To Bring You My Love P J Harvey
It takes real rock smarts to make misery sound this compelling. From cathartic blues to baroque ballads, Harvey's wrenching fourth album is a powerful pain release. (Island)

Your Heart's in Good Hands Al Green
Although it has been 15 years since the Reverend Al tested his secular power, here he proves that his ecstatic delivery is still amazingly graceful. (MCA)

Cone Dwight Yoakam
On his sixth studio album, Yoakam mixes rock, R&B and zydeco with the requisite twang to create a CD that's as carefully crafted and unpredictable as a handmade patchwork quilt. (Reprise)

Tigerlily Natalie Merchant
This platinum—and deservedly so—solo debut from former 10,000 Maniacs frontwoman Merchant is everything great granola rock ought to be: sturdy, lean and good to the last melodic crunch. (Elektra)

Medusa Annie Lennox
Lennox's interpretative knack could charm the snakes on its namesake's noggin as Annie pulls off the unexpected: making cover tunes sound like true originals. (Arista)

Brown Sugar D'Angelo
D'Angelo makes some sultry sounds with his lithe mix of gospel, jazz, soul and funk, and then tops it off with a smooth, seductive croon. (EMI)

Poverty's Paradise Naughty by Nature
Clever, tongue-twisting wordplay invigorates this bull's-eye portrait of life in the hip-hop trio's 'hood, but their social conscience gives the album weight. (Tommy Boy)

Daydream Mariah Carey
The shaggy siren takes a little off the top of her mile-high range and acrobatic coloratura on her fourth and finest album. The result is a pop potpourri: heady, poised and elegant. (Columbia)

The Bends Radiohead
This highly original English quintet doesn't rely on retro punk, grunge or new wave to make great pop. On their second effort, they offer a mix of exquisite melodies and fierce, fun rock. (Capitol)

A Turtle's Dream Abbey Lincoln
Tempering her blues with wry wisdom, this 65-year-old jazz diva casts a hypnotic spell with her magical storytelling powers. (Verve)

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