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The Pipettes, from Brighton, sing about sex, love and boys - though mainly sex. They are the sort of gals that would have made Charles Hawtrey's right knee twitch and Sid James cackle like a Hyena. On this, their debut and only album, they transformed a homespun 7" enterprise into an international phenemomen. Their svengali, Bobby Monster, and local backing band The Cassettes can take some credit for creating this collection of sixties influenced pop gems - but The Pipettes pure charm and panache is the driving force. Indie chicks have never been sassier. Sadly RiotBecki and Rosay have now departed the band and their new incarnation has yet to materialize. It looks like The Pipettes may go down as one of those wild summer flings that we will always remember with dewy warmth.
Highlights:
youtube.com/the pipettes - dirty mind
youtube.com/the pipettes - your kisses are wasted on me
youtube.com/the pipettes - pull shapes
Formed in the eighties, The Wrens from New Jersey only got around to releasing this, their third album, until well into the noughties. Their style is heartfelt, country influenced melodic indie guitar pop and nobody does it better. Rumour has it that the band are making preparations for their fourth record which is great news, but guys - don't let the day jobs grind you down! We need as much of this material as you can muster.
Highlights:
youtube.com/the wrens - happy
youtube.com/the wrens - she sends kisses
youtube.com/the wrens - per second second
Post-punk artrockers from Brooklyn, Liars have released four excellent experimental rock albums this decade. This self-titled album is the most recent, and also the most convincing. The sound is less sprawling than their other releases, it is honed and simplified.
Highlights:
youtube.com/liars - plaster casts of everything
youtube.com/liars - freak out
youtube.com/liars - clear island (live)
Let's get one thing straight - "1 Thing" is quite probably the best pop single of the decade. Right? OK, we can continue. Producer Songwriter Rich Harrison was on a roll with this record. Having already created massive hits for Beyonce, including "Crazy in Love", and Jennifer Lopez, it was time for one if his original muses, Amerie, to get the same treatment. This album is ridiculously consistent, and the structures and samples just a little bit more left-field than most pop R&B albums of the era.
Highlights:
youtube.com/amerie - 1 thing
youtube.com/amerie - not the only one
youtube.com/amerie - talkin' about
You may have noticed that I have got bored with posting my noughties list. This is partly because I have been compiling this baby in my spare time.
As a special New Year's present, I have donated the following spotify playlist containing 365 of the best tracks released last year. THAT's ONE TRACK A DAY!!!
DIGITAL TENDERNESS:365x2009
It contains all the critically acclaimed favourites that spotify can provide, as well as some pop gems, indie obscurities and muso geek nuggets. The rules were, one track per artist. (Note to Spotify+artists concerned: what no Grizzly Bear, Pissed Jeans, Raekwon?)
If you get lost then the following highly accurate road-map will guide you confidently through the mix.
ENJOY.
The Pipettes, from Brighton, sing about sex, love and boys - though mainly sex. They are the sort of gals that would have made Charles Hawtrey's right knee twitch and Sid James cackle like a Hyena. On this, their debut and only album, they transformed a homespun 7" enterprise into an international phenemomen. Their svengali, Bobby Monster, and local backing band The Cassettes can take some credit for creating this collection of sixties influenced pop gems - but The Pipettes pure charm and panache is the driving force. Indie chicks have never been sassier. Sadly RiotBecki and Rosay have now departed the band and their new incarnation has yet to materialize. It looks like The Pipettes may go down as one of those wild summer flings that we will always remember with dewy warmth.
