Let's update Nature's Best: 2001-2002
The first batch of nine tracks for consideration are here ...
You know what, I love Kiwi music - and it was with enthusiasm that I lapped up APRA’s Top 100 Kiwi Songs Of All Time back in 2001-02. As I outlined last week, I reckon its about time that we updated the list with everything from 2001 onward. So here are the first nine songs I’m nominating, from 2001 and 2002.
Each song has a little poll underneath so make your thoughts heard by voting for whether you think the song should be higher, lower or not on the list at all.
> Che-Fu - “Misty Frequencies”
> Che-Fu - “Fade Away”
Fu released his album Navigator - which contained both of these songs - in 2001, eventually winning Album Of The Year and Top Male Vocalist at the 2002 Aotearoa Music Awards. “Misty Frequencies” won an APRA Silver Scroll award in 2002, and Best Male Vocal Performance in 2003, while “Fade Away” was a chart hit that won Single Of The Year in 2002 at the Aotearoa Music Awards.
“Misty Frequencies” is a genuinely brilliant piece of music, so I’m going to place that at #25, while “Fade Away” enters the list at #51. Now over to you …
> Salmonella Dub - “Love Your Ways”
Due to when the list was made, Tiki Taane isn’t featured at all, even though he has arguably been one of the most influential Kiwi performers of the past two decades. Salmonella Dub’s Inside The Dub Plates was released in 2001, peaking at #1 on the Kiwi chart, nominated for Album Of The Year, and winning the band the Best Group award at the 2002 Aotearoa Music Awards.
“Love Your Ways” is the most famous song from the album and I’ve added it to the list at #56. Over to you …
> Goodshirt - “Sophie”
Auckland alt-rockers Goodshirt released their debut album in 2001, and won Best New Act at the 2002 Aotearoa Music Awards. However, “Sophie” wasn’t released as a single until later that year - it peaked at #1 on the NZ Singles chart, and the video (above) won the 2003 Aotearoa Music Award for Best Video.
Beyond that, its one of the most recognisable and well-written ballads this country has ever produced. I’m feeling good about placing it at #19.
> Nesian Mystik - "It’s On"
With members from Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa and New Zealand, Nesian Mystik are one of the most diverse groups ever to gain mainstream success in this country after their brilliant debut album Polysaturated was released in 2002, winning Best Urban Album at the 2003 Aotearoa Music Awards.
“It’s On” is (I would say) the most popular and well known song from the album, it was nominated for Single Of The Year at the 2003 Aotearoa Music Awards, and I’m feeling #69 for this one.
> Blindspott - "Phlex"
What to do with Blindspott … the group are one of the most popular and successful metal groups this country has ever produced, and their debut album is as good as any metal/nu-metal album of the time.
But “Phlex” was the most successful song, without question. And it is the least metal song on the album, applying a reggae aesthetic to the groups dense sound. It deserves to be added to the list, for sure, but I’m feeling #89 on this one.
> The Datsuns - "In Love"
The Datsuns arrived on the scene with a bang, releasing their self-titled debut in 2002, and winning Album of the Year, Top Group and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2003 Aotearoa Music Awards.
But they seemed to fade away after that. “In Love” is a good song, and I think their impact on the 2003 awards deserves recognition. I’m placing it at #102.
> Rhombus - "Clav Dub"
I thought about Rhombus’ catchy-as-all-fuck single “Clav Dub” - with its Tiki Taane guest spot and Goodbye Pork Pie parody music video - but I ultimately decided to leave it off the list. What do you think?
> Anika Moa - "Youthful"
Anika Moa is another performer who has been around for the last two decades and feels so intrinsically Kiwi that she deserves to be on the list. Moa’s story is interesting: she won the Smokefree Rockquest in 1998 and recorded a demo, which was then picked up by Warner Brothers Music. Debut album Thinking Room was the result, recorded in New York and released in 2001; while nominated, it got stuck behind Che-Fu’s Navigator in every major category.
“Youthful” was the first big single from the album, and is very typically Anika Moa - outspoken (albeit subtly), well composed, and cleverly put together. I’m going to put this one at #33 and see what you all think …
So with those additions, the list is now 108 songs long. I’ve popped an updated version of the list below, and will keep updating it as we go.
For next weeks edition, we’ll look at a slightly bigger batch of tracks from 2003-2004, with a few hard choices to be made.
Thanks for reading everyone - see you next time!
Ngā mihi nui,
Chris
Too late for this, but Sophie should rate higher, because it's good yes but also, an influential bit of songwriting today; I hear traces of its distinctive crawl in songs by P.H.F. and Earth Tongue.