PoOPlist

AS my wonderful girifriend likes to say, life exists in pairs of mutually dependent opposites, observed by the Japanese as ying vs. yang. You can’t have the concept of night without day, love without hate, happiness without sadness, or good without evil. In other words, opposites attract, well, I saw music along those lines this year. Not that every album had a ying to its yang, but I did feel like each record had a sister album, one that should be viewed right next to it’s big brother, so, for Mark’s accounting purposes, let’s say the first of each pair…

TONIGHT LET’S ALL MAKE LOVE IN LONDON AS IF IT WERE THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND AND ONE.’ – ALLEN GINSBERG. 1967 Well, did’ja? Did any of the predictions for 2001 come true? Other than my prediction from last year’s PoOp that ‘It’ll all end in tears’ and that Bush would have us all in concentration camps, et cetera. Life has resumed, PoOp is back in bloom, and the horrors of Sept. 11 are behind us now. Are they? At first I was unsure of whether to continue with PoOp, but then I decided that yes, I’ll go with it, and…

The best thing I heard during 2001 was that many record companies were going to lower CD prices in order to compete with Napster and other similar music sharing websites. The best music I heard is listed below. The following is not in any particular order. Pete Yorn: Music for the morning after – A really nice record from beginning to end. Coldplay: Parachutes – – A good record (and they are better live). This may have been released at the end of 2000. Lucinda Williams: Essence – – I liked many of her songs in the past, but I…

1. RYAN ADAMS – Gold: Last year I was complaining that his first solo album was under-produced and that he needed a good band. He found one. Its difficult not to over state how good this album is and how much progress he’s made in the last couple of years- compare this album to his last album with Whiskeytown which also saw the light of day this year. Clearly the best album of the year. 2. GILLIAN WELCH – Time (The Revelator): I liked her in the past but this album somehow clicks where her earlier ones didn’t The arrangements…

Le Tigre – Feminist Sweepstakes (Mr. Lady): – The true lesbian in me is coming out! Unlike their previous EP which only had a couple decent tracks, this release is a complete success from beginning to end. As experimental as their debut, but more rockin’. Plenty of guitars mixed with samples. Lyrically covering the political and still showing a fun side. There is a whole lotta shaking going on! Rival Schools – United By Fate (Island): – Being a fan of Quicksand I was a bit thrown off at first by the “popiness” of these songs. It didn’t take long…

Best New Stuff of the Year – with random comments 1. Proximo Estacion: Esperanza – Manu Chao. Some might dismiss this as a novelty record where silly sound affects, childlike voices and melodies intertwine in a multitude of dialects. But listen closer. The melodies have the irrepressible quality of nursery rhymes that you can’t get out of your head. There are some incredible horns floating faintly in the background. One song has a mother lovingly talking to her child in Spanish followed by a Latin radio announcer rolling his “Rs”. The songs all evoke strong images of the way we…

Graduating Class – 2001 Pernice Brothers – – The World Won’t End (Ashmont Records) “Most likely to make Big Star & Alex Chilton drop a load in their pants” The New Pornographers – – – Mass Romantic (Mint Records) “Most likely to squelch any further Canadian jokes.” Ted Leo/Pharmacists – – – The Tyranny of Distance (Lookout Records) “Most likely to end up in intensive care for severe tendon damage.” Fugu – – – Fugu 1 (Minty Fresh Records) “Most likely to change the way most people feel about the French.” Death Cab For Cutie – – – The Photo…

Albums Bjork: – Vespertine This consistently gorgeous, lyrically relevant, emotionally soothing opus is a gift from one of the music industry’s true treasures. In every song, we can hear her struggling, stretching and striving for strings of hope, and holding on with all her might An icicle album from the Icelander, to be cherished year-round. David Visan: – Chill Out in Paris This Buddha Bar collection is a balm for the spirit, flawlessly mixed and inspirational in vision. A global mix that is much more than the sum of its parts – a cohesive, uplifting, life-affirming album. The Avalanches: –…

Favorite Things ~ ALBUMS ‘07   Buy new or used through Amazon Arcade Fire ~ Neon Bible (Merge). Recorded and performed in churches, “Neon Bible” is, ironically, a heartfelt diatribe against the evils of organized religion. “Not much chance for survival,” sings Wim Butler, “if the neon Bible is right.” Yet beneath all the disappointment and anger flows a river of faith, apparent in the organ tones of “Intervention,” the prophetic imagery of “The Well and the Lighthouse” and the determined yearning of “My Body Is a Cage.” Strings, brass and gospel choirs enrich the band’s already textured sound and…