Top 10 of 2001

Scott's Picks (2001)

Scott Heisel

This is something new, and hopefully Aubin, Kip, and Shindo will all post their choices too. Let's get right down to it.

TOP TEN RELEASES OF 2001:
Honorable Mentions: Hot Water Music - A Flight and a Crash, Reubens Accomplice - I Blame The Scenery, Rival Schools - United By Fate, Cake - Comfort Eagle, Brand New - Your Favorite Weapon, Pete Yorn - musicforthemorningafter, Ben Folds - Rockin' The Suburbs, Further Seems Forever - The Moon Is Down, Dismemberment Plan - Change, Radiohead - Amnesiac, and a bunch more
10. Small Brown Bike - Dead Reckoning

  • This album is off the the register for intensity, with it's wicked bass and drum interplay and it's fist-pumping choruses. Good times.
    9. Thursday - Full Collapse
  • Groundbreaking in emotional hardcore, at least for me. I still don't like the production, though, damn Victory puts too much echo and reverb on everything.
    8. Tool - Lateralus
  • The metal gods return with a 4 years in the making schooling on all the nu-metal crap that exists today. A much better comeback than Weezer.
    7. Soulcracker - At Last, For You
  • [read original review here]
    6. Diffuser - Injury Loves Melody
  • [read original review here]
    5. Cursive - Burst And Bloom
  • [read original review here]
    4. The Faint - Danse Macabre
  • [read original review here]
    3. Ted Leo/Pharmacists - The Tyranny Of Distance
  • [read original review here]
    2. The [International] Noise Conspiracy - A New Morning, Changing Weather
  • The second best album of the year. Why? Because it combines incredibly intelligent, highly political, and ridiculously informative lyrics along with wonderfully dancable proto-punk beats. The only thing to beat it out?
    1. System Of A Down - Toxicity
  • The best album of the year. Why? Because it combines incredibly intelligent, highly political, and ridiculously informative lyrics along with some of the heaviest hardcore beats the world has ever seen. Serj's vocal delivery is amazing, and I compare him both vocally and lyrically to Jello Biafra. The band's music is nothing short of mindblowing. Do yourself a favor and get this album.

    THE THREE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2001:
    1. Weezer - The Green Album

  • [read original review here]
    2. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American
  • Singer Jim Adkins pretty much sums up the whole album in the last song's lyrics "I could be so much more than this." I agree, Jim, I agree.
    3. Alkaline Trio - From Here To Infirmary
  • [read original review here]

    THE MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUM OF 2002:
    Well duh, like I wouldn't say the new Bad Religion album. I've already heard it, and let me tell you it is a shoe-in for my top ten of 2002 already [and I'm not even that big of a BR fan, although that seems to be changing]. If you really want to hear it, IM me and we'll see what we can do, mp3 wise. Runner ups to the "most anticipated" for me are Weezer [this is their last chance, in my book, but the demos sound bomb], Thrice [their debut promised so much], Get Up Kids [let's see if they can make a "comeback"], The Promise Ring [let's see if they can make a comeback!], Thursday, and a slew more.

    Okay, so those were my choices, hastily decided to appease the masses. Tell me how much I or the bands I like suck below.