Written by Scott Swinford
January 17, 2005
This is our decade. This is the decade we are shaping, and not being shaped by. Most of us spent the first half of the decade in universities, studying away. These were some of the best years of our lives. We were young, and other than our studies, had little to no responsibilities. We could stay up late, go to loads of concerts, take mid day naps and generally joke around. Music played a huge role in my life as a college student, as I’m sure it did for all of you. Now, we have graduated, or are about to graduate, and take on the world. It’s time we looked back at the first half of this decade and see which albums have had the most powerful impact on our lives.
Over the next 5 days, I’m going to countdown the 50 most powerful albums of the decade thus far. I’ll list 10 albums a day, revealing the #1 album half way through the 00’s on Friday. Shall we begin?
#50: Kraftwerk – Tour de France Soundtracks (2003)
Technically, this was legendary German electronica outfit Kraftwerk's first proper release since their EP of the same title in 1983. Is it as good? No. Is it still good? Very much so. No, Kraftwerk did not release an album on the caliber of Trans-Europe Express or Autobahn, but Tour de France Soundtracks is still one of the best electronica albums released in the decade. That is probably what is so good about this album, is it’s far from rehashed old Kraftwerk material. It definitely has its own vibe going on. They may be in the 50’s and 60’s now, but Kraftwerk are still one of the premier electronica artists making music.
#49: Lemon Jelly – Lost Horizons (2002)
Lemon Jelly is a electro-pop duo of British producers Nick Franglen and Fred Deakin, who in the past have worked with Primal Scream and Bjork. Having released 3 EP’s and a compilation of those EP’s, Lost Horizon was their debut. I prefer their earlier work, but their best long resides on Lost Horizons, and that’s the single “Nice Weather for Ducks,” which is a calm little number with weird duck samples, until it breaks out into a salsa nightmare. Fun times. The overall feel of the album is pretty chill, which for the studying college student, is great.
#48: The Polyphonic Spree – The Beginning Stages (2003)
The Polyphonic Spree is the new project of Tripping Daisy frontman Tim Delaughter. In this case, he fronts 25 other people in an alternative Flaming Lips-esque acid choir. The result, is one of the overly happy albums ever produced. In a bad mood? Listen to The Polyphonic Spree! The real highlight of this album is the 7th through 9th tracks on the album. Starting with “Hanging Around Today Pt. 2,” followed by “Soldier Girl,” and ending with “Light & Day/Reach for the Sun.” Sadly, the last track on the album, “A Long Day,” is nothing more than a 36 minute drone. It’s really annoying, but also really easy to skip over, it being the final track and all.
#47: Mu – Afro Finger & Gel (2003)
Mu is half American, Half Japanese, England based, on a French label, and all fucking crazy! Almost completely digital based, with loads of samples and their own beats and synths, the album is lead by the out of control vocals of Mutsumi Kanamori. This album might be the worst to fall asleep to, with the hard driving bass, unpredictable synths, and of course the screeching vocals of Mutsumi Kanamori. If I was a DJ in a club, I would most definitely have Mu in my arsenal. Sadly, I don’t think I’d have much a following. Whatever the case may be, this album is fucking crazy and will make you crazy as well.
#46: Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism (2003)
This was Death Cab’s “pop” album. Before hand, they were a pretty standard indie band, nothing too special other than Ben Gibbard’s lovely vocals. This time around, Death Cab is a little louder, and a little catchier. It also has their best guitar work to date. Of course, Ben Gibbard’s great vocals really lead the album. This is also the album that spring Death Cab into pop-stars. After the success of Transatlanticism, which was released by Olympia based independent label Barsuk Records, Death Cab signed with major label Atlantic Records.
#45: Boards of Canada – Geogaddi (2002)
No, they are not from Canada. In fact, they are from Scotland. Considered “IDM” (Intelligent Dance Music, arguably the worst genre name. Ever.) Geogaddi takes on an ambient feel, but is not without it’s IDM glitches. There are 24 tracks on the album, many of them are quite short (Right about that 1 minute mark) and are quite minimalist, led by a series of drones and ambient synths. Once again, I really got into this album as a study album, and it also kept me company on those twice daily bus rides, drowning out the relentless banter of fellow riders.
#44: Dntel – Life is Full of Possibilities (2001)
Dntel, AKA: Jimmy Tamborello, is a California based producer. Lately, he has become better known for being half of The Postal Service. In fact, this album marks the first collaboration of Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard, as Mr. Gibbard donates his vocals on the 9th track “(This is) The Dream of Evan & Chan.” It is also the strongest track on the album. The whole album is really solid, sort of has an ambient feel to it, but also that glitchy IDM vibe going on. The flow is a little too solid for it to be considered an IDM album though.
#43: Four Tet – Rounds (2003)
Once again, another IDM album on my list. This time, it’s England’s Four Tet. A lot of this album based around pianos and guitars, but you can tell the roots of the album are electronic. My favorite track on the album is the 9 minute “Unspoken,” which is led by the piano, with a very subtle digital beat. Some people say it drags on too long, but I think that’s what’s so great about it. Its repetitive, and you get used to, and eventually you expect it. Then it stops. (See: Eno – Music for Airports ¼)
#42: New Order – Get Ready (2001)
Their first album since 1993’s Republic, which was their only release in the 90’s. All New Order albums have their own vibe going on, and Get Ready is no exception. It has a little more rockier vibe going on, which we haven’t really heard from this group since they recorded under the name Joy Division. There is definitely that New Order sound though. The opening song is the 6 minute “Crystal,” which starts out with a lovely little piano piece, when a female vocal enters, and the signature New Order synth, before probably some of the hardest New Order guitars we’ve ever heard kick in. The great consistencies of New Order are present though; the melodic bass of Peter Hook and quick drumming of Stephen Morris once again make this a quality New Order album. Also, former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Bill Corgan makes a cameo on the track “Turn My Way.”
#41: The Go! Team – Thunder, Lighting Strike! (2004)
Though it’s been out for less than half a year, Thunder, Lightning, Strike! Will go down as one of the most fun albums of all times. Taking influences from every corner of the world, they somehow manage an extremely unique sound. If I had to explain their sound, I’d say The Jackson 5 meets Sonic Youth is a cosmic death zone. Do you see what I’m saying? No, I don’t know either. I suppose you’ll just have to listen to it now, won’t you? Along with Mu, if I was a DJ I’d be playing The Go! Team in clubs regularly. And once again, I think I’d scare off most of the dancers/spectators.
#40: Mono – One More Step & You Die (2003)
Mono is Japan’s answer to Mogwai. They are Japan’s premier post-rock band. However, they give post-rock a very unique sound. They take a lot of traditional Japanese noise-rock aspects, quiet it down in spots, then insert crescendos. The results are fantastic, as they are now known not only in Japan, but all around the world as one of the loudest and most aggressive post-rock bands around. Their 2003 album, so eloquently titled One More Step & You Die, is a large step up from their debut. The great part about this album, is some parts are so quiet, but then some parts are so loud. It’s a great mix of both worlds. You may start to fall asleep, but then one of the many crescendos hits, and you’re wide awake again.
#39: The Helio Sequence – Young Effectuals (2001)
I discovered The Helio Sequence as a live act. A couple of years ago, I caught them opening up for Modest Mouse, and I was thoroughly impressed. I had seen Modest Mouse several times before hand, and I thought to myself “Wow, Modest Mouse is going to be upstaged by an opening act,” but then Modest Mouse proceeded to put on the show of their lives. The Helio Sequence did not go unmentioned, as I picked up a copy of Young Effectuals on my way out. The album is not nearly as powerful as their live performance, but they still managed to record a pretty good energy. The definite highlight of the album, just like their live performances, is the 3rd track “[Square] Bubbles,” which posses arguably the best interludes ever recorded.
#38: Deerhoof – Apple O (2003)
Deerhoof released an album every year in this decade. Their 2003 efforts, Apple O, was their strongest. (So far, rumor has they will also be releasing an album in 2005 here) Deerhoof base their sound around extremely random and extremely loud guitars, and the adorable vocals of Satomi Matsuzaki’s vocals. On some of the songs, you would think a 4 year old is singing, such as “Panda Panda Panda” which Deerhoof often use to open up their gigs. Most of the songs hover around that 2 minute mark, with only two extending beyond 3 minutes. My personal favorite track on the album is the happy opening, “Dummy Discards a Heart.”
#37: Belle & Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)
This is my second favorite Belle & Sebastian album, next to their classic 1996 album If You’re Feeling Sinister. Like Sinister, or any Belle & Sebastian album, it’s Stuart Murdoch’s vocals that really make it. The instrumentation and arrangement on the album is fabulous, the strings are perfect, but it’s really those vocals that make the band standout. Back in May I saw Belle & Sebastian at Coachella, and Stuart Murdoch showed us that he could sound just as great live. There is nothing really different about their sound on this album, just good classic Belle & Sebastian. Oh, and I’d also like to take this time to recommend their b-side from the “Wrapped Up in Book” single, “You’re Cover’s Blown.” One of, if not, their best song ever recorded.
#36: Radiohead – Hail to the Thief (2003)
The 6th album from the Oxford quintet, Hail to the Thief is a great collection of songs. It has many great tunes such as the opening 1984 reference “2+2=5,” the older “I Will,” to my personal favorite, the closer “A Wolf At the Door.” What this album lacks though, is the flow of past Radiohead albums. It seems they just gathered a bunch of great songs they had, and arbitrarily placed them in an order. I’m not complaining though, as there is not a bad song on the album. It’s definitely not a bad album, and the songs worked out well live. One complaint I have about the album though, is how they recorded “There There,” compared to the original live version. In the original live version, Jonny’s guitar kicked in right when Thom yelled “there there,” as opposed to that short interlude. Still a good tune, but it could have classic.
#35: Grandaddy – The Sophtware Slump (2001)
The Grandaddy song that really grabbed my attention, was “The Crystal Lake.” The song itself is very catchy, great piano loop and guitars, but it was the lyrics that drew this song to me. Grandaddy seem to enjoy the casual rural life. They are not into the fancy cities, Italian leather and dead dogs collapsing by the coffee carts. Their sound vaguely remind of the Flaming Lips, but a little more down to earth. Spacey, yet you can relate to it, where nobody in any sort of stable mental state can relate to the Flaming Lips. The opener of the album is great, the 8 minute “He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot,” along with the quick and catchy “Chartsengrafs.” Also, for a good laugh, pay close attention to the lyrics of “Broken Household Appliance National Forrest.”
#34: Mono – Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and Sun Shined (2004)
The second album from Japanese post-rockers Mono to make my list. When it comes to album titles, they guys and girl don’t mess around, following One More Step & You Die with Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and Sun Shined. Obviously, this is a step up from their previous album. It’s really 4 songs on this album of 8 that really make it stand out. The opener “16.12” starts out so long and quiet, but is absolutely devastating. The same goes with “Halcyon (Beautiful Days)” which is a great normal sounding post-rock song, until near the end, when Mono forego the standard buildup, and go straight from near silence to ear bleeding noise. The second to last track, “Lost Snow,” uses more of the standard buildups, but also remains in the “loud” state for more extended periods of time, then it quiets down to a near creepy 5 minute closing piece, clocking the song in at about the 15 minute mark
#33: The Shins – Oh! Inverted World (2001)
Pop bliss. The debut album from The Shins is about as catchy as it gets. It’s short, just over 30 minutes in length, and to the point. Every track is gold though, absolutely no filler. From the opener, “Caring is Creepy,” to the Cibo Matto reference “Know Your Onion!,” to second to last track “Pressed in a Book,” there isn’t a bad track. The funny part of this album, is the recent success of the single “New Slang.” This album was released in 2001, but due to the success of the soundtrack to the film Garden State, “New Slang” became a hit single in late 2004. Rightfully so, the song is incredible and has been my favorite on the album since I picked it up back in 2001. I suppose it doesn’t matter when it’s released, just that it grabs the attention of the general public.
#32: Modest Mouse – Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004)
It took Modest Mouse 4 years to get this album out. A lot of the songs on the album are old live songs that they finally got around to recording, such as “Bury me with it,” and “Black Cadillac’s.” This is also the album that put Modest Mouse on the international spot light with their hit single “Float On,” which was the #1 song on Seattle 107.7 The END radio station in 2004. This song led Modest Mouse to sell over a million album, going platinum, which is out of this world for a band like Modest Mouse. I still remember seeing them at the Crocodile Café back in the day, and this year I saw them headline a gig at Key Arena. It doesn’t matter how many albums they sell though. A lot of old school Modest Mouse fans have abandoned the band, but I haven’t. Their new album was still great, and that’s all that matters.
#31: Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
Alt-country band Wilco really took a step out with this album, and it turned out to be a very good one. Jeff Tweedy was on top of his game, though some of his lyrics were a bit cheesy, but also very powerful, with songs like “Ashes of American Flags,” which was released at a critical time for any band that could be described in any way shape or form as country. Perhaps they pissed off some hillbillies in Arkansas, but this album isn’t for them anyways. It’s for us, and we loved it. My favorite track on the album is the opener, “I am Trying to Break Your Heart.” The song is sort of all over the place, but pulled together by Jeff Tweedy’s vocals, then finally all comes together at the end. Also, I must add that I really love the artwork. So simple, yet so great. Reminds me of The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse.
#30: The Decemberists – Her Majesty, The Decemberists (2003)
Since Jeff Magnum hasn’t released anything since 1998 and seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth, Colin Meloy has taken over as the premier American singer/songwriter. He regales us with tales of pirates and smugglers on the high seas, and generally gives us an atmosphere of fantasy that I don’t think has, or ever will be matched. His best album to date, is Her Majesty, The Decemberists. Acoustic based, but with loads of great instrumentation from his band, Colin’s vocals tell stories of, well, as I said before, pirates and smugglers, and New York and Los Angeles. Sort of reminds me of Slint lyrics. As great as this album is, I’ve already heard most of the new Decemberists album, and well, it’s even better. Can’t wait to see them again in March.
#29: Jj72 – Jj72 (2000)
I somehow managed to discover Irish trio Jj72 the week their debut album was released stateside. Sadly, their second album, I to Sky, wasn’t released here, but fortunately their self-titled debut is much better. (I still managed to import a copy of their sophomore efforts) When I first heard this album, I questioned the singer’s gender. Their bassist is female, but she does not sing. Mark Greaney is vocalist for the band. It doesn’t matter though, all that matters is that the vocals are fantastic, as well as the rest of the band. There is a huge Joy Division influence in this band, and the band themselves will be the last to deny it, as they often cite Joy Division as their inspiration for forming a band in the first place. The album is great all the way through, but my favorite tracks are “October Swimmer,” “Oxygen,” “Long Way South” and “Algeria.”
#28: The Strokes – Is This It? (2001)
Did you manage to snatch the 9/11 release of this album? I did! You know, the one that actually has “NYC Cops” on it, and has a picture of that lady slapping her ass on the cover instead of that lame yellow and green artwork. I remember being quite angry on 9/11 when all the stores were closed. Yeah, something bad happened in New York, but I live in Seattle, and I wanted my copy of the Strokes debut album! Two days later, I made it to the Fred Meyer and grabbed my copy. They had already been pulled from the Circuit City shelves, and they had been pulled from Fred Meyer, but they sold me a copy anyways. Many people thought The Strokes were going to be like Nirvana, and destroy all the boy-bands and pop-singers. Which to an extent, they did. No, they did not destroy the boy-bands and pop-singers (Sad…) but they did make it OK for other bands like The Hives and The Vines to be played on MTV.
#27: Broken Social Scene – You Forget it in People (2002)
Broken Social Scene is a collaborative project. They are based out of Toronto, and take members from a lot of local post-rock bands (Such as Do Make Say Think) and produce a more poppy sound. The result, is a very successful super-band, which is more accessible to the general public. Though I think of all the bands that make Broken Social Scene (Metric, The Stars, KC’s Accidentals, Do Make Say Think, By Divine Right, ect.) Do Make Say Think is still superior. (Ducks flaming garbage) Whatever the case may be, You Forget it in People is an indie-pop gem, but with loads of post-rock influences. It’s a great combo that makes for a great band. Broken Social Scene has a new album due out this coming February, we’ll see how it stacks up. Also, I saw this band at Coachella, they were incredible.
#26: The Postal Service – Give Up
The Postal Service is Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, and Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel. They are a wonderful mix of indie-pop and electronica. Digital beats, with simple yet catchy guitars, and of course, loads of synths and computers. The sound is incredibly appealing not only to indie and electronica listeners, but to general pop listeners as well. The vocals are wonderful, I mean, it’s Ben Gibbard, did you expect otherwise? My favorite track on the album is the closer, “Natural Anthem,” which starts off slow, but builds up, and the vocals enter about that 3 minute mark. Sadly, I haven’t heard any news of a new Postal Service record, as Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello seem to be tied up with their original projects. Hopefully we’ll get something by the years end.
#25: …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Source Tags and Codes (2002)
One of the most intense and best flowing albums released so far in the decade. …Trail Of Dead have a way of taking generally nice indie-pop, chewing it up and spitting it out 4 times faster. They are not punk, no their music is much too complex to be considered punk. They are just indie. What’s really great about this album, is its tied together with several hidden tracks, that are usually calm, such as little piano pieces and accordions that sound like they came straight out of France. The songs themselves are intense as hell, and even more intense live. The opening track, “It Was There That I Saw You,” kicks your ass right off the bat, and the album rarely lets up, except for the hidden tracks that allow you catch your breath.
#24: The Unicorns – Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone? (2003)
The Unicorns are Canadian. They like boxes. And curling with sausages. Or so they say at least. The Unicorns say a lot of things though. They also said they are releasing a hip-hop album, and that they are broken up. I’ve found it best to ignore everything they say, and just listen to the music. Less confusing that way. Or not. The Unicorns have a pretty simple sound, guitar, bass, drums, synths, but with only 3 members, and lyrics about…. god knows what. My favorite part of the whole album is on the track “Child Star,” when the two vocalists argue back and forth, and end the song with the hilarious “I hate you,” “I hate you too” bit. Amazing.
#23: Bright Eyes – Fevers & Mirrors (2000)
My personal favorite Bright Eyes album. The album has the normal acoustic folkish Bright Eyes sound, some strange samples, and an odd interview at the end of the album. It opens up with what seems to be a child telling a story, about a guy moving, and his neighbor who is going to miss him. My favorite track on the album is the 3rd, “Calendar Hung Itself.” It’s the quickest Bright Eyes track, and has wonderful lyrics. The 4th track, “Something Vague,” is also great. Bright Eyes is kind of the stereotypical “emo” band, but they are far superior to the bands that are typically labeled as “emo.” The oddest song on the album is the second to last track, “An Attempt to Tip the Scale.” The song itself is fantastic, but ends with an 8 minute interview with Conor Oberst, where he talks about having 5 brothers named Patrick who were all drowned in the bath tub by his mother.
#22: Bjork – Vespertine (2001)
Bjork’s follow up to her epic 1997 album Homogenic. Vespertine is her most ambitious work to date, which is saying a lot when you’re talking about Bjork. It’s cold, and distant, but laced with the Icelandic pixie’s siren vocals. No, the album is not as good as Homogenic or Post, but those are a couple of hard albums to follow up. I mean, for me, both Post and Homogenic were in the top 20 albums of the 90s. Vespertine is a much more experimental effort for Bjork, is a lot more glitchy, and sounds electronic but is actually mostly organic. The whole album has a sort of IDM feel to it, but what most IDM albums lack, is extremely powerful vocals, and a Bjork album that doesn’t have extremely powerful vocals is, well, not a Bjork album.
#21: Asobi Seksu – Asobi Seksu (2004)
I believe this album is the best shoegazer album of the decade so far. The genre “shoegazer” seems to be relatively dead as of late, with little bands here and there, but nothing like we heard in the early 90’s with My Bloody Valentine, Ride and Slowdive. In 2004 though, our hopes were lifted, as Asobi Seksu released their self-titled debut. Loud guitars and keyboards, consistent drums and bass, and of course, those airy Japanese and English vocals are what make Asobi Seksu. Yuki Chikudate’s vocals are absolutely stunning on the album, especially on the opening track, “I’m Happy But You Don’t Like Me,” and “Walk On the Moon.” I can see this band becoming the next My Bloody Valentine or Sonic Youth, they seem to have all the elements there.
#20: Beck – Sea Change (2002)
A lot of older Beck fans didn’t get into this album. Personally, I loved it. I loved it so much that it’s #20 on my list of best albums of the decade. I was never a huge Beck fan anyways. This album is a lot calmer than his previous work, and a lot of strings. If you’re familiar with Serge Gainsbourg, it definitely has a Histoire de Melody Nelson feel to it. (The more I think about it, if you’re familiar with Serge Gainsbourg, you probably own Sea Change.) I believe this is Beck’s best vocal performance. He’s always been known for his unique vocals, but they really stand out on Sea Change, especially on songs like “Lost Cause” and “Sunday Sun.” Beck has a new album that looks to be due out in mid-March, and I’ve heard mixed reviews so far, but then again, I also heard mixed reviews about Sea Change.
#19: Do Make Say Think – Winter Hymn, Country Hymn, Secret Hymn (2003)
Though better known for donating members to Broken Social Scene, I believe Do Make Say Think is the best band out of the “Toronto-school,” and this is their best album. (There is also a “Montreal-school,” we’ll get to that later.) Most of their songs are in that 6-9 minute range, and are led by the incredible bass work of Charles Spearin, two drummers and several guitarists. Together, they produce a very unique post-rock sound not based around crescendos, but rather around complex instrumentation. For having what seems to be like a dark post-rock sound, the band is surprisingly upbeat. Also, they are so stereotypically Canadian it’s not even funny. Not that’s a bad thing; Canadians are great.
#18: Blonde Redhead – The Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000)
Italian twins with the Japanese girl with “that” voice are what makeup Blonde Redhead. Discovered in the early 90’s by Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, Blonde Redhead definitely has a Sonic Youth influence. They not quite as wild with their guitars as Sonic Youth are, but are wilder with their vocals. Both Kazu Makino and Amedeo Pace take on the vocals, and both are very unique. Kazu’s vocals are a lot easier on the ears, much more casual, and most of my favorite Blonde Redhead songs are led by her, as the case shows on this album, as my favorite track is the opener (after the intro that is) “In Particular.” In general their music is quite simple, but it’s just lovely. And that voice…”that” voice.
#17: Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse (2004)
Sonic Youth released their first album when I was 1 year old, 1983’s experimental Confusion is Sex. Their latest album, Sonic Nurse, was released in mid-2004, I was 22 years old. In 1983 they we’re an experimental avant-garde punk band creating a sound that had never been heard, and are still doing so today. 21 years later they are releasing music that is just as fresh. Lately you see bands that were coming out in 1983 releasing rehashed material as horrible comeback specials, trying to appeal to a larger audience, claiming they’ve returned to the top of their game. (See: U2, The Cure, REM, Ect.) Sonic Youth don’t need to do that, as 21 years after their debut, they are not trying to catch up to modern music, and they are still at the forefront of shaping modern music. Sonic Nurse proves this. Even as they push the age of 50, their sound is as fresh as ever. Oh, and they are the coolest motherfuckers on the face of the planet.
#16: The Shins – Chutes too Narrow (2003)
Probably the catchiest album on my list, and maybe even the catchiest album since Weezer’s epic debut album. Like their debut, it’s short and to the point, and infectious as hell. The melodies and vocals will stick in your brain like friggin crazy glue or something. Chutes too Narrow is the essential indie-pop album. Indie-pop has begun to bore me as of late, but this album and The Shins debut, are still regulars in my stereo. The instrumentation on the album is really quite simple, but it’s all put together, well, pretty much perfectly. James Mercer’s vocals are also fantastic on the album. A few of my favorite tracks are “Kissing the Lipless,” “Young Pilgrim,” and “Saint Simon.”
#15: Muse – Origin of Symmetry (2001)
I first heard Muse back when I was in high school, with their debut Showbiz. Then they seemed to disappear, not making much of an impact stateside. A few years later, I was in a Tower Records on top of a high rise in Kyoto, and a song came over the speakers. Nice, soft piano piece, very sharp vocals that entered. Then it paused, and a feedback frenzy took over, then BAM! I ran immediately over to the counter to see what song it was, and in my horrible Japanese, I asked the clerk. He responded “Myuzu.” Myuzu? What the fuck is a Myuzu? Then he pointed at a giant yellow display, “Ahhh, Muse!” The song was Muse’s new single, “New Born.” Then I looked at the price tag. ¥4500? ($40 or so) HA! I can wait until I get back in the states and get it for $13. Sadly, this album was never released in the states, and it is by far Muse’s best, with epic songs like “New Born,” “Bliss,” “Citizen Erased” and “Microcuts.”
#14: Explosions in the Sky – Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die. Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever (2001)
This is Explosions in the Sky’s first album to see a major release. They received some publicity for their titles on this album, as it was released on September 4th 2001, by a band called Explosions in the Sky, with the title of the album being as it is, and the first track being called “Greet Death,” and side A of the vinyl being titled “This plane will crash tomorrow.” The band doesn’t really care about it all though, and rightfully so. The important part of the album is the music, and the music is out of the world, and will go down as one of the best post-rock albums ever released. The album opens up with a bang, with what sounds like some guitar tuning, before it erupts quickly into a noisy number, with a wonderful lead hook. This song is “Greet Death.” My other favorite track from the album is the second to last track, “A Poor Man’s Memory.” They are known, even more so than Mono, as being the loudest and most aggressive post-rock band around.
#13: Radiohead – Amnesiac (2001
Part deux of Radiohead’s two albums recorded around the turn of the millennium. Amnesiac is just one of those albums with an incredible feel to it. From start to finish, there isn’t one particular song that sticks out to you, but it’s the album as a whole. One song doesn’t sound right unless it’s proceeded and followed by certain songs. Like as much as I love “Pyramid Song,” it just doesn’t sound right unless I hear “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box” before hand. This is the feeling Amnesiac gives me. They somehow managed to release two incredible singles on the album, “Pyramid Song” and “Knives Out,” which had even more incredible b-sides. This was the golden age for Radiohead fans, an era that lasted well over a year, with albums and singles being released left and right, with the flow of constant gold material never ending, and bootleg concerts available literally hours after they ended.
#12: M83 – Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts (2003)
M83 produced a very unique sound with their second album. They started out with that electronic sound, with loads of samples on their debut album. It was good, but got little to no exposure outside of France. It was on the second album that they added more guitars, and gave it that shoegazer sound. The results were a mix of French electronica and shoegazer. Imagine Air meets My Bloody Valentine. Like My Bloody Valentine, the vocals on the album are vague and incoherent, and the guitars are very loud. Like Air, the drums and bass are very distinct, and the album is lined with synths. My favorite track on the album is the second to last, “Gone.” Starts off very quiet before it explodes in a swell of guitars and synths. Hott.
#11: Mum – Yesterday was Dramatic. Today is OK. (2000)
This is the debut album from Icelandic electro-glitch-pop outfit Mum. They started out writing music for children’s plays in Iceland, before they got together to release a more serious album. There are a few vocals on this album, but it is mostly instrumental, with a lot of digital beats. Surprisingly enough, most of the album is organic, using various instruments and objects to produce their sound. Two of the songs on the album with vocals are two of my favorites though, the third track “There Are a Number of Small Things,” which just has some mild humming at the end, and the seventh track, “The Ballad of the Broken Birdie Records,” which has full vocals, though they are hard to understand. Mum have followed with two album, both were good, but just not at the caliber of their debut.
#10: Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (2000)
The album is 2 discs, 87 minutes long, and consists of only 4 songs. The songs average about 22 minutes in total length, and are filled with many smaller segments and transitions. Each song probably consists of 4 separate crescendos. Often called Lift Your Skinny, or simply Lift, this is probably the essential post-rock album, along with Young Team by Mogwai. If anyone wants to try to get into post-rock, this is where they start. Like all post-rock albums, Lift Your Skinny is completely instrumental, with a couple of sampled talking parts here and there. (Like the AM/PM deal, the guy talking about God’s vengeance, and of course, “they don’t sleep on the beaches no more.”) GYBE! is the center of the “Montreal-school” which I mentioned earlier, which also consists of A Silver Mount Zion, Fly Pan-Am and others.
#09: Sonic Youth – Murray Street (2002)
This is my personal second favorite Sonic Youth album, after their 1988 album Daydream Nation. This is also one of their loudest albums. After a few albums where they seemed to be calming down a bit, Sonic Youth returned to their feedback centered sound on Murray Street. This is also their first album with Jim O’Rouke as a fulltime member of the band, along side Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Kim Gordon and Steve Shelley. O’Rouke fit in nicely, as one of Sonic Youth’s fine points, is their chemistry, and they’ve definitely not lost that. The opening track, “The Empty Page,” starts off with typical Sonic Youth strumming, before it freaks out into a distorted war zone. The first 6 minutes of “Karen Revisited” are fantastic, even the following 5 minutes are good, just not as good.
#08: British Sea Power – The Decline of British Sea Power (2003)
Of all the post-punk revival bands that have emerged thus far this decade, British Sea Power is the most ambitious. Their songs have a wide range of variation, from 2 minute Boredoms like freak-outs, to 3-minute pop-tunes, to 14-minute epic post-rock pieces. And they do it all while dressed up like soldiers from WWI. This album, their debut, didn’t get much attention stateside, but it made a pretty big impact in the UK. It did grab my attention, as I’m sure you can tell, its #8 on my list of best albums of the decade. Though they have several strong influences, such as Joy Division and The Pixies, they have a very unique sound, with distinct vocals, and guitars that slip in and out of control on several occasions. Of all the bands that came out in this wave of “retro-bands,” I think British Sea Power has the most potential to go on to do something really big.
#07: The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
No, The Flaming Lips are not 11-year-old boys watching anime; they are 45-year-old men, probably on acid or something. (At least I hope so, no sane 45-year-old man can write this album) Named after Yoshimi P-We of the Boredoms, this album is a story about a young woman who, well, battles pink robots. The story makes little to no sense, with songs about robots feeling emotion, our friend Yoshimi’s theme, magicians and arriving on planets by balloon. Whatever, it doesn’t matter, as the music is great. The whole album has that sort of weird out there somewhere sound. The bass is pretty heavy, there are acoustic guitars here and there, and there are weird synths. And of course, there are Wayne Coyne’s vocals, telling us tales about robots and whatnot. This is also the time when The Flaming Lips were working on a movie called “Christmas on Mars,” but I have no idea what happened to the project, it seems to have disappeared.
#06: Modest Mouse – The Moon and Antarctica (2000)
I actually picked this album up at the very end of my high school career. I was already weird enough in high school, with my favorite bands being Radiohead, Cibo Matto and Zebrahead, while all my friends we’re listening to hip-hop and whatnot. I didn’t need to add a no-name Seattle band to my list. (And now, 5 years later, Modest Mouse is huge and many of my high school friends are into them. HA!) But yes, this was their first release on Epic Records, and had what I considered to be really good singles, like “3rd Planet,” and “Paper Thin Walls” (NOT about Japan.) but they never released a major single from the album. The album is brought together with Isaac Brock’s very unique vocals, as the Issaquah man rants on and on about all sorts of shit. A funny little song is “Wild Pack of Family Dogs,” which has a great line about dogs eating his little sister. I’ve seen Modest Mouse 3 times with my sister, and each time they played that song, and when Isaac sang that line, I always poke her in the head.
#05: Explosions in the Sky – The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (2003)
Their songs are long, with spiraling guitars. One guitar leads the song, the other two build up and down with noise and crescendos. There are only 5 tracks on the album, all around that 10-minute mark, and all 5 are fabulous. The opener “First Breath After Coma,” is a long drawn out song, that is relatively quiet until the end when the guitars build up to a simply wicked noise. My favorite on the album, and my favorite post-rock song of all time, is “Memorial.” Just thinking about the title, and listening to the guitars, the song is absolutely haunting. Half way through the song, there is a build up that doesn’t climax, but instead returns to the quieter part of the song. The guitars get loud again, and then quiet down until they are nearly silent. You can faintly hear the lead, then one verse is played louder, and you are just hit by a wall of sound like never before. The final track is the most innocent “Your Hand in Mine,” which is absolutely gorgeous. This is the best post-rock album ever released.
#04: The Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a band put so much effort and emotion into their music. The Arcade Fire is the hardest working band around today. Their debut album came out 4 months ago, and it’s already made a big enough impact to make it to #04 on my list of top albums of the decade. That’s how powerful this band is. Their debut album, titled Funeral (How appropriate for a debut) is stunning, and one of the most emotional albums I’ve ever heard. No, it’s not about girls and shit, but rather losing the innocence of being a child. For some reason, I can relate to these songs than songs bitching about girls. Win Butler delivers the message with every ounce of energy in his body, and the music backing him is flawless. There are certain points on the song, where every member of the band is singing, such as the end of “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” and the beginning of “Wake Up.” Probably my favorite track on the album is “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out),” which is led by an incredible drumbeat that I haven’t heard since the Stephen Morris days. The Arcade Fire is really special, and we will see them on the cusp of the next big movement in music.
#03: Sigur Ros – ( ) (2002)
The album doesn’t have a pronounceable title; it doesn’t have any song titles or any lyrics that can be translated, as vocalist Jonsi sings in a language he made up. Despite all this, this is one of those albums that really wears you out. It is divided into to parts; the first being softer and more innocent, the second being the louder more intense part, and a 35 second silent gap in the middle separates the two. Both halves are incredible, but I think I prefer the second half, simply due to “Untitled #8.” The first half is still great though. Jonsi’s vocals on the opening track are absolutely gorgeous, when he breaks into a near cry at the end. The instrumental “Untitled #3” is the shortest track on the album, which is centered around Kjarri’s piano piece, and builds up until Jonsi enters on the climax with an e-bow on his guitar. A song I really like that is often overlooked is “Untitled #6.” I just really like the vocal explosions on the song, and the piano piece that it ends with. One thing cannot be debated on this album, is that “Untitled #8” is the best song on the album. It actually starts off as a normal sounding song, then the e-bow enters and the song drags on. Around the 6-minute mark, the song breaks down, and Jonsi starts to wail in an extreme falsetto with minimal instrumentation. Then, it builds up with those drums. Oh yes, those drums! Orri just keeps going, and you expect it to explode, then he brings it down again. He does this several times, as Jonsi wails in his falsetto in his made up language. Then, it explodes. The drums unleash as Jonsi hits a note I didn’t think a human could produce. The climax calms down a bit, before it explodes again with one last burst of energy, and Jonsi pounds his guitar as the band brings down the song. Amazing.
Note: Sigur Ros’s second album, Agaetis Byrjun, is debatable as to it was released in the 90’s or the 00’s. After much deliberation, I went with the original Icelandic release date in late 1999, though it may have only been a few thousand printed. Otherwise, Agaetis Byrjun would be #2 on this list.
#02: Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
Interpol’s 2002 debut album Turn on the Bright Lights is the premier album in the post-punk revival. Countless bands released these albums in the wake of The Strokes popularity, but none of them did anything different. That is, until Interpol came around. Interpol took a popular sound, and gave it a new twist. Their guitars are simple, but good. The drums and bass are fantastic, and give it that sort of new-wave sound. Paul Banks vocals, though the lyrics may be questionable, give the album a whole different feel, as he sings in his deeper voice, something we haven’t heard in ages. The opening “Untitled” starts off the album quite well, with minimal vocals, and drawn out guitars. The third track, “NYC,” is incredible simple, also incredibly gorgeous. One of the quieter songs on the album, its just some simple strumming most of the way through, until the end when Daniel Kessler’s guitar enters. “PDA” is the most upbeat song on the album, lead by the quick drumming of Sam Fogarino. My two favorite tracks on the album are “Stella was a Diver and She’s Always Down,” and “The New.” “Stella” is once again led by a simple guitars piece, but it’s really Paul Bank’s vocals that make the song. “The New” is all about the guitars though. It’s a pretty quiet number until the end, when it breaks down to just a bass, and then the guitars click in, producing this just evil sound. Sadly, Interpol couldn’t come close to matching their debut with their second album, Antics. But I still have hope for them. They will come around, one day.
Has music ever meant something more to you? Has their ever been an album that changed not only the way you look at music, but the world? Most people, including myself, often use music to fall asleep to, but I’ve also had music that would generally put people to sleep keep me up for hours at night. I’d lie in my bed, listening to albums on repeat, over and over again. The songs would become part of my mind. They went where I went and thought what I thought. It was much more than an album to me; it was a 56-minute audio experience. Many people have the bible to guide them in their lives. I have Kid A.
#01: Radiohead – Kid A (2000)
Maybe it was the timing, as Kid A was released on my second day as a college student, but never in my life has music meant more to me. This is Radiohead’s darkest album, and following the commercial success of OK Computer, it was a huge risk. There is absolutely nothing conventional about the album. This is an album where I can’t listen to single tracks; I have to listen to it from start to finish. When I pop in the album, and the opening piano for “Everything in its Right Place” starts, I’m stuck listening to the rest of the album. “The National Anthem” is downright frightening, led by a hard driving bass and out of control brass section scored by Jonny Greenwood. The following track is the 6-minute “How to Disappear Completely,” which is an acoustic song which takes it’s lyrics from Haruki Murakami’s epic novel The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, and is also one of Thom Yorke’s best vocal performances. The song is followed by an ambient piece, “Treefingers,” which settles you down before “Optimistic” kicks in. The only song on the album to really get a lot of public attention was “Idioteque,” which is a borderline dance song. I don’t know though, I’ve never heard a dance song with vocals on the level of Thom Yorke. The end of the album is really it’s shining point, with “Morning Bell” and “Motion Picture Soundtrack.” “Morning Bell” is an evil sounding piano piece, with great bass. There are very little guitars on the song, but when they show, you notice them. The ending screech produced by Jonny Greenwood just sends shivers down your spine. The closer is just gorgeous. Led by an electric organ, it sounds like some sort of cosmic funeral song, and then the harps enter. And it’s that final line that always gets to me. “And I’ll see you in the next life.”
