The decade in albums

I have been heavily into music since I was going into the second grade. I love it. This was a great decade for me. My musical horizons are expanding all the time. I need to consume as much as I can. I started off this decade in a strange pop-punk-that-i-mistakenly-called-emo phase in in 1999 that spilled over into this decade, briefly. I got past it quick. But even some of that spillage made it on my list of bests. It's not all bad. Hell, if well-respected music critics can dig Fall Out Boy and praise Britney Spears, I can like the occasional Taking Back Sunday album.

So here I begin another list. Is that all I do now? Maybe.
It's in descending order. No closed eye scrolling necessary.

135. Ulver, Perdition City (2000)

So one of the greatest and most influential black metal bands of all time decided to fuck-start everybody's heads and kick the decade off with a total break from their previous material. They went electronic. Mind blow. With the exception of a couple duds in the middle, Perdition City offers epic, and memorable electronic experimental music classics. Opener "Lost in Moments" and closer "Nowhere/Catastrophe" are classics of any genre.

134. Natural Snow Buildings, Shadow Kingdoms (2009)

The third album released this year by drone lords Natural Snow Buildings is easily their best. This year. It's my second favorite of 16 they've released in the 2000s. 12 of those have been in the past two years. Here the songs are huge and the imagery vivid, as always. At over 2 hours, it's a huge commitment, but Shadow Kingdoms is worth every beautiful moment.

133. Sleepwalker, ? (?)

I can't find anything on this group. I don't actually know when this came out, or if Sleepwalker is actually their name. I do know, however, that this is an amazing black metal release. Epic, frigid songs melt into warm acoustic passages. Moving stuff.

132. Loisirs, Glamoroso (2004)/Submerge Par le Sublime (2006)

Two very similar but fantastic records from French screamo-ish/pop outfit Loisirs. Glamoroso is a bit uneven, but features classics "Paquerette" and "City Song". Submerge is great pop/hardcore fusion all the way through. Their songs are fast and lean, but always catchy, with a great pair of fun vocalists.

131. Tegan and Sara, So Jealous (2004)

After the few Ani Difranco-mimmicking folk records they released first, I'm not sure how Tegan and Sara came to pop deconstruction music they play now, but somehow, in 2004, something strange obviously happened. So Jealous perfectly combines elements of every pop song you've ever heard to create the catchiest shit you'll ever hear. I drove around in my car with friends for hours singing these songs. I don't know how they crafted these, and I know they'll never do it again, but this one is special. (Pitchfork be damned!)

130. Lucero, Tennessee (2002)

Lucero has a pretty simple formula: country guitars and Ben Nichols raspy southern drawl. But damn if it doesn't get you every fucking time. The third Lucero album was made as the Against Me! fans really started picking up on his act, me being one of them. His songs of heartbreak and the rode eat you up inside, and make you want to drink something strong. Simply put: fucking awesome.

129. Skeletonwitch, Breathing the Fire (2009)



I just recently found my way to Skeltonwitch. I initially didn't expect much, as I'm no huge fan of thrash, but their particular blackened melodic style really works. Short fast songs manage to be epic and moving at the same time. And the cover art is ridiculously awesome.



128. The Black Heart Procession, 3 (2000)

I've never been able to articulate a good description of this band's sound. They do a mix of a sort-of Western thing like early Murder by Death, '90s slowcore like Low, and straight up indie-rock. They've also been one of the most consistent groups this decade. 3 is their most successful release yet. It's black as death, but Pall Jenkins' eerie yet also soothing vocals pull you through.

127. Kanye West, The College Dropout (2004)

It's hard to believe there was a time before Kanye was Kanye when my friend could randomly pop in a hip hop record I hadn't heard that got me so immediately as this album did. I could probably never hear this for the first time now and love it. But back then, this guy's ego felt tounge-in-cheek, and his songs were masterfully crafted pop anthems. He never was that great of a rapper, but he did something right with The College Dropout.

126. Please Inform the Captain this is a Hijack, Please Inform the Captain... (2003)

Formed by punk legend Mike Kirsch after the demise of his group Bread and Circuits, Please Inform the Captain... was an experiment in punk with sampling. Five long pop punk songs are cut with heavy samples of old radio PSAs and political speeches. It was surprisingly effective. The released one more in 2006 that was almost as good, but made the samples their own tracks. Kirsch is now kicking ass in the heavier punk outfit Baader Brains.

125. Sean Price, Sean Price Superstar (2007)

Sean Price used to be a huge MC in the popular Heltah Skeltah. Now it seems that no one cares. Thing is, he knows no one cares, and he doesn't give a fuck about them. Nor does he give a fuck about how he used to be. He knows he can cut anything down with his words. And he does. This is angry fucking music.






124. Love Like.... Electrocution, Love Like.... Electrocution (2003)

Hailing from Australia, this young group practiced a unique style of screamo/punk. This album is barely 20 minutes long with 11 tracks, but it packs quite a punch. Their Aussie voices even remain intact. The songs are catchy, and also technically inspired. It's great stuff all around. I can't figure out what ever happened to these dudes.

123. Justinbailey, Bury Me with My Money (2005)

So I know they're local and I'm friends with a member, but these guys are for real. With their full length, they finally shed the skin of their former punk band Skullniks for a mature post-hardcore sound. These songs are all fantastic. I'm still waiting for them to finally break out, or record something new, but I'll always have this as a heavy local classic. "Part II" is just unreal.

122. Shining, IV - The Eerie Cold (2005)

I won't lie to you and say that all of Shining's albums don't sound almost the same, but somehow IV manages to be more memorable than the other 5 albums these Norwegians have put out before and since. This band is pure, cold despair, and they want you to hate it. They even say so in the first track. This is for their own fucked up selves, and you can fuck off. Unfortunately for them, they decided to create some truly mesmerizing , frozen black metal for me to enjoy.

121. Lightning Bolt, Hypermagic Mountain (2005)

Two weird ass dudes making chaotic, loud sounds. That's the Lightning Bolt way, and it's never faltered. This is their best offering. Moments of beauty shine through the chaos. And this band's live show is always worth a mention. They really make you need to dance.

120. Regina Spektor, Songs (2002)

Regina's second album was the only one I could ever take all the way through. Ditching the upright, and much of that weird funk/jazz thing she was unsuccessfully trying, Songs was just a cute Russian girl and a piano. The tunes can be weird, and the lyrics off-putting if you're not in the right mood, but she also creates some emotional melodies that tend to stay with you. I've always been a sucker for "Samson", and was sad that she included it on her pop record several years later. The original is easily one of my favorite singles this decade.



I will return