As the record industry crumbled last decade, an album’s cultural and artistic impact became very hard to determine. Whereas in the past the shadow of a great album tended to loom large over their contemporaries, more recently great albums seemed to come and go as there is simply more music being put out there than ever before. Consequently, compiling an objective list of the of the greatest albums of this decade is quite a challenge (how do you establish which ones were truly better/more important than all of the others). That being said, with over ten months past since the decade closed out, here is an attempt.
200. Deerhoof
Reveille (2002)
Key Tracks: “Top Tim Rubies,” “This Magnificent Bird Will Rise”
199. Andrew Bird
Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005)
Key Tracks: “A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left,” “Opposite Day”
198. The Pipettes
We Are the Pipettes (2006)
Key Tracks: “Pull Shapes,” “Judy,” “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me”
197. Four Tet
Rounds (2003)
Key Tracks: “Slow Jam,” “Hands”
196. Erykah Badu
New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) (2008)
Key Tracks: “Me,” “Honey”
195. Love is All
Nine Times the Same Song (2005)
Key Tracks: “Turn the Radio Off,” “Ageing Had Never Been His Friend”
194. Travis
The Invisible Band (2001)
Key Tracks: “Sing,” “Pipe Dreams,” “Safe”
193. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (2009)
Key Tracks: "Contender," "Young Adult Fiction," "A Teenager in Love"
192. Jens Lekman
Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007)
Key Tracks: “Your Arms Around Me,” “Shirin”
191. Junior Boys
Last Exit (2004)
Key Tracks: “Teach Me How to Fight,” “Birthday”
190. Eddie Vedder
Music for the Motion Picture Into the Wild (2007)
Key Tracks: “Guaranteed,” “Hard Sun (Main)”
189. Justice
Cross (2007)
Key Tracks: “D.A.N.C.E.” “Valentine”
188. Phosphorescent
Pride (2007)
Key Tracks: “A Picture of Our Torn Up Praise,” “My Dove, My Lamb”
187. She and Him
Volume 1 (2008)
Key Tracks: "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today," This is Not a Test," "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"
186. The Strokes
Room On Fire (2002)
Key Tracks: “What Ever Happened?” “Reptilia,” “Under Control”
185. Ladytron
The Witching Hour (2005)
Key Tracks: “Destroy Everything You Touch,” “The Last One Standing”
184. Spiritualized
Songs in A&E (2008)
Key Tracks: "Sweet Talk," "Soul on Fire," "The Waves Crash In"
183. The Field
From Here We Go Sublime (2007)
Key Tracks: “Over the Ice,” “From Here We Go Sublime”
182. Bob Dylan
Love and Theft (2001)
Key Tracks: “Mississippi,” “Sugar Baby”
181. J Dilla
Donuts (2006)
Key Tracks: “Workinonit,” “The Diff’rence”
180. Calexico
Feast of Wire (2003)
Key Tracks: “Not Even Stevie Nicks,” “Black Heart”
179. David Bowie
Heathen (2002)
Key Tracks: “Slip Away,” “Slow Burn”
178. Liars
They Through Us in a Trench on Stuck a Monument on Top (2001)
Key Tracks: “This Dust Makes That Mud,” “Tumbling Walls Buried Me In the Debris With Esg”
177. The Bug
London Zoo (2008)
Key Tracks: "Poison Dart," "Judgment"
176. Bright Eyes
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)
Key Tracks: “Lua,” “First Day of My Life”
175. Annie
Anniemalism (2004)
Key Tracks: “Heartbeat,” “Chewing Gum”
174. Clientelle
Suburban Light (2000)
Key Tracks: “We Could Walk Together,” “I Had This to Say”
173. Modest Mouse
Good News For People Who Love Bad News (2004)
Key Tracks: “Float On,” “Bury Me With It”
172. Animal Collective
Sung Tongs (2004)
Key Tracks: “Winter’s Love,” “Leaf House”
171. The Dodos
Visiter (2008)
Key Tracks: "God?," "Ashley," "Undeclared"
170. The Fiery Furnaces
Blueberry Boat (2004)
Key Tracks: “Mason City,” “Blueberry Boat”
169. New Pornographers
Electric Version (2003)
Key Tracks: “It’s Only Divine Right,” “Miss Teen Wordpower”
168. Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles (2008)
Key Tracks: "Untrust Us," "Crimewave," "Vanished"
167. Sparklehorse
It's a Wonderful Life (2001)
Key Tracks: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Comfort Me”
166. Hercules and Love Affair
Hercules and Love Affair (2008)
Key Tracks: "Hercules' Theme," "Athene," "Blind"
165. Atlas Sound
Logos (2009)
Key Tracks: "Walkabout," "Quick Canal," "An Orchid"
164. Thom Yorke
The Eraser (2006)
Key Tracks: “Cymbal Rush,” “Analyize”
163. Liars
Liars (2007)
Key Tracks: “Protection,” “Plaster Casts of Everything”
162. Bjork
Vespertine (2001)
Key Tracks: “Unison,” “It’s Not Up to You”
161. Camera Obscura
My Maudlin Career (2009)
Key Tracks: "French Navy," "Swans," "Honey In the Sun"
160. Blonde Redhead
23 (2007)
Key Tracks: “23,” “Spring and By Summer Fall,” “My Impure Hair”
159. Cannibal Ox
The Cold Vein (2001)
Key Tracks: “The F-Word,” “Scream Phoenix”
158. New Pornographers
Mass Romantic (2000)
Key Tracks: “Mass Romantic,” “Centre for Holy Wars”
157. Godspeed you Black Emperor!
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (2000)
Key Tracks: “Terrible Canyons of Static”
156. TV on the Radio
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004)
Key Tracks: “Staring At the Sun,” “Dreams”
155. Okkervil River
The Stage Names (2007)
Key Tracks: “A Girl In Port,” “John Allyn Smith Sails”
154. The Twilight Sad
Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters (2007)
Key Tracks: “That Summer At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy,” “I Am Taking the Train Home”
153. Camera Obscura
Let's Get Out of This Country (2006)
Key Tracks: “Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken,” “Let’s Get Out of This Country”
152. Caribou/Manitoba
Up In Flames (2003)
Key Tracks: “I’ve Lived Life On a Dirt Road All My Life,” “Bijoux”
151. The Doves
Lost Souls (2000)
Key Tracks: “Sea Song,” “Melody Calls”
150. Goldfrapp
Felt Mountain (2000)
Key Tracks: “Utopia,” “Pilots”
149. Gorillaz
Gorillaz (2001)
Key Tracks: “Slow Country,” “Clint Eastwood”
148. The Futureheads
The Futureheads (2004)
Key Tracks: “Decent Days and Nights,” “Hounds of Love”
147. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It's Blitz! (2009)
Key Tracks: "Zero," "Hysteric," "Little Shadow"
146. Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Lie Down in the Light (2008)
Key Tracks: "Lie Down in the Light," "I'll Be Glad," "What's Missing Is"
145. The Notwist
Neon Golden (2003)
Key Tracks: “Neon Golden,” “Pick Up the Phone”
144. Les Savy Fav
Let's Stay Friends (2007)
Key Tracks: “What Would Wolves Do?” “Brace Yourself”
143. Kanye West
Graduation (2007)
Key Tracks: “Flashing Lights,” “Big Brother”
142. Spoon
Girls Can't Tell (2000)
Key Tracks: “Anything You Want,” “Chicago At Night”
141. Morrissey
You Are the Quarry (2004)
Key Tracks: “The First of the Gang to Die,” “The World Is Full of Crashing Bores”
140. Supergrass
Life on Other Planets (2003)
Key Tracks: “Prophet 15,” “Grace”
139. Destroyer
Destroyer's Rubies (2006)
Key Tracks: “European Oils,” “Your Blood”
138. Boris
Pink (2006)
Key Tracks: “Farewell,” “Just Abandoned My-Self”
137. Ghostface Killah
Supreme Clientele (2000)
Key Tracks: “Child’s Play,” “Apollo Kids”
136. Interpol
Antics (2004)
Key Tracks: “Evil,” “Slow Hands,” “Length of Love”
135. D'Angelo
Voodoo (2000)
Key Tracks: “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” “The Root”
134. Air
Talkie Walkie (2004)
Key Tracks: “Cherry Blossom Girl,” “Run”
133. Secret Machines
Now Here Is Nowhere (2004)
Key Tracks: “Nowhere Again,” “The Road Leads Where It’s Led”
132. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
B.R.M.C. (2001)
Key Tracks: “Too Real,” “Salvation”
131. Eminem
The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
Key Tracks: “Stan,” “Criminal”
130. Low
Things We Lost In the Fire (2001)
Key Tracks: “Closer,” “Like a Forest”
129. The National
Boxer (2007)
Key Tracks: “Mistaken For Strangers,” “Start a War”
128. Beirut
Gulag Orkestar (2006)
Key Tracks: “Postcards From Italy,” “Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)”
127. Deerhunter
Cryptograms/Flourescent Grey EP (2007)
Key Tracks: “Spring Hall Convert,” “Strange Lights,” “Like New”
126. Band of Horses
Everything All the Time (2006)
Key Tracks: “The Funeral,” “Weed Party”
125. Pulp
We Love Life (2002)
Key Tracks: “Bad Cover Version,” “Sunrise,” “Weeds”
124. Fugazi
The Argument (2001)
Key Tracks: “Argument,” “Strangelight”
123. Queens of the Stone Age
R (2000)
Key Tracks: “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret,” “Better Living Through Chemistry”
122. Wrens
Meadowlands (2003)
Key Tracks: “She Sends Kisses,” “Everyone Choose Sides”
121. Coldplay
Parachutes (2000)
Key Tracks: “Everything’s Not Lost,” “High Speed”
120. The Besnard Lakes
The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse (2007)
Key Tracks: “For Agent 13,” “On Bedford and Grand”
119. The Antlers
Hospice (2009)
Key Tracks: "Kettering," "Sylvia," "Bear"
118. Santogold
Santogold (2008)
Key Tracks: "L.E.S. Artistes," "I'm a Lady," "Starstruck"
117. Burial
Untrue (2007)
Key Tracks: “Archangel,” “Dog Shelter”
116. Sleater-Kinney
The Woods (2005)
Key Tracks: “Jumpers,” “The Fox”
115. Iron and Wine
The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002)
Key Tracks: “Upward Over the Mountain,” “Promise What You Will”
114. Broadcast
The Noise Made by People (2000)
Key Tracks: “Come On Let’s Go,” “Look Inside”
113. Bright Eyes
Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep You Ear to the Ground (2002)
Key Tracks: “Lover I Don’t Have to Love,” “Nothing Gets Crossed Out”
112. Elliott Smith
Figure 8 (2000)
Key Tracks: “Son of Sam,” “Everything Reminds Me of Her”
111. Phoenix
It's Never Been Like That (2006)
Key Tracks: “Long Distance Call,” “Napoleon Says”
110. The Doves
The Last Broadcast (2002)
Key Tracks: “There Goes the Fear,” “Pounding”
109. Grizzly Bear
Yellow House (2006)
Key Tracks: “Knife,” “On a Neck, On a Spit”
108. Cat Power
You Are Free (2003)
Key Tracks: “He War,” “Evolution”
107. Robyn
Robyn (2005)
Key Tracks: “With Every Heartbeat (With Kleerup),” “Dream On”
106. Caribou
Andorra (2007)
Key Tracks: “Melody Day,” “Sandy”
105. St. Vincent
Actor (2009)
Key Tracks: "The Neighbors," "Actor Out of Work," "The Strangers"
104. The Flaming Lips
Embryonic (2009)
Key Tracks: "Watching the Planets," "Gemini Syringes," "Silver Trembling Hands"
103. Wilco
A Ghost Is Born (2004)
Key Tracks: “Handshake Drugs,” “Hell is Chrome”
102. Clinic
Walking with Thee (2002)
Key Tracks: "For the Wars,” “Walking With Thee,” “The Equalizer”
101. The Shins
Oh! Introverted World (2001)
Key Tracks: “New Slang,” “The Past and Pending”
100. Ryan AdamsHeartbreaker (2000)
Key Tracks: "Come Pick Me Up,” “Amy,” “To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)”
99. Beach House
99. Beach House Devotion (2008)
Key Tracks: "Darling," "Gila," "All the Year"
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009)
Key Tracks: "Lisztomania," "1901," "Girlfriend"
Feels (2005)
Key Tracks: "Grass,” “Did You See the Words,” “Loch Raven”
Fever Ray (2009)
Key Tracks: "If I Had a Heart,” “When I Grow Up,” “Seven”
The Warning (2006)
Key Tracks: "Over and Over,” “And I Was A Boy From School,” “Colours”
Ys (2006)
Key Tracks: "Emily,” “Monkey and Bear”
Writer's Block (2006)
Key Tracks: "Young Folks,” “The Chills,” “Up Against the Wall”
Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lake State (2003)
Key Tracks: "Vito’s Ordination Song,” “Holland,” “Romulus”
Binaural (2000)
Over the course of the 90's, Pearl Jam had tried cutting their ties to the mainstream in order to simply drift into their own corner of the world. The fact of the matter was that despite their shift towards a more unconventional style by experimenting with their sound, their refusal to make music videos, their Ticketmaster suit, etc., the band still maintained a large profile. By 2000 however, despite their 1999 fluke hit "Last Kiss," Pearl Jam had finally found themselves out of the spotlight, albeit with a very large cult following. Their music had become so detached from the mainstream world that they sounded worlds apart from even their imitators (most of whom were quite terrible). Pearl Jam takes on a wave of different styles on Binaural, mixing garage rock and psychadelia with an array of engaging, layered sonic intricacies. "Nothing As it Seems" is one of the most haunting songs that the band has ever written, while "Evacuation" is complex garage punk. It's dynamic, exciting, and multifaceted. The lyrical content finds the band again at odds with the world at large, but there is a definite level of empathy here. Forget recent “return to form” albums like Pearl Jam and Backspacer, this was Pearl Jam’s brightest 00’s moment.
Key Tracks: "Nothing As It Seems,” “Light Years,” “God’s Dice”
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2005)
Key Tracks: "A Certain Romance,” “Mardy Bum,” “The View From the Afternoon”
Think Tank (2003)
With the departure of co-founding member/guitarist Graham Coxon, the future of Blur was questionable. Everyone concerned was ready to compare how the Coxon-less Blur fared against the original line-up. With Graham’s absence, it seemed inevitable that Blur’s sound would once again be transformed (as it has been on nearly all of their records), so one was left to wonder where they would end up. The results came in the form of Think Tank. Think Tank is an ambitious record with hypnotizing beats. It’s probably Blur’s least cohesive record, but it’s so adventurous that it seems to work well that way. The album tends to jump around from genre to genre with elements of Damon Albarn's various side projects often popping up. It's reminiscent of something Brian Eno might have had his hands in during the late 70's or early 80's. Damon Albarn managed to coax Graham back into the band for an awesome reunion tour (America next?? Please!). Regardless of what that leads to, at least we this little oddity in the Blur catalogue.
Key Tracks: “Battery In Your Leg,” "Out of Time,” “Sweet Song”
Rooty (2001)
Key Tracks: "Where’s Your Head At,” “Romeo,” “I Want U”
A Grand Don’t Come For Free (2004)
Key Tracks: "Fit But You Know It,” “Dry Your Eyes,” “Could Well Be In”
Fever to Tell (2003)
Key Tracks: "Maps,” “Y Control,” “Date With the Night”
White Chalk (2007)
Key Tracks: "White Chalk,” “Silence,” “Grow Grow Grow”
Dear Science (2008)
Key Tracks: "Family Tree," "Halfway Home," "Golden Age"
Strawberry Jam (2007)
Key Tracks: "Peacebone,” “Cuckoo Cuckoo,” “Fireworks”
Madvillainy (2004)
Key Tracks: " All Caps,” “Accordian,” “Strange Ways”
Songs for the Deaf (2002)
Key Tracks: "No One Knows,” “Go With the Flow,” “The Sky Is Fallin’”
Rings Around the World (2001)
Key Tracks: "Juxtaposed With U,” “Run! Christian, Run!” “Shoot Doris Day”
Fevers and Mirrors (2000)
Key Tracks: "The Movement of a Hand,” “The Calendar Hung Itself,” “Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh”
The Software Slump (2000)
Key Tracks: "He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot,” “Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground),” “So You'll Aim Toward The Sky”
77. The Microphones
The Glow Pt. 2 (2001)
There has been an interesting marriage of psychedelic and folk music over the last decade. True, there were plenty of bands like Neutral Milk Hotel experimenting with that sort of thing in the 90’s (and even earlier). But the genre seemed to flourish over the last ten years. Although there are definite similarities to Microphones and other bands of that ilk, The Glow, Pt. 2 in some way feels different. The album succeeds in providing its listeners with its own niche, seemingly unaffected by the outside world. The album, spanning twenty songs and over an hour of music, is a focused, consistently compelling gem. The Glow, Pt. 2 feels organic with its acoustic guitars, steel drums, pianos, and lo-fi production. Even the overdriven drums seem to gel perfectly with the natural feel of the record. Phil Elvrum’s idiosyncratic vocal stylings (not to mention peculiarly abstract lyrics), production and song transitions help make The Glow, Pt. 2 a fascinating listen from start to finish.
Key Tracks: “I Felt Your Shape,” "the Gleam Pt. 2,” “I Am Bored”
Up the Bracket (2002)
Key Tracks: "Boy In the Band,” “Death On the Stairs,” “Up the Bracket”
Relationship of Command (2000)
Relationship of Command was a breath of fresh air. At the Drive-In's aggressive, passionate music was remarkably raw and expressive. They were wild and unique, with odd dynamics and jerky mood swings. The spastic single "One-Armed Scissor" sounded especially out of place on Modern Rock radio, which was playing mostly nu-metal and Blink-182 soundalikes. ATDI's unpredictable, razor-sharp cries just didn't really fit in anywhere and there’s no doubt that was part of their appeal. The band didn't just know how unleash their adrenaline, "Non-Zero Possibility" was an affectingly bizarre ballad from another planet. There are plenty of these moments on Relationship, the album is exceedingly 3-dimensional. Of course, ATDI broke up shortly after the album began attaining success and the world lost a great band at the peak of their powers.
Key Tracks: "Non-Zero Possibility,” “One-Armed Scissor,” “Cosmonaut”
White Pony (2000)
There were always vast differences between the Deftones and their would-be nu-metal contemporaries, but with the arrival of White Pony in 2000, it became obvious that they were in a class all of their own. It's weird to think that ten years ago the media had the Deftones poised for the same level of success as those bands. True, in a just world they would have been bigger than those bands, but it's not hard to see why that didn't exactly pan out. Despite the great melodies on White Pony, the band was much too cryptic for that kind of mass consumption. The lyrics (and sounds) were shrouded in mystery. Sure, Chino Moreno can scream, but his vocal mannerisms owe as much to new wave as they do hardcore. The Deftones seamlessly weaved moody samples and keyboards with violent guitars. White Pony found the band perfectly marrying thrash with shadowy atmospherics quite unlike any band before them.
Key Tracks: "Change (In the House of Flies),” “Digital Bath,” “Pink Maggot”
Sources, Tags and Codes (2002)
Sources, Tags, and Codes could be the ultimate visceral rock record of the last decade. Sure, there have been plenty of great rock records in the past six years, but as far as raw, searing power is concerned, this is it. What sets this record apart is it's thoughtfulness as wells as its expansive composition. A sweeping anthem like "It Was There That I Saw You" is met with a haunting segue before the band jumps into the breathtaking "Another Morning Stoner." Strings and pianos give the songs an imaginative sharpness. The raw, driving energy is also often juxtaposed with surreal passages and/or sounds. All of this provides a perfect backdrop for the band's grippingly peculiar imagery in which they explores rather bleak themes, but with glimmers of hope. What's also striking about Sources, Tags, and Codes is its cohesiveness, especially given that there are three different singers on it and the band's members often switch off instruments. Put simply, this album's intensity strengthens which each passing crushing rhythm.
Key Tracks: "Relative Ways,” “Sources, Tags and Codes,” “Heart In The Hand Of The Matter”
The Midnight Organ Fight (2008)
Key Tracks: "Keep Yourself Warm," "Floating In the Forth," "Poke"
Ha-Ha Sound (2003)
How can you go wrong when your major reference points are Raymond Scott, 60’s pop, Pet Sounds and Krautrock (and of course, Stereolab)? It’s everything a space-age pop album, filled with chiming wintery sounds should be. There are many similarities here to Broadcast’s past work, the analogue synths are still very much intact and on a superficial level, the sound of the band hasn’t changed that dramatically. There are just certain subtleties and shifts that give this album an edge. On HaHa, the longing in the brief “Oh How I Miss You” or the beauty of “Ominous Cloud” is matched with more discordant fare like “Pendulum.” The sounds are also a little more varied here than on The Noise Made by People and Trish Keenan’s detached vocals are just slightly more expressive. It’s the perfection of an already compelling formula.
Key Tracks: "Hawk,” “Oh How I Miss You,” “Before We Begin”
Two Suns (2009)
Key Tracks: "Daniel," "Glass," "Travelling Woman"
Demon Dayz (2005)
In 2000, the Gorillaz fantastic, if inconsistent, debut album, seemingly came out of nowhere and announced Damon Alburn’s MO for the decade to follow. Blur would have its moments, a brilliantly cluttered album, followed by a long hiatus and subsequent reunion tour (many of us are still waiting on them to hit the States, see number 89), but Damon certainly couldn’t be tied down. Demon Dayz was one of the many gems to come out of Damon’s overreaching ambition.
Key Tracks: "Dare,” “Kids With Guns,” “O Green World”
LCD Soundsystem (2005)
Key Tracks: "Losing My Edge,” “Tribulations,” “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House”
Vampire Weekend (2008)
Key Tracks: "Walcott," "Mansard Roof," "A-Punk"
Bitte Orca (2009)
Key Tracks: "Stillness Is the Move," "Two Doves," "The Bride"
In Ghost Colours (2008)
Key Tracks: "Feel the Love," "Unforgettable Season," "Far Away"
Alligator (2005)
Key Tracks: "Karen,” “Lit Up,” “Abel”
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006)
Key Tracks: "Hold On, Hold On,” “Star Witness,” “Lion’s Jaws”
XX (2009)
Key Tracks: "Shelter," "Crystallized," "Infinity"
Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (2007)
Key Tracks: "Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse,” “The Past Is A Grotesque Animal,” “She's A Rejector”
Boy In Da Corner (2004)
Key Tracks: "I Luv U,” “Sittin’ Here,” “Jus' A Rascal”
Drum's Not Dead (2006)
Key Tracks: "The Other Side Of Mt. Heart Attack,” “Let's Not Wrestle Mt. Heart Attack,” “The Wrong Coat For You Mt. Heart Attack”
Trust (2002)
Key Tracks: "(That’s How You Sing) Amazing Grace,” “Tonight,” “La La La Song”
Echoes (2003)
In 2003, with a flood of new bands seemingly poised for success, it really seemed like dancepunk might takeover. You couldn’t read an article or review without coming across the obligatory reference to Gang of Four or Public Image Ltd. But the Rapture had been doing this sort of thing for years; they were obviously not bandwagon hoppers. The Rapture’s long awaited debut full-length Echoes was the best album of the whole bunch. Unlike most of their peers, the Rapture manages to transcend their influences, or at least they manage to creatively mix them up to the point where they’re not as easily distinguishable. Rather than rely strictly on their post-punk leanings, the Rapture branches out with piano ballads, strokes of new wave, and unique uses of atmospherics. Overall, Echoes is just a fun ride.
Key Tracks: "House Of Jealous Lovers,” “Sister Saviour,” “Open Up Your Heart”
For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
Key Tracks: "Skinny Love," "Re: Stacks," "Creature Fear"
Murray Street (2002)
Key Tracks: "Karen Revisited,” “The Empty Page,” “Sympathy for the Strawberry”
Leaves Turn Inside You (2001)
After Unwound's 1998 album Challenge for a Civilized Society the band decided to build their own recording studio which would serve them for their next album. The double album Leaves Turn Inside You came three years later and it sounded like the work of an entirely different band. Leaves Turn Inside You is an epic psychedelic record that's as hallucinatory as it is pretty(?!). Not to say the abrasive tendencies of their first six albums are gone, but they are muted quite a bit. Just try and compare the chilling "Radio Gra" to anything they have previously done, and they are all the better for the change. The masterful inclusion of harpsichords, mellotrons, cellos, etc. help build the album's incredible dimensions. Obviously it's not the kind of album that's good for casual listening. Leaves Turn Inside You has received a great deal of critical acclaim, but even still this album should have reached mythic status by now. It's easily one of the decade's most sorely overlooked records.
Key Tracks: "Radio Gra,” “Demons Sing Love Songs,” “One Lick Less”
Album (2009)
Key Tracks: "Hellhole Ratrace," "Laura," "Lust For Life"
Rock Action (2001)
Rock Action is about subtleties. Take the superb “2 Rights Make 1 Wrong.” Listen as the song slowly shifts, metamorphosing into a brand new entity. Slowly, some instruments ebb, new instruments are introduced, the bass line is transformed and before you know it, you’ve been taken to a new place entirely. My point being that you don’t just listen to Rock Action, you experience it. You take in its many changing shades and colors. On several tracks (see “Sine Wave“ or “Robot Chant”) Mogwai paints an impressionistic picture with waves of static and digital noise, strings, banjos, and vocoders. Even still, the subdued vocals, although scattered, help connect the listener to the emotional tone of much of the album. “Take Me Somewhere Nice” and “Dial: Revenge” are strikingly affecting and the layers of sound are quite magnificent. Those two songs along with “2 Rights Make 1 Wrong” rank alongside Mogwai’s best work. But to single songs out seems beside the point, Rock Action is more like one mesmerizing piece.
Key Tracks: "Take Me Somewhere Nice,” “2 Rights Make 1 Wrong,” “Dial: Revenge”
Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)
I don't know if it worked against them or for them, but it seemed everyone knew a bit too much about Wolf Parade before they even heard them. Wolf Parade was touted as the next great band to come out of the "Montreal Scene," after all the band did have ties to the Arcade Fire. Much ballyhoo was also made about the fact that Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse produced Apologies to the Queen Mary. The similarities to Modest Mouse and the Arcade Fire are there, but they are vastly overshadowed by the band's own nuances. Wolf Parade's Apologies is a classic 00’s indie rock record.
Key Tracks: "Dinner Bells,” “Shine A Light,” “I'll Believe In Anything”
Saturdays = Youth (2008)
Key Tracks: "Kim and Jesse," "Highway of Endless Dreams," "Too Late"
Internal Wrangler (2000)
Key Tracks: "Distortions," "Goodnight Georgie,” “The Return Of Evil Bill”
Kala (2007)
Key Tracks: "Paper Planes," "Jimmy," “Boyz”
Let It Come Down (2001)
Spiritualized’s orchestral space rock seemed to grow more ambitious with each passing release. After the band’s 1997 masterpiece Ladies and Gentlemen, We are Floating in Space, Jason Pierce fired his entire band and began painstakingly arranging the follow up, Let it Come Down. The album plays like a series of confessions and pleas for redemption. Pierce’s intimate and telling vocals contrast with the lush, detailed music. But this approach gives the album a dramatic and powerful vulnerability. Let it Come Down succeeds in mixing gospel, country, orchestral pop, and garage rock like few could. Highlights include “Do it all Over Again” and “The Straight and the Narrow,” which rank among Spiritualized’s best songs. The album’s closer, the epic “Lord Can You Hear Me,” features an orchestra and gospel choir. In the wrong hands this could have spelled overindulgent disaster, but this is Spiritualized, so quite naturally, it’s remarkable.
Key Tracks: "The Straight and Narrow," "Do It All Over Again," “Lord Can You Hear Me”
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() (2002)
Key Tracks: "Untitled 4," "Untitled 1," “Untitled 2”
Franz Ferdinand (2004)
Key Tracks: "Take Me Out," "This Fire," “The Dark of the Matinée”
The Life Pursuit (2006)
Key Tracks: "Another Sunny Day," "To Be Myself Completely," “For the Price of a Cup of Tea”
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007)
Key Tracks: "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb," "Black Like Me," “The Underdog”
You Forgot it in People (2003)
Key Tracks: "Lover’s Spit," "Almost Crimes," “Shampoo Suicide”
Since I Left You (2000)
Key Tracks: "Since I Left You," "Frontier Psychiatrist,” “Summer Crane
Third (2008)
Key Tracks: "The Rip," "Machine Gun," "Hunter"
10,000 Hz Legend (2001)
Air flipped their synth pop on its head for 10,000 Hz Legend, creating a dark, futuristic and meditative record. What the French duo fashioned on their second official album is fascinating interstellar art pop that's submerged in the helplessness of a robotic age. The pulsing "Lucky and Unhappy" questions "recess lines" and "schedule life" while the android presented in "How Does it Make You Feel?" speaks candidly about his affection for another. The production on 10,000 Hz is flawless, but it is the band's idiosyncrasies that really help set the record apart (not that anyone was really making music like this anyway). Air’s peculiar humor is ably intact as well as their penchant for cosmic synth parts. The arrangements are detailed and complex, more so than on the fabulous Moon Safari. And that's what is so rewarding about 10,000 Hz, it's the sound of Air throwing away their prior blueprints in favor of moving forward.
Key Tracks: "Lucky and Unhappy," "Sex Born Prison," “People In the City”
Z (2005)
My Morning Jacket abandoned easy categorization on Z. The album touches on a number of different reference points, most of which are recognizable, however, they are so skewed to fit My Morning Jacket's purposes that the band manages to breathe new life into them. "Off the Record" hints at the Clash, before veering off into an Air-esque breakdown, which also bears resemblance to Pink Floyd. "It Beats 4 U" is somewhat reminiscent of the Flaming Lips, while "Gideon" plays like an estranged U2 anthem. But none of it sounds like an attempt at imitating these bands, it is all done in a distinctive My Morning Jacket fashion. It feels more like a collective of great ideas. Stranger yet, it feels strikingly imaginative.
Key Tracks: "Wordless Chorus," "Off the Record," “Into the Woods”
Return To Cookie Mountain (2006)
Key Tracks: "Wolf Like Me," "Province," “Dirtywhirl”
Geogoddi (2003)
Key Tracks: "Music is Math," "Dawn Chorus," “1969”
Original Pirate Material (2002)
Key Tracks: "Weak Become Heroes," "Don’t Mug Yourself," “It’s Too Late”
Chutes Too Narrow (2003)
Key Tracks: "Kissing the Lipless," "Saint Simon," “So Says I”
XTRMNTR (2000)
Key Tracks: "Accelerator," "Shoot Speed/Kill Light," “Swastika Eyes”
Late Registration (2005)
Key Tracks: "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," "Gold Digger," "Hey Mama"
Hail to the Thief (2003)
Hail to the Thief seems to have taken a hit since the release of In Rainbows, almost looked at as a stop-gap between masterpieces. Although it may not have the same focus as the rest of their albums, it’s warm reception upon release was well deserved. By the time of Hail to the Thief’s release, Radiohead had established themselves as one of the most, if not the most, consistently challenging artist of their time. As a result of their own brilliance, Radiohead had set the bar impossibly high for themselves and by any reasonable assessment, they managed to reach it with Hail to the Thief. Hail to the Thief stands as Radiohead's most aggressive album, successfully marrying their electronics and guitar rock. The album is often erratic, with sudden shifts from the pristine to panic. It still contains plenty of sublime, beautiful moments, after all this is Radiohead. And although it is clearly Radiohead, it isn't really like any of their prior albums and yet it at times feels like a culmination of all of their preceding albums. Alright, I guess it is a lot like their other albums in the sense that it's brilliant.
Key Tracks: "There There," "A Wolf At the Door," "Scatterbrain"
Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000)
The only thing that was more surprising about Polly Jean Harvey's move towards more accessible music was the fact that it resulted in what is arguably her best album. Not only was Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea her most accessible album, but it also stands as one of her most vulnerable albums to date (and that’s saying something). The agonized images of her past albums are replaced here with an honest directness. Moody ruminations like "Beautiful Feeling" have an eerie beauty. In that particular song, Thom Yorke's background vocals float eloquently underneath PJ's, creating an effectively haunting setting. Speaking of Thom, of course there's the much touted duet "This Mess We're In," which stands as one of the albums many highlights. The album in general centers around rich textures and rhythms and unlike most of her prior work, rather than being purposefully uneasy it's purposefully elegant. Stories From the City feels largely like a self-discovery of sorts and from a great artist that tends to lead to great music; it certainly holds true in this case.
Key Tracks: "Beautiful Feeling," "You Said Something," "Horses In My Dreams"
29. Daft PunkDiscovery (2001)
Key Tracks: "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," "Nightvision," “Digital Love”
Twin Cinema (2005)
Key Tracks: "The Bones of an Idol," "Use It," "Stacked Crooked"
Person Pitch (2007)
Key Tracks: "Bros," "Ponytail," “Good Girl/Carrots”
The Good, The Bad, and The Queen (2007)
Of all of the far-reaching (and sometimes far-fetched) projects Damon Alburn cooked up this last decade, the Good, the Bad and the Queen seemed like the most randomly assembled. A hodge-podge of musicians seemingly brought together simply because they were all brilliant, almost as if to stoke Alburn’s ego. Ultimately, likely because of the album’s impressive pedigree, the band ended up producing the most satisfying album Alburn put his name on all decade, no small feat. Upon The Good, the Bad and the Queen’s release, Alburn claimed that the album was his most British album since his mid-90’s work with Blur. Although, there may some truth to that-- the hazy melancholia surrounding the tracks certainly feels British and much of the lyrics do regard the depressing state of life on his home turf-- Tony Allen’s polyrhythms and Simonon’s dub-infused bass lines definitely add intriguing ingredients to the cocktail.
Key Tracks: "Herculean," "The Good, The Bad, and The Queen," “Kingdom of Doom”
Amnesiac (2001)
Time has been kind to Amnesiac. Once sitting in the overwhelming shadow of Kid A, seen as its little (lesser) brother, time has put a little distance between the two of them. In fact, the differences between the two records are more striking now than ever. Amnesiac is neither the return to form (i.e. OK Computer II) it was promised to be, nor scraps left over from Kid A which some view it as. It has an aesthetic that is all its own. The band plays with simpler arrangements and they toy at ideas that weren't all that prevalent on their prior albums. The backwards keyboard sounds on the spectacular "Like Spinning Plates," the piano based "Pyramid Song," the bluesy "I Might Be Wrong." All of these would be out of place on any of their other records. True it's not a deviation as drastic as Kid A, the paranoia is still ever present and Radiohead maintains that familiar Radiohead atmosphere, but it is different nonetheless. Amnesiac is often criticized for its lack of cohesion, which, to a degree, is understandable. After all, nearly each of the eleven songs here seems to be coming from a different place. This makes Amnesiac a particularly difficult record. But let’s not let this obscure the fact that there are a plethora of brilliant moments here.
Key Tracks: "Pyramid Song," "Like Spinning Plates," "You and Whose Army?"
Stankonia (2000)
Key Tracks: "Ms. Jackson," "B.O.B.," "Gasoline Dreams"
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
The Flaming Lips have an uncanny ability to mix the heartfelt with the absurd and the humorous with the sad to first-rate results. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots further entrenched the Flaming Lips in an electronic rock environment with analogue synths, drums machines, etc. At the same time, their arrangements included just as many acoustic guitars and shimmering sounds. This time around, the Lips sound sparser and less grandiose. As a result, the songs are more intimate (but no less strange). “Do You Realize” is one of the most affecting songs the band has ever written. The song’s dealings with the inevitability of death are sincere, yet never hackneyed. The song is just one of the many shining moments on Yoshimi. Yoshimi is a further testament to the fact that the Flaming Lips’ are a unique, bright spot in the indie rock world.
Key Tracks: "Do You Realize??," "Fight Test," "Are You a Hypnotist??"
Neon Bible (2007)
Key Tracks: "No Cars Go," "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations," "The Well And The Lighthouse"
Kill the Moonlight (2002)
Spoon's stripped down approach was carried out to perfection on their fourth album Kill the Moonlight, an album void of any conceivable excesses whatsoever. In fact, upon first listen Kill the Moonlight can almost seem too minimal. With subsequent listens it becomes clear that Spoon knows just what elements of each song need to be present. The album uses space in order to create songs that are as brainy as they are catchy. This approach helps to accent each separate ingredient and as a result nearly every element becomes etched in your mind. "That's the Way we Get By" has a tense swagger and is impossibly unforgettable, as are the chiming guitars and sparse (but captivating) pianos in "Don't Let It Get You Down." It’s a formula Spoon has become the masters of, but never as masterful as on Kill the Moonlight.
Key Tracks: "The Way We Get By," "Don’t Let It Get You Down," "Vittorio E"
Fleet Foxes (2008)
I’ll be honest, the Fleet Foxes’ greatness was a hard sell for me initially. Sure, I can get behind a great rustic folk/Americana release when they pop up, but I’ll admit, prior to the Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut, there was a presupposed mental limit as to how truly extraordinary such a release could really be. Not to say that an album that vein couldn’t be great, but what new revelations could possibly be exhumed in such a backwards-looking genre? If done really, really well, maybe they would end up on the bottom of the year’s Top 5 albums, but certainly not in the Top 20 of the decade. Needless to say, my presuppositions were proven wrong, as Fleet Foxes easily transcends any of my expectations as well as easy categorization. The album’s many touchstones such, as Appalachian folk and indie rock, reveal themselves over multiple listens. And the harmonies of course, those are a force to be reckoned with.
Key Tracks: "White Winter Hymnal," "Ragged Wood," "He Doesn't Know Why"
Silent Shout (2006)
Silent Shout is one of the hardest albums on this entire list for me to wrap my head around. It remains today as mysterious as it did the day I bought it, maybe more so. Sure details become unveiled with each listen, but the dark synth arpeggios, peculiar percussion sounds and rather ominous lyrical images certainly aren’t always very identifiable. And we haven’t even mentioned the pitch shifted voices, now those are ominous. Luckily, Silent Shout is as beautiful as it is looming. This record would no doubt be quite a challenge to listen to if not for the prettiness hidden within throughout. All this to say, Silent Shout is one of the most satisfying enigmas of the last ten years.
Key Tracks: "Silent Shout," "Neverland," "We Share Our Mother’s Health"
Veckatimest (2009)
Like number 17 (which, in case you haven’t peaked, I won’t reveal just yet) and many of the albums on this list, Veckatimest made quite had quite a buzz on the “blogosphere” months prior to release. That the album managed to live up to the hype was no small feat. Grizzly Bear set out to make one seamlessly crafted chamber pop record and boy did they pull it off. With perfectly placed harmonies sitting inside meticulously sculpted arrangements, an album as precise as Veckatimest could come off as too careful or calculated, but their devotion to craft is as astonishing as it is refreshing.
Key Tracks: "Two Weeks," "Cheerleader," "While You Wait for the Others"
Microcastle/Weird Era Continued (2008)
In 2007, Deerhunter seemed to be awfully polarizing in the indie world. The band’s live show featured oft-misconstrued antics from singer Bradford Cox along with music that was not always the most accessible (much of which was from the stellar Cryptograms). And then there’s Cox’s strikingly skinny build, which turned out to be due to the rare genetic disorder Marfan syndrome. Post- Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. all of these concerns almost feel like ancient history. Taking their cues from shoegaze, Spaceman 3, and 60’s pop, with Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. Deerhunter created a masterpiece that helped them transcend their own exaggerated image. The band calls themselves ambient punk, which isn’t too far off the mark, but that title downplays their tremendous pop sensibilities.
Key Tracks: "Agoraphobia," "Little Kids," Nothing Ever Happened"
The College Dropout (2004)
I can already see some readers’ eyes rolling now (it looks a lot like what my eyes look like when Kanye’s on an awards show). Definitely one of the more divisive figures in the top 20, it’s easy to overlook Mr. West’s musical and lyrical accomplishments. Despite how easy it is to hate Kanye when he’s not performing, he is one of the few mainstream rappers not afraid to examine and even challenge clichés and paradoxes present in the hip hop community. Unconcerned as to whether or not it’s fashionable, he boldly admits his commitment to both God and his family while rejecting rap’s preoccupation with status symbols (all the while admitting to being ensnared in the game himself). And of course, there’s the production, which is flawless. Refreshingly musical, yet challenging and experimental. The College Dropout is hip hop’s creative peak.
Key Tracks: "Jesus Walks," "Through the Wire," "All Falls Down"
Elephant (2003)
From the minute their breakthrough White Blood Cells caught wind, the White Stripes just felt like a classic band. Maybe a lot of it was in their clever shtick and their devoted two-member-only guitar rock approach. Those aspects have definitely given the duo a distinctive and often amusing personality, but I’m inclined to believe it has as much to do with their ability to write unadorned, yet unforgettable songs dripping with feeling and a sense of timelessness. If Elephant comes off a bit scattered in comparison to its predecessor, it’s only because the White Stripes made the astute decision to expand their palette considerably. Elephant is a world class triumph of pachyderm-like proportions.
Key Tracks: "You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket," "Seven Nation Army," "The Hardest Button to Button"
The Moon and Antarctica (2000)
Before the indie world could recoil in horror at the thought of Modest Mouse signing to Epic, the band silenced all cynics and delivered their finest album to date, The Moon and Antarctica. Their first major label album was a far cry from selling out. All of the features that make Modest Mouse interesting are here in full bloom with no real concessions to the commercial world. As a result, immediately after its release, The Moon and Antarctica was heralded as the band's masterpiece. Sure, Lonesome Crowded West was great (and I'm sure there are a stubborn few who would claim it's still their best), but The Moon trumps it. Its introspective tone, reflective depth and pure cohesion put it a notch above the rest of their work. It's dark and desolate and the atmospherics can feel a bit like a night in the arctic. Add that to the fact that the album so skillfully jumps from one idea to another and it's easy to see why this album created such a stir.
Key Tracks: "Dark Center of the Universe," "Perfect Disguise," "The Cold Part"
Illinois (2005)
Illinois surely could have been the most bloated indie rock album of the decade, had it not pulled off every ambition so successfully. Seriously, 22 tracks with overtly long-winded titles totaling 70 plus minutes of music loaded with every instrument a marching band and then some could muster. But he pulls it off, leading us through stories of hope and faith as well as death and loss as told by one of the most proficient songwriters around. So, Sufjan Stevens has claimed he will probably never give Illinois a proper follow up, which is too bad for us. And I sure hope Sufjan doesn’t make good on that threat to give up making albums for good (ed. apparently he hasn't as we now have The Age of Adz). But then again, we should all just be thankful Illinois exists.
Key Tracks: "Casimir Pulaski Day," "Chicago," "The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts"
Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
It seemed nearly impossible to read a review of Interpol that didn’t merely focus on whether or not the band transcends their influences with the inevitable reference to a certain late 70’s post-punk band whose members later went on to form New Order. Meanwhile, scores of Interpol influenced bands seemed to pop up all over, which would lead me to believe that all of those naysayers are wrong. But hey, they were clearly wrong from the get-go, “Untitled’s” spacey lead slide guitar doesn’t even begin to resemble something from that band that sung "Transmission." One only had to go out to their local club to see the latest cheap knock-off imitating the groove and layered atmospherics of "Obstacle 2", not the sparse drone of that haunting band featuring the late Ian Curtis. Sure, I've only defended them against one of only a myriad of bands that they've been accused of grave robbing, but the point is that when all of Interpol's ingredients came together, yes they transcend their influences. 30 years from now, Turn on the Bright Lights will still be seen as a landmark.
Key Tracks: "Untitled," "Say Hello to the Angels," "Leif Erikson"
Sound of Silver (2007)
When I saw LCD Soundsystem at Coachella in 2007, I was kind of hoping that somehow their set would never end. Specifically, I would have liked to have had “All of My Friends” from their then-new album Sound of Silver playing on a continuous loop and I could just dance amongst the excited crowd forever. Unfortunately, their set had to end because that’s what happens in reality. Luckily, when it was over, I still had Sound of Silver, the greatest dance album the decade gave us, to put on whenever I needed that fix. What a winning formula: a dance album with rock ideals, at times reminiscent of Berlin-era Bowie or Talking Heads, but strikingly singular.
Key Tracks: "All My Friends," "Someone Great," "North American Scum"
White Blood Cells (2001)
Before the ink even had time to dry on all those articles proclaiming the Strokes the saviors of rock and roll the White Stripes rolled in and saved it again (after all, we needed a band or two to save it each year). Saving rock and roll, or any genre for that matter, seems like such an antiquated notion now in the age of endless genre mash-ups. So late-90’s/early 00’s media clichés aside, White Blood Cells is a unique and significant album. More than just a bluesy, garage rock throwback, it has passion and a marked emotional resonance. Jack White sounds ardent even when he’s just quoting Citizen Kane on “The Union Forever.” The band perfectly balances all of their paradoxes on White Blood Cells. The songs are big, but not at the expense of their minimalism. Eventually success resulted in some interesting twists and turns for the White Stripes, but White Blood Cells is the band at their purest and most uninhibited. It’s easy to ignore the fact that this album ‘saved rock,’ rock had been saved more times than Timmy on Lassie, but the fact of the matter is that White Blood Cells is a classic nonetheless.
Key Tracks: "Fell in Love With a Girl," "The Same Boy You’ve Always Known," "This Protector"
A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
It’s not hard to see why there is a split opinion on the merits of Coldplay. Once you become as overexposed as they have, you’re bound to attract some opposition (and in their case, there is plenty). But there’s a reason that A Rush of Blood to the Head receives so many more accolades than criticisms, it’s simply a great album with world class songwriting. I don’t care how many times I hear “Clocks,” it’s still remarkable. “Warning Sign” and “Amsterdam” are right up there with it. A Rush of Blood does nod to their influences, but here they are far from being a "Radiohead-lite" or "U2 2" as their critics might suggest. I’ll grant you that the Radiohead pilfering on “Daylight” is a bit obvious, but it’s forgivable due to the fact that it’s such a good song. You might say that the band is in the tradition of Radiohead and U2, but they have their own unique formula. Overall, it’s the band’s unmatched sincerity that carries the record. That sincerity helped them take over the world.
Key Tracks: "Clocks," "Warning Sign," "Amsterdam"
In Rainbows (2007)
Radiohead took a rather scrupulous approach with In Rainbows (not that the band doesn’t usually approach a new album rather meticulously). Through multiple recording sessions and a touring with their new material, Radiohead took their creative use of sonics and experimentation and sculpted out ten of the “prettiest” songs in their catalogue. After the band’s brilliant but (comparatively) scattered fourth and fifth albums, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief, it was tempting to think that in time their albums might slowly slip in quality. Shockingly, they sculpted out what was arguably their fourth perfect album (and first since Kid A). I’m not even going to go into In Rainbow’s pay-what-you-want scheme, although it did provide the music industry with some interesting points to debate, what ultimately mattered was Radiohead’s unwavering commitment to the quality of their albums.
Key Tracks: "Nude," "Reckoner," "House of Cards"
Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)
Animal Collective has spent the entire past decade defying genre categorizations while swiftly evolving with each release. Despite the consistency with which they have drastically altered their sound, each release fits squarely in the Animal Collective catalogue (but does not so neatly fit anywhere else). The world they have created is all their own and Merriwhether Post Pavillion sees their vision in full bloom. One impressive album after another and MPP still feels like the big payoff.
Key Tracks: "Bluish," "My Girls," "Brother Sport"
Is This It (2001)
Remember the hyperbole surrounding the Strokes when they first arrived, the hype machine that declared them the saviors of the world? The Strokes were claimed to be the heirs to the New York legends' throne; the next in a line that it includes Velvet Underground and Television. They were revolutionaries and brought on the greatest movement in rock in years. Such exaggerations seemed pretty silly to the average discerning music lover. But when put in perspective, it is pretty interesting how much of what we take for granted regarding the ubiquitous nature of indie rock in the “aughties” started with the Strokes (and they brought back skinny jeans!). All of this done with some of the most infectious songs written all decade.
Key Tracks: "Someday," "Take It or Leave It," "Last Nite"
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
Some of those executives at Warner Bros. circa ‘01/02 must still feel pretty stupid for the whole Yankee Hotel Foxtrot debacle (I would imagine there are very albums out there that have been paid for twice by the same record company). At least, for their sake, the album was commercially successful despite the fact that the band made no consensus to make it more commercially viable. All of the album’s back story aside, Yankee stands as an indie milestone. It strides a perfect balance between warm intimacy and disaffected experimentation; a rare feat. To get caught up in all of the hype and folklore surrounding the album's release, furthered by the independent film made documenting the band's trials, distracts the listener from just that. Sure, Wilco was wise to fight to hold onto their vision in the midst of some short-sighted record executives. But what's truly amazing is the fractured, heartfelt pop of "Reservations," or the personal yet ambient "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart."
Key Tracks: "Reservations," "Ashes of American Flags," "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"
Ágætis Byrjun (2000)
There are few albums quite like Ágætis Byrjun and even fewer bands quite like Sigur Rós. Comparisons to Radiohead and Spiritualized may be apt, but there are obvious monumental differences between those two bands and Sigur Rós. Even the band’s Icelandic counterparts haven’t quite captured the otherworldly feel of Ágætis Byrjun. Sigur Rós’ eerie brand of space rock is celestial, an enveloping mélange of shimmering bowed guitars, glockenspiels, keyboards, organs, strings, etc. The arrangements never cease to amaze as each song has been meticulously crafted with each detail carried out to perfection. All the while, the vocals are floating somewhere in the middle. It's some of the most accomplished music of its time. Gleaming ten minute epics (which includes nearly every song on the album) like “Sven-G-Englar” seem neither pretentious nor self-indulgent. Quite the contrary, Ágætis Byrjun is so engaging that you simply just forget that you’re not being sucked out to another galaxy.
Key Tracks: "Svenf-g-englar," "Starálfur," "Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása"
Sea Change (2002)
Beck had hinted at his capabilities to write somber music in the past, but who knew that he could sustain such solemnity for an entire album. But on Sea Change he did just that, very successfully. Sea Change is the kind of album you want to take out on a lonely desolate drive (preferably at night). Beck’s sudden unforeseen mood swing found him creating a singer/songwriter album not unlike something you might have found in the late 60s. But the album is definitely not a throwback to that era. Sea Change represented an as yet-to-be-realized future of folk music. Here, acoustic guitars are matched with pervasive keyboards and strings. The songs are filled with lush, space bound arrangements and there is real depth to Beck’s heartbroken expressions. The lyrics stand with an undaunted vulnerability, sung with a concrete weariness. The album remains compelling from start to finish, never deviating from its central point of reference, but continually shifting. Sea Change is easily Beck’s most cohesive album. In short, it’s stunning.
Key Tracks: "The Golden Age," "Lost Cause," "Lonesome Tears"
Funeral (2004)
Funeral seemingly came out of nowhere and knocked nearly anyone who came in contact with it off their feet. This was the most cathartic music to come out in years. The album’s opener, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)," builds and builds with an unreal intensity, an intensity that continues throughout the course of the album. In other songs, like "Wake Up", sudden shifts take the band into a completely different musical territory almost instantly. Rather than bog the album down with over dramatization, Funeral’s theatrics carry it in a manner that’s still exciting today. The distinctive lyrical imagery so naturally connects to the band’s eruptions and it seems to unfold like a new chapters in Funeral’s narrative (it’s obvious the well publicized loss of several of the band’s family members helped fueled Funeral’s fire). The most startling aspect of Funeral is how well the band retains such unbridled passion from song to song (no small feat given 2004’s skeptical indie rock environment). It’s simultaneously mournful, uplifting and ultimately redemptive.
Key Tracks: "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)," "Rebellion (Lies)," "In The Backseat"
1. RadioheadKid A (2000)
I never really understood why there was ever any sort of debate over the validity of Kid A. Granted my fondness for Kid A has grown with each listen, but from the moment on October 3, 2000 when I brought it home and put on for the first time, I was in awe. Which leads me to believe that any lukewarm responses probably were not due to merely a matter of its critics not giving it the attention it deserves (although it’s very possible). I'm guessing they were just never able to accept the simple fact that their guitars were replaced by keyboards and electronics. Whatever the case, it seems to be water under the bridge at this point as Kid A continually pops up on the top these lists (even those whose initial response was tepid), and for good reason. It’s one of only a few honest to goodness perfect records to be released this decade. It's definitely the most innovative out of all of them. We all know Radiohead's list of electronic artists cited as influences on Kid A, yet it’s impossible to really pinpoint any places on the album where Radiohead really, truly sounds like those influences. All I know is that the second I put Kid A on and hear those descending Rhodes notes I get chills. From that moment on the astonishment never really lets up until the brief hidden track fades out. Quite a feat, especially considering it was Radiohead's third straight masterpiece and musically it's in another universe in comparison to the first two. I know I'm just reiterating what's been said a thousand times now. Do I really need to add to the encyclopedia's worth of assessments that have already been written about it? But what other album this decade can you pose that question about? And with that, I'll stop.
Key Tracks: All of them (see above review). Okay, maybe “Treefingers” isn’t a great entry point per se, but all of the rest…
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