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Disc a Day -- Modern Rock Disc a Day -- Modern Rock Vitaminic Capsule Releases to be Administered Daily Blues/R&B | Classic Rock | Eclectica | Funk | Jazz | Modern Rock | New Orleans | Reggae | World Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros -- Rock Art & The X-Ray Style (Hellcat Records) "This is all about Free Speech" Strummer wails on Techno D-Day a highlight song from X-Ray and two recent triumphant S.F. Fillmore appearances. Strummer (47) restakes his Clash turf with this hearty release. The cd's "Forbidden City" houses a Panavision-sized chorus. The guitar slinging traditionalist who still performs "I Fought The Law" and "Stagger Lee" talks about the "Road To Rock and Roll" along a Carribbean backing: "There's a lot of wreckage in the ravine, some you recognize, used to hang out on the scene." Strummer survives the wreckage and sublimates over congas, reggae/dub beats and Jambalaya -- forging a new path. The Mescaleros provide the aura and finish on this broad canvas. XTC -- Apple Venus Vol. I (TVT) 7 years of contract squabbles and several pop lifetimes since 1992's Nonsuch, find the group down to two members (guitar/keyboard vet Dave Gregory has left, though he does contribute to Apple Venus). Here, XTC drops retro and pursues orchestral ideas the Fab Four never thought of. Andy Partridge weighs in heavily with 9 of the 11 tracks here. On "Green Man", "I'd Like That" and "Your Dictionary" memorable melodies are reinforced by complex multi-track vocal treatments from Moulding and Partridge with strings. This tight and refined sound sets up a more rocking A.V. vol. II later in 1999. Elliot Smith -- XO (Dreamworks) XO is a knockout singer/songwriter release. Portland-bred songsmith, Smith knows how to concoct a Brit-folk-rock sound reminiscent of Syd Barrett, Nick Drake with a dash of Pete Buck. Songs such as opener "sweet adeline", "waltz #2 (XO)" and "I didn't understand" mix melancholic and beautiful melodic lines with a unique lyrical point of view, which as on his earlier release Either/Or offers up ambiguity (but a toe-tapping ambiguity). On his first Dreamworks release, he ups the ante and beefs up the acoustic sound with powerful yet spare arrangements. Quality stuff, leave on repeat a few times. Beck -- Mutations (DGC) If you thought Odelay was good, get ready for Beck's masterpiece. Mutations finds our hero in a state of flux, a more acoustic major release with a Dylanesque feel complete with a new brand of surrealisms in "Lazy Flies": "Out in the Mangroves, The mynah birds cry/ In the Shadows of sulphur, The trawlers drift by/ They're chewing dried meat in a house of disrepute..." Even the groove riffs have matured, Beck concocts a Bossa Nova sequel to "Deadweight" with "Tropicalia" a Banana Republic vacation gone wrong: wryly comic, speaking with the music, the tune and the words like few can. "Bottle of Blues" pushes another great roots tradition forward -- so reconnect the dots of Beck's journey from street-strummer to humdinger covered by Tom Waits and Johnny Cash. The bard of Silverlake finds his muse on the back porch. Air -- Moon Safari (Source/MCA) The spacey groove taken to its illogical conclusion. Air are coming at you from France, which you will recall is near Remulac in outer space. On "Talisman" the Garbage/Abba groove is so fat, you can milk it. "Le Voyage De Penelope" has the Barbarella theme cheeze-whiz synth mixed up with the majesterial anthemics. Who are these guys anyway, and who do they think they are. Could be a response to Kraftwerk, but the Speed-Racer-like cover graphics reveal a new Parisian retro-stylization which hopefully for us all will start a trend. "La Femme D'argent" gives us a new reason to belive in the silky smooth groove track. Frankly, nobody knows what to make of this landmark release. Catherine Wheel -- Like Cats and Dogs (Mercury) The Catherine Wheel offer up some great guitar atmospherics, based on the bluesy side of ambient music. But with a Pink Floyd cover and some excellent feedback sounds, contains unusual variety and a minimalist edge. Atmospheric in both wall of sound and Eno angles, this release puts the band on firm ground. Paul Weller -- Wildwood (Polydor) With Wildwood, Weller completed his 90s resurgence to regain his status as one of Britain's leading songwriters by any measure. On the charts he has tallied over 45 top 40 hits since his 1977 arrival with the Jam. On Wildwood he matures with folky arrangements on "Country," gospel on "Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)," and a little Jam style right handed guitar number called the "Weaver." Throughout this is the strongest and most accessible nineties effort from The Modfather. It rocks, it's somewhat psychedelic and it contains sing along grooves. You want more, you can't handle more. Pavement -- Crooked Rain (Matador) Pavement are always good for some goofy surprises which keep the sound from becoming to pro despite great pop hooks. Incorporating hip-hop, jazzy jams, quirky country and improv rave up noise, Pavement is a band which can follow a song right over the edge and on Crooked Rain, that's a good thing, especially on the cult classic "Cut Your Hair." Brian Jonestown Massacre -- Methadrone (Bomp) The Brian Jonestown Massacre is the brainchild of lead singer/guitarist Anton Newcombe. He has developed a convincingly British sound, combining influences of the early days of Pink Floyd with dabs of Jesus and Mary Chain on "Methadrone," kicking out some great power rock jams. Synch your ears into these clips from this talented songwriter with a gift for sonic atmospheres. Robyn Hitchcock -- Moss Elixir (Warner Bros.) Robyn Hitchcock has become a mainstay of Alternative music since his mid-seventies emergence as the leader of The Soft Boys. Since that time he has written a suitcase full of wry, macabre, surreal, witty near-hits. With Moss Elixir his sound is rounded out making his strange world more accessible than ever. Note: companion LP Mossy Liquor is recommended for several outtakes and remakes including a Swedish version of "Alright, Yeah." R.E.M. -- New Adventures in Hi-Fi (Warner Bros.) On Hi-Fi, R.E.M. sounds very comfortable with spontaneous on-the-road recording. Songs such as "Electrolite" and "New Test Leper" restake the band's claim to quieter, more spiritual material while glammy "The Wake Up Bomb," the charging "Binky The Doormat" and "Undertow" keep the multi-guitar crunch chops fresh. Adventures also features a guest appearance by Stipe favorite Patti Smith. Cracker -- The Golden Age (Virgin) Recorded in Richmond, VA, Memphis (at Arden Studios) and Nashville, Golden Age offers a novel "what if" take on Southern influences such as country, soul and gospel. On Golden Age these forces come together magically as a Neil Young-ish guitar figure leads to an irresistible chorus on "How Can I Live Without You (If It Means I Gotta Get A Job)." David Lowery continues to excel in mild obscurity writing hep folk-rock gems. Oasis -- What's The Story (Morning Glory)? (Epic) Morning Glory has inscrutable depth; it does not merely re-work Gary Glitter, Paul Weller, and Lennon/McCartney material, but it offers powerfully original songs such as "Some Might Say," "Don't Look Back in Anger," "Cast No Shadow" and "She's Electric." These tunes are, as they used to call 'em, 'album tracks' giving an idea of the depth and accuracy of this record. A huge seller a long time mover and shaker.