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2003: Back it up and reverse it.Jan 02 '03 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Those who don't study the past are doomed to sell their records back at the used record store.
I find the older I become, the micro-trends that have always been a part of rock and pop, seem more ridiculous. This year people have decided to take the career of the Human League seriously. Their first record is great, blah, blah, blah. Electroclash (ridiculous new wave/disco microtrend) has captured the imagination of not only the club kid trendiods but also serious effete rock snobs. Gorgio Moroder is now thought of as a Phil Spector-like autuer whose artistic genius was overlooked. The New York Times calls it "culture in stasis", whatever, hindsight is clearly overrated and you can keep all those charlatans who've decided to spin back the clock to 1982 Club54. Yawn.... And it wasn't just electro, but post-punk that seemingly needed to be resurrected. The Liars made a record that was hailed as a Gang Of Four return to form but sounded to me like a watered down Jesus Lizard with Neu thrown in for good art school measure. The Yeah Yeah Yeah's released two mediocre Eps, Eps for Christ sake, and the press drooled. Interpol dressed in snazzy suits and drew lines around the block in NYC, selling out the Bowery Ballroom 2 nights straight and I'd like one person explain to me what they're all about, pitchfork's ridiculous assessment not withstanding. C'mon people wasn't the release of the Joy Div box enough! With all the ballyhoo of the fall of disposable teen pop, you would think that pop radio might have been safe. No such luck, Nickleback and Coldplay and Korn, need I say more? At least last year "Get Your Freak On" moved everyone I came in connect with. I couldn’t find anything this year as compelling, although Missy Elliot did release another pretty cool single but I really just dig Missy as a cultural figure and her new song isn't all that great. Troubled American economies, or so I've heard, tend to produce some pretty crappy art. But was it all this bad? My top ten is mighty slim this year and my music enjoyment has become even more cloistered than usual. Local acts, traded tapes and chance encounters resulted in more epiphanies than the whole indie-underground rock world could muster. Although I do compulsively buy records and I do codify and order them so here's my top ten. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot This is a ridiculously obvious choice. It took a numbskull not to admire the brilliance and intelligence and heart that went into making this record. I've listened to it about hundred times and the sheen remains and although I don't put as much stock in the underdog drama surrounding it, this remains the best record I heard all year. Beck - Sea Change This was released to mixed reviews, whatever, I love its vibe and melancholy and production. Nigel Goodrich trumped Mutations and made one suave sounding record. At once deranged in a Skip Spence Oar kind of way and clean in a Joe Boyd kind of way. Nicolai Dunger - Soul Rush This will be Nicolai's year. But who am I to say this. He has already released a slew of groovy records in Sweden, presumably all well received there, and achieved with this record as heartfelt and sweet a record as Astral Weeks. Yes Sir, I said it, now go buy it and you too can be a bandwagon jumper just like me. Hives - Veni Vedi Vicious Did this even come out this year? But gosh, seeing these twits jump around the stage certainly made me feel a whole lot younger than I deserve to feel. Extreme kudos for making rock radio and, god forgive me, MTV exciting. Bruce Springsteen – The Rising Easy on the groans kids. When I heard about this record, I too, groaned. Hard. I mean are we over post-9/11 sob fests mixed with morally confused Statements? The sentiment here is more soul searching than any other American artist I can imagine could create. Springsteen wore his heart on his sleeve, exactly where I want to see it. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight Two years running and Spoon have made my top ten list. People, wake the F up, the best American band running gets few props and probably makes fewer sales. Sometimes it's like p!ssing in the wind. Chitlin Fooks – Did it Again Two Dutchies refine Americanism for an audience that seems as saturated with American dry heave since John Cougar added Mellencamp. The prototype is Gram and Emmylou but the execution is John and Exene. Jaded love lives and lost chances. Beautiful. Notwist - Neon Golden Teutonic warmth may confuse you but your sig other probably isn’t German. Analogue dreams with an electronic heart. Whatever, just go read atchesonate's review. The Blood Group - Volunteers Supposedly drug addled duo slumps into the moonlight carelessly tossing off songs that you wished you'd written. In actuality, a beautiful record that makes me wish more musicians claim to take drugs preferably downers. Soundtrack of Our Lives - Behind the Music Another Swedish band and if in fact this is an invasion, I'm all for it. I love the Swedes! Kinda like Oasis only good. Beatlesque without sounding corny, only majestic. Lastly, I kept my ears open to my surroundings. Ted Kane, Epinion's Factotum, released an avant folk/punk cassette or at least made one especially for me. Brave like Mark E. Smith or Bukowski, stumble and strum. Wonderful. Billy Blood mined the white boy with guitar quotient and came up with a staggering series of great songs. Remember, keep your ears open and your prejudices in check and I'm sure someone somewhere is creating beautiful music in your hometown. I’m sure you'll find it as rewarding as the radio.  |
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