31. Kirsty MacColl, Galore (I.R.S., 1995)
The most criminally unsung vocalist of her era? Despite glowing testimonals from the likes of Bono and Billy Bragg imbedded in this set's liner notes, the general public barely remembers this eclectic, earthy yet angelic-voiced woman who tragically passed away in 2000. It doesn't help that this sterling 16-year, 18-track overview is currently out of print in the US, either. Galore gathers snapshots from her entire career (apart from her final album, the latin-inflected Tropical Brainstorm); nearly every one is worth a thousand words, whether the panorama is girl-group pop ("They Don't Know", later a hit for Tracey Ullman), sassy nu-rockabilly (the fabulously titled "There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis"), a sweeping Christmas song that should be more popular than "Jingle Bells" ("Fairytale of New York", a duet with The Pogues) or even hip-hop ("Walking Down Madison"). Discovering each of these is like gaining access into a secret, better world you never knew existed.
The most criminally unsung vocalist of her era? Despite glowing testimonals from the likes of Bono and Billy Bragg imbedded in this set's liner notes, the general public barely remembers this eclectic, earthy yet angelic-voiced woman who tragically passed away in 2000. It doesn't help that this sterling 16-year, 18-track overview is currently out of print in the US, either. Galore gathers snapshots from her entire career (apart from her final album, the latin-inflected Tropical Brainstorm); nearly every one is worth a thousand words, whether the panorama is girl-group pop ("They Don't Know", later a hit for Tracey Ullman), sassy nu-rockabilly (the fabulously titled "There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis"), a sweeping Christmas song that should be more popular than "Jingle Bells" ("Fairytale of New York", a duet with The Pogues) or even hip-hop ("Walking Down Madison"). Discovering each of these is like gaining access into a secret, better world you never knew existed.
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