Best Albums of 1997

1997 was a good year. In poor form once again, I couldn't narrow it down to just 10 albums, so I copped out and had eleven. See a trend yet? Here's 1997...

10t. Tone Soul Evolution - The Apples In Stereo
Reflections: I didn't hear this album until listening to Beulah and the rest of the Athens based Elephant 6 Collective, but this is one of the best albums from the group. The Apples In Stereo really put out a good, laid back, chill album here, and it's perfect to just sit around and well, chill to.
Best tracks: Tin Pan Alley, What's The #?, The Silvery Light of a Dream Pt 2, Seems So

10t. Ixnay on the Hombre - The Offspring
Reflections: The last good album put out by the Offspring, this one was really low key, but also really good. This album picks up where Smash left off, and while not quite the masterpiece that Smash was, this album still rocks pretty hard from start to finish. There are some down points, but definitely still worth picking up. 'All I Want' is the best driving song ever - thanks, Crazy Taxi.
Best tracks: All I Want, Mota, Meaning of Life, Gone Away

9. The Dance - Fleetwood Mac
Reflections: I remember watching the live Fleetwood Mac reunion special on MTV, and while I don't profess to be even a remotely big Fleetwood Mac fan, I watched and was amazed. So when they released that concert in album form, I snatched it up. Sure, they might be old, but this is one of the best concert albums I've ever heard. Give it a shot.
Best tracks: Big Love, Landslide, Tusk, Rhiannon, Dreams, Everywhere

8. Then: The Early Years - They Might Be Giants
Reflections: Combining the TMBG albums Lincoln, their self-titled debut, and the B-side collectionMiscellaneous T, along with a few extra rarities, Then is double CD must own for any TMBG fan. I traded in the three albums previously mentioned and picked up this collection. It's well worth the price, especially if you don't have any of the albums in question. This is TMBG in excellent form - pure fun.
Best tracks: 32 Footsteps, Puppet Head, Famous Polka, Ana Ng, World's Address, and many more

7. Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Reflections: With the success of a few acts came many new-wave swing musicians. One of the best of that lot were Eugene, Oregon's Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Zoot Suit Riot was actually a greatest hits package, from their first few albums. I loved this disc, particularly its great horn parts.
Best tracks: Zoot Suit Riot, Drunk Daddy, Master & Slave, Brown Derby Jump, Mister White Keys

6. Whatever And Ever Amen - Ben Folds Five
Reflections: If nothing else, this album's a good thing for getting BFF on the radio. While 'Brick' was severely overplayed (and one of the weakest songs on the album), the rest of Whatever was high quality, just like their previous release. Ben's got a unique vocal style, and you can't help but love it.
Best tracks: Fair, Kate, Smoke, Steven's Last Night In Town, Selfless Cold and Composed

5. Wonderful Beef - Pain
Reflections: An amazing followup to Midgets With Guns, Pain proved that not only are they consistent in putting out high quality releases, but that they only get better with time. Wonderful Beef is a hilariously fun album, with amazing lyrics, great horns and guitars, and more of Pain's trademark harmonies. So good.
Best tracks: Suckerpunch, The Bottlerocket War, In A Band, Thimbledrome, Kokomantratarius

4. The Fat of the Land - Prodigy
Reflections: Supposedly the band that would change the face of rock music, The Prodigy's electronica hit The Fat of the Land was by far and away the best example of that form of music. I'm not really big into techno - I've dabbled at times - but I can't help but love this disc. It's better when played really loud.
Best tracks: Smack My Bitch Up, Breathe, Narayan, Fuel My Fire, Firestarter, Funky Shit

3. The Carnival - Wyclef Jean
Reflections: Our first real taste of the absolute musical genius that is Wyclef Jean, this album has something for anybody who likes music. From the Haitian chant 'Sang Fezi' to the latin-flavored 'Guantanamera' to the opera-laced background of 'Apocalypse', this album will amaze and astound you in its variety. Unlike other albums, The Carnival is diverse in styles, yet also manages to hold it all together as one rediculously nice package.
Best tracks: Guantanamera, Sang Fezi, Gunpowder, Bubblegoose, Street Jeopardy, Apocalypse, Gone Till November

2. S.C.I.E.N.C.E. - Incubus
Reflections: This might come as a suprise to most people, but this is by far and away Incubus' best album. Before they really hit it big they put out S.C.I.E.N.C.E., which is a disc that seriously rocks hard from start to finish. One of the best hard rock albums of the late 90s, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is both underappreciated and seriously overlooked by most. Even if you don't like Incubus's mellower side now, you'd like this disc.
Best tracks: Vitamin, New Skin, A Certain Shade of Green, Nebula, Redefine, Favorite Things, Calgone

1. Hot - Squirrel Nut Zippers
Reflections: With the success of Hot came many unsuccessful impersonators, which was the swing boom of the late 90s - a fad that lasted all of two years. This album however, is all it's cracked up to be. A taste of the old, old south, Hot is just an amazing listen. Great horns, great vocals, just an all around treat for your ears and mind. So go pick Hot up and you won't be disappointed.
Best tracks: Bad Businessman, Hot, Prince Nez, Got My Own Thing Now, Put A Lid On It

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