Perfect Sound Forever

Perfect Sound Forever

Favorite music of 2001
Jason Gross, editor


Long as it is, these lists aren't anywhere near comprehensive. I just tried to nail down every good release I heard this year. I was mighty pleased to find out that new releases out-numbered reissues/archives and that there were a good number of both of them. So, no more crying about how there isn't any good music out there now, OK?
 

NEW RELEASES

  1. Manu Chao Proxima Estacion: Esperanza (Virgin)
  2. Michael Franti and Spearhead Stay Human (Six Degrees)
  3. Ass Ponys Lohio (Checkered Past)
  4. Troubleman Mix-Tape (Troubleman Unlimited)
  5. KaitO You've Seen Us... You Must Have Seen Us... (Fierce Panda)
  6. The Rapture Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks (Sub Pop)
  7. Replikas Koledoyuran (Ada Muzik)
  8. Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1 (Ninja Tune)
  9. Ware River Club Don't Take It Easy (Natural Disaster)
  10. Every Tone A Testimony (Smithsonian)
  11. 0ld 97's Satellite Rides (Elektra)
  12. The Coup Party Music (75 Ark)
  13. Bob Dylan Love and Theft (Columbia)
  14. DJ Scud/Rich Kid/Panacea Murder Sound (Ambush)
  15. Erase Errata Other Animals (Troubleman Unlimited)
  16. The Du-Tels No Knowledge of Music Required (Shimmy Disc)
  17. Black Box Recorder The Facts of Life (Jet Set)
  18. DJ Jester River Walk Riots (Two-Ten)
  19. Liars They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top (Gern Blandsten)
  20. Tom Ze Jogos De Armar (Faca Voce Mesmo) (Trama)
  21. Toni Price Midnight Pumpkin (Antone's)
  22. Bullfrog Bullfrog (Ropeadope)
  23. Mainliner Imaginative Plain (Modern Music)
  24. Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor (J)
  25. Losfeld Gospel! (Escalator)
  26. Now That's What I Call Music! 8 (Virgin)
  27. Lucinda Williams Essence (Lost Highway)
  28. Platinum Power Megamix Vol. 3 (Yedang)
  29. Acid Mothers Temple New Geocentric World (Squealer)
  30. The Howard Fishman Quartet I Like You A Lot (Monkey Farm)
  31. Janet Jackson All For You (Virgin)
  32. Mr. Len Pity the Fool (Matador)
  33. The Strokes Is This It? (RCA)
  34. Petey Pablo Diary of A Sinner: 1st Entry (Jive)
  35. Rachid Taha Made in Medina (Mondo Melodia)
  36. Sdaerd The Unexpected (3rd Message)
  37. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Shifty)
  38. Duotang The Bright Side (Mint)
  39. Exit Wounds- Soundtrack (Virgin)
  40. Radiohead I Might Be Wrong (Capitol)
  41. DJ Clue Hev E Components (bootleg)
  42. Matthew Shipp New Orbit (Thirsty Ear)
  43. Josie and the Pussycats- Soundtrack (Sony Soundtrax)
  44. Stephen Malkmus (Matador)
  45. Le Tigre Feminist Sweepsteaks (Mr. Lady)
  46. Merle Haggard Roots Volume 1 (Anti)
  47. The Silos Laser Beam Next Door (Checkered Past)
  48. The Saturday People The Saturday People (Slumberland)
  49. Built to Spill Ancient Melodies of the Future (Warner Bros)
  50. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club BMRC (Virgin)
  51. Jim O'Rourke Insignficance (Drag City)
  52. Snow Patrol When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (Jeepster)
  53. El Otro Yo Abrecaminos (Universal)
  54. Ghost World soundtrack (Shanachie)
  55. Aesop Rock Labor Days (Def Jux)
  56. Rhonda Vincent The Storm Still Rages (Rounder)
  57. Matthew Shipp Expansion, Power, Release (Hatology)
  58. Wayne Hancock A Town Blues (Bloodshot)
  59. Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards (Hellcat)
  60. Mulholland Drive soundtrack (Milan)
  61. Cannibal Ox The Cold Vein (Ozone)
  62. Aesop Rock Float (Mush)
  63. The Real Tuesday Weld Where Psyche Meets Cupid (Kindercore)
  64. Tea in Marrakech (Earthworks)
  65. Wilco Yankee Foxtrot Hotel (wilcoweb.com)
  66. Plastic People of the Universe Lazy Love (Globus Music)
  67. The Scene Is Now Let's Straighten It Out (Lost)
  68. The Hellacopters High Visibility (Polygram)
  69. Go-Go's God Bless the Go-Go's (Uni)
  70. Select Cuts From Blood & Fire Chapter Two (Select Cuts)
  71. Bosavi (Smithsonian)
  72. David S. Ware Quartet Corridors & Parallels (Aum Fidelity)
  73. Polysics Hey! Bob! My Friend! (Asian Man)
  74. Scratch Vol. 1 (Rawkus)
  75. Tim Berne The Shell Game (Thirsty Ear)
  76. The Brothers- Soundtrack (Warner Brothers)
  77. Essential Mix- Mixed by Pete Tong (London-Sire)
  78. Radiohead Amnesiac (Capitol)
  79. White Stripes White Blood Cells (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
  80. Burnt Sugar/The Arkestra Chamber Blood on the Leaf, Opus One (Trugoid)
  81. Musee Mecanique Zelinsky Collection Volume 2 (Mechanical Museum)
  82. Azeem Craft Classic (Stray)
  83. MF Doom Operation Doomsday (Metal Face)
  84. Blind Boys of Alabama Spirit of the Century (Real World)
  85. Clinic Internal Wrangler (Domino)
  86. The Dum Dum Project Export Quality (Times Square)
  87. Morells Morells (Slewfoot)
  88. Macy Gray The Id (Epic)
  89. Noonday Underground Self-Assembly (Bar None)
  90. Gavin Hardkiss Through Rose Tinted Glasses (Shadow)
  91. Scott Miller and the Commonwealth Thus Always to Tyrants (Checkered Past)
  92. Les Savy Fav Go Forth (Frenchkiss)
  93. Blake Babies God Bless the Blake Babies (Rounder)
  94. Cosmic Rough Riders Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine (Poptones)
  95. Sun City Girls Libyan Dream (Abduction)
  96. New Order Get Ready (Warner Bros)
  97. The Avalanches Since I Left You (Modular)
  98. Teenage Fanclub Howdy (Sony)
  99. Aceyalone Accepted Eclectic (Project Blowed)
  100. Bare Jr. Brainwasher (Immortal)
  101. State of the Union 2.001 (EMF)
  102. Kali Fasteau Vivid (Flying Note)
  103. Hi Tek Hi-Teknology (Rawkus)
  104. Derrick Carter About Now (611)
  105. Roots Manuva Run Come Save Me (Big Dada)
  106. Urban Revolutions (Future Primitive Sound)
  107. Turntables By the Bay (Hip Hop Slam)
  108. This Is Next Year- A Brooklyn-Based Compilation (Arena Rock)
  109. Stephan Wittwer Streams (Grob)
  110. The Now Time Delegation Watch For Today (In The Red)
  111. Techno Animal The Brotherhood of The Bomb (Matador)
  112. Vue Find Your Home (Sub Pop)
  113. Beta Band Hot Shots II (Astralwerks)
  114. David Axelrod David Axelrod (Mo Wax)
  115. The Fall Are We Are Missing Winner (Cog Sinister)
  116. Jigmastas Infectious (Landspeed)
  117. dj/rupture gold teeth thief (Soot)
  118. Luke Haines The Oliver Twist Manifesto (Virgin)
  119. High Rise Psychbomb (Modern Music)
  120. Spiny Anteaters Well Laid Plans (Ba Da Bing)
  121. Ray Wylie Hubbard Eternal and Lonesome (Philo)


REISSUES/ARCHIVE MATERIAL

  1. Neu! Neu! 75 (Astralwerks)
  2. Downtown 81 soundtrack (Virgin)
  3. New York City: Global Beat of the Boroughs (Smithsonian)
  4. Afrika Bambaataa  Looking For the Perfect Beat 1980-1985 (Tommy Boy)
  5. Miles Davis Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970): It's About That Time (Columbia)
  6. Sounds Like 54 (Skam)
  7. LiLiPuT (Kill Rock Stars)
  8. Digital Underground No Nose Job- the Legend of the Digital Underground (Tommy Boy)
  9. De La Soul Three Feet High and Rising (Tommy Boy)
  10. The Front Line (Virgin)
  11. John Coltrane The Olatunji Concert: The Last Live Recording (Impulse)
  12. Terry Riley You're Nogood (Organ of Corti)
  13. Ernest Tubb The Definitive Hits Collection (Collector's Choice)
  14. Messthetics #5: UK '77-'81 "D.I.Y." (Hyped To Death)
  15. That's All Folks- Cartoon Songs From Merrie Melodies & Looney Tunes (Warner Brothers)
  16. Stanley Brothers Too Late To Cry (Catfish)
  17. Miles Davis At Newport 1958 (Columbia)
  18. Del The Funky Homosapien Future Development (Hieroglyphics)
  19. Big Boi & Dre Present... Outkast (Arista)
  20. Mirrors Hands In My Pocket (Overground)
  21. Wild Seeds I'm Sorry I Can't Rock You All Night Long- 1984-1989 (Birdman)
  22. The Hives Your Favorite New Band (Poptones)
  23. Clouddead Clouddead (Mush)
  24. Classic Reggae: The DeeJays (Music Club)
  25. Nuggets II (Rhino)
  26. Bob Dylan Live 1961-2000 (SME)
  27. Nigeria 70 (Afrostrut)
  28. Asha Bhosle The Best of Asha Bhosle: The Golden Voice of Bollywood (Manteca)
  29. Howard Tate Howard Tate (Koch)
  30. Boogie Down Productions The Best of B-Boy Records (Landspeed)
  31. John Oswald plunderphonics 69/96 (Fony)
  32. The Holy Modal Rounders I Make A Wish For a Potato (Rounder)
  33. Honey Cone Soulful Sugar (Castle)
  34. Heavenly Heavenly Vs. Satan (K)
  35. Tom Waits Used Songs (Rhino)
  36. King Tubby In the Mix (Recall)
  37. Ethiopiques: Ethiopian Blues & Ballads (Buda Musique)
  38. Negativland These Guys Are From England and Who Gives A Shit (Seelard)
  39. Radio Birdman The Essential 1974-1978 (Sub Pop)
  40. Lee Perry Skanking With the Upsetter- Rare Dubs 1971-1974 (Jamaican)
  41. Gabon- Musique des Pygmees Bibayak- Chantres de l'Epopee (Ocara)
  42. Burning Spear Spear Burning (Pressure Sounds)
  43. Henri Chopin Audiopoems (? Records)
  44. KMD Mr. Hood (Metal Face)
  45. The Screamers In A Better World (Xeroid)
  46. Luther Thomas Funky Donkey (Unheard Music Series)
  47. Asian Takeaways (Normal)
  48. Dream Syndicate Days of Wine and Roses (Rhino)
  49. Overcome Vol. 1 (Trikont)
  50. William S Burroughs Break Through In Grey Room (Sub Rosa)
  51. Yee-Haw! The Other Side of Country (Normal)
  52. The Best of U Roy- Rightful Ruler (Music Club)
  53. Great Plains Length of Growth (Nu Groove)
  54. Do the Reggay! The Early 'Reggae' Singles 1968-1969 (Westside)
  55. The Electric Eels The Eyeball of Hell (Scat)
  56. Cannon's Jug Stompers The Best of Cannon's Jug Stompers (Yazoo)
  57. Philadelphia Roots (Soul Jazz)
  58. Roky Erikson and the Explosives Casting the Ruins (Re)
  59. The Velvet Underground Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes (Polydor)
  60. Ethiopiques: The Harp of King David (Buda Musique)
  61. Sole Learning to Walk (6Months / Anticon)
  62. Big Star What's Going Ahn (Deep Six)
  63. It Came From Memphis Vol. 2 (Birdman)
  64. Walter Wegmuller Tarot (Spalax)
  65. Ennio Morricone Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo (GDM)
  66. Scientists Blood Red River 1982-1984 (Sympathy For the Record Industry)
  67. Flesheaters A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die (Slash)
  68. Henry Flynt Graduation and other new country and blues music (Ampersand)
  69. Gene Clark Roadmaster (Edsel)
  70. Schlammpeitriger Collected Simplesongs of my Temporary Past (Songi-Us-A-Musik)
  71. Red Snerts (Gulcher)
  72. Wild Pitch Classics (Wild Pitch/JCOR)
  73. Institute For Sonology Early Electronic Music 1959-69 (Sub Rosa)
  74. Soul Explosion Vol. 1 (Funky City)
  75. Southern Cones (EMF)
  76. The Chills Secret Box (Definitive Music)
  77. Gregory Issacs Mr. Isaacs (Blood and Fire)
  78. Truck Driver's Boogie Big Rig Hits Vol 1: 1939-1969 (Diesel Only)
  79. Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton (Revenant)
  80. Terry Southern Give Me Your Hump!: The Unspeakable Terry Southern Record (Koch)
  81. Nam June Paik Works (Sub Rosa)
  82. Isidore Isou Musiques lettristes (Al Dante)
  83. Hava Narghile: Middle Eastern Raga Rock Ala Turquie '66-'75 (Baccus Archives)
  84. Scritti Politti Songs to Remember (Virgin)
  85. MEV Spacecraft (plana-M)
  86. The Outsiders CQ (Pseudonym)
  87. Faust BBC Sessions + (ReR)
  88. Company Flow Funcrusher Plus (Official Entertainment)


SINGLES

  1. Missy Elliot "Get Ur Freak On" (Elektra)
  2. Afroman "Because I Got High" (Universal)
  3. 112 "Peaches and Cream" (Bad Boy)
  4. Richard Thompson "I Agree with Pat Metheny" (Blue Note)
  5. Mary J Blige "PMS" (Universal)
  6. Duane Levold/Nancy Berry "Answering Machine" (Virgin)
  7. Coldcut "Re:Volution" (Coldcut)
  8. Neil Young "Let's Roll" (Reprise)
  9. The Strokes Vs. Christine Aguilera "A Stroke of Genius" (Freelance Hellraiser)
  10. Eminem/Elton John "Stan" (Grammies)
  11. Nelly "Ride Wit Me" (Polygram)
  12. Belle and Sebastian "Jonathan David" (Matador)
  13. Stephen Malkmus "Discretion Grove" (Matador)
  14. DMX "No Sunshine" (Virgin)
  15. Jermaine Dupri "Lay It Down" (Warner Brothers)
  16. Aesop Rock "Skip Town" (Mush)
  17. Ornette Coleman/Joe Henry "Scar" (Mammoth)
  18. Gorillaz "Clint Eastwood" (EMI)
  19. Christine Aguilera, Pink, Mya, Lil Kim "Lady Marmalede" (Interscope)

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