Top
Ten Albums 2001
the music that freed our souls
by:
bill aicher
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So, 2001 has
ended and the question on many peoples' mind is:
Was there
any good music this year?
Well indeed
there was, and Music-Critic.com (now in it's 4th year serving
the people) has taken a long, hard look back over the past year.
True, there was a lot of forgettable music. True, there were more
than ten great albums.
But what were
the best? We're bringing them to you, one album at a time. Check
back daily until we unveil our number one album pick for 2001!
And now, without
further ado....
Music-Critic.com's
Top Ten Albums of 2001.
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Number
10en
Stereophonics
Just Enough Education to Perform
Welsh
band, Stereophonics blew our mind this year when they released
their 3rd studio album. A beautiful combination of intelligent,
emotional lyrics and spot-on instrumentation, JEEP
is perfectly at home as our #10 album for 2001.
full review
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Number
9ine
Basement
Jaxx
Rooty
The
dancefloors were left steaming this year after club-goers
were exposed to "Romeo" and "Where's Your Head
At?" off of The Jaxx's second album. Mixing fruity loops,
salsa beats, and a hefty helping of sass, Rooty was
hands-down the best dance album of 2001.
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Number
8ight:
Lucinda
Williams
Essence
Lucinda Wiliams released the followup to her Grammy-winning
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road this year. Essence, with
its not-quite-folk and not-quite-country approach, was one
of the year's most beautiful albums. A true exploration in
honesty, without the perversion.
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Number
7even:
Spiritualized
Let It Come Down
Spiritualized
latest disc, the follow-up to Ladies and Gentlemen, We
Are Floating in Space, was a tremendous voyage of spirituality
through music. From the rocking "On Fire" to the
sublime gospel choirs of "Stop Your Crying," Let
It Come Down is a disc we won't soon forget.
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Number
6ix:
Ben
Folds
Rockin' the Suburbs
Ben
Folds released his first solo album since the breakup of
Ben Folds Five, and the album was unbelievably good. Title
track aside, the album was an exploration of piano, guitar,
heart, and soul. Ben Folds remains an artist to watch out
for for great things in the future.
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Number
5ive:
Low
Things We Lost in the Fire
Duluth
slowcore had us all abuzz with a glorious hum of layered instrumentation
and beautiful vocal harmonies. Sure, it's not fast music,
but it sure is good. With Fire... Low has proven that
the cold of Minnesota can't hold them down.
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Number
4our:
Radiohead
Amnesiac
The
follow-up to Kid A didn't turn as many people on their
heads, but that could have been because people finally knew
what to expect. Once again turning rock on its side, Thom
Yorke and Radiohead continue to redefine rock music.
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Number
3hree:
Bjork
Vespertine
With
her first "official" album since Homogenic,
Bjork changed pace to a more beautiful, operatic style -
a definite influence from her work on Dancer in the Dark
(Selmasongs). Using a mix of orchestra, music boxes,
and lyrics only Bjork can sing, Vespertine
was a welcome return from this Icelandic Queen.
full
review
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Number
2wo:
Sparklehorse
It's a Wonderful Life
Sparkelhorse's
genius lies in Mark Linkous, who in 2001 created one of the
more beautiful albums heard in years. Equal parts Mercury
Rev and Neil Young, Linkous re-established our love for music
and life in general.
full review
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Number
1ne:
Sigur
Ros
Agaetis Byrjun
Our
pick as greatest album of 2001, Sigur Ros's Agaetis Byrjun
was a real treat. Beautiful floating melodies take the listener
to a higher plane altogether. Sure it's all sung in Icelandic,
but does it really matter when it's this good?
full review
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Check
out our top ten albums of 2000.
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