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Song of the Day #1,374: ‘Try Not to Breathe’ – R.E.M.

Best Albums of the 90s – #4
Automatic For the People – R.E.M. (1992)

R.E.M.’s Automatic For the People earns its high spot on this list for a couple of reasons.

First, the obvious: it is the richest, most rewarding album recorded by one of the all-time great alternative bands. R.E.M. put out a lot of great music in the mid- to late-90s right through to their final album a year ago, but nothing that approached the majesty of this record. And the only earlier album in the band’s discography that I’d put on this level is Fables of the Reconstruction.

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Song of the Day #1,373: ‘Like Dylan in the Movies’ – Belle & Sebastian

Best Albums of the 90s – #5
If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle & Sebastian (1996)

Another sophomore album, Belle & Sebastian’s If You’re Feeling Sinister was also my first introduction to a band that would become one of my very favorites.

This record served as many people’s first impression of the group, as their debut album, Tigermilk, was not widely available for years after its release. Only when it was re-released on CD following the (relative) success of Sinister did casual fans get to hear it for the first time.

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Song of the Day #1,372: ‘Dazzling Blue’ – Paul Simon

I’ve written several times that I consider Paul Simon’s most recent album, last year’s So Beautiful Or So What, one of his best ever — an equal of The Rhythm of the Saints and withing shouting distance of Graceland.

That’s certainly high praise, the sort of thing that is sometimes said during the blush of excitement that accompanies a new album release. Months later you’ll return to the same record and enjoy it but not to the degree you’d advertised.

With this album, however, that hasn’t been the case.

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Song of the Day #1,371: ‘Mosh’ – Eminem

Eminem’s fourth studio album, 2004’s Encore, was his first major disappointment. Padded with immature (and amateurish) joke songs — far more so than his previous releases, which admittedly had their share — and lacking in memorable beats and choruses, the record was a setback for a career that seemed unstoppable.

Eminem later revealed that Encore was recorded shortly after he became addicted to prescription medication and he suggests that the album “doesn’t count” because he was rapping under the influence. RUI.

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Song of the Day #1,370: ‘Missing the War’ – Ben Folds Five

Best Albums of the 90s – #6
Whatever and Ever Amen – Ben Folds Five (1997)

Here is another of those wonderful sophomore albums I mentioned a week ago. Three of my top six fall into that category, which could be a coincidence or could be evidence of some universal musical truth the nature of which has thus far eluded me. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

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