undress." (allmusic guide)

#493 - Wake Of The Flood, The Grateful Dead

"It had been nearly three years since American Beauty -- their previous and most successful studio album to date -- and, as always, the Dead had been honing the material in concert. A majority of the tracks had been incorporated into their live sets -- some for nearly six months -- prior to entering the recording studio. This gave the band a unique perspective on the material, much of which remained for the next 20-plus years as staples of their concert performances." (allmusic guide)

#492 - The Grateful Dead From The Mars Hotel, The Grateful Dead

"From the Mars Hotel, while not a classic, represents one of their better studio albums. Jerry Garcia sounds engaged throughout and takes the vocal reigns for most of the songs on the album -- although he's not the most gifted vocalist, he proves himself able and versatile. He sings the rollicking opener "U.S. Blues" with a tongue-in-cheek seriousness that gives the political song an edge, and he lends emotional sincerity to the atmospheric ballad "China Doll."" (allmusic guide)