Best Albums of the Decade 2000-2010 (Part 1)
1966-1973 is the greatest era in music history and as the early 00’s rolled by we got a taste of what it must have been like. Artists were no longer taking pride in how far they could separate themselves from their predecessors. They were embracing their influences and allowing the icons of their youth to permeate through them like last night’s teriyaki. I am going to start with my favourite album for each year and then top 10 of the decade and you will be confounded or disgusted or hopefully you nod and recollect.
2000 - Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
Agaetis Byrjun
2000 was a great year for music. From the unstoppable “Kid A“, the unassuming warmth of Yo La Tengo’s – “And Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out” and the artfully deep concept album “The Hour of the Bewilderbeast” by Badly Drawn Boy, among the most aggressive, brave and compelling debuts in popular music. But, somehow it all came back to which album I experienced the most. “Byrjun” takes the genre of Atmospheric music and propels it into a place of priority and extravagance. No longer great background music but the preferred anthem of road-trips and wedding processionals.
2001 - Prefuse 73 - Vocal Studies / and / Appleseed Cast – Low Level Owl
Vocal Studies
Low Level Owl
I feel picking Prefuse is a bit hypocritical as I really didn’t stumble upon this album until my good friend Simon Poultney showed it to me in 2003. It stacks up high amongst a meek year for for music (in comparison to having 00 and 02 as its bookends) elevating itself above Radioheads “Amnesiac“, “Mass Romantic” by The New Pornographers, Les Savvy Fav, The Beta Band and a heroic effort from the Strokes who sarcastically debuted “Is this It?” from within a boiling pot of critical expectations and intrigue.
Prefuse is a band that creates an overwhelming electric symphony of emotional highs and lows. They are your quiet nights and your daring ambitions. “Vocal Studies” pushes a unique style within an overwhelmed field of music and somehow makes it all crisp again.
Usually when bands reinvent themselves however slight, they leave behind a willingness to hold on to what was or an adaption of the past emotion or basic sound. Appleseed Cast break free from their previous efforts leaving behind the shackles of their emo stereotype and hardcore ambitions falling into a more thoughtful and melodic persona. There are touches of early Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine and drum-fills that would be at home on the Smashing Pumpkins double album. The instrumentals that bookend this album alone could create the pedestal for which it sat within critical review. “Low Level Owl” is a deep and full flavoured prog-rock album that sets itself apart in the genre and the era.
2002 – Beck – Sea Change
Sea Change
Just assume that I already know the majority will think this a poor pick, so much so that it might ruin the entire list for them.
I am aware that 2002 is one of the best years for music this decade or any other and that it saw Interpol declared kings of the NY indie scene, McLusky’s brilliantly absurd “Mlusky Do Dallas”, veteran rockers Sonic Youth, Wilco, Flaming Lips, Sleater-Kinny, and Tom Waits reclaiming their youthful graces and the genius of the Genius – GZA. I am aware.
2003 – The Decemberists – Castaways and Cutouts/ and / The Wrens – The Meadowlands
Castaways and Cutouts
The Meadowlands
2003, an impossible year. I was 23 and I was immersed in the wave of music that was emerging from all scenes. 03 saw “Hail To The Theif“, another thoughtful gift from the most talented band of the last 20 years. “One Word Extinguisher” from Prefuse 73, arguably better then their previous album that sits as no.1 on my list of 01. A massive leap from Manitoba dropping “Up In Flames” several miles from their debut and winning us all. This was also the year of Broken Social Scene “You Forgot It In People” (which although ranking high on Pitchfork had to have been given the worst nonsensical review I have ever read in my life) and the new revelation of The Postal Service.
For me none of those match up to the folk whispering and thoughtful twang of the Decemberists or the lazy, yet calculated, dry rock of The Wrens “The Meadowlands“.
2004 – Arcade Fire – Funeral
Funeral
“Funeral” protruded from the indie world in a way that no other album or artist could during the 2000’s. It sat atop critical and popular lists alike as an unfamiliar sound, something that would have fit comfortably anywhere in the last 40 years but didn’t clearly fit a genre the way most chart toppers do. In all honesty what is the point of reviewing this album? You’ve heard it, you probably own and even if you don’t like it….who am I kidding you liked it.
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