I would agree w/ the REM falloff assessment, except they lost me circa that song "Orange Crush." I heard it first in concert and thought "OK, they're just not finished with that one yet...." And it actually ended up, unchanged, being about the best thing on that lame album -- "Green," I guess it was. Also seconding the motion on Carla Bley's "Night Glo." Don Byron's "Nu Blaxploitation" was a disappointment after "Bug Music." I suppose I should give it another chance, but I may have traded it in.... Biggest recent disappointment: the new Neil Finn. One of my favorite slightly-off-center pop artists, but there's not a memorable song on his latest. Most disappointing solo album: former NRBQ guitarist Al Anderson's "Pay Before You Pump." The choice of songs was poor -- I'd gotten hold of a demo tape that had much better tunes on it - and the production was exasperating. His "Party Favors" left me pretty lukewarm, too. And it's not like he doesn't know how to make a great solo album -- his 1972 self-titled release on Vanguard is a good example of how to record vocals, even on CD it has a wonderfully warm sound. Best first album by a band that never made another good one: the Bodeans' debut. Parry