The Slip - Angels Come on Time (2002): Wordy, sentimental indie jazz fusion. Fearless in its genre mixing. Jam band and Slip fans take notice. Catchy stuff fans take pause.
Standout track: "Love and Tears"
Gomez - Bring it On (1998): The noise collages, unbelievably husky voices, and killer blues rock to come out of these young Brits is a shock to the system. A good one.
Standout track: "Whippin' Piccadilly"
Roni Size/Reprazent - In the Mode (2000): A surprisingly—maybe exhaustingly—dense patchwork of speeds, styles, and voices for a hip hop-infused drum and bass record.
Standout track: "Staircase"
Shellac - The End of Radio (2019): The first session, a thrillingly violent rip about Canada. The second, a slightly pretentious extended live tribute to the fallen Peel.
Standout track: "Canada [1994 Version]"
Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites (1996): For all its best tracks, gets lost in an hour-long self-pitying mire of wailing roots rock. Thank God they reigned it in the next album.
Standout track: "Daylight Fading"
XTC - English Settlement (1982): A surprisingly neurotic, socially aware pastoral pop rock album. Andy Partridge and friends have a knack for the almost annoyingly catchy.
Standout track: "Jason and the Argonauts"
Everything But the Girl - Temperamental (1999): Like a club, a lot of glossy, boomy style, but hard to remember much afterwards. Tracey Thorn's soulful rambles are the best part about it.
Standout track: "Lullaby of Clubland"