quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Umm...maybe because it isn't that good?

FKA, it's gonna take you at least a hundred Mitch Hedberg quotes to recover from this one.

I second the Church of crazed: it's just a weak year because you didn't look hard enough.

I'd be willing to bet you experienced music differently in 2001 than you do in 2007--you're older, your ears are open, you (think you) know what you like. I doubt you were listening to the same type of music six years ago as you are today, so it's a little shortsighted to criticize a year for its contribution--if music does indeed happen in January to December cycles, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't--based on a couple lists you find on the Internet.

You should be able to make the good of any year. I was dreading 2007 for all this indie pop garbage on the calendar, but I've found more than enough to keep me satisfied.

What's this?

A thoughtful post from leland?!?

I'm not drunk.

I think it is a little rediculous to try to distill a year of music down to "a weak year", however I understand the urge. It's no different than making a list of the best music of any given year, decade, etc.

As far as 1981 goes, I'll admit that it's a year a lot of great bands didn't release anything. For example, Talking Heads and XTC were in between great albums. However, not including anything mentioned already, I greatly enjoyed the following:

Positive Touch by the Undertones
Stands For Decibels by the dB's
Beauty and the Beat by the Go-Go's
The Blasters
The Plimsouls

I know I'm missing some, and there were plenty of other good, solid albums, but I've got to go out now.

quote:

Originally posted by MajorNougat:

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Umm...maybe because it isn't that good?

FKA, it's gonna take you at least a hundred Mitch Hedberg quotes to recover from this one.

Yeah I know, sorry, it's just not my cup of tea.

I think 1981 was great:

Kraftwerk
Computerworld

The Cure
Faith

Siouxsie and the Banshees
Juju

Brian Eno & David Byrne
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

Dün
Eros

New Order
Movement

Depeche Mode
Speak & Spell

Yellow Magic Orchestra
Technodelic

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
I second the Church of crazed: it's just a weak year because you didn't look hard enough.

I'd be willing to bet you experienced music differently in 2001 than you do in 2007--you're older, your ears are open, you (think you) know what you like. I doubt you were listening to the same type of music six years ago as you are today, so it's a little shortsighted to criticize a year for its contribution--if music does indeed happen in January to December cycles, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't--based on a couple lists you find on the Internet.

You should be able to make the good of any year. I was dreading 2007 for all this indie pop garbage on the calendar, but I've found more than enough to keep me satisfied.

There ya go!

I've never expierenced a bad year for music and have no idea how that could happen. Considering what's available to devour every year: shitloads of new releases that I can physically only hear a small percentage of in the year they're released; albums from past years heard for the first time; reissues I either have or haven't heard before (this of course includes v/a comps which I love to death); albums from past years in my collection I rediscover after not hearing them for ages; different styles and genres of music I still want to explore; music I know I like from other years and still can't get enough of. How the heck is there going to be a bad year for music? It's not the years that makes some new music seem "bad", it's the ears. And there's no rush to like anything new in a particular year or month. Maybe later what albums one passed by will catch the ears and sound fresh. In the meantime, it's not like there isn't a barrage of great music to choose from.

quote:

Originally posted by Sebtron:

quote:

The Strokes- Is This It

The album I owe it all to .

I picked this up when it first came out... I was in sixth grade (and it somehow started my foray into punk, also thanks to my long-time friend Tommy)! Then, I picked up Yoshimi, Funeral, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and then I was hooked (this was my sophomore year of hs). I had my friend (who'd reccomended those to me) come over and put all his music on my computer. That was two years ago. Since then I've devoured everything appealing I could find.

I'll have to check out some of the suggestions for '81. To me, it always seemed like a bit of a blank spot between Punk/New Wave and the beginning of the '80s American indie scene.

As for 1998, while "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" is easily my favorite record of that year, the first Billy Bragg and Wilco record is a masterpiece as well. Other notables;

Silver Jews- "American Water"
Elliott Smith- "XO"
Spoon- "A Series of Sneaks"
Mercury Rev- "Deserter's Songs"
Beck- "Mutations"
Tragically Hip- "Phantom Power"

Yeah, 1998 had some ok albums (let's not forget Massive Attack's "Mezzanine"), It's just that it didn't have any albums I would give more than four stars (It pains me to admit it, but I haven't actually heard "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" - I keep hearing about it but it didn't really get much notice in Australia. I can't recall seeing a copy in any record store over here.) But just because there's no highlights doesn't mean it's a bad year for music.
Other years that are a bit thin: 1973 (best I can come up with is Paul McCartney's "Band On The Run" and Lou Reed's "Berlin") and 1974 (Neil Young's "On The Beach" and Clapton's "461 Ocean Boulevard")

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
I'll have to check out some of the suggestions for '81. To me, it always seemed like a bit of a blank spot between Punk/New Wave and the beginning of the '80s American indie scene.

In the "Thoughts on Songs" thread, I also discovered that Mission of Burma's Signals, Calls and Marches EP is from '81. That's also a pretty essential piece of listening if you're into post-punk music.

Mission of Burma were...actually, still are a wonderful band, providing inspiration for a lot of 80's US bands.

I love the e.p. for its classicism, and poppiness, but Vs. is so dense that I am still, 17 yrs after first hearing it, trying to get a handle on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Stocky:
Other years that are a bit thin: 1973 (best I can come up with is Paul McCartney's "Band On The Run" and Lou Reed's "Berlin") and 1974 (Neil Young's "On The Beach" and Clapton's "461 Ocean Boulevard")

I don't think those were thin years, especially not 1973, here's what I have for each:

1973
David Bowie – Aladdin Sane
The Doobie Brothers – The Captain and Me
Herbie Hancock – Head Hunters
Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon
Bruce Springsteen – Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Steely Dan – Countdown to Ecstasy
Tom Waits – Closing Time
Stevie Wonder – Innervisions

1974
Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic
Supertramp – Crime of the Century
Stevie Wonder – Fulfillingness’ First Finale

For the record, it’s not that I think 2001 was a dreadful year for music but I will contend that there wasn’t a ton of quality stuff. Since I started this thread many people have recommended some great music and I have also found a lot of stuff that I overlooked.

When I was making these lists, I kind of rushed through them. So my main question was: Was 2001 a bad year? Some people obviously agree; others apparently disagree. I will maintain that it was a bit sparse but I don’t think it was a terrible year.

I think 2001 was pretty good. My top 10 in no order.

White Blood Cells - White Stripes
Vespertine - Bjork
The Cold Vein - Cannibal Ox
We Love Life - Pulp
No More Shall We Part - Nick Cave/Bad Seeds
Girls Can Tell - Spoon
The World Won't End - Pernice Brothers
Party Music - The Coup
Is This It - Strokes
B.R.M.C. - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
I second the Church of crazed: it's just a weak year because you didn't look hard enough.

I'd be willing to bet you experienced music differently in 2001 than you do in 2007--you're older, your ears are open, you (think you) know what you like. I doubt you were listening to the same type of music six years ago as you are today, so it's a little shortsighted to criticize a year for its contribution--if music does indeed happen in January to December cycles, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't--based on a couple lists you find on the Internet.

You should be able to make the good of any year. I was dreading 2007 for all this indie pop garbage on the calendar, but I've found more than enough to keep me satisfied.

Yeah, and that's coming from the guy that said this late last year:

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
2003 was the dregs for me

Maybe you should take your own advice, especially considering that 2003 was an awesome year.

I'm with Leland on 2003. I said it before, but I didn't think it was so hot. Looking through the lists in the 2003 thread, The White Stripes' Elephant and Cat Power's You Are Free are about the only releases I really listen to anymore. I think I'd have trouble coming up with a top 5 for that year. 2001 blows 2003 out of the water.

2001 better than 2003? Let me be the first to say, shut yo mouth.

Radiohead and The Strokes' respective albums were better than the ones they released in 2001. Plus a great year for rap with masterpieces by Dizzee Rascal and Outkast, an intense, fun album from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, another awesome New Pornos album, two soft, great ones from Sufjan Stevens and Damien Rice, respectively, and great rock from Drive-By Truckers, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The White Stripes' best album.