Adam Ant, The Essential Adam Ant (Epic/Legacy)
A.R.E. Weapons, A.R.E. Weapons (Rough Trade)
Andrew Bird, Weather Systems (Grimsey)
Blue Oyster Cult, The Essential Blue Oyster Cult (Columbia/Legacy)
Boysetsfire, Tomorrow Come Today (Wind-Up Records)
Electric Light Orchestra, The Essential Electric Light Orchestra (Epic/Legacy)
Fishbone, The Essential Fishbone (Columbia/Legacy)
Fleshies, The Sicilian (Alternative Tentacles)
Grand Drive, Grand Drive (Private Music/RCAVG)
Sophie B. Hawkins, The Essential Sophie B. Hawkins (Columbia/Legacy)
Kills, Keep On Your Mean Side (Rough Trade)
Cyndi Lauper, The Essential Cyndi Lauper (Epic/Legacy)
Men At Work, The Essential Men At Work (Columbia/Legacy)
Molly Hatchet, The Essential Molly Hatchet (Epic/Legacy)
Thelonious Monk, The Essential Thelonious Monk (Columbia/Legacy Jazz)
Eddie Money, The Essential Eddie Money (Columbia/Legacy)
Shawn Mullins, The Essential Shawn Mullins (Columbia/Legacy)
Placebo, Sleeping With Ghosts (Astralwerks)
Ricky Skaggs, The Essential Ricky Skaggs (Columbia/Legacy)
Stabbing Westward, The Essential Stabbing Westward (Columbia/Legacy)
IN OUR EARS
Scott Harrell, Music Critic
Smoking Popes, The Party's Over (Double Zero)
A posthumous collection of covers from Chicago pop-punk icons Smoking Popes. It's a bit softer, but no less well-performed.
Julie Garisto, Copy Editor
Neko Case, Blacklisted
Case is a vocal and lyrical powerhouse who performs countrified alt-folk, balancing an atmospheric and a simple magic. Anyone unimpressed with the current crop of female singer/songwriters will be pleasantly suprpised by Case. She leaves an impression that's not quickly forgotten.
This article appears in Mar 26 – Apr 1, 2003.