Top CDs of 1999
by Seth Rogovoy

(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Dec. 6, 1999) I'm just one lonely listener, so by all means, there must have been plenty of albums released in the past year deserving of note that do not appear on the list that follows.

Instead, what this list merely denotes is one increasingly cranky, hard-to-please listener's list of the best of what he heard over the last 12 months.

1. Tom Waits, "Mule Variations" (Epitaph): What better to top a cranky critic's Top 10 list than a cranky album by one of contemporary music's premiere cranks? Some of this sounds like it was recorded where and when mules were the transport of choice, but it's the successful combination of Waits's faux-primitive aesthetic with his neo-noir sensibility that makes this an artistic masterpiece.
2. Dave Douglas, "Charms of the Night Sky" (Winter and Winter): From trumpeter Dave Douglas, one of contemporary jazz's premiere soloists, sidemen, bandleaders, and composers, comes a gorgeous, sleepy tapestry of Balkan folk, new-classical textures, and improvisational melody. Could be the '90s answer to Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue."
3. Paul Westerberg, "Suicaine Gratification" (Capitol): The mature statement of a latter-day John Lennon or the last gasps of an over-the-hill sold-out punk? How about one gorgeous, last blast of old-fashioned songcraft from one who combines the confessional edge of Lennon with the sophisticated melodicism of Paul McCartney?
4. Lucy Kaplansky, "Ten Year Night" (Red House): The confessional, pop-folk format relies on personality as much as literacy and melodicism. It all comes together here for Lucy Kaplansky, who balances a knowing sneer and a willingness to tell it like it is, even if it hurts, with a sweet vulnerability.
5. Andy Stochansky, "Radio Fusebox" (Population 60): Who knew all those years that lurking behind the drum kit in Ani DiFranco's band was one of the most innovative, original pop composers and sound-scapers since John Cale and David Byrne? The surprise of the year.
6. Ben Perowsky Trio, "Ben Perowsky Trio" (JazzKey): Drummer Ben Perowsky leads a hard-swinging trio including reedman Chris Speed and bassist Scott Colley through an hour-long set recorded live at the Knitting Factory, mixing originals next to Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Messiaen and Pink Floyd, along the way injecting new life and energy into the improvisational format.
7. Chris Smither, "Drive You Home Again" (Hightone): For thirty years or so Chris Smither has been tagged as a blues revivalist, when in fact he is a dark, Romantic song-poet. On his latest, Smither's writing and performance works the same side of the street as Bob Dylan's "Time Out of Mind."
8. Alejandro Escovedo, "Bourbonitis Blues" (Bloodshot): For too long Alejandro Escovedo has labored in obscurity in the territory where punk, roots-rock, glam, singer-songwriter folk and the Velvet Underground meet. Here is the album that should have cured the obscurity problem, but didn't.
9. Ani DiFranco, "To the Teeth" (Righteous Babe): It's hard keeping up with the prolific Ani DiFranco, who keeps fighting the good anti-corporate fight on "To the Teeth" (as in armed). Fueled by rage against the idiocy she sees around her, DiFranco pairs the tradition of the prophetic troubadour with the love of a good beat on this starkly intimate work.
10. Wilco, "Summerteeth" (Reprise): And in the end, the best, old-fashioned, melodic pop-rock album (can you say "the Beatles"?) came courtesy of an erstwhile alt-country band. Go figure.

Bubbling under: Richard Thompson, "Mock Tudor" (Capitol); Ben Folds Five, "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" (550 Music); Ray Mason Band, "Castanets" (Wormco); Fred Eaglesmith, "50-Odd Dollars" (Razor and Tie); Elliott Murphy, "Beauregard" (Koch).

Up-and-coming: Cibo Matto, "Stereo Type A" (Warner Bros.); Macy Gray, "On How Life Is" (Epic).

Guilty pleasure: Pretenders, "Viva El Amor!" (Warner Bros.)

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[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on Dec. 10, 1999. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1999. All rights reserved.]