Simon Reynolds Best Singles o' 2002

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on his blog; highlights: Foo Fighters ranked higher than Missy (!!!!). One Ashanti single ranks, and another in the also receiving votes trail (neither the Ashanti single I actually like, the one that sound like MaryJane Girls), the Strokes are America's Supergrass, he picks the wrong Ludacris single and the wrong Eminem single, but plenty of fun, eg. re: Clipse: 'does the world need another Lox?'

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 19 December 2002 06:25 (twenty-three years ago)

That Foo Fighters song is great though, like Jimmy Eat World ^ 2. Also it's Ja Rule and Ashanti (her album doesn't even have the proper single, just a "(part 2)" which is totally different) and I'm so happy he likes Ja Rule. Also I need to find the garage tracks he talks about. Also he seems right on Pitman.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Thursday, 19 December 2002 06:48 (twenty-three years ago)

I actually thought of you when I saw the Ja Rule mention.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 19 December 2002 06:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Reynolds's blog address now please!

― Charlie (Charlie), Thursday, 19 December 2002 06:52 (twenty-three years ago)

ah, I thought I was the only one who rated "When the Last Time" over "Grindin". Biggest surprises for me were Styles being the first hip hop entry and the idiosyncratic J5 reading. Also, no Nelly.

― Honda (Honda), Thursday, 19 December 2002 06:58 (twenty-three years ago)

er, http://blissout.blogspot.com/

It's a bit of an odd list for him, my first reaction was 'my God! look at all the rock!' and it took a second to realize he only listed two rock singles (still, look at all the rock!)

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 19 December 2002 07:04 (twenty-three years ago)

Missy seems included more out of duty than anything else, in an "I don't really like this much at all but I'm including it anyway" kind of way.

I like this list, mostly because I don't think I've heard seven or eight of the top ten, which means there are a fair few treats ahead. Yay!

Also, nicely to see something that deviates from the usual Work It - Grindin' - Without Me - Hot In Herre axis.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 19 December 2002 09:47 (twenty-three years ago)

the Your Butt EP is so obv record of the year - and I haven't even heard it yet

― Jeff W, Thursday, 19 December 2002 09:58 (twenty-three years ago)

the usual Work It - Grindin' - Without Me - Hot In Herre axis

ah, but what an axis!

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 19 December 2002 10:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I had been wondering reading his blog if he didn't bother with house or that kind of thing really, I guess this answers my question. Still a good list though.

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 19 December 2002 11:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah loads of stuff to download. Good call on Styles too! I love that song.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 19 December 2002 11:25 (twenty-three years ago)

why do you care?

― Queen G (Queeng), Thursday, 19 December 2002 11:47 (twenty-three years ago)

you'll never know.

― Paddy McGoohan, Thursday, 19 December 2002 11:54 (twenty-three years ago)

I heard a vox-less version of "I Luv U" a few weeks ago and was floored by it; I only heard the one with the raps this weekend. Rolldeepcrew.com has a brief clips of it. You GOTTA hear it. It is a fuckin' UGLY-ASS single and thrillingly so, but I don't want to put it on my own top ten because it appears to be really really sexist and I can't make sense of the song's narrative AT ALL. Bitch-baiting, sex w/minors, stalking, jealousy, war-of-the-sexes, partner-swapping, but who's being the exploiter and who's being the exploited is hard to suss out. It may be just a series of really great rhymes.

I still haven't heard any Pitman.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 19 December 2002 12:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Come ot think of it...here I am complaining about "I Luv U" being sexist and (on the Focus Group) "That's What I Go To School For" being about sex w/minors and I put a fuckin' DJ Assault record on my album top ten a couple of years ago. I have no ground to stand on.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 19 December 2002 12:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Reynolds in missing Flo Dan's "Big Mic Man" shockah! Otherwise a v. good round-up, obv.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 19 December 2002 13:16 (twenty-three years ago)

what, no house/digital disco/deep house/bootlegs at all ?
and what's 'someday' doing in there from 2001 ?

― piscesboy, Thursday, 19 December 2002 13:19 (twenty-three years ago)

And where can we find all these fine products Mr. Reynolds?

Any chance of uploading them somewhere?

― phil jones (interstar), Thursday, 19 December 2002 13:39 (twenty-three years ago)

heh, I have heard precisely five of the Top 25 (and never heard of most of the rest) - i do rather better with the runners-up howevah

never mind uploads, how about making free CD-Rs for anyone who wants one?

― zebedee (Jeff W), Thursday, 19 December 2002 14:28 (twenty-three years ago)

well he's doing one for me; why don't you email him and ask him?

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 19 December 2002 14:35 (twenty-three years ago)

like marcello and tim finney's,his blog frequently makes me want to hear songs,or even types of music,i wouldn't have previously considered,which i suppose is what makes it interesting...
once i clear up some room on my hard drive i'll have to get downloading...

― robin (robin), Thursday, 19 December 2002 15:11 (twenty-three years ago)

yess! i luv dizzy rascal.

― minna (minna), Thursday, 19 December 2002 15:36 (twenty-three years ago)

"Work It" isn't high enough, as far as I'm concerned (although contrary to popular opinion, I think he's dead on about the Ludacris track).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 December 2002 15:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I maintain that "Saturday" is Ludacris' finest single o' 2002.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 19 December 2002 18:30 (twenty-three years ago)

He's right on about the dub version of "Mercedes Bentley..." it's well and truly evil (but in a good way!)

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 19 December 2002 18:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Just D/L'd Dizzy Rascal...the old Gabber/Gabba fan in me is grinning from ear to ear.

― stevo (stevo), Thursday, 19 December 2002 20:22 (twenty-three years ago)

aw he stole my #1!! tsk. daddino i wouldn't really make a big thing of the sexist aspect... there's a unacknowledged locus of wearied exasperation there, and for all the calloused bluster there's a soft gentle man there still dreaming:

"you better look after your girl/or i'll take your girl/ and make your girl my girl"

as for everything else, well it's a love song innit?

a true one

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 19 December 2002 20:31 (twenty-three years ago)

though having read reynolds' enervated reading of it, i can't imagine why it's at his pinnacle.

ah. "i want to believe this is the real-deal paradigm shift so much..."

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 19 December 2002 20:39 (twenty-three years ago)

marcello hurry up and give this track a proper review

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 19 December 2002 20:39 (twenty-three years ago)

is there any good places to download these uk garage songs reynolds has been talking about?a few sites were mentioned to me a while ago but they only have a few tracks,and i want moremoremore.

thanks.

― juiceboxxx, Thursday, 19 December 2002 21:08 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.onethedecks.com is good place for garage, once they get there server back up n running, otherwise i'm gonna post "i luv U" to http://www.gabba.net/amp/ in a minute..

― jk_ (jk@gabba), Thursday, 19 December 2002 22:10 (twenty-three years ago)

which ashanti single sounds like mary jane gurls ?

― piscesboy, Thursday, 19 December 2002 22:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Zemko - everyone knows you have first dibs to "I Love You" as number 1 single of 2002. expect company though... (and, by the way, thanks!)

― Paul (scifisoul), Thursday, 19 December 2002 22:40 (twenty-three years ago)

i think Simon means 'Happy' - which i'd agree is the best Ashanti single so far (didnt like any of the others really)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 December 2002 23:20 (twenty-three years ago)

oops, i mean JAMES means 'Happy' - at least i assume so

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 December 2002 23:21 (twenty-three years ago)

does anyone other than me find simon reynolds' music taste completely rubbish and his top ten list more than a little bit patronizing?

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Thursday, 19 December 2002 23:49 (twenty-three years ago)

"All My Life" ain't bad (though the lyrics seem to be about how the philanderous Grohl keeps hoping the next girl is the right girl, but if not, on on to the next one!), but no better than "Breakout" off the last one (which was about acne, much more fun) or the hits from their first two albums. He's right to call it dynamic, but I think it reaffirs that he doesn't give a shizzle nizzle about lyrics. Ever. Seems random to include it. I would have voted for JEW's "Sweetness" which is sweeter and lyrically mainly consists of woah-ohs.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 20 December 2002 00:08 (twenty-three years ago)

i dont think his lists warrant any more scrutiny than anyone else's - but i quite enjoy reading his epic Un/Faves of the year things, as i'm quite new to the writer and its always nice to read an expert who favours dance music so highly and knows his stuff, for me anyway

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 20 December 2002 00:20 (twenty-three years ago)

as for everything else, well it's a love song innit?

"That girl from school/that girl from college/that girl gives brain/that girl gives knowledge/that girl gives head/that girl gives science/that girl gives BJs at all times."

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 20 December 2002 00:40 (twenty-three years ago)

"...believe that's not a good sign"

yes, but he rilly wants a wifey!! and he's struggling against that very cynicism! listen: that line's not a celebration, a buffet menu; it's a tired, enraged list however it masquerades. it's ideals tripping up on petty greeds, superficial mores and especially the games we all play, like the playground luv politix in the chorus

"love ting takes 2 like tango/but she ain't no wifey..."

and i love the last, belligerent epilogue verse repeated twice, shouting inna the wind; rallying behind 2step!!! but it ain't real love. it ain't her

― bob zemko (bob), Friday, 20 December 2002 02:05 (twenty-three years ago)

haha paul no i didn't want it to sound like "that's MY song!" anyway as i said b4 any credit should be swiftly replaced with a slap for not digging harder elsewhere...

― bob zemko (bob), Friday, 20 December 2002 02:11 (twenty-three years ago)

thinking about it daddino i seem to be the only one reading the stuffy oldskool reactionary in pitman so maybe i'm just fulla shit :)

― bob zemko (bob), Friday, 20 December 2002 02:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Everyone knows that the only Ashanti tracks worth bothering with are "Voodoo" and "Rescue". If she made an album of that stuff it'd be in my top five for the year, no question.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 20 December 2002 02:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Just heard the vocal remix of "I Love You" and it *is* brilliant (much better than the MC-free version!). Dizzy Rascal definitely has one of the best voices in garage, as he proved on that Streets remix. One of my top five garage tunes for the year, definitely.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 20 December 2002 04:48 (twenty-three years ago)

GABBA on point.

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 20 December 2002 09:42 (twenty-three years ago)

hurrah for nick k gabba!! *hugs*

― geeta (geeta), Friday, 20 December 2002 10:11 (twenty-three years ago)

re my prev. post: have now heard it, and it really is.

― Jeff W (Jeff W), Tuesday, 24 December 2002 21:46 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

Revive!

How the fuck did this Simon Reynolds guy know about Dizzie Rascal in 2002??? Wasn't this like a full year before Boy in Da Corner was released???

― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 19 September 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

There's this thing called 'a single,' see. ("I Love U" first started circulating towards the end of 2002, I seem to recall.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 September 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

There's this thing called 'a single,' see.

But the "I Luv U" single wasn't released until May 26, 2003.

― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 19 September 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

There was an early white label version. I remember ILM folks were already talking about it a hell of a lot December 2002/January 2003.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 September 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh. I see.

― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 19 September 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

John Kennedy on Xfm was playing I luv u - months before it's release - i think he played it on Xfm in late 2002.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 19 September 2004 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

*scrounges* Okay, here we go -- started in January 2003:

Dizzy Rascal - I Luv You

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 September 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

And according to that thread there were at least some others that had already been started before then.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 September 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

from December

Alright, whaddya think of Dizzy Rascal then?

― Michael B, Sunday, 19 September 2004 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but Reynolds WAS the first person to write about Dizzee, no? All those ILM threads immediately followed him. Gotta give the man his props. He called it.

― bugged out, Sunday, 19 September 2004 17:21 (twenty-one years ago)

there were mentions in places like rwd i'm sure before that

― jess (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 19 September 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

oh well, if you're "sure"...

― bugged out, Sunday, 19 September 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

"Dizzie Rascal, August 6th, 2002"

the internet is yr pal.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 19 September 2004 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Reynolds IS Dizzee Rascal and I claim my 10 pound gift voucher.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Sunday, 19 September 2004 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I Love U test pressing.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, so you can dig up some random vapid press mention from August '02, big deal... Reynolds was still the first to say "this guy is important."

― bugged out, Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Does an standfirst saying "[...]Part of the reason for this is the hype around MC Dizzie Rascals solo smash I Love You, one of the most wanted tunes on the street. We caught up with him on his home turf to find out why hes not letting the dizzy heights of success go to his head..." not suggest that other people might have been saying he was important too? Or do they not count because of who they are?

First ILM mention 3rd Sept 2002, btw - Bob Zemko calls him 'seismic'!

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah but mags like RWD say that about everyone.

But props to Zemko!

― bugged out, Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

zemko has an impressive mastery of the English language, it's true.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah I was about to say Zemko/Prima was on the case early on, and Paul Sci-Fi and Minna were bigging it up too. At the time I could only find an instrumental loop - only heard the full vocal version after Reynolds' write-up.

However the first mass-exposure to Dizzee may have been that Roll Deep Remix of "Let's Push Things Forward" which I think came out in June or so. Roll Deep generally were getting a lot of hype right through 2002.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I wonder when Basement Jaxx recorded 'Lucky Star' with him.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

much like how some were saying regarding the interregnum twixt jungle into dnb, the random pre grime days were a lot of fun, in retrospect. i still can't find my dynamite vs helicopter 12 :(

― candour floss (mwah), Sunday, 19 September 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

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