Favorite CDs of the '90s -- #15 to #11

15. "STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION" VOLUME 2: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - soundtrack
(GNP Crescendo, 1991)

There's pretty-much never been a better episode of any "Star Trek" series, nor has there been a better score for one. Bombastic action cues that a TV screen could barely contain, the eerie electronic chorus that went a long way toward making the Borg as scary as they were, and of course the majestic main title theme by Alexander Courage and Jerry Goldsmith. Too bad that these great scores of his eventually made Ron Jones lose his job ... it figures, doesn't it?

14. ESPEN LIND - "Red"
(Universal/Norway, 1997)

One of the first items that "Bop Boys!" made me buy -- and that made me fall in love with Norwegian singer/songwriters -- was this second (but in some respects the first) album by the award-winning singer/songwriter/producer. It may have spawned the international hit single "When Susannah Cries", but the great tunes hardly stop there: "Lucky For You", "All I Want Is An Angel", "American Love" ... heck, I never skip a single track on this album whenever I listen to it.

13. BARENAKED LADIES - "Born On a Pirate Ship"
(Reprise, 1996)

This has gotta be my favorite BNL album ever. When I look over the track listing and am reminded of how eclectic the song stylings are -- the quasi-bluegrass of "Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank", the inspired inclusion of Native American tribal rhythms on "Spider In My Room", the flat-out stunning ballad "Break Your Heart", the stompy rock of "The Old Apartment" -- I say forget "Stunt" ... this is the album that should have made BNL international superstars.

12. "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC - "Off The Deep End"
(Scotti Bros., 1992)

Bookended by the parody "Smells Like Nirvana" (his biggest hit in years) and his popular original "You Don't Love Me Anymore", Al's seventh outing has a lot to like in between, as "The White Stuff" (an ode to the filling in Oreo cookies) almost subliminally suggests. Sure, the Milli Vanilli and New Kids On The Block parodies date it considerably, but only from a pop-culture standpoint. A big favorite of mine, "When I Was Your Age", is timeless.

11. HANSON - "Middle Of Nowhere"
(Mercury, 1997)

Laugh, cringe, or throw up if you will at the thought of "MMMBop", but if you took the time to look beyond its (arguably undeserved) radio ubiquity, you could see an album full of musical talent that belied their cherub-cheeked youth. The pop-funk of "Speechless", the wistful bounce of "Madeline", the blues-rocker "Look At You", and the heart-wrenching ballad "Yearbook" were proof enough that these boys were planning on settling in for a long career in music.