The decade in albums, part 7

45. Thursday, War All the Time (2003)

I was never a fan of Thursday's hit album Full Collapse, but this with this album, they toned down the melodramatic back up screaming, improved their musicianship, and hit me full force with an incredibly emotionally potent album. The title track is a certainly something to behold.

44. The White Octave, Menergy (2001)

The White Octave's sophomore effort is a toned down emo sound, with more rocking out and catchy hooks. The change of pace is great, and shows a great band that could have been. They of course broke up immediately after the release of Menergy.

43. Tom Waits, Alice (2002)

Tom Waits is perfect. He'll never release anything less than great. But Alice is something of a standout in his career, maybe his most emotional effort. The title track is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful songs I've ever heard.

42. The Mountain Goats, Tallahassee (2002)

The first Mountain goats album recorded in an actual studio was something of an abrupt change at first. Repeated listens revealed it to be a concept album of great depth, showing songwriter John Darnielle as a very versatile artist for the first time.

41. The Lawrence Arms, Apathy and Exhaustion (2002)

The best from these drunken depressives from Chicago is what you might expect-- drunken, dark, witty, and catchy as fuck. Their simple riffs are infectious, and the sing a long choruses feel darn right wrong to be singing, as most have something to do with pissing yourself drunk, or killing yourself, or some such depressing nonsense,

40. The Lord Weird Slough Feg, Traveller (2003)

Slough Feg play an indescribable style of metal. Heavy, yet folky, but mostly just fucking ridiculous. The solos are great, riffs catchy, and the clean vocals fucking legendary. This is a space opera about a half dog/half man creature. These guys are insane. And it sounds awesome.

39. Aesop Rock, Labor Days (2001)

Aesop being Aesop. The most preachy and wonderful of all his albums. This album features his greatest acheivement in the form of "Daylight". This is a wonder. Not just a hip-hop masterpiece. You must listen.

38. Mihai Edrisch, Un sans l'autre (2004)

The king of all short, fast, and powerful screamo albums. They employ a sly dissonance to their songs that somehow makes the beautiful parts even better. You don't like screamo, fine. But this shit is just fantastic.

37. Streetlight Manifesto, Everything Goes Numb (2003)

Thomas Kalnoky found fame in the late '90s with his Catch-22 ska band before promptly being kicked out. He came back 5 years later with a ska/reggae masterpiece that doubles as a "fuck you" to his former bandmates, as he reuses many lyrical themes and phrases. And it's also so much better. This is a truly mature ska record. Something that is hard to come by.

36. A Day in Black and White, My Heroes Have Always Killed Cowboys (2004)

A post-rock band in spirit and musicianship, but with a great, mostly clean vocalist, A Day in Black and White are often content to rock the fuck out with their sprawling rock tracks. These five tracks are truly something else, building to insane heights, then punching you in the face.

35. Black Eyes, Black Eyes (2003)

A D.C. band on Dischord, whoopdidoo. But, oh wait, this band mixes a punk spirit with jazzy breakdowns and spastic dual vocals. I don't know exactly what this album is, but I do know there is nothing else like it. And "Deformative" is something of a truly special jazz/vocal masterpiece. It's chilling.

34. Sunset Rubdown, Dragonslayer (2009)

I just can't stop listening to this record. Spencer Krug's vocals are mesmerizing. Each songs ends up so far away from where it started. It's impossible to hear everything going on in just one listen. The epic, 10 minute closer "Dragon's Lair" caps off the album beautifullybegging "Anyway it's time...for a bigger kind of kill!" It's just so majestic.

33. Why?, Alopecia (2008)

Why? is something of an indie/hip-hop legend, but with this album he proved he could successfully navigate the waters of many genres. This album is full of his trademark wit and cynicism, combined with masterfully crafted pop tunes. "The Vowels, Pt. 2" and "The Hallows" show Why? at his hi-hop masterful best, while "These Few Presidents" and "Fatalist Palmistry" reveal his understanding of great pop writing.

32. Death Cab for Cutie, The Photo Album (2001)

Death Cab's 2001 album is an emotional rollercoaster, focusing on old friendships, technology, the past, and the future. Ben Gibbard's writing is in full form here as he reminisces with a lost flame in quiet, heartbreaking opener "Steadier Footing", and he cuts down the town he hates in the explosive "Why you'd Want to Live Here". But the real beauty and pain comes in the autobiographical "Stryofoam Plates", a heartwrenching epitaph to his asshole father.

31. Rapider than Horsepower. Stage Fright, Stage Fright/This is My Big Night (2004)

The vocalist of hardcore band Racebannon branched out and formed a quirky indie dance band. He quit screaming, but his voice is still crazy, singing about ice cream cones, caterpillars, and cowboys. It's all so surreal, and whacky.