jon_chaisson | [Music] 1997

(A continuation of this post, in which I embed some of my favorite songs of a particular year that may not have been hits but were great anyway)

This was the first full year of working at HMV for me. This was back when Tom C. was the boss rather than Russ--really nice guy who ended up being a regional manager for Newbury Comics when he left a year or so later. This was also the year of the Roadtrip to Ohio to visit

head58 and

aliwings. Fun trip, but got the worst driver's tan EVER.

Also the year I officially started The Phoenix Effect out in the food court of the record store, the novel that would become the Eden Cycle trilogy.

Jonatha Brooke, "Crumbs", originally from 10 Cent Wings. She never did a real video, but the Adult Alternative stations used to play this a LOT. This video is Sept 2008 performance.

Supergrass, "Late in the Day" from In It for the Money. Come on, I had to post this one. Not often you can get away with pogosticking your way through an entire video. ;)

Silverchair, "Abuse Me" from Freak Show. Not too many people remember this one, but I like the discomfort this song emanates. Very underrated album and band, actually.

Blur, "M.O.R.", from Blur. Yeah, everything else on this album was overshadowed by ~~"WHOO-HOO"~~ "Song 2", but this is another great track off an awesome album. And seriously--listen to this, then listen to David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging", and tell me they're not in fact the same song. ;)

Mansun, "Wide Open Space", from Attack of the Grey Lantern. Seriously...another criminally underrated Britpop band.

Chemical Brothers, "Elektrobank", from Dig Your Own Hole. Overshadowed by "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Setting Sun", this is my favorite off the album. And a young Sofia Coppola as a gymnast! Excellent choreography and editing on this one.

Dubstar, "Stars", from Goodbye. One of those rare songs that I fall in love with after just one listen. Definitely worth getting the entire album...Britpoppy awesomeness.

Travis, "All I Want to Do Is Rock", from Good Feeling. Not bad for a first single! You may have caught this song in the background in Hellboy II when Red fell out of the museum window...

Roni Size/Reprazent, "Brown Paper Bag (vocal edit)", originally from New Forms. Best. Drum n' Bass Song. EVER. ;)