The New, the Lingering

The early weeks of the new year once again have been a slow period in pop, so this edition of the guide--a way to keep up with what’s exciting in pop on a budget of $50 a month--focuses chiefly on some highly recommended late 1993 releases that continue to show momentum.

January

Bikini Kill’s “Pussy Whipped” (Kill Rock Stars)--There’s been much written about the underground feminist Riot Grrrl movement, but not a lot actually heard from the bands. This album finally proves that it’s not just hype. Bikini Kill has put together a remarkable package that recalls the revolutionary power of the Sex Pistols: raw, punk defiance mixed with enough tuneful, songwriting savvy to make the key tracks stick in your mind like “God Save the Queen.”

The Cranberries’ “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We” (Island)--Since this debut collection sold more than 1 million copies last year, it might seem strange to describe the album as still under-rated. If you’ve just heard the delicate “Linger,” however, you might dismiss the Irish group as charming, but lightweight. Not so. Elsewhere, lead singer Dolores O’Riordan proves as seductive as Chrissie Hynde and as combative as Sinead O’Connor.

Counting Crows’ “August and Everything After” (DGC)--One reason this album shot into the Top 20 after the group’s “Saturday Night Live” appearance last month is that it is one of the first promising U.S. bands in ages that isn’t aligned to hard-core grunge or industrial styles. There’s obviously a large contingent waiting for some of the classic ‘60s and ‘70s singer-songwriter tradition of Dylan, Morrison and Springsteen, and the Crows--in such songs as “Mr. Jones” and “Round Here”--deliver it deftly.

February

Meat Puppets’ “Too High to Die” (London)--The Kurt Cobain and Dave Pirner endorsements on the CD cover should help this veteran Phoenix rock trio catch the attention of a new generation of rock fans, but its best calling card rests in a decade of stirring and original work. Here again, the Meat Puppets make music that is sinuous and rootsy enough for the band to open for Grateful Dead, yet sufficiently biting and visionary to tour with Nirvana.

Me’Shell NdegeOcello’s “Plantation Lullabies” (Maverick/Sire/Reprise)--This 25-year-old New Yorker, whose musical influences are based in jazz and soul, is one of the most captivating arrivals of the ‘90s. “I’m Diggin’ You (Like an Old Soul Record)” is as artful and sophisticated as “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night”) is playful and sly.

One Dove’s “Morning Dove White” (ffrr)--One of the most exciting bands from Glasgow since the Jesus and Mary Chain, this trio combines a striking techno-tension with superior pop-rock skills in ways recalling the promise of the early, experimental Eurythmics.