It's the official season of yuletide and cross-promotion, in case you hadn't noticed. And, because Jesus Christ was such a huge music fan, record companies have seen fit to dump the expected cavalcade of crap unto us, the wee consumers. If we were feeling less feisty, we might have filled the space below with the requisite survey of holiday releases. But we're not sure that you, our precious readers, are best served by reasoned critiques of RuPaul's Ho Ho Ho or Hanson's Snowed In.
Rather than hyping the wretched, therefore, we've decided to plug the worthy by presenting our annual Top 10 lists. In addition to staff members, this year we've asked a fistful of South Florida musical luminaries to serve up their Top 10 (or Top 9) platters of 1997. (Note: The albums or songs are not ranked from best to worst. The numbers are just to help keep things organized.) This is one of those cut-and-save deals, folks, so get your scissors handy and read on.
Steven Almond, interim music editor, New Times
1. Ray Charles, Ray Charles Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (Rhino)
2. Leonard Cohen, More Best Of (Columbia)
3. Dan Bern, Dan Bern (WORK)
4. Kazik, 12 Groszy (S.P. Records)
5. Ben Folds Five, Whatever and Ever Amen (550 Music)
6. Imani Coppola, Chupacabra (Columbia)
7. James McMurtry, It Had to Happen (Sugarhill Records)
8. Smoking Popes, Destination Failure (Capitol)
9. A3, Exile on Cold Harbour Lane (Geffen)
10. Ani DiFranco, Living in Clip (Righteous Babe Records)
10a. Various Artists, Music Inspired by the Motion Picture Hoodlum (Loud/Interscope)
Frank "Rat Bastard" Falestra, guitarist, theLaundry Room Squelchers; founder, Esync Records
1. Guided by Voices, Mag Earwhig! (Matador)
2. Harry Pussy, Untitled (self-released)
3. Ho Chi Minh, Motorama (Left Out)
4. Mark Eitzel, West (Warner Bros.)
5. Quintron, Satan Is Dead (Bulb)
6. Future Bible Heroes, Memories of Love (Slowriver)
7. Prick Decay, Untitled (Chocolate Monk)
8. J.E. & Justin G., 15 Most Requested Songs (self-released)
9. Fukktron, Untitled (self-released)
Bob Perry, owner, Blue Note Records
1. Diana Krall, All for You (Impulse)
2. Grover Washington, Jr., Soulful Strut (Sony)
3. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (re-release, Sony)
4. Buena Vista Social Club, Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit/Nonesuch)
5. Various Artists, Ska Island (Island)
6. Erykah Badu, Baduizm and Live (Universal)
7. Jimi Hendrix, Axis Bold as Love, Electric Ladyland, Are You Experienced? (vinyl re-releases, Universal)
8. Chisel, Set You Free (Gern Blansten)
9. Jim White, Wrong-Eyed Jesus (Luaka Bop)
10. Sublime, Sublime (MCA)
Kike Posada, host, Fuego Rock, WRTO-FM (98.3); editor, Boom! magazine
1. Andres Calamaro, Alta Suciedad (WEA)
2. Julio Venegas, Aqui (BMG)
3. Various Artists, Tributo a Queen (Hollywood Records)
4. Various Artists, Red, Hot, & Latin (Polygram)
5. King Changó, Susuko (Luaka Bop)
6. Ekhymosis, Ekhymosis (Fonovisa)
7. Desorden Publico, Plomo Revienta (Sony)
8. Pepe Alva y Alma Raymi, Pa' Mostrarte Mi Amor (MATT Entertainment)
9. Rosana, Lunas Rotas (Universal)
10. Soraya, Torre de Marfil (Polygram)
Al and Rafael Galvez, founders, Space Cadette records
1. Cerberus Shoal, And Farewell to High Tide (Stick Figure Records)
2. The Van Pelt, Sultans of Sentiment (Gern Blansten)
3. Lycia, Cold (Projekt)
4. Ed Matus' Struggle, Planes That Cast a Gloom (Space Cadette Records)
5. Auto Suggestion, Royalty Days (Appendix Records)
6. Listening Losses, Alliviate (Severed Records)
7. The Eternal, Decade (24 Hrs Records)
8. Primal, Candle Grenades (Brighter Records)
9. Mimmic Something, Stop for Nothing (Long Records)
10. Those Are High, Take (Say Records)
Gabriel Loor, guitarist, the Butterclub
1. The Rolling Stones, Bridges to Babylon (Virgin)
2. Oasis, Be Here Now (Epic)
3. Counting Crows, Recovering Satellites (Geffen)
4. Squirrel Nut Zippers, Hot (Mammoth Records)
5. Smoking Popes, Destination Failure (Capitol)
6. Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Let's Space It (Polygram)
7. Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing (Arista)
8. Live, "Turn My Head" (MCA)
9. Elton John, The Big Picture (A&M)
10. Celine Dion, Let's Talk About It (Sony)
Judy Cantor, staff writer, New Times
1. Various Artists, Afro-Cuban Grooves #2 (3 Suisses/Nova 101.5)
2. Erykah Badu, Baduizm (Universal)
3. Buena Vista Social Club, Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit/Nonesuch)
4. Wyclef Jean Featuring the Refugee Allstars, The Carnival (Ruffhouse/Columbia)
5. Grupo Nostalgia, Cafe Nostalgia Live! (self-released)
6. Juan Formell y Los Van Van, Te Pone la Cabeza Mala (EMI/ODEON)
7. Steve Earle, El Corazon (Warner Bros.)
8. Various Artists, Cuban Gold 3: AEl Mambo Me Priva! The '60s; Cuban Gold 4: AFuego, Candela! The Smokin' '70s (Qbadisc)
9. Fulano de Tal, Normal (BMG)
10.Frank Emilio Flynn, Tribute to Ernesto Lecuona (BMG)
10a. Vocal Sampling, De Vacaciones (WEA Latina)
Emilio Vandenedes, host, Discoteca Cubana, WOCN-AM (1450)
1. Paulito y Su Elite, Paulito (Nueva Fania)
2. Manolito y El Trabuco, Contra Todos los Prognasticos (Eurotropical)
3. La Charanga Habanera, Tremendo Delirio (Universal)
4. Frank Emilio y Sus Amigos, Barbarisimo (Milan)
5. Bellita y Jazz Tumbata, Bellita (Tonga)
6. Orlando Valle, Havana Calling (Qbadisc)
7. Juan Formell y Los Van Van, Te Pone La Cabeza Mala (EMI/ODEON)
8. Adalberto Alvarez, Magistral (Milan Latino)
9. Gabriel Hernandez, Jazz a Lo Cubano (Besame Mucho)
10. Chucho Valdes y Omara Portuondo, Indestructible (Nube Negra)
Nina Korman, calendar editor, New Times
1. Swing Out Sister, Shapes and Patterns (Polygram)
2. US 3, Broadway and 52nd (Blue Note)
3. Frank Sinatra and the Red Norvo Quintet, Live in Australia (Blue Note)
4. Morphine, Like Swimming (Dreamworks)
5. Bjsrk, Homogenic (Elektra Entertainment)
6. Blur, Blur (Virgin)
7. Portishead, Portishead (Go! Beat)
8. McCoy Tyner Trio and Orchestra, What the World Needs Now (Impulse)
9. Ben Folds Five, Whatever and Ever Amen (Sony)
10. Radiohead, O.K. Computer (Capitol)
Magda Hiller, singer/songwriter
1. Brian Franklin, Stir-Fried World (Nocta Music)
2. Kynch O'Kaine, Traces (Nouveau'Kaine Records)
3. Diane Ward, Mirror (Thip Records)
4. Exit, Sexy Taxi (Sunflower Records)
5. Iko-Iko, Protected by Voodoo (Little Silver Records)
6. Ella Fitzgerald, The Songbooks (Polygram)
7. Zac, Spirit Pool (self-released)
8. Greg Brown, Slant 6 Mind (Red House Records)
9. Phil Hendrie, Bootleg "Best Of" Tapes (bootleg)
10. Crash Basket, Letters (self-released)
