Albums of the Decade – 2000 to 2009
by chris ~ December 7th, 2009. Filed under: Misc Rambling.Since this is my blog and I can thus do whatever the hell I want with it, I thought I’d take a few moments to rank my favorite albums of the past ten years. I’m not going to claim that I have the greatest taste in music ever, nor that I’ve listened to every single album available in making these choices. The list below are simply my top picks from amongst my personal collection. Make of them what you will, but if you haven’t heard something on this list, I strongly recommend making the effort to check it out!
Oh, and these items are listed from most recent to least recent. For example, the first two albums are from 2009, and the last album is from 2000.
Swoon – Silversun Pickups
With their third release, Silversun Pickups continue to realize their considerable potential, moving further away from “that band that sounds like the Smashing Pumpkins” and into their own style. Definitely the most ambitious and complex of their albums so far, Swoon shows improvements across the board, from individual instrument mastery, to the quality of the lyrics, to the intricacy of the songs. Just a fine album on all levels.
Hazards of Love – Decemberists
Pretentious? Absolutely. Whiny? Yeah … I can see that. Nonetheless, Hazards of Love is a terrific album made by a group who understand their instruments and how they work together, and graced with not one but two amazing guest-singers. Hazards of Love tells a complete story in an interesting, catchy fashion. The final song on the album is arguably the strongest, wrapping everything up in a bittersweet bow.
Black Holes and Revelations – Muse
The best Muse album so far, as the band continues to deviate further and further away from their Radiohead and Nirvana roots, exploring new styles of music. Standouts “Map of the Problematique,” “Exo-Politics,” and “Knights of Cydonia” (aka: “Laser Horses!”), are my favorites, but the album’s littered with highly listenable tracks.
10,000 Days – Tool
Some have criticized 10,000 days as being a bit less heavy than previous Tool albums, and I will agree that there are a few songs that sound more like A Perfect Circle than traditional Tool. Nonetheless, Tool’s fourth full album contains plenty of pounding drums and syncopated guitar work. Even if I didn’t like the rest of the album (which I do), I’d have to include it on this list for “Jambi, “The Pot,” and “Rosetta Stoned” alone … the latter of which is eleven solid minutes of fantastic, deranged raving.
Nude – VAST
VAST has yet to disappoint me with an album, but I think Nude is his best work so far in that it’s the most complete, featuring more real songs and less filler than the two that came before it. His acoustic album, April is also high up on the list, but didn’t quite make the top ten because I’m too much a fan of harder rock. Nude has all the VAST hallmarks which I really enjoy, including great guitar work and absolutely impeccable taste in drum loops.
Demon Days – Gorillaz
When they set out to make a sequel to 2000’s unexpectedly popular, self-titled album, I kind of expected Gorillaz to fail. Dan The Automator projects don’t usually get sequels, since they’re mostly about capturing lightning in a bottle, and since Nakamura wasn’t even involved with this one, I wasn’t expecting much. As it turns out, Demon Days is superior to the original album in pretty much every way. It features fantastic engineering from Danger Mouse, superior lyrics from Damon Albarn and a stable of guest-rappers, fewer throwaway tracks, and an awesome sense of gloom and despair which lends a real depth to the album. If I had to pick a best album of the entire decade, it’d either be this one or Hazards of Love.
The Pleasure and the Greed – Big Wreck
This band apparently imploded due to Ian Thornley’s ego, which is a shame, because The Pleasure and the Greed was definitely one of the best “just give me some good old rock and roll” albums of the decade. With the exception of a mediocre first track, everything else on the album is catchy and enjoyable. I particularly enjoy “Undersold,” “Breakthrough” and “Head in the Girl.” Also, I bet “Ease My Mind” is one of the most fun songs ever to play live.
Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By – Lovage
Take one part Mike Patton (the most versatile male vocalist in Rock and Roll), add one part Jennifer Charles (quite possibly the sexiest female vocalist in Rock and Roll), and one part Dan the Automator. Shake them all up with a bottle of spanish fly and you’ve got Lovage. Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is a slinky, smoldering set of trip-hoppy songs, all of them about the many and varied joys of sex. While I wish Patton wasn’t relegated so much to a background role, it allows Charles to absolutely steal the show. Great, great album.
Lateralus – Tool
Lateralus suffers from the same problem that every other Tool album does: half of the tracks are filler, made up of weird noises, chanting, and other oddities. On the other hand, the tracks which are actual songs are almost universally fantastic. There’s plenty of classic, heavy Tool on display in songs like “The Grudge” and “Ticks & Leeches,” but my two favorite tracks — “Parabola” and “Lateralis” — are both heavy and melodic, continuing the Tool tradition of marrying metal with progressive rock. If you combined the best songs from Lateralus with the best songs from 10,000 Days, you’d have quite possibly the best album of the decade.
Mer De Noms – A Perfect Circle
This band was originally formed by a guy who was a guitar tech for bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, and you can hear that big-rock sound in some of the songs. Maynard does more singing and less growling here than he does on Tool albums. The result is melodic, complex, and well-written. Though it features few radio-friendly songs, the album as a whole is a definite cut above the average modern rock offering of its era.
Honorable Mentions
April – VAST
V is For Vagina – Puscifer
The Garden – Zero 7
Absolution – Muse
Busted Stuff – Dave Matthews Band
Gorillaz – Gorillaz
R – Queens of the Stone Age
<p>
With their third release, Silversun Pickups continue to realize their considerable potential, moving further away from “that band that sounds like the Smashing Pumpkins” and into their own style. Definitely the most ambitious and complex of their albums so far, Swoon shows improvements across the board, from individual instrument mastery, to the quality of the lyrics, to the intricacy of the songs. Just a fine album on all levels.
</p>
<h2>Hazards of Love – Decemberists</h2>
<p>
Pretentious? Absolutely. Whiny? Yeah … I can see that. Nonetheless, Hazards of Love is a terrific album made by a group who understand their instruments and how they work together, and graced with not one but two amazing guest-singers. Hazards of Love tells a complete story in an interesting, catchy fashion. The final song on the album is arguably the strongest, wrapping everything up in a bittersweet bow.
</p>
<h2>Black Holes and Revelations – Muse</h2>
<p>
The best Muse album so far, as the band continues to deviate further and further away from their Radiohead and Nirvana roots, exploring new styles of music. Standouts “Map of the Problematique,” “Exo-Politics,” and “Knights of Cydonia” (aka: “Laser Horses!”), are my favorites, but the album’s littered with highly listenable tracks.
</p>
<h2>10,000 Days – Tool</h2>
<p>
Some have criticized 10,000 days as being a bit less heavy than previous Tool albums, and I will agree that there are a few songs that sound more like A Perfect Circle than traditional Tool. Nonetheless, Tool’s fourth full album contains plenty of pounding drums and syncopated guitar work. Even if I didn’t like the rest of the album (which I do), I’d have to include it on this list for “Jambi, “The Pot,” and “Rosetta Stoned” alone … the latter of which is eleven solid minutes of fantastic, deranged raving.
</p>
<h2>Nude – VAST</h2>
<p>
VAST has yet to disappoint me with an album, but I think Nude is his best work so far in that it’s the most complete, featuring more real songs and less filler than the two that came before it. His acoustic album, “April” is also high up on the list, but didn’t quite make the top ten because I’m too much a fan of harder rock. Nude has all the VAST hallmarks which I really enjoy, including great guitar work and absolutely impeccable taste in drum loops.
</p>
<h2>Demon Days – Gorillaz</h2>
<p>
When they set out to make a sequel to 2000’s unexpectedly popular, self-titled album, I kind of expected Gorillaz to fail. Dan The Automator projects don’t usually get sequels, since they’re mostly about capturing lightning in a bottle, and since Nakamura wasn’t even involved with this one, I wasn’t expecting much. As it turns out, Demon Days is superior to the original album in pretty much every way. It features fantastic engineering from Danger Mouse, superior lyrics from Damon Albarn and a stable of guest-rappers, fewer throwaway tracks, and an awesome sense of gloom and despair which lends a real depth to the album. If I had to pick a best album of the entire decade, it’d either be this one or Hazards of Love.
</p>
<h2>The Pleasure and the Greed – Big Wreck</h2>
<p>
This band apparently imploded due to Ian Thornley’s ego, which is a shame, because The Pleasure and the Greed was definitely one of the best “just give me some good old rock and roll” albums of the decade. With the exception of a mediocre first track, everything else on the album is catchy and enjoyable. I particularly enjoy “Undersold,” “Breakthrough” and “Head in the Girl.” Also, I bet “Ease My Mind” is one of the most fun songs ever to play live.
</p>
<h2>Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By – Lovage</h2>
<p>
Take one part Mike Patton (the most versatile male vocalist in Rock and Roll), add one part Jennifer Charles (quite possibly the sexiest female vocalist in Rock and Roll), and one part Dan the Automator. Shake them all up with a bottle of spanish fly and you’ve got Lovage. Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is a slinky, smoldering set of trip-hoppy songs, all of them about the many and varied joys of sex. While I wish Patton wasn’t relegated so much to a background role, it allows Charles to absolutely steal the show. Great, great album.
</p>
<h2>Lateralus – Tool</h2>
<p>
Lateralus suffers from the same problem that every other Tool album does: half of the tracks are filler, made up of weird noises, chanting, and other oddities. On the other hand, the tracks which are actual songs are almost universally fantastic. There’s plenty of classic, heavy Tool on display in songs like “The Grudge” and “Ticks & Leeches,” but my two favorite tracks — “Parabloa” and “Lateralis” — are both heavy and melodic, continuing the Tool tradition of marrying metal with progressive rock. If you combined the best songs from Lateralus with the best songs from 10,000 days, you’d have quite possibly the best album of the decade.
</p>
<h2>Mer De Noms – A Perfect Circle</h2>
<p>
This band was originally formed by a guy who was a guitar tech for bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, and you can hear that big-rock sound in some of the songs. Maynard does more singing and less growling here than he does on Tool albums. The result is melodic, complex, and well-written. Though it features few radio-friendly songs, the album as a whole is a definite cut above the average modern rock offering of its era.
</p>
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<p>
<strong>April</strong> – VAST
<strong>V is For Vagina</strong> – Puscifer
<strong>The Garden</strong> – Zero 7
<strong>Absolution</strong> – Muse
<strong>Busted Stuff</strong> – Dave Matthews Band
<strong>Gorillaz</strong> – Gorillaz
<strong>R</strong> – Queens of the Stone Age
</p>
December 7th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I love that people actually do spend time thinking about the music that matters to them — not just right now, but over the past 10 years.
Anyhow, thanks for sharing Chris. I’ll submit my own list here — no commentary though (I’ll have to actually write that up and post to my own site here before the end of the year).
1. LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem
2. Dandy Warhols – 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia
3. The Strokes – Is This It?
4. Roots – Phrenology
5. White Stripes – White Blood Cells
6. Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon
7. Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
8. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
9. MIA – Kala
10. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
December 7th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I … have not heard any of those albums. I will have to check them all out! Except the White Stripes one, because unfortunately, despite every I know loving them, I really can’t stand them. :P
December 7th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I should note that those are my pics for the “best” albums of the decade … not necessarily my faves (which would differ by including stuff from NIN, The Walkmen and the Duke Spirit, and probably remove Winehouse, that particular WS album, the Strokes and MIA). Explanatory blog forthcoming.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
“PJ Harvey [...] & John Parish tore through a set of their collaborative material that was far stronger than their records together would indicate possible.”
Really??? Dance Hall at Louse Point might actually make all sorts of top 10 lists for me. Not best, ’cause I don’t know enough about music to judge quality, but in terms of favorites or most emotion or blablabla, definitely a high point.
(oh, ok, that might sound like the weirdest comment. I just went and checked out Sean’s blog b/c of comment here. Sorry. Hi Sean! The Meddling Wife)
December 8th, 2009 at 2:25 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Danny Laurie and Blur, Boris Bastide. Boris Bastide said: RT @BlurMusic: Albums of the Decade – 2000 to 2009 CerebralDebris: It features fantastic engineering from Danger Mouse http://bit.ly/4QAy8D [...]