August 26, 2025

Vanessa Paradis - M & J (1987)

Country: France
Language: English, French (franƧais)
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 835 949-2
 
© 1987 Fa Productions/Polydor
Vanessa Paradis' pleasantly understated 1987 debut propelled the then 16 year old into modeling, acting, and further singing when the single "Joe Le Taxi" became an unlikely international hit. She would go on to become a French national treasure, date Johnny Depp, and be Lenny Kravitz' 1970s AM radio muse on a memorable English-language effort. But disregarding all of that, M & J is a remarkably solid album, driven steadily along by lite-pop arrangements and Paradis' disarming vocals. She's not an accomplished singer; at the same time, her wispy, girlish voice nestles perfectly into the album's clutch of head-nodding numbers. "Maxou"'s simply sunny piano flirts with a wide-eyed, almost naĆÆve vocal; it's easy to imagine a black-and-white, silent movie sequence where the beguiling Vanessa is pursued through the streets of Paris by a luckless suitor. Paradis sashays her way across "Mosquito"'s slight new wave groove and sells the Latin cabaret feel of "Marilyn & John" with aplomb. But it's the wistful "Joe Let Taxi" where she really shines, since the track's sax-laced slow burn is the perfect foil for her fetching delivery. Remember in Tom & Jerry when Tom floats on the intoxicating drift of his true love's perfume? That's what this entire album makes you feel like. 
 
 tags: vanessa paradis, m and j, 1987, flac, 

Various Artists - 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment In Time (1988)

*U.S. pressing.
Contains 12 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop, Pop Rock, R&B, Soul
Label Number: ARCD-8551
 
© 1988 Arista Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: various artists, 1988 summer olympics album, one moment in time, 1988, flac,

August 25, 2025

Bros - The Time (1989)

*U.S. first pressing. 
Contains 11 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop
Label Number: EK 45390
 
© 1989 Epic
A rule of thumb in the music industry is that teenage heartthrobs are good for about two years, and Bros was in its second year when its second album, The Time, was released. A second rule of thumb is that teenage heartthrobs don't necessarily travel well, and while Bros ruled the British airwaves with the three hits included on this album--in descending and (notably) chronological order, "Too Much," "Chocolate Box," and "Madly In Love"--they never made much of an impression in the U.S. As with most teenage heartthrobs, the music wasn't the point; all of these songs are heavily produced, glossy dance tracks in which Matt Goss's enthusiastic but thin vocals are the least noticeable aspect. The point was image, and without a big promotional push, that image never became visible to Americans, while, in England, it was only good for the life of this record, completing Bros' two years of fame. (Epic Records in the U.S. reconfigured the album for American release, cutting the tracks "Streetwise" and "Space Sister" and adding "Life's A Heartbeat," the 1988 #1 U.K. hit "I Owe You Nothing," which also had appeared on Bros' previous album, Push, and the 1989 Top 10 U.K. hit "Sister.") 
 
 tags: bros, the time, 1989, flac,

Bros - Changing Faces (1991)

*U.K. first pressing. 
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop
Label Number: 468817 2
 
© 1991 Columbia
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: bros, changing faces, 1991, flac,

August 24, 2025

Al Corley - Square Rooms (1984)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop, Pop Rock
Label Number: 822 316-2 Q
 
© 1984 Mercury
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 
 
tags: al corley, square rooms, 1984, flac,

Stephanie - Stephanie (1986)

*German first pressing. 
Contains 14 tracks total. 
This album is also known as 
"Besoin" & "Live Your Life
in different markets and regions.
Country: Monaco
Language: English, French (FranƧaise)
Genre: Pop
Label Number: CAR 8.26366 ZP
 
© 1986 Carrere
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 
 
tags: stephanie, stephanie album, besoin, live your life, 1986, flac,

Inga Humpe - Planet Oz (1991)

Country: Germany
Language: English 
Genre: Pop
Label Number: 9031-72670-2
 
© 1991 WEA
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 tags: igna humpe, planet oz, 1991, flac,

Stephanie - Stephanie (1991)

*European pressing. 
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: Monaco
Language: English
Genre: Pop, Pop Rock
Label Number: 467327 2
 
© 1991 Epic/WTG Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 tags: stephanie, stephanie album, 1991, flac,

Various Artists - Doctor Tiger's Deathless Promise (2002)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Label Number: TAD 2214 CD
 
© 2002 4AD
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: various artists, doctor tigers deathless promise, 2002, flac,

Eric Hutchinson - Sounds Like This (2007)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 460412
 
© 2007 Let's Break Records
Eric Hutchinson was supposed to be made a star by Madonna, or at least by her label, but after Maverick went bullet-bra-up in 2005 and Hutchinson went back to self-releasing his own albums, it turned out that all he needed was one prominent blogger on his side. After Perez Hilton waxed rhapsodic about Hutchinson's Sounds Like This on his celeb gossip blog in the summer of 2007, the Virginia-born, L.A.-based singer/songwriter suddenly shot into the digital charts. It helps immensely that Hutchinson's third album is leaps and bounds beyond his previous two, That Could've Gone Better and the live EP ...Before I Sold Out: from the frisky piano-driven opener "OK, It's Alright with Me" onwards, Sounds Like This is a well-produced, cleverly arranged, and immensely catchy batch of AAA singer/songwriter pop songs. On the live EP, "Outside Villanova" sounded like the sort of faux-reggae soft rock fluff that Rupert Holmes might have released as a follow-up to "Escape (The PiƱa Colada Song)," but in its full-band version, the kitsch aspects of the song are transformed into something closer to Ben Folds Five. Overall, the general air of "sensitive guy with an acoustic guitar" endemic to this brand of singer/songwriter pop is neatly balanced with a sense of playfulness and a knack for quirky arrangement choices that keep the songs from merely dissipating in the air between speakers and ears. Sounds Like This will sound great on the in-house stereo at your local Starbucks, of course, but there's more to it than that. 
 
tags: eric hutchinson, sounds like this, 2007, flac,

Eastern Lane - The Article (2005)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Garage Rock
Label Number: RTRADCD184
 
© 2005 Rough Trade
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 
 
 tags: eastern lane, the article, 2005, flac,

August 23, 2025

The Lone Ranger (Q-Tip) & Consequence - It's Yours/The Consequences (1997)

*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None
 
© 1997 Not On Label
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: the lone ranger, q tip, q-tip, consequence, its yours, the consequences, single, 1997, flac,

August 21, 2025

Bone Cellar - Lost In The Light of Day (1995)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: {ynh} 02
 
© 1995 Your Name Here Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: bone cellar, lost in the light of day, 1995, flac

50 Cent - Power of The Dollar: E.P. (2000) ☠

*This pressing is a promotional extended play on LP 
not intended for consumer sale. 
This pressing contains 5 tracks total. 
Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Gangsta Rap, Pop Rap 
Label Number: 44 79479
 
☠: Selected by Lass
© 2000 Columbia Records
You can say this much for 50 Cent: The man knows how to make an entrance. Before he released the uproariously cunning single "How to Rob," few knew this Queens, NY, native even existed. But by naming names and placing his own persona deep in the middle of a non-existent battle (specifically, casting hip-hop stars as targets for 50 Cent's hardcore, comedic robbing spree), he assured himself a place among the industry's most illustrious performers. After all, a challenge rarely goes unanswered in hip-hop circles and when that gauntlet is raised, the best retaliation is a lyrical one. Thus setting the stage for his own legend to emerge, 50 Cent recorded a powerful debut CD to prove he was no one-hit wonder. Tracks on Power of the Dollar utilize penetrating wit and funk-infused beats, accompanied by grand orchestrations of commanding horns, pronounced percussion, and various string elements. "Slow Doe" features Latin guitar grooves and "Your Life's on the Line" conveys street life through hard, violent rhythms. Using a New York "double-time" rap style, 50 Cent presents his verbal art as a visceral and bold experience. But when he was shot two months before the album's projected release, Columbia shelved the entire project and released 50 Cent from his contract.
 
tags: 50 cent, power of the dollar, ep, lp, vinyl, 2000, flac,

August 19, 2025

Rubyhorse - A Lifetime In One Day (1995)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: HT-CD-1001
 
© 1995 Horse Trade
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

tags: rubyhorse, ruby horse, a lifetime in one day, 1995, flac,

August 16, 2025

'Til Tuesday - Everything's Different Now (1988)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: EK 44041
 
© 1988 Epic Records
As commercially successful as 'Til Tuesday's debut album was, the Boston band could have easily slipped into formula and continued making infectious, synth-soaked pop/rock. But instead, Tuesday continued to challenge itself and grow with each album. Everything's Different Now, the group's third and final album, lacks the immediacy of Voices Carry and is even more intimate than Welcome Home, but is every bit as rewarding. An often poignant and moving singer/composer, Aimee Mann leaves no doubt that she's coming from the heart on such introspective and personal gems as "Long Gone (Buddy)," "Why Must I," and "(Believed You Were) Lucky." Comparing something as slick as "No More Crying" to much more organic and understated offerings like "Rip in Heaven" and "J for Jules," it becomes obvious just how much Tuesday evolved in the course of three albums. 
 
 tags: til tuesday, everythings different now, everything's, 1988, flac,

August 15, 2025

Various Artists - Firestarter (1998)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: Various
Language: English, Dutch (Nederlands)
Genre: Black Metal, Death Metal
Label Number: 7900-2
 
© 1998 Century Black
Its title no doubt alluding to the violence and church arson permeating the Norwegian black metal scene from which many of the label's artists come, Century Black's Firestarter compilation is a handy overview of the label's roster, making a solid sampler for those new to most of the artists present. Highlights include new (in 1997) material from Emperor, Borknagar, Arcturus, Old Man's Child, and Sacramentum, plus archival material from Rotting Christ, Samael, and Tiamat, and a live track from Mayhem's 1991 pre-suicide/murder lineup. 
 
 tags: various artists, firestarter, fire starter, 1998, flac,

Bone Cellar - Now That It's All Over (1994)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: 00
 
© 1994 Your Name Here Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: bone cellar, now that its over, 1994, flac,

Ultimate Fakebook - This Will Be Laughing Week (2000 Reissue)

*Reissued in 2000 by Epic/550 Music 
with a new album cover. 
This pressing contains 14 tracks total. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
 
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Power Pop
Label Number: BK 63854
 
© 1999-2000 Epic/550 Music
Ultimate Fakebook isn't totally glossy post-pubescent frat rock. The trio does pick up those familiar three-chord guitar licks found most popular in bands like Green Day, but they spank the punk-pop sound up a bit. This Will Be Laughing Week is 14 songs of lingering melodies and it is something listeners have all heard before in bands like Better Than Ezra and Vertical Horizon. Lead singer/guitarist Bill McShane's dizzy harmonies are undauntedly similar to late Material Issue frontman Jim Ellison. The sweet cries of wishing and dreaming for perfect love life is the same old spiel. 

 tags: ultimate fakebook, this will be laughing week, 1999, 2000, reissue, flac,

Howlin' Maggie - Hyde (2001)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: None
 
© 2001 PopFly Music
Emerging from a five-year silence, Howlin' Maggie decisively fulfills the extended promise of 1996's critically acclaimed but underappreciated Honeysuckle Strange. Founder/singer/guitarist Harold Chichester's original band incarnation and ties to Columbia slowly disintegrated while he was busy contributing his venerable musicianship to Afghan Whigs and Twilight Singers projects. Eventually recording and releasing Hyde independently, he overhauled HM, recruiting the talents of guitarist Lance Ellison, bassist Christian Hurd, and drummer Carlton Smith. The results are an amalgam of hard rock styles, dynamic instrumentation, and sophisticated lyrics, sounding both infectiously lush and fierce. Fueled by Chichester's penchant for crafting vivacious pop songs brought to life by his chameleon vocals sung with effortless, intense conviction, "Nobody Calls Her Baby," "Lookin' Out My Window," and the furious "Elephant Runs Amok" display atmospheric exuberance and instantly catchy guitar hooks. Although there's a tendency to overcook song endings in screamy euphoria, solid churners "Love Is All Around x 4" and "I Fall in Love With My Friends" are balanced by the superbly hip, grooving gem "FWINA" and the sublime funk sparkle of "Friday Nite." This is a solid sophomore effort, admonishing that Howlin' Maggie wasn't a one-album wonder, instead exhibiting signs of longevity further reinforced by ex-Afghan Whigs drummer Michael Horrigan's permanent replacement of Smith in March 2002. 
 
 tags: howlin maggie, hyde, 2001, flac,

El Meswy - Se Habla EspaƱol (2003)

Se incluye una foto del disco en el archivo RAR.
(A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.)
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish (Castellano)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: CRU-05
 
© 2003 Crudo
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
 
 
 tags: el meswy, se habla espanol, 2003, flac,

August 13, 2025

Rubyhorse - Goodbye To All That (2004)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: BRH 000082
 
© 2003-2004 Brash Music
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 
 
 tags: rubyhorse, goodbye to all that, 2004, flac,

Various Artists - Currents & Directions (2002)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Art Rock, Lo-Fi
Label Number: mrdn 002
 
© 2002 Meridien Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: various artists, currents and directions, 2002, flac,

Yovee - Too Far Gone (2005)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: MANALOFT 001
 
© 2005 Manaloft Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: yovee, too far gone, 2005, flac,

August 10, 2025

SixNationState - SixNationState (2007)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: JPRCD 016
 
© 2007 Jeepster Recordings
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: six nation state, sixnationstate album, 2007, flac,