24 February 2001 I had remembered the catchy R&B-pop chorus of 'Always Come Back To Your Love'. However, I had forgotten its rotten key change, like a carbon monoxide alarm going off mid-record. Maybe the lesson here is: never go back. Prior to that dampening of my enthusiasm, I was quite enjoying my reacquaintance with … Continue reading Samantha Mumba – ‘Always Come Back To Your Love’
Atomic Kitten – ‘Whole Again’
17 February 2001 Kerry Katona still features on the record and in the sleeve photo (above) for 'Whole Again' but she had left Atomic Kitten by the time it topped the charts in the UK and Ireland. Her replacement, Jenny Frost, appears in the re-shot video below. Also a previous member was Heidi Range, but … Continue reading Atomic Kitten – ‘Whole Again’
Limp Bizkit – ‘Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)’
10 February 2001 In February 2001 Fred Durst was 30 years old and the Senior Vice President of A&R at Interscope Records. He was also the lead singer-rapper of Limp Bizkit, in which role he shouted whiny, moronic, aggressive lyrics while wearing the sort of red baseball cap now permanently sweat-stuck on the Neanderthal crania … Continue reading Limp Bizkit – ‘Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)’
U2 – ‘Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’
3 February 2001 You probably know the story behind 'Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of' as a song by Bono about the tragic final years and death of his friend Michael Hutchence. No one's response to that kind of sad, complicated, frustrating situation is going to be perfect. So, the sincerity of … Continue reading U2 – ‘Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’
Rui Da Silva ft. Cassandra – ‘Touch Me’
20 January 2001 In January 2001 I was sharing a large but still crowded house in Dublin with six people, including a couple from Portugal. Every morning the Portuguese couple would shower together in the downstairs bathroom, right beside the kitchen where I was trying to have my breakfast alone in peace. Touch me in … Continue reading Rui Da Silva ft. Cassandra – ‘Touch Me’
Eminem – ‘Stan’
9 December 2000 Only now has it struck me that 'Stan', with its chorus by the then-unknown Dido, may have been influenced by 'You Got Me', that fabulous single the year before by The Roots which features a similar sweet chorus by a female singer, Erykah Badu. Certainly at the time I remember the cognitive … Continue reading Eminem – ‘Stan’
LeAnn Rimes – ‘Can’t Fight The Moonlight’
25 November 2000 Good puzzle would be cross November 2000 without hearing 'Can't Fight The Moonlight'. However, I'm surprised that it actually got all the way to number one here and in the UK. Yes, it was on our radios and TVs more often than the news headlines. Still, I can't picture a quorum of … Continue reading LeAnn Rimes – ‘Can’t Fight The Moonlight’
Westlife – ‘My Love’
4 November 2000 Fair's fair: this isn't too bad. 'My Love', written and produced by whatever non-Max-Martins were in Cheiron in 2000, is better than the other Westlife singles we've heard at number one so far. Yes, that's a low base. I put most of my new pro-Westlife stance down to the melody here actually … Continue reading Westlife – ‘My Love’
U2 – ‘Beautiful Day’
14 October 2000 It wasn't just me. I remember the widespread first impression of 'Beautiful Day', after its world premiere radio play one weekday morning, as one of being underwhelmed. The subdued verses; the bland, unremarkable chorus; Edge dusting off his distinctive early '80s guitar: it all seemed to symbolise U2 not willing to take … Continue reading U2 – ‘Beautiful Day’
Mariah Carey ft. Westlife – ‘Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)’
23 September 2000 Like a summit between rival superpowers of souped-up, watered-down schmaltz, Mariah Carey and Westlife meet on Capri in the cheaply-made video for their duet 'Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)'. But that isn't the weirdest thing about this video. Mariah's vocal on the single is actually just re-used from … Continue reading Mariah Carey ft. Westlife – ‘Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)’
