Top 10 Albums Of 2001? (1 Viewer)

[Brian Bunn]

Well, it is getting close to the end of the year 2001 so I thought it would be a good time to post some Top Albums of The Year lists. Some pretty good stuff released in 2001. Here is my Top "10" for 2001:

1. Bob Dylan--"Love And Theft"...What needs to be said about the latest from Mr. Dylan. Simply the most essential album release of the year.

2. Jay Farrar--Sebastopol...This one was kind of a surprise. I didn't quite know what to expect from the solo debut of the ex front man for Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo, but upon hearing it I was blown away. Extremely highly recommended!

3. Travis--The Invisible Band...I must admit this one didn't quite click with me right away. But after several listens I was into it big time. A more solid effort overall than their previous album (The Man Who), The Invisible Band makes notice that Travis is not just a flash in the pan.

4. Lucinda Williams--Essence...Her album Car Wheels On A Gravel Road was on many critics "best of" list for the year 1998 and she returns in 2001 with perhaps the equal to that outstanding album.

5. Ryan Adams--Gold...This guy is amazing. One of the most prolific songwriters working today, he is said to have inspired Elton John "to do better" (which resulted in Elton's best album in years in Songs From The West Coast).

Adams released two solo albums within a year and both are outstanding. Gold is all over the place as far as musical styles go, from pop to country to blues, which makes for an interesting listening experience.

6. Neil Finn--One Nil...Being a Crowded House fan from way back I look forward to any new release from Neil Finn. And One Nil does not disappoint. Finn harkens back to his Crowded House days with this release, with some of his best stuff in a number of years.

7. Pernice Brothers--The World Won't End...Joe Pernice is apparently incapable of releasing a poor album. Whether it be a solo album (Big Tobacco), a side project (Chappaquidick Skyline), or with his main band, you can count on Joe Pernice providing you with his trademark "glass is half empty", gloomy outlook on the world lyrics backed up with some of the most gorgeous melodies you will here anywhere. Perhaps it is that contrast that makes his music so appealing.

8. Vigilantes Of Love--Summershine...Summershine shows Bill Mallonee and band at their "poppy" best. This one is chock full of great tunes. Mallonee is one of the most passionate songwriters around today.

9. Old 97's--Satellite Rides...Simply put, just a great pop/rock record from the formerly honky tonk, alt-country band from Texas.

10.1 Pete Yorn--Musicforthemorningafter...One of the better debut releases of the last several years. Definitely good enough to slip into my Top 10 of the year.

10.2 The Elms--Big Surprise...Outstanding, infectious pop music from a Christian band!? You better believe it! With sort of a Brit pop feel to it, this is one heck of an album that seemed to come out of nowhere. With maybe the best opening track ("Hey, Hey") since "Don't Forget Your Man" from At Home With Cherry Twister or "Keeping The Sparks" from The Waxwings' Low To The Ground. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

10.3 The Supers--Spklanng!...Talk about infectious, catchy pop music. This one has it in spades! Maybe the best Canadian band since Sloan.

OK...so I cheated and slipped 12 into my Top 10! Who's counting.

One album would have made my Top 10, probably somewhere around #6, if it had been released in 2001 like it should have been: Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. It should make my Top 10 for 2002.

I'm interested to read others Top Albums of 2001. Have at it!

 

[JasonK]

Here's what I dug this year:

1. Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By.

Dan the Automator + Co. put together one fine album. From Kid Koala's eerie "Everyone Has A Summer" to the laments of Afrikaa Bambaataa, I had high hopes for this, and was not let down at all.

2. Fugazi: The Argument - While not as raw as earlier Fugazi, tracks like "The Argument" "Epic Problem" and track 2 (forgot the title) show that they have not missed a beat. Fugazi still makes great music.

3. Aphex Twin: Drukqs - Rolling Stone gave this 1 star. The first disc is simply OUTSTANDING. I've not fully digested the 2nd, but I still enjoy it. From the minimalistic piano tracks, to the all-out Aphex assault, I love it.

4. The Avalanches: Since I Left You - This was just released last week in the US, but has been out overseas for a while. The group sampled a little bit of everything, and churned out some great music.

5. Peanut Butter Wolf: My Vinyl Weighs A Ton: Another one that's been out overseas, but just released here this year. A lot of terrific beats, and some great rhymes from a variety of underground hip-hoppers. (Planet Asia, El-P, etc.)

***Fugazi: Furniture: I guess this could be number 6, but since it's a single, I'll note it with asteriks. 3 great songs, the title track being Fugazi at their best. It's a song that had previously only been done live.

That's it for now, I'll chime in with more as I think of 'em.

Jason

 

[Brian Lawrence]

The only album released in 2001 that I even bought was Garbage : Beautiful. So by default that would be both my best and worst album of the year.
Well there are a few albums from this year that I plan on getting like the new Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rob Zombie, & Lucinda Williams.
Oh wait a minute, Does the North American wave of the Pearl Jam bootlegs(Not really bootlegs) count

 

[Van Patton]

I really liked Weezers latest

 

[Greg_Y]

Looking at my collection, I think I only bought two titles in 2001 that weren't remasters / boxed sets / collections of some sort.

Bob Dylan - "Love and Theft"

The Word - The Word

Both are great.

 

[MatS]

1) Tim Easton "The Truth About Us"
http://www.timeaston.com
2) North Mississippi Allstars "51 Phantom"
http://www.nmallstars.com
3) Jay Farrar "Sebastopol"
http://www.jayfarrar.net
4) Beulah "The Coast Is Never Clear"
http://www.beulahmania.com
5) Dropkick Murphys "Sing Loud, Sing Proud"
http://www.dropkickmurphys.com
6) Bruce Springsteen "Live In New York City"
http://www.brucespringsteen.net

 

[Rick Deschaine]

In no particular order:

1. "Couples in Trouble" - Robbie Fulks

2. "Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash" - Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash

3. "Satellite Rides" - Old 97's

4. "Tremendous Efforts" - The Sadies

5. "Revelling-Reckoning" - Ani DiFranco

6. "Stadium Blitzer" and the re-release of "Gogityourshinebox" as "Shinebox" - The Gourds

7. "Canadian Amp" - Neko Case

Later

 

[Scott DeToffol]

I love to see the roots / alt.country people here!

My favs in no particular order:

Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)

Ryan Adams - Gold

Whiskeytown - Pneumonia

Bob Dylan - Love and Theft

Blue Mountain - Roots

Jay Farrar - Sebastopol

Cyndi Boste - Home Truths

Lucinda Williams - Essesnce

Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt

Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter

What I haven't heard that may have made my list:

Vigilantes of Love - Summershine

Weezer - Green

John Hiatt - Tiki Bar is Open

Poet: Tribute to Townes

Alejandro Escovedo - A Man Under the Influence

I need to play Tim Easton's "The Truth About Us" some more. I didn't connect with it. He's one of my favs.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Marillion: Anoraknophobia

They are no longer some weird prog rock group (though I do like their old stuff). They play interesting, wonderful songs that would be of interest to anyone who likes good song writing and great musicianship. As far as I'm concerned, the only "prog" band to make the transition to more straight-forward fare successfully, all culminating on their latest disc.

Dream Theater: Live Scenes From New York

Sprawling triple live album featuring a complete performane of their last album, which sounds better than the studio version. Simply wonderful.

Flower Kings: Rainmaker

These guys can do no wrong. How they can come up with so many great melodies is beyond me. Beautiful, beautiful stuff.

Dave Holland Quintet: Not For Nothin'

Are we allowed to include jazz albums? I don't like current jazz. I like this. I love this. Elegant, proficient, pleasant, experimental. Great.

Transatlantic: Bridge Across Forever

I like this even better than their last one. The only low point is the title track, but it's very short.

King Crimson: Vroom Vroom

An archival double live set of the band in Mexico City and New York from 1995 released this year, so I don't know if it counts. Anyway, it's six maestros just blowing the roof of the place. Do you believe in God? I believe in the great Crim instead.

Somnambulist: The Paranormal Humidor

And I thought their first album was cool. They changed up their personnel a bit, including the recruitment of Peter Cornell on lead vocals (yes, Chris' brother).

Darn, I couldn't even think of 10 things. Oh well.

Edit: Holy cheese, I can't believe I forgot this one, especially after all the debating on this forum about it:

Tool: Lateralus

 

[Nick_G]

my god...when are people gonna quit putting bob dylan albums on a year's top list. the guy hasn't spoken coherently in 20 years and hasn't recorded anything good in 30!!!

i know..."he's the poet of our generation." if i want poetry i'll read emily dickinson. poetry doesn't always equate with good music/songs/albums and vice versa.

 

[muskie]

There seem to be a fair amount of Lost Highway and Bloodshot Records albums being bandied about. On www.arstechnica.com a similar thread is going on in their Audio Video forum. The music proposed is a lot different.
I don't have the time to come up with ten, but I like Ron Sexsmith's "Blue Boy" perhaps best off the top of my head.
Muskie

 

[Rain]

my god...when are people gonna quit putting bob dylan albums on a year's top list. the guy hasn't spoken coherently in 20 years and hasn't recorded anything good in 30!!!

Did you even listen to the album? When are people going to stop trying to convince the world that Bob Dylan isn't a brilliant musician?
Well, I'd certainly put Love and Theft in my top 10 of the year, assuming I had purchased 10 CDs this year. Since I didn't, Mr. Dylan gets my #2 spot of the year.
Best album I heard this year was Gold by Ryan Adams.
Though I haven't listened to it all, Mr. Jagger's new album, Goddess in the Doorway also sounds promising....surprisingly.

 

[Camp]

What's in your nose?

 

[Tony Mirra]

1. Super Furry Animals "Rings Around the World" (although not as good as some of their other work [most of which border on masterpiece], appearances by Paul McCartney and John Cale, lounge singing, and death metal choruses make this a classic for 2001)
2. Radiohead "Amnesiac" and "Fog" (the track "Fog" off their "Knives Out" EP instantly became my favorite Radiohead track ever; Amnesiac is emotional and beautiful, whereas "Kid A" was cold and stunning)
3. Nikka Costa "Everybody Got Their Something" (funky, sexy, and bluesy; can't wait to hear more from her!)
4. Kristin Hersh "Sunny Border Blue" (ex-Throwing Muses; amazing singer/songwriter)
5. Beulah "The Coast is Never Clear"
6. the Strokes "Is This It?" (believe the hype; great straightforward rock n' roll record)
7. Wilco "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" (it's a damn shame that an album this good couldn't get released because it wasn't 'radio friendly')
8. Mullholland Drive OST (etheral and creepy; worth having for the Rebekah Del Rio Spanish treatment of Roy Orbison's "Crying")
9. Weezer "s/t" aka "The Green Album" (say what you want about how this album is a disappointment compared to "Pinkerton" and "the Blue Album," but this is an awesome collection of short, catchy pop songs)
10. the Shins "Oh, Inverted World" (poor production keeps this one from ranking higher; "New Slang" might be my favorite single this year)
EP honorable mentions:
-Neko Case "Canadian Amp" (tour only EP; a fine collection of covers)
-Mogwai "My Father, My King" (brilliant; this is what "Rock Action" should have been)
-Apples in Stereo "Signal in the Sky" (shows why they might be the most fun band around)
Re-issue honorable mentions:
-All 3 Elvis Costello re-issues (these might be my favorite releases of any albums this year)
-Ramones "Road to Ruin" and "Rocket to Russia" (two of my favorite Ramones LPs with bonus tracks!)

 

[Darren H]

I haven't bought enough CDs this year to put together a Top 10, but I've been playing the hell out of Songs in a Northern Key by Varnaline. All of you roots and alt-country fans really need to check out this disc. Good stuff.

 

[Jon Sheedy]

my god...when are people gonna quit putting bob dylan albums on a year's top list.

I guess whenever he fails to deliver an album that deserves to be on a year's top ten list!
Since 1980 there have been years when Dylan's records didn't make any top ten lists (other than those of the most hardcore fans)...titles such as "Knocked Out Loaded" (1986), "Down In The Groove" (1988), and "Under The Red Sky (1990). I'm a huge Dylan fan, and these certainly weren't up to par.
However, whenever he's firing on all pistons..."Infidels" (1983), "Empire Burlesque" (1985), "Time Out Of Mind" (1997), and "Love And Theft" (2001), Bob Dylan will add another masterpiece to his considerable catalogue and be assured of placement in the year's best by alot of people, fans and critics alike. His music is so incredible and transcendental at these times...little else even comes close to it.
In my experience, Dylan is either a love/hate kind of artist. Over the years I've had many, many friends who loved music as much as I did, but of these, only a couple were into Bob Dylan. I never could understand how so many others could not "get" what Dylan was all about. They all seemed to have the complaint that he couldn't sing. I've heard others say that he doesn't sing, just talks. Man, this guy can SING!!!!! His voice is capable of incredible emotion, it may sound gruff compared to other artists...but that's the point. His voice has more character than most of today's artists can only dream of...it's beautiful. To me at least, it's Dylans phrasing that is lightyears beyond anyone else's. I could name many, many songs of this that are (to me) perfect examples of his incredible phrasing.
And I won't even get into his lyrics! That would require many paragraphs (and I've already rambled on long enough!) Suffice it to say that it is "poetry" of the first order. Lyrical and complex...incredible depth.
To me it's sad that so many people are missing out on the genius that is Bob Dylan...most just because they can't get around his voice. I wonder how many of those have actually tried to listen to his works and how many others formed opinions that were tainted because they've heard others knocking Dylan, and never actually gave the guy a chance.
I understand that some people just don't like Dylan and I'm not trying to slam them...different strokes and all, but to doubt Bob Dylan's genius as an artist is a huge mistake...especially if you've never really listened to his works.
I've tried several times in past to bring people into the Dylan fold...it never worked, and a couple of these were friends who I worked pretty hard with because I though they were Dylan fans but just didn't know it!
As soon as I hear someone say that they love Dylan or count his works among their favs...without doubt I know that I'm hearing from a person who REALLY recognizes and understands great music.
Jon

 

[Peter Mazur]

01)Pendragon: Not Of This World

Outstanding effort by this band. Excellent, very emotional lyrics, IMHO the best album they have yet recorded. Any fans of Marillion, Dream Theater or Arena...you must hear this one.

02)Marillion: Anoraknophobia

Another winner from this always great band.

03)Tool: Lateralus

Yes...it IS as great as everyone says it is.

04)King's X: Manic Moonlight

A little different from previous albums, still great though.

05)Transatlantic: Bridge Across Forever

I personally like this one better than their first album.

06)Stone Temple Pilots: Shangri-La Dee Da

07)Pallas: The Cross & The Crucible

I am so glad these guys are back together. Again for the Marillion, Dream Theater crowd.

08)Ozzy Osbourne: Down To Earth

Doing what he does best. I'm glad he didn't stay retired.

09)Lenny Kravitz: Lenny

10)Aerosmith: Just Push Play

 

[TheoGB]

Hmm. My only genuine 2001 purchases this year that were any good were:

Radiohead: Amnesiac

Life Without Buildings: Any Other City

Pulp: We Love Life

Gorillaz (eponymous)

Solex: Low Kick and High Bob

I don't know Dylan's catalogue very well. Bringing it All Back Home is one of my top ten albums ever. Mum *does* know it and she says the new one's just not up there so I bow to her judgement.

 

[Rain]

Jon,
I just wanted to compliment you on a terrific post!
I agree completely.

 

[John Tillman]

I haven't purchased any new music this year. Just some re- masters of older stuff. Thanks to this thread, I checked out "Love and Theft" and enjoyed it quite a bit.

The music and Dylan's style just come together wonderfully.

You either get it or you don't. More than that, the sonic quality of this disc is top shelf. I also spun 'Time out of Mind' from 97' and even though most of the musicians are the same, the sound quality (to me) does not approach 'Love and Theft'.

Nick_G, I'm not a big Dylan fan but I can name you one record from 75' called 'Blood on the Tracks' that was and still is, great.