DADAWA
In the dismal musical world of late 90's music, Dadawa was a truly awesome discovery; thanks to the listening stations at Borders. It's hard to describe her music because nothing comes close to it, but think of a lilting Asian voice as ethereal as it is astoundingly exotic. Dadawa's music is meant to reflect the songs Tibetans sing at sunrise to calm the spirits, and oddly enough even before I read the liner notes to learn this, the music sounded like sunrise to me-- This is an utterly beautiful album from beginning to end, my second favorite of 1998 riding hot on the tails of Massive Attack's "Mezzanine."
TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY
In mainstream reality, I suppose he was little more than a one hit wonder, primarily known for "Wishing Well" and maybe a few hit singles of his debut album The Hard Line According To...; However, I've faithfully stayed a fan, and was one of the rare few who bought his somewhat experimental second album Neither Fish Nor Flesh which was a commercial bomb. Always very soulful, his music has explored soulful and erotic ballads to guitar heavy tunes. His last two releases Symphony or Damn and Vibrator were both virtually unnoticed by the mainstream in another case of "What's Wrong With Today's Music Buyers?" Both of the aforementioned releases were solid pieces of work which wowed me for some track or another, so I find it disheartening to see his success as a flash in the late 80's. For those wishing to explore his soulful sounds, he's readily available in used CD stores.
MILES DAVIS
Paragon of cool-- What else could one say of the man and his music? "Kind of Blue" is inarguably one of the best albums ever recorded, ranking in the top of my all-time favorite recordings. I could praddle on about him and his work, but it's best that you just buy some of his music and explore it yourself. Miles is a must have artist-- If you don't have one of his recordings, you plainly SUCK.
DAYS OF THE NEW
They sounded really good when they came out with that first single, but that's just because music had been so bad for so long; and then we realized they sounded like music ten years ago, and then we all felt a little stupid for liking them in the first place. I'd consider them a one-hit wonder already without ever wondering if we'll ever hear them again-- although, since they're grunge [which they most sadly deny] I'm sure radio deejays will feel a need to replay them for years to come.
DAZED AND CONFUSED
There are a lot of people who like this movie, and they fall in two categories: A) Aging 30-somethings attempting to relive their pathetic long-gone youth; B) Stoners. I really hate the 70's-- or maybe I just hate 70's revival? Oddly, this is one of my favorite movies and soundtracks, though I clearly belong in neither category A nor B because I am too young and too sober. So, my actual reason for emanoration to the phenomena that is Dazed and Confused seems, frankly, as totally elusive as Chris O'Donnell's charisma. This is a kick-ass sound track with the best music of that decade, so, yes, it's totally disco-free!
THE DEAD MILKMEN
I can attribute my original intrigue with the Dead Milkmen as maybe some sort of mindless adolescent fascination; yet have to say nowadays they're just a guilty pleasure who still give me a giggle. What they totally lack in musicianship, they gain in humor-- After all, when was the last time you heard a good song about a gay Martian conspiracy or midget left-handed lesbian Eskimos?
DEAD OR ALIVE
If you've ever listened to more than one of their songs, you know they all sound the same-- but you can't help but love them anyway. They're still alive and performing to this day, but there's no chance in hell I'd pay to see them in concert or buy their new album. I have Rip It Up on CD, their remixed best of collection, which is all you really need to give you uncomfortable junior high flashbacks or inspiration for mindlessly dancing around your room.
DEEE-LITE
Deliciously groovy freaks-- Deities of house, major figures in the pantheon of techno. I adore Deee-lite to no end and have enjoyed their music throughout the decade at all hours of day and night. They are a personal recommendation for a must have artist, so pick an album, any album, and begin your journey to an enchanted, sampledelic bliss. (see also DJ Towa Tei's solo work; linked above.)
DEEP FOREST
What exactly happened between their first and second album, I'm not exactly sure. Their third album should have shown us if they were a brilliant feat of ambient techno, or a light rock friendly New Age bunch of weenies-- but proved to be not as inspiring as the first album while not massively sucking like the second. At least one thing is for certain, their collaboration with Peter Gabriel for "While the Earth" sleeps is an astounding song; and possibly the best "end credits" song for a movie ever to exist: Too bad it was wasted on the likes of the disappointing "Strange Days."
DEPECHE MODE
I can't do it. I just can't bring myself to do it. Try as I might, I just can't take Black Celebration our of my CD player for extended periods of time. The first DM song I remember hearing was "People Are People," and I hated it [then]. I didn't warm up to them until 1990 when a classmate was a playing the newly released Violator during a layout night in our high school journalism class. After that, I became hopelessly hooked; and I encourage others to do the same, especially when it comes to their CD5s, which make DM one of the top forces in the field of remixes.
CELINE DION
There is no other singer I fantasize about more... getting in a fatal head-on collision with Kenny G.-- You know, I heard the suicide manual The Final Exit is going to be updated with one of the newer methods of self-termination being to play a Celion Dion CD loud enough to bleed to death from the ears. I think the sound level is 2.5 decibels.
DIXIE CHICKS
Considering the vast number of albums this band has sold, I find it a little unsettling I've never even heard one of their songs; nor has anyone I know-- It must be part of some alien conspiracy; which would explain a lot about the music industry.
DISHWALLA
Him sending you to burn in eternal hellfire for that lame-ass, cheesy, overplayed hit of yours, those are my damn thoughts on God, you flaccid hacks! Now go back to the SB bar scene and leave the rest of the world alone, do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not get airplay for your second album that no one is listening to anyway.
