ILM Top 100 2000-2004: ALBUMS

17th best album @ Metacritic: http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/

When that XTRMNTR was released certain critics stated that it was the first great album of the 21st century

[even though it blatantly stole sounds from 70s/ 80s/ 90s: it was a case of spot the cool influences, theoughout the album]

how unusual!

Points: 401
No. of votes: 21
No. of #1 votes: 1

Artist: BROADCAST
Title: HA HA SOUND
Label: Warp
Year: 2003

http://base58.com/ilx/ilm/top100/20002004/albums/hahasound.jpg

Comments: Strangely managing to be at times the most accessible thing they've done and at other times the most advanced, Broadcast's world is one of spinning wheels, frost-covered lake shores, branch lines in Summer haze, distant church towers and Vaudevillian charm. And here they suck you right in through concentrated, refined gumption and melodic interplay. The songs lurch into effect like rickety contraptions (yet built to last) but with operators like these they work to optimum standard, and all for Lonesome Science Girl to swoon over with a reserved but still heart-tugging lucidity.

Recommended tracks: Colour Me In, Valerie, Lunch Hour Pops

i'm imagining mylo's "drop the pressure" with fuckthepeoplefuckthepeoplefuckthepeople instead of motherfuckermotherfuckermotherfucker

where the hell are the techno/electronic nominations? is weiss.mix going to actually place in the top 35? or villalobos? or the soft pink truth? does ilm talk about electronic stuff more than they actually listen to it? or is the ilm personality a purist at heart believing that dance music is a singles genre?

xpost. yay broadcast!

dleone
Would anyone be surprised to see this list published at Pitchfork? So far, give or take 5 records, I wouldn't be.

Get, Ryan Pitchfork to organize a Pitchfork Staff Top 100 Albums of the first 5 years of the 00s - early next year.

Also will Ned be doing his own half decade summary to follow on from his infamous and much loved Ned's 90s feature? or will we have to wait another 5 years ?

(I'm actually amazed at how much rancour I still feel for prml scrm in general and xtrmntr in particular)

only 1 of my top 10 has appeared so far (beta band, far too low obv) so i'm still confidently expecting a top 5 of daft punk/jaxx/dizzee/avalanches/streets in some order, yes, no, yes, hmm?

Points: 403
No. of votes: 18
No. of #1 votes: 2

Artist: FUGAZI
Title: THE ARGUMENT
Label: Discord
Year: 2001

http://base58.com/ilx/ilm/top100/20002004/albums/theargument.jpg

Comments: n/a (anybody?)

Recommended tracks: Argument, Epic Problem, Kill

Points: 436
No. of votes: 19
No. of #1 votes: 2

Artist: LE TIGRE
Title: LE TIGRE
Label: Wiija
Year: 2001

http://base58.com/ilx/ilm/top100/20002004/albums/letigre.jpg

Comments: I don't care what the rest of you think, this album means something to me. It has nothing to do with feminism or gay rights, just a simple feeling of muddling through, of contradiction, of trying even though you may well fail.

Deceptacon is about dancing, alliteration and having your sounds stolen by some cheeky scamp; My My Metrocard celebrates the freedom of solo travel through an urban environment (no, it's still got nothing to do with some Mayor of New York!); Les and Ray is all about 'Less' rather than 'Lez', and liking people who are friendly to you.

Kathleen Hanna may be so, like, whatever, ya know (dude)? But Le Tigre are great, and this debut connects with me, it makes me feel. I know I'm not the only one. Meirion Lewis

Recommended tracks: Deceptacon, Hot Topic, My My Metrocard, Les And Ray

didn't you nominate Nixon?

Points: 437
No. of votes: 26
No. of #1 votes: 1

Artist: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
Title: JUSTIFIED
Label: Jive
Year: 2002

http://base58.com/ilx/ilm/top100/20002004/albums/justified.jpg

Comments: Riding on the subconscious remembrance of Thriller's 20th anniversary, the start of Usher's year off, a topless appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone, *NSYNC (WE WERE ON A BREAK!) and all things hot and re-emerging in fashion and music, JT became the second "credible former boyband solo artist" of the new millenium (Jordan Knight got there first, but sadly ran out of steam). Style icons? Michael Jackson, Usher and Carrot Top. Music icons? Same, plus a bit of Usher and Corey Feldman. Vocal icon? Same again,
plus Pharrell Williams. Make no mistake, the dude's a grab-bag. What warmed me to JT was that he'd become a global Michael impersonator on a greater scale than Usher, simply by making his xeroxes and debts more obvious. The 'Like I Love You' debut, with it's terrible JT solo dance at the end is a geeky kid's fantasy homage to 'Billie Jean' on Motown 25, (the video is like 3 old MJ vids in one with Pharrell replacing the dorky poplocker from 'Beat It') and I ate it up because someone needed to remind old MJ why and how he used to be so fucking cool (even though JT hasn't a hope of scaling those heights ever). Musically, there's more influences to disinterr, but the lows (for they are there) come when JT's vocal deficiencies and poor appropriations are exposed (the cheesy ballads, 'Nothin' Else', which is 'I Just Called To Say I Love You' with none of the needed improvements and the borderline testicle-cuisinart match of his infamous falsetto). And there's at least one phone-in from Timbaland (and from the Neptunes, though they're not disasters), but then again, he has 2 tracks that easily overshadow half the disc. And it's these highs that make the whole almost 'justified', if you will. There's 'Senorita', a study in charm vs contrivance (which wins? Up to you), there's 'Oh No (What You Got)', one of Tim's best disposable dance-pop numbers, as club-worthy as you like, and 'Rock Your Body', the most obvious Off The Wall homage (and well done it is) and one to molest Janet to. Alongside 'Rock Your Body' at the top of the list are the very MJ melodic symphonic pop sweetness of 'Last Night', which extends the Neptunes' Quincy Jones credit further and with almost perfect results (it can also do the hustle), and the two lead singles. 'Like I Love You' was one of 2002's best debut singles, is the best minimalist Neptunes track ever with a spot-on meld of pop oddness and pop sensibilities , commands any dancefloor it's on like fine disco magic, and none of the appeal's vanished over time ("Drums", for God's sake). And 'Cry Me A River', well. It was routinely picked up on as the disc's best. We all know why (the song, not the video) and I'm not gonna bore with why I love it so, it's probably the same for anyone else who does. The best compliment you can probably pay Justified was the old early one - why this wasn't Invincible (or at least half of it) is MJ's fault and MJ's alone. Barima

Recommended tracks: Like I Love You, Cry Me A River, Last Night

Steve, call me Lastminuto Savington.

"Who are you people?" - I dunno, my first post was a fair while ago but I've not posted that often before, so well done neurotic s for capturing my imagination.

I really like that Justin and Le Tigre are back to back.

Points: 440
No. of votes: 19
No. of #1 votes: 5

Artist: THE FIERY FURNACES
Title: GALLOWSBIRD BARK
Label: Rough Trade
Year: 2003

http://base58.com/ilx/ilm/top100/20002004/albums/gallowsbirdbark.jpg

Comments: n/a (anybody?)

Recommended tracks: Crystal Clear, Tropical Iceland, Inca Rag/Name Game