What are YOUR modern classics?

[Davey]

Hmmm, from the mid 90s to the present. Good question, there's so many that I wouldn't want to be without. That Walking Wounded is a nice one. I have it on vinyl and always liked it, but it just never moved to that upper echelon for me. The Massive Attack Protection album did, but it's been quite awhile since I've had that one on the table so it doesn't count. Same with Portishead Dummy for that matter, although I would put both high on my best of the 90s list. I only have about 50 CDs with me right now so my list would be from that batch since many of them exactly fit your description and that's why I have them with me. So, without further adieu....

Have to pick Califone Roomsounds. No-brainer for me. But surprisingly, I've found that the new Old Canes Early Morning Hymns has been doing almost the identical thing for me lately, giving me a big dose of that acoustic and bluesy folk-rock that I love so much but also throwing into the mix a little of the emotional zaniness that I love so much about Neutral Milk Hotel - and I've been playing it constantly...so I'll make both of them my first spot on the list. A tie...is that cheating?

The Laika Silver Apples of the Moon debut album from 1995 is another that is always with me and gets much attention so I'll make it #2.

And Yo La Tengo Electr-o-pura, also from 1995, will round out the top 3 for today. "Blue Line Swinger" is one of my alltime favorite songs and I can't recall any other song that I've actually spent all afternoon listening to over and over like I have with this one.

But I'll add a bonus pick at #4 of Hector Zazou Sahara Blue. Just makes the 10 year cutoff at 1994. The entire album is based on poems by the 19th Century French symbolist Arthur Rimbaud and is one of the largest and most eclectic gatherings of talent for one recording as you are ever likely to find featuring such diverse artists as John Cale, Bill Laswell, Brendan Perry, Lisa Gerrarad, Barbara Gogan, David Sylvian, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Gerard Depardieu, Dominique Dalean and many others (over thirty in all) with lyrics sung in six different languages. It's such an enchanting musical adventure that also beckons you to read the lyrics and soak up the beauty of Rimbaud's poetry. All tied together by Zazou's wonderful sense of atmosphere. Indispensible.

EDIT: I should note that there are actually two versions of this album. The first is rather rare and is on the Crammed Discs label from 1992. It has the same running order, however two of the tracks are by unknowns and were replaced on my 1994 TriStar Music disc with two great songs featuring the Dead Can Dance team of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard. I haven't heard the two songs on the first version and this 1994 disc has been oop in the USA for a few years now I believe, so if it sounds interesting, don't bother searching for it in your neighborhood Borders