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Title: Spin Alternative Record Guide by Eric Weisbard ISBN: 0-679-75574-8 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 10 October, 1995 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $20.00

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Average Customer Rating: 3.06 (18 reviews)

Rating: 3
Summary: Inconsistent, but a good overview
Comment: 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

Rating: 4
Summary: The only Spin product of redeeming value
Comment: 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

Rating: 3
Summary: a *great* resource; needs a new edition
Comment: 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.