Mercury 2003 [Album Details] davegott.com


	Album: 1 of 12 Artist: Coldplay Title: A Rush of Blood to the Head Released: 2002-08-12 Tracks: 11 Duration: 54:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Politik (05:18) 2 In My Place (03:48) 3 God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (04:57) 4 The Scientist (05:09) 5 Clocks (05:07) 6 Daylight (05:27) 7 Green Eyes (03:43) 8 Warning Sign (05:31) 9 A Whisper (03:58) 10 A Rush of Blood to the Head (05:51) 11 Amsterdam (05:19)
A Rush of Blood to the Head : Allmusic album Review : After touring in support of their debut album, Parachutes, Coldplay was personally and professionally exhausted. Frontman Chris Martin insisted he was dry; by the time they closed their European tour in summer 2001, he hadnt written a song in months. The U.K. music press immediately pounced on the idea of Coldplay calling it quits, but somewhere lurked the beauty of "In My Place." The spirit and soul of this ballad allowed Coldplay to pull it together to make a second album. What came from such anguish and inquisition was A Rush of Blood to the Head. Coldplay has surely let it all go on this record. Acoustics are drowned out by Jon Bucklands riveting guitar work, and vocally, Martin has sharpened his falsetto, refining his haunting delivery. Its a strong album; you can feel, hear, and touch the blood, sweat, and tears behind each song, and thats exactly what Coldplay was going for. Co-producer Ken Nelson and mixer Mark Pythain (the team behind the blissful beauty of Parachutes) allowed Coldplay to make an album thats initially inaccessible, but thats what makes it intriguing. Lush melodies and a heartbreak behind the songs are there, but also a newfound confidence. From the delicate, shimmery classic "In My Place" to the piano surge of "The Scientist," Coldplay exudes an honest passion. The disco haze of "Daylight" and the love-drunk ballad "Green Eyes" are divine examples of solid lyrical arrangements, but "Politik" and the stunning guitar-driven "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" project a nervy edge to the band. Echoes of early post-punk showcase Coldplays ballsy musicianship. Dont fret -- its not exactly rock & roll, but Radiohead, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Smiths arent exactly rock & roll either, and theyre well loved. "Yellow" didnt follow the rock formula, but it sold well, and similarly A Rush of Blood to the Head might not instantly grab listeners, but its not tailored that way. It pushes you to look beyond dreamy vocals for a musical inner core. Regardless of the band still being in their mid-twenties, theyve made an amazing record, and if it ends up being their last, A Rush of Blood to the Head didnt sugarcoat anything. Its a bittersweet design no matter what.
	Album: 2 of 12 Artist: Eliza Carthy Title: Anglicana Released: 2002 Tracks: 10 Duration: 54:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Worcester City (04:46) 2 Just as the Tide Was Flowing (08:00) 3 Limbo (04:24) 4 Little Gypsy Girl (02:11) 5 No Mans Jig / Hanoverian Dance / Three Jolly Sheepskins (04:11) 6 Pretty Ploughboy (05:19) 7 Bold Privateer (07:10) 8 Dr MCMBE (05:43) 9 In London So Fair (08:06) 10 Willow Tree (04:29)
	Album: 3 of 12 Artist: Floetry Title: Floetic Released: 2002-11-25 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:09:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Big Ben (01:54) 2 Floetic (04:06) 3 Ms. Stress (03:52) 4 Sunshine (04:15) 5 Getting Late (06:46) 6 Fun (04:14) 7 Mr. Messed Up (04:20) 8 Say Yes (04:28) 9 Hello (04:09) 10 Headache (04:03) 11 Hey You (05:04) 12 If I Was A Bird (05:02) 13 Opera (04:00) 14 Subliminal (03:57) 15 Butterflies (demo version) (04:03) 16 Now You’re Gone (More Than I Can Feel) (04:52)
	Album: 4 of 12 Artist: Lemon Jelly Title: Lost Horizons Released: 2002-10-07 Tracks: 8 Duration: 59:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Elements (08:41) 2 Space Walk (07:02) 3 Ramblin’ Man (07:06) 4 Return to Patagonia (08:40) 5 Nice Weather for Ducks (06:08) 6 Experiment Number Six (05:54) 7 Closer (07:24) 8 The Curse of Ka’Zar (09:01)
$Allmusic album Review : Often teetering on the brink of either cracking a smile or bursting into tears while delivering his boastful, wistful, and dread-filled rhymes, the hormonally charged voice of East Londons Dizzee Rascal can be instantly singled out after the first introduction. Birthed by U.K. garage and seasoned through pirate radio, the terrain Dizzee carves out remains worlds apart from that of Ms. Dynamite and the Streets, two MCs who have come from a fractious-as-ever scene -- one that Dizzees apart from as much as hes a part of -- with similar fanfare. And despite comparisons to 2Pac and 50 Cent that wont cease at any point in the foreseeable future, the parallels drawn to stateside rappers havent often looked beneath the surface. If he were (mis)placed in a pool of U.S. MCs, thered be few comparisons that would make full sense. The fact that Dizzees from England is an obvious factor; his accent and own cultural slang will be an instant deal-breaker for most of those who have hunted for Makaveli bootlegs. From a production standpoint, were talking about splayed-out beats and deflated basslines that, heard through a state-of-the-art stereo, might as well be blaring from the ravaged stock system of a 1974 Dodge Dart. If there are any likenesses, the dense production work -- carried out mostly by the MC on his own -- is somewhat akin to prime Bomb Squad, if only because no level of familiarity can acclimate the ears completely. Get lost in the swaying chime melody of "Brand New Day," the low-slung industrial-punk grind of "Jus a Rascal," or the stunted gait of "Do It," and risk missing out on all of the deeply hidden inflections that help make the whole album so unique. Despite the grime, the violence, the conflicted romantic entanglements, and the jagged productions that characterize the album, the moment that hits hardest is also the most fragile: "Do It," with a resigned line that goes "If I had the guts to end it all, believe -- I would," begs for misinterpretation, so it should be pointed out that it (and the album as well) draws to a close with "You can do anything," an encouragement that holds much weight in its context. Startling, tirelessly powerful, and full of unlimited dimensions, nothing could truly weigh down this debut -- not even a Mercury Prize. [The U.S. version, released through Matador half a year after the original XL U.K. release, wisely added the B-side "Vexed."]$	Album: 5 of 12 Artist: Dizzee Rascal Title: Boy in da Corner Released: 2003-07-21 Tracks: 15 Duration: 57:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize WINNER * 2003*	1 Sittin’ Here (04:05) 2 Stop Dat (03:40) 3 I Luv U (04:05) 4 Brand New Day (03:59) 5 2 Far (03:07) 6 Fix Up, Look Sharp (03:45) 7 Cut ’Em Off (03:54) 8 Hold Ya Mouf (02:53) 1 Round We Go (04:14) 2 Jus’ a Rascal (03:39) 3 Wot U On (04:50) 4 Jezebel (03:36) 5 Seems 2 Be (03:46) 6 Live O (03:34) 7 Do It (04:05)
Boy in da Corner : Allmusic album Review : Often teetering on the brink of either cracking a smile or bursting into tears while delivering his boastful, wistful, and dread-filled rhymes, the hormonally charged voice of East Londons Dizzee Rascal can be instantly singled out after the first introduction. Birthed by U.K. garage and seasoned through pirate radio, the terrain Dizzee carves out remains worlds apart from that of Ms. Dynamite and the Streets, two MCs who have come from a fractious-as-ever scene -- one that Dizzees apart from as much as hes a part of -- with similar fanfare. And despite comparisons to 2Pac and 50 Cent that wont cease at any point in the foreseeable future, the parallels drawn to stateside rappers havent often looked beneath the surface. If he were (mis)placed in a pool of U.S. MCs, thered be few comparisons that would make full sense. The fact that Dizzees from England is an obvious factor; his accent and own cultural slang will be an instant deal-breaker for most of those who have hunted for Makaveli bootlegs. From a production standpoint, were talking about splayed-out beats and deflated basslines that, heard through a state-of-the-art stereo, might as well be blaring from the ravaged stock system of a 1974 Dodge Dart. If there are any likenesses, the dense production work -- carried out mostly by the MC on his own -- is somewhat akin to prime Bomb Squad, if only because no level of familiarity can acclimate the ears completely. Get lost in the swaying chime melody of "Brand New Day," the low-slung industrial-punk grind of "Jus a Rascal," or the stunted gait of "Do It," and risk missing out on all of the deeply hidden inflections that help make the whole album so unique. Despite the grime, the violence, the conflicted romantic entanglements, and the jagged productions that characterize the album, the moment that hits hardest is also the most fragile: "Do It," with a resigned line that goes "If I had the guts to end it all, believe -- I would," begs for misinterpretation, so it should be pointed out that it (and the album as well) draws to a close with "You can do anything," an encouragement that holds much weight in its context. Startling, tirelessly powerful, and full of unlimited dimensions, nothing could truly weigh down this debut -- not even a Mercury Prize. [The U.S. version, released through Matador half a year after the original XL U.K. release, wisely added the B-side "Vexed."]
	Album: 6 of 12 Artist: Soweto Kinch Title: Conversations With the Unseen Released: 2003 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:14:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Intro (02:10) 2 Doxology (09:15) 3 Conversations With the Unseen (07:34) 4 Elision (05:56) 5 Spokes and Pedals (06:29) 6 Intermission-Split Decision (08:19) 7 Snakehips (07:39) 8 Mungos Adventure (07:06) 9 The Flame-Thrower (02:59) 10 Equianos Tears (10:22) 11 Good Nyooz (03:21) 12 Outro (03:23)
$Allmusic album Review : Radioheads admittedly assumed dilemma: how to push things forward using just the right amounts of the old and the older in order to please both sides of the divide? Taking advantage of their longest running time to date, enough space is provided to quench the thirsts of resolute Bends devotees without losing the adventurous drive or experimentation that eventually got the group into hot water with many of those same listeners. Guitars churn and chime and sound like guitars more often than not; drums are more likely to be played by a human; and discernible verses are more frequently trailed by discernible choruses. So, whether or not the group is to be considered "back," there is a certain return to relatively traditional songcraft. Had the opening "2 + 2 = 5" and "Sit Down. Stand Up." been made two years before, each songs slowly swelling intensity would have plateaued a couple minutes in, functioning as mood pieces without any release; instead, each boils over into its own cathartic tantrum. The spook-filled "Sail to the Moon," one of several songs featuring prominent piano, rivals "Street Spirit" and hovers compellingly without much sense of force carrying it along. Somewhat ironically, minus a handful of the more conventionally structured songs, the album would be almost as fractured, remote, and challenging as Amnesiac. "Backdrifts" and "The Gloaming" feature nervous electronic backdrops, while the emaciated "We Suck Young Blood" is a laggard processional that, save for one outburst, shuffles along uneasily. At nearly an hour in length, this album doesnt unleash the terse blow delivered by its two predecessors. However, despite the fact that it seems more like a bunch of songs on a disc rather than a singular body, its impact is substantial. Regardless of all the debates surrounding the group, Radiohead have entered a second decade of record-making with a surplus of momentum.$	Album: 7 of 12 Artist: Radiohead Title: Hail to the Thief Released: 2003-05-26 Tracks: 14 Duration: 56:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.) (03:19) 2 Sit Down. Stand Up. (Snakes & Ladders.) (04:20) 3 Sail to the Moon. (Brush the Cobwebs Out of the Sky.) (04:18) 4 Backdrifts. (Honeymoon Is Over.) (05:22) 5 Go to Sleep. (Little Man Being Erased.) (03:21) 6 Where I End and You Begin. (The Sky Is Falling In.) (04:29) 7 We Suck Young Blood. (Your Time Is Up.) (04:56) 8 The Gloaming. (Softly Open Our Mouths in the Cold.) (03:32) 9 There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.) (05:23) 10 I Will. (No Man’s Land.) (01:59) 11 A Punchup at a Wedding. (No No No No No No No No.) (04:57) 12 Myxomatosis. (Judge, Jury & Executioner.) (03:52) 13 Scatterbrain. (As Dead as Leaves.) (03:21) 14 A Wolf at the Door. (It Girl. Rag Doll.) (03:21)
Hail to the Thief : Allmusic album Review : Radioheads admittedly assumed dilemma: how to push things forward using just the right amounts of the old and the older in order to please both sides of the divide? Taking advantage of their longest running time to date, enough space is provided to quench the thirsts of resolute Bends devotees without losing the adventurous drive or experimentation that eventually got the group into hot water with many of those same listeners. Guitars churn and chime and sound like guitars more often than not; drums are more likely to be played by a human; and discernible verses are more frequently trailed by discernible choruses. So, whether or not the group is to be considered "back," there is a certain return to relatively traditional songcraft. Had the opening "2 + 2 = 5" and "Sit Down. Stand Up." been made two years before, each songs slowly swelling intensity would have plateaued a couple minutes in, functioning as mood pieces without any release; instead, each boils over into its own cathartic tantrum. The spook-filled "Sail to the Moon," one of several songs featuring prominent piano, rivals "Street Spirit" and hovers compellingly without much sense of force carrying it along. Somewhat ironically, minus a handful of the more conventionally structured songs, the album would be almost as fractured, remote, and challenging as Amnesiac. "Backdrifts" and "The Gloaming" feature nervous electronic backdrops, while the emaciated "We Suck Young Blood" is a laggard processional that, save for one outburst, shuffles along uneasily. At nearly an hour in length, this album doesnt unleash the terse blow delivered by its two predecessors. However, despite the fact that it seems more like a bunch of songs on a disc rather than a singular body, its impact is substantial. Regardless of all the debates surrounding the group, Radiohead have entered a second decade of record-making with a surplus of momentum.
	Album: 8 of 12 Artist: The Darkness Title: Permission to Land Released: 2003-07-07 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Black Shuck (03:21) 2 Get Your Hands Off My Woman (02:46) 3 Growing on Me (03:29) 4 I Believe in a Thing Called Love (03:37) 5 Love Is Only a Feeling (04:20) 6 Givin’ Up (03:34) 7 Stuck in a Rut (03:18) 8 Friday Night (02:55) 9 Love on the Rocks With No Ice (05:56) 10 Holding My Own (04:57)
Permission to Land : Allmusic album Review : Upon its U.K. release in summer 2003, Permission to Land, the debut album from spandex-clad retro metalheads the Darkness, was a surprise success, hitting the British charts at number two (behind only Beyoncés Dangerously in Love). After hearing Permission to Land, its easier to understand why the British public went crazy for it, and for the Darkness. The album is more or less straightforward pop/rock with some 80s metal window-dressing, and the Darkness themselves live up to traditional notions of what a rock band should be: louche, decadent, and harboring a dont-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus mentality. While the band is far from ironic in its homages to Kiss, Judas Priest, and Queen, the Darkness certainly are campy (and with a list of influences like that, theyd almost have to be), with a uniquely British sensibility, personified by singer Justin Hawkins. A one-man campaign to bring back the unitard as fashionable rock gear, Hawkins sings about sex, drugs, and Satan with the voice of a castrato, backed by arena-sized riffs and rhythms. The Darkness would be an utter failure if the band didnt write good songs, but miracle of miracles, they do. The first two-thirds of Permission to Land is nearly flawless, an eerily realistic simulation of 80s metal and 70s glam that manages to sound familiar but not rehashed. "Black Shuck" revels in pseudomystic gobbledygook like "Flames licked round the sacred spire"; on the great single "Get Your Hands off My Woman," Hawkins sings "woooomaaan" higher than most women probably could. "Growing on Me" (which includes the great lyric "I want to banish you from whence you came") and "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" are tightly crafted songs that would sound good in almost any style, while "Givin Up" is one of the jauntiest songs about heroin ever written. Even the prerequisite power ballad, "Love Is Only a Feeling," stays on the fun side of cheesy, adrift on clouds of strummed guitars and gooey backing harmonies. The album has such a strong beginning and middle that its not entirely surprising that Permission to Land runs out of steam near the end, although "Stuck in a Rut" is a crazed enough rocker -- complete with demonic laughter -- to nearly rival the albums earlier songs. Softer songs like "Friday Night" and "Holding My Own" make the collection unusually ballad-heavy; if anything, the Darkness could stand to rock a little harder. Even though Permission to Land isnt quite as metal as its singles suggested it might be, the album is surprisingly good, especially considering how bad the bands 80s metal revival could have been. Its hard to say whether or not the Darkness will take off in the States the way they did in their homeland; Hawkins over-the-top vocals aside, the band may be hurt by the fact that most metal and hard rock popular in the U.S. is more concerned with brooding and angst than with having fun. But having fun is what Permission to Land is all about, even if its just a guilty pleasure.
	Album: 9 of 12 Artist: Martina Topley‐Bird Title: Quixotic Released: 2003-06 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Intro (01:11) 2 Need One (03:55) 3 Anything (04:25) 4 Soul Food (05:31) 5 Lullaby (04:22) 6 Too Tough to Die (03:57) 7 Sandpaper Kisses (03:52) 8 Ragga (03:15) 9 Lying (04:14) 10 I Wanna Be There (01:53) 11 I Still Feel (05:20) 12 Ilya (04:36) 13 Stevies (Days of a Gun) (04:31)
	Album: 10 of 12 Artist: The Thrills Title: So Much for the City Released: 2003-06-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far) (04:13) 2 Big Sur (03:07) 3 Don’t Steal Our Sun (02:50) 4 Deckchairs and Cigarettes (04:58) 5 One Horse Town (03:14) 6 Old Friends, New Lovers (04:01) 7 Say It Ain’t So (02:44) 8 Hollywood Kids (05:33) 9 Just Traveling Through (03:21) 10 Your Love Is Like Las Vegas (02:22) 11 Til the Tide Creeps In / Plans (10:05)
	Album: 11 of 12 Artist: Terri Walker Title: Untitled Released: 2003-03-03 Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 Love Fool (03:26) 2 Drawing Board (04:37) 3 Guess You Didnt Love Me (04:13) 4 Its All Good (02:58) 5 Ching Ching (Lovin You Still) (03:51) 6 Fake (05:04) 7 What Will I Do (03:58) 8 Love You for Life (04:40) 9 Deutschland (01:10) 10 Dirty Weekend (05:38) 11 4 Feet Under (05:12) 12 Da Business (04:43) 13 For Life (reprise) (00:54) 14 Brand New Day (03:39)
	Album: 12 of 12 Artist: Athlete Title: Vehicles & Animals Released: 2003-04-07 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover Mercury Prize Nominee 2003	1 El Salvador (03:25) 2 Westside (04:01) 3 One Million (04:17) 4 Shake Those Windows (05:04) 5 Beautiful (03:47) 6 New Project (03:37) 7 You Got the Style (03:28) 8 Vehicles & Animals (03:52) 9 Out of Nowhere (03:11) 10 Dungeness (04:17) 11 You Know (04:11) 12 Le Casio (02:29)
Vehicles & Animals : Allmusic album Review : Apparently damned in its home country for being just a little too much out of time -- the album is not really Brit-pop, per se, but has a certain amiableness about it that suggests a certain love of things from the genres heyday -- Athletes debut is perfectly, almost aggressively pleasant. "You Got the Style" might have been written about race riots in early 21st century Britain, but Athlete is not out to surprise, to disrupt, or to otherwise cause problems, nor are they content to maintain the breezy pace of a "twee" band. If anything, theyre doing something enjoyably relaxed enough that wont make you hate yourself, as the likes of Toploader did all too easily. Vehicles & Animals contains the groups early singles plus more recent efforts, and it generally makes for a great listen on a lazy, warm afternoon -- not party music, but quietly hooky good times. Every so often, something will spark up that makes a bit more sense of the Super Furry Animals and Pavement comparisons that the group received during its infancy -- the shift to electronic percussion and deep bass at the end of "One Million," perhaps, or the flecks of lazy semi-slacker singing from lead figure Joel Pott. Theres enough keyboard bubbling and arrangements throughout that suggest the group might actually benefit from going to that sound full-time, and while hardly reinventing them, the beat songs like "Out of Nowhere" are given a pleasant post-Beck tinge. The band sounds best when it just concentrates on doing what it likes -- "Shake Those Windows" is a winning example, where a low-key enough song suddenly shifts into a summery chorus (thanks to a grand semi-country guitar line) and builds into a sweetly triumphant full-band conclusion. Even the sudden burst of a feedback-laden blast part way through "New Project" doesnt seem like a disruption of the general flow of Vehicles & Animals, and thats to its good. [In America, Vehicles & Animals was released in a deluxe edition with two bonus tracks.]