The First Annual MATTY AWARDS Part One: The Best of Music in 2003
Dec 15 '03
The Bottom Line ...
Hello, and thank you, I am your host, Matt, and welcome to the first annual MATTY AWARDS. Since The Grammys can't seem to get anything right, it has fallen on me, 'The Epinions King of Rock,' to give out awards in not only the classic categories, but to create some categories of my own. Please note that since *I* am writing this, this means that this is the definitive list of what was good in music this year. Part two will be the definitive list of what was BAD in music this year. Also, please note that if you took that last line seriously, consider yourself a co-winner of the "Jackass who doesn't know sarcasm when he/she is reading it" award.
And now, the classic categories:
Album of the Year:
20. Mogwai-Happy Songs for Happy People
19. Smashmouth-Get the Picture
18. Michelle Branch-Hotel Paper
17. Less Than Jake-Anthem
16. Evanescence-Fallen
15. Radiohead-Hail to the Thief
14. Catch 22-Dinosaur Sounds
13. Barenaked Ladies-Everything to Everyone
12. Zwan-Mary Star of the Sea
11. Outkast-Speakerboxx/The Love Below (review coming soon)
10. The Deftones-Self Titled
09. Silverchair-Diorama (if everyone else can put The White Stripes on last year's lists...)
08. Jerry Cantrell-Degradation Trip Vols 1&2 (see Silverchair)
07. Streetlight Manifesto-Everything Goes Numb
06. K-OS-Exit
05. The White Stripes-Elephant: Bare bones rhythm and blues hasn't been done this well in years.
04. Slick Shoes-Far From Nowhere: The biggest surprise of the year...a punk album that isn't all about being pop.
03. Fountains of Wayne-Welcome Interstate Managers: So much more than Stacy's Mom, one of the best power pop/rock albums of the last 2-3 years.
02. Sevendust-Seasons: How is it that Sevendust managed to create an album where the choruses soar higher than most nu-metal bands could ever dream?
And the winner for album of the year in 2003 is...
01. Warren Zevon-The Wind: No, not because he's dead, because this album is rock and roll to it's core.
Songs/Singles of the Year
20. The Rest of the Night-Warren Zevon
19. Another Postcard-Barenaked Ladies
18. Honestly-Zwan
17. Nobody's Listening-Linkin Park (no, I'm not joking)
16. Go to Sleep-Radiohead
15. Kids Will Be Skeletons-Mogwai
14. Stacy's Mom-Fountains of Wayne
13. Bad Day-R.E.M.
12. Bloody Cape-Deftones
11. You Are My Number 1-SmashMouth
10. Simon's Quest-Slick Shoes
09. Fantastique-K-OS
08. Rock Your Body-Justin Timberlake (again, I'm not joking, that f*cking bass groove is bada*s)
07. Enemy-Sevendust
06. Without You-Silverchair
05. Ball and Biscuit-The White Stripes: The song amounts to a seven minute tribute to Jimmy Page, but it never once feels boring or overdone.
04. Why Don't You and I-: Santana Featuring Alex Band: Why is it that the guilty pleasures always end up being even more enjoyable than the stuff you REALLY love?
03. We Are the Few-Streetlight Manifesto: No song made me bounce up and down like a happy little monkey more than this one.
02. Hey Ya-Outkast: All hail Andre 3000...or something. So damn smooth and fun and giddy, if you don't dance to this then you just don't FEEL music.
01. Keep Me In Your Heart-Warren Zevon: It's rare I would award the best song and the best album to the same artist, but this year was one of those cases where it had to be done. This is the most tender, heartfelt ballad of the year.
And now, some original Matty Awards
Novelty Song of the Year: I Keed by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
OK, so the album wasn't all too hot, but this song, which literally rags on anyone who's currently anyone in the music industry, is hilarious.
Video of the Year: Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne: For this song, Fountains of Wayne basically paid tribute to The Cars. For the video though, the band paid tribute to the classic spot for Van Halen's Hot For Teacher as well as the infamous bathroom scene from Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Runners Up: Bright Lights by Matchbox Twenty, featuring a live performance that is completely bada*s, and Hey Ya by Outkast, spoofing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
Best Cover Song: Blitzkrieg Bop by Rob Zombie (originally by The Ramones): While not given airplay the way some absolutely HORRIBLE cover songs were, this track from the Ramones Tribute disc was a complete overhaul of the most well known punk song ever, and it worked.
Best Pop Song That Came Out Too Late For Real Hardy Consideration: Powerless by Nelly Furtado: I guess I shouldn't be shocked, given the fact I really liked the singles from her last disc. The song has a great energy and sparkle to it, mostly thanks to Furtado's own seemingly happy spirit.
Best Instrumental Track By a Band Other Than Mogwai: Eternal by P.O.D.. Again, every time I listen to this track, I am absolutely floored.
Best Re-Issue/Live Album: As if there is ANY doubt. Led Zeppelin's How the West Was Won was clearly the best in this category. Other picks worth checking out: Pearl Jam-Lost Dogs, Stone Temple Pilots-Thank You CD/DVD combo pack.
Best Music DVD: Again, Zeppelin is king here. DVD stands as the fitting live video tribute the band has been without for far too long. Those who doubt the power of Zeppelin need only watch How Many More Times on Disc One.
Concert of the Year: There's something special about almost 8000 fan club members trekking from all over THE WORLD to see Pearl Jam in New York City at Madison Square Garden. Evidently, the band thought so too, as the first night featured three hours of music covering the band's entire career, as well as special guests that ultimately made this show the most memorable of the band's career.
The "About Time" Moment of the Year: So many have wondered when Chris Cornell would join Pearl Jam onstage and finally sing Hunger Strike again. It happened in October, and it more than made up for that horrible Sleater-Kinney chick singing the song back in July.
EPINIONS AWARDS
Newcomer of the Year: plorentz, aka Paul, who basically came out and said "I'm a dork and what are YOU gonna do about it?" It seems everyone can't wait to kiss Paul's a*s lately, but with good reason. He is proving himself to consistently be one of the most provocative and humorous writers on the site.
Music Writer of the Year: This was so tough to choose. So many have really ramped up their stuff this year, and it's made everyone seemingly write better, as if everyone is pushing everyone else. Therefore, picking one was difficult. So therefore, I congratulate the following people on being the co-winners of this "Matty": plorentz, punkrawka, foxy_shy, and speeddemon531.
I believe that's it for the positive aspects of the "Mattys." Trust me, the negative column will be a lot more fun. :)
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Member: Matt Aucoin
Location: South Berwick, ME
Reviews written: 1163
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About Me:
Gonna be a daddy, April 2010!
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