I came across this list from Persi on the rec.music.ambient newsgroup.
Definitely worth checking out, agreeing/disagreeing with, etc.
--
shepherd@sirius.com | "...thita NK;"
"...mechanically reclaimed by autechre..."
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From: cowsfan@NOSPANearthlink.net (Persi)
Organization: Your Organization
Newsgroups: rec.music.ambient
Date: 19 Dec 1999 02:13:53 GMT
Subject: **Persi's Top 10 of 1999** The Rest
Here's my annual list. Please feel free to comment if you've heard any of
these:
***Persi's Top 10 Albums 1999***
1. Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret
From the very first listen of this album you are keenly aware of Doug
Martsch's wild and glorious mood swings. It is indeed a trip through his
inner psyche and can be a very scaring journey. The flashy guitar work,
sometimes reminiscent of the sonic attacks in Medicine and MBV, provides a
canvas for the 11 tales of living in the destructive times we are in and how
fragile we can be through it all. With music this great, who wants to keep
it a secret? It's quite a shame that the band hasn't risen above cult
status. "You we're wrong when you said everything's gonna be all right" Doug
wails in perhaps the best song on the album, a lyrical journey through the
past you might call it, but everytime I finish listening to this album
everything does seem all right.
2. Smog - Knock Knock
"For the first time in my life I allowed myself to be held like a little
baby". No this isn't the latest single from Usher or any number of current
r&b acts, but the gentle words of Bill Callahan, a man in his 40's. That
line alone hooked me line and sinker into the rest of this album. Sometimes
in this mess we call life we do need to be held, even if it is for the very
first time. Callahan paints a certain innocence in these songs that make you
feel naked and naive while listening. It's his startling realizations like
the line above that really make you face your own insecurites and uneven
relationships. The last Smog album I heard before this was 'The Doctor Came
At Dawn' and I still really can't get a feel for it. I was hesitant to even
give them a second chance until Tom Ewing raved about their last album. I'm
certainly glad I came back into the fold. Callahan's music, like that of
fellow crooner of misery Scharin, isn't for everyone, but if you really want
to do some soul searching, don't hesitate to start right here.
3. Autechre - EP7
Don't be mislead by the title. For this EP clocks in at 70 minutes and not a
single second is wasted. Sean & Rob (aka Autechre/Gescom) are the leaders of
the digital manipulation era. Their first full length record 'Incunabula' is
a classic example of how warmth can be combined with the coldness of
machinery and computers. From there on they've proceded to massage our
psyches with cold and almost inhuman works like 'Chiastic Slide' and
'Tri-Repaete'. Each of their records is a triumph of orginality and
painstaking detail and many have tried, some successfully, to copy their
unique take on electronica. They spawned an entire label (Skam) and have
influenced practically every artist that can be labeled IDM (along with the
other two in the holy trinity of IDM, Tom Jenkinson and Richard D. James).
EP7 brings back some of the warmth they showed in their first album and
combines it with some of the most mindbending and warped electronics you'll
ever hear. These tracks still hold little treasures each time you listen to
them. Ae may be the answer to question, 'Is there any originality left in
electronic music, anymore?' Do yourselves a favor and purchase the Warp
records version of this EP. The US Nothing version does not contain the
extra hidden track (Something to please all the Gescom MD fans out there).
4. Plaid - Restproof Clockwork
Plaid are pretty iffy. Their initial and way out of print first release (got
mine from mp3's) 'Mbuku Mvuki' remains a seminal IDM classic. The way they
weave intricate chilidlike melodies w/ technology that to this day doesn't
sound a bit dated. Their comeback record 'Not For Threes' released several
years back certainly contained all the pretty melodies, but the Mouse on
Mars way they sort of collaged the record together didn't do justice to
their brand of electronic music. Simply put....it wasn't the bees knees. Now
Plaid have come back with not only the best album of their career (not
counting some of the classic Black Dog stuff) but one of the best electronic
albums of the year. There really is no one genre to classify this record
under. Hip-hop, ambient, IDM, techno, pop, etc, it's all there. The warmth
flows smoothly through the tracks and there is enough melody to keep you
humming loudly and distract your fellow employees. Plaid are definitely on a
roll here. Let's hope they can keep it up with their upcoming EP 'Boocs'.
5. Moby - Play
Never was a Moby fan. Guess I just never 'got' it. Well, thanks to some
reviews that made it sound like the second coming, I decided to give it a
play (pun intended). Needless to say my head was spinning after the first
few tracks. Moby's plan on this record is to take old samples of blues and
gospel tracks (I mean really old samples) and fuse them with ambient, dance
and trip-hop rhythms. Who woulda thunk anyone could pull something that
absurd off. Well Moby does it like he actually lived back in the 20's.
Milking the soul for every drop of it's golden sound and creating tapestries
of sound that will leave you in a trance like state for hours. 'Why Does My
Heart Feel So Bad' doesn't mess with any old school blues samples, but it's
chorus is sung so breathlessly and the accompanying music almost had me in a
permanent state of bliss. Gorgeous is not nearly a good enough word to
describe the magic that moby creates with these mini masterpieces.
'Bodyrock' slams like no other breakbeat track has since that, er,
Rockerfeller dude skyrocketed into fame. This is a truly monumental dance
record and will hopefully make many a believer like me.
6. Beck - Midnite Vultures
A few months before this album came out I met a former employee Bongload
Records. I asked him about the upcoming Beck album being released by Geffen
and he said people who have heard it are calling it Beck's 'Rubber Soul'.
Naturally I was intrigued. Well, take out the 'rubber' and you're only
halfway there. I'd call this record Beck's 'Hot Buttered Soul' or Beck's
'New Power Soul'. While the influences certainly date Prince by a few
decades, it's his royal purpleness who seems to be the blueprint for this
interesting and wholly successful new album called 'midnite Vultures'. Sure,
the title is even darker than 'Mutations', but the music is quite light and
overflowing with chunks of funk, soul and even a hint at those wacky Germans
Kraftwerk. Standout tracks for include 'Get Real Paid' (featuring computer
manipulated vocals that might fit well in a Prince meets Kraftwerk at
Paisley Park for a jam situation) and 'hollywood Freaks' (which is similar
in ways to a Prince funk classic called 'Bob George'). It seems that Beck
can't do wrong no matter where he treads. This time he proves that some
white men certainly do have 'the funk'!
7. Inspectah Deck - Uncontrolled Substances
One of the few Wu members that I hadn't really paid much attention to in the
past delivers the best Wu related solo album since Method and Raekwon's
first joints. For those burnt out on the tragic stories put to the sounds of
looped females screaming like ghouls and other spooky sounds from the
palette of the RZA, this record is definitely what you've been waiting for.
Like other great albums I nearly passed it off on the first few listens.
Nothing grabbed me. It wasn't until I really sat and listened that I
discovered that Inspectah house put out one of the best part hip-hop records
in ages. Yep, Wu you can funk to and shake your ass. Actually upbeat tracks
that make you wanna holler 'Whoo-Hah'. The opening track 'Movers & Shakers',
one of the best on the album, starts the party off in high gear. It doesn't
stop bumpin until the end. Of course, it was a difficult decision between
this record, Mos Def and The Roots. But while Mos Def triumphs in the flow
department and The Roots in the epic hip-hop department, Inspectah comes
rolling along and gets all the territories covered. Unless Goodie Mob and
Outkast release better records, I nominate Deck's as the best hip-hop album
of 1999.
8. Godspeed You Mogwai-Bradford Pond!
Can't really pick which one of these gems releseased this year is greater
than the other, so I'll just cluster them all together into one big heaping
pile of 'post-rock' salad. 'E Luxo So' continues Labradford's fascination
with minimal structure. This time there are alot of piano tracks that take a
little longer to get into than the gorgeous 'Mi Media Naranja' but offer
similar rewards. Godspeed and Mogwai operate in somewhat similar terrain and
both delivered guitar and sample drenched ambient noodlings on their latest
efforts. Until the new FSA and TEF, these are just what the doctor ordered.
Bardo Pond continues to dominate the perch once held by MBV with their wall
of sound sonic prog attacks and heavenly vocals. Their latest is indeed
their best yet. I'd say about the only surefire band that hasn't released a
record in 1999 is Yo La Tengo, but I hear that we will be blessed with a
double album early next year. Until then grab these and send them to all
your friends for Christmas, Hannukah or whatever you celebrate.
9. Sam Prekop - Sam Prekop
Sam Prekop, better known as Sea & Cake and his many recordings and live
shows with various Tortoise alumni, makes pop music with ease. Don't be put
off by his 'post-rock' indie mega hipster friends in Tortoise. This is pure
pop and done with a style I've sort of missed since Cardinal and Erric
Matthews made wonderful pop. Sea & Cake fans won't be dissapointed. There
are similarities instrument wise, but overall Prekop goes fora more upbeat
mood on this album. It was kind of tough, since similar pop gems have been
released this year from Fountains Of Wayne, Jason faulkner and the many E6
bands, but Sam's easy listening vibe won me over in the race for pop
greatness in the late 90's. Let's hope he doesn't wait along time to do
another solo album.
10. Tricky - Juxtapose
Wow. What a year. Tricky makes a big comeback after 2 episodes of chaos and
paranoia and shows us all that there is hop for UK hip-hop. While alot of
the guests on this record are from the US, including co-producer DJ Muggs of
Cypress Hill, it's Tricky here that provides the main showcase. And he pulls
it all off without Martina. She's not missed. While I think her style
contributed alot to tricky's sound, it's nice to see that Tricky doesn't
have to rely on her to make a great record. The beats are somewhat minimal
and alot less chaotic than usual. There are a few UK rappers on this record
and they pull off a somewhat decent job compared to the silliness that
inhabited records from Lionrock and other big-beat/hip-hop crossover acts.
Sure, the flow is still stacatto, which is my main problem with alot of UK
rappers, but the lyrics are tight and delivered smoothly. I just wish they'd
put more feeling into what they're saying. Muggs is a perfect asisstant to
Tricky's vision. He incorporates lots of nice strings and funky bass lines
to well compliment Tricky's smoky flow. Don't call it a comeback, just call
it a wake up call to all hip-hoppers out there. Tricky wants to take UK
hip-hop to the next level. it would be a shame if you all missed the bus.
Honorable Mentions:
Squarepusher Maximum Priest and Selection Sixteen EPs
Basement Jaxx - Remedy
Roots - Things Fall Apart
US Maple - Talker
Jason Faulkner - Can You Still Feel it?
Surgeon - Force & Form
Add N To (X) - Avant Hard
Low - Secret Name and Christmas EP
Source Direct - Excorcise the Demons
Solar X - little Pretty Automatic
Andrea Parker - kiss My Arp
Method Man & Redman - Blackout!
Dr Dre - The Chronic 2001
'Reach The Rock' Soundtrack - John McIntire/various
Ghost - Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet & Snuffbox Immanence
Plastikman - Artifakts (BC)
Warp 10+1, 10+2 & 10+3 compilations
Material - Intonarumori
OTC - Black Foliage
Underworld - Beaucoup Fish
Foo Fighters - There's Nothing Left To Lose
Aphex Twin - Windowlicker EP
Peace Orchestra (Peter Kruder)
Ae/Plaid/Boc/Black Dog - Peel Sessions
Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
Disappointments
Blur - 13
Orbital - Middle Of Nowhere
NIN - The Fragile
Prince - Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic
nothing new from Kevin Shields and still no new Aphex Twin
--
on my stereo: beck - mutations
film: magnolia (but it did happen.)
--
shepherd@sirius.com | "...thita NK;"
"...mechanically reclaimed by autechre..."