Posts Tagged ‘Albums Of The Decade’

20.11.2009

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Three

posted by Will

in Year End Lists

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Desert City Soundtrack “Funeral Car” (Deep Elm – 2003)

dcs

The name of the album, Funeral Car, says it all. Desert City Soundtrack never got the press they deserved. And if you missed seeing this band’s incredible live show you missed out on sheer madness.

Jimmy Eat World “Futures” (Interscope – 2004)

jewfutures

Sandwiched between Jimmy Eat World’’s two most accessible albums, Futures was a darker look into the band’s songwriting. To me it seems like this album was the most uncomfortable one for the band to make and perhaps that is why it harbors such intriguing results.

Pedro The Lion “Control” (Jade Tree – 2002)

pedrothelion

David Bazan may be a lot of things but he doesn’t stray far when it comes to subject matter. And Control is his most brutally honest look into religion and the struggles that come with it. This is Bazan’s crowning achievement in my opinion.

Sun Kil Moon “April” (Caldo Verde – 2008)

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I can not express how much I love this man and April is the best album of Mark Kozelek’s career. That spans all his solo material and of course the amazing Red House Painters catalog. I know it is a ridiculously strong statement but I’m sticking to it.

The Casket Lottery “Survival Is For Cowards” (Second Nature – 2002)

casketlottery

Survival Is For Cowards (still one of my all time favorite album titles) was the swan song of the underrated emo band The Casket Lottery. The album was the band’s most polished and mature release which made the group’s demise all the more puzzling.

The Forms “The Forms” (Threespheres – 2007)

forms1

Recorded by Steve Albini for over 50 consecutive days, this self-titled affair is a testament to The Form’s determination and perseverance for perfection. I think they got it right.

The Gaslight Anthem “Sink Or Swim” (XO – 2007)

gaslightanthem

Anthemic pop/punk filtered through influences like Guthrie, Bragg and Springsteen. Sink Or Swim was The Gaslight Anthem’s amazing debut and quickly thrust the band into a spotlight they most definitely deserved.

Minus The Bear “Highly Refined Pirates” (Suicide Squeeze – 2002)

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I love this album. It’s the perfect late night summer album especially if you spent your time around the water a lot which I certainly did back then. And it is still the Minus The Bear album I reach for the most. But, I will admit that I have a love/hate relationship with the band for two reasons. First, I’ve seen them live twice. Once they were simply amazing. The next time they were absolutely terrible. Second, I think the band (through no fault of their own) has inspired a ton of shitty unoriginal bands. But hey, give them their due, this album still rules!

Latterman “No Matter Where We Go” (Deep Elm – 2005)

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I can remember hearing the demos for No Matter Where We Go and being absolutely floored. Posi pop/punk hardcore anthems that many may try to replicate but they just fail miserably. Latterman just had that special something that we all look for in a band. RIP.

Tim Barry “Rivanna Junction” (Suburban Home – 2006)

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This album makes the list, if for nothing else, the sheer amount I listened to it. But of course, that’s not all. Barry’s live show is an experience all should have. Rivanna Junction was the Avail frontman’s debut solo album and shows a side to Barry that has never really been seen before. This is not polished music. It’s dirty and imperfect…much like Avail was. This is a brutally honest album from a brutally honest man.

Albums Of The Decade: Volume One

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Two

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Four

Tags: Albums Of The Decade, Avail, David Bazan, Desert City Soundtrack, Jimmy Eat World, Latterman, Mark Kozelek, Minus The Bear, Pedro The Lion, Sun Kil Moon, The Casket Lottery, The Forms, The Gaslight Anthem, Tim Barry, Year End Lists

06.11.2009

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Two

posted by Will

in Year End Lists

9 Comments

If you missed it, I named my Top Ten Albums of The Decade last week. Volume Two-Five of Albums of the Decade will contain my next forty favorite albums but in no particular order. So, here is Volume Two of SAL’s Albums Of The Decade…

Andrew Bird “The Mysterious Production of Eggs” (Righteous Babe – 2005)

The Mysterious Production of Eggs was my first introduction to Andrew Bird and wow, I was smitten from the start. I saw Mr. Bird on tour in support of this album and it only strengthened my respect for him and my love for his craft. Bird is quite simply one of the most talented musicians I have ever seen perform.

At The Drive-In “Relationship Of Command” (Grand Royal – 2000)

I hate putting albums in these lists that everybody else already has as well. With that being said it is impossible to dismiss Relationship Of Command. The album is a powerful look at a band that burned so bright they had no choice but to fade away.

Broken Social Scene “You Forgot It In People” (Arts & Crafts – 2002)

Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot It In People is a wonderful and eccentric mixture of art and indie rock that recalled genre greats like Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. while maintaining a unique personality of its own. The album is all over the place but in an amazingly cohesive kind of way.

Liars Academy “No News Is Good News” (Equal Vision – 2001)

No News Is Good News is one of the most underrated albums I can think of during this decade. Liars Academy rose from the ashes of Cross My Heart (3/4 of XMH to be exact) and put out this gem to little fanfare and mostly ho-hum reviews. The band took what Cross My Heart was doing in the indie/emo realm and just basically picked up the tempos. I’d also suggest Cross My Heart’s last album, 2000’s Temporary Contemporary, to get a feel for how the two bands related to one another.

Ryan Adams “Heartbreaker” (Lost Highway – 2000)

The debut that made Ryan Adams into something more than that guy from Whiskeytown. Unfortunately Adams has never quite lived up to this excellence since. Granted he’s put out some great material post-Heartbreaker but this is the one that lacks any filler whatsoever.

Ted Leo/Pharmacists “The Tyranny of Distance” (Lookout – 2001)

The Tyranny of Distance falls just outside of my decade top ten. This is quite simply Leo’s masterpiece and shattered any work he had been associated with before. I find myself returning to this album time and time again. The album stands out to me from Leo’s later work cause it has such a romantic and emotional quality to it that seems to be missing from his other material.

The Jealous Sound “Kill Them With Kindness” (Better Looking – 2003)

In regards to The Jealous Sound I always hear people say “well, Knapsack were better” and sure, they would be correct. But to dismiss The Jealous Sound is extremely short-sighted. Kill Them With Kindness may not have been the second coming of Knapsack but it was pretty damn close and proved that Blair Shehan was a songwriter that deserved more recognition.

The Mountain Goats “Tallahassee” (4AD – 2002)

While I heard Mountain Goats material before this, Tallahassee is the album that hooked me completely. Darnielle’s storytelling lay front and center here as he tells the intimate story of a deeply troubled relationship. It’s as gripping as an album can possibly be and Darnielle makes you feel like an awkward fly on the wall throughout it all.

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start “And Nothing is #1″ (OHEV – 2003)

As readers of SAL should know I have always been a huge proponent of Up Up Down Down even after they called it quits. And Nothing is #1 was the band’s debut full-length and an overlooked gem by the group with the worst band name ever. I still don’t know how to describe these guys after all these years and maybe that’s why they were so damn good!

Waxwing “Nobody Can Take What Everybody Owns” (Second Nature – 2002)

Nobody Can Take What Everybody Owns is the last Waxwing album and it is just as good as the first two and maybe even better. Which of course made the band’s break up that much harder to take. Granted I love Rocky Votolato’s solo work but I’m still clamoring for that elusive Waxwing reunion.

Albums Of The Decade: Volume One

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Three

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Four

Tags: Albums Of The Decade, Andrew Bird, At The Drive-In, Broken Social Scene, Liars Academy, Rocky Votolato, Ryan Adams, Ted Leo, The Jealous Sound, The Mountain Goats, Up Up Down Down, Waxwing, Year End Lists

30.10.2009

Albums Of The Decade: Volume One

posted by Will

in Year End Lists

6 Comments

decade

SAL is the last stop on the Albums Of The Decade Blog Tour where ten diffierent indie blogs have chosen their favorite albums of the decade. Yesterday’s post came courtesy of The Punk Guy.

I’m keeping this initial list to a Top Ten but check back over the next few weeks as I’ll be listing forty more albums that in all will make up my Top 50 of the 00’s.

A couple of interesting facts…apparently 2000 was an amazing year. Six of my top ten albums hail from 2000 which is unbelievable. And not one album from 2004-2009 made my top ten.

Do yourself a favor and check out all the awesomeness of the blogs that participated. Thanks especially to Josh at Deckfight for spearheading this project! You rule dude!

Now onto my Top Ten of the decade…in order.

#1 The Weakerthans “Left And Leaving” (Hopeless – 2000)

John K. Samson is a lyrical genius and Left And Leaving is probably my favorite album of all time. What else is there to say?

#2 The Lawrence Arms “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (Fat Wreck Chords – 2003)

This is my perfect Arms record with every song bleeding into the next. Such an amazing and cohesive album especially considering you are dealing with two very distinct voices/songwriters. The Greatest Story Ever Told took the band from your typical pop/punk band to one that played pop/punk but was so much smarter (and better) than their peers. The arrangements, the songwriting, the back and forth sway of vocals…this album still gets me amped.

#3 Alkaline Trio “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire” (Asian Man – 2000)

Probably one of my most listened to albums of all time. This record seems to get lost in their discography but not for me as this is my favorite Trio album. Dark, catchy and downright disturbing lyrics, Maybe I’ll Catch Fire is a churning and ambitious record. Which is probably why everything the band did after this has paled in comparison for me.

#4 The Dismemberment Plan “Change” (Desoto – 2001)

This is not even the band’s greatest album yet it still ends up on a Best of the Decade list. That’s how good The Dismemberment plan was. From my favorite live band of all time, Change saw the band maturing and discovering their own unique gifts. It was the final evolution in a band that had undergone an incredible metamorphosis. The D Plan stood by themselves in a league all their own. Of all the reunions taking place these days this is the one I truly long for.

#5 Modest Mouse “The Moon & Antarctica” (Epic – 2000)

This is a sprawling and unique album that no one could have expected from Modest Mouse. Accessible major label debut? Not even close. The Moon & Antarctica is a haunting yet beautiful journey into the ambitious and frayed mind of Isaac Brock. So, the next frat boy that tells you how much they love Modest Mouse tell them to go listen to this album. I bet they will be singing a different tune afterwards.

#6 And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead “Source Tags & Codes” (Interscope – 2002)

Source Tags & Codes is such a moving and powerful album. It is the true definition of art colliding with visceral rock music. It is a shame the band could never live up to the glory and exhilaration of this album. But when listening seven years later it is apparent we should have never expected them to top this masterpiece. “A middle finger to the institution”…still gets me every time.

#7 The Appleseed Cast “Mare Vitalis”(Deep Elm – 2000)

The band’s 2002 double LP, Low Level Owl, might be considered their crowning achievement but when I want to listen to Appleseed Cast it will always be the band’s sophomore album, Mare Vitalis. The band started their journey away from typical emo songwriting here and it’s still their finest hour in my opinion.

#8 Cursive “Domestica” (Saddle Creek – 2000)

The relationship concept album has become Tim Kasher’s forte it seems. But Domestica was the songwriter’s first journey into the depth and despair of a troubled partnership. Emotionally raw, this is still the Cursive’s shining moment.

#9 Samiam “Astray” (Hopeless – 2000)

No best of list would be complete without Samiam who are quite possibly the greatest pop/punk band ever. Astray is about as strong as an album can be from start to finish.

#10 Frodus “And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea” (Fueled By Ramen – 2001)

And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea is perhaps one of the most under appreciated records of the decade and it is also one of the best. What is amazing to me is the fact that the band struggled to find a label to release the album. The record was finished in 1999 but was not released til 2001 by Fueled By Ramen. That label was in the throes of a change in musical direction and because of that the album seemed to fall by the wayside. This was the band’s swan song (although there has been talk of new Frodus material this year) and was unlike anything they had released before. And frankly it was different than anything else at the time as well.

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Two

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Three

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Four

Tags: Albums Of The Decade, Alkaline Trio, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Cursive, Frodus, Modest Mouse, Samiam, The Appleseed Cast, The Dismemberment Plan, The Lawrence Arms, The Weakerthans, Year End Lists

sound as language

Posts Tagged ‘Albums Of The Decade’

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Three

Desert City Soundtrack “Funeral Car” (Deep Elm – 2003)

Jimmy Eat World “Futures” (Interscope – 2004)

Pedro The Lion “Control” (Jade Tree – 2002)

Sun Kil Moon “April” (Caldo Verde – 2008)

The Casket Lottery “Survival Is For Cowards” (Second Nature – 2002)

The Forms “The Forms” (Threespheres – 2007)

The Gaslight Anthem “Sink Or Swim” (XO – 2007)

Minus The Bear “Highly Refined Pirates” (Suicide Squeeze – 2002)

Latterman “No Matter Where We Go” (Deep Elm – 2005)

Tim Barry “Rivanna Junction” (Suburban Home – 2006)

Albums Of The Decade: Volume One

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Two

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Four

Albums Of The Decade: Volume One

#1 The Weakerthans “Left And Leaving” (Hopeless – 2000)

#2 The Lawrence Arms “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (Fat Wreck Chords – 2003)

#3 Alkaline Trio “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire” (Asian Man – 2000)

#4 The Dismemberment Plan “Change” (Desoto – 2001)

#5 Modest Mouse “The Moon & Antarctica” (Epic – 2000)

#6 And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead “Source Tags & Codes” (Interscope – 2002)

#7 The Appleseed Cast “Mare Vitalis”(Deep Elm – 2000)

#8 Cursive “Domestica” (Saddle Creek – 2000)

#9 Samiam “Astray” (Hopeless – 2000)

#10 Frodus “And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea” (Fueled By Ramen – 2001)

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Two

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Three

Albums Of The Decade: Volume Four

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