 | ||
 | Album: 1 of 59 Artist: Richie Havens Title: Simple Things Released: 1987 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Drivin (04:24) 2 Simple Things (04:13) 3 Songwriter (04:06) 4 Passin By (04:48) 5 Wake Up and Dream (03:58) 6 I Dont Wanna Know (04:28) 7 Shouldnt We All Be Having a Good Time (05:28) 8 Arrow Through Me (04:28) 9 Runner in the Night (05:36) |
 | Album: 2 of 59 Artist: Nitin Sawhney Title: Beyond Skin Released: 1999-09-13 Tracks: 12 Duration: 58:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Broken Skin (04:05) 2 Letting Go (04:49) 3 Homelands (06:00) 4 The Pilgrim (04:29) 5 Tides (05:06) 6 Nadia (05:05) 7 Immigrant (06:21) 8 Serpents (06:17) 9 Anthem Without Nation (05:48) 10 Nostalgia (03:41) 11 The Conference (02:53) 12 Beyond Skin (03:48) |
 | Album: 3 of 59 Artist: Leftfield Title: Rhythm and Stealth Released: 1999-09-15 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:35:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Dusted (04:41) 2 Phat Planet (05:23) 3 Chant of a Poor Man (05:55) 4 Double Flash (04:11) 5 El Cid (06:01) 6 Afrika Shox (05:36) 7 Dub Gussett (04:51) 8 Swords (05:06) 9 6/8 War (04:12) 10 Rino’s Prayer (06:57) 1 Phat Planet (Dave Clarke Remix) (05:55) 2 El Cid (Simple Mix) (05:56) 3 Rino’s Prayer (Nick Rapaccioli Remix) (05:40) 4 Chant of a Poor Man (Mighty Quark Remix) (05:25) 5 Dub Gussett (Maas remix) (06:34) 6 El Cid (Table Tennis Remix) (06:50) 7 Double Flash (Headstarter Remix) (06:10) |
| Rhythm and Stealth : Allmusic album Review : Perhaps wishing to move from progressive-house flagwavers to trip-hop super-producers on a par with Massive Attack, Leftfield returned after almost five years of silence with a set of blunted trip-hop jams, stoned to say the least -- though glimmers of their house background do show through. Aside from a few uptempo stormers ("Double Flash," "Swords") reminiscent of a slightly less frenetic Jeff Mills, house fans looking for anthems worthy of "Not Forgotten" might be disappointed. The grooves on Rhythm and Stealth are a bit too languid and the productions a bit too intricate for dancefloor consumption. The one track that might make fans yearn for the heady days of 1993, "El Cid," begins with the ephemeral synth for which Leftfield has been known, but soon moves into breakbeat territory. Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa makes an appearance on the excellent "Afrika Shox," taking the mic on a brutal electro throwdown. As Rhythm and Stealth shows time and time again, its definitely not 1993 anymore, and Leftfield has moved on with a grace and mastery of production seldom seen in the dance world. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 59 Artist: Death in Vegas Title: The Contino Sessions Released: 1999-09-13 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:03:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Dirge (05:44) 2 Soul Auctioneer (05:59) 3 Death Threat (04:50) 4 Flying (07:06) 5 Aisha (05:54) 6 Lever Street (03:39) 7 Aladdin’s Story (04:45) 8 Broken Little Sister (05:18) 9 Neptune City (04:44) 1 Death Threat (05:01) 2 Aladdins Story (05:24) 3 Neptune City (05:09) |
| The Contino Sessions : Allmusic album Review : The amount of hype that greeted this album upon release was notable even by U.K. press terms, leading to quite an unexpected amount of overall attention upon the bands second release. Justified? Not quite -- its important to approach this CD on its own terms, and on that level its a good album, but not a great one. Claimed goals at being inspired by Primal Screams Screamadelica aside, Contino doesnt achieve anything near the same sense of reach and sweep as that album did, not to releases like My Bloody Valentines Loveless and other cited role models. The Richard Fearless/Tim Holmes combination here seems to restrict itself to production and arrangement, commissioning a variety of players, notably a key duo of guitarist Ian Button and bassist Mat Flint, to interpret their songs under their overall guidance. Button and Flint are quite good at what they do -- the two get to shine right at the start on the crawling build and freakout of "Dirge" -- but sometimes an overall mood is set without much being added to it. Slow, steady beats and breaks flesh out things reasonably enough. The bands ace in the hole lies with the series of guest vocalists, starting (perhaps unsurprisingly) with Primal Screams Bobby Gillespie. Jesus and Mary Chain singer Jim Reid, Scottish singer Dot Allison, and punk legend Iggy Pop also take a bow, the latter guesting on the albums undoubted highlight, the aggressive, energetic "Aisha." Perhaps the most interesting move, though, is on "Aladdins Story," with the London Community Gospel Choir taking a bow in the same way they did with Spiritualized. At base, Contino is a reasonably entertaining and sometimes quite compelling combination of slower dance aesthetics translated into rock & roll terms and sounds. It just isnt the end of the world, thats all. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 59 Artist: Richard Ashcroft Title: Alone With Everybody Released: 2000-06-26 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:00:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 A Song for the Lovers (05:22) 2 I Get My Beat (06:04) 3 Brave New World (06:01) 4 New York (05:32) 5 You on My Mind in My Sleep (05:10) 6 Crazy World (04:59) 7 On a Beach (05:11) 8 Money to Burn (06:16) 9 Slow Was My Heart (03:46) 10 C’mon People (We’re Making It Now) (05:05) 11 Everybody (06:34) |
 | Album: 6 of 59 Artist: Goldfrapp Title: Felt Mountain Released: 2000-09-11 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Lovely Head (03:47) 2 Paper Bag (04:05) 3 Human (04:36) 4 Pilots (04:29) 5 Deer Stop (04:06) 6 Felt Mountain (04:17) 7 Oompa Radar (04:42) 8 Utopia (04:18) 9 Horse Tears (05:10) |
| Felt Mountain : Allmusic album Review : Though her collaborations with Tricky, Orbital, and Add N To X focused on the sheer beauty and power of her singing, on her debut album Felt Mountain Allison Goldfrapp also explores more straightforward styles. Together with composer/multi-instrumentalist Will Gregory, Goldfrapp wraps her unearthly voice around songs that borrow from 60s pop, cabaret, folk, and electronica without sounding derivative or unfocused. From the sci-fi/spy film hybrids "Human" and "Lovely Head" to the title tracks icy purity, the duo strikes a wide variety of poses, giving Felt Mountain a stylized, theatrical feel that never veers into campiness. Though longtime fans of Goldfrapps voice may wish for more the exuberant, intoxicating side of her sound, lovelorn ballads like "Pilots," "Deer Stop," and "Horses Tears" prove that she is equally able at carrying -- and writing -- more traditional tunes. A strange and beautiful mix of the romantic, eerie, and world-weary, Felt Mountain is one of 2000s most impressive debuts. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 59 Artist: Helicopter Girl Title: How to Steal the World Released: 2000-11-28 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Escape Cloud (04:43) 2 345 Wonderful (03:48) 3 Individual (04:59) 4 Satan’s Seventh Bride (04:24) 5 Glove Compartment (06:02) 6 It’s Not Fetish (04:25) 7 Cry Mississippi (04:10) 8 Power (02:27) 9 Subliminal Punk (03:58) 10 Johni the Dog (03:55) 11 Putin Circle Stockings (04:22) |
 | Album: 8 of 59 Artist: Kathryn Williams Title: Little Black Numbers Released: 2000 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 We Dug a Hole (04:26) 2 Soul to Feet (04:07) 3 Stood (03:21) 4 Jasmine Hoop (03:55) 5 Fell Down Fast (05:36) 6 Flicker (03:29) 7 Intermission (01:33) 8 Tell the Truth as If It Were Lies (04:07) 9 Morning Song (02:33) 10 Toocan (02:24) 11 Each Star We See (04:27) 12 We Came Down From the Trees (03:46) |
 | Album: 9 of 59 Artist: Doves Title: Lost Souls Released: 2000-04-03 Tracks: 12 Duration: 59:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Firesuite (04:36) 2 Here It Comes (04:50) 3 Break Me Gently (04:38) 4 Sea Song (06:12) 5 Rise (05:38) 6 Lost Souls (06:09) 1 Melody Calls (03:27) 2 Catch the Sun (04:48) 3 The Man Who Told Everything (05:47) 4 The Cedar Room (07:38) 5 Reprise (01:45) 6 A House (03:40) |
 | Album: 10 of 59 Artist: Coldplay Title: Parachutes Released: 2000-07-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Don’t Panic (02:16) 2 Shiver (04:59) 3 Spies (05:18) 4 Sparks (03:47) 5 Yellow (04:29) 6 Trouble (04:30) 7 Parachutes (00:46) 8 High Speed (04:14) 9 We Never Change (04:09) 10 Everything’s Not Lost / Life Is for Living (07:16) |
| Parachutes : Allmusic album Review : The London foursome Coldplay were early critics darlings in their native U.K., showcasing melodic pop on a slew of EP releases and constant live shows just after the spark of the new millennium. Not as heavy as Radiohead or snobbish as Oasis, Coldplay were revealed on Parachutes as a band of young musicians still honing their sweet harmonies. Combining bits of distorted guitar riffs and swishing percussion, Parachutes was a delightful introduction and also quickly indicated the reason why this album earned Coldplay a Mercury Music Prize nomination in fall 2000. Frontman Chris Martins lyrical wordplay is feminist in the manner of Genevas Andrew Montgomery, but far more withered. The imagery captured on Parachutes is exquisitely dark and artistically abrasive, and the entire composition is tractable thanks to gauzy acoustics and airy percussion. Coldplays indie rock inclinations are also obvious, especially on songs such as "Dont Panic" and "Shiver," but its the dream pop soundscapes captured on "High Speed" and "We Never Change" that illustrate the bands dynamic passion. This basic pop was surely a refreshing effort in the face of big productions like the Spice Girls and Westlife. Parachutes deserved the accolades it received because it followed the general rule when introducing decent pop songs: keep the emotion genuine and real. And Coldplay did that without hesitation. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 59 Artist: MJ Cole Title: Sincere Released: 2000-08-07 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:07:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Introduction (03:12) 2 Tired Games (04:59) 3 Attitude (05:09) 4 Bandelero Desperado (04:00) 5 MJ FM Interlude (02:05) 6 Crazy Love (04:38) 7 Youre Mine (06:14) 8 Sanctuary (04:16) 9 I See (04:47) 10 Sincere (Re-Cued) (05:38) 11 Strung Out (03:03) 12 Rough Out Here (04:21) 13 Slum King (05:14) 14 Radio Interlude (00:43) 15 Hold on to Me (04:39) 16 Free My Mind (04:40) |
 | Album: 12 of 59 Artist: PJ Harvey Title: Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea Released: 2000-10-22 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 2001 | 1 Big Exit (03:51) 2 Good Fortune (03:20) 3 A Place Called Home (03:41) 4 One Line (03:15) 5 Beautiful Feeling (03:56) 6 The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore (03:58) 7 This Mess We’re In (03:56) 8 You Said Something (03:19) 9 Kamikaze (02:23) 10 This Is Love (03:47) 11 Horses in My Dreams (05:35) 12 We Float (06:06) |
| Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea : Allmusic album Review : During her career, Polly Jean Harvey has had as many incarnations as she has albums. Shes gone from the Yeovil art student of her debut Dry, to Rid of Mes punk poetess to To Bring You My Love and Is This Desire?s postmodern siren; on Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea -- inspired by her stay in New York City and life in the English countryside -- shes changed again. The album covers stylish, subtly sexy image suggests what its songs confirm: PJ Harvey has grown up. Direct, vulnerable lyrics replace the allegories and metaphors of her previous work, and the albums production polishes the songs instead of obscuring them in noise or studio tricks. On the albums best tracks, such as "Kamikaze" and "This Is Love," a sexy, shouty blues-punk number that features the memorable refrain "I cant believe life is so complex/When I just want to sit here and watch you undress," Harvey sounds sensual and revitalized. The New York influences surface on the glamorous punk rock of "Big Exit" and "Good Fortune," on which Harvey channels both Chrissie Hyndes sexy tough girl and Patti Smiths ferocious yelp. Ballads like the sweetly urgent, piano and marimba-driven "One Line" and the Thom Yorke duet "This Mess Were In" avoid the painful depths of Harveys darkest songs; "Horses in My Dreams" also reflects Harveys new emotional balance: "I have pulled myself clear," she sighs, and we believe her. However, "We Float"s glossy choruses veer close to Lillith Fair territory, and longtime fans cant help but miss the visceral impact of her early work, but Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea doesnt compromise her essential passion. Hopefully, this albums happier, more direct PJ Harvey is a persona shell keep around for a while. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 59 Artist: The Delgados Title: The Great Eastern Released: 2000-04-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 The Past That Suits You Best (06:21) 2 Accused of Stealing (05:42) 3 American Trilogy (04:46) 4 Reasons for Silence (Eds Song) (03:28) 5 Thirteen Gliding Principles (03:44) 6 No Danger (06:32) 7 Aye Today (04:55) 8 Witness (04:04) 9 Knowing When to Run (03:26) 10 Make Your Move (03:12) |
 | Album: 14 of 59 Artist: Badly Drawn Boy Title: The Hour of Bewilderbeast Released: 2000-06-26 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:03:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 2000 | 1 The Shining (05:18) 2 Everybody’s Stalking (03:39) 3 Bewilder (00:48) 4 Fall in a River (02:17) 5 Camping Next to Water (03:50) 6 Stone on the Water (03:58) 7 Another Pearl (04:27) 8 Body Rap (00:45) 9 Once Around the Block (03:44) 10 This Song (01:32) 11 Bewilderbeast (03:30) 12 Magic in the Air (03:43) 13 Cause a Rockslide (05:55) 14 Pissing in the Wind (04:19) 15 Blistered Heart (01:50) 16 Disillusion (05:19) 17 Say It Again (04:41) 18 Epitaph (03:50) |
| The Hour of Bewilderbeast : Allmusic album Review : What has the field of lo-fi slacker pop come to when faced by an LP as ambitious and entertaining as Badly Drawn Boys The Hour of Bewilderbeast? Despite all attempts to sabotage his songwriting and production with innumerable experimental tidbits, songs within a song, and (seemingly) tossed-off arrangements, Damon Gough has to face the fact that he wrote and produced over a dozen excellent songs of baroque folk-pop for his album debut, and the many gems cant help but shine through all the self-indulgence. The sprightly orchestration for cello and trumpet (Goughs own) that begin the album are eventually taken over by the sparse guitar pickings and wistful folky sunshine of "The Shining," which veers into the skewed slide guitar and ominous tone of "Everybodys Stalking." Gough rarely pauses for breath (even when hes doing a ballad) or follows any traditional sense of album flow, but after a listen or two, The Hour of Bewilderbeast is revealed as a shambling masterpiece of a pop album. Most of these songs are Goughs entirely (he plays as many as eight instruments), with occasional help from friends like Twisted Nerve co-labelhead Andy Votel and assorted drummers for accompaniment. His songwriting is great, but Goughs twisted sense of humor helps the album shine as well, as on "Fall in a River," where the down-a-lazy-river feel carries through to the point where not just Gough but the entire production is submerged with a splash and attendant warping of the sound. The Hour of Bewilderbeast surely isnt a traditional pop album, but a continually beguiling trip through lo-fi postmodern folk that draws as much from Harry Nilsson as Beck. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 59 Artist: Tom McRae Title: Tom McRae Released: 2000-10-02 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:05:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 You Cut Her Hair (02:46) 2 End of the World News (Dose Me Up) (03:48) 3 2nd Law (02:51) 4 Bloodless (03:38) 5 Draw Down the Stars (02:14) 6 One More Mile (04:16) 7 The Boy With the Bubblegun (03:01) 8 Hidden Camera Show (04:17) 9 A & B Song (04:15) 10 Language of Fools (03:57) 11 Untitled (03:51) 12 Sao Paulo Rain (04:51) 13 I Aint Scared of Lightning (01:25) 1 End of the World News (Dose Me Up) (04:19) 2 Sao Paulo Rain (05:42) 3 Draw Down the Stars (03:38) 4 Street Light (04:12) 5 I Aint Scared of Lightning (01:57) |
 | Album: 16 of 59 Artist: Nicholas Maw; Joshua Bell, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Roger Norrington Title: Violin Concerto Released: 2000-04-18 Tracks: 4 Duration: 41:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2000 | 1 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra: I. Prelude: Moderato tranquillo. Andante moderato (10:34) 2 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra: II: Scherzo: Vivace assai. Recitando (13:21) 3 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra: III. Romanza: Lento e calmo (08:15) 4 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra: IV. Finale: Allegro moderato e grazioso (09:36) |
 | Album: 17 of 59 Artist: Elbow Title: Asleep in the Back Released: 2001-05-03 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:05:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Any Day Now (06:17) 2 Red (05:11) 3 Little Beast (04:15) 4 Powder Blue (04:30) 5 Bitten by the Tailfly (06:16) 6 Newborn (07:35) 7 Don’t Mix Your Drinks (03:16) 8 Presuming Ed (Rest Easy) (05:26) 9 Coming Second (04:56) 10 Can’t Stop (04:36) 11 Scattered Black and Whites (05:29) 12 Vum Garda (07:55) |
| Asleep in the Back : Allmusic album Review : Elbow fiddles with a battery of widescreen dynamics and slight prog rock tendencies, delivering an epic debut of Manchester miserablism that will likely gain comparisons to fellow Mancunian band Doves (rightfully) and Coldplay (wrongfully). Like Doves, Elbow has enough supple shadings and tasteful textures to hold interest without vocals. However, where you have dance producers at the core of Doves, you have a highly emotional songwriter at the core of Elbow. Despite constantly dipping into an overflowing well of sonic tricks (the non-wank variety), each of Guy Garveys songs would be able to survive with a lone acoustic providing accompaniment. Judging from Garveys rough-hewn voice, he could be forgiven for sinking into a misery-addled torpor; thankfully, thats not the case -- given enough instrumental prodding from his cohorts, Garveys voice can soar and seethe with the best of them. Tally these qualities and you have a record that glides above the host of bands who prattle aimlessly about their pin cushion-frail souls. After all, Asleep in the Back is more about getting through and sustaining than it is flat-out moping or asking for a hug. The tempos might not ever exceed mid-level, and half of the songs might exceed five minutes, but the record is anything but a difficult listen or tough to wade through. When the acoustic strumming, piano twinkles, liquid basslines, and muted horns are this engaging and well arranged, its difficult to wring yourself from the web. If you can only spare eight minutes to test drive the record, go straight to "Newborn," the sweeping centerpiece with enough catharsis and heavenly Talk Talk-informed organ that youd swear it came from the second side of Catherine Wheels Adam and Eve. Stacked against other debuts out of Manchester, theirs is no disgrace. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 59 Artist: Gorillaz Title: Gorillaz Released: 2001-03-26 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:12:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Re‐Hash (03:40) 2 5/4 (02:41) 3 Tomorrow Comes Today (03:14) 4 New Genious (Brother) (03:58) 5 Clint Eastwood (05:41) 6 Man Research (Clapper) (04:32) 7 Punk (01:38) 8 Sound Check (Gravity) (04:41) 9 Double Bass (04:46) 10 Rock the House (04:10) 11 19‒2000 (03:28) 12 Latin Simone (Qué pasa contigo) (03:38) 13 Starshine (03:32) 14 Slow Country (03:37) 15 M1 A1 (03:50) 16 Dracula (04:42) 17 Left Hand Suzuki Method (03:08) 18 19‐2000 (Soulchild remix) (03:29) 19 Clint Eastwood (Ed Case refix) (04:28) |
| Gorillaz : Allmusic album Review : Its tempting to judge Gorillaz -- Damon Albarn, Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett, and Dan "The Automator" Nakamuras virtual band -- just by their brilliantly animated videos and write the project off as another triumph of style over substance. Admittedly, Hewletts edgy-cute characterizations of 2-D, Gorillaz pretty boy singer (who looks a cross between the Charlatans Tim Burgess and Sonic the Hedgehog), sinister bassist Murdoc, whiz-kid guitarist Noodle, and b-boy drummer Russel are so arresting that they almost detract from Gorillaz music. The amazing "Thriller"-meets-Planet of the Apes clip for "Clint Eastwood" is so visually clever that its easy to take the songs equally clever, hip-hop-tinged update of the Specials "Ghost Town" for granted. And initially, Gorillaz self-titled debut feels incomplete when Hewletts imagery is removed; the concept of Gorillaz as a virtual band doesnt hold up as well when you cant see the virtual bandmembers. Its too bad that there isnt a DVD version of Gorillaz, with videos for every song, à la the DVD version of Super Furry Animals Rings Around the World. Musically, however, Gorillaz is a cutely caricatured blend of Albarns eclectic Brit-pop and Nakamuras equally wide-ranging hip-hop, and it sounds almost as good as the band looks. Albarn has fun sending up Blurs cheeky pop on songs like "5/4" and "Re-Hash," their trip-hop experiments on "New Genious" and "Sound Check," and "Song 2"-like thrash-pop on "Punk" and "M1 A1." Despite the similarities between Albarns main gig and his contributions here, Gorillaz isnt an Albarn solo album in disguise; Nakamuras bass- and beat-oriented production gives the album an authentically dub and hip-hop-inspired feel, particularly on "Rock the House" and "Tomorrow Comes Today." Likewise, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Miho Hatori, and Ibrahim Ferrers vocals ensure that it sounds like a diverse collaboration rather than an insular side project. Instead, it feels like a musical vacation for all parties involved -- a little self-indulgent, but filled with enough fun ideas and good songs to make this virtual bands debut a genuinely enjoyable album. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 59 Artist: Ed Harcourt Title: Here Be Monsters Released: 2001-06-25 Tracks: 11 Duration: 52:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Something in My Eye (03:43) 2 God Protect Your Soul (05:25) 3 She Fell Into My Arms (03:50) 4 Those Crimson Tears (05:11) 5 Hanging With the Wrong Crowd (03:43) 6 Apple of My Eye (04:01) 7 Beneath the Heart of Darkness (07:21) 8 Wind Through the Trees (06:47) 9 Birds Fly Backwards (03:32) 10 Shanghai (03:51) 11 Like Only Lovers Can (04:54) |
 | Album: 20 of 59 Artist: Joanna MacGregor Title: Play Released: 2001 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:07:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 42nd St. Stomp (04:09) 2 Libertango (02:59) 3 Hughe Ashtons Ground (07:15) 4 Autumn in Warsaw (04:16) 5 Incarnation II (06:58) 6 Endgame (05:31) 7 Strumming (04:09) 8 Player Piano Study no. 11 (03:33) 9 Even Tenor (02:54) 10 Forlorn Hope Fancy (03:07) 11 Sonata no. 5 (01:30) 12 The Alcotts (05:06) 13 Ship in Embrace of the Endless Dark Ocean (07:32) 14 Allemande (05:28) 15 Dance It (02:47) |
 | Album: 21 of 59 Artist: Super Furry Animals Title: Rings Around the World Released: 2001-07-23 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:02:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Alternate Route to Vulcan Street (04:31) 2 Sidewalk Serfer Girl (04:01) 3 (Drawing) Rings Around the World (03:29) 4 Its Not the End of the World? (03:27) 5 Receptacle for the Respectable (04:32) 6 [A] Touch Sensitive (03:07) 7 Shoot Doris Day (03:38) 8 Miniature (00:40) 9 No Sympathy (06:57) 10 Juxtapozed With U (03:08) 11 Presidential Suite (05:24) 12 Run! Christian, Run! (07:20) 13 Fragile Happiness (03:04) 14 Tradewinds (05:36) 15 Happiness Is a Worn Pun (03:16) |
| Rings Around the World : Allmusic album Review : Super Furry Animals leap to a major label in the U.K. with Rings Around the World isnt that drastic of a change -- Fuzzy Logic was also released on Epic in the U.S., Creation was subsidized by Sony, and they never were exactly wanting of money on their previous records -- but the band nevertheless seizes the opportunity to consolidate their strengths, providing an introduction for listeners that may not have been paying attention before. As such, its hard not to consider it as a bit of a missed opportunity, since this is the first SFA album not to progress from its predecessor, or offer the shock of the new, and thats hard not to miss -- but, if this is the first SFA record you hear, itll likely intrigue, even dazzle, with its kaleidoscopic blend of pop, prog, punk, psych, and electronica. Still, this is nearly Super Furry Cliff Notes, offering a glossy, big-screen variation on all of their themes -- decadently lush pop-psych, chugging rock & roll, bitter leftism, sublimely warped imagery, experimentalism wrapped in luxurious productions. Alluring, to be sure, and satisfying, too, and there certainly are wonderful details scattered throughout the album, the least of which are cameos by John Cale and Paul McCartney. Plus, there is exceptional songwriting here, such as the cinematic "Juxtaposed With U," "Sidewalk Serfer Girl," and "Receptacle for the Respectable," which encapsulates nearly every side of the band within five minutes. Still, its hard not to want a little more from the band that was the best pop band of the late 90s. Its hard not to at least want surprises (since there are none) or, if its going to be a consolidation, to have it be a statement of purpose, since it lacks either an overarching theme or a music that gels. So, its not what it could have been, but what it is is still pretty damn great, satisfying with its melodies, textures, and ideas. Compared to what Super Furry Animals have done before, Rings Around the World pales slightly but noticeably, but compared to the dead world of mainstream and indie rock in 2001, it still shines brightly. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 59 Artist: Basement Jaxx Title: Rooty Released: 2001-06-25 Tracks: 13 Duration: 42:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Romeo (03:36) 2 Breakaway (03:22) 3 SFM (02:39) 4 Kissalude (00:20) 5 Jus 1 Kiss (04:24) 6 Broken Dreams (03:07) 7 I Want U (03:26) 8 Get Me Off (04:49) 9 Where’s Your Head At (04:42) 10 Freakalude (00:29) 11 Crazy Girl (03:20) 12 Do Your Thing (04:40) 13 All I Know (03:47) |
| Rooty : Allmusic album Review : Sophomore album blues from a pair of producers who just want to party all night and make a few tracks during the day? Not a chance. Two years of globetrotting as house superstars fortunately havent dulled the keen blade of Basement Jaxxs production style. So raw you cant believe they spent over an hour per track, so perfect youre glad they stopped noodling about long before most producers would, and so poppy they should get picked up by commercial radio in America as well as the rest of the world, Rooty is the second straight triumph from a pair of producer/DJs who look set to carry the torch for dancefloor electronica in the years to come. Titled after the duos just-recently-closed club night, this is a true party album -- shot through with no-attention-span tangents, bridges, and interrupted samples, nowhere better than on the psychedelic soul of "Broken Dreams," with its Tijuana Brass horns and Middle Eastern flute. Though its missing the genre-spanning flair and red-line energy that made 1999s Remedy the best dance album of the 90s, Rooty comes very close, with a similar emphasis on swinging rhythms and slapping percussion. Its much funkier than Remedy, much closer to commercial pop, and much more sensuous, with several tracks of moaning, juiced-up funk from the Prince playbook. The opener, "Romeo," is groovy and luscious enough to be the next single from Destinys Child (with a tad more vocal histrionics), and almost every track features vocalists who sound less like professional singers (or flavor-of-the-month robots) and more like theyve been tapped as finalists at a posh karaoke bar. (A few of those female-sounding vocalists are actually the Jaxx themselves, altered slightly.) Add a little filtered disco ("Jus 1 Kiss"), a track of rowdy New York house (the Gary Numan-sampling "Wheres Your Head At," with background shouting from Erick Morillo and Junior Sanchez), bleepy acid house ("Crazy Girl"), and some P-Funked-up house ("Breakaway") and the result is a stunning, diverse album thats not only an immediate winner but a great album down the line as well. You can take the boys out of Brixton, but you just cant take Brixton out of the boys. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 59 Artist: Roots Manuva Title: Run Come Save Me Released: 2001-08-13 Tracks: 17 Duration: 57:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 No Strings… (01:25) 2 Bashment Boogie (03:19) 3 Witness (1 Hope) (04:14) 4 Join the Dots (03:58) 5 Black Box Interlude (00:22) 6 Ital Visions (04:42) 7 Kicking the Cack (03:36) 8 Dub Styles (02:40) 9 Trim Body (03:35) 10 Artical (03:21) 11 Hol’ It Up (02:48) 12 Stone the Crows (03:21) 13 Sinny Sin Sins (03:36) 14 Evil Rabbit (03:24) 15 Swords in the Dirt (04:40) 16 Highest Grade (04:05) 17 Dreamy Days (04:43) |
| Run Come Save Me : Allmusic album Review : Just when the British hip-hop community seemed on its last legs, the victim of an over-powerful American marketing machine, Roots Manuva hit the stratosphere with his second record, the nearly Mercury prize-winning Run Come Save Me. A stunning record, it balanced the stark digital soul of British ragga with lurching beats, and Rodney Smiths star-making delivery and wide-ranging repertoire. "Witness (1 Hope)" earned its place as the best British rap single since Trickys "Aftermath," while "Bashment Boogie," "Hol It Up," and "Artical" were distinctive, hard-hitting, surprisingly groovy performances. As on his LP debut, Brand New Second Hand, Smith also spent time reflecting on his religious upbringing, with a distinctly unhumorous track ("Sinny Sin Sins," never mind the title) that dealt with his heavily disciplinarian father. And where the productions on debut sounded thin and tame, for Run Come Save Me he hit another level entirely with tracks by either Bennett or RM himself, whose Blows Yard Studio quickly took its place next to New Yorks legendary D&D Studios as a home to distinctive underground rap. Roots Manuva handled every type of song with flowing confidence and a bemused air, whether it was a club jam or a message track. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 59 Artist: Susheela Raman Title: Salt Rain Released: 2001-08-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 58:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Ganapati (06:43) 2 Maya (04:37) 3 Mamavatu (03:53) 4 Woman (04:25) 5 Mahima (07:31) 6 Trust in Me (03:24) 7 Bolo Bolo (02:13) 8 Salt Rain (04:42) 9 Kamakshi (04:53) 10 Nagumomo (04:48) 11 O Rama (04:54) 12 Song to the Siren (06:32) |
 | Album: 25 of 59 Artist: Turin Brakes Title: The Optimist LP Released: 2001-03-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2001 | 1 Feeling Oblivion (03:43) 2 Underdog (Save Me) (03:34) 3 Emergency 72 (04:05) 4 Future Boy (03:58) 5 The Door (03:52) 6 State of Things (03:31) 7 By TV Light (04:52) 8 Slack (03:16) 9 Starship (02:49) 10 The Road (05:33) 11 Mind Over Money (04:53) 12 The Optimist (07:41) |
 | Album: 26 of 59 Artist: Ms. Dynamite Title: A Little Deeper Released: 2002-06-10 Tracks: 16 Duration: 59:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 2002 | 1 Natural High (interlude) (00:56) 2 Dy-na-mi-tee (03:39) 3 Anyway U Want It (03:42) 4 Put Him Out (03:58) 5 Brother (03:34) 6 It Takes More (Bloodshy main mix) (04:39) 7 Sick n Tired (03:34) 8 Afraid 2 Fly (04:48) 9 Watch Over Them (01:16) 10 Seed Will Grow (03:23) 11 Krazy Krush (03:44) 12 Now U Want My Love (04:54) 13 Gotta Let U Know (04:09) 14 All I Ever (04:31) 15 A Little Deeper (04:33) 16 Get Up Stand Up (03:52) |
| A Little Deeper : Allmusic album Review : She didnt get much respect as a member of the chart-running, violence-generating So Solid Crew, but that all changed when Ms. Dynamite released her solo debut, A Little Deeper. And with nary a 2-step beat in sight, it would appear Ms. Dynamite has made a clean break from her garage past to embrace a form of British ragga/R&B that makes her one of the few evoking references to Roots Manuva and Lauryn Hill. She has as much personality and strength of delivery as either of them (high praise, that), and carries the album as much as the tight production. Another name to think of is Craig David; like the only 2-step figure to make any impression on American R&B fans, A Little Deeper has a few concessions to commercial radio (i.e., the musically unadventurous). The Santana guitar lines on "Put Him Out" and the single "It Takes More" would fit perfectly on radio. Sure, the albums a bit more edgy than any of her American contemporaries ("Krazy Krush" is a great head-twisting track), but its still not too far from Hill and other neo-soul figures. That may make her more palatable to a worldwide audience, but it also makes for a more diluted sound that doesnt impress quite like it could have. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 59 Artist: Coldplay Title: A Rush of Blood to the Head Released: 2002-08-12 Tracks: 11 Duration: 54:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Politik (05:18) 2 In My Place (03:48) 3 God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (04:57) 4 The Scientist (05:09) 5 Clocks (05:07) 6 Daylight (05:27) 7 Green Eyes (03:43) 8 Warning Sign (05:31) 9 A Whisper (03:58) 10 A Rush of Blood to the Head (05:51) 11 Amsterdam (05:19) |
| A Rush of Blood to the Head : Allmusic album Review : After touring in support of their debut album, Parachutes, Coldplay was personally and professionally exhausted. Frontman Chris Martin insisted he was dry; by the time they closed their European tour in summer 2001, he hadnt written a song in months. The U.K. music press immediately pounced on the idea of Coldplay calling it quits, but somewhere lurked the beauty of "In My Place." The spirit and soul of this ballad allowed Coldplay to pull it together to make a second album. What came from such anguish and inquisition was A Rush of Blood to the Head. Coldplay has surely let it all go on this record. Acoustics are drowned out by Jon Bucklands riveting guitar work, and vocally, Martin has sharpened his falsetto, refining his haunting delivery. Its a strong album; you can feel, hear, and touch the blood, sweat, and tears behind each song, and thats exactly what Coldplay was going for. Co-producer Ken Nelson and mixer Mark Pythain (the team behind the blissful beauty of Parachutes) allowed Coldplay to make an album thats initially inaccessible, but thats what makes it intriguing. Lush melodies and a heartbreak behind the songs are there, but also a newfound confidence. From the delicate, shimmery classic "In My Place" to the piano surge of "The Scientist," Coldplay exudes an honest passion. The disco haze of "Daylight" and the love-drunk ballad "Green Eyes" are divine examples of solid lyrical arrangements, but "Politik" and the stunning guitar-driven "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" project a nervy edge to the band. Echoes of early post-punk showcase Coldplays ballsy musicianship. Dont fret -- its not exactly rock & roll, but Radiohead, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Smiths arent exactly rock & roll either, and theyre well loved. "Yellow" didnt follow the rock formula, but it sold well, and similarly A Rush of Blood to the Head might not instantly grab listeners, but its not tailored that way. It pushes you to look beyond dreamy vocals for a musical inner core. Regardless of the band still being in their mid-twenties, theyve made an amazing record, and if it ends up being their last, A Rush of Blood to the Head didnt sugarcoat anything. Its a bittersweet design no matter what. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 59 Artist: Eliza Carthy Title: Anglicana Released: 2002 Tracks: 10 Duration: 54:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Worcester City (04:46) 2 Just as the Tide Was Flowing (08:00) 3 Limbo (04:24) 4 Little Gypsy Girl (02:11) 5 No Mans Jig / Hanoverian Dance / Three Jolly Sheepskins (04:11) 6 Pretty Ploughboy (05:19) 7 Bold Privateer (07:10) 8 Dr MCMBE (05:43) 9 In London So Fair (08:06) 10 Willow Tree (04:29) |
 | Album: 29 of 59 Artist: Floetry Title: Floetic Released: 2002-11-25 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:09:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Big Ben (01:54) 2 Floetic (04:06) 3 Ms. Stress (03:52) 4 Sunshine (04:15) 5 Getting Late (06:46) 6 Fun (04:14) 7 Mr. Messed Up (04:20) 8 Say Yes (04:28) 9 Hello (04:09) 10 Headache (04:03) 11 Hey You (05:04) 12 If I Was A Bird (05:02) 13 Opera (04:00) 14 Subliminal (03:57) 15 Butterflies (demo version) (04:03) 16 Now You’re Gone (More Than I Can Feel) (04:52) |
 | Album: 30 of 59 Artist: David Bowie Title: Heathen Released: 2002-06-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Sunday (04:45) 2 Cactus (02:54) 3 Slip Away (06:04) 4 Slow Burn (04:41) 5 Afraid (03:28) 6 I’ve Been Waiting for You (03:00) 7 I Would Be Your Slave (05:13) 8 I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spaceship (04:06) 9 5:15 the Angels Have Gone (05:01) 10 Everyone Says ‘Hi’ (03:57) 11 A Better Future (04:11) 12 Heathen (The Rays) (04:16) |
| Heathen : Allmusic album Review : Heathen marks a new beginning for David Bowie in some ways -- its his first record since leaving Virgin, his first for Columbia Records, his first for his new label, ISO -- yet its hardly a new musical direction. Like Hours, this finds Bowie sifting through the sounds of his past, completely at ease with his legacy, crafting a colorful, satisfying album that feels like a classic Bowie album. Thats not to say that Heathen recalls any particular album or any era in specific, yet theres a deliberate attempt to recapture the atmosphere, the tone of his 70s work -- theres a reason that Bowie decided to reteam with Tony Visconti, the co-producer of some of his best records, for this album -- even if direct comparisons are hard to come by. Which is exactly whats so impressive about this album. Bowie and Visconti never shy away from electronic instrumentations or modern production -- if anything, they embrace it -- but its woven into Bowies sound subtly, never drawing attention to the drum loops, guitar synths, and washes of electronica. For that matter, guest spots by Dave Grohl and Pete Townshend (both on guitar) dont stand out either; theyre merely added texture to this an album thats intricately layered, but always plays smoothly and alluringly. And, make no mistake, this is an alluring, welcoming, friendly album -- there are some moody moments, but Bowie takes Neil Youngs eerie "Ive Been Waiting for You" and Pixies elusively brutal, creepy "Cactus" and turns them sweet, which isnt necessarily a bad thing, either. In the end, thats the key to Heathen -- the undercurrent of happiness, not in the lyrics, but in the making of music, a realization by Bowie and Visconti alike that they are perfect collaborators. Unlike their previous albums together, this doesnt boldly break new ground, but thats because, 22 years after their last collaboration, Scary Monsters, both Bowie and Visconti dont need to try as hard, so they just focus on the craft. The result is an understated, utterly satisfying record, his best since Scary Monsters, simply because hed never sounded as assured and consistent since. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 59 Artist: The Electric Soft Parade Title: Holes in the Wall Released: 2002-02-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 55:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Start Again (03:54) 2 Empty at the End (03:01) 3 Theres a Silence (02:52) 4 Somethings Got to Give (03:49) 5 Its Wasting Me Away (04:17) 6 Silent to the Dark (09:00) 7 Sleep Alone (04:09) 8 This Given Line (04:12) 9 Why Do You Try So Hard to Hate Me (04:38) 10 Holes in the Wall (05:14) 11 Biting the Soles of My Feet (06:25) 12 Red Balloon for Me (04:12) |
 | Album: 32 of 59 Artist: Lemon Jelly Title: Lost Horizons Released: 2002-10-07 Tracks: 8 Duration: 59:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Elements (08:41) 2 Space Walk (07:02) 3 Ramblin’ Man (07:06) 4 Return to Patagonia (08:40) 5 Nice Weather for Ducks (06:08) 6 Experiment Number Six (05:54) 7 Closer (07:24) 8 The Curse of Ka’Zar (09:01) |
 | Album: 33 of 59 Artist: Gemma Hayes Title: Night on My Side Released: 2002-05-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 52:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Hanging Around (03:36) 2 Back of My Hand (04:06) 3 Let a Good Thing Go (radio edit) (03:25) 4 Tear in My Side (04:03) 5 I Worked Myself Into a Calm (03:59) 6 Lucky One (Bird of Cassadaga) (05:09) 7 Making Waves (03:39) 8 Ran for Miles (04:31) 9 My God (04:26) 10 4:35 am (03:02) 11 I Wanna Stay (06:59) 12 Evening Sun / What a Day (06:01) |
 | Album: 34 of 59 Artist: The Streets Title: Original Pirate Material Released: 2002-03-25 Tracks: 14 Duration: 47:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Turn the Page (03:17) 2 Has It Come to This? (04:04) 3 Let’s Push Things Forward (03:53) 4 Sharp Darts (01:35) 5 Same Old Thing (03:24) 6 Geezers Need Excitement (03:47) 7 It’s Too Late (04:12) 8 Too Much Brandy (03:04) 9 Don’t Mug Yourself (02:40) 10 Who Got the Funk? (01:52) 11 The Irony of It All (03:31) 12 Weak Become Heroes (05:35) 13 Who Dares Wins (00:36) 14 Stay Positive (06:16) |
| Original Pirate Material : Allmusic album Review : When Streets tracks first appeared in DJ sets and on garage mix albums circa 2000, they made for an interesting change of pace; instead of hyper-speed ragga chatting or candy-coated divas (or both), listeners heard banging tracks hosted by a strangely conversational bloke with a mock cockney accent and a half-singing, half-rapping delivery. It was Mike Skinner, producer and MC, the half-clued-up, half-clueless voice behind club hits "Has It Come to This?" and "Lets Push Things Forward." Facing an entire full-length of Streets tracks hardly sounded like a pleasant prospect, but Skinners debut, Original Pirate Material, is an excellent listen -- much better than the heavy-handed hype would make you think. Unlike most garage LPs, its certainly not a substitute for a night out; its more a statement on modern-day British youth, complete with all the references to Playstations, Indian takeaway, and copious amounts of cannabis youd expect. Skinner also has a refreshing way of writing songs, not tracks, that immediately distinguishes him from most in the garage scene. True, describing his delivery as rapping would be giving an undeserved compliment (you surely wouldnt hear any American rappers dropping bombs like this line: "I wholeheartedly agree with your viewpoint"). Still, nearly every song here succeeds wildly, first place (after the hits) going to "The Irony of It All," on which Skinner and a stereotypical British lout go back and forth "debating" the merits of weed and lager, respectively (Skinners meek, agreeable commentary increasingly, and hilariously, causes "Terry" to go off the edge). The production is also excellent; "Lets Push Things Forward" is all lurching ragga flow, with a one-note organ line and drunken trumpets barely pushing the chorus forward. "Sharp Darts" and "Too Much Brandy" have short, brutal tech lines driving them, and really dont need any more for maximum impact. Though club-phobic listeners may find it difficult placing Skinner as just the latest dot along a line connecting quintessentially British musicians/humorists/social critics Nöel Coward, the Kinks, Ian Dury, the Jam, the Specials, and Happy Mondays, Original Pirate Material is a rare garage album: that is, one with a shelf life beyond six months. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 59 Artist: Guy Barker Title: Soundtrack Released: 2002-11-20 Tracks: 8 Duration: 1:12:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Underdogs (10:49) 2 Nature Boy (06:25) 3 Waiting for the Delay (09:40) 4 Purr (06:43) 5 Suzannahs Song (02:42) 6 Izzatso (06:39) 7 Queen of the Night (04:55) 8 Sounds in Black and White (24:47) |
 | Album: 36 of 59 Artist: The Bees Title: Sunshine Hit Me Released: 2002-03-25 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Punchbag (03:38) 2 Angryman (04:06) 3 No Trophy (03:26) 4 Binnel Bay (02:57) 5 Sunshine (03:27) 6 A Minha Menina (02:49) 7 This Town (02:59) 8 Sweet Like a Champion (04:27) 9 Lying in the Snow (03:53) 10 Zia (04:12) 11 Sky Holds the Sun (03:40) 12 You Got to Leave (05:12) |
| Sunshine Hit Me : Allmusic album Review : The Bees prance around the same psychedelic pop themes and tones of the Beta Band on Sunshine Hit Me. But somehow they take things to a whole other level, as their familiarity with vintage instruments and addictive laid-back swagger help them avoid the pretension that sometimes follows the Beta Band. Where the Isle of Wight duos peers might name-check the Beach Boys, the Bees simply use them as a subtle starting point. Gentle harmonies mix perfectly with ornate horns that seem straight off a Stereolab album. Its hard to say whats more compelling about the great "Punchbag": Is it the lyric "Im too much for caged monkeys" or the utterly warped beat that shuffles back on itself like a stoned boxer? The Bees dont linger in one musical genre like so many neo-psychedelic bands. Instead, they perfect one style and then move on to another, and somehow it all fits together perfectly. The lazy throwback jazz of "Angryman" fits snugly alongside the sublime, wobbly dub of "No Trophy." The latter really is stunning, sounding as if it were recorded in the heart of Jamaica rather than on a semi-desolate island. "A Minha Menina" (an Os Mutantes cover) gives the White Stripes a run for their money, as dollops of mad blues energy and a fuzzy guitar beg for inclusion on some future Nuggets compilation. The final five tracks are surprising in their adherence to mellow dynamics, showing that the Bees are wholly confident to end their debut with peaceful pianos, somber organs, muted trumpets, and a general sense of serenity. "Zia" is even reminiscent of contemporary slow-drip songs from Lambchop, only without the irony. The Bees emerge as true masters of atmosphere with the swirling, delightful Sunshine Hit Me. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 59 Artist: The Coral Title: The Coral Released: 2002-07-29 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Spanish Main (01:53) 2 I Remember When (03:38) 3 Shadows Fall (03:29) 4 Dreaming of You (02:21) 5 Simon Diamond (02:28) 6 Goodbye (04:02) 7 Waiting for the Heartaches (04:03) 8 Skeleton Key (03:03) 9 Wildfire (02:45) 10 Badman (03:03) 11 Calendars and Clocks (03:51) 12 Time Travel (06:05) |
| The Coral : Allmusic album Review : The Corals jocular self-titled debut kicked up quite a flurry of excitement when it washed ashore in the summer of 2002. Many reviewers gave a hearty cry of "Avast Ye Maties" when they discovered the band was from the picturesque seaside village of Hoylake, a deep-water anchorage in the borough of Wirral. Not since the Beatles, or perhaps even Echo & the Bunnymen, has a young band from Englands blustery western coast caused this much commotion. Other critics have focused on their ages; at 21, lead singer/guitarist James Skelly was the oldest when this album was recorded, but the rest of these landlubbers were considerably younger, averaging somewhere closer to 19. The fantastic voyage that is The Coral, however, is the real discovery. The album begins with a two-minute psych-rock sea shanty, "Spanish Main," which bursts forth with a frothy and joyous refrain that sounds inspired by Treasure Island or Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean, perhaps. Along the way, the boys pick their way through somewhat-discarded flotsam and jetsam genres (mostly from the 60s), including 1964-era Merseybeat, horn-driven ska, fuzzed-out acid rock, and Brit-pop psychedelia. The aforementioned critics have fallen all over themselves trying to distill the Corals various influences, name-checking a wide range of West Coast bands -- the Doors, Love, the Beach Boys, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and even the Banana Splits -- and even tossing in a handful of Londoners, like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and the Action. Others have opted to categorize the Coral as sounding closer, at least in spirit, to the Beta Band, Shack, or "a scouse Primal Scream on a skiffle tip." "Shadows Fall" is where this adventurous tale really finds its sea legs; the Top 30 U.K. single features an eccentric salmagundi of styles and sounds, including barbershop quartet vocals, Madness-style pop-ska, Russian Cossack folk, and a subtle Morricone-esque harmonica. The result is a bit jarring, but theres a fervent originality at work here, despite all of the referencing of the halcyon past. "Dreaming of You" is probably an even better example of what the Coral have to offer, with strong lead vocals and suitably cheeseball organ. "Simon Diamond" is effervescent 1967-style British psych-pop (Nirvana U.K. or Kaleidoscope U.K., take your pick), while the rambunctious "Skeleton Key" blends Zappa-esque guitars, serpentine Middle Eastern melodies, and flavorful horns. In addition to a massive heaping of critical praise, the Coral also managed to connect with an audience who plunked down enough gold doubloons to help this album land in the U.K.s Top Ten charts. The Coral was subsequently nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 59 Artist: Doves Title: The Last Broadcast Released: 2002-04-29 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Intro (01:17) 2 Words (05:42) 3 There Goes the Fear (06:54) 4 M62 Song (03:48) 5 Where We’re Calling From (01:24) 6 N.Y. (05:46) 7 Satellites (06:50) 8 Friday’s Dust (03:35) 9 Pounding (04:45) 10 Last Broadcast (03:22) 11 The Sulphur Man (04:37) 12 Caught by the River (05:55) |
| The Last Broadcast : Allmusic album Review : When Doves issued Lost Souls in fall 2000, Britpop was immersed in its melodic gloom-and-doom era, ushered in by the success of Radiohead. The likes of Coldplay, Travis, Elbow, and Starsailor followed in their wake, as did Doves. What separated Doves from the rest was a glint of passion, evident on their 2000 debut, Lost Souls. Two years later, the atmospheric dreamscapes of Lost Souls were torn asunder for the musical daybreak of The Last Broadcast. As it turns out, the psychedelic vibrancy of "Catch the Sun," the brightest track on the album, pointed toward this brave second record. Gone are the hazy space rock trips and the cheerless attitudes; Doves are on the sunny side of the street for The Last Broadcast. The seven-minute sonic boom of "There Goes the Fear" finds Jimi Goodwin sharing vocals with Jez and Andy Williams for a glorious chorus. Each of them switches up vocal duties throughout, lending a joyous feel to the album itself. From the bold front of "Words" to the fiery momentum of "Pounding," The Last Broadcast shows a refreshing rawness that was absent before. The High Llamas Sean OHagan delivers sweeping orchestral arrangements for the sublime "Fridays Dust," while the electronic dewdrops of "The Sulphur Man" push Doves divine ambience further to the front.Doves were caught up in making grand compositions on Lost Souls, which worked fabulously, but it was too much. Theyve stripped down to the basics, letting the optimism of The Last Broadcast take center stage. Its a brilliant moment. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 59 Artist: Beverley Knight Title: Who I Am Released: 2002-02-17 Tracks: 15 Duration: 59:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2002 | 1 Get Up! (03:46) 2 Shoulda Woulda Coulda (03:32) 3 Shape of You (04:27) 4 Fallen Soldier (03:20) 5 Beautiful Contradiction (04:45) 6 Hurricane Jane (04:07) 7 Same (as I Ever Was) (03:36) 8 Whatever’s Clever (03:57) 9 Ambition (It All Comes 2 U) (03:20) 10 Bestseller Mystery (05:13) 11 Gold (04:49) 12 Who I Am (01:44) 13 Shoulda Woulda Coulda (Philly version) (04:55) 14 Gold (single mix) (03:52) 15 Shape of You (Reshaped) (feat. Hollywood) (03:48) |
 | Album: 40 of 59 Artist: Dizzee Rascal Title: Boy in da Corner Released: 2003-07-21 Tracks: 15 Duration: 57:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 2003 | 1 Sittin’ Here (04:05) 2 Stop Dat (03:40) 3 I Luv U (04:05) 4 Brand New Day (03:59) 5 2 Far (03:07) 6 Fix Up, Look Sharp (03:45) 7 Cut ’Em Off (03:54) 8 Hold Ya Mouf (02:53) 1 Round We Go (04:14) 2 Jus’ a Rascal (03:39) 3 Wot U On (04:50) 4 Jezebel (03:36) 5 Seems 2 Be (03:46) 6 Live O (03:34) 7 Do It (04:05) |
| Boy in da Corner : Allmusic album Review : Often teetering on the brink of either cracking a smile or bursting into tears while delivering his boastful, wistful, and dread-filled rhymes, the hormonally charged voice of East Londons Dizzee Rascal can be instantly singled out after the first introduction. Birthed by U.K. garage and seasoned through pirate radio, the terrain Dizzee carves out remains worlds apart from that of Ms. Dynamite and the Streets, two MCs who have come from a fractious-as-ever scene -- one that Dizzees apart from as much as hes a part of -- with similar fanfare. And despite comparisons to 2Pac and 50 Cent that wont cease at any point in the foreseeable future, the parallels drawn to stateside rappers havent often looked beneath the surface. If he were (mis)placed in a pool of U.S. MCs, thered be few comparisons that would make full sense. The fact that Dizzees from England is an obvious factor; his accent and own cultural slang will be an instant deal-breaker for most of those who have hunted for Makaveli bootlegs. From a production standpoint, were talking about splayed-out beats and deflated basslines that, heard through a state-of-the-art stereo, might as well be blaring from the ravaged stock system of a 1974 Dodge Dart. If there are any likenesses, the dense production work -- carried out mostly by the MC on his own -- is somewhat akin to prime Bomb Squad, if only because no level of familiarity can acclimate the ears completely. Get lost in the swaying chime melody of "Brand New Day," the low-slung industrial-punk grind of "Jus a Rascal," or the stunted gait of "Do It," and risk missing out on all of the deeply hidden inflections that help make the whole album so unique. Despite the grime, the violence, the conflicted romantic entanglements, and the jagged productions that characterize the album, the moment that hits hardest is also the most fragile: "Do It," with a resigned line that goes "If I had the guts to end it all, believe -- I would," begs for misinterpretation, so it should be pointed out that it (and the album as well) draws to a close with "You can do anything," an encouragement that holds much weight in its context. Startling, tirelessly powerful, and full of unlimited dimensions, nothing could truly weigh down this debut -- not even a Mercury Prize. [The U.S. version, released through Matador half a year after the original XL U.K. release, wisely added the B-side "Vexed."] | ||
 | Album: 41 of 59 Artist: Soweto Kinch Title: Conversations With the Unseen Released: 2003 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:14:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Intro (02:10) 2 Doxology (09:15) 3 Conversations With the Unseen (07:34) 4 Elision (05:56) 5 Spokes and Pedals (06:29) 6 Intermission-Split Decision (08:19) 7 Snakehips (07:39) 8 Mungos Adventure (07:06) 9 The Flame-Thrower (02:59) 10 Equianos Tears (10:22) 11 Good Nyooz (03:21) 12 Outro (03:23) |
 | Album: 42 of 59 Artist: Robert Wyatt Title: Cuckooland Released: 2003-09-29 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:15:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Just a Bit (05:09) 2 Old Europe (04:15) 3 Tom Hays Fox (03:33) 4 Forest (07:55) 5 Beware (05:09) 6 Cuckoo Madame (05:20) 7 Raining in My Heart (02:42) 8 Lullaby for Hamza (05:00) 9 Trickle Down (06:47) 10 Insensatez (04:24) 11 Mister E (04:20) 12 Lullaloop (02:59) 13 Life Is Sheep (04:14) 14 Foreign Accents (03:48) 15 Brian the Fox (05:31) 16 La Ahada Yalam (04:16) |
 | Album: 43 of 59 Artist: Belle & Sebastian Title: Dear Catastrophe Waitress Released: 2003-10-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Step Into My Office, Baby (04:12) 2 Dear Catastrophe Waitress (02:22) 3 If She Wants Me (05:05) 4 Piazza, New York Catcher (03:02) 5 Asleep on a Sunbeam (03:22) 6 I’m a Cuckoo (05:26) 7 You Don’t Send Me (03:08) 8 Wrapped Up in Books (03:34) 9 Lord Anthony (04:14) 10 If You Find Yourself Caught in Love (04:15) 11 Roy Walker (02:57) 12 Stay Loose (06:41) |
| Dear Catastrophe Waitress : Allmusic album Review : After the near-disaster of forced democracy on Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant and the stultifying holding pattern of the Storytelling soundtrack, where Todd Solondz brought out their worst tendencies, it seemed that Belle & Sebastian were disappearing into their own preciousness, but then something unexpected happened: they returned to form with 2003s Dear Catastrophe Waitress. This was unexpected not just because their last efforts suggested that B&S no longer could produce a consistently engaging work, but because their savior came in the guise of Trevor Horn, the man who successfully helped Yes turn new wave, the man best known for his synth-heavy productions of ABC and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the man who was last heard producing everybodys favorite Russian teen lesbian duo, Tatu. That diverse resumé suggests that Horn knows how to play to a bands strengths, and he certainly helps Belle & Sebastian regain their focus and vision, turning Dear Catastrophe Waitress into one of the groups best albums. One of the reasons that album works so well is that the notion that the band has no leader has been discarded, with Stuart Murdoch thankfully serving as the lead singer and songwriter throughout the record. Murdochs songs are firmly within the patented Belle & Sebastian style, and while it may be true that hes not stretching himself much as a writer, that doesnt matter because he sounds assured and confident, turning out a set of songs that are finely crafted and tuneful. Its among his catchiest work, if not quite his cleverest, since the words occasionally offer an overdose of whimsy that leads to queasiness. And thats where Horn comes in -- by keeping the focus on the tunes and subtly varying the production, hes made Dear Catastrophe Waitress the richest musical offering yet from Belle & Sebastian. If it doesnt quite have the timeless feel of If Youre Feeling Sinister, so be it, since this is their first record since that defining album to offer a similarly rich listen, and thats quite a comeback for a band that only an album ago seemed to peak too early. | ||
 | Album: 44 of 59 Artist: Snow Patrol Title: Final Straw Released: 2003-08-04 Tracks: 14 Duration: 52:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 How to Be Dead (03:22) 2 Wow (04:02) 3 Gleaming Auction (02:04) 4 Whatever’s Left (02:39) 5 Spitting Games (03:46) 6 Chocolate (03:02) 7 Run (05:55) 8 Grazed Knees (02:55) 9 Ways & Means (04:47) 10 Tiny Little Fractures (02:28) 11 Somewhere a Clock Is Ticking (04:32) 12 Same (06:54) 13 We Can Run Away Now They’re All Dead and Gone (03:15) 14 Half the Fun (02:54) |
| Final Straw : Allmusic album Review : With Final Straw, Snow Patrol mainman Gary Lightbody seems to take all the inspiration hes gathered from the superstar collaborators in his Reindeer Section project and bundle it into a series of earnest bombastic rock ballads. Producer Garrett Lee deserves credit up-front for expanding the bands sound even further from the lush symphonic grandeur of When Its All Over We Still Have to Clear Up. Here, Lightbody and his cohorts traverse the same anthemic territory as Idlewild, with guitars cranked to the max. But where his friend Roddy Woomble of Idlewild soars all over the map vocally, Lightbody prefers the immediate and somewhat indifferent vocal style of another friend, Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap. Indeed, much of Final Straw feels like a middle ground between these two bands, if not for the violins, xylophones, and percussion Lee layers into the mix. Thanks to extra ornamentation, "Gleaming Auction" steps into the swirling realm of Rollerskate Skinny, as wobbly dynamics add interest to punishing guitars. If one gets the sense that Lightbody is shuffling through influences, ranging from all of the above-mentioned bands to Radiohead, Coldplay ("Somewhere a Clock Is Ticking" seems to be a more rocking cousin to Coldplays "Clocks"), and even Pink Floyd (on the unmistakably Dark Side of the Moon-influenced "Same"), his mastery of mood and adherence to harmonies make for a consistently coherent and compelling 40 minutes. Highlights include the throbbing cacophony that is "Wow" and "Spitting Games," which seems like a cascading Wall of Sound feedback-free descendant of My Bloody Valentine. Final Straw is another strong slab of emotion and invigorating energy from a solid band that mixes its influences into an always heady sonic libation. | ||
 | Album: 45 of 59 Artist: Amy Winehouse Title: Frank Released: 2003-10-20 Tracks: 13 Duration: 58:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Intro / Stronger Than Me (03:54) 2 You Sent Me Flying / Cherry (06:50) 3 Know You Now (03:03) 4 Fuck Me Pumps (03:20) 5 I Heard Love Is Blind (02:10) 6 Moody’s Mood for Love / Teo Licks (03:28) 7 (There Is) No Greater Love (02:08) 8 In My Bed (05:17) 9 Take the Box (03:20) 10 October Song (03:24) 11 What Is It About Men (03:29) 12 Help Yourself (05:01) 13 Amy Amy Amy / Outro (13:16) |
| Frank : Allmusic album Review : If a series of unfortunate comparisons (like the ones to follow) cause listeners to equate British vocalist Amy Winehouse with Macy Gray, its only natural. Both come on like a hybrid of Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill whos had a tipple and then attempted one more late-night set at a supper club than they should have. Despite her boozy persona and loose-limbed delivery, though, Winehouse is an excellent vocalist possessing both power and subtlety, the latter an increasingly rare commodity among contemporary female vocalists (whether jazz or R&B). What lifts her above Macy Gray is the fact that her music and her career havent been marketed within an inch of their life. Instead of Grays stale studio accompaniments, Winehouse has talented musicians playing loose charts behind her with room for a few solos. Instead of a series of vocal mellifluities programmed to digital perfection, Winehouses record has the feeling of being allowed to grow on its own -- without being meddled with and fussed over (and losing its soul in the process). Simply hearing Winehouse vamp for a few minutes over some Brazilian guitar lines on "You Sent Me Flying" is a rare and immense pleasure. Also, like Nellie McKay (but unlike nearly all of her contemporaries), Winehouse songs like "Fuck Me Pumps," "Take the Box," and "I Heard Love Is Blind" cast a cool, critical gaze over the music scene, over the dating scene, and even over the singer herself. With "In My Bed," she even proves she can do a commercial R&B production, and a club version of "Moodys Mood for Love" not only solidifies her jazz credentials but proves she can survive in the age of Massive Attack. | ||
 | Album: 46 of 59 Artist: Radiohead Title: Hail to the Thief Released: 2003-05-26 Tracks: 14 Duration: 56:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.) (03:19) 2 Sit Down. Stand Up. (Snakes & Ladders.) (04:20) 3 Sail to the Moon. (Brush the Cobwebs Out of the Sky.) (04:18) 4 Backdrifts. (Honeymoon Is Over.) (05:22) 5 Go to Sleep. (Little Man Being Erased.) (03:21) 6 Where I End and You Begin. (The Sky Is Falling In.) (04:29) 7 We Suck Young Blood. (Your Time Is Up.) (04:56) 8 The Gloaming. (Softly Open Our Mouths in the Cold.) (03:32) 9 There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.) (05:23) 10 I Will. (No Man’s Land.) (01:59) 11 A Punchup at a Wedding. (No No No No No No No No.) (04:57) 12 Myxomatosis. (Judge, Jury & Executioner.) (03:52) 13 Scatterbrain. (As Dead as Leaves.) (03:21) 14 A Wolf at the Door. (It Girl. Rag Doll.) (03:21) |
| Hail to the Thief : Allmusic album Review : Radioheads admittedly assumed dilemma: how to push things forward using just the right amounts of the old and the older in order to please both sides of the divide? Taking advantage of their longest running time to date, enough space is provided to quench the thirsts of resolute Bends devotees without losing the adventurous drive or experimentation that eventually got the group into hot water with many of those same listeners. Guitars churn and chime and sound like guitars more often than not; drums are more likely to be played by a human; and discernible verses are more frequently trailed by discernible choruses. So, whether or not the group is to be considered "back," there is a certain return to relatively traditional songcraft. Had the opening "2 + 2 = 5" and "Sit Down. Stand Up." been made two years before, each songs slowly swelling intensity would have plateaued a couple minutes in, functioning as mood pieces without any release; instead, each boils over into its own cathartic tantrum. The spook-filled "Sail to the Moon," one of several songs featuring prominent piano, rivals "Street Spirit" and hovers compellingly without much sense of force carrying it along. Somewhat ironically, minus a handful of the more conventionally structured songs, the album would be almost as fractured, remote, and challenging as Amnesiac. "Backdrifts" and "The Gloaming" feature nervous electronic backdrops, while the emaciated "We Suck Young Blood" is a laggard processional that, save for one outburst, shuffles along uneasily. At nearly an hour in length, this album doesnt unleash the terse blow delivered by its two predecessors. However, despite the fact that it seems more like a bunch of songs on a disc rather than a singular body, its impact is substantial. Regardless of all the debates surrounding the group, Radiohead have entered a second decade of record-making with a surplus of momentum. | ||
 | Album: 47 of 59 Artist: Basement Jaxx Title: Kish Kash Released: 2003-10-20 Tracks: 14 Duration: 50:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Good Luck (04:38) 2 Right Here’s the Spot (04:24) 3 Benjilude (00:10) 4 Lucky Star (04:31) 5 Petrilude (00:10) 6 Supersonic (05:24) 7 Plug It In (04:51) 8 Cosmolude (00:54) 9 If I Ever Recover (03:22) 10 Cish Cash (04:19) 11 Tonight (04:02) 12 Hot ’n Cold (04:00) 13 Living Room (02:25) 14 Feels Like Home (07:27) |
| Kish Kash : Allmusic album Review : With two full-length masterpieces behind them, Basement Jaxx still hadnt recorded a bum note, nearly ten years after getting together. But while their third record, Kish Kash, is still miles ahead of the various formula relied upon by scores of dance producers, it isnt the same filler-free party classic as Remedy and Rooty. In fact, it reveals the duo perhaps relying too much on their own formula, the jumped-up Prince production with tech-heavy percussion and effects exploding all over the mix. Granted, Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe ably deflect most criticisms with this LP, shot through with high-profile collaborations -- nearly all of them intriguing tracks with star turns. Post-punk hero Siouxsie Sioux shows various electroclash victims just what it means to be a postmodern diva for "Cish Cash," while *NSYNCs JC Chasez is a surprising success on the beguiling "Plug It In." Teenage garage-rap sensation Dizzee Rascal turns in a fabulous outré performance on "Lucky Star," but the Indian filmi sample driving the song displays Basement Jaxx in a light theyve never been in before: behind the times. And while MeShell NdegéOcello is a steely, assured vocalist for the propulsive "Right Heres the Spot," the final two minutes are so close to Prince the track becomes more rip-off than homage. Theres really no way to make a splash with a third full-length that sticks so close to the formula, even one they helped create. Still, while Kish Kash may be the best dance record of 2003, its the least imaginative record Basement Jaxx have ever released. | ||
 | Album: 48 of 59 Artist: The Darkness Title: Permission to Land Released: 2003-07-07 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Black Shuck (03:21) 2 Get Your Hands Off My Woman (02:46) 3 Growing on Me (03:29) 4 I Believe in a Thing Called Love (03:37) 5 Love Is Only a Feeling (04:20) 6 Givin’ Up (03:34) 7 Stuck in a Rut (03:18) 8 Friday Night (02:55) 9 Love on the Rocks With No Ice (05:56) 10 Holding My Own (04:57) |
| Permission to Land : Allmusic album Review : Upon its U.K. release in summer 2003, Permission to Land, the debut album from spandex-clad retro metalheads the Darkness, was a surprise success, hitting the British charts at number two (behind only Beyoncés Dangerously in Love). After hearing Permission to Land, its easier to understand why the British public went crazy for it, and for the Darkness. The album is more or less straightforward pop/rock with some 80s metal window-dressing, and the Darkness themselves live up to traditional notions of what a rock band should be: louche, decadent, and harboring a dont-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus mentality. While the band is far from ironic in its homages to Kiss, Judas Priest, and Queen, the Darkness certainly are campy (and with a list of influences like that, theyd almost have to be), with a uniquely British sensibility, personified by singer Justin Hawkins. A one-man campaign to bring back the unitard as fashionable rock gear, Hawkins sings about sex, drugs, and Satan with the voice of a castrato, backed by arena-sized riffs and rhythms. The Darkness would be an utter failure if the band didnt write good songs, but miracle of miracles, they do. The first two-thirds of Permission to Land is nearly flawless, an eerily realistic simulation of 80s metal and 70s glam that manages to sound familiar but not rehashed. "Black Shuck" revels in pseudomystic gobbledygook like "Flames licked round the sacred spire"; on the great single "Get Your Hands off My Woman," Hawkins sings "woooomaaan" higher than most women probably could. "Growing on Me" (which includes the great lyric "I want to banish you from whence you came") and "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" are tightly crafted songs that would sound good in almost any style, while "Givin Up" is one of the jauntiest songs about heroin ever written. Even the prerequisite power ballad, "Love Is Only a Feeling," stays on the fun side of cheesy, adrift on clouds of strummed guitars and gooey backing harmonies. The album has such a strong beginning and middle that its not entirely surprising that Permission to Land runs out of steam near the end, although "Stuck in a Rut" is a crazed enough rocker -- complete with demonic laughter -- to nearly rival the albums earlier songs. Softer songs like "Friday Night" and "Holding My Own" make the collection unusually ballad-heavy; if anything, the Darkness could stand to rock a little harder. Even though Permission to Land isnt quite as metal as its singles suggested it might be, the album is surprisingly good, especially considering how bad the bands 80s metal revival could have been. Its hard to say whether or not the Darkness will take off in the States the way they did in their homeland; Hawkins over-the-top vocals aside, the band may be hurt by the fact that most metal and hard rock popular in the U.S. is more concerned with brooding and angst than with having fun. But having fun is what Permission to Land is all about, even if its just a guilty pleasure. | ||
 | Album: 49 of 59 Artist: Martina Topley‐Bird Title: Quixotic Released: 2003-06 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Intro (01:11) 2 Need One (03:55) 3 Anything (04:25) 4 Soul Food (05:31) 5 Lullaby (04:22) 6 Too Tough to Die (03:57) 7 Sandpaper Kisses (03:52) 8 Ragga (03:15) 9 Lying (04:14) 10 I Wanna Be There (01:53) 11 I Still Feel (05:20) 12 Ilya (04:36) 13 Stevies (Days of a Gun) (04:31) |
 | Album: 50 of 59 Artist: The Thrills Title: So Much for the City Released: 2003-06-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far) (04:13) 2 Big Sur (03:07) 3 Don’t Steal Our Sun (02:50) 4 Deckchairs and Cigarettes (04:58) 5 One Horse Town (03:14) 6 Old Friends, New Lovers (04:01) 7 Say It Ain’t So (02:44) 8 Hollywood Kids (05:33) 9 Just Traveling Through (03:21) 10 Your Love Is Like Las Vegas (02:22) 11 Til the Tide Creeps In / Plans (10:05) |
 | Album: 51 of 59 Artist: Jamelia Title: Thank You Released: 2003-09-29 Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Superstar (03:34) 2 Thank You (03:13) 3 DJ (03:45) 4 See It in a Boys Eyes (03:41) 5 Taxi (03:26) 6 Dirty Dirty (04:22) 7 Club Hoppin’ (03:40) 8 Cutie (03:51) 9 Bounce (04:15) 10 Bout (04:26) 11 Off da Endz (03:21) 12 B.I.T.C.H. (04:07) 13 Life (04:45) 14 Antidote (03:32) |
 | Album: 52 of 59 Artist: Joss Stone Title: The Soul Sessions Released: 2003-09-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 The Chokin’ Kind (03:36) 2 Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin’ on Me?), Part 1 (04:20) 3 Fell in Love With a Boy (03:38) 4 Victim of a Foolish Heart (05:31) 5 Dirty Man (02:59) 6 Some Kind of Wonderful (03:56) 7 I’ve Fallen in Love With You (04:29) 8 I Had a Dream (03:01) 9 All the King’s Horses (03:03) 10 For the Love of You, Parts 1 & 2 (07:33) |
| The Soul Sessions : Allmusic album Review : Q: Shes 16 and British, what can she possibly know about singing vintage American soul music? A: Enough to make you squirm, get off your ass, and dance close with anybody wholl have you. Joss Stone is a young woman who, if you believe the story, was about to record her wannabe pop smash debut and then be well on her way to becoming the next Britney/Christina. Then she heard some vintage American Miami soul made by the likes of Latimore, Little Beaver, Betty Wright, Timmy Thomas, and the like, and genuine inspiration took hold. The result of all this career changing (or diva postponement) is The Soul Sessions, a collection of ten badass soul classics recorded with all of the above folks -- soul princess Betty Wright and S-Curves Steve Greenberg produced almost all of it in Miami, though a pair of tracks were recorded in New York with R&B wunderkind Mike Mangini and a souled-out cover of the White Stripes "Fell in Love With a Boy," guided by the Roots ?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson) on the modern tip, was cut in Philly. These jams drip honey sweet and hard with tough, sexy soul, and Stones voice is larger than life. Its true shes been tutored and mentored by Wright and her musical collaborators in the science of groove, but she keeps it raw enough to be real. Her reading of Harlan Howards "The Chokin Kind" reveals that it should have been an R&B tune all along -- check out Little Beavers (Willie Hale) guitar solo. Her reading of Bobby Millers "Dirty Man," a track associated with Wright, is gutsy and completely believable, and the interplay between Latimores piano and Beavers funky, shimmering guitaristry brings Stones vocal down to street level. For a woman as young as Stone to tackle Carla Thomas "Ive Fallen in Love With You" and Aretha Franklins "All the Kings Horses," not to mention John Ellisons nugget "Some Kind of Wonderful," takes guts, chops, or a genuine delusional personality to pull off. Stone has the former two. She has unique phrasing and a huge voice that accents, dips, and slips, never overworking a song or trying to bring attention to itself via hollow acrobatics. The strings and funky backbeat provided by Thompson on "Ive Fallen in Love With You" are chilling in the way they prod Stone to just spill a need out of her heart that one would believe would be beyond her years. And speaking of Thompson, his production of the Stripes tune is more than remarkable; it conveys Jack Whites intent but in an entirely new language. The set closes with Stones radical reread of the Isleys "For the Love of You," a daunting and audacious task. The way she tackles this song, prodded only by Angelo Morris keyboard whispering alongside her, is far from reverential, but it is true, accurate, moving, and stunningly -- even heartbreakingly -- beautiful. This is a debut that, along with those fine practitioners in the nu-soul underground such as Peven Everett, Julie Dexter, Yas-rah, Fertile Ground, and a few others, is solid proof that soul is alive and well. And perhaps, given her youth and stunning looks, the perverse star-making machinery will use this unusual entry into the marketplace to reinvestigate the wonders of timeless depth and vision inherent in soul and R&B that are far from exhausted, as this record so convincingly proves. | ||
 | Album: 53 of 59 Artist: Terri Walker Title: Untitled Released: 2003-03-03 Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 Love Fool (03:26) 2 Drawing Board (04:37) 3 Guess You Didnt Love Me (04:13) 4 Its All Good (02:58) 5 Ching Ching (Lovin You Still) (03:51) 6 Fake (05:04) 7 What Will I Do (03:58) 8 Love You for Life (04:40) 9 Deutschland (01:10) 10 Dirty Weekend (05:38) 11 4 Feet Under (05:12) 12 Da Business (04:43) 13 For Life (reprise) (00:54) 14 Brand New Day (03:39) |
 | Album: 54 of 59 Artist: Ty Title: Upwards Released: 2003-09-29 Tracks: 13 Duration: 58:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Ha Ha (04:11) 2 Mpho’s Lament (skit) (00:18) 3 Wait a Minute (03:22) 4 I Want 2 (04:47) 5 Awkward Boy (skit) (00:24) 6 Oh You Want More? (04:00) 7 Rain (06:29) 8 The Willing (05:14) 9 Look 4 Me (04:15) 10 Groovement, Part 1 (03:51) 11 Dreams (04:49) 12 Hot Spice (03:25) 13 Music 2 Fly 2 / Inner Love (Samba) (13:06) |
 | Album: 55 of 59 Artist: Athlete Title: Vehicles & Animals Released: 2003-04-07 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003 | 1 El Salvador (03:25) 2 Westside (04:01) 3 One Million (04:17) 4 Shake Those Windows (05:04) 5 Beautiful (03:47) 6 New Project (03:37) 7 You Got the Style (03:28) 8 Vehicles & Animals (03:52) 9 Out of Nowhere (03:11) 10 Dungeness (04:17) 11 You Know (04:11) 12 Le Casio (02:29) |
| Vehicles & Animals : Allmusic album Review : Apparently damned in its home country for being just a little too much out of time -- the album is not really Brit-pop, per se, but has a certain amiableness about it that suggests a certain love of things from the genres heyday -- Athletes debut is perfectly, almost aggressively pleasant. "You Got the Style" might have been written about race riots in early 21st century Britain, but Athlete is not out to surprise, to disrupt, or to otherwise cause problems, nor are they content to maintain the breezy pace of a "twee" band. If anything, theyre doing something enjoyably relaxed enough that wont make you hate yourself, as the likes of Toploader did all too easily. Vehicles & Animals contains the groups early singles plus more recent efforts, and it generally makes for a great listen on a lazy, warm afternoon -- not party music, but quietly hooky good times. Every so often, something will spark up that makes a bit more sense of the Super Furry Animals and Pavement comparisons that the group received during its infancy -- the shift to electronic percussion and deep bass at the end of "One Million," perhaps, or the flecks of lazy semi-slacker singing from lead figure Joel Pott. Theres enough keyboard bubbling and arrangements throughout that suggest the group might actually benefit from going to that sound full-time, and while hardly reinventing them, the beat songs like "Out of Nowhere" are given a pleasant post-Beck tinge. The band sounds best when it just concentrates on doing what it likes -- "Shake Those Windows" is a winning example, where a low-key enough song suddenly shifts into a summery chorus (thanks to a grand semi-country guitar line) and builds into a sweetly triumphant full-band conclusion. Even the sudden burst of a feedback-laden blast part way through "New Project" doesnt seem like a disruption of the general flow of Vehicles & Animals, and thats to its good. [In America, Vehicles & Animals was released in a deluxe edition with two bonus tracks.] | ||
 | Album: 56 of 59 Artist: The Streets Title: A Grand Don’t Come for Free Released: 2004-05-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 50:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 It Was Supposed to Be So Easy (03:55) 2 Could Well Be In (04:23) 3 Not Addicted (03:40) 4 Blinded by the Lights (04:44) 5 Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way (04:36) 6 Get Out of My House (03:52) 7 Fit but You Know It (04:14) 8 Such a Twat (03:47) 9 What Is He Thinking? (04:40) 10 Dry Your Eyes (04:31) 11 Empty Cans (08:14) |
| A Grand Don’t Come for Free : Allmusic album Review : Mike Skinner has a problem, and from the sound of it, its life-threatening. He opens his second Streets full-length by moaning "It was supposed to be so easy..." as though hes about to deliver his deathbed confession, the classic tale of a crime gone wrong. Instead, three minutes later, its clear what the "it" was: walking down to bring back a DVD rental, taking some money out of the machine, and calling his mother, who hed just left at home, to tell her he wouldnt be back for tea. Believe it or not, but thats just another day in the life of Britains favorite bedsit producer cum singer/songwriter. Although listeners may not wonder where he finds his material, theyll quickly realize that A Grand Dont Come for Free is just as immediately striking as Skinners career-making full-length debut, Original Pirate Material. It succeeds, despite a clear lack of comparable singles, because of its paradoxical concept (and yes, it is a concept album) that a record can be tremendously ambitious even though it charts a very unambitious personality. Skinners urban British youth persona is even more fully drawn than before, and this time he delivers a complete narrative in LP form, with characters, conflicts, themes, and post-modern resolution on the closer. Hes sheepish about his utter lack of knowledge about football (and the heavy gambling losses that result from it), unreservedly enthusiastic about his girlfriend early on but later totally disgusted with her (in a blow-up that rivals Dizzee Rascals "I Luv U"), not so easily dismissive of a gorgeous show-off in front of him at the kebab shop, and willing to confront anyone who criticizes him for drinking at home until he can set up a row of empty Tennents Super cans. Fortunately, he hasnt reduced the Streets to a comedy act in the process. There is as much tragedy and heartbreak here as there is slapstick comedy. "Blinded by the Lights," driven at half-speed by a shadowy trance line and Skinners disoriented delivery, transmits perfectly the intense loneliness that can flood you in a club full of people and the utter disenchantment of being stranded in the middle of euphoria. Skinner drives these tracks with a mere skeleton of productions and delivers some cruelly off-key harmonies on the choruses; only the single, a rockabilly buster named "Fit but You Know It," makes any attempt to connect the dots from beats to melody to production. Confronting doubts about his seriousness and squashing whispers about his talent, Skinner has made a sophomore record that expands on what distinguishes the Streets from any other act in music. | ||
 | Album: 57 of 59 Artist: Franz Ferdinand Title: Franz Ferdinand Released: 2004-02-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize *** WINNER *** 2004 | 1 Jacqueline (03:49) 2 Tell Her Tonight (02:17) 3 Take Me Out (03:58) 4 The Dark of the Matinée (04:03) 5 Auf Achse (04:19) 6 Cheating on You (02:36) 7 This Fire (04:14) 8 Darts of Pleasure (03:00) 9 Michael (03:21) 10 Come On Home (03:46) 11 40′ (03:23) |
| Franz Ferdinand : Allmusic album Review : While the Darts of Pleasure EP proved that Franz Ferdinand had a way with equally sharp lyrics and hooks, and the "Take Me Out" single took their sound to dramatic new heights, their self-titled debut album offers the most expansive version of their music yet. From the first track, "Jacqueline," which begins with a brooding acoustic prelude before jumping into a violently vibrant celebration of hedonism, Franz Ferdinand is darker and more diverse than the bands previous work suggested. "Auf Ausche" has an unsettling aggression underneath its romantic yearning, its cheap synth strings and pianos underscoring its low-rent moodiness and ruined glamour. And even in the albums context, "Take Me Out" remains unmatched for sheer drama; with its relentless stomp and lyrics like "Im just a cross hair/Im just a shot away from you," its deliciously unclear whether its about meeting a date or a firing squad. The wonderfully dry wit the band employed on Darts of Pleasures "Shopping for Blood" and "Van Tango" is used more subtly: the oddly radiant "Matinee" captures romantic escapism via dizzying wordplay. "Michael," meanwhile, is a post-post-punk "John, Im Only Dancing," by equal turns macho and fey; when Alex Kapranos proclaims "This is what I am/I am a man/So come and dance with me, Michael," its erotic as well as homoerotic. Love and lust make up a far greater portion of Franz Ferdinand than any of the bands other work; previously, Franz Ferdinands strong suit was witty aggressiveness, and the shift in focus has mixed results. Theres something a little too manic and unsettled about Franz Ferdinand to make them completely convincing romantics, but "Come On Home" has swooning, anthemic choruses guaranteed to melt even those who hate swooning, anthemic choruses. Fortunately, the album includes enough of their louder, crazier songs to please fans of their EPs. "Darts of Pleasure" remains one of the best expressions of Franz Ferdinands shabby glamour, campy humor, and sugar-buzz energy, and "Tell Her Tonight," which debuted on the Darts of Pleasure EP, returns in a full-fledged version thats even more slinky, menacing, and danceable than the demo hinted it might be. And if Franz Ferdinands aim has always been to get people dancing, then "Cheating on You"s churned-up art punk and close, Merseybeat-like harmonies suggest some combination of slam dancing and the twist that could sweep dancefloors. Despite its slight unevenness, Franz Ferdinand ends up being rewarding in different ways than the bands previous work was, and its apparent that theyre one of the more exciting groups to come out of the garage rock/post-punk revival. | ||
 | Album: 58 of 59 Artist: Keane Title: Hopes and Fears Released: 2004-05-10 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Somewhere Only We Know (03:56) 2 Bend and Break (03:40) 3 We Might as Well Be Strangers (03:12) 4 Everybody’s Changing (03:36) 5 Your Eyes Open (03:22) 6 She Has No Time (05:45) 7 Can’t Stop Now (03:38) 8 Sunshine (04:12) 9 This Is the Last Time (03:29) 10 On a Day Like Today (05:27) 11 Untitled 1 (05:36) 12 Bedshaped (04:37) 13 Snowed Under (03:49) 14 Allemande (04:25) |
| Hopes and Fears : Allmusic album Review : The English music press can never let anyone be. Theyre always quick to hail the next big thing, and in this case, the next big Coldplay is Keane. (Lowgold briefly held that title upon its debut release in 2001, but U.K. critics rushed to give that crown to someone else.) Keane havent positioned themselves to be kings of anything, though, let alone the next Coldplay. Sure, Coldplays biggest hit to date, "Clocks," included only pianos, and they released the Safety EP on Fierce Panda, which is also Keanes label, but those are the only things Keane have in common with Coldplay. Alongside their beautiful, emotive dalliance of instrumentation is one thing thatll separate Keane from all the rest, and thats drive. The bands open-hearted ambition on Hopes and Fears is audible on every song. Lead vocalist Tom Chaplins rich vocals are as vibrant as any choir, and track such as "This Is the Last Time," "Bend and Break," and "Cant Stop Now" reflect Keanes more savory, dramatic moments. Confidence bursts throughout, and for a band that has been around seven years and has never released a studio full-length album until now, achieving nearly epic-like status is quite impressive. Keane obviously have the songs and they have a strong voice leading the front; however, Tim Rice-Oxley (piano/keyboards/bass) and Richard Hughes (drums) allow Hopes and Fears to come alive with glamour and without the sheen of slick studio production. Even slow build-up tracks like "Bedshaped" and "We Might as Well Be Strangers" are just as passionate, if not more so, than some of the bigger numbers on the album. Some might find Keanes debut a bit stagy, or too theatrical at first, but thats okay. Listening to "Somewhere Only We Know" alone a few times is more than enough to convince you that Keane stand next to Coldplay -- challenging them rather than emulating -- and its a respectable match at that. | ||
 | Album: 59 of 59 Artist: The Zutons Title: Who Killed…… The Zutons? Released: 2004-04-09 Tracks: 13 Duration: 42:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2004 | 1 Zuton Fever (03:08) 2 Pressure Point (03:16) 3 You Will You Won’t (02:54) 4 Confusion (03:32) 5 Havana Gang Brawl (04:30) 6 Railroad (03:39) 7 Long Time Coming (02:20) 8 Nightmare, Part II (03:00) 9 Not a Lot to Do (03:47) 10 Remember Me (03:20) 11 Dirty Dancehall (04:09) 12 Moons and Horror Shows (02:37) 13 Don’t Ever Think (Too Much) (02:41) |
| Who Killed…… The Zutons? : Allmusic album Review : Since the Zutons share a label (Deltasonic), producer (Ian Broudie), hometown (Liverpool), and pool of influences with the Coral, youd think its probably a safe bet that they sound an awful lot like the Coral. Well, youd be right -- in fact, the bands sound so eerily similar, from their Love/Animals-influenced ruckus down to their Scouse accents that, were it not for the Zutons solid reputation as a live act, thered be serious questions as to whether this was just the Coral under a secret moniker, à la XTCs the Dukes of Stratosphear. Still, Who Killed. . . the Zutons was nominated for a Mercury Prize for Album of the Year, so they must have something, and they do. From rave-ups like "You Will You Wont" and "Pressure Point" down to the albums many, gentle folk moments, they cover quite a bit of ground. Its all very steeped in 60s garage rock, very much "dad rock" if you will, though its injected with just enough fun that it doesnt sound like an entirely retro exercise. The best moments come when the band expands their sonic palette -- the bouncy, horn-spiked "Remember Me" is the very definition of classic Merseybeat, and one of the reasons to revisit Who Killed. . . the Zutons again and again. Still, this sounds like a lost Coral album down to every last detail, which means that it seems silly to venture here unless youve at least bought one Coral album already. | ||