Copyright 1993 The Washington Post   
The Washington Post
December 31, 1993, Friday, Final Edition
SECTION: WEEKEND; PAGE N9
LENGTH: 3113 words
HEADLINE: The Year in Rewind: Top Recordings
SERIES: Occasional
BYLINE: Joe Brown, Eve Zibart, Geoffrey Himes, Richard Harrington,
Mark Jenkins
BODY:

     IF THE year-end lists that follow are any indication, either
Weekend's music critics are an alarmingly diverse group (hey, wait
a minute -- they are ) or 1993 was a record year for variety
(which, come to think of it, it was). In any case, it appears tha
t good music of many genres -- and several generations -- arrived
in 1993 but is likely to remain in listeners' multi-disc carousels
well into 1994 and beyond.
     What follows are our six regular reviewers' 10 personal
favorites -- and don't be trying to do the multiplication and
expect to find exactly 60 discs mentioned, because, as you know,
music generates a passion that transcends math. Each list ends with
the
 critic's most memorable concert experience of the year. There
should be six of those, but, ah, we'll check on that as soon as
this next Digable Planets track is over . . .

RICHARD HARRINGTON
     A Tribe Called Quest "Midnight Marauders" (Jive). Still
heralding the Native Tongue movement, this Tribe is wicked in its
hip-hop rhythms, wise in its poetic messages and consistently
inventive in this, its third straight aural masterpiece.
     P. M. Dawn "The Bliss Album . . . ? Vibrations of Love and
Anger and the Ponderance of Life and Existence" (Gee
Street/Island). A masterful sci-fly meld of sounds and ideas that
challenged the mind rather than assaulting it.
     Toni Braxton "Toni Braxton" (LaFace/Arista). Mesmerizing
retro-soul debut from a local songstress whose deep voice and
limitless talents are two in a million.  Tony! Toni! Tone! "Sons of
Soul" (Wing/Island). An updating celebration of black music circa
M
arvin Gaye, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations.
     Jellyfish "Spilt Milk" (Charisma) and the Posies "Frosting on
the Beater" (Geffen). A tie: Looking back through rose-colored
glasses, yet rocking ever slightly forward.  Digable Planets
"Reachin' a New Refutation of Time and Space" (Elektra/Pendulum).
Pa
rt of the first wave of hip-boppers, blessed with a point-of-view
that's half-street, half-celestial.
     Me'shell NdegeOcello "Plantation Lullabies" (Maverick/ Sire).
A bracing brew of soul, hip-hop and jazz, with some challenging
views on matters of race and gender.
     Ralph Stanley "Saturday Night & Sunday Morning" (Freeland).
The Virginia legend serves up a double album that explores secular
and the sacred commonalities in bluegrass, old-timey country and
hillbilly folk traditions, with help from the likes of Emmylou
 Harris, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones, Vince Gill and
peer/competitor Bill Monroe.
     Cranberries "Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We" (PLG/
Island). Not just another manic Sundays.
     BEST CONCERT: Peter Gabriel June 22 at USAir Arena. Poetry,
passion, grace
and clearly a new level of rock theater under the big top.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO, AMONG 1993'S PICKS ARE RELEASES BY; PHOTO