In case you haven’t heard the sweet, sweet collaboration between Peking Duk and Jack River, aptly titled ‘Sugar’, then we’re glad you’ve emerged from that very large rock you’ve been living under.
The video for ‘Sugar’ dropped late last month and is a beautiful ode to sun-drenched late 90’s/early 00’s pop culture, with a special nod to LEN’s classic ‘Steal My Sunshine’.
In honour of that, both members of Peking Duk (Adam and Reuben) and Jack River (Holly Rankin) have taken the time out to rate some of your fave early 00’s bangers for you. Check their ratings out below, and make sure to check out all the details for both Peking Duk‘s and Jack River‘s upcoming tours.
LEN – STEAL MY SUNSHINE
Adam: 10/10
The essential summertime bop that still holds its own to this day. The vocals and the clip are so over the top cliche it’s almost too good to be true. Iconic and timeless. LEN OR DIE.
Reuben: 9/10
If you weren’t screaming this in your durry-crusted bender voice on a Sunday in the naughties you weren’t living. This song sums up that music can be made by anyone and can be for anyone.
Holly: 10/10
It’s sweet, rough, hilarious and epitomises every year 6 dance of the 00’s since forever.
THE CARDIGANS – LOVEFOOL
Adam: 9/10
The instruments and production on this are so tight it’s a real treat on the ears. Smooth and sexy. Classic.
Reuben: 9.5/10
I must have been about 10 years old when this came out… Between her [The Cardigans lead singer Nina Persson] and No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani, the TV at home copped a serious Saturday morning Rage pashing.
Holly: 8/10
That 90s sweet disposition. You can hear the desperation but really there’s no fucks lost if nothing comes through. I love this attitude in so many 00’s and 90s bangers. They weren’t so serious.
NEW RADICALS – YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE
Adam: 9.5/10
I thought this song was U2 for some reason, which I guess is a huge compliment ‘cos they write anthem slappers. This is a beautiful tune with a good message. Makes me want to smoke a joint and stand in a field of daffodils dancing in the sun.
Reuben: 9/10
This song is huge. I fully thought it was a U2 song. Dafuq is going on.
Holly: 6/10
Yep, banger but it’s a little melancholic for me. Maybe ’cause it is so sentimental, it’s got that post U2 feel to it, it’s almost too much emotion.
CRAZY TOWN – BUTTERFLY
Adam: 9.5/10
The John Frusciante riff, DJ AM on the decks in the clip, the shirtless dude in the nursery with the tattoos. Speechless. A smash. Lots of twisted lyrics in there that make you cringe when listening now but back then it seemed to all make sense. Oh the simpler days.
Reuben: 7/10
This summarises the naughties so well. The clip and the shtick of everything is so set in stone of that time. FKN LOVE IT.
Holly: 5/10
Great song but always felt a liiiitle tooooo creepy for me haha. Great clip too, but similarly felt slightly creepy. No offence, I’m sure everyone is really nice in Crazytown. Maybe because I was 7 or 8 when this got released and it felt like you were watching/listening to something for adults or sick teenagers only.
WHEATUS – TEENAGE DIRTBAG
Adam: 10/10
The title sums up the teen emotions we were feeling when this heater dropped. The Kangol cap and fucked up sunnies in the clip make it so much doper too. Wheatus smashed this tune. The two tickets to Iron Maiden part kills me every time… Do yourself a favour and search Teenage Dirtbag acoustic and you can hear the lead singer doing the damn thing in a studio on an acoustic it’s absolute madness.
Reuben: 7/10
A screamer. A true screamer. Just as all the American teen-movies came out… These guys timed it well to start a new genre of American teen-rock. Neither were long lived but both very memorable.
Holly: 11/10
I can’t even begin to explain how much I love this song. The emotion bleeds into every guitar tacky guitar part, every vocal, every, movement. It is the best pop song of all time to me (tying with Mr Brightside).
