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| BEST OF THE NEW BEST OF 2003 BEST OF 2002 BEST OF 2001 | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Top 10 of 2001 (more or less in order) Rocket from the
Crypt- Group Sounds |
Other Must-Listens from 2001 (in alpha order): Burning Airlines - Identikit BA's previous record, Mission Control, was one of my favorite records of the past few years, a remarkable debut album from a trio of D.C. veterans. It's a work-out, a record that shines from start to finish. This time out J. Robbins (ex-Jawbox) and Pete Moffett (ex-Government Issue) opt for more a collection of songs than an album with fluid continuity and in the process vary up the sound a bit with some vocal and instrumental experimentation. (DeSoto) Clumsy - Center of Attention Deficit Disorder Good solid rock songs from this new Texas band. (Idol Records) Cursive - Burst and Bloom EP Yet another evolution in their sound. Songs that travel the same distances as many other band's albums. (Saddle Creek) |
| Pilot to Gunner - Games at High Speeds (Gern Blandsten) "We'll make the math work, if it's the last thing we do." An incredibly impressive first full-length from a relatively new band, GHS is the sound of a band well aware of its musical predecessors but sounding like no one else in particular, a band willing to push the envelope and combine tricky verses with big sounding choruses. And they're just getting started... http://www.pilottogunner.biz (Jade Tree) American Steel - Jagged Thoughts "Light some spark in a sluggish mind. And all the world is a powder keg I remember you loved freedom too." From my review of this album for All Music Guide: " From the opening staccato chords of Jagged Thoughts, one gets the sense that this is a giant step forward for these Berkeley punks. The one-two-three-four punk of their self-titled debut and the urgent feel of the songs on Rogue's March are still present, but they are subverted to the substantial expansion of the band's sound. Reggae and Latin-influenced rhythms mix with Clash-style anthems, raucous punk, and choruses that sounds a mile wide to form a picture of a band hitting their stride. What's more, the crisp production of Kevin Army (Green Day, Mr. T Experience) brings the gravely voices of American Steel's two singers more to the forefront than their previous releases. All of these elements serve as the backbone behind the band's knack for writing lyrics that are wistful and hopeful at the same time. A strong, strong record reflecting tremendous growth." http://amsteel.lookoutrecords.com (Lookout! Records) |
Dirtbombs - Ultraglide in Black Hyped-up soul tunes. Party record of 2001. Drowningman - Still Loves You EP (Equal Vision) The keepers of the flame of hardcore in Vermont return with yet another vicious dose of barbed wire riffs and guerrilla warfare vocals. The EP is similar to their other EP, the masterful How They Light Cigarettes in Prison than to, in that the vocals feature a greater mixture of singing and screaming than on their last album, the brutal Rock and Roll Killing Machine. Which is to say that this should prompt the immediate attention of both hardcore, metal, and punk fans. (In the Red) Garrison - Be a Criminal This Boston band shocked me with this good "concept" album about crime and all its manifestations. I had no idea they were capable of this. (Revelation Records) Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows This is one of the best albums I've heard from a band east of Maine (or west of Hawaii) in a long time. The music made by these four Welsh lads come off as about a hundred times more sincere, more innovative, and more exciting than anything heard from those parts since Radiohead's OK Computer. Their blend of U.K. pop, R.E.M.-style melodies, and American "college rock" styled aggression-at-the-right-points ((think Jawbreaker) will no doubt strike a nerve in anyone willing to listen. A testament to this album's worth (or to my taste in friends) - everyone I've played it for so far has liked it. This band may just renew your faith in pop music. (Odeon/Capitol) |
| Hot Water Music - A Flight and a Crash "To know. Know before I act, act before I grow. In control, with fear on hold. Cutting me loose from old rules." Hot Water Music took a giant risk in 2001 by choosing to release this album on Epitaph and by choosing to mix up their sound a bit. But the variety of tempos and melodies are only a backdrop to the cohesiveness of this album and the strength of their songs, which plough deeper thoughts and more intense feelings than past releases yet somehow come across just as anthemic and powerful. http://hwm.indiepress.com (Epitaph) National Skyline - This = Everything An odd choice, only because it can hardly be called a "rock" record. But knowing the bands (Hum, Castor, Compound Red) that these guys came from and hearing their evolution (both from their prior bands and from their EP) has to give one pause. The soundscapes and beautiful pop that these guys create is nothing short of majestic. (File 13) http://www.file-13.com |
Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense For starters, this is an incredibly long and dense album. The thing about it is: there's no filler. It just takes repeated listens to let their sound seep into your brain. The repetition of guitar sounds frequently bleed into melodies that build and then cascade again. Much like their debut, This is the Way it Goes and Goes and Goes, they've succeeded in creating a complete and thorough album, not just a collection of songs. While its length may prevent the listener from digesting it all at once, it comes off as a strikingly fluid work, something that seems very rare these days. While not quite at that transcendent level, I will place this on the shelf next to Radiohead's OK Computer. Both record can be digested in parts, but the effect of the albums are so much greater when taken as a whole. (DeSoto) The Lawrence Arms/The Chinkees split CD The Lawrence Arms play a Husker-Du-esque brand of pop punk that stands out from the pack mostly because of their intelligent lyrics. The Chinkees is a band featuring Mike Park, who organizes the Plea for Peace tours. Their songs, ranging from a ska tune to a solo acoustic tune, are extemely well-thought out. (Asian Man Records) Lillingtons - Backchannel Broadcast 1-2-3-4 Ramones-style punk rock songs about spying. (Panic Button) The Lot Six - The Code Mode EP Best new band in Boston. (Espo Records) |
| Fugazi - The Argument "memo to the partners...I'm changing all the locks...I'm pissing on your modems...I'm shredding all the stock...choose a color for your ceiling...I'm waiting for the bottom to drop" Argument may be a slightly more difficult album for people to latch onto than their previous albums, but the rewards are just as great. Fugazi seems to have found a place that many aspire to - the two-headed beast of comfort within one's skin and a desire to push the envelope of melody and sound in new directions. (Dischord)http://www.dischord.com Propagandhi - Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes "Conclusion: the nail that sticks up gets hammered down..." The evolution from Less Talk, More Rock is so pronounced that this record should not be ignored. The lyrics are likely the smartest critiques of American imperialism, misguided foreign policy, false idols, and consumerism in the realm of music and short of a Noam Chomsky work. So intelligent they silence the critics that label "preachy" any punk rock that dares to question. (Fat) http://www.g7welcomingcommittee.com/propagandhi |
Moviola - Rumors of the Faithful Probably their best album yet. They've become this incredibly tight country pop band and I love it. (Spirit of Orr) Nathan Larson - Jealous God Ex-Shudder to Think guitar player singing and playing Elvis Costello-style ballads and pop ditties. (Artmeis Records) The Plan - Only These Movements Remain If you like Fugazi and loved the bands that came out of DC in the 1990s, then you have to hear how The Plan are expanding on that sound. (Matlock Records) Resolve - My Stars... And I saw Joe Strummer on the screen And you'll never know what that means Nerves of steel, the music played He combed his hair with a greasy blade And I'm not tired yet "Stay True" from My Stars... Replacements-esque rock from a band that I wish was still together. (Born + Over Records) |
| Anti-Flag - Underground Network "They try to blind us but we.. Stand up and fight! Stand up and fight! They try to keep us ignorant but we... Stand up and fight! Stand up and fight! They want to take our rights away so... Stand up and fight! Stand up and fight!" Pittsburgh's Anti-Flag issue a call to action to the nation's youth with a series of street punk anthems in the manner of The Clash and Rancid. The reality of post-September 11th America is the Left has been pushed out of the picture by the galvanization of the nation in our war efforts. And it is tough to change our American policies in such a culture. But this album serves as a potent reminder that we have to know what we're fighting for (are you so sure anymore?) and that's tough to do in the current culture. Anti-Flag takes a stand for and against a number of different issues all of which are no less relevant today than they were in August, the over-ridding theme being the calculated disenfranchisement of a vast majority of the nation's citizens and the suppression of information need to make informed decisions. The songs are not just blowing in the wind, however; they are grounded in information and research, the sources of which are provided throughout the liner notes. And you can be assured, that these words are backed up by catchy melodies and razor-sharp riffs. Extremely potent stuff here. http://www.anti-flag.com Blueline Medic - The Apology Wars "you say I have to get a real life but I'm not sure how that in making someone or other rich is any more real than making the niche for yourself" All the kids that miss the introspective lyrics and aggressive yet catchy pop-punk of Jawbreaker should sell their Jets to Brazil albums and pick up this one instead. These guys are from Australia, but you get the sense that they've listened to their fair share of American 'college rock' (in addition to a healthy dose of The Smiths). Anchored by the incredibly intelligent, wholly self-aware, and occasionally dramatic lyrics of singer Donnie Dureau, this is a truly terrific record. (Fueled by Ramen) http://www.bluelinemedic.com |
Rival Schools - United by Fate Were it not for some questionable choices on the second half of the record, this would be in my Top 10. I'd put the first seven tracks up against anything else put out on a major label in 2001. (Island) Seven Storey Mountain - Based on a True Story EP (Deep Elm) Hooks, melody, and political consciousness. Slowcoach - New Strategies are Necessary, This is Not Solid Ground Like a lower-fi Archers of Loaf. (Silver Girl Records) Some Soviet Station - s/t Another band I'm going to miss...Drive Like Jehu-style rock from GA. (Moodswing Records) Spark Lights the Friction - L'Homme Robotik Upstate NY band twisting and bending the sounds of rock, punk, and H/C. (Trustkill Records) Superchunk - Here's to Shutting Up Yeah, it's poppy, but it also has some of the smartest melodies you're going to hear for a while. (Merge) The Thumbs - Last Match Just another criminally underlooked punk album. (Adeline Records) |
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