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‘Almost Crimes’ features on Broken Social Scene’s magnus opus You Forgot It In People. It immediately ached for a stadium to be played in. Instead, the indie collective were still playing small shows in Toronto in 2002. There they had the opportunity to share billings with Arcade Fire. In fact, this song sounds remarkably similar to Arcade Fire’s ‘Headlights Look Like Diamonds’. No idea which came first; both are brilliant.
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I’ve been listening to The Flaming Lips classic Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots this week. (Where did those 20 years go?!) I have been reminded what an epic piece of modern experimental rock ‘In The Morning Of The Magicians’ is. Wayne Coyne’s voice was always weak, but it doesn’t matter when you have this inventiveness and are surrounded by musicianship.
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The 2002 song ‘There Goes The Fear’ was based on a guitar riff that Jez Williams came up with. Together with his brother Andy Williams and band, the Doves turned that idea into an anthem about trying not to live with regrets. With anthems ‘Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)‘ (1993), ‘There Goes The Fear’ and ‘Black And White Town‘ (2005), the band had left their mark on the UK music scene. No regrets for that, I’m sure.
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Good morning. Oasis were well past their prime when they released their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry. Nevertheless, they were able to channel their own back catalogue to a lukewarm reception from critics. Crowd pleaser ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ is clearly a blend of ‘Slide Away‘ and ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. However, in an otherwise barren set, front man Liam Gallagher managed to tag one of his songs onto the album as its closing track. ‘Better Man’ is much less painfully derivative squared, but the admiration for John Lennon and The Stone Roses is still there for everyone to hear.
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It’s the 20th anniversary of the release of this stupendous single. The Strokes were so good in 2002 and no better than on ‘Someday’. Cool, honest rock and roll.
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Another decade leap… this time back to 2002. ‘Obstacle 1‘ is my favourite track off Interpol’s debut LP Turn On The Bright Lights, but not my favourite moment. That gong is reserved for ‘PDA’, and more specifically at around the 3-min mark, when guitars riff and strum before the percussion lands. Majestic stuff.
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Good morning. Before founding LCD Soundsystem, James Murphy was a Brooklyn-based DJ who had been making a name for himself by dropping hip tracks by the likes of Can, Modern Lovers and David Axelrod. In 2002, he mocked his own snobbery and “silliness” in the band’s first release ‘Losing My Edge’. But there was nothing to worry about for Murphy, as the amusing display of insecurity would simply make him cooler. The song would go on to feature on their well received self-titled debut album in 2005. Have a great week.
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Wilco’s sublime and experimental Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is on the shortlist of my favourite albums ever. It was a shining highlight of my music listening in the early noughties. There are many moments of brilliance, but one of its most inspirational cuts is the jazzy elixir of ‘Jesus, Etc.’ and its tale of their last cigarettes. Enjoy.
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Cody ChesnuTT’s debut album The Headphone Masterpiece was an incredible collection of work. Its 36 songs were recorded in his home studio on a four track and mixed on a pair of headphones. What binds this home brew together is his voice. While previously featured ‘Michelle’ sounds like Prince, the penultimate track ‘Look Good in Leather’ delivers a vocal that both The Purple One and Terence Trent D’arby would have been proud of.
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Did QOTSA ever get better that the lead single from their 2002 album Songs For The Deaf? I don’t think so! With riffs abound and, as Pitchfork once put it, “it’s four-to-the-floor slime of the highest quality”, this classic deserves all the plaudits. It’s undoubtedly a great guitar track, but Josh Homme’s vocal should not go without mention. The soulful cowboy. Have a great weekend; particularly if you’ll be out cycling like me.
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‘Tis November folks. In 2002, Max Richter released his debut album Memoryhouse. It features the stunning ‘November’. Turn off the lights, turn up the volume and feel the season approaching.
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Experimental, playful and top-of-their-game, The Flaming Lips were the bee’s knees in 2002. Part 1 of the title track off Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots always warrants a sing-a-long. The band and associated record labels have recently announced a Greatest Hits to be released in June. Not surprised to see this song feature; but what, no ‘Placebo Headwound’?!
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A mysterious start to the week. ‘Sorrow & A Cup of Joe’ was one of the last things James Marcel Stinson ever recorded. Nonchalant deep house from one half of the Drexciya crew. “Only moccachino, make me feel alright.” Have a great week.
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It’s a Monday folks. At 1m 50s, the immediacy of the classic ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’ seems most fitting on a Monday. If The Strokes rocked the casbah in 2001; 2002 was the year of Jack and Meg White. Released as the second single off the 2001 album White Blood Cells, the recipe was so in your face: Meg’s simple beat versus Jack’s white-hot guitar and tales of uncontrollable lust. Have a great week.
Samuelsounds 