Album Name: Badlands
Artist: Various Artists
Year/Label: 2000 / Sub Pop
[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

On November 7, 2000, Sub Pop records released a Tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s album, “Nebraska”. Some of our favorite women appear on it as well as many other great artists.
See a track listing to the left.

Sub Pop Records is donating a portion of the worldwide sales of this record to the organization Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). To learn more about this Noble Prize winning organization, go to: www.msf.org

Posted on November 1, 2000

Track Listing
1.Nebraska – Chrissie Hynde and Adam Seymour
2. Atlantic City – Hank Williams III
3. Mansion on the Hill – Crooked Fingers
4. Johnny 99 – Los Lobos
5. Highway Patrolman – Dar Williams
6. State Trooper – Deana Carter
7. Used Cars – Ani DiFranco
8. Open All Night – Son Volt
9. My Father’s House – Ben Harper
10. Reason to Believe – Aimee Mann & Michael Penn
11. I’m on Fire (Bonus Track) – Johnny Cash
12. Downbound Train (Bonus Track) – Raul Malo of The Mavericks
13. Wages of Sin (Bonus Track) – Damien Jurado and Rose Thomas

[Badlands Official Site]

Album Name: Ancient Pleasures
Artist: Marie Frank
Year/Label: 2000 / BMG
[Buy at Amazon UK]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

While on a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark I was in search of some Danish pop music by a female artist. As I was sifting through the Danish music bin at a little CD shop a one in particular caught my eye.

The musician’s name is Marie Frank and the CD is “Ancient Pleasures”. Now I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but with CDs you sort of can. Usually the artist wants to cover to reflect the music at least in part. So I snapped it up.

I was not disappointed. She has a nice soft, pop-style voice and she is adorable. She sings in English, plays guitar and at least helped to write most of the 12 songs on the CD.

This is a very nice, pop album. At times she reminds me of Lisa Loeb, other times, Edie Brickell. Strangely enough, after I realized that I went to her web site and saw that her CD was mixed by Bob Clearmountain who had worked with both of those women. Song of her songs, like “Under the Water” have a techno-Bjork-y feel to them.

She now has two songs being used on the soundtrack to the movie, “Love & Sex” starring Job Favreau. The songs used are ‘Save A Little Love’ and ‘Symptom Of My Time’. I think the latter has hit written all over it.

She also has a fabulous web site where you can hear bits of the entire CD and watch a video.

Posted on October 1, 2000

Track Listing
1. Symptom of my time
2. Save a little love
3. Heart of Saturday night
4. Right beside you
5. Separated soul
6. Drowning (under the water)
7. Seven days
8. Rockette 88
9. She likes pine
10. No return
11. You say
12. Under the water

[Marie Frank Official Site]

Album Name: Haunted
Artist: Poe
Year/Label: 2000 / Atlantic
[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Dan Stark
I’ve been lucky enough to hear an advance copy of the new CD and it is absolutely killer! If Poe had come out with something that sounded like Hello at this point I think I would have found the sound tiresome, so I didn’t have the highest expectations for the new CD, but wow!

You know how all too seldom you put on new album, and the hair on your arms begins to bristle, your adrenaline starts to rush and you want to keep turning it up louder, even though it’s turned up as far as it can go?
Well this is it! It simmers, then explodes, then segues to moody, to melodic and back again. It’s also loaded with atmospheric movie-style sound bites, sound effects and bridges that really tie the whole thing together in true concept album fashion. This one just rocks, and is guaranteed to end up on my favorites list for 2000.

Review by by Eric. AKA RocketsTail
A friend of mine suggested that I listen to Poe because I would probably like her…so the other day I went out and bought the newest “Haunted” and I am in love! The songs on this album are incredible. I find it hard to categorize the feel of this album. I’ve heard parts of Poe’s debut album and I find this album MUCH more inspired and innovative.
She’s no longer just another “angst-ridden female”…these songs have great depth, I am loving it! So this was my discovery for the week. 🙂
~eric

Review by from Jeffrey Hanson-
Wow–I picked this up today and it’s quite a compelling album- very ambitious–sort of like The Beatle’s White Album or something– lots of sampling between songs–but the songs are great! Really rocking but beautiful too. Kind of reminds me of Garbage at times. Really a confident, masterfully produced album.

Posted on October 1, 2000

Track Listing
1. Exploration B
2. Haunted
3. Control
4. Terrible Thought
5. Walk The Walk
6. Terrified Heart
7. Wild
8. 5/12 Minute Hallway
9. Not A Virgin
10. Hey Pretty
11. Dear Johnny
12. Could Have Gone Mad
13. Lemon Meringue
14. Spanish Doll
15. House Of Leaves
16. Amazed
17. If You Were Here

[Poe Official Site]

[wp_campaign_1]

Album Name: Stories from The City, Stories From The Sea
Artist: PJ Harvey
Year/Label: 2000 / Uni/Island
[Buy at Amazon]
Review by JoAnn

I am so psyched to have this new album. Especially after having to wait a whole extra week for it. And unlike many of you lucky ducks out there with mp3’s, I had no prior musical tidbits. I even stopped in the record store on my way to work even though I was already late, just to get my hands on it.

And what a great album! Much in the same style as “Is This Desire?” but with a somewhat harder edge, and back in the trio format of her early days (although a 4th person, Thom Yorke, does appear on 3 songs). And I love how some of her growl-singing and some of those classic PJ wail/scream/moan sounds are back.
I played it twice in a row last night (all I had time for). And I can’t wait to go home and play it again. And again.

Posted on October 1, 2000

Track Listing
1.Big Exit
2. Good Fortune
3. A Place Called Home
4. One Line
5. Beautiful Feeling
6. The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore
7. This Mess We’re In – Featuring Thom Yorke
8. You Said Something
9. Kamikaze
10. This is Love
11. Horses in My Dreams
12. We Float

[PJ Harvey Official Site]
[wp_campaign_1]