The Best Album So Far This Decade?

Hobbes, I think it's his best, but there are others who would swear by XO or Either/Or. They're all really fine records.

Figure 8 is one album that even the classic rock-weaned types who frequent this site would appreciate. It's completely modern in its sound and approach, yet very tuneful and powerful. Smith clearly had done his homework, and was more than aware of his musical forefathers. He used to cover the likes of "Jealous Guy" and "Isn't it a Pity" live, if that gives you an idea.

Not sure who I'd compare him to, but I can tell you that if you listen to any college/indie rock right now, his writing and singing style has been proved enormously influential. He's definitely missed.

 

"Toxicity" by System of a Down. Very powerful album full of great songs.

Runner-ups: "Kid A" and "Sea Change".

 

Thanks a lot! I think I'll start with "Figure 8" and go from there.

 

Without question, Paul McCartney's "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard" - a stunning masterpiece.

I also love:

Roger Joseph Manning "Solid State Warrior" (Jellyfish fans, this is the followup to "Split Milk" you've been waiting for!)

Brian Wilson "Smile"

Cheap Trick "Rockford"

Sparks "Lil Beethoven"

Baby Lemonade - "High Life Suite"

George Harrison "Brainwashed"

 

Welcome to the Steve Hoffman forum, Hawkmoon, and I hope you enjoy your visits (although some people are here so often they may as well be in residence )

My choice - "How the West was Won" - Led Zeppelin which, although containing music from much earlier, wasn't released until 2003 (original poster not specific on this matter)

 

I will have to go with Wilco YHF.

 

I've just started getting into Elliott Smith. What a talent, what a shame!

 

I don't know if it's against the thread idea to nominate an unreleased album, but the leaked Jon Brion-produced version of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine is the best album of the 00s for me. Amazing songs with more depth and humour than Fiona's earlier efforts and wild orchestral arrangements by Brion makes this a perfect sequence of songs. Too bad the songs got re-recorded into the good, but vastly inferior product that hit the stores.

Other goodies:
Kate Bush - Aerial. When I heard this album, it was almost too good to be true. I was just happy that she was back, but she broke new ground as well. "King of the mountain" - best single of 2005.

Moloko - Statues. Extremely good, extremely underrated. Proves that you can dance to great songwriting. "I want you" is one of my favourite songs ever.

The White Stripes - De Stijl. All their albums are good, but this gets a slight edge for great songs like "Apple blossom" and "Hello operator."

 

Agree. Brion gave those songs a ton of drama and balls. The released versions.....ESPECIALLY Red, Red, Red......don't compare!

 

Not About Love is my least favourite. Man, they managed to suck all the life out of it.
Good that they kept "Waltz", though. What a song!

 

My favorite albums of this decade in order of preference:

1) King Crimson - The Power to Believe (2003)
2) Queens of the Stone - Songs for the Deaf (2003)
3) Wallflowers - Red Letter Days (2002)
4) Tool - Lateralus (2001)
5) Monster Magnet - God Says No (2001)
6) Weezer - s/t [green] (2001)

Mark

 

Green Day's American Idiot

 

Alrighty, I'll weigh in, for what it's worth (not much! ).

I have narrowed it down and can't take it much farther:

Daniel Lanois - Shine
Brian Wilson - Smile
Songs:Ohia - Didn't It Rain
Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World
Spoon - Kill the Moonlight

I'm sure I'm forgetting something... and there are many I love but wouldn't put in the top 5 (Wilco, Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, Bjork, Arcade Fire, among many others).

Agreed that fans of Smile should listen to Illinois by Sufjan Stevens. It's not like it sounds like Smile, it's that the arrangements are excellent, and built around a theme. Don't expect a Smile clone.

 

I agree completely about Extraordinary Machine. IMO, the released version is a pale, wannabe of the true album - the Brion version.

A very strong album that falls just short of my Top 10 for the decade so far. It would definitely be in my Top 20. The SACD sounds great - stereo and surround - and the 5.1 mix is good.

 

I left so many albums out of the Top 10 that I originally posted, so now, here is what I would put as #11 through #20, in no particular order:

Björk - Vespertine
Björk - Medulla
Ryan Adams - Cold Roses
Kathleen Edwards - Failer
Moloko - Statues
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
Goldfrapp - Supernature
Alison Krauss & Union Station - New Favorite
Dixie Chicks - Home
Doves - The Last Broadcast

 

Enough messing about - the five best albums released since January 1st, 2000 are:

The Rolling Stones, A Bigger Bang
ELO, Zoom
Cotton Mather, The Big Picture
The Clientele, Strange Geometry
Oasis, Don't Believe The Truth

Honourable Boomer Mentions to:

The Beatles, The Capitol Albums, Vols. I & II
The Moody Blues, SACD/CD-hybrid reissues

Cheers,
Bruce

 

In no order. My top albums of 00's so far. (I'll probably change my mind tommorow...)

1.Brian Wilson - Smile.
2.Wilco- A Ghost is Born.
3.Heavy Blinkers - Better Weather
4.Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music.
5.High llamas - Beet, Maize & Corn.
6 Drive By truckers- Dirty South.
7 Hem - Eveningland.
8. Arcade Fire - Funeral.
9.Teenage Fanclub- Man Made.
10. Tom Waits - Alice ( I thought "real gone" was terrible)
11. Grandaddy - Sumday and Sopthware slump
12. Divine Comedy - Absent Friends.
13.Ryan Adams- Heartbreaker.
14. Pearlfishers - Across The milkyway
15. Marah - Kids In Philly.
16. Pernice Brothers _ Overcome..
17. Rufus Wainwright - Want two.
18. Ken Stringfellow - Soft Commands
19. Kingsbury Manx - The Fall...
20. Lucinda Williams - Essence.

 

Wilco - A Ghost is Born

 

I second Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Sea Change. Surprised no one has said Radiohead's Hail To The Thief. Ok, I will.

 

In no particular order . . .

Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco -- A Ghost is Born
Jayhawks -- Rainy Day Music
Green Day -- American Idiot
Dixie Chicks -- Taking the Long Way
Paul Simon -- Surprise
Bob Dylan -- Love and Theft
Beck -- Sea Change

 

George Harrison: Brainwashed

 

Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
Wilco - A Ghost is Born

BTW, consistent with the thread title I've listed a couple of albums. However, if we could include music DVDs, I think Heart of Gold (Young/Demme) is more moving than any album so far this decade, including Prairie Wind which contains much of the same music in studio form.

 

Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch

Jim in Houston

 

Neil Young-Greendale
Springsteen-Devils and Dust
Sonic Youth-Murray Street
Radiohead-Amnesiac
Son Volt-Okemah
Costello-Delviery Man & North

In addition to all great already mentioned!

 

Jethro Tull - Living With The Past - 2002
Ian Anderson - Rupi's Dance - 2003
Jethro Tull - The Jethro Tull Christmas Album - 2003
Martin Barre - Stage Left 2003

Neil Young - Prairie Wind