40
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Hot Hot Heat - Bandages
It is a well known fact that Christmas time is generally an appalling time for music. So it was certainly a godsend to hear Hot Hot Heat blowing away the cobwebs in January of this year. It has got one of my favourite intros of the year to it - the liberal use of the cheesy Bontempi organ throughout inviting you to generally dance round like a pillock (and yes, I have, at the Notting Hill Arts Club). Surprising to see indie pop being done so well from, gasp, Canadians?
Jason M
No of votes: 8, Score:
36, Highest vote: 1st
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39
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Good Charlotte - Girls And Boys
I wonder whether there is some Yale student who has been surprised to find their Psychology doctorate turned into a very catchy teen-rock song. Obviously, it's a pig to try and get into your chorus "Girls don't like boys, girls are these days increasingly likely to be putting themselves first with their increased fixation on materialistic values", so "cars and money" it was then. You gotta feel sorry for American teenage boys - who can't / don't really possess a great deal of either. Ah well, I'm sure they'll still be bouncing along to this one anyway.
Jason M
No of votes: 8, Score:
42, Highest vote: 3rd
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38
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The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
Artist link: 1  7  14  38
We all know that their "back to basics" approach to rock music has gone down a storm this year, but it still comes as something of a surprise to find Jack and Meg deciding to rework a Dusty Springfield hit from the '60s. Nonetheless, Detroit's finest rock exports deconstruct it well, Jack managing to retain the soul of the original and Meg turning the tub-thumping down at the neccessary moments. Nice to have a band who don't feel the need to produce a traditional over-produced, string laden, misery enducing rock ballad.
Jason M
No of votes: 8, Score:
42, Highest vote: 1st
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37
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Stereophonics - Maybe Tomorrow
Artist link:8 30
The line-up keeps getting smaller and smaller, confirming what we expected all along - Kelly Jones IS the Stereophonics. There needs to be no-one else in terms of keeping their appeal going. I guess it's like natural selection being applied to a rock band. Being in possession of one of the finest voices in rock music currently does help too, naturally, though in all fairness he probably just left his voice in cruise control for this one, which suits it to a tee. If you think that their musical style is fixed like this permanently, listen out for what's coming next year - it's pretty radical.
Jason M
No of votes: 8, Score:
46, Highest vote: 2nd
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36
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Jamelia - Superstar
Who said nothing any good comes out of Birmingham? Welll....errr...noone actually, but let's face it, Brum is a bit of a musical black hole especially when compared with Manchester, London and Glasgow. So let's Thank the Lord for Jamelia, who returned after a 2 year absence with this complete stormer of a track - one I can still listen to 4 months after release! It's a piece of unadulterated R 'n' B/pop and deserves to be played on the radio for a long time to come. Long live Birmingham....or something!
Kat B
No of votes: 8, Score:
53, Highest vote: 1st
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35
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Linkin Park - Somewhere I Belong
Artist link:12  32
An obvious candidate for some cheery old gent to wander up and chuckle "cheer up! It may never 'appen" - Linkin Park had quite a job on their hands following the success of "Hybrid Theory". It was never likely to be on the cards that they were going to become the new Monkees, but they have clearly maintained and refined the sound that brought them very rapidly to success in 2001. "Somewhere I Belong" is mean, dark and ferocious - another great record of torment.
Jason M
No of votes: 8, Score:
57, Highest vote: 1st
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34
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Athlete - You Got The Style
Artist link:4
Sprinting into the Top 50 are Athlete with "You've Got The Style" taken from the Mercury Music Prize nominated album "Vehicles & Animals". Hailing from sarf London this track was apparently inspired by the race riots of 2001 (in Oldham - a near neighbour of Deptford) but they've putt (geddit?) together a catchy, melodious piece of indie pop. Maybe they'll be jumping higher in the chart of 2004?
Caz T
No of votes: 8, Score:
59, Highest vote: 1st
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33
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The Strokes - 12:51
Artist link:3 33 49
Rock and roll never tasted so good or so it might seem for the New Yorkers and this is an exultant song from the masters that are The Strokes. It might not have been the longest song of 2003, but in terms of sheer quality, it's up there with the very best. From the initial drum beat and the added overlay of the guitars it's definitely something very special. Add to that the vocals of Julian Casablancas and this superb track, taken from the Room on Fire album, which in itself possesses much in the way of quality, sees a master stroke (pun intended) completed for The Strokes and a rightly deserved place in the Top 50.
Kevin B
No of votes: 9, Score:
48, Highest vote: 4th
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32
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Johnny Cash - Hurt
It often seems that Johnny Cash is respected more for who he was than what he did: many speak of their love for The Man in Black, but this doesn't always extend to their actually owning or listening to any of his records. But, for those of us who aren't 100% convinced by the American Recordings project, Hurt is confirmation that JC could still make great music in his latter days. There's a tangible sense of personality here which is completely missing from the Nine Inch Nails original: where Trent Reznor could only adopt a hushed mannerism in his attempts to express the junkie's blues, Cash effortlessly invests the words with feeling and weary gravitas, spinning gold out of straw in the process.
Harley R
No of votes: 9, Score:
52, Highest vote: 1st
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31
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Blur - Out Of Time
Artist link: 16
The intervening period since Blur last hit the top 50 has not been an easy one. Graham Coxon finally had enough and an acrimonious split followed. Nonetheless, Damon did pretty much what we expected, and probably with a nonchalant shrug got down to sorting out Think Tank. It's like the aural equivalent to a magic eye picture, try too hard and you just don't get it. You've just got to relax and let it wash over you and after several listens you're hooked on the stripped down sound and the fragile melody. Whilst most other Brit-pop bands have run out of steam, Blur just re-invent themselves once more and continue to win the acclaim.
Jason M
No of votes: 10, Score:
40, Highest vote: 3rd
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Thanks go to the following people for assisting with getting together our comprehensive aide-memoire: Danny G, Kat B, Caz T, Isaac H
A MASSIVE THANKS also to all those who slaved over a hot keyboard to produce the write ups: Danny G, Caz T, Paul M, Kat B, Andrew S, Angela T, Isaac H, P Shoo, Liza H, Dan Mc, Kevin B, Harley R, Karen G