FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1997. All Rights Reserved.
FFWD's critic's picks for 1997
It's that time of year again. Time to look back at the year that was in music, sift through the mountains of crap, sort-of crap and crap with a capital "K" to find the handful of records and musicians that make this thankless job bearable. For every Bran Van 3000s out there, there are thousands of Kenny Gs and hopefully the sad-sack crew of FFWD music critics can offer an alternative route through the dreck.
Because any monkey with a typewriter does a Top 10 list at the end of the year, the group of layabouts and malcontents were asked to answer the following five questions:
1. Pick your top three albums of 1997 in no particular order
2. Who was the artist of the year?
3. What song means 1997 to you?
4. What album or song that should have been heard by everyone wasn't?
5. Who will be artist of the year in 1998?
Please note that for questions two, three and five, the answers weren't necesarilly personal favorites, but rather who and what defined or will define the year for whatever reason.
Martin Kemp
Top three albums· Dar Williams - End of Summer
· Dan Bern - S/T
· Olive - extra virgin
Artist of the year
As I delve deeper into the sordid world of electronic music, I've gotta pick Portishead as artist of the year, based on their self-titled release on GO! Beat/London. They seem to be defining the genre right now, and have added a lo-fi sound to the whole mix. Plus, you really can't go wrong with a sultry voice over slow, moody music.
Song of the year
"Are You Out There" - Dar Williams, from End of Summer. If there is such a thing as Generation X, this song sums it up.
"What's the future, who will choose it,
politics of love and music,
Underdogs who turn the tables,
Indie versus major labels,
There's so much to see through,
Like our parents do more drugs than we do."
1997 sees Dar Williams crowned spokesperson of a lost generation. Runner-up songs that define 1997 also belong to her, including "Party Generation" (really, how many songs actually have the words "designated driver" in them?) and "Teenagers, Kick Our Butts" (because they sort of do).
Unheard or barely heard gem of the year
With all the hoopla over electronica this year, I'm a little surprised that The Mighty Truth's From the City... To the Sea seems to have been deposited in the collective musical wastebin. The Mighty Truth have the ever popular sexy voice a la Morcheeba/Portishead/Olive, and with a few songs on the poppier side, seem to take the whole thing a bit further.
Artist of the year in 1998
I'm not sure if she'll be artist of the year in 1998 (you won't hear her sandwiched between Hanson and Spice Girls on Power 107), but someone to definitely keep your eye on is Montreal's Lhasa. Her debut disk La Llorona created quite a buzz this year, as did her appearance at various festivals around North America. Perhaps the biggest indication that Lhasa is going to be big in 1998 is the fact that she managed to fill Calgary's Night Gallery to capacity on a Tuesday evening - not only with world music aficionados, but with almost every local rock scenester in town. On her very first visit to Calgary, no less.
Aubrey McInnis
Top three albums· Tipsy - Trip Tease: Ingenious music for the swingin' hipster.
· That Dog - Retreat from the Sun: They've broken up, but expect more pop goodness from lead singer Anna Waronker soon.
· Supergrass - In It for the Money: Jellyfish fans can whet their appetite with one of the most tragically overlooked albums this side of the Atlantic.
Artist of the year
After spending 15 years in complete obscurity, Chumbawamba commanded everyone to raise their glass and boogie down to their working class anthem, "Tubthumping." While their feel good pop single broke them into the mainstream, the rest of the album proves they're anything but one hit wonders.
Song of the year
We still flip over the that quiet-loud-quiet stuff, don't we? This time around plaid is out and smash hits are back to 121-second lengths. Blur's "Song 2" stole the year - it's music to jump around to. Heck, listen for it during weekend jazzercise! While Fox Sports purchased the rights to the song for hockey programming, "Song 2" will be hot with karaoke bars for years to come.
Unheard or barely heard gem of the year
Raveen could use Bowery Electric albums to hypnotize club kids. Chicago's ambient duo may not be for everyone, but they released two faultlessly sublime albums in 1997: Beat, a tranquil exploration of thick beats and somnolent vocals, was followed by an equally mesmerizing remix album, Vertigo.
Artist of the year in 1998
DJs will be front and center as folks discover the guy scratching records in the Prodigy is more important than the two twerps dancin' around. Those that scratch, loop and construct songs form samples are going to make Puffy look like the simplistic schmuck that he is. With new albums coming from Underworld and Massive Attack, I say "Whoowee! It's going to be an exciting year...."
Hector Litorco
Top three albums· Bill Janovitz - Lonesome Billy
· OP8 with Lisa Germano - Slush
· Various Artists - The End of Violence (OST)
Artist of the year
The Notorious B.I.G.: After his unfortunate passing, Biggie's presence was buoyed by a solid recording and through the numerous tributes from his artist friends. Life after death, indeed.
Song of the year
"Can't Hardly Wait" - The Replacements: This alternate, Tim version of one of the best rock 'n' roll songs ever written came out more than a decade after it was recorded and contains the line of the year: "I'll be sad in heaven / If I don't find a hole in the gate."
Unheard or barely heard gem of 1997
The Mr. T Experience - "Love Is Dead"
Artist of the year in 1998
Ben Folds Five: Being neither electronica nor guitar alt-rock, they probably won't break huge in '98. Still, their piano-driven schemes elevate them above everybody else, so I'll be rooting for them regardless.
Zoltan Varadi
Top three albums· Jim White - The Mysterious Tale of How I Shouted Wrong Eyed Jesus
· A3 - Exile On Coldharbour Lane
· Mog Stunt Team - King of the Retards
Artist of the year
Alan Wayne - Calgary's oldest teenager has firmly cemented his place in this city's rock 'n' roll hall of fame. The ultimate impresario of Garageland.
Song of the year
"Barbie Girl" - Aqua - dumb, dumb, dumb.
Unheard or barely heard gem of the year
"Ain't Goin' to Goa" - A3
Artist of the year in 1998
Correction: artists - the whole rock en Espanol thing (ie. Cafe Tacuba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, King Chango). This movement of genre-crushing roots radicals blows away all of the SoCal ska punk frat boys, fully realizing the potential of Sandanista (the Clash album , not the guerrillas).
Jordan Kawchuk
Top three albums· Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind
· Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever, Amen
· Various Artists - The End of Violence (OST)
Artist of the year
Radiohead. Progressive, catchy, cool - what else can you ask from a pop band?
Song of the year
"Semicharmed Life" - Third Eye Blind: Every day it managed to find its way to my ears and every day I was reminded how mediocre commercial music really is.
Unheard or barely heard gem of 1997
Madeleine Peyroux's Dreamland
Artist of the year in 1998
Ron Sexsmith - every critic's golden boy; now it's time everyone else bought the songs.
Zenon West
Top three albums· Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind
· The Jayhawks - The Sound of Lies
· Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac
Artist of the year
Sarah McLachlan: With Lilith Fair and her latest disc, Sarah's career seemed to go through the roof.
Song of the year
Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" - captures the confusion of an era.
Unheard or barely heard gem of 1997
The Mommyheads - S/T - sweet, soft and understated pop disc that seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Artist of the year in 1998
Steve Earle: With a couple of stellar albums just behind him, Steve's got his shit together and he's on a roll.
Red Eye
Top three albums of the year· Reprazent - New Forms
· Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
· Death In Vegas - Dead Elvis
Artist of the year
Roni Size, who won the Mercury Prize (like the Junos or Grammies in the UK) over both the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers signaling serious acceptance of dance music and especially drum 'n' bass.
Song of the year
"Share The Fall" - Reprazent
Unheard or barely heard gem of 1997
Friend - Eightball EP (or something by other crazy Scandinavians, like Jimi Tenor, or almost anything on the Sveck or Dot labels)
Artist of the year 1998
Beastie Boys
Ian Chiclo
Top three albums of the year· Masters At Work - Nuyorican Soul
· Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind
· United Future Organization - 3rd Perspective
Artist of the year
Daft Punk
Song of the year
"Drinking In LA" - Bran Van 3000
Unheard or barely heard gem of 1997
Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen
Artist of the year in 1998
MadonnaMike Bell
Top three albums (plus two extras... just cuz I can)· Bran Van 3000 - Glee
· Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain
· Ben Harper - The Will to Live
· Matthew Sweet - Blue Sky on Mars
· Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Artist of the year
Sarah McLachlan
Song of the year
1997: Year of the "Mmbop."
Unheard or barely heard gem of 1997
Even though it made Spin magazine's album of the year, the East Indian Pavement pop of Cornershop's When I Was Born for the 7th Time probably only sold a handful of copies. Pity.
Artist of the year in 1998
I said the same thing last year, but now that they will definitely be releasing a two-CD offering in 1998, XTC should finally get the recognition they deserve.
Back To Main Contents
Back To This Issue Table of Contents