Agents Of Good Roots - One By One (1998)

Agents of Good Roots' major-label debut, One By One, finds the group's bar-band roots-rock drawing into sharper focus, thanks to a clean, glossy production from Paul Fox. Of course, polishing the band's sound means that the record lacks some of the loose groove and grit that made Agents of Good Roots a popular attraction in clubs and bars across the East Coast, but it helps bring their tunes to the forefront. The group may not have anything original to say -- and jokes like "Miss Misbelieving" are a little hard to swallow -- but they can write sturdy hooks, and there's an appealing party groove to the album that makes it a winning major-label debut. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo