Geffen's been pretty good about picking their bands with only a few exceptions. There's somebody down there with a real clue as to what rock music should be like.

The Raincoats decided to "have a go" at punk music in 1977 and ended up a complete inspiration to such bands as Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Hole.

Their 'reunion' record obviously doesn't match the sheer energy and raw power of their original releases, but it does have a couple of winning moments. "Don't Be Mean" is an excellent breeding experiment breeding the Go-Go's and the Cocteau Twins. "Pretty" is a strange punk poem consumed by various keyboard and guitar sounds, and "57 Ways To End It All" is an etherial melody blanketed with reverb and a digital string section.

Looking In The Shadows is charming because its undeniably catchy songs and its slightly off-kilter vocal effects. And it certainly beats the shit out of the Sex Pistols for our 1996: The Year Punk Went Broke Award.

-Ryan Schreiber