January 5, 2001

Another easy show as we own almost all the music played on the show, with
the exception of the first set which came other people's top 10 lists. This
year I actually had 10 albums of the year (last year I only had 7), but there
wasn't one album that really stood out above the rest, just a lot of good
albums that made choosing the top 4 difficult. In fact I didn't make my
final decision until the end of the show.

Here are my top 5:

1. The Gruesomes - Cave-In
A Canadian garage band from the early 90s, so maybe it's just me re-living
my younger days and sure all their songs sound the same, but they are
goofy and fun and everybody should have at least on Gruesomes album (this is
my second).

2. Looper - The Geometroid
Stuart David left Belle and Sebastian and formed Looper after the lastest
(disappointing) album by Belle and Sebastian, I think he left just in time. This
album by Looper just has a certain energy that makes me keep listening to it.

3. Various Artists - Tao of Steve Soundtrack
Normally I don't like putting soundtracks on best of lists, but this one is
different as a few of the songs were written specifically for the movie and
the rest are intimately associated with it.

4. King Cobb Steelie - Mayday
The boys from Guelph really put it together for this one, radio friendly and
catchy, some say sell-out I say all the power to them.

5. Paul MacLoed - Close & Play
Paul finally comes out with the album he was capable of, his association with
Hawksley Workman has greatly improved the energy in his songs.


And Michelle's:

1. Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
The Hoboken Trio produced an album just for me (i.e. no marathon electric guitar feed-back sessions). The more I listen, the more the songs repeat through my head all day long, and I'm just not getting sick of them.

2. Sarah Harmer - You Were Here
I really liked Weeping Tile but passed over Sarah Harmer last summer at Hillside. That was a mistake - I can't stop listenting to her dreamy voice. Listening to Loadstar alone in a quiet room is simply amazing.

3. Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast
After recent rave reviews I had to hear this album - no disapointments here.

4. Twilight Singers - Twilight
Greg Duli from the Afghan wigs delivers a melodic masterpiece. No real singles on this album, it just works as a whole experience.

5. King Cobb Steelie - Mayday
More reminiscent of "Rational" - so I love it.


Here are some other sources of top 10 lists:
http://www.radiosonic.com/content/week/top10s2000.htm
http://www.exclaim.ca/common/display.php3?articleid=411
http://www.ckmsfm.uwaterloo.ca/top10folder/index.html
http://www.mrg2000.com/merge/news.html

And once Michelle tells me her whole list I'll update the Fireball XL5 Best of 2000 webpage.

Next week I'll send out the top 3 of the people who get this mailing, so there is
still time to send my your top 3 of 2000 if you haven't already done so.

For this week show (January 19) I want to concentrate on new material as we
have been neglecting it during the Christmas show and the Best of show.
However with the unfortunate passing of Canadian Legend Al Waxman I want
to have a set devoted to him, pass along any suggestion you have.


Fireball XL5 Setlist January 5/2001

TALK-Theme (From other people's lists)
The Dears - Heartless Romantic (C)
International Noise Conspiracy - Smash it up
Go-Betweens - Magic in Here
Sleather-Kinney - You're no Rock'N'Roll Fun
Brassy - I can't Wait
TALK
The Sixths - You You You You You
Haskley Workman - No Sissies (C)
Carolyn Mark - Not Another Woman (C)
Paul MacLeod - Listen Mary (C)
Yo La Tengo - Our Way to Fall
TALK
Madonna - Don't Tell Me
Supergrass - Pumping on your Stereo
Salteens - Nice Day (C)
New Pornographers - Letter From an Occupant (C)
Treble Charger - Brand New Low (C)
TALK
Epsilon Minus - Wasted Years (C)
South Pacific - Analogue 9 (C)
Thievery Corporation - Lebonese Blonde
Fatboy Slim - Talking About my Baby
TALK
Twilight Singers - The Twilight Kid
King Cobb Steelie - Below the Stars (C)
Badly Drawn Boy - Magic in the Air
Looper - Modem Song
Sarah Harmer - Uniform Grey (C)
Eythn Mirsky - I just Wanne be your Steve McQueen (From the Tao of Steve Sndtk)
TALK
The Gruesomes - Stop it, Girl (C)

(C) Denotes Canadian Content

Remember the Fireball XL5 Homepage is at www.civil.uwaterloo.ca/frseglen