Yeah, I realize the year isn’t over yet, and Leonard Cohen still has an album coming out in october that’s sure to make the list, but what the hell, right?
Amnesiac (Radiohead)
Took a few listens, and isn’t as good as Kid A, but is still incredible. Best song has to be Like Spinning Plates, which is quickly becoming my favorite Radiohead song yet.
Flow (foetus)
Who would’ve ever thought that twenty years into his career, Jim Thirwell would still be continually besting himself with each release. It’s been six years, but this album makes them worth it. Best song is probably Somebody Who Cares.
No More Shall We Part (Nick Cave)
Another new album from a veteran musician; everyone who said Nick lost his touch has been proven wrong with this release. Great music to be pissed off and/or melancholy to.
Lift (REM)
I didn’t have high hopes for this one; dunno why, but I was prepared for disappointment. How wrong! This is without a doubt their best CD; very beautiful, very lush, and very very sad. Kind of like vanilla icecream handmade by a dead man.
Haunted (Poe)
Got into this after reading House of Leaves by Poe’s brother, Mark Z. Danielewski. What an odd melange of styles here; some very mainstream (such as the rather disgusting Walk the Walk), and some very spooky and experimental. It’s an album of love songs that perfectly captures the not-so-quiet insanity behind so many forms of love.
aLive Just For Love (Peter Murphy)
Great minimalistic interpretations of Peter’s songs by his three-piece band allow for the songs to really be shown for how great they are. Shite title, though.
Life on a String (Laurie Anderson)
Another album by an artist who took a six-year absence, and another new approach for Laurie anderson. While this album is by no means as outstanding as Bright Red, it still is an absolute joy to experience. She’s replaced much of the electronic edge of her earlier work with classical and jazz influences, and like everything she does, it really works. Compare this to Lou Reed’s last album, though, and you wonder just how long it’s going to be before they seperate.
Volvox Turbo (Manorexia)
Another incredible album by Jim Thirwell, recorded in just six weeks. Very minimalist, perhaps even ambient. Depicts complete soul-sucking vapidity perfectly; a completely new sound for Mr. Thirwell, and the perfect album for a drug-induced stupor at two a.m.
Scavengers (Calla)
This is Calla’s first release on Michael Gira’s young god records label, and what an odd mood it captures. I can only compare it’s feel to that of the virgin suicides movie of last year; depression in suburbia. Very slow, very bleak, very subtly disturbing, and a really good U2 cover at the end as well.
Hyacinths and Thistles (The 6ths)
the second CD of a project started by Stephen Merritt of Magnetic Fields fame. Every song on here is an original composition sung by some of the bigger names in indie rock, such as Marc Almond and Gary Numan. The latter’s vocals are featured on the album’s best track, the chill-inducing The Sailor Who Loved the Sea.
Overall, it’s been a pretty dull year for mainstream music, I’d say; that’s been the norm as of late, though. The new Weezer album isn’t bad, nor is the new U2 album. Aside from that…I can’t really think of another worthwhile purchase that is in any great capacity showcased on MTV anymore. Oh well.
Hmmm . . . I don’t even know if I’ve bought ten albums this year. Pretty sad. OK, here’s what I can come up with, in no particular order:
The Go-Go’s, God Bless the Go-Go’s. A nice return to form for their first all-original album since 1984. More mature, with a lot of catchy riffs and great harmonies.
Shawn Colvin, Whole New You. I bought this on a whim after hearing a couple tracks while shopping at a book/record store. I was never a big fan of hers, but this was a damned good album.
Cindy Blackman, Someday . . . Lenny Kravitz’s drummer is also an accomplished jazz player and composer, and this is the fourth album by her quartet. Excellent Miles Davis-influenced stuff with some tremendous drum and piano work.
Orange Peels, So Far. Excellent West Coast pop music. Laid back, with lots of cool guitar work and melodies that kick butt. Nice 70s-80s vibe.
The Minders, Golden Street. Mega Beatle-y pop music. Guitars, harpsichords, trumpets . . . recalls the best of the psychedelic era.
For what it’s worth… I’m down to about 2 albums a month, so I don’t have a large pool to draw from, but here goes.
Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjum
This edged out Radiohead, but maybe it should be a tie. This is on par with Kid A, and compared to Pink Floyd and Spiritualized. Simply one of the most beautiful albums of the year.
Radiohead - Amnesiac
What HP said. My vote goes for “I might be wrong”.
Amon Tobin - Supermodified
Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car EP
Probably my favorite Drumnbass inspired artists.
HiM - New Features
Doug is my favorite drummer, so I’m biased. But this is still a great album, picked up where Our Point left off. Fusion lives.
Built to Spill - Ancient Melodies of the Future
Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You
Les Savy Fav - Rome (Written Upside Down) EP
Red House Painters - Old Ramon
Bonnie “Prince” Billie - Ease Down the Road
It’s no “I See A Darkness”, but it’s good
Saves The Day-Stay Where you Are, one of the finest emo albums i’ve had the pleasure of listening to, extremly sarcastic. Gridlock-Trace, in my opinion, the best IDM release of the last decade Depeche Mode-Exciter, it’s amazing how these guys keep putting out quality albums after over 20 years of being in the music biz. Rammstein-Mutter, a fun, bombastic cd, best guilty pleasure of 2001. Bright Eyes-Fevers and Mirrors, a “band” that just screams out talent and devotion to the music. Project Pitchfork-Damion, the german duo finally release a new album, which is by far, their best work within the ebm/industrial genre. Imminent-Nord, extrmley crunchy, dense and complex power electronics, they are the leaders of this left-field genre. NCC-Seven Steps of Nervousness, some of the most original elektro/ebm i’ve heard in a while, these guys show that some talent is still left in this contrived genre. Alkaline Trio-From here to Infirmary a landmark release for these guys, probably their most accesable work to date, yet it stays strong to its emo/punk roots. Cevin Cey-The Ghost of Each room one of the leaders of the past industrial movement comes out with an astounding musical collage.
Another fan of House of Leaves! YES!!! Ok, we will make a thread about it later…
I would put Renegades by Rage Against The Machine on the list somewhere. Every song is good, because they are all remakes of other hits. Beautiful World, origionally by Devo, has got to be the most innovative. The last line, “it’s a beautiful world, for you; not me” sent shivers down my spine. It completely reworks the song. Maggie’s Farm, by Dylan, is sung by someone with the same passion, and a voice to match. The guitar work is excellent, with me wondering whether they really did use only a guitar and not a syntesizer or drum machine for the effects. Tom Morello shines with this album.
Whatssat? Albums of the year already? I’ve only just managed to decide on my favourite albums of 2000!
“Lost Souls” - Doves
“Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea” - PJ Harvey
“Parachutes” - Coldplay
“Kid A” - Radiohead
“Rated R” - Queens of the Stoneage
“Odyssey Number 5” - Powderfinger
“The Sophtware Slump” - Grandaddy
“Standing on the Shoulder of Giants” - Oasis
“Figure 8” - Elliot Smith
“The Hour of Bewilderbeast” - Badly Drawn Boy
So far the only definites for this years list are:
“No More Shall We Part” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
“The Origin of Symmetry” by Muse
“Free All Angels” by Ash
“Amnesiac” may make it if nothing better comes along, but I don’t love it anywhere near as much as “Kid A”. Same for “The Invisible Band” by Travis.
I’m dying to hear Ben Folds new album. I have a sneaking suspicion it might be right up at the top of my list quite soon.
Yeah, that REM album title IS reveal. What an album. Anywho, it’s pretty cool to see two fellow Einsturzende Neubauten fans are out there; it’s also cool that no one’s declared n sync yet. Promise for this board? I think so.
Badger - Perhaps you ought to start a new “Top 10 Albums of the Year” thread, as it’s a bit confusing when all the other entries are from the year 2001. (For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why everyone was talking about Amnesiac and not Hail to the Thief!) I think the general rule is not to reopen threads that haven’t been posted to for three months or so, which this one is a little past.
