12.27.2001 13:56
On the flipside -- the year's worst
For too many big names this year, the disk was stuck on repeat.

Electronic rocker Tricky and ska-soul rockers No Doubt were once-underground musicians yearning for the big time. No Doubt pulled outside producers into the mix to push their case for a pop-radio sound; Tricky brought in guest-starring singers. Rather than stepping away and letting others' sounds step up -- giving us repackaged trance rock and ska-soul -- these rockers should have stuck to their past musicianly ways.

Britney Spears's Britney was the worst offender: Sure, I'm A Slave 4 U is a party anthem and hot, hot video. But no manner of marketing oomph can mask Spear's shallow voice and manipulative (as in make-us-want-her) songwriting, which she keeps dishing out again and again. When we listened to these albums we thought of Sunshine Anderson's whatever ballad: "-- heard it all before."

Ten underwhelming albums of '01:

10. No Doubt, Rock Steady

9. Sevendust, Animosity

8. Clutch, Pure Rock Fury

7. Wu Tang Clan, Iron Flag

6. Dave Matthews, Everyday

5. Ben Folds, Rockin' The Suburbs

4. Eden's Crush, Popstars

3. D12, Devil's Night

2. Tricky, Blowback

1. Britney Spears, Britney

-- VAUGHN WATSON

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