Cat Power "The Covers Record" (2000)

The Covers Record

release date: Mar. 21, 2000

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer: non-produced

label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - 7. "I Found a Reason" - 12. "Sea of Love"

5th studio album by Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall [pronounced 'shawn], aka Charlyn Marie Marshall) following 1½ years after the album Moon Pix (1998), which is cited by many as her first significant studio album.

The Covers Records is, to no surprise, a collection of covers by many diverse artists. You'll find tracks by famous artists such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and the Velvet Underground, tracks made famous by Nina Simone and Mae West, and there are tracks by (to most) more unknown names such as Phil Phillips, Papa Charlie Jackson, and Michael Hurley. There's also room for a reinterpretation of Cat Power's own track "In This Hole", previously released on What Would the Community Think, Power's third album and Marshall's first on Matador released in '96 while Power was still associated with the name of Chan Marshall's band, although in practice she had already gone solo here.

The album is entirely acoustic and stripped down to a minimal of instrumentation and most probably also recorded on a single recording track with only Chan Marshall singing and playing guitar. On some tracks, it's her piano that is only accompaniment, and only on "Salty Dog" the participation of guitarist Matt Sweeney is heard. Typically, for Cat Power, no producer is indicated on the album, and in this case it's probably only sound engineers who have set up microphones and then started and finished the recording.

It's restrained to lo-fi regardless the original arrangements and therefore most tracks fall quite far from their original expression. It's Chan Marshall solo, and it's heartfelt, but maybe also a bit one-sided - at least for my liking. The album garnered some good reviews, but it's not among my favourites. Admittedly, Marshall has an insistent melodic vocal and sings with great emotion, making all the songs her own. For me, the problem is that the tracks slide (too much) into each other and end up sounding one-stringed, and she's just not an instrumentalist virtouso or (for that matter) a singer with a big register. If you're not familiar with Cat Power, I will recommend listening to her predecessor, Moon Pix or the successor You Are Free (2003), which may be regarded as her commercial breakthrough.

[ allmusic.com, NME, Spin 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard "Gladiator" (OST) (2000)

Gladiator (soundtrack)

release date: Apr. 25, 2000

format: digital (35 x File, FLAC) (20th Anniversary Edition, 2020 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]

producer: Klaus Badelt, Hans Zimmer, Ridley Scott

label: Universal Music Classics - nationality: Germany / Australia

Track highlights: 3. "The Battle" - 5. "Sorrow" - 6. "To Zuccabar" - 9. "The Might of Rome" - 15. "Elysium" - 17. "Now We Are Free" - *19. "Now We Are Free (Juba's Mix)" - *25. "Rome Is the Light" - *35. "Now We Are Free (Maximus Mix)"

*2020 Anniversary Edition

Soundtrack to a Ridley Scott directed epic drama starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Richard Harris, and Oliver Reed (who passed away 1 year before the film premiered). The soundtrack is like the film an acclaimed work in its own rights, and all music here is credited Zimmer & Gerrard in collaboration and with Gavin Greenaway conducting [The London] Lyndhurst Orchestra.

The original soundtrack runs for just over one hour and counts the first 17 tracks - the remaining 18 tracks have been added to the 20th Anniversary Edition; however already in 2001 the soundtrack was released in this version as a 2-disc CD edition for the European market doubling its running time.

The music is held in a classic (heavily) orchestrated frame. The music is pompous but quite fitting to the likewise dramatic imagery side of the film. At times I notice a strong influence from Morricone and some inspiration from Richard Wagner but then aren't all great composers inspired by others? What really works on a higher level here, is that themes and styles go hand in hand with the images and the story, and yet as a standalone piece of work, this soundtrack still works quite nicely; although, I prefer the more progressive compositions and especially those featuring Gerrard's enigmatic vocal performances.

Gladiator (OST) is one of those rare soundtracks where everything is in sublime synergy. I may prefer more experimental and subtle soundtracks but this is one to cherish.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

[ Hans Zimmer on the making of the soundtrack ]

The Go-Betweens "Bright Yellow Bright Orange" (2003)

Bright Yellow Bright Orange
release date: Feb. 24, 2003
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: The Go-Betweens
label: Trifekta - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Caroline and I" - 2. "Poison in the Walls" - 3. "Mrs. Morgan" - 6. "Crooked Lines" - 8. "Make Her Day"

8th studio album by The Go-Betweens released 2½ years after The Friends of Rachel Worth (Sep. 2000) is once again with a changed line-up in the 'supporting roles' of a band that is essentially no more than a duo-project. Now officially, the band is back as a quartet with the two founders at the front, the songwriters and composers Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who are both credited on vocals and various guitars (Forster is also credited on organ and piano). As on the predecessor, they are here backed by bassist Adele Pickvance, who is also credited on keyboards and backing vocals, and then new member Glenn Thompson is seen on drums, electric guitar, organ, keyboards, and backing vocals. Beyond these, only a small duo of string instrumentalists are credited musical contributions.

Stylistically, there are no major changes since the 2000 revival release, but as a positive contrast, this is a much more cohesive collection of songs, with the two songwriters actually sounding like they've been working together on the new tracks and not 'only' have met in the studio with a handful of their own individual tracks, as they had become accustomed to in the years after their break-up in '88. The album contains an expected even number of 10 new tracks, which typically indicate five songs by Forster and five by McLennan, only this time they don't make a big fuzz about telling us who wrote what song. Instead, all tracks are credited Forster / McLennan, although they are believed to have contributed roughly equally with lyrical and musical contributions. They match each other in unison - and not that they didn't do that before, but it's as if they rise together on more optimistic notes, and perhaps the title suggests exactly what is seen on the cover - the only album by the band without actual photos of the band members - a reflection of a lighter lyrical content. Fact is, many of their earlier songs were woven and soothed in bittersweet melancholy. In contrast, they here sort of narrate in lighter spheres adding tailored vocal harmonies and chamber pop arrangements. The only thing I miss are a number of distinctive strong songs, and seen as a whole the album is perhaps a bit too cohesive with the two songwriters tiptoeing along more or less down the same path on golden rays of sunshine.

Expectedly, Bright Yellow Bright Orange was met by positive reviews and was even nominated, without winning, Best Album at the Australian Music Awards but The Go-Betweens now sound like they have found their footing and are back on course again. And nevertheless, it's always a pleasure to hear new songs with this classic songwriting duo.

[ allmusic.com, Blender, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, 👉The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "The Friends of Rachel Worth" (2000)

The Friends of Rachel Worth
release date: Sep. 16, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: The Go-Betweens
label: Clearspot / EFA - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Magic in Here" - 3. "The Clock" - 5. "He Lives My Life" - 6. "Heart and Home" - 7. "Surfing Magazines" - 8. "Orpheus Beach" - 9. "Going Blind" - 10. "When She Sang About Angels"

7th studio album by The Go-Betweens released twelve years after 16 Lovers Lane (Aug. 1988) is the band's first since its recent reformation. Robert Forster and Grant McLennan had stayed friends and never lost touch in the years following the band's break-up in '89, although they were now busy pursuing individual solo careers. Forster released four solo albums - most recently Warm Nights from 1996 - and he produced a few releases for wife Karin Bäumler's band Baby You Know, whereas McLennan seems to have been more productive by also releasing four solo albums - most recently In Your Bright Ray from 1997 - one of these is a double album, and then he also released two albums with the band Jack Frost, as well as a single with the band Far Out Corporation. In the run-up to the reformation of The Go-Betweens, the two songwriters played a number of live gigs together assisted by bassist Adele Pickvance, either announced as Forster / McLennan or occasionally as The Go-Betweens, performing songs from their respective solo releases as well as songs from their time with The Go-Betweens. In Forster's autobiography "Grant & I" he recalls how the French music magazine 'Les Inrockuptibles' got in contact with Forster because they wanted to bring a longer article on the band's story and simulaneously they hired a version of the reformed band to perform as The Go-Betweens in Paris. The concert was quite successful and other European concerts soon followed. One night after a performance in '96, Grant aired the idea that they really should reform the band, an idea Forster didn't immediately reject, but it didn't materialise on that occasion as they had too many things going on. Forster had just released Warm Nights, which he intended to promote, and he and Karin were also expecting their first child, and then the near-always prolific McLennan was working on what would turn out to be his final solo album, the fine In Your Bright Ray (Sep. '97). Concurrently, he had also formed the band Far Out Corporation together with guitarist Ian Haug (of Powderfinger), Adele Pickvance, and drummer Ross McLennan (no relation to Grant), who had sometimes replaced Glenn Thompson when playing live with Forster, and together they released the album FOC (Oct. '98). So clearly, thoughts about new music from The Go-Betweens were still well and truly stoved away. As of May '99, Beggars Banquet released the album Bellavista Terrace: Best of The Go-Betweens - and the company wanted the band's aid to promote the album, and a new live tour was soon set up. The concerts were again powerful experiences and yet again McLennan had asked Forster whether it was time to reform the band and perhaps focus their joint songwriting on producing a new album. Forster first had to return home to ask his family in Germany how they felt about him doing a new shot at the old band, and with Karin's approval, Forster then moved with his family to Australia to make sure Forster and McLennan could work closely together on new music, just as they had found working was best years before - getting together with a handful of new drafts and then in a mutual process making a first rough sorting and testing out arrangements before the tracks were presented to the rest of the band.

For this album, the new quintet of The Go-Betweens consists of the two founding members, vocalist and guitarists Forster and McLennan, together with bassist and backing vocalist Adele Pickvance, who, in addition to having assisted McLennan on his solo tours, also was part of the band Far Out Corporation. Pickvance was to prove to be the only other and third stable member in the band's new short life cycle. Much like years before, all tracks are credited the Forster / McLennan unit, with one half of the songwriting credited Forster and the other half to McLennan, while all songs feature both as composers. The album is the band's first to be recorded in the US (Portland, Oregon), and to support the band they are assisted of the trio Sleater-Kinney, consisting of Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss (drummer in three bands: Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, and The Go-Betweens). Officially, Brownstein and Tucker are only credited on track #9 for additional guitar and vocals, but apparently they contribute (uncredited) harmony vocals on several tracks. However, the album is the one and only with a line-up featuring Weiss and (husband) Sam Coomes, who both form the core of Sleater-Kinney.

The front cover only depicts McLennan and Forster (the back is text only), and the two reappear with Pickvance and Weiss (but without Coomes) on the inside of the digipak edition.

Compared to their solo releases over the past decade, the album doesn't offer strikingly new, and the closest is actually the style of McLennan and Forster's solo works, where they have both cultivated singer / songwriter and folk rock since the break-up in '89. It's very much like two troubadours doing their usual stuff - together, but separately. Neither the composition contribute much to the sound of the new Go-Betweens, and it's really only the familiar vocals of the two frontmen that connect the album with previous releases by The Go-Betweens.

As was the case before the disbandment, the album was met by positive reviews, and also by a lack of commercial success. All in all, The Friends of Rachel Worth isn't one of the band's most memorable albums, but as with their other six albums - perhaps with the exception of the stumbling debut - the songs have a distinct rock poetic signature. The lyrics offer fine lines and personal stories, 'cause as modern storytellers, the songwriting duo Forster / McLennan are in a league where you easily think of other names such as Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Tom Verlaine, David Bowie, etc., which in itself is exceptional company.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Melody Maker, NME, Spin 4 / 5, 👉Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Bill Frisell "Ghost Town" (2000)

Ghost Town

release date: Mar. 7, 2000

format: Digital (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,81]

producer: Lee Townsend

label: Elektra Nonesuch - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa" - 2. "Ghost Town / Poem for Eva)" - 3. "Wildwood Flower" - 5. "Variation on a Theme" - 9. "My Man's Gone Now" - 10. "Outlaw" - 13. "Winter Always Turns to Spring" - 14. "Justice and Honor"

Studio album by Bill Frisell following his fine interpretations The Sweetest Punch (Sep. 1999) with songs by Costello and Bacharach is almost as rule of thumb with producer Lee Townsend, but the album differs from many other Frisell releases by being a solo album with Frisell as only instrumentalist. It's not recorded live but it contains multi-layered tracks with the artist playing a diversity of string instruments and using overdubs. Alas, the album has only been issued in digital formats for cd or download.

Stylewise, it's in the quiet and introspective section of his releases, which in many ways guarantees great compositions. The 16 tracks are mainly by Frisell himself - 5 are covers - with an overall genre touching country, folk, standards, and instrumental jazz as the repertoire, and with a total tunning time beyond 70 minutes it never feels too long.

Ghost Town was met by positive reviews, which I perfectly understand. On this, Frisell excells with great emotional strength, and although he masters all sorts of styles and genres, I really enjoy it when he incorporates americana with a gentle approach. This is the closest I've so far found Frisell approaching the sound of Ry Cooder making a made up soundtrack to a fine forgotten film by Wenders.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 3,5 / 4 stars ]

Heligoland "Heligoland" (2000)

Heligoland [debut]

release date: Jan. 1, 2000

format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: Calcium Chloride - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Lost and Lethal" - 2."Shrug" - 3. "Bluebird" - 5. "Shock Treatment" - 6. "Isn't It Sad" (4 / 5) - 7. "Loaded Gun" - 9. "The Kiss-Off" (contains a cover of Hendrix' "Purple Haze" after 2 mins. pause)

Full-length album debut by Heligoland - not to be confused with the Australian band led by Karen Vogt and Steve Wheeler, nor the album release by Massive Attack. This is instead the one-man project by Tim Friese-Greene after releasing the four-track ep Creosote & Tar (1997) on his own label Calcium Chloride via his bandcamp profile.

This is a like finding a hidden gem everyone should know of but only few have come across, which is really sad. Everyone knows what a fundamental part Friese-Greene played in co-creating the music in one of Britain's most influential bands of the late 80s and early 90s: Talk Talk and his and Mark Hollis' experimental musical approach, which led to albums like Spirit of Eden (Sep. 1988) and Laughing Stock (Nov. 1991), but he was also behind the music by the band as early as It's My Life (Feb. 1984)

It's not that hard to hear the weight of the legacy in these nine compositions. There's a strong experimental and wildness jumping out of the music, and there's a strong and natural denial of making mainstream pop-tunes on the basis of known formulas. Instead, energy and playfulness makes evreything come to life.

Recommended.

Mogwai "EP+6" (2000)

EP+6 (compilation)

release date: Aug. 2000 / Oct. 1, 2001 (first UK issue)

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

producer: various

label: Chemikal Underground - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Superheroes of BMX" - 2. "Now You're Taken" - 5. "Rollerball" - 6. "Small Children in the Background" - 7. "Stanley Kubrick" (official video) - 8. "Christmas Song" - 9. "Burn Girl Prom Queen" - 10. "Rage: Man"

Compilation album by Mogwai essentially compiling three eps into one longplayer with EP being their most recent release from Oct. '99. It consists of ten tracks with a total running time at 72 minutes. The first three compositions are from 4 Satin (1997), tracks #4 to #6 from No Education = No Future (Fuck the Curfew) E.P (1998), and the last four are from EP (1999) - thus the title: EP+6 comes with four tracks plus six other tracks... The album was originally intended for the Japanese market only (released on Toy's Factory, August 2000) but was soon made in various digital issues for the European market primarily because the original three eps only had been pressed in limited numbers. Some European cd-issues are enhanced issues containing an extended version of "Stanley Kubrick", the music video, whereas the first Japanese edition has reversed track order (from newest to oldest) and some Japanese issues also came with the music video for "Xmas Steps".

Again, Mogwai has produced a fine album, although, all tracks have already been released in ep-versions, and it's difficult to pin out the best tracks, however, none of them appear on the band's normal full-length albums making this another fine album to know of. Also because the last four tracks here bond nicely to the most recent an otherwise different album Rock Action (Apr. 2001).

Recommended.

EDIT Nov. 2021: The album has been re-issued in a remastered 3 lp vinyl version (for the first time) with the new title "e.p. x 3", but with the same tracklist and with new front cover (still photo by Neale Smith of the same water tower). The album is also made available as download release via the band's bandcamp profile.

XTC "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)" (2000)

Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)
release date: May 17, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: Nick Davis
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Playground" - 2. "Stupidly Happy" - 3. "In Another Life" - 5. "Boarded Up" - 6. "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" - 8. "Standing in for Joe" - 10. "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful" - 12. "The Wheel and the Maypole"
[ full album ]

12th studio album by XTC is the second part in the band's "Apple Venus" (volumes) series and the remaining tracks of an intended double album. XTC is still a duo of songwriters Andrew [Andy] Partridge and Colin Moulding after guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Dave Gregory left during the recordings of Apple Venus Volume 1. As usual, Partridge has written the majority of the tracks as Moulding is credited for three out of twelve songs.
This new, second part, doesn't quite follow the style of Volume 1 as it's much more a pop / rock album in the style of psychedelic pop / art pop and power pop - rhythm-guitar rock with clear bonds to Beach Boys, The Kinks, The Beatles, Badfinger and Todd Rundgren (who produced XTC's acclaimed Skylarking) more than more experimental styles of neo-psychedelia and progressive pop found on the '99 album, which in a way seems a bit odd given the fact that Partridge, Moulding and Gregory had already written material for a double album when entering the studio back in early '98.
Where critics loved the '99 album, they are much more reluctant and luke-warm about this.
Neither do I find it as fine and innovative as Apple Venus Volume 1, but it's more than just a decent album. It's really such a pity that they couldn't finance the double album they sat out for when entering the studio in '98. I think, it would have been great. Instead of producing an album containing all songs - perhaps with a completely different track listing, which would have made it more of a conglomerate - they end up having released two rather different albums that will always be compared to one another. Some even talk about "the leftovers" from "Volume 1" when determining this is the inferior second part... No, they are just very different, but also so much in the spirit of XTC, who have never ceased to write and compose music in so many different styles without losing the band's dna. This is another fine chapter in the story of XTC - not one of their best but less suffice to make a good album.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The The "Naked Self" (2000)

Naked Self
release date: Feb. 29, 2000
format: cd (LTD.)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Matt Johnson & Bruce Lampcov
label: Nothing Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Boiling Point" - 2. "Shrunken Man" - 3. "The Whisperers" (live) - 5. "Global Eyes" (live) - 6. "December Sunlight" - 7. "Swine Fever" - 9. "Weather Belle" - 10. "Voidy Numbness" - 11. "Phantom Walls"

6th studio album release by The The stylised as NakedSelf follows five full years after Hanky Panky, which for many stands as a bit of the odd one out by being entirely dedicated to Hank Williams covers for which Matt Johnson selected a handful of session musicians instead of working with the established backing band.
NakedSelf is quite naturally a much awaited album and he's back with the old formula working alone, handpicking people to work with, and he's back with twelve new compositions. I purchased the album without giving it a single listen, and I must admit that I'm not certain to have made the same decision having given it an ear test first. I never played this one that many times - for many years I tried, though, but it just never caught me. Also, I've always been a bit bewildered about how to label it in terms of style and genre, which of course isn't important at all. Undoubtedly, it will go as experimental, and art rock, but pop / rock? Most evidently, no! Out of 12 tracks only 2-3 felt like worth the lot, and I soon regreted my purchase. Now, that was my thoughts back in 2000 and for the first decade or so, but after having returned to it in recent years, I really don't find it all that bad after all. My initial verdict would most likely have been 2,5 / 5, max, but nowadays, I'm sure it's 3,5 / 5, and even above that, a rather solid album. Some of the tracks have a Radiohead tone whereas others seem to belong to a different dimension, where Johnson explores his own influences but perhaps most apparently: expands his own soundscape by revisiting some of the sources to his first solo album Burning Blue Soul (1981) with its will to experiment and to explore what should become known as neo-psychedelic.
NakedSelf isn't a bad album, it may not provide us with great pop songs of the like one will find on his previous releases, although, three to four come close. At bottom line, it's much more introspective and basically an album for the keen listener.
Following this, Matt Johnson appears to have withdrawn from the public eye. People may think he left the business but he has continued to compose and write music, only more exclusively as soundtrack composer, and primarily for younger brother Gerard Johnson films, the first being the short Mug (2004), followed by full-length films: Tony (2009) and Hyena (2014) - also for the documentary Moonbug (2010) by Nichola Bruce, all of which have been released as soundtracks via the Matt Johnson founded label and podcast host Radio Cinéola. And speaking of brothers, in 2016 Matt's brother Andrew, known as Andy Dog, the artist behind several covers by The The, died from a brain tumor. Allegedly, the loss of brother Eugene in '99 was one of the reasons to why Matt Johnson felt trapped and ultimately stepped out of the music business - now it appears another brother's untimely death could be one of the reasons to why Johnson may be getting a band back together to perform the back catalogue of The The.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, 👍NME 3,5 / 5, 👉Pitchfork 7,1 / 10 stars ]

The Cure "Bloodflowers" (2000)

Bloodflowers
release date: Feb. 14, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]
producer: Robert Smith, Paul Corkett
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

11th studio album by The Cure was again 4 years under its way, although, the recording sessions took place from 1998-99. For at least this album the band members remain the same as on the previous album. The album is by many seen as a return to a more dark, introvert and gothic rock styled sound that puts it as the last in a trilogy with Pornography (1982) and Disintegration (1989). I do see the common traces of the three albums, but since neither of them ever were among the best of The Cure in my eyes, I can at least agree that it's a return to more introvert and complex compositions without the cheesy pop love songs. To me it's more the sound of a band in lack of direction and new ideas. They turn to the past and put everything on repeat.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Kent "B-sidor 95-00" (2000)

B-sidor 95-00 (compilation)
release date: Nov. 29, 2000
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: RCA Victor / BMG Sweden - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights, Disc 1: 5. "Noll" - 7. "Bas riff" - 8. "Din skugga" - 10. "Längesen vi sågs" - 11. "December" - 12. "Utan dina andetag" - 13. "På nära håll" - - Disc 2: 1. "Livrädd med stil" - 2. "Verkligen" - 6. "Rödljus" - 9. "Den osynlige mannen" (Kazoo version) - 10. "Slutsats"

2 disc compilation album by Kent compiling all of their B-side singles from 1995 to 2000. Given the title this is of course fan material, and as such a very nice release. My only complaints here are the incomplete project and the running order: A minor 'fault' is how they have tried to order songs according to release date, but in reverse order. That is a bit annoying but still you may add: it's kind of chronological; however, more grave is the incompleteness. "Kevlarsjäl" was released Sep. 2000 with "Insekter" as B-side - that song is left out on the album. Of course it was included on Hagnesta Hill (1999) but also "Den osynlige mannen" and "Pojken med hålet i handen" were album releases and still find their way to this album as B-side releases. What's a more openly bad decision, is the fact that the first two tracks were never even actual B-sides! "Chans" was released to promote this compilation as an A-side single (with "747" in a remix as the B-side, which isn't here), and "Spökstad" was planned for a second A-side release, but it was retracted by the record label only after the first pressing had hit the stores [which makes it quite rare]. That's truly an odd choice to have an album titled "B-sides..." starting off with two non-B-side singles. It's just... when you announce an album of this sort, you better do it right, and I think it could have been better and more accurate.
All this aside, the album is a nice release, where several songs shine as A-side material, and the booklet comes with detailed information about the songs, the singles released and the recording sessions. The album peaked at number #2 on the national albums chart list and two singles were released: "Chans" (rel. Nov. 22) reaching number #14 and "Spökstad" (rel. early 2001), which didn't result in a chart list entry.
Not essential but definitely fan must-have material.

Also in 2000, a documentary "Så nära får ingen gå – ett år med Kent" was made by Mathias Engstrand and Per Sinding-Larsen, who followed the band in Sweden and throughout Europe for a whole year. The film premiered on SVT [Sveriges Television] (the national Swedish Television) in May 2001.

Olesen-Olesen "Der er brev fra Onkel Bob i Amerika" (2000)

Der er brev fra Onkel Bob i Amerika
release date: Sep. 13, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
produced: Kim Hyttel, Olesen-Olesen
label: Midget Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Set gennem en voksende rus" (4 / 5) (acoustic live) - 2. "Lad mig sove til jeg vågner" (4 / 5) - 3. "Ikke kun i Nordvest" - 4. "Farvel store ego" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Audrey Hepburn" - 7. "Hologram" (4 / 5) - 8. "Venter på renæssancen" - 9. "Hvor alting hører op" - 10. "Når man nærmest har alt" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Olesen-Olesen released on Midget Records and produced by Kim Hyttel and Olesen-Olesen is an 11 tracks album with a running time at (only) 40 mins.
Stylistically, the duo continues in a singer / songwriter context with this album as their most chamber pop styled release.
In my mind - and in retrospect after having released 7 full-length studio albums - this very album is the duo's best, their most coherent, and also their most orchestrated album. It has a fine balanced background foundation with slide-guitar, bass, and drums but also a well-tempered Hammond organ. On top of that, Peter H. Olesen shines in his ever-present melancholy of images of long-gone America, stories about Dylan ('Onkel Bob' ['Uncle Bob'], of course), Audrey Hepburn, about ordinary life, longing in general, and the ongoing stories about self-esteem and lost and future illusions.
This is one of my absolute favourite albums of the year 2000.

Highly recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

2000 Favourite releases: 1. PJ Harvey Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea - 2. Susana Baca Eco de sombras - 3. Olesen-Olesen Der er brev fra onkel Bob i Amerika

Lou Reed "Ecstasy" (2000)

Ecstasy
release date: Apr. 4, 2000
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,15]
producer: Lou Reed, Hal Willner
label: Sire records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Paranoia Key of E" - 4. "Ecstasy" - 6. "Tatters" - 8. "Turning Time Around" - 9. "White Prism" - 10. "Rock Minuet"

18th studio album by Lou Reed is released more than 4 years since his last studio release, although, the years in between gave birth to at least two live albums and three compilation releases. Ecstacy is another conceptual album - this time about love and relationships. The album doesn't really contain single great tracks but it sort of documents how Reed has evolved from being this wild art rocker to become a fine and subtle story-teller in his older days. It seems like aeons ago that New York (1989) showcased Reed's fine balanced rock & roll stories in a tight band-backed wrapping.
On Ecstacy his story-telling is the strongest when he's most vulnerable, reciting quietly in a jazz and rock-fusion style as a more serene singer / songwriter, and the music itself becomes less relevant.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Lisa Ekdahl "Sings Salvadore Poe" (2000)

Sings Salvadore Poe
release date: Oct. 27, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Salvadore Poe, Magnus Lindgren, Lisa Ekdahl
label: RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

4th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl released after the collaboration album Back to Earth (1998). This is her first album of bossa nova and latin jazz to lyrics and music composed by American composer, and husband, Salvadore Poe, and with additional orchestral music arranged by Magnus Lindgren.
Well, the lyrics may very likely be fine - I haven't been able to concentrate much on that part, 'cause the music isn't performed to my liking. I don't mind latin jazz, bossa nova or easy listening, but sung by Ekdahl, the lyrics, and music become somewhat tiresome. Her English is... not good, and her bright and light singing voice doesn't fit, I think. Of course it could be a lot worse, and the album is by no means a mediocre one, but for the standards of Ekdahl, this is probably her least favourable album.

Mark Kozelek "Rock 'n' Roll Singer" (2000) (ep)

Rock 'n' Roll Singer, ep
release date: Jun. 13, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: Badman Recording Co. - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Find Me, Ruben Olivares" (4 / 5) - 2. "Rock 'n' Roll Singer" (live) - 3. "You Ain't Got a Hold on Me" - 4. "Metropol 47" - 5. "Around and Around" - 6. "Bad Boy Boogie" - 7. "Ruth Marie"

Studio ep debut by Mark Kozelek released on Badman Recording Co. consisting of seven tracks of which three would later be issued on his full-length album debut What's Next to the Moon (2001). Together with Red House Painters, Kozelek had recorded the band's final album Old Ramon (rec. 1997-98), although, it wasn't released until 2001 as the band decided to split. So this is part of Kozelek's continued journey releasing some of his own songs; tracks #1, #4, and #7, and showing his interest in remodelling other people's songs into alt. folk and singer / songwriter style. Three of the cover songs (tracks #2, #3, and #6) are originally songs by the Australian heavy rock band AC/DC, and track #5 is credited John Denver.

In retrospect, this is typical Kozelek in the sense that his most haunting and beautiful songs are written by himself, whereas his cover versions are mere extravagant contributions.

Pearl Jam "Binaural" (2000)

Binaural
release date:  May 16, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,48]
producer: Tchad Blake, Pearl Jam
label: Epic Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 7. "Insignificance" (3 / 5) - 9. "Grievance" (2,5 / 5) - 12. "Soon Forget" (3 / 5)

6th studio album by Pearl Jam and the first album since the debut not to be produced with Brendan O'Brien. A natural consequence of this is a change of style, and the album is the band's so far most experimental studio release. Especially three songs entirely written and composed by the band's rhythm guitarist, Stone Gossard, and the second track by bassist Jeff Ament are just... something else. The rest are at best mediocre Pearl Jam sound-a-likes. Eddie Vedder is as usual the one who provides almost all lyrics and the majority of the compositions, but even his contributions here are lesser works. One of his songs, "Soon Forget" anticipates his fine solo album Ukulele Songs from 2011.

To me, this is the band's least favourable and simply not recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

David Sylvian "Everything and Nothing" (2000)

Everything and Nothing (compilation)
release date: Oct. 2000
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: David Sylvian, Steve Nye
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

2-disc compilation album by David Sylvian. The album covers most of his vast repertoire from his days with Japan, various collaboration works and recent solo works.
I don't think it's as good as it could've been. First thing that bothers me is the way the tracks in chronological order are randomly put together, or so it seems. Another difficult thing is that the album offers room for all Sylvian's various musical styles and experiments, which makes it more of a document than a digestible album; however, the quality of the single compositions do not justify my rating of the album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "Silver & Gold" (2000)

Silver & Gold
release date: Apr. 25, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Neil Young, Ben Keith
label: Reprise Records, Germany - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Good to See You" (4 / 5) - 2. "Silver & Gold" - 3. "Daddy Went Walkin'" - 4. "Buffalo Springfield Again" - 7. "Red Sun" - 8. "Distant Camera" - 9. "Razor Love"

24th studio album by Neil Young this time released as a solo album, and as often is the case when he chooses his solo works it's singer / songwriter and folk, and it's an album with strong bonds to Harvest, Comes a Time, and Harvest Moon.
Despite scarce instrumentation some tracks feature guest artists like Jim Keltner, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Oscar Butterworth, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt.
It's not truly great but it's quite fine and very enjoyable.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Peter Murphy "Wild Birds 1985-1995" (2000)

Wild Birds 1985-1995 (compilation)

release date: Feb. 22, 2000

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: diverse

label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Compilation by Peter Murphy released on Beggars Banquet after he had left the label with which he had been associated since the first release with Bauhaus in 1980, and it's Murphy's first compilation album.

As the subtitle indicates, it's not necessarily a best of album, but instead a selection of songs from his solo career spanning five studio albums over a decade with a total of sixteen compositions and a total running time at just under 75 minutes.

It's quite a fine selection - mainly songs written together with Murphy's regular composer (from his second album and onwards) guitarist Paul Stratham, and which generally shows his somewhat narrow musical style where music always contains elements from gothic rock with various hints of art pop and glam rock. The biggest stylistic detours are probably his influence from Turkish music, which is particularly evident on his most recent two albums: Holy Smoke from '92 and Cascade from '95.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

U2 "All That You Can't Leave Behind" (2000)

All That You Can't Leave Behind
release date: Oct. 30, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Beautiful Day" (4 / 5) - 2. "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" (4 / 5) - 3. "Elevation" - 4. "Walk On"

10th studio album by U2 marks a return to the producer-duo Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. The band chose to fight, and spent more than 3½ years before releasing this new album. And thankfully so, 'cause the band obviously still has something to offer... after all. I know many people thought U2 were history and a band connected with the 1980's and '90s only. Instead this is a rebirth of the band, and it also signals that they will also be around in the new millennium. It's not really great but it's more than just Okay, and more importantly: it's far from the artistic low points of Pop (Mar. '97) and Zooropa (Jul. '93), and the band takes up its profile they had established before Achtung Baby.
The album contains two really fine songs: "Beautiful Day", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of". Those tracks alone would have made a really great single, instead it's a so-so album 'cause the remaining tracks are sadly not on par with any of the aforementioned.
The album strangely made it to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]