0036: The Best 2001 Albums So Far - Now With Comments and Descriptions!!!
Submitted by lbangs on Fri, 03/23/2001 - 04:43
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- 1. Steve Wynn - Here Come the Miracles - It's obvious what he's going for here. Wynn's trying to create an Exile on Main Street for this side of the Atlantic. The shock is how close he comes to pulling this nearly impossible feat off. A little Crazy Horse here, a touch of Hendrix here, a smattering of Petty here, and one song, Death Valley Rain, that comes eeriely close to Presley's, "Burning Love," while never once sounding campy. It doesn't quite have theat sleezy exhausted vibe that the original Exile did, but the incredibly addictive sprawl is here in full force. I'm just starting to explore this one (did I mention it is 2 CDs?), but it could be a classic. Easily the best work I've ever heard from Wynn. Surely, it isn't too terribly far from Main Street.
- 2. Low - Things We Lost in the Fire - The notes are fairly far apart, but the melancholy emotions are often stretched wistfully thin between them like arms reaching for the moon. This album is an atmosphere unto itself, and the unexpected rumbles of electric guitar somehow seem right at home. Fans of American Music Club's quieter moments and Cowboy Junkies' Trinity Sessions should be right at home here. This certainly sounds like it was recorded in a dark, abandaoned Canadian church, only this time using more than one microphone. Low's greatest yet.
- 3. Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus - Twisted pop, just as you'd expect from the former Pavement front man. The sound's much cleaner now - nothing on here could be called lo fi - but the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink songwriting still impresses deep upon the brain. These tunes refuse to leave your head.
- 4. Hamster Theatre - Carnival Detournement - How to begin? Give a gypsy band from Italy every single acoustic instrument known in Western Europe (and many electric ones as well), add Ziggy Marley for support, and have Captain Beefheart conduct them in early 20th-century classical music. Well, that's not too far off. Very impressive. Time will tell if it is as enjoyable. It certainly grabs one's attention, and these experimental albums often do take a bit of time to prove their true worth.
- 5. Matmos - A Chance to Cut Is a Chance to Cure - Ambitious album that sound a bit more interesting than it is. The songs are constructed around honest-to-god real tapes of various operations in hospitals in California. The whole affair ends up sounded an awful lot like Autechre's Tri Repetae ++, which ain't all bad.
Author Comments:
This list consists of my opinions and my opinions alone. This is not a New Critical Underground or New Critical Consensus list. These are L. Bangs' favorite albums of 2001 - so far.
I actually just picked up the Steve Wynn disc as I was feeling very neglectful in listening to new stuff. Glad to hear I will probably like it. An Exile for the new milennium not that is heady stuff.
I should add that the exhaustion factor is missing, but the addictive sprawl certainly isn't. A little Petty mixed in with that crazy Crazy Horse sound as well. I hope you love it. It's putting a smile on my face so far.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Hey jgandcag, not that you've had the chance to spin it a bit, what do you think of the Wynn album? I personally love it...
By the way, you were right (as usual). I loved Memento.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
A friend had recommended the disc to me before you, so I felt pretty confortable with the purchase. I was never a huge fan of Dream syndicate but...I have given 2 listens and find a lot of it great. Definitely something that will need more listening before I can make a definitive decision but so far so good.
Great. So far, it is improving on every listen for me.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs