Ten Turning Twenty: Best Albums From 2000
The White Stripes Delivered Their Sophomore Album in 2000
Thank goodness the world did not shut down, in spite of the many dire warnings. Instead, the three nines turned over to zeroes, and things went on just as they had the century before.
Thus we were treated to many great records in the year 2000, including a release from a group that had not created any new material since 1980. Here are the ten best studio albums that turn twenty this year.
1. Life'll Kill Ya by Warren Zevon
Death is the main theme of this record, as addressed in the title trac k and "Don't Let Us Get Sick." The entire album became even more intriguing when, just three years after its release, Zevon passed away from cancer.
2. Breach by the Wallflowers
Bob Dylan's son Jakob had broken through with Bringing Down the Horse, but this series of songs have even more depth. "I've Been Delivered" is as close as Dylan ever got to competing with the imagery of his legendary father, while "Sleepwalker" and "Letters From the Wasteland" pay rock homage to some of the poets who influenced the young Robert Zimmerman.
.3. Maroon by Barenaked Ladies
"One Week" was sort of a novelty hit that propelled the album, but its best tracks are "It's All Been Done" and "In The Car."
4. Two Against Nature by Steely Dan
Donald Fagen and Walter Becker had last collaborated on Gaucho two decades prior, so slick new tracks like "Cousin Dupree" and "What a Shame About Me" were ardently received by long-starved fans.
5. Daisies of the Galaxy by Eels
"Tiger in My Tank" and "Daisy Through Concrete" are just two examples of how Mark Oliver Everett's songwriting had progressed since the debut Beautiful Freak hit the shelves three years before.
6. Destilj by the White Stripes
His best was yet to come the following year with White Blood Cells, but Jack White does indeed give hints here of great stuff like the opener "You're Pretty Good Looking For a Girl."
7. Mermaid Avenue II by Billy Bragg and Wilco
Their first collaboration of setting music to long-lost Woody Guthrie lyrics had been a huge success, even breaking the Top Ten on the charts. This follow up was nearly as sharp, even though mainstream audiences had lost some appreciation for the idea.
8. The Harsh Light of Day by Fastball
Following a breakthrough like All the Pain Money Can Buy was a difficult task, but Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo certainly made a commendable effort with this collection of power pop songs.
9. Mass Romantic by New Pornographers
Because of the title track as well as "The Slow Descent Into Alcobolism", this debut drew comparisons to Cheap Trick, Big Star, the Pretenders and even the Buzzcocks.
10. Standing on the Shoulder of Giants by Oasis
It did not provide the gorgeous Beatlesque rock of the first three releases, but SSG did give us Liam's first solo composition and Noel's fabulous "Where Did It All Go Wrong."
