50 Favorite Albums of the 2000s: 21-30 [21 Dec 2009|12:00am] ithinkiamsteven 30. Alligator, The National (2005) - I personally prefer Boxer over Alligator, but it would be easy to make an argument in favor of either album, because they are both great. Alligator is rougher around the edges, in both the production and the performance. This record really rocks when they pick up the tempo and let it all hang out like on songs like "Abel" and "Mr. November," something they haven't done in more recent recordings. ("Secret Meeting", "Abel") 29. Kill the Moonlight, Spoon (2002) - The longest songs on this record barely creep past three and a half minutes. The elements are simple: Britt Daniel's raspy voice, terse guitar and piano riffs, and sparse, creative percussion. Spoon manages to put all these pieces together in the studio to create something so cool, full of rock and soul. This album is extremely catchy, and superbly written and recorded. And it's not even my favorite Spoon album. ("The Way We Get By", "Stay Don't Go") 28. Boxer, The National (2007) - The National's most recent album is more polished than their previous work, but has the same style and tone. Matt Berninger's deep baritone is perfect for the often fatalistic, sarcastic lyrics, which capture so well the alienation prevalent in our modern society. Their musicianship is excellent, and the melodies are really solid. ("Slow Show", "Apartment Story", "Racing Like a Pro") 27. The Crane Wife, The Decemberists (2006) - The Crane Wife marked the first album from The Decemberists after signing to a major label, but they definitely stayed true to their aesthetic. There are some straightforward pop songs ("Yankee Bayonet" and "O Valencia!"), but there are also two extended multi-part song cycles, "The Island" and "The Crane Wife", which is based on a Japanese folk tale. I fell in love with this album from the incredible opening track, all the way to the warm, sunny ending of "Sons and Daughters." ("The Crane Wife 3", "The Crane Wife 1 & 2") 26. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, Bright Eyes (2005) - Though the album starts with a lengthy spoken passage (a Bright Eyes custom that I hate), there isn't much else I don't like about this album. Conor Oberst channeled his modern subject matter and sensibilities into folk and Americana to create a really great record. The backing vocals by Emmylou Harris are superb, and fit surprisingly well with Oberst's distinctive voice. This is the album that got me interested in Bright Eyes, and to me it's still his best by far. ("We Are Nowhere and It's Now", "Poison Oak") 25. The Runners Four, Deerhoof (2005) - Deerhoof are so unique that they almost defy description. The Runners Four is their longest album, and it's full of great songs from beginning to end. It's my favorite Deerhoof album, and it includes great vocals from Satomi Matsuzaki and Greg Saunier, great guitar work, great drumming, and a band working really well together to create something original and entertaining. ("Twin Killers", "Wrong Time Capsule", "You Can See") 24. The Sunset Tree, The Mountain Goats (2005) - One of the things that I like about this album is that it came in the in-between stage of The Mountain Goats' transition from lo-fi cassette recordings to the more polished current sound. The Sunset Tree is definitely less lo-fi than the earlier Mountain Goats albums, but there are still plenty of raw moments when Darnielle's voice is strident and full of passion. It's also a deeply personal record coming from a seasoned story-teller. His remembrances of a traumatic childhood are chilling and intimate. And as always, he shows off his knack for writing great melodies. ("This Year", "Up the Wolves") 23. Figure 8, Elliott Smith (2000) - His last album released before his untimely death, Figure 8 exhibited Smith's developing transition towards a more orchestral folk-pop. Some of the songs are hauntingly dark, musically and lyrically, while others sound unusually upbeat. The filled-out rockers ("Son of Sam", "L.A.") are as powerful as the stripped down laments ("Somebody That I Used to Know", "Everything Reminds Me of Her"). It's terribly sad that the life of such a talented artist was cut short. ("Somebody That I Used to Know", "Easy Way Out", "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?") 22. Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear (2009) - You can tell that this record was thoroughly planned-out and composed precisely. There are so many beautiful little moments that make this album special to me--the strings and horns in the intro to "I Live With You", the hushed outro to "All We Ask", the breakdown in "Ready, Able", the spare piano in "Foreground" (one of my absolute favorite closing tracks on any album)--and that's to say nothing of the beautiful melodies and harmonies. This album is thoroughly unique, intriguing, and highly enjoyable. ("Two Weeks", "Ready, Able", "Foreground") 21. Silent Shout, The Knife (2006) - Silent Shout doesn't have the killer singles that Deep Cuts has, but it's a more consistent album. This entire album sounds like a strange message from an alternate universe. The things Karin Dreijer Andersson can do to her voice are both amazing and creepy. I never expected to be able to dance to something so other-worldly or sing along to something so downright bizarre. ("Silent Shout", "We Share Our Mother's Health", "Like a Pen") get together

50 Favorite Albums of the 2000s: 31-40 [18 Dec 2009|10:23am] ithinkiamsteven 40. Apologies to the Queen Mary, Wolf Parade (2005) - Isaac Brock famously produced this album, Wolf Parade's first full-length, and while you can hear the stylistic similarities to Modest Mouse, Wolf Parade have definitely crafted a sound all their own. The vocals are frantic and intense, and the guitars and synths build sometimes to a frenzy. These quirky, catchy songs weasel their way into your head and won't get out. ("Modern World", "Shine a Light", "I'll Believe in Anything") 39. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, The Flaming Lips (2002) - Though it has relatively absurd title/premise, this album is surprisingly full of gorgeous melodies and arrangements, as well as a lot of emotion. At times Wayne Coyne's "deep" lyrics can seem trite, but there is a real heartfelt sincerity to these songs. The later part of the album tends to drag for me, but the high notes are irresistibly sweet. ("Fight Test", "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1") 38. Give Up, The Postal Service (2003) - Ben Gibbard is a great songwriter, and his collaboration with Jimmy Tamborello is one of his best efforts in what has been a prolific decade. Tamborello's electronic beats are as awesome as Gibbard's songs, and really make the record something special. This is definitely an album for, and of, the 21st century. ("The District Sleeps Alone Tonight", "Sleeping In") 37. Gimme Fiction, Spoon (2005) - Even as the lowest Spoon album on my list, Gimme Fiction is really awesome, and has some of my very favorite Spoon songs. I was slow to warm up to Spoon, but now I think all of their output this decade has been stellar. As is the case with many of these artists, seeing them live really helped me to appreciate their music more. ("I Turn My Camera On", "Sister Jack") 36. Amnesiac, Radiohead (2001) - Often it seems to be classified as the less-attractive cousin of Kid A, but I think Amnesiac is a worthy album in its own right. The opening and closing tracks, two of my favorites, show the range of genres they are able to pull off here, from chilling electronica to New Orleans funeral march, with all sorts of things in between. And then there's "Pyramid Song", one of Radiohead's most hauntingly beautiful ballads. ("Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box", "Pyramid Song", "Life in a Glasshouse") 35. Strawberry Jam, Animal Collective (2007) - This is the Animal Collective album which most clearly features the band's singing, putting the vocals more up-front in the mix, and to me that's a good thing. This record is bursting at the seams with energy, full of crazy electronic sounds and beats, and every so often erupting with Avey Tare's screams. It's an unusual but satisfying delight. ("Peacebone", "For Reverend Green", "Fireworks") 34. Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse (2004) - This is the album where Modest Mouse finally broke into the mainstream, but to me it's just as awesomely weird as all of the albums that preceded it. Isaac Brock shows striking range, at times singing almost sweetly, other times barking out crazed lines like "Please, bury me with it!" I love all the horns and banjos and interesting instrumentation. ("The World At Large", "Ocean Breathes Salty", "Blame It On the Tetons") 33. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (2008) - At first, these guys were just one of those buzz bands that I was ready to write off. Then I really started listening to their music, which is full of exuberance and all the energy and confidence of The Strokes' debut album. A little afro-pop, a little punk, and lots of great melodies and charm. It's far from perfect, but it's such a sunny, enjoyable album. I hope VW can continue to put out records this good. ("A-Punk", "Bryn") 32. Bitte Orca, Dirty Projectors (2009) - This record is very interesting, if nothing else. There are so many intricate guitar and vocal parts playing off each other all at once, crazy rhythms and time signatures that I still can't always follow, and lyrics that are complete head-scratchers. Somehow all of that adds up to something that is really entertaining and satisfying, at times even danceable and singable. These guys are really good at what they do, and this is music that no one else is making, or could make. ("Stillness Is The Move", "Two Doves", "No Intention") 31. The Stage Names, Okkervil River (2007) - Will Sheff can write catchy tunes and clever lyrics, and deliver them both with a lot of emotional intensity--and he does it really well on this record. The Stage Names encapsulates the best parts of Okkervil River in one awesome album, which is solid from the great opening track to the "Sloop John B"-quoting closing track. ("Our Life Is Not a Movie Or Maybe", "A Girl in Port", "John Allyn Smith Sails") 1 smiledlikemka | get together

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