360 records from the year 2000: 270 - 226 round-up

Thanks for hanging in there. I’m sure you’ve noticed – these are the records I can’t muster much interest in either way. Can’t hate ‘em, certainly can’t love ’em. With a lot of these records – the big ones, the ones you couldn’t miss, you were supposed to like as a music fan – it’s not that they’re worthless. I couldn’t honestly place them any lower. I see there’s something there. Something that consensus picked up on. But it’s just not enough. And you develop this grudge from continually being told this is as good as it gets, and you’re thinking ‘no, that can’t be. If this is as good as it gets these days, I just don’t want to hear it’. Then the hate starts…
But be forewarned, the change comes at 199. See you there!

Third week’s roundup (270-226): 7 songs that stick out of the mud, 7 songs I proudly proclaim my picks of the week.

1. Pat Metheny: Travels

A folk / gospel chord progression which sounds as old as the hills, an evocative melody. That’s all Metheny needs on this equally sad and uplifting track. Just some subtle drums and bass, and his acoustic guitar. He’s not so much soloing, as examining the different links in the melody line one by one. Tells you a lot of what you really need to know about life.

2. The Hives: Main offender

Funny to think, two (the two?) of the most snarling and plain entertaining slabs of garage rock in the garage rock revival which started from about 2001, had to be reissued from a Hives record released the year earlier. There wasn’t any scene to welcome these nuggets in 2000. In the grand garage rock tradition, the band had nothing further to add, but that didn’t stop them from milking it for all it was worth. In case you’re wondering, the cartoon quality adds to its appeal.

3. Mark Knopfler: One more matinee

See, this is what craft can do. You need to know a whole lot about chords to write a song like this. And it’s worth it. On a record mired in boredom, Knopfler takes time out to reflect on aging cabaret singers still hoping there’s a silver lining coming. The heart is that wonderful moment when the melody opens up into that ‘Something’s going to happen to make your whole life better’ part.

4. Cristina Branco: Ausente

Gaze into this abyss of human sorrow and you can be forgiven for jumping in. I know I’m picking a lot of these slow and sad songs as highlights – don’t know if it’s coincidence or if it says something about me. This has beautiful, florid piano playing supporting a defining diva (in the good sense) performance from Branco. The twists and turns give me shivers.

5. Slumber Party: Sooner or later

Wonderfully groovy and insouciant VU-pop. It certainly makes the most of those strummed chords, but with a winning chorus melody (I sing along!) and some deft Sterling Morrison soloing, I’d forgive them most things (releasing a sorry record on the back of this single for instance). It’s not given to anyone to build something so coolly naïve and straightforwardly rocking.

6. The Hives: Hate to say I told you so

See 2.

7. Keith Caputo: Just Be

If even white men can get the blues, then Life of Agony-singers can get the melody. All the things I wrote about the record this comes from are true, but I can’t deny the carefree frolicking piano, the heavenly banks of strings (so syrupy) and backing vocals, and the singing (that falsetto in the bridge!). Maybe this is what guilty pleasures are made of. A twee delight.

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Cue Lou Reed:
Well hey(man), that's just a lie,
It's a lie she tells her friends.
'cause the real song, the real song
Where she won't even admit to herself

OK, OK, that’s not the whole story. I also made myself a Whitney Houston Sings Her Greatest Ballads – compilation:
1. Saving all my love for you
2. Greatest love of all
3. One moment in time
4. I have nothing
5. I will always love you
6. Run to you
7. All at once
8. Where do broken hearts go
9. Didn’t we almost have it all
10. My love is your love

It’s just to pass those lonely winter nights.