Edwyn Collins

Edwyn Collins followed up Gorgeous George with this laid-back charmer. Collins was partially influenced by Beck and hip-hop, but he balances that with a folk-rock/singer-songwriter feel on such numbers as "No One Waved Goodbye" and the lovely "Running Away With Myself." He's equally successful with the more modern "It's a Steal," "Superficial Cat" and "Seventies Night" (which features the Fall's Mark E. Smith on guest vocals). "The Magic Piper (of Love)" was featured in the first Austin Powers movie, but it didn't help this fine album's commercial fortunes at all.