Monday, September 28, 2009

Counting Down The '00s: The Best Of 2001

Our countdown of the ’00s continues with the presentation of our favorite albums and singles of 2001, a year that will always have a futuristic glow in the eyes of 20th century children since this was the year that usually signified the future in sci-fi literature and cinema.

The new music that dominated in 2001, however, was anything but futuristic. The main influences of the new rock aristocracy were deeply rooted in last century's sounds: garage echoes from the '60s, punk energy from the '70s, new wave and electropop from the early '80s. The major difference between them and the bands of previous decades that had also based their sound on a similar blueprint was the existence of a larger audience willing to listen this time around. A new generation of music lovers who grew up in the '90s listening to Nirvana and with easier access to information, thanks to the internet and the mp3 revolution, was ready to embrace groups like The Strokes or The White Stripes and lead them to a level of success that was unthinkable for the bands that came before them.

The album of the year for 2001 was one of the most impressive debuts of the ’00s, the calling card of New York’s coolest new gang, The Strokes. As I was writing at the time "…"Is This It" is one of the best debut albums in years and one that reminds us how exciting punk rock was 25 years ago, when it started. But we are not talking about nostalgia here. The Strokes, along with other new bands like The White Stripes, The Hives and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are reintroducing raw, powerful, back-to-basics rock music to a new generation, bringing rock'n'
roll into the 21st century".

Next to this new rock breed, we also had several astounding efforts from older bands that, in most cases, didn’t receive the attention that they deserved but their importance is evident by their influence on the new scene. Guided By Voices, the kings of lo-fi from Ohio who count The Strokes among their fans, were in top form in 2001 and in a more power-pop mood than usual. Rocket From The Crypt took no prisoners for their powerful last record and the same is true for Fugazi. Mercury Rev and Spiritualized presented their finest records for the decade while Pavement front-man Stephen Malkmus kicked off in style his solo career with his eponymous album.

Top 30 Albums of 2001

1. Is this it - THE STROKES
2. Group sounds - ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT
3. Isolation drills - GUIDED BY VOICES
4. All is dream - MERCURY REV
5. Let it come down - SPIRITUALIZED
6. Stephen Malkmus - STEPHEN MALKMUS
7. White blood cells - THE WHITE STRIPES
8. Black rebel motorcycle club - BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB
9. The argument - FUGAZI
10. Iron flag - WU-TANG CLAN
11. Ancient melodies of the future - BUILT TO SPILL
12. Are you are missing winner - THE FALL
13. No more shall we part - NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS
14. Ease down the road - BONNIE PRINCE BILLY
15. It's a wonderful life - SPARKLEHORSE
16. Get ready - NEW ORDER
17. 604 - LADYTRON
18. Souljacker - EELS
19. Change - THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN
20. Behind the music - THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
21. The cold vein - CANNIBAL OX
22. #1 - FISCHERSPOONER
23. Song yet to be sung - PERRY FARRELL
24. Sound-dust - STEREOLAB
25. The red thread - ARAB STRAP
26. Rain on lens - SMOG
27. Sunny border blue - KRISTIN HERSH
28. Girls can tell - SPOON
29. When do we start fighting - SEAFOOD
30. The photo album - DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

Top 30 Singles of 2001

1. Glad girls - GUIDED BY VOICES
2. Whatever happened to my rock 'n' roll (punk song) - BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB
3. Hard to explain - THE STROKES
4. Hotel Yorba - THE WHITE STRIPES
5. Street gang - A.R.E. WEAPONS
6. NYC's like a graveyard - THE MOLDY PEACHES
7. Souljacker pt.1 - EELS
8. Piano fire - SPARKLEHORSE
9. Capitalism stole my virginity - THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY
10. The hook - STEPHEN MALKMUS
11. Love detective - ARAB STRAP
12. As I sat sadly by her side - NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
13. Last nite - THE STROKES
14. Furniture - FUGAZI
15. Splinter - SEAFOOD
16. Imitation of life - R.E.M.
17. Crystal - NEW ORDER
18. Clint Eastwood - GORILLAZ
19. Nite and fog - MERCURY REV
20. Out of sight - SPIRITUALIZED
21. Hashpipe - WEEZER
22. Song yet to be sung - PERRY FARRELL
23. Uzi - WU-TANG CLAN
24. Androgyny - GARBAGE
25. Grace - RUBY
26. Playgirl - LADYTRON
27. Bang bang you're dead - EXPERIMENTAL POP BAND
28. Any day now - ELBOW
29. New York, New York - RYAN ADAMS
30. It is important throughout your life to proclaim your joy - MARK EITZEL

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