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Geoff Cox's Chugchanga-L Poll 2001 Entry
Here goes for the tops of 2001. In no particular order at all.
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World. Sub Pop.
dreamy, silly, etc. "New Slang" is my song of the year, and, according to
rumor, will be McDonalds', too.
The Chills - Secret Box.
Definitive. Easy to forget how great this band is/was. A full smattering of everything from practice tapes to outtakes.
Juno - A Future lived in past tense. DeSoto.
Huge sounding post-emo stuff. Complicated, 3 guitar caterwaul.
The Wipers - Box Set (Is this Real?; Youth of America; Over the Edge) Zeno Records.
(reissue) Amazing. The best punk I've heard in years and years.
Valid on its own terms, 20 years after the fact.
Blumfeld - Testament der Angst
Their "l'etat et moi" (1995) is what I
consider to be the epitome about all that is/was good with independent
music from the mid-90s. Too bad no one noticed. The new one is much more
mainstream, but still deals with existential issues in a (now) more shiny
"we've only been listening to the last few Talk Talk records" kind of way.
Jochen Distelmeyer is one of the most poignant lyricists out there now.
Even if only in German.
The Chameleons - Why Call it Anything?
Only their fourth studio album and it is right up there with the three
pre-1987. It's great to hear that they're still churning out great,
isolated pop songs. Also keeps up the tradition of terrible, off-putting
covers, this one with a clown influence. Shudder.
Radiohead - Amnesiac. EMI.
Kid A-. Still in top 5% of class.
The Strokes - Is This It?
I'm a sucker, but it sure sounds right.
If the "Modern Age" ep blows doors, this one is a sound, if less
effective, knocking.
Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows. Capitol.
what Jack Rapid said. [Also gets
points for the label promotion of this selling for $4.99 for a while,
before they cancelled the tour.]
Leatherface - Minx. BYO.
Frankie Stubbs should never quit smoking. I
guess the damage to his voice is done, though. Very good reissue for one
of the worst named bands in rock.
Jim Yoshii Pileup - It's winter here. Absolutely Kosher.
Quiet, nice.
Bedhead-y. Heartbreaking. No guys named "Bubba," which could be a plus
or minus, depending.
Divine Comedy - Regeneration. Parlophone
Neil Hammond is brilliant. The
"Koerperwelten" inspired cover hides nice pop songs underneath. Get
"Secret History" first, though.
Pernice Brothers - The world won't end. Ashmont.
More shimmering pop from Joe Pernice. Almost too much so, but still a
wonderful summer record. Contains lyrical couplet of the year:
"contemplating suicide or a graduate degree / ask me how its going and I
feel sullen I feel sullen I feel seventeen."
Red House Painters - Old Ramon. Subpop.
Old songs, Old tapes, Old feeling.
Trembling Blue Stars - Alive to Every Smile. Sub Pop.
Cute and fragile.
Heard some call up my bloody valentine in comparison (?!). If so, then a
grade school Kevin Shield's just got his lunch money stolen.
Stereo Total - Musique Automatique. Telepop.
English as a second language/ Deutsch als Fremdsprache cuteness. Except
for the sex noises.
VNV Nation - Genesis 1&2. Metropolis.
When they played in Seattle, the
singer asked a full house of goths "Are you happy?" They all screamed
"Yes." Can't get any more surreal than that.
The Notwist - Pilot 12". community.
Melding Atari 2600 and Richard Butler, somehow.
Bjork - Vespertine. Elektra.
At a dinner at a vegan chinese restaurant a
few weeks ago, they were playing all sorts of background chimes and
(possibly) traditional music that was alternately soothing and very
creepy. Bjork's record is not all that different. Bonus points for
making (having made) music boxes for the songs.
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