My Favorite Albums of 2000

My Favorite Albums of 2000

1   XTC - Wasp Star - Apple Venus Volume 2 (TVT)

       -XTC's strongest album in over a decade - these would all be hit singles in a perfect world     

2   DANDY WARHOLS - Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia (Capitol)

       -At various times the sound like Iggy, the Velvets, Bowie, Stones, Blur, Peter Murphy, etc etc...yet no one sounds like them.   

3   TSAR - Tsar (Hollywood)

       -Supercharged glam pop from LA - lots of Cheap Trick with a little Sweet and Redd Kross 

4   WAXWINGS - Low to the Ground (Bobsled)     

       -Sounding like a power pop Byrds at times - excellent songwriting, solid hooks, and tight playing - and it's only their debut!

5   MYRACLE BRAH - Miracle Brah (Not Lame)

       -One of the best and most consistent pop bands out there today - classic pop - and their third in a row to make my top 10       

6   DROWNERS - Is There Something On Your Mind? (Wind Up)

       -More straight ahead pop (are you noticing a trend on this list yet?)    rock

7   APPLES IN STEREO - Discovery of a World Inside the Moone (SpinArt)

       -A weird little bubblegummy record that stuck with me - I love the guy's vocals, but I've heard that it drives most people crazy

8   EELS - Daisies of the Galaxy (Dreamwerks)

       -Strange production and instrumentation and even stranger lyrics - E may be a one trick pony, but he does that trick so damn well       

9   JETS TO BRAZIL - Four Cornered Night (Jade Tree)

       -A grossly under praised record of 2000 - top drawer lyrics and just plain great songs - I would have killed for this record in my college radio days!  

10  TIM FINN - Say It Is So (What Are Records) 

       -Another one I can't believe how little I heard about - being a Tim Finn record, it's a little weird and eclectic, but has some killer melodies

11  SUPERGRASS - Supergrass (Island)

       -When I first heard this I only loved 3 songs, then four, then five, etc etc - now I love the whole damn thing. 

12  BILLY BRAGG & WILCO - Mermaid Avenue Vol. II (Elektra)

       -Volume 1 was just OK, so I thought this would be a little less than OK, but it looks like they saved the best stuff for this volume    

13  FROM BUBBLEGUM TO SKY - Me and Amy and the Two French Boys (Eenie Meenie Records)

       -Emphasis on the bubblegum - more sugar than a pack of Lick Em Stix - new wave meets 60's orchestral pop meets Saturday morning cartoons - F-U-N!       

14  DEATHRAY - Deathray (Capricorn)    

       -Pop from a band that seems to listen to the first few Cars albums quite a bit

15  JUPITER AFFECT - Instructions for the Two Ways of Becoming Alice (Eggbert)

       -Three O'Clock/Permanent Green Light frontman has a new band and his strongest album ever - 60's-ish psychedelic pop meets modern pop   

16  U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind (Interscope)

       -Good God - I haven't loved an entire U2 record since War - they're finally writing real songs again, and they sound just wonderful     

17  CHRIS KNOX - Beat (Thirsty Ear)

       -New Zealand DIY lofi - Chris plays everything, records it in his home studio, and has done it that way for years - a favorite artist of mine that never disappoints    

18  POSTER CHILDREN - DDD (SpinArt)

       -Champaign Illinois' most consistent band - angsty college rock 

19  GAZA STRIPPERS - 1000 Watt Confessions (Lookout)

       -Equal parts 70's hard rock and 80's/90's punk - Rick Simms (former Didjits frontman) just plain rocks - his best record since Hornet Piñata    

20  FLASHING LIGHTS - Where The Change Is (SpinArt)    

       -Sloan-mates from Canada, fronted by former SuperFriendz leader - your basic meat and potatoes pop rock

21  CATHERINE WHEEL - Wishville (Columbia)

       -A slightly more song oriented record from the band that does the wall of guitar better than anyone (except maybe the Wedding Present)  

22  TAHITI 80 - Puzzle (Minty Fresh)

       -Lounge pop     

23  GROOVIE GHOULIES - Travels With My Amp (Lookout)

       -Carrying the 70's era Ramones punk pop torch   

24  ROBBIE WILLIAMS - Sing When You're Winning (Capitol)

       -And Robbie's not the biggest pop star because why?     

25  THE SIXTHS - Hyacinths and Thistles (Merge)

       -Stephen Merritt writes eccentric and eclectic songs and manages to get some wonderfully odd results from Gary Numan, Marc Almond, Melanie, Bob Mould, and 10 more guest vocalists      

26  FRISBEE - The Subversive Sounds of Love (Hear Diagonally)

       -Great sound, top notch musicianship, fabulous harmonies, they just need a few stronger hooks for me to get as excited about them as many critics and friends have      

27  SWINGIN' NECKBREAKERS - Return of Rock (Telstar)

       -Quite simply the best garage band working today

28  SHELBY LYNNE - I Am Shelby Lynne (Island)

       -I avoided this record for a long time because of the hype, but it ended up being as good as everyone said      

29  BADLY DRAWN BOY - Hour of Bewilderbeast (XL)

       -Um, I don't even know what to say about this   

30  WARREN ZEVON - Life'll Kill Ya (Artemis)

       -I don't think I've ever loved an entire Warren Zevon album before - but he nails all my fave Zevonisms on this one