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Monday, January 4, 2010

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #90 to #81

90. "2GETHER" - soundtrack
(TVT, 2000)

MTV's spot-on movie spoof of the boyband phenomenon -- and its cast -- ironically became a big part of it, spawning a sequel TV series and two albums of endearingly warped pop tunes. Who can forget "Say It (Don't Spray It)" and "Me + You = Us (Calculus)"?


89. ELEVEN - "Avantgardedog"
(A&M, 2000)

Apparently nobody had the patience to give this band a fair shake, seeing as how they'd been on three different labels by the time of their fourth album. Goodness knows why, with this tasty batch of boisterous rock jams like "Cool Cruel Baby", "It's Okay", and "Verb".


88. GUSTER - "Keep It Together"
(Reprise, 2003)

Kind-of like a lighter Dave Matthews Band or an acoustic version of Genesis, Guster always delights with their own special brand of folk-rock, dusted with touches of world-music and jazz. "Careful", "Homecoming King", "Amsterdam" and the title track are highlights.


87. TONY BENNETT - "Duets: An American Classic"
(Columbia, 2006)

Do I even need to explain why this album is on my list? With the reigning king of song doing what he does best alongside a veritable who's-who of music, from Streisand to Bono to John Legend to the Dixie Chicks ... maybe I need to explain why it isn't higher on my list.


86. JONAS BROTHERS - "Lines, Vines & Trying Times"
(Hollywood, 2009)

Having gotten bored with their first two Hollywood Records albums, I didn't have high expectations for this one, even though I knew they had gobs of potential. But I was impressed and quite surprised by how fresh and amazing they sounded here ... rock on, Jo Bros!!


85. CHRISTIAN WUNDERLICH - "Reflections"
(BMG/Germany, 2000)

The second and final album from the German actor-turned-singer (and probably -turned-actor again by now) is not really any step forward from his first, but considering the really nice pop tunes here ("Like The Sun", "If I Ever Lose This Love"), that's not a bad thing.


84. SHINY TOY GUNS - "We Are Pilots"
(Universal Motown, 2006)

There's nothing like a nice thick slice of electro-rock dipped in a coating of '80s dance-pop, and nobody does it quite like STG. From "Le Disko" to "Don't Cry Out" to "Chemistry of a Car Crash" to "Rainy Monday", there's not a tune to be missed on this one.


83. SUGARBOMB - "Bully"
(RCA, 2001)

One of the most original and ear-grabbing power-pop acts to come along in quite awhile, they gave us just one sweet-but-explosive album full of rambunctious fun. Unfortunately, the album was released in September, while the nation's attention was understandably elsewhere.


82. FIVE - "Invincible"
(RCA/UK, 2000)

Formed by Simon Cowell as an all-male alternative to the Spice Girls, Five turned out to be my second-favorite boyband of all time. Not only did they pack their albums with fun and catchy songs, but any group that can make rap tolerable to my ears deserves to be on this list.


81. KYLE RIABKO - "Before I Speak"
(Aware, 2005)

This Canadian guitar prodigy had licks that could give John Mayer a run for his money, and a smooth and soulful voice on par with Sam Cooke. Just listen to "Do You Right", the title track, the swaying "Miss Behavin'" and the energetic "Paranoid", and you'll be hooked, too.

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