Griffith, Nanci - 1986 - The Last Of The True Believers

This is Nanci Griffith's fourth and final release on Rounder Records' folk subsidiary, Philo. At the time Griffith relocated to Nashville, TN, her decidedly Texan sense of musicality had already begun developing subtle hues of Appalachia as well as the cosmopolitan country that would inform her mid- to late-'80s stint on MCA. However, it is the overwhelming strength and conviction in the singer/songwriter's original material on The Last of the True Believers that remain indelibly impressed upon enthusiasts and critics alike. As such, Griffith has retained a copious sampling from the disc in her subsequent live performance repertoire. Griffith's crystalline vocals are well matched to the warm, earthy acoustic instrumentation on the intimate "More Than a Whisper" and "The Wing and the Wheel." At times, the delicate interplay creates a mutual envelopment of the human vocal instrument with that of the stringed nature -- most notably on the heartfelt "Love at the Five and Dime." By way of contrast, Griffith defies her somewhat introverted image on the tongue-in-cheek (no pun!) love song "Looking for the Time (Workin' Girl)" and the effervescent waltz "Love's Found a Shoulder." Lying nestled between are spry melodies such as "Banks of the Pontchartrain," featuring some nice picking from Béla Fleck (banjo), and "Goin' Gone," which perfectly captures some of Lloyd Green's finest pedal steel work on the disc. Griffith's pure and otherwise unaffected performance style would continue to carry through her subsequent efforts, most notably Lone Star State of Mind (1987), which in many ways is a companion, rather than simply the follow-up, to The Last of the True Believers.

1 The Last of the True Believers Griffith 2:47
2 Love at the Five and Dime Griffith 4:33
3 St. Olav's Gate Russell 3:03
4 More Than a Whisper Griffith 3:42
5 Banks of the Pontchartrain Griffith 3:39
6 Looking for the Time (Workin' Girl) Griffith 2:43
7 Goin' Gone Alger, Dale, Koller 4:19
8 One of These Days Griffith, Reed 2:54
9 Love's Found a Shoulder Griffith 2:19
10 Fly by Night Griffith 2:36
11 The Wing and the Wheel Griffith 2:41

¡Aquí!

G-Z-R - 1995 - Plastic Planet

A clever alternate spelling of their namesake and bass player, this metal outfit forcefully demonstrates that the greatest metal recordings of all time owe much of their heaviness to Geezer Butler. G//Z/R even appears to target Tony Iommi -- whose contribution to Black Sabbath is often described in more significant terms than that of Butler -- on the vicious "Giving Up the Ghost." With more than enough power to eclipse any sans-Butler Black Sabbath or Iommi project, this 1995 release proves its creative point. Engineer Paul Northfield deserves special credit for fusing the punishing sounds of guitarist Pedro Howse and drummer Deen Castronovo with Butler's famous low end. Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell's holler wears a little thin at times, but he never crowds G//Z/R's super-heavy riffs. With its historic membership and rock-solid execution, Plastic Planet reaches rarely achieved metal heights.

		1		Catatonic Eclipse	Butler, Howse	7:10
		2		Drive Boy, Shooting	Butler, Howse	4:17
		3		Giving Up the Ghost	Butler, Howse	5:12
		4		Plastic Planet	Butler, Howse	3:19
		5		The Invisible	Butler, Howse	3:43
		6		Seance Fiction	Butler, Howse	5:55
		7		House of Clouds	Butler, Howse	3:43
		8		Detective 27	Butler, Howse	3:09
		9		X13	Butler, Howse	4:05
		10		Sci-Clone	Butler, Howse	3:43
		11		Cycle of Sixty	Butler, Howse	3:02

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Garcia, Charly - 1990 - Filosofia Barata y Zapatos De Goma

		1		De Mi	Garcia	3:06
		2		Filosofia Barata y Zapatos de Goma	Garcia	3:52
		3		Reloj de Platilina	Garcia	4:41
		4		Gato de Metal	Garcia	3:15
		5		No Te Mueras en Mi Casa	Aznar, Cerati, Garcia	3:29
		6		Curitas	Garcia	5:39
		7		Solo un Poquito No Mas	Dubatz, Garcia	3:26
		8		Me Siento Mucho Mejor	Clark	3:05
		9		Siempre Puedes Olvidar	Garcia	3:51
		10		La Cancion del Indeciso	Garcia	3:00
		11		Himno Nacional Argentino	Blas, Lopez, Parela, Planes	4:37

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Giusti Funk Corp - 1997 - Barrio Funk

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Guns n' Roses - 1996 - Ultra Rare Tracks VI

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Gorillaz - 2001 - Gorillaz

It's tempting to judge Gorillaz -- Damon Albarn, Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett, and Dan "The Automator" Nakamura's virtual band -- just by their brilliantly animated videos and write the project off as another triumph of style over substance. Admittedly, Hewlett's edgy-cute characterizations of 2-D, Gorillaz' pretty boy singer (who looks a cross between the Charlatans' Tim Burgess and Sonic the Hedgehog), sinister bassist Murdoc, whiz-kid guitarist Noodle, and b-boy drummer Russel are so arresting that they almost detract from Gorillaz' music. The amazing "Thriller"-meets-Planet of the Apes clip for "Clint Eastwood" is so visually clever that it's easy to take the song's equally clever, hip-hop-tinged update of the Specials' "Ghost Town" for granted. And initially, Gorillaz' self-titled debut feels incomplete when Hewlett's imagery is removed; the concept of Gorillaz as a virtual band doesn't hold up as well when you can't see the virtual bandmembers. It's too bad that there isn't a DVD version of Gorillaz, with videos for every song, à la the DVD version of Super Furry Animals' Rings Around the World. Musically, however, Gorillaz is a cutely caricatured blend of Albarn's eclectic Brit-pop and Nakamura's equally wide-ranging hip-hop, and it sounds almost as good as the band looks. Albarn has fun sending up Blur's cheeky pop on songs like "5/4" and "Re-Hash," their trip-hop experiments on "New Genious" and "Sound Check," and "Song 2"-like thrash-pop on "Punk" and "M1 A1." Despite the similarities between Albarn's main gig and his contributions here, Gorillaz isn't an Albarn solo album in disguise; Nakamura's bass- and beat-oriented production gives the album an authentically dub and hip-hop-inspired feel, particularly on "Rock the House" and "Tomorrow Comes Today." Likewise, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Miho Hatori, and Ibrahim Ferrer's vocals ensure that it sounds like a diverse collaboration rather than an insular side project. Instead, it feels like a musical vacation for all parties involved -- a little self-indulgent, but filled with enough fun ideas and good songs to make this virtual band's debut a genuinely enjoyable album.

		1		Re-Hash	Gorillaz	3:38
		2		5/4	Gorillaz	2:40
		3		Tomorrow Comes Today	Gorillaz	3:13
		4		New Genious (Brother)	Gorillaz	3:58
		5		Clint Eastwood	Gorillaz	5:40
		6		Man Research (Clapper)	Gorillaz	4:33
		7		Punk	Gorillaz	1:36
		8		Sound Check (Gravity)	Gorillaz	4:41
		9		Double Bass	Gorillaz	4:45
		10		Rock the House	Automator ...	4:09
Composed by: Automator, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Gorillaz
		11		19-2000	Gorillaz	3:28
		12		Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)	Gorillaz, Villa	3:37
		13		Starshine	Gorillaz	3:31
		14		Slow Country	Gorillaz	3:36
		15		M1 A1	Gorillaz	10:42
		16		Dracula	Gorillaz	4:42
		17		Left Hand Suzuki Method	Gorillaz	10:01

¡Aquí!

Green Day

Biography

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Out of all the post-Nirvana alternative bands to break into the pop mainstream, Green Day were second only to Pearl Jam in terms of influence. At their core, Green Day were simply punk revivalists who recharged the energy of speedy, catchy three-chord punk-pop songs. Though their music wasn't particularly innovative, they brought the sound of late-'70s punk to a new, younger generation with Dookie, their 1994 major-label debut. Dookie sold over ten million copies, paving the way for a string of multi-platinum releases that opened the doors for a flood of American neo-punk, punk metal, and third wave ska revivalists. More than a decade later, as many of their former contemporaries settled into retirement, Green Day remained at the forefront of popular music with albums like the Grammy-winning American Idiot. Green Day arose from the Northern California underground punk scene. Childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Mike Dirnt (bass; born Mike Pritchard) formed their first band, Sweet Children, in Rodeo, CA, when they were 14 years old. By 1989, the group had added drummer Al Sobrante and changed its name to Green Day. That same year, the band independently released its first EP, 1000 Hours, which was well received in the California hardcore punk scene. Soon, the group had signed a contract with the local independent label Lookout. Green Day's first full album, 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour, was released later that year. Shortly after its release, the band replaced Sobrante with Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright III), who became the band's permanent drummer. Throughout the early '90s, Green Day continued to cultivate a cult following, which only gained strength with the release of their second album, 1992's Kerplunk. The underground success of Kerplunk led to a wave of interest from major record labels, and the band eventually decided to sign with Reprise. Dookie, Green Day's major-label debut, was released in the spring of 1994. Thanks to MTV support for the initial single, "Longview," Dookie became a major hit. The album continued to gain momentum throughout the summer, with the second single, "Basket Case," spending five weeks on the top of the American modern rock charts. At the end of the summer, the band stole the show at Woodstock '94, which helped the sales of Dookie increase. By the time the fourth single, "When I Come Around," began its seven-week stay at number one on the modern rock charts in early 1995, Dookie had sold over five million copies in the U.S. alone; it would eventually top ten million in America, selling over 15 million copies internationally. Dookie also won the 1994 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance. Green Day quickly followed Dookie with Insomniac in the fall of 1995; during the summer, they hit number one again on the modern rock charts with "J.A.R.," their contribution to the Angus soundtrack. Insomniac performed well initially, entering the U.S. charts at number two and selling over two million copies by the spring of 1996, yet none of its singles -- including the radio favorite "Brain Stew/Jaded" -- were as popular as those from Dookie. In the spring of 1996, Green Day abruptly canceled a European tour, claiming exhaustion. Following the cancellation, the band spent the rest of the year resting and writing new material before issuing Nimrod in late 1997. Three years later, their long-awaited follow-up, a refreshingly poppy record titled Warning, was released. Another long wait preceded 2004's American Idiot, an aggressive rock opera that became a surprise success -- a chart-topper around the world, a multi-platinum Grammy winner, and easily the best reviewed album of their career. Green Day reveled in the album's success, hitting numerous award shows and performing as part of Live 8 in July 2005. That fall brought the release of Bullet in a Bible, a concert album that documented the trio's expansive Idiot live show. With their popularity and commercial viability restored, Green Day took on several small projects before returning to the studio. They contributed a cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" to the charity album Instant Karma, appeared in The Simpsons Movie, and recorded an entire album of '60s-styled rock & roll under the alias of Foxboro Hot Tubs. While presenting an award at the Grammys in early 2009, the band announced the impending release of Green Day's eighth album, 21st Century Breakdown, which had been recorded with veteran producer Butch Vig.

1994 - Dookie

Green Day - 1994 - Dookie

Green Day couldn't have had a blockbuster without Nirvana, but Dookie wound up being nearly as revolutionary as Nevermind, sending a wave of imitators up the charts and setting the tone for the mainstream rock of the mid-'90s. Like Nevermind, this was accidental success, the sound of a promising underground group suddenly hitting its stride just as they got their first professional, big-budget, big-label production. Really, that's where the similarities end, since if Nirvana were indebted to the weirdness of indie rock, Green Day were straight-ahead punk revivalists through and through. They were products of the underground pop scene kept alive by such protagonists as All, yet what they really loved was the original punk, particularly such British punkers as the Jam and Buzzcocks. On their first couple records, they showed promise, but with Dookie, they delivered a record that found Billie Joe Armstrong bursting into full flower as a songwriter, spitting out melodic ravers that could have comfortable sat alongside Singles Going Steady, but infused with an ironic self-loathing popularized by Nirvana, whose clean sound on Nevermind is also emulated here. Where Nirvana had weight, Green Day are deliberately adolescent here, treating nearly everything as joke and having as much fun as snotty punkers should. They demonstrate a bit of depth with "When I Come Around," but that just varies the pace slightly, since the key to this is their flippant, infectious attitude — something they maintain throughout the record, making Dookie a stellar piece of modern punk that many tried to emulate but nobody bettered.

		1		Burnout	Armstrong, Green Day	2:07
		2		Having a Blast	Armstrong, Green Day	2:44
		3		Chump	Armstrong, Green Day	2:54
		4		Longview	Armstrong, Green Day	3:59
		5		Welcome to Paradise	Armstrong, Green Day	3:44
		6		Pulling Teeth	Armstrong, Green Day	2:30
		7		Basket Case	Armstrong, Green Day	3:03
		8		She	Armstrong, Green Day	2:14
		9		Sassafras Roots	Armstrong, Green Day	2:37
		10		When I Come Around	Armstrong, Green Day	2:58
		11		Coming Clean	Armstrong, Green Day	1:34
		12		Emenius Sleepus	Dirnt	1:43
		13		In the End	Armstrong, Green Day	1:46
		14		F.O.D./All By Myself	Armstrong, Green Day	5:46

¡Aquí!