1. Pulp, ''This Is Hardcore'' (Island)
With a nod toward the Kinks and a wink at glam-rock, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker posits himself betwixt wild youth and old age, setting his fearful musings to gripping and grandiose music.
2. R.E.M., ''Up'' (Warner Bros)
And then there were three. The post-Bill Berry R.E.M. offers new twists on the expansive sound, as the band reaches into the realm of progressive rock. Brimming with Michael Stipe's third-person introspection, ''Up'' is rich in melody and moodiness, infused with melancholia.
3. Massive Attack, ''Mezzanine'' (Virgin)
Another funky, mind-scrambling dreamscape from England's premier trip-hoppers, but with darker shades and a more aggressive feel.
4. Hole, ''Celebrity Skin''(DGC)
In which Courtney and Corgan knock heads and come up a-rockin'. The self-obsessed singer sucks you deep into the glorious rage that is her world, and the band makes pop life out of grunge mess.
5. Morcheeba, ''Big Calm''(Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.)
Supple and sexy, with country tinges, aching melodies, and a sad undertone. Rootsy and futuristic, relaxed but intense, this represents the stirring side of the mellow groove.
6. Garbage, ''Version 2.0''(Almo)
Modern rock's best retro-electro-pop blender is also one sly and sassy outfit, featuring the charismatic and sultry singer Shirley Manson.
7. Spiritualized, ''Live at Albert Hall''(Arista)
Yes, the material's appeared before, but this seamless double-pack makes for a luxurious, languorous journey into the dark, with glints of light poking through.
8. Everlast, ''Whitey Ford Sings the Blues''(Tommy Boy)
A hip-hop dazzler where the tough and tender reside in the same 'hood, where stupidity, conformity, and violence are dissed and the riffs rock and rule.
9. Love and Rockets, ''Lift''(Red Ant)
Bauhaus reunion was a stiff, but three-quarters of the band, a.k.a. L&R, released this slice of Pink Floyd-ian, postmodern bliss. Shimmering, pulsating, arch.
10. Tortoise, ''TNT''(Thrill Jockey)
Call 'em post-rock if you must, but these guys fuse punk aesthetics, jazz chops, and a whole bunch more, making the unfamiliar ingratiating. A heady stew.
Singles: Air, ''Sexy Boy''; Beastie Boys, ''Intergalactic''; Marilyn Manson, ''The Dope Show.''
