From son of an internationally renowned physicist, to oddball post-grunge one-hit-wonder, to ongoing alt-rock sideshow curiosity you just can't shut up, to engaging diarist of life at its most interesting, imagined or indeed tormented-Mark Oliver Everett a. k. a. `E' a. k. a. Eels (he is effectively, for all their shape-shifting, the band incarnate) can lay reasonable claim to being one of the most notable American songwriters alive today. And given the already vast, sprawling nature of his 10-year back catalogue it will come as no surprise to discover that a few choice cuts fell between the cracks en-route. And thus, this double collection of Eels rarities, b-sides, session tracks and song re-jigs is about as delightful, if random, as any straight album he's released. He's always had too many sides to be a square, but even so it's surprising to see single songs' split personalities laid bare and equally dominant here. [+]

13 Tales From Urban Bohemia, the third album from the Dandy Warhols, has the band departing from the degenerate slacker psychedelia of their previous works. Well, mostly. From the first three tracks of Urban Bohemia, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's business as usual for the Dandys. However, when the slide guitar (and, yes, banjo) of "Country Leaver" kicks in, it's clear that Courtney Taylor is taking his Portland, Oregon-based band somewhere different. From that point, the album changes tack and becomes one of the catchiest-and sardonic-American rock albums in recent memory. "Solid" is all upbeat harmonies about the joy of getting over a previous lover, while "Horse Pills"-which starts with Taylor's deadpan and indifferent command to "kick it"-is all big, fuzzy guitars and hip-hop beats wielded against too-rich, silicon-and-valium-addicted divorcées. Easy targets, to be sure, but it's when the Dandys focus their attention on wannabe artsy types on "Bohemian Like You" that this album truly proves its worth, with a guitar riff lifted straight off of the Rolling Stones, backed by some Hammond organ and one of the catchiest sing-along choruses since Pulp's "Common People". With obvious influences ranging from Lou Reed to the Cult to Adam and the Ants, 13 Tales From Urban Bohemia is a classic, and classy, rock album. -Robert Burrow.

The sound of Phil Collins's distinctive voice set against a pulsing synthesizer and pounding electro/acoustic percussion became one of the most characteristic and ubiquitous sounds of 1980s (and early '90s) rock. And if Collins's solo work during that period seemed occasionally indistinguishable from that of his band, it was only evidence of the remarkable transformation that Genesis had undergone from its late '60s art-school roots. Indeed, the idea of an eventual Greatest Hits package would have been laughable then. But as the original quintet turned quartet (with the departure of vocalist Peter Gabriel) and then trio (when guitarist Steve Hackett left), the spotlight focused with increasing intensity on Collins and his pop and R&B sense. Though it overlooks a few contenders ("No Reply at All" and "Taking It All Too Hard") in service of balance (and the inclusion of late-model Genesis frontman Ray Wilson), this is a good sampler of one of rock's most consistent (if predictable) hit-makers. Gabriel and Hackett also return for one new track, reuniting the original quintet for a richly textured update of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 's "The Carpet Crawlers. " -Jerry McCulley.

Recorded a mere nine months after their debut, Communique has often been written off as a mere carbon copy of the Dire Straits' first album featuring less compelling material. Recording took place in the Bahamas with top production team Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett and mixing at the famous Muscle Shoals studio; it consequently features a delicate and supremely balanced sound. Yet even Knopfler has said of this album that the tropical breezes made his song writing "lazy". Whilst being unnecessarily self-deprecating, this has an element of truth about it and at the same time is precisely what is so engaging about the album. It is true that Knopfler doesn't do as much to the songs he's written as on other albums-his guitar playing does not feature the same consistently bubbling energy of his work on the first album. But this gives a little more space for the rest of the band to shine. Pick Withers's drumming is especially hypnotic and David Knopfler's intuitive rhythm guitar interplay with his brother comes across well. Overall, the consistently dreamy atmosphere of the record is decidedly captivating, and the most fully realised tracks, particularly "Once Upon A Time In The West" and "Portobello Belle", are among their best-ever material. "Where Do You Think You're Going", a rather over-zealous attempt to imitate Bob Dylan, is the only song that seems somewhat out-of-place. This was the last album to feature the original Dire Straits line-up, with the departure of David Knopfler for a solo career shortly before the recording of Making Movies. [+]

An appreciable leap forward in almost every fashion from the group's first trio of albums, The Unforgettable Fire is its first with the production team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. And while they take a strong hand in wrestling U2's music out of the mainstream and into a more individualistic area, it's the songs themselves that demand a more subtle approach. Moody gems such as "A Sort of Homecoming" and the entrancing "Bad" set the table for more explosive fare such as "Pride", "Wire" and the title track. This is the album that made U2 a career act, showing that their music could grow by leaps and bounds, even at the hand of another, without sacrificing its soul. -Daniel Durchholz.

The opening line of the first song ("Would You Be Happier") begins "Have you ever wondered where the story ends, and how it all began" which raises questions about the future of the band, especially as it's the opening track of their definitive Best of collection. Despite becoming one of the world's biggest pop groups in the late 1990s, the Corrs were almost transformed over-night from being one of the chicest groups around to being one of the un-coolest. Their mass appeal led to certain sections of their fan base rapidly searching for other distinctive types of music, and their third studio album In Blue was shunned by many. Despite what your opinion may be of the group, there is no disputing that Corrs classics such as "So Young" and "I Never Loved You Anyway" are catchy, pleasant tunes that succeed so well because they are so simple. All the other favourites are also on here, including "Only When I Sleep" and "Give Me Reason", as well as three tracks from 1999's Unplugged album ("Radio", "Everybody Hurts" and "Lough Erin Shore"). Although the collection closes with the unremarkable new track "Make You Mine", the penultimate song is "Dreams", the Fleetwood Mac track that finally brought them success. Even if it means swallowing your pride, now may be the time to rediscover the wonder of the Corrs. -John Galilee.

While John Cale certainly gave the first couple of Velvet Underground albums a signature sound, his departure enabled Lou Reed to do exactly what he does best: write kick-ass, stripped-down rock songs. On Loaded his talent comes to full fruition. Who can imagine a world without "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll", arguably two of the greatest rock tunes ever penned? The brilliance of those songs is so bright, it's easy to overlook a couple of other Reed masterpieces: the tender, epic discourse of "New Age" (which highlights his assured sense of poetic wordplay: "And when you kissed Robert Mitchum / Gee, but I thought you'd never catch him!", and the extended sweet blues romp of "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'. " On Loaded the Velvet Underground-who before had hit the sonic ceiling experimenting with shattered chords, feedback, screeching violas and what Reed once claimed was "the fastest guitar playing ever"-eschew the dark side of noise for clarity. Check out the ringing chime that begins "Who Loves the Sun" and the sterling (no pun intended) guitar riff that drives "Rock & Roll. " This is not to say that the old ragged punch of the original Velvets is completely gone. Moe Tucker still beats a mean set of skins; there's no stopping Sterling Morrison's train-wreck rhythm guitar on "Train Round the Bend"; and "Head Held High" achieves near- "Sister Ray" moments of madness. -Tod Nelson.

More hard-boiled tales from Tom Waits, who manages to sing lines like "Everyone I know is either dead or in prison" in a raw, whiskey-soaked rasp that sounds both comical and deadly serious. Waits doesn't break any new creative ground here but continues to refine his down-and-out persona. It's booze and broads, sex and violence, laughs and heartbreak. This 1978 album opens with an astonishingly desperate version of "Somewhere" (from "West Side Story"), performed like Louie Armstrong with a migraine. From there it's the usual Waits mix of crackpot wordplay and the cocktail lounge jazz likes of "Romeo Is Bleeding". -Steve Appleford.

Time on Earth, the first Crowded House record since 1993's superlative Together Alone, began as a Neil Finn solo record, but morphed into a reunion album after bassist Nick Seymour joined the studio sessions and new drummer (Matt Sherrod, formerly of Beck) was recruited to replace the late Paul Hester. Hester sadly took his own life in 2005, and Time on Earth is, in that sense, a tribute album; yet it's simultaneously a move into the future. In true CH style, Time on Earth weaves together a range of moods, from touching, introspective ballads, to upbeat, Beatles-esque rock `n' roll. -Paul Sullivan.

Every Foo Fighters album, up to and including their fourth studio disc, One By One, fluently merges rock menace with unabashedly cheery melody and thoughtful if somewhat cryptic lyrics. So while insistent, guitar-terrorised tracks like "All My Life" and "Times Like These (One-Way Motorway)" don't expand the Foos' oeuvre, they're as catchy as hell and well worth the proverbial price of admission. Those searching for veiled Nirvana / Courtney Love references will no doubt unearth them (or unearth what seem like veiled references), while longtime fans can relax in the knowledge that a seasoned pro like Grohl knows better than to meddle with a truly winning formula. True, there's a certain sameness to the spiky, percussive bursts of punk-pop tabled by the Foo Fighters. Yet it's pretty hard to fault players as palpably enthusiastic as Dave Grohl and his gang. -Kim Hughes.

Nimrod came along two years after 1995's Insomniac and was the first indication of Green Day's willingness to stretch the boundaries of punk rock. The fullness of the record is first hinted at on "Hitchin' a Ride", which starts out chug-a-lugging and then breaks into a raging rocker. "Redundant" is accented with some psyched-out guitar work and has Billie Joe Armstrong singing a good deal more than usual. The wonderful "Platypus (I Hate You)" speed-rocks with abandon and recalls the early days of L. A. punk (a little Dickies here, a little Descendents there). The biting "Take it Back" is a snarling throwback to hard punk, and "Prosthetic Head" is an infectious ditty that counts among the very best on the album. Most surprising is "Last Ride In", an instrumental nod to the sensual surf-and-sun life. Of course, the crown jewel of the collection is the sentimental, acoustic "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)", which seemed nearly inescapable when it was released. Beyond these standouts, even the "usual" Green Day fare here has punch. [+]