Customer Reviews

Spin Alternative Record Guide

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book is a wonderful guide to bands and artists deemed "alternative" by the editors of Spin magazine--The book's forward provides the best definition I've read/heard of the alternative genre, and it includes such diverse acts as Abba and Kronos Quartet. My high school library had a copy of it, and I think I had it checked out for the majority of my four years there. The library at my college doesn't have it, and I've considered buying it, but it's already become pretty dated since its publication in 1995. There is no mention of Tricky, Portishead, or Radiohead; Debut is the only one of Bjork's solo albums in the book; they even say something like "What will Natalie Merchant be doing now that 10,000 Maniacs have broken up?" It's a wonderful authority on musicians like Neil Young and David Bowie, whose discographies can be intimidating to a relative young 'un like me. There's also a great piece on PJ Harvey, whom I will consider underrated until there are VH1 tribute concerts in her honor. Anyway, if you're interested, check out the Northfield High School library.

Probably the best and quickest way to become a record trainspotter. brilliant book only let down by its (massive) american bias: singles going steady by the buzzcocks at number 17 in its top 100 albums of all time is the hirest ranked british record and the sex pistols are at number 100 - will this bitter jealousy ever end?

This book changed my life. It introduced me to so much great music. It's mostly out of date, but I still consult it. Sure, you won't agree with everything. There's 90s fad stuff that make me cringe now. (Personal problems: Moby? Beck? Unlistenable. And why are the early Wire and Can albums rated so low? Hello! Detroit Techno!) But there's still good stuff in there that will get you looking in new directions. Nuggets, No Wave, Nico, the massive discographies of Bill Laswell, Lou Reed, Sun Ra...it's all still good.

Since SPIN's inception back in May of 1985 (judging from what I have seen in the magazine from their early era-- I'll admit that it is a limited knowledge), it has come across as an odd mish mash of Alternative Press, Newsweek and Teen People, lately increasingly favoring the last of the three over the other two, replacing political agenda and rather interesting articles on consumer culture et al. (as seen in 1992-1994 era SPIN) with more fashion-centric writing and an increasingly large number of deconstructionist articles on pop stars who, evidently, don't have a lot to deconstruct. So an adverse effect to the Alternative Record Guide is the fact that when it was released (1995, correct?) was at the precise moment that SPIN was shifting it's modus operandi to favor bigger names, and less political writing, I suppose as a way to genuinely reflect the times, as the late 80's and early 90's were, admittedly, more turbulent (although, possibly just in retrospect) than now. So it's no surprise that the bands included in the Alternative Record Guide include nostalgia pieces about how those 80's ultra-pop groups maybe weren't so bad, as well as throwbacks to SPIN's articles on the indie-era bands of the early 90's(Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr., Guided By Voices, Halo of Flies, Pavement) and more deconstrustions of pop stars that really aren't that interesting. I would have to say that the Record Guide remains true to it's manifesto in the beginning concerning only the influential or in some other way, culturally aware- and affecting- bands. An interesting read, but SPIN can never claim to be an "alternative" if they are constantly meeting the pop world 1/3 of the way-- example: the 1989 cover, including stories on Tom Petty (!), Dinosaur Jr., Biker Metal (!!), Love and Rockets and the Indigo Girls. This strange amalgam of bands reflects the twin desires of SPIN-- popularity and indie cred, a tricky combination that is all but evident in the Alternative Record Guide's desire to appeal to more than just the typical alternative audience. While pure at heart, SPIN seems to write for critics, not fans.

All fluff and no stuff. They spent too much money on the printing and the four-color pages than the actual writing. Superficial reviews with no understanding for the music, incomplete discographies, incomplete band listings, unecessary artwork, and bad columnists. DJ Spooky actually mentions HIMSELF in his review of Orbital. What a waste. Oh, and I got it as a gift in case you were wondering... try The Trouser Press Guide(s) and The Rough Guide to Rock. Much, much better!

The writers and their individual styles and personalities are as much the star here as the artists themselves. Smart, irreverent, witty, playful. Many hilarious bon mots and aphorisms. While the Trouser Press guide is more thorough and features equally good writing, this one is slightly more fun. I like how the editors define "alternative" as a critical lens, an interpretative process, rather than a clearly defined genre of music. This leads to an incredible mashup of disparate artists ranging across the full breadth of the cultural landscape, from the sixties avant gardists to the fluffiest of pop stars. I would love to see a revised edition that further elaborated on the musical rivulets defined in this volume.

Ok this came out a while ago. Ok it is incomplete but at least teh reviews are quite complete and tend to be well written. It actually speaks well for the magazine that was not that good that they could provide such a tome as this. OK some bands have been omitted but the overall quuality of the writing allows you to get a good idea of alternative music 10 years ago.

This guide is a wonderful book to help music listeners get an idea of the vast scope the word "alternative" covers. Still, there are problems. Artists like Madonna, Teena Marie and Cyndi Lauper should not have been included, simply because there is no alternative in their music. Also, the reviews can be inconsistent, particularly by critic Rob Sheeffield. He gives The Smiths' "Meat Is Murder" a 2, yet gives Susannah Hoffs "When You're A Boy" (a blatant sell-out if there was one) a 8! The Top 100 Alternative releases are also botched and perplexing. Still, it is a good source, though The All Music Guide and Trouser Press guides are better

It gives a lot of good, accurate reviews but also some clearly biased ones. Its good for reading a brief synopsis of lesser known bands and historical landmarks of "alternative" music. Good for novice music collectors.

It's difficult to review this book without commenting on all ofthe mud being slung around. I first want to clarify someAs for thebook itself, to its best merit, it provides a great eduaction to readers about obscure artists that they perhaps would not come across otherwise. What? Druan Druan, the Go=Go's, ABBA and the Culture Club were included in an "alternative" guide? B.F.D. I'm glad that some obscurities like Can, Sun Ra, Gang of Four, the Residents, Glenn Branca and New York's No Wave scene were given in-depth features. Also, some of the writing is quite elequent and hysterical. My favorite critics are Forced Exposure founder Byron Coley and Simon Renyolds. It's true that some 1995 trends are found, (the lounge revival, the romance of early 90's indie rock-"its golden years, to name a few.) It's also interesting to see how the book, in general, places so much acclaim on alternative rock, which would later be no longer considered a radical force of cultural change.

And as for its faults, aside from differences of opinion on certain reviewed albums, it's difficult for me to accept Spin's championing of the punk movement and underground culture in the book, since it is the same magazine that stated that fanzines are "by losers, for losers." In general, I don't read the magazine because it's more dependent on pop culture trends than music,(the "Rolling Stone of the 90's",) it claims in its press releases. Unfortuantely, it's become popular for other music magazines to follow that premise, as fashion spreads can be found in Alternative Press and URB. I also found Wesibard's introduction to be as vague and confused as the "Alternative" label itself is.

In general, enjoy life more and try to explore some of the obscure artists featured in the book. END