Re-set the Clock to 2000: Re-Issues

Music News Sun, 19 Sep 2010 Written by Rasha Omer with Paul Kelly
Queens of the Stone Age - Re-Issue of 'Rated R'

It’s been ten years since Josh Homme recited his idea of a good time concoction (over and over again) in 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer' from Queens of the Stone Age's career-defining album Rated R, which is being re-released this year (it has been a decade!), in a 2-disc format, containing the original release; in addition to bonus tracks (including two covers) and live recordings from the band’s 2000 Reading Festival gig.

These days the band’s dynamic has changed drastically with lineup and style variations, making this re-release a sweet reminder of the good "old" days of the stoner-desert rock pioneers.

It’s also been a decade since...

The turn of the new millennium witnessed a musical revolution of the sorts, new bands trying to rewind the future and older bands playing catch up – but the year 2000 saw the release of many great albums which we wouldn’t mind seeing get re-released today with a couple of goodies for the die-hard and new fans alike…below Rasha and Paul reminisce about their other 9 favourite releases from 2000:

The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic

 

The New Pornographers – Mass Romantic

RO: The debut record from the Canadian indie rock outfit signaled the start of an exciting career which has spawned five fantastic albums to date and multiple successful solo careers (Google 'Neko Case' if you're unsure).

At The Drive In - Relationship of Command

 

At The Drive-In – Relationship of Command:

RO: Their most solid offering was coincidentally their last – it was loud, proud and sincere – also Iggy pop sang back up and they found mainstream success. At The Drive In of course begat The Mars Volta, and the journey continued.

Sleater Kinnery - All Hands On The Bad One

 

Sleater-Kinney – All Hands on the Bad One

RO: Sadly they have disbanded, but thankfully they have released these tracks before doing so! Energetic, fun, chaotic but still restrained – Sleater-Kinney’s riot girl style was polished and catchy but with the same strong political undertones of their previous offerings.

PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

 

PJ Harvey – Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea:

RO: Polly Jean has always been a fan of change – she was the rebel girl of the 90’s singing emotionally raw songs for punk-hearted romantics but on her 2000 release she took a more introspective (except perhaps This Is Love), quieter approach which helped produce one of her most cohesive & honest collections.

Phoenix - United

 

Phoenix – United:

RO: Phoenix are experiencing a form of rebirth which came with their excellent 2009 record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, but before they were hip again – they released their first album United in 2000 and introduced the world to their unique take on pop music.

OutKast - Stankonia

 

OutKast – Stankonia:

RO: Before there was “Hey Ya!”, there was “Ms. Jackson” – and there was this roller coaster ride of an album, fast, creative, exhilarating and lacking any dull moments. Stankonia was a definite (brilliant!) milestone for the rap duo.

Radiohead -Kid A

 

Radiohead - Kid A

PK: What to do after selling millions of albums and creating one of the finer efforts laid down in a studio? The world wanted OK Computer II, so they got it. Probably in a slightly different form to what was expected. Songs like The National Anthem, Everything In Its Right Place, Optimistic, it's like a roll-call of some of their best work.

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

 

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

PK: 18 tracks of extraordinarily well-produced dance/electronic/full band dance-floor filling bounty. From the singles that everybody heard, like Frontier Psychiatry, and the soft-electro of the title track, this was an album that filled car stereo's, radio-waves and dance-floors alike during a massive era of mediocrity in the genre. This was an album to savour. Technically in 2001 anywhere on earth except Australia. So that counts as 2000.

Primal Scream - XTRMNTR

 

Primal Scream - Xtrmntr

PK: Primal Scream made an album cover without vowels. From the first track it was evident that this was a different Primal Scream, with Kill All Hippies launching the album head-on assault of anything. The album won praise all-round for its edginess, but maintained Primal Scream's prominence on the music scene. Exterminator, Pills, Blood Money, Accelerator; it was an avalanche of good tunes.

The Go Betweens - The Friends Of Rachel Worth

The Go Betweens -The Friends Of Rachel Worth

PK: After 12 years in the wilderness, the seminal Australian duo, The Go Betweens headed to the studio to record their follow-up to 1988's 16 Lovers Lane. Anyone who has heard this record won't need to read on. Going to the studio with the whole of Sleater Kinney, it was an effort for the ages. It was the third-last album The Go Betweens completed before Grant McLennan's death in 2006.