The Best Album So Far This Decade?

Seeing that reminded me of an album that I'd consider to be second to LOVE AND THEFT--Adam's COLD ROSES.

JcS

 

Great minds think alike!

Although for me, it's Primal Scream's XTRMNTR for me at the #1 spot, then Kid A. I'm not as big on Wilco as many others here - like their albums, sometimes a lot, but they don't quite make it to the top for me. But great to see some dEUS and Motorpsycho love! Dungen's Ta Det Lugnt rates highly too.

 

Off the top of my head, I'd go for either Garbage's "Beautiful Garbage" or Sleater-Kinney's "The Woods". Those are probably the two albums from 2000-date that I've played the most, at least...

 

Mississippi from Love and Theft is probably my favorite song from the new millennium - it's made it's way onto a few mixed discs. But as full albums go, I've probably listened to the following three roots-centric gems more often:

Dave Alvin - Ashgrove
The Silos - Come On Like The Fast Lane
Alejandro Escovedo - The Boxing Mirror

And those last two are very recent releases. I'd guess that those three also beat-out Prarie Wind when it comes to the turntable-time sweepstakes.

I think McCartney's Chaos and Creation is a fine album, but I know I've spun the last two albums from Velvet Crush far more often, especially the poptastic Soft Sounds.

Hello, Dear Wind by Page France is one of my favorite albums of the 2000's. One of my most-listened-to as well.

Bronx in Blue by DION is another favorite that my wife and I never tire of.

I'll pick The Go-Betweens Oceans Apart as my favorite album of the developing decade. The fact that Grant McLennan's death has ended the group certainly weighs heavily on my choice, but they had earned "favorite band" status long before his tragic passing.

 

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
Fountains Of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers
Kate Bush - Aerial
Blackmore's Night - Fires At Midnight
Wilco - YHF
Al Stewart - Beach Full Of Shells
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad Of The Broken Seas

 

I find it frustrating that this album was forgotten so soon after it's release, even though reviews were very positive. Like Levi says the album can't be easily pigeon-holed, though several lazy reviewers kept saying it was a return to the Wowee Zowee sound.

 

I second that.

My eight runners up to round out the Top 10 would be (in no particular order):

The Be Good Tanyas - Chinatown
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Interpol - Antics
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways
Gillian Welch - Soul Journey
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
Low - Things We Lost in the Fire
Beck - Sea Change

 

That's what I assumed as well; anything from 2000 (or 2001) to the present. OK Computer was 1997 so I don't think that comes close to qualifying. If the thread title said 'the last ten years' or 'of the 90's', then it would get my vote.

 

I think I do as well, for the most part, but I'd still be hard pressed to choose one between the two especially since YHFT has my favourite Wilco song of all time - 'Jesus, etc.'.

 

Wow, not Both Sides of the Gun?

 

Fantastic album, I think I have to rethink my Top 10. I forgot about that one.

Edit: I changed my list to reflect this.

 

I'll bet a big bunch of the classic rock fans on this forum would fall all over No More Shoes. That song kicks.

Wish the clip on Amazon focused more on the git-tar instead of the vocal.

Jeff

 

Hard to single out one since my favorite changes quite often. But for the last few days I'd be tempted to say Low Trust from 2002. Seems to combine all of their talents and techniques in one place. Some Cowboy Junkies, and Byrds and VU and Wilco and Galaxie 500 and Radiohead and CSN&Y and all the rest. Great stuff. Thought I already had enough albums by Low so skipped the last 2, but I was wrong. Still think Lost in the Fire is their best, mainly because it just flows so perfectly, but this one seems to be their most diverse and is my favorite at the moment. Surprisingly only gets 3.5 stars from AMG, but works much better than that for me. I'd been scared away by the Tchad Blake production since he sometimes gets a little overdramatic for my taste, which is fine for power pop type music, but this still has the sound I like of Low, just a little more eclectic and bold at times. And the liner notes only give him mixing credit so maybe his input wasn't that much overall.

The Notwist with Neon Golden on other days. One of the most played from the last few years. And a couple of the Califone albums are very high up there too, Roomsound and Quicksand/Cradlesankes. The Solex Low Kick and Hard Bop was so fresh and fun, I'd definitely include that one. And the Wilco albums, especially YHF, although I'm also kind of partial to Ghost these days. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus stands as one of the most impressive releases of ths decade for me. Not many artists working today that could pull off such a strong 2-CD opus. Nina Nastasia, Songs:Ohia, Black Heart Procession, Andrew Bird, Neko Case, Spoon, Steve Wynn, Bjork, just goes on and on.

 

Love and Theft too here, but Smile comes close...I think of this as a kind of hybrid 60s album though.

 

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Elton John's "Songs from the West Coast"...

I seriously think that's one of the best damn albums I've heard in forever... I mean, even putting all the public images of Elton aside and not even bothering to compare to his early stuff: This is one awesome record start to finish. I'm always surprised at how much I like it - I've given to a lot of people over the years who don't really know Elton outside the radio and really dig it.

Anybody have any love for this one?

JEFF!

 

Clay Aiken - Pleasure of a Man

 

Captain Groovy, you beat me to it!!!

Elton John - Songs From The West Coast

I never get tired of this album. It's easily my favorite from the last 10 years and probably in my all-time top 10 favorite albums.

In particular, my favorite tracks are: The Emporer's New Clothes, Look Ma No Hands, American Triangle, and Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes. Most people do not know this album past the singles...a problem with many people's opinions of Elton's albums.

If you really are looking for a special album, listen to this one in its entirely...a few times. You will be glad that you did.

 

Beck - Sea Change
Elliott Smith - Figure 8
Eels - Shootenany!

 

mknappe, you just beat me. I haven't heard a better record in the 00s than Figure 8.

 

What does any of this audio fetishism have to do with how good or bad the music is?

 

It only matters if the mastering sounds so bad that you can't 'hear' the music. Once I get annoyed with sound quality, it is as though the actual music doesn't exist. All I can hear is 'sound sucks, sound sucks, sound sucks'. I know that this is an 'audiophile' viewpoint, but it can't be helped.

 

That's a shame, David. When I listen, the music, good or bad, always stands head and shoulders above the methods used to convey it. I guess I should consider myself fortunate.

 

You make a good point. However, there is a point when the sound quality jumps out ahead of the real music. As an example, look at satellite radio. It's ok when I am in the car but the quality is abysmal when I am in the listening room. Instruments and vocals are compressed and sound entirely unnatural. In the car, I'll make that trade-off. At home, not so much.

True musical artistry is difficult enough to acheive. It is absolutely sad when an engineer or music executive screws it up. I can certainly appreciate what was acheived, but I just can't do so very often in the listening room.

David

 

This is what threats like this are about: learning about new stuff – not bitching about anyone’s choices ...
I’ve never heard anything of Elliott Smith (maybe b/c I was not in this country when his records were released and he might not be popular in Europe or maybe b/c I just “missed” him).
So, I did a quick search on Elliott Smith (e.g., Wikipedia, etc.). It is quite possible that I’ve found a new artist that I make like and am kind of excited (quite rare in today’s music environment). To what artists would you compare him (and why)? Also, any suggestions with regard to his records? What should I get first? XO and Either/Or seem to be very good (excellent reviews) or is Figure 8 his best?

Thanks!