Dirt Merchant (1999)

Following a notorious flirtation with alternative rock, Moby returned to the electronic dance mainstream on the 1997 album I Like to Score. With 1999's Play, he made yet another leap back toward the electronica base that had passed him by during the mid-'90s. The first two tracks, "Honey" and "Find My Baby," weave short blues or gospel vocal samples around rather disinterested breakbeat techno. This version of blues-meets-electronica is undoubtedly intriguing to the all-important NPR crowd, but it is more than just a bit gimmicky to any techno fans who know their Carl Craig from Carl Cox. Fortunately, Moby redeems himself in a big way over the rest of the album with a spate of tracks that return him to the evocative, melancholy techno that's been a specialty since his early days…

Recorded over two nights at the Wuhleide Venue, Live Aus Berlin demonstrates that Rammstein actually benefits from being heard in a live setting - it recovers the immediacy and raw metallic bite that were somewhat toned down in the studio. Thus, the group sounds even more vicious, and the guttural German chanting that's one of the cornerstones of their sound takes on a more threatening aura. Even if fans are already familiar with this material, Live Aus Berlin still prove a necessary purchase.

Live at the BBC is a Live two disc compilation album featuring various line ups of the rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Released in 1999 and featuring various live BBC sessions as well as Live concert segments recorded by the BBC…