Listed below are the best albums of 2000 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 58,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 8 hours ago).
"A strong album with great ideas but simply too long and too much filler (relative to the best tracks--of which there is 9, IMO!) to be a classic. The album balances Hip Hop with Neo Soul and Jazz to make for a well-produced and varied listen, but the first half is much stronger than the second ha...""A strong album with great ideas but simply too long and too much filler (relative to the best tracks--of which there is 9, IMO!) to be a classic.
The album balances Hip Hop with Neo Soul and Jazz to make for a well-produced and varied listen, but the first half is much stronger than the second half. However, the album does end strong.
Favorite Track: "Good Mourning."
9/10!"[+]Reply
"A really fantastic recording and performance. I'd say this outdoes the studio recording except for Another Brick in the Wall Part II, Comfortably Numb, and The Trial (all of which benefit from more polished studio work on the normal versions). Everything else just totally smokes the studio versio...""A really fantastic recording and performance. I'd say this outdoes the studio recording except for Another Brick in the Wall Part II, Comfortably Numb, and The Trial (all of which benefit from more polished studio work on the normal versions). Everything else just totally smokes the studio versions. You have the hilarious MC intros before both takes of "In The Flesh" on both discs, you have the bonus track "What Shall We Do Now" which was cut from the studio album (WHY?! It's so good!!), you have really excellent David Gilmour guitar work on tracks like "Young Lust" where he just *nails* the perfect tone, and you have the classic Roger freak out intro for "Run Like Hell." If you doubt that this version has superior energy and performances to the studio version, check out the "Run Like Hell" version on this live album with Roger's insane introduction. "Get your hands together!!!! Have a good time! Enjoy yourselves!!!!"
Not sure who else still owns this on CD but somehow this was always the single loudest CD I ever owned when played at full volume back in the day - not sure what that was about, but I wasn't complaining about it. The louder the better for this album!"[+]Reply
"The Spring Heel Jack project was launched in 1994 by the duo of John Coxon, ex guitarist for Spiritualized and Ashley Wales, ex collaborator of Shock Headed Peters. The first track on this amazing album, 'Rachel Point', opens with pounding drums, Miles Davis-style trumpet licks and looping keyboa...""The Spring Heel Jack project was launched in 1994 by the duo of John Coxon, ex guitarist for Spiritualized and Ashley Wales, ex collaborator of Shock Headed Peters. The first track on this amazing album, 'Rachel Point', opens with pounding drums, Miles Davis-style trumpet licks and looping keyboard wails. The mind-blowing 'Galina', is characterized by tribal pow-pow beats, heavy basslines, organ drones and minimilist piano patterns set against a symphonic backdrop. The sound is sonically extreme and thrilling. But this isn't the entire story. The duo also emphasize the romantic in the epic trumpet crescendo of 'Trouble And Luck' and the Bacharach-tinged orchestral aria of the reggaefied 'To Die A Little'. Coxon and Wales rank amongst the greatest musicians and composers of their generation. "[+]Reply
"It has often been noted that it may be difficult to put genre label on Emmylou Harris' "new" style which was founded with "Wrecking Ball" in 1995. It is obvious that there are strong roots in both country, folk and rock, and I feel that her music can be compared with Richard Thompson's, which of ...""It has often been noted that it may be difficult to put genre label on Emmylou Harris' "new" style which was founded with "Wrecking Ball" in 1995. It is obvious that there are strong roots in both country, folk and rock, and I feel that her music can be compared with Richard Thompson's, which of course is rooted strongly in British folk-music. Like Harris Thompson has mixed genres in new and exciting ways.
"Red Dirt Girl" is a very atmospheric album with many fine songs - perhaps not containing a major classic, though. If you like "Stumble into Grace", you will surely love this album. The two albums have a very similar atmosphere and approach.
Harris has written or co-written all songs, except "One Big Love", which actually happens to be my favorite. A very catchy tune with a great chorus.
'My Antonia' is also a track that stands out. This beautiful song is a duet with Dave Matthews, which reminds me a lot about the Byrds' version of "Deportees".
The rocking "Boy From Tupelo" is a grand final number, perhaps the closest the album comes a potential hit.
There are actually a handful of numbers which made me think of Richard Thompson; among these especially "I Do not Want to Talk About it Now" and "My Baby Needs a Shepherd", two tracks both of which sounds very European, and which both are among album's strongest.
Only a few numbers fall through as somewhat forgettable. Neither "Ja'i Fait Tout" or "Hour of Gold" are in their spaciousness very interesting."[+]Reply
"The album begins with “Small Fries”: shifting, clean guitar notes, pounding bass and soft drum cymbals. The guitar continues its jazzy, soft lament as the vocals set in: “…But you can't evict the sun It shines on one hour Every morning Every day..” Quite appropriate at the moment...""The album begins with “Small Fries”: shifting, clean guitar notes, pounding bass and soft drum cymbals. The guitar continues its jazzy, soft lament as the vocals set in:
“…But you can't evict the sun
It shines on one hour
Every morning
Every day..”
Quite appropriate at the moment..."[+]Reply
"For those not familiar with the history of jazz, Louis Armstrong was probably the most important figure in the early development of the genre. His innovative improvisations and superb technical skills on the trumpet and cornet basically set the standard for jazz in the 1920s and 1930s. My favorit...""For those not familiar with the history of jazz, Louis Armstrong was probably the most important figure in the early development of the genre. His innovative improvisations and superb technical skills on the trumpet and cornet basically set the standard for jazz in the 1920s and 1930s. My favorite of his recordings during this period were the Hot Five and Hot Seven sessions, where he was featured with various small groups of musicians, including piano, drums, clarinet, banjo, and trombone.
The music makes heavy use of counterpoint and is essentially polyphonic, meaning that multiple melody lines are played at once. This style of jazz was only en vogue for a brief period, but was revived in the early 1940s under the name "Dixieland." It can take some getting used to for those used to modern popular music, since the vast majority of the music we hear is not polyphonic, but it helps to start by focusing on Armstrong's trumpet since he is generally playing the main melody.
The technical skill of the accompanying musicians is mediocre in the earliest recordings, but the later ones, like "Fireworks," feature impressive soloing from the backing musicians. His signature gravelly voice is also featured prominently in many tracks, including "Heebie Jeebies," where he essentially invents the technique of scat singing.
Whether you're interested in the history or just the music, I highly recommend this collection. Armstrong was a once-in-a-generation talent."[+]Reply