THE BEAT
The Best Albums of 1996
by Seth Rogovoy(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Dec. 19, 1996) -- For this critic, at least, the year just past will be remembered as the Year of the Women, as the following list of the best albums of 1996 makes clear. It was a year when women's voices rocked hard, sang sweetly and purred suggestively, but mostly it was a year when women created groundbreaking works of musical art in the CD format, proving that there is still intelligent life to be had in the pop-song format. And for that I am grateful.
The usual disclaimers apply. This list is meant to indicate the highly subjective preferences of one listener over the past year. These are the albums I returned to in those all-too-rare moments when I could listen to something for sheer pleasure, and not because I was writing about it on deadline. The difference between the Runners-Up and most of the Top 10 is practically nil. The absence of any album from this list does not imply a negative judgment -- it just as likely means I never heard it. I am only one listener with two ears; thousands of CDs were released over the last 12 months; you do the math.
And now, the best albums of 1996:
1. Album of the Year: The Nields, "Gotta Get Over Greta" (Razor and Tie): With a concept and lyrics that were truly Blake-ian in scope -- subtitle this "Songs of Innocence and Experience" -- and a soundtrack equally as ambitious, the Nields created a work of immense power and suggestion, along the way blazing a path toward a new, alternative folk-rock possibility. It's no wonder that after this they were signed to a major label. The best thing about 1997? "Gotta Get Over Greta" gets re-released by Guardian/EMI, and we get to relive it.
2. Ani DiFranco, "Dilate," "More Joy, Less Shame" EP, and, with Utah Phillips, "The Past Didn't Go Anywhere" (all Righteous Babe): Up until this year, DiFranco's only flaw has been that, unlike the Nields, her recordings did not quite live up to the power and promise of her live shows. With her more recent, experimental work, she has found a way to get around that, by steering in a different direction, incorporating a postmodern, folk/hip-hop fusion. DiFranco is a nuclear force -- not since Bruce Springsteen and perhaps not since Bob Dylan has anyone had as much potential to revolutionize rock.
3. Shawn Colvin, "A Few Small Repairs" (Columbia) and Suzanne Vega, "Nine Objects of Desire" (A&M): Two of the most eloquent heirs of Joni Mitchell's legacy come up with their most eloquent statements about love and marriage in the '90s. Vega's is an edgy take on urban domesticity, while Colvin's is from the perspective of the aftermath of a breakup. Both are career-topping achievements.
4. Amy Rigby, "Diary of a Mod Housewife" (Koch): Asks the question, "Is there rock 'n' roll life after age 35 and parenthood?" and answers it with a most unequivocal, roots-rocking "Yes!" I, for one, am glad. Now I can keep on doing what I've been doing for at least a few more years.
5. Dana Mase, "Sitting With an Angel" (Water): Another former rock 'n' roller finds ways to age and mature gracefully and retain an alternative edge while tending to matters of the spirit and the heart.
6. Barbara Kessler, "Notion" (Eastern Front): State-of-the-art folk-pop, with catchy hooks and melodies, well-crafted narratives and, above all, a voice that slowly insinuates itself and doesn't let you go.
7. Patty Griffin, "Living With Ghosts" (A&M): With just an acoustic guitar and 10 homespun songs, Griffin grabs a listener with the raw, naked power of her voice, a feral howl that could be the folk answer to Kurt Cobain.
8. Jim's Big Ego, "More Songs About Me" (Tangible), and Jim Infantino/Jim's Big Ego, "Titanic" (Gadfly): Whether he's updating Warren Zevon for the '90s or breathing some Beastie Boys dust into the contemporary folk genre, Infantino is a brilliant, eccentric visionary with a funky streak a mile wide.
9. Lou Reed, "Set the Twilight Reeling" (Warner Bros.): Love becomes Lou, and in return he gives us his most intimate, personal recording in years.
10. Stan Ridgway, "Black Diamond" (Birdcage): More noirish portraits of the American landscape, fame, politics, sex, violence and money from one of the more idiosyncratic weirdos ever to pick up a guitar.
Runners-Up: Soul Coughing, "Irresistible Bliss" (Slash/Warner Bros.), Dar Williams, "Mortal City" (Razor and Tie), Erica Wheeler, "The Harvest" (Signature Sounds), David Krakauer, "Klezmer Madness!" (Tzadik), Elvis Costello, "All This Useless Beauty" (Warner Bros.), The Kennedys, "Life Is Large" (Green Linnet), Various Artists, "Festival of Light" (Six Degrees/Island), Paula Cole, "This Fire" (Imago/Warner Bros.), Cornershop, "Woman's Gotta Have It" (Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.), Bernice Lewis, "Isle of Spirit" (Sanctuary/Blue Bhikku).
Honorable Mention: Peter Stone Brown, "Up Against It" (Tangible), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, "Murder Ballads" (Reprise), Cibo Matto, "Viva La Woman" (Warner Bros.), Amy Fairchild, "She's Not Herself" (DonkeyDisc), Los Lobos, "Colossal Head" (Warner Bros.), Various Artists, "Songs in the Key of X" (Warner Bros.), Rasputina, "Thanks for the Ether" (Columbia), Ramblin' Jack Elliott, "South Coast" (Red House), Pulp, "Different Class" (Island), Ratsy, "Squished Under a Train" (Ratsy), Holly Palmer, "Holly Palmer" (Reprise), Steve Earle, "I Feel Alright" (Warner Bros.), Fred Eaglesmith, "Drive-In Movie" (Vertical), Pete Nelson, "The Restless Boys' Club" (Signature Sounds).
So you think this critic is all wet? E-mail your picks for the best albums of 1996 to rogovoy@berkshire.net and we will feature them in an upcoming column. [This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on Dec. 19, 1996. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1996. All rights reserved.]
Seth Rogovoy
rogovoy@berkshire.net
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