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best of the zero decade
Dec 30 09So, here it is. My fifty cents worth. Don't send me angry emails. Lists are stupid. I did it for myself. I was curious how this decade stacked up.
MY (VERY) PERSONAL 20 BEST ALBUMS OF THE DECADE
*As the decade wore on, did I listen to less albums? Or were less good albums made? Or was the album as medium dying a slow death? Or am I just getting picky in my old age? Probably. I wish things passed through my skin like they used to. I can think of some solid albums from the latter half of the decade but for one reason or another they didn't speak to me personally. The music from the early part of the decade found me at my most impressionable and probably most informed my musical style. Seems like 2002 was my golden year. Note: Albums with more than one or two skippable songs didn't make this list. That rule kicked some of my favorite bands off including The National, Modest Mouse, Stars, Flaming Lips, MGMT and Coldplay.
reverse chronological order
Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
2009
This album is baffling in the best way. I can't figure out why I like it so much. Thomas Mars's voice & lyrical flow inspire the best kind of mimicry. The production is precision perfect. I'm jealous, which is the best proof to me that I'm hearing something special.
Once
Music From The Motion Picture
2007
I thought I'd hate the movie. An indie musical? The first scene began & all cynicism faded. The camera zooms in on that beatup guitar & enormous voice. Great, honest performances but the songs carry the film. It was a good reminder to me that the most important element of a recording is the quality of the song itself. No tricks. Simple, authentic and melodic.
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible
2007
This band is upper echelon. The highest crust. Every element is in place--sound, songs, aesthetic, live show, everything. This album is not "Funeral" but that's okay. It's a focused work from lyrics to packaging. And I love the title. Again, jealousy.
The Damnwells
Air Stereo
2006
This band used to be labelmates of mine on Epic. I didn't care for their first album, but this one killed me. Just solid songs. "Shiny Bruise" is one of my favorites of the whole decade.
Sufjan Stevens
Illinois
2005
Fine, it's got some filler, but it earns a spot for ambition alone. How audacious to make an album like this. I've had arguments with people about the merit of this album. If they don't admit to its brilliance I get angry, literally. If a song can make you cry, that's something; this album has two tracks that do it to me and they're probably not ones you'd guess. I don't know what exactly makes this album work. It's playful, historical, skillful. It sounds good. But the real accomplishment is the emotion. The album wouldn't matter without it. That goes for any album.
Arcade Fire
Funeral
2004
Enough has been said about it. I felt the need to include both this and "Neon Bible." "Funeral" accomplishes the impossible--one can find themselves dancing & weeping to the same song. Think about it: one band, one decade, only two albums, and both are classics. I wish more bands chose quality over quantity. Maybe more people would buy records if there were less of them.
Kings Of Leon
Aha Shake Heartbreak
2004
I thought I'd hate it. Funny how that happens. The things I think I'll hate I usually end up falling in love with. Caleb's vocals--they're addictive. The band is rolling on their sophomore effort. The lyrics are piss poor & usually that's hard for me to look past. Not here. It works. I love muted, murky, live sound. I prefer it to their latest album "Only By The Night," which I don't quite get. Regardless, they deserve the success. They're one of the good guys.
Death Cab For Cutie
Transatlanticism
2003
I love every single thing about it. The cover art. The title. The lyrics. Opening tracks are so key and this one has a doozy. "The New Year" hints at "explosions off in the distance" and that promise is fulfilled. During the title track, I'm apt to keep driving and never come back.
Nada Surf
Let Go
2003
I bought their very first album when it came out, "High/Low," and quickly realized the band was misrepresented by their breakout single "Popular." For me, that was a good thing. I bought their self-released second album "Proximity Effect" and loved it. I was a fan. But "Let Go" cemented them as one of my all-time favorites. Lyrically, I feel a strange kinship with singer Matthew Caws. I sometimes feel he's in my brain. I wish my upper range was that smooth though.
Ben Kweller
Sha Sha
2002
Slacker rock? That's what they called it. Whatever that is. The kid can write songs. "Lizzy" shows it. Mainly, the album makes me happy and that's a hard thing to do. Frankly, I don't normally enjoy music that makes me feel that way.
The Postal Service
Give Up
2002
My band and I were on tour when I bought it and it never left our CD player once. We tried removing it, but our driving worsened as a result. "Give Up" accomplishes that mysterious happy/sad effect, which to me is where true beauty resides in music.
Wilco
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2002
It took me a loooonnng time to get it but when I did, nothing else mattered. After I saw the film "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" it all made sense. Break my heart? Yes.
Pedro The Lion
Control
2002
A concept record? About marital strife? Murder? It's more than that. Albums should probably never go past 10 songs. It's the perfect number. The songs are murky, the lyrics dark, and the vocal delivery creepy but inviting.
Sigur Ros
()
2002
I bought "Agaetis Byrjun" in London in 2001. I knew I was hearing something I'd never heard before. But () is something else. I've had "experiences" listening to this thing, whatever that means. I don't think I've ever heard anything more crushing than "Track 1". Ever.
Bright Eyes
Lifted
2002
This album makes my Top 3 of the Decade. There's so much to digest. Conor still sounds needy here and I like that sound in my singers. The two releases that followed--2005's "Digital Ash" and "Wide Awake"--sound more in control. This one is unruly but still fully realized. I spoke of jealousy before. Well I can't recall a time I was more seething with it..
Pete Yorn
Music For The Morning After
2001
In the Seventies, being a rock singer-songwriter was cool. Petty, Springsteen. At some point that changed. Pete Yorn brought it back. The only downside is I think he used up all his good songs on this one album; everything after it was lame, to the point where I've had to rethink this one. (Although I hear "Back and Forth" is worth checking out. I should shut up. Who am I?). Alas, on its own merit, this album is way too good to leave off.
Jimmy Eat World
Bleed American
2001
"Clarity" was one of my favorite albums of the Nineties. "Bleed American" took it to another level. This album is what made me want to work with producer Mark Trombino on "Slow Down Kid".
Radiohead
Kid A
2000
I was tempted to include other Radiohead albums from the decade but this is the one that started it all. "OK Computer" was the smell of gas and this album was post-explosion. Just look at the cover. The detonation seemed to happen behind closed doors, the band reorganizing a new identity out of the rubble. The first thing I thought was: Why isn't Thom singing? Minutes went by without an utterance. Then a whole song with no singing ("Treefingers"). The minimalism added weight to every single breath. Musically, it was shocking. Everything the band made after this was sort of derived from this basic sound. I'd like to see another revolution, another detonation. Radiohead are critics' darlings who can do no wrong. But I think they're capable of more than they've been offering. I'd like them to tear down the sound again. A new shock to the system. A bluegrass record, whatever. Something as startling as Johnny Greenwood's soundtrack for "There Will Be Blood." The better you are, the higher the expectations. I expect much more. There I said it.
Spoon
Girls Can Tell
2000
Yes, I chose it over "Kill The Moonlight." Partly because it was my introduction to them as a band but mostly because it has better songs. "Kill The Moonlight" was Spoon's "Kid A." Their deconstruction record. It's true that "Small Stakes" and "The Way We Get By" are killers but--in my humble opinion--there are also a bunch of misses on "Moonlight." "Girls Can Tell" is less innovative & more derivative, but it's also undeniable. From that first off-kilter drum fill, I'm in. I still can't figure out the timing there.
The Strokes
Is This It
2000
In college, I was in a band called Ben Trovato. Our goal as songwriters was to never repeat a part i.e. no choruses. Ludicrous. Meanwhile, another band on the NJ circuit, The Selzers, played unapologetic, tried-and-true pop. The lead singer, Ryan Gentles, later became the manager of The Strokes. I was in London in 2001 hanging with a friend & her British boyfriend. The boyfriend was a photographer & heard I knew Ryan. He wanted to know if I could get him access to The Strokes. The who? Never heard of them. The band was already a sensation in England before America knew their name. Later that summer I bought "Is This It" at an airport in Australia, featuring the cover art above. From the photo alone I assumed I would hate the band but my curiosity was piqued by the transatlantic hype. To my surprise I loved them. Months later "Last Nite" was a hit back home. They were so easy to hate--looks, style, opportunity, attitude, etc--but you just couldn't. They were too good. Unlike the bands they were emulating, they could actually play. And for me, it's about melody, and they had plenty of that too.
BEST 45 (plus 8) SONGS OF THE DECADE
*You'll notice there's only one pick from 2009. Hard to tell how songs will age & I'm hesitant to put 'songs of the moment' on a decade list. Looking back at my Best Of's for previous years, I'm shocked by how many songs I never went back to. This list contains the songs that just won't die for me. And just so I can look back embarrassed next year, I'll let you in on what I've been listening to lately: "Lust For Life" by Girls, "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear, "Contender" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, "My Girls" by Animal Collective, "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga, "Walls" by Shout Out Louds, and the ubiquitous "Empire State of Mind" by Jay Z.
reverse chronological order
Phoenix - "1901" [2009] - everything in its right place
Good Old War - "Looking For Shelter" [2008] - recorded by my friend Jason Cupp
Coldplay - "Viva La Vida" [2008] - undeniable, don't hate. did he steal it? good for him. he's got a good ear.
MGMT - "Time To Pretend" / "Kids" [2008] - can't choose between the two
Silversun Pickups - "Well Thought Out Twinkles" [2007] - Nineties nostalgia & a voice that tickles in just the right spot
The National - "Fake Empire" [2007] - perfect beginning & then the beat takes it somewhere even better
Spoon - "The Underdog" [2007] - a love it when an old dog learns a new trick
M.I.A. - "Paper Planes" [2007] - wows me everytime
The Damnwells - "Shiny Bruise" [2006] - love the production, lyrics & delivery
The Killers - "When You Were Young" [2006] - at first I thought, big letdown from "Hot Fuss." but as time went on, the song seeped into me. awesome on Rock Band too!
Justin Timberlake - "Sexy Back" [2006] - this is when I started to suspect that my dislike of JT was unfounded snobbery. the song is mean.
Nada Surf - "Inside Of Love" [2005] - hard to choose from this album. if another singer sang this it would sound corny.
Sufjan Stevens - "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out To Get Us!" [2005] - can't explain, just kills me
Okkervil River - "For Real" [2005] - I'm a sucker for the loud/soft thing. Will's vocals do dangerous somersaults & land intact
Coldplay - "Fix You" [2005] - 2nd of 3 songs on my list, I had no idea I liked them so much. The inversions in the end give me the chills. Watch the old guy sing it in "Young @ Heart" & bawl your eyes out
Bright Eyes - "Lua" [2005] - provacative imagery delivered with vulnerability & delicacy
Bloc Party - "Like Eating Glass" [2005] - like running for your dear life
Wilco - "At Least That's What You Said" [2004] - from the softest whisper to the most bombastic chaos. contains one of my favorite lines: "I thought it was cute for you to kiss my purple-black eye even though I caught it from you"
The Walkmen - "The Rat" [2004] - teeth gnarling
Stars - "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" [2004] - it's rare that music is visual for me. this song paints a picture
Modest Mouse - "Float On" [2004] - same message sung by someone else would be self-help nonsense
The Killers - "Mr. Brightside" [2004] - wish I wrote it.
Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone" [2004] - wish I wrote it. wish I could sing it.
Elliot Smith - "Twilight" [2004] - ouch
Wheat - "Go Get The Cops" [2003] - has me from first utterance
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps" [2003] - a gem by a band I otherwise don't get
The Shins - "Kissing the Lipless" [2003] - wish I could get up that high
Outkast - "He Ya!" [2003] - i still can't believe that time signature crossed over
Death Cab For Cutie - "The New Year" / "Transatlanticism" [2003] - both
Cat Power - "Good Woman" [2003] - kills me
Spoon - "The Way We Get By" [2002] - one feels swanky just listening to it
Sigur Ros - "Track 1" [2002] - top 5 deathbed songs
Rilo Kiley - "The Good That Won't Come Out" [2002] - still her best to my ears
The Postal Service - "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" [2002] - my favorite
Pedro The Lion - "Indian Summer" [2002] - wrestle with this: "all the experts say you ought to start them young, that way they'll naturally love the taste of corporate cum."
Pearl Jam - "Thumbing My Way" [2002] - I'm a Pearl Jam apologist, but even I can't defend their landslide into shit in the '00s. Their albums are always good for a gem or two though.
Eminem - "Lose Yourself" [2002] - Had to put one Eminem song.
Desaparecidos - "Man and Wife, the Latter (Damaged Goods)" [2002] - a meaty tale told over messy indie rock. you've got me.
Coldplay - "In My Place" [2002] - my 3rd, crazy. the drum beat alone.
Bright Eyes - "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" [2002] - spoke my mind word for word
Brendan Benson - "Metarie" [2002] - a low-fi anthem
Pete Yorn - "Strange Condition" [2001] - love the drop step in the 2nd verse
Radiohead - "True Love Waits" [2001] - unfair. live to boot.
U2 - "Beautiful Day" [2000] - amazing to have something this perfect so late in your career
Radiohead - "Idioteque" [2001] - take your pick from Kid A.
Honorable Mentions:
System Of A Down - "Chop Suey" [2001] - Never heard anything like it. Still can't believe it made it on the radio. Ignore the snare sound.
Badly Drawn Boy - "You Were Right" [2002] - i love it, think it's a feat, but it didn't age quite as I hoped
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - "Relative Ways" [2002]2002 was the year
Sondre Lerche - "Sleep On Needles" [2002] - a nice ditty
Interpol - "Obstacle 1" [2002] - they still haven't beaten it
Longwave - "Sirens in the Deep Sea" [2008] - as I said, I'm a sucker for loud/soft
Superchunk - "Late-Century Dream" [2001] - "everybody lives in a knot, everybody's tryin' to make space around what they think they've got"
Mariah Carey - "We Belong Together" [2001] - don't ask
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