Week 9: 2000 - 2004

I'm away in Spain from Tomorrow and flying from Manchester, so I'm getting ready to travel up to stay with the folks in Stockport as I speak, so I'll do my best to get something down here at some point.

My first fab five for the new century:

2000

Queens Of The Stone Age: Feel Good Hit Of The Summer

Stoner rock classic... and with a complete set of lyrics - “Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ecstasy and Alcohol... C-cocaine” - that can neatly fit into a small space!

2001

Melys: Chinese Whispers

'Melys' by name - translating to 'Sweet', which matches the gorgeous feel of this track from a Welsh indie outfit based in Betws-y-Coed (where, incidentally, two of the band later ran a rather fine restaurant).

Missy Elliott: Get Ur Freak On

The rap track that fused hip-hop with Punjabi melody and rhythm - and has not been bettered since.

The White Stripes: Fell in Love With a Girl

Quite a few brilliant Stripes tracks from which to choose - and Lennie has named one above - but this piece of primal garage punk, from third album White Blood Cells, is my ultimate pick. Covering it (after changing Girl to Boy) did wonders for the career of quirky Dover siren Joss Stone, too.

2003

OutKast: Hey Ya!

Ending where Eppers began at the top of this thread with a song forever to be remembered as the Family Macc’s fave singalong-while-travelling holiday tune. As coincidence would have it, this electrofunk-meets-soul classic also topped the US singles chart on the day my youngest, Macc Junior, was born.

In what, for me, stands as one of the all-time best snippets of pop journalism, the N.M.E. described the track as ‘a monumental barney between the Camberwick Green brass band, a cruise-ship cabaret act, a cartoon gospel choir and a sucker MC hiccuping “shake it like a Polaroid pic-chaaa!”, backed up by the cast of an amateur production of The Wizard of Oz... sort of.’

‘Nuff said. Oh - except that it's my nomination for this week's ballot paper!

¡Gracias Duds, lo haré!

Just 6 from me this time.

2000
Santana (ft Rod Thomas) - Smooth
Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia

2002
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
Oasis - Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Doves - Pounding
Coldplay - Clocks

Top bins for Pounding.

My not as long long list for the early 2000s. Not a vintage 5 years and some guilty pleasures in there as well.


2000
No Danger - The Delgados
Ms Jackson - Outkast

2001
Red - Okkervil River
Getting Away with It (All Messed Up) - James
Can’t Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie

2002
If This Is a Plan - The Delgados
All My Life - Foo Fighters
There Goes The Fear - The Doves
House Of Jealous Lovers - Rapture

2003
Hey Ya - Outkast
The Late Great Cassiopia - The Essex Green
Truck On - Simple Kid
Slow Life - Super Furry Animals

2004
Portions for Foxes - Rilo Kiley
Giddy Stratospheres - The Long Blondes
Wake Up - Arcade Fire

Have a Nice Day - Stereophonics number 1

Somewhere only we know - Keane number 2 for me please.

Thanks Eppers