the naughties

arcade fire - funeral

best debut album of the decade? probably.

what sets funeral apart from the rest, is that is sounds nothing like the rest. its an album full of pop melodies and sumptuous orchestration. where the band excel is pace. they know when to tone it down, and they know when to knock it out the park.

this is one of those records you show your kids. trouble is, they won’t “get” it until the 5th listen, but then they’ll finally think you’re cool.

battles - mirrored

hands down my favorite album cover. just look at it and tell me it doesnt make you want to go play around in that room.

battles are a band full of multi-instrumentalists that sample, loop, tap, and generally thrash their way through their work.

from general consensus it seems that mirrored is either one of those albums you either love or hate (a la marmite), which is strange to me. its broad instrumental driven music that is smart, futuristic and never dull. Atlas is one of the songs of the decade.

bon iver - for emma, forever ago

everyones heard the back story. guy gets dumped, moves to cabin in the woods, chops trees down to make fires, hunts defenseless animals, writes and records entire album in cabin.

although only nine songs long, emma stands the test of time. vernon’s heartbreak can be felt during every note and every strum. the atmosphere he creates is emotional and fulfilling.

can you imagine if emma hadn’t been such a bitch? we’d never have this masterpiece. weird huh?

bloc party - silent alarm

although i adore this record, it was the hardest for me to describe in words. so i stole this from magazine called Urb: “Silent Alarm doesn’t just maintain Bloc Party’s post-dance-punk appeal, it blows the fucking lid off.”

this reminds me of times i got drunk and jumped around uncontrollably in dingy indie clubs on a weekend. maybe thats why its so hard for me to pen my feelings - you need to see me dance them out!!

daft punk - discovery

i find it hard to believe that anyone made it through the last decade without hearing at least one track from this album.(if you’ve heard a certain kanye song, then you can cross your name off the list). this is electronic music at its best.

being in the center of a club with hundreds of people screaming “one more time” is testament to the effect this album has had on my generation, and i’m sure, generations to come.

this album reminds me of my younger days, when i had no responsibilities. this album epitomizes fun for me.

field music - tones of town

if someone asked me what pop was, i’d hand them this record. it’s an unpredictable, quirky, catchy and absorbing masterpiece.

all the tracks slowly attach themselves onto the sticky part of your brain. once they’re in, they’re impossible to shake. the xtc comparisions are justified, but in a positive way.

the flaming lips - yoshimi battles the pink robots

first of all, if the soft bulletin had been released in 2000’s, then it would be that album that i’m writing about. but it wasn’t, so i aint. i’m not saying yoshimi is 2nd best, just that soft bulletin is my favorite, okay?!

yoshimi is a neo-psychedelic concept album - a battle between good (yoshimi) and bad (the pink robots). it’s a genre bending mix of lush harmonies, soaring vocals and utterly stellar production.

this a pop masterpiece that only gets better the more you hear it.

fleet foxes - fleet foxes / sun giant ep

both the self titled lp and the sun giant ep are flawless. both incorporate endless harmonies and shimmering instrumentation.

these are jangly pop campfire-esque songs that take you on a journey through rough terrain, snow peaked mountains and endless valleys. a chilling journey that is warmed by robin’s reverb soaked vocals.

if the beach boys are summer, then fleet foxes are winter.

grizzly bear - veckatimest

grizzly bear are one of the most consistent bands around right now. yellow house was great, but veckatimest is a giant leap forward. its an incredible record.

its highly sophisticated, and pleasantly delicate. on the first listen you’re hooked. by the 10th you’re hearing parts in songs that you’ve never heard before. its one of the most rewarding records you could own. saying its boring just is a cop out.

two weeks is just stunning.  sweeping harmonies and an rhythm section allow this track to glide effortlessly. its a perfectly crafted pop song.