So I ended up compiling a list with the 25 greatest albums of the decade and it turned out to be a bit long. So sorry about that. About the list: these are pretty much my favorite discs from the past 10 years. Pretty much, because I decided to pick only one album from each band and artist, not counting the soundtrack that made it to the list. But it would've been a bore to write about Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan and the Drive-by Truckers three, four or five times in one list, so that's the reason. Unfortunately, my favorite band didn't make the cut, to say the least. A big thank you to anyone on these boards that pointed me towards some great music: it would've looked totally different without you. So here we go:
25. Deadstring Brothers – Starving Winter Report (2005) : Great, fun rock record form Detroit bunch. And energy blast like The Faces or the 70’s style Stones. Follow up to the self titled debut, this band got their sound more right on this one. Great keys on the Band cover Get Up Jake. Not a timeless masterpiece that’ll reshape music for the coming decades, but a rock record that was done by the book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igAT9geAjcs24. The Good, The Bad And The Queen – The Good, The Bad And The Queen (2007). Gloom from the UK. Damon Albarn (of Blur fame) teamed up with drummer Tony Allen, Simon Tong (The Verve), and Paul Simonon (from that small 70s/80s group that was called The Clash) to create this briliant mood piece. They took it to the stage too, and performed it in clubs and festivals in the year that followed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDb1Nw7IX9E23. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros – Streetcore (2003). The late, great frontman of The Clash passed on before this one was released. The album is all over the place, from classic rock (Coma Girl), to a full soundblast (Get Down Moses) and accoustic stuff. Contains a Redemption Song cover that approaches the original, and closes with the song (I wanna do everything) Silver And Gold (but I have to hurry up before I grow too old). A understandable sentimental move from the producers: Strummer passed on way too early.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaynAm8Ftww22. Johan – THX JHN (2006) The only Dutch record on this list. Third album from the band named after legend Johan Cruyff, the greatest European football player ever (according to the European Football organisation Uefa). A great guitar-based pop band that was formed around Jacob de Greeuw. Think Crowded House, but add some Tabasco. Defining song on this one is ‘She’s Got A Way With Men’, which even made it to the (bottom of) the charts as a single. This year they released their fourth and final record. They currently tour the Netherlands with a farewell show. Naturally, I was there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNEso9UrvPE21. Neil Young – Living With War (2006) To say Neil was pissed off about the Bush Administration is a bit of an understatement. He transformed his anger to this energetic album, in which he more or less pleades for the coming of the current man in the White House. The choir that was added, gave it an extra punch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swSHQaatfdg20. Franz Ferdinand – You Could Have It So Much Better (2005). Franz Ferdinand’s second was a blockbuster, just like the debut disc. In the end it was the ballad ‘Eleanor Put Your Boots On’ that made me give this one the nod instead of disc number one. Classic first lines on the opening track: ‘So they think you’re troubled boy, just because you like to destroy all the things that bring the idiots joy. Well, what’s wrong with a little destruction.’ This band completely fucked up their third disc (Tonight), so there’s no telling where FF goes next.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKwPkmnpRLw19. Kings Of Leon – Youth And Young Manhood (2003). Before this band became a household name for teenage girls, KOL made a southern garage rock. Filthy sounds and sloppy riffs made a fantastic debut. They explored the range of their sound in the years that followed, but there never came another Molly’s Chamber or California Waiting. And while I think last year’s release has a few moments, something tells me this band will never reach the same level again. Enjoy the money guys…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMt1Xbofi4M18. Rufus Wainwright – Release The Stars (2007). Yes. Artpop. Rufus made a few beautiful discs in the past decade, and this one has a few stories attached to it. The first is a sad one: we had great tickets for his show, but had to cancel because of a death in the family: my wife’s stephsister (sp?) lost her battle with cancer at age 41 and she had her wake that night. I’m glad I could find people who loved his music as much as we do, because he gave a stellar performance that lasted over three hours. The fun story has to do with the sleeve: I was visiting the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, where I noticed a certain statue in the altar: it was pictured on the cover. Centerpiece of the album is a track called ‘Going To A Town’, a rant against the Bush administration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd8hd_Zz3Tg.
17. The Killers – Sam’s Town (2006). Perhaps the best new stadium rock act of the decade. Hot Fuss was great, but the Killers really hit the big time with Sam’s Town. The title track is an a-list rock song, and it’s followed by a stack of great tracks, including Bones, When You Were Young and This River Is Wild. It almost sounds like a greatest hit comp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V265hSkoaeI&feature=related16. Paul Westerberg – Folker (2004). Great album by someone who keeps hanging out under the radar in Europe. Whenever I suggest his work or some of his old band, I still get the ‘huh?’ reply from people I would expect to dig his stuff. Anyway, this and Come Feel Me Tremble (2003) are both great albums, but this one got so much spinning time in my cd-player that my wife asked my if it got stuck at a certain point. I’d say it’s a bit more mellow than CFMT (and a lot easier to get hold of in Dutch record stores). This is a real album: larger than the sum of its parts, so it’s hard to pick the winners. I had to get used to the opening ‘Jingle’ though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoqS4NvSc9E15. Lucero – Tennessee (2002) Had the decade ended three years ago, Tennessee would’ve ended up on a higher spot for sure. Not only did I find a bunch of great albums since then, but I also lost a bit of interest in the band Lucero. Still, this is a solid recording and the only Lucero album I currently revisit from time to time. Bit slower than the rest of the records, but IMO the ballads suit this band best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r4Ymyeuw_E14. I'm Not There (OST/ 2007). Okay, so the weird Bob Dylan biopic may not be everyone's cup of tea. But the soundtrack that supported the film is one of the greatest movie soundtracks ever. It has a truckload of old and not so old talent celebrating the gift that is Dylan's music. This double disc is all over the place from Willie Nelson to Antony & The Johnsons. The song I'm not there finally got an official release...and a solid cover by Sonic Youth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX7xddWLyYI13. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004). My wife loved this album since the day it turned up here. It took some getting used to for me: AF is a bit too serious for my tastes, but they delivered the goods on stage in a great way, and a good gig makes me appreciate bands more. This album is larger than the sum of its parts, which is why it’s in this list instead of Neon Bible, that has one or two songs that are better than most here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTKLIv3SiRk12. Bruce Springsteen And The E-Street Band – Magic (2007). Bruce saves his best stuff for records with the E-Street Band, and this one’s a gem. Some consider this as The Rising Part II, but it has its own vibe. More importantly, it’s a better collection of songs. Radio Nowhere proved to be a great kick-off for live shows, while Gypsy Biker and Devils Arcade prove The Boss is still on top of his game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pj6p2MpMfs11. Okkervil River – The Stand-ins (2008) Recorded in one run with The Stage Names (released in 07), this album is an excellend showcase for the skills of Will Sheff and his band. Pop Lie is a fantastic sing-along track with a wink, while On Tour With Zykos and Calling And Not Calling My Ex are fantastic heartbreaking storyteller songs. These tracks make the Stand-ins stand out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVr1Scv4T1U10. Bright Eyes – Cassadaga (2007) Conor Oberst managed to throw out an album a year. He was promoting this album in Amsterdam when I finally got to see him live. I think the entire Bright Eyes trick comes together on this album: a combination of weird indie pop with pretty old school singer-songrwriter stuff. Oberst made two pretty good albums after this one, but they pale in comparison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNtu5w7azBQ09. The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely (2008) I guess critics who say this isn’t the most solid Jack White disc are telling the truth. But it happens to be the disc I care for most, so fuck it. I was pretty surprised to see this one hit the stores, because I had the idea that the Raconteurs were a ‘one time only’ band. The title track, Many Shades Of Black and the Rich Kid Blues cover are the shit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doPBoKt3OAI08. The Hold Steady – Boys And Girls In America (2007) A great E-Street inspired band with a great songwriter who - to be truthful - can't sing. Craig Finn continues the tales of Holly, Gideon and Charlemaigne. Characters he introduced on the very first album and tackles just about every topic that inspires them in doing so. It's as convincing as the Beat Poets from yesteryear. This is expose on the vacant lives of the three main characters, and doesn't have a weak track on it at all. But Finn will make or break things for listeners: you love the way he sounds, or you'll hate the sound of his voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isvn_Dsj2bA07. Johnny Cash – American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways (2006). All of the American Recordings are must haves. I picked the last one to date because this is the one that got the most spins at my house. Further On Up The Road is the champ of this sessions, but I'm also very fond of Four Strong Winds. Needless to say I'm very pleased with the news that American VI is on it's way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-37UHN7tOys06. The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement (2008). Alex Turner has been one of the rising stars during this decade. The last Arctic Monkeys disc may be a stinker, but the boy wrote some serious good stuff in the past few years. It was this side project that made the biggest impression on me. The big retro pop he made with Rascals frontman Miles Kane proved that his qualities lie more outside of the loud rock he produces with his regular band. These dudes should be invited to make the next Bond Soundtrack IMO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGV8xCkpXjE05. Bob Dylan – Love And Theft (2001). Dylan's best record of the past decade could've been called Time Out Of Mind part II. The god of music as we know it threw out some pretty grim images of the future. Undisputed champion song of this record is of course High Water (For Charley Patton). The christmas disc aside, this easily the strongest decade for Dylan since the 70s. Gigs continue to be a hit and miss, but I wouldn't want to miss them for the world. The new songs lift up these shows, which is quite impressive considering the truckload of classics he can pick from.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usu3CrjsHv004. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Howl (2005). BRMC made a solid debut at the beginning of this decade, followed by a poor collection of songs as a second. I thought this band was done for when reports of substance abuse came in instead of good new tunes. It was the people on the message boards (2000 Man/Sir Stonesalot) who convinced me to buy this record, and Howl did indeed blow me away. I love it when a band decides to explore the roots of rock music while keeping their own sound at the same time. It didn't rid them of the general dismissal as being clones of the Jesus and Mary Chain, but people who keep repeating that clearly didn't listen to this classic record.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVAiF15vV6c03. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008). Bearded hippies with church like vocals...how the hell did this disc end up in my top three? Well for starters, the harmonies of this band are unmatched in current music. But it's the overall feeling of the disc that makes the Fleet Foxes' debut such a standout record. I'm a big fan of the outdoors, and when I hear this music, I'm right there. When the Fleet Foxes sing that the sun rises, you don't just hear it: you feel it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9NR2Yge_-c02. Ryan Adams – Gold (2001). I had the local alternative music station on at work in 2002 and it had a live set from Ryan Adams on. After he finished Touch, Feel And Loose I dropped everything, put on my jacket and walked off to the local record store. Needless to say I was not disappointed. This is Ryan's Exile On Main St. It has a bit of every style he ever covered in his music. Those of you who were unlucky and didn't get the 2-disc edition: the missing songs are available thru iTunes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jj3bzTdZiI01. The Dirty South – Drive-by Truckers (2004). The best album of the best current American rock bands: rich lyrics and excellent country fuelled raw rock. This was their latest record when I found out about these guys, and it catches the band on a creative high. The Patterson Hood/Michael Cooley combo was at that time backed up by the amazing skills of third frontman Jason Isbell, and it's such a solid album that it's impossible to pick a favorite song. From the great Where The Devil Don't Stay to the heartbreaking lyrics of Goddamn Lonely Love, it's one gem after another. Overall the Truckers had the most solid run of albums during the decade. Southern Rock Opera and Decoration Day are almost just as good, as is last year's Brighter Than Creations Dark, the first record without Jason Isbell but with the astonishing Shonna Tucker on lead vocals. The only time they fell back for a bit was during A Blessing And A Curse, but that's still a good disc. Hell, even the leftover disc (The Fine Print) sounds better than most of the other stuff that arrived in the past few years. So thank you SheRat for pointing me in this direction: your suggestion gave me a great time for many hours in the past 5 years and will continue to do so in the coming decade: next record is scheduled for March. I can hardly wait.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaF_-tirFeU
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The 00's in 25 albums (Read 1,689 times)
