Paul Tao
01/14/10, 11:27 AM
When I first heard we were going to do an Albums of the Decade feature, I almost wanted to say no at first - how could I possibly pick only 10 albums from the past ten years that were my most influential and favorites? It's like picking a favorite child; I didn't think I could do it. The more I thought about it though, the more I took it upon myself as a challenge, and eventually came up with a compromise: sure, I'll pick 10 albums, but I sure as hell won't rank them! That'd be close to impossible.
So, in no particular order, here are 10 albums that all affected me greatly this past decade. I definitely had to cut this down from a much larger list, so yes, I'm missing quite a few key albums, but after much deliberation, this is what I'd have to put down if a gun were forced to my head.
PS if you're curious, #11 would have been Blood Brothers - Burn, Piano Island, Burn.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61RWH06QN6L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Sept 14, 2004
Record Label: Merge Records
This one was one of the easiest ones to pick, and I find that few would argue with this choice. When Arcade Fire burst onto the scene with their debut album, it was a definite game-changer. An band with more members than I have fingers, playing French horns, violins, glockenspiel, and god knows what else, actually able to create one of the best-selling "indie" records of the decade? Who would've thought. Beyond just the story of it though, the music Arcade Fire created encompasses the word "beautiful" probably more than any other album on the list.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/415ZTJX4VEL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release date: June 17, 2003
Record Label: Razor & Tie
This is one of those albums that on non-AP.net sites has been too quickly passed over by critics; sure, it's been pigeonholed over the years into "emo" and "alt-rock" status, and it's not the "coolest" album to like, but that doesn't mean it still isn't one of the well-rounded albums of the past decade. Of course, I'm likely biased as this came out during a pivotal moment in my life and it became my auditory obsession for the better part of a year, but that being acknowledged, I'll never forget this album as one of the most personally influential and addictive albums released of late.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T43P56OKL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Oct 3, 2000
Record Label: Capitol
This one is almost a given. Listen to the first song, "Everything In Its Right Place," and try not to be hypnotized. And "Idioteque"? Some of the most gorgeous songs ever created, and all in one album. You just can't beat this.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61MC28X1RHL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Nov 27, 2000
Record Label: Modular
Beyond just the actual musical output of this album, Since I Left You is one of the records on this list that is mindblowing in just its creation as well. The Avalanches took over 3,500 samples and weaved them together to create a seamless record of unrivaled creativity which will likely not be repeated again; perhaps only this record and DJ Shadow's Endtroducing... are of almost absolute perfection in the art of completely sample-based records.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Z9PDPF2DL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Sept 25, 2001
Record Label: RCA
It's sometimes hard to pick "alternative rock" or just normal indie rock albums as Best of Decade ones; to be honest, when it comes to catchy alternative rock, there isn't a lot of room left to innovate in. This Is It, however, is one of the last few alternative rock records to really come out and become a gamechanger. Not only did it change the face of indie rock, but also mainstream and alternative rock as well; it ate up all of its garage rock, NYC punk, post-punk and every other genre popular there, and catchy pop-rock, and spit out an album that perfectly straddles the mainstream and artistically-viable scenes so well that it seems like it can't be real... except it is.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31ZZ389J12L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Aug 20, 2002
Record Label: Matador
Similar to the Strokes album previously mentioned, Turn On The Bright Lights has been able to change much of how we perceive indie rock, alternative rock and mainstream success in a way that few other rock albums have this decade. Personally, it has always been on even footing with me as TOTBL, so to pick a favorite of the two is nearly impossible.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/319mgGHvfFL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Mar 20, 2007
Record Label: Domino
The dark horse of the bunch, Tongues was an album created as a collaboration between electronic musician Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) and legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid. The way that the two geniuses are able to meld their respective genres of music together results in one of the most fascinating and innovative experimental albums created in a very long time.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513FU4FC9lL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: June 13, 2000
Record Label: Sony
One of the most influential indie rock albums of the decade, The Moon & Antarctica is Modest Mouse at their absolute best. The introspective lyrics, the slightly off-pitch vocals, the astoundingly catchy hooks... they're all there. Another album that changed the way that I looked at music, which is exactly what I think it takes to be an album that joins this list. Something that makes me rethink the way that I listen to any new music that comes into my possession is something that deserves to have its praises sung.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SPN1ZNA5L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Oct 22, 2002
Record Label: Fat Cat
It really says something about a band when their second best record is one that makes it into an albums of the decade list. Their previous album, Ágætis Byrjun, is just a smidgen better in my opinion, but ( ) is still so amazing in its own right that it deserves to be in this list. Who needs understandable lyrics or, to be honest, any lyrics at all, when the music is this magnificent? This album is an absolute stunner.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5168VRH625L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Record Label: Mute
Electronic music made in a way that proves to non-electronic listeners that the genre isn't relegated to bleeps and bloops coming from some DJ standing in the corner of a club. The Knife showed that songs could be created in a way that rock and pop listeners could also come to see electronic music in a different light: it was musicians collaborating and performing much like any band would. Experimental, catchy and, ultimately, dancey in more ways than one, Silent Shout broke barriers.
So, in no particular order, here are 10 albums that all affected me greatly this past decade. I definitely had to cut this down from a much larger list, so yes, I'm missing quite a few key albums, but after much deliberation, this is what I'd have to put down if a gun were forced to my head.
PS if you're curious, #11 would have been Blood Brothers - Burn, Piano Island, Burn.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61RWH06QN6L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Sept 14, 2004
Record Label: Merge Records
This one was one of the easiest ones to pick, and I find that few would argue with this choice. When Arcade Fire burst onto the scene with their debut album, it was a definite game-changer. An band with more members than I have fingers, playing French horns, violins, glockenspiel, and god knows what else, actually able to create one of the best-selling "indie" records of the decade? Who would've thought. Beyond just the story of it though, the music Arcade Fire created encompasses the word "beautiful" probably more than any other album on the list.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/415ZTJX4VEL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release date: June 17, 2003
Record Label: Razor & Tie
This is one of those albums that on non-AP.net sites has been too quickly passed over by critics; sure, it's been pigeonholed over the years into "emo" and "alt-rock" status, and it's not the "coolest" album to like, but that doesn't mean it still isn't one of the well-rounded albums of the past decade. Of course, I'm likely biased as this came out during a pivotal moment in my life and it became my auditory obsession for the better part of a year, but that being acknowledged, I'll never forget this album as one of the most personally influential and addictive albums released of late.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T43P56OKL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Oct 3, 2000
Record Label: Capitol
This one is almost a given. Listen to the first song, "Everything In Its Right Place," and try not to be hypnotized. And "Idioteque"? Some of the most gorgeous songs ever created, and all in one album. You just can't beat this.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61MC28X1RHL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Nov 27, 2000
Record Label: Modular
Beyond just the actual musical output of this album, Since I Left You is one of the records on this list that is mindblowing in just its creation as well. The Avalanches took over 3,500 samples and weaved them together to create a seamless record of unrivaled creativity which will likely not be repeated again; perhaps only this record and DJ Shadow's Endtroducing... are of almost absolute perfection in the art of completely sample-based records.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Z9PDPF2DL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Sept 25, 2001
Record Label: RCA
It's sometimes hard to pick "alternative rock" or just normal indie rock albums as Best of Decade ones; to be honest, when it comes to catchy alternative rock, there isn't a lot of room left to innovate in. This Is It, however, is one of the last few alternative rock records to really come out and become a gamechanger. Not only did it change the face of indie rock, but also mainstream and alternative rock as well; it ate up all of its garage rock, NYC punk, post-punk and every other genre popular there, and catchy pop-rock, and spit out an album that perfectly straddles the mainstream and artistically-viable scenes so well that it seems like it can't be real... except it is.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31ZZ389J12L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Aug 20, 2002
Record Label: Matador
Similar to the Strokes album previously mentioned, Turn On The Bright Lights has been able to change much of how we perceive indie rock, alternative rock and mainstream success in a way that few other rock albums have this decade. Personally, it has always been on even footing with me as TOTBL, so to pick a favorite of the two is nearly impossible.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/319mgGHvfFL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Mar 20, 2007
Record Label: Domino
The dark horse of the bunch, Tongues was an album created as a collaboration between electronic musician Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) and legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid. The way that the two geniuses are able to meld their respective genres of music together results in one of the most fascinating and innovative experimental albums created in a very long time.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513FU4FC9lL._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: June 13, 2000
Record Label: Sony
One of the most influential indie rock albums of the decade, The Moon & Antarctica is Modest Mouse at their absolute best. The introspective lyrics, the slightly off-pitch vocals, the astoundingly catchy hooks... they're all there. Another album that changed the way that I looked at music, which is exactly what I think it takes to be an album that joins this list. Something that makes me rethink the way that I listen to any new music that comes into my possession is something that deserves to have its praises sung.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SPN1ZNA5L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: Oct 22, 2002
Record Label: Fat Cat
It really says something about a band when their second best record is one that makes it into an albums of the decade list. Their previous album, Ágætis Byrjun, is just a smidgen better in my opinion, but ( ) is still so amazing in its own right that it deserves to be in this list. Who needs understandable lyrics or, to be honest, any lyrics at all, when the music is this magnificent? This album is an absolute stunner.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5168VRH625L._SL160_AA115_.jpg
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Record Label: Mute
Electronic music made in a way that proves to non-electronic listeners that the genre isn't relegated to bleeps and bloops coming from some DJ standing in the corner of a club. The Knife showed that songs could be created in a way that rock and pop listeners could also come to see electronic music in a different light: it was musicians collaborating and performing much like any band would. Experimental, catchy and, ultimately, dancey in more ways than one, Silent Shout broke barriers.