#597 - Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Erd, Lynyrd Skynyrd

""Freebird" and "Gimme Three Steps" have both been played to death and maybe aren't even such great songs to begin with. But sometimes, like when Friday night has turned into Wednesday afternoon and it's time to come down, nothing will calm your rattled nerves like the keyboards on "Tuesday's Gone" or the image of Ronnie Van Zandt singing "Simple Man" with no shoes on." (real music guide)

#596 - Definitely Maybe, Oasis

"With this record, Oasis took classic British rock and gave it back to the kids again. This is a great listen and also works as a fun spot-the-influence game for music critics. The songs are top-notch, with "Slide Away" and "Live Forever" leading the pack. Definitely Maybe stands as a classic debut album and certainly one of the best of the genre." (real music guide)

#595 - Mental Jewelry, Live

"Live's debut album was an impressive set of righteous, hard-driving alternative rock; Mental Jewelry was in the vein of such college-radio favorites as U2, but was more vulnerable and less sanctimonious." (allmusic guide)




#594 - Clouds, Joni Mitchell

"Clouds is a stark stunner, a great leap forward for Joni Mitchell. Vocals here are more forthright and assured than on her debut and exhibit a remarkable level of subtle expressiveness. Guitar alone is used in accompaniment, and the variety of playing approaches and sounds gotten here is most impressive." (allmusic guide)


#593 - The Green World, Dar Williams

"Dar Williams has succeeded in crafting a number of great songs for her fourth album, The Green World, and the album works on a number of levels. The melodies are memorable, the arrangements are evenly balanced, and the lyrics are well written." (allmusic guide)






#592 - Hatful Of Hollow, The Smiths

"Several months after releasing their first album, the Smiths issued the singles and rarities collection Hatful of Hollow...The Smiths treated singles as individual entities, not just ways to promote an album, and many of their finest songs were never issued on their studio albums...With such strong material forming the core of the album, it's little wonder that Hatful of Hollow is as consistent as The Smiths and arguably captures the excitement surrounding the band even better." (allmusic guide)