Stay Positive (Part 2)

I've got more top ten lists in mind, but in the interest of time I am going to skip right ahead to the grandaddy of all top tens: the best albums of 2008. Please bear in mind that I am well aware that my initial ratings of these records might differ from their final year-end positions. Albums, you know, naturally grow on people as the year moves along. I am no exception. But if you've been following this blog for the past 11 months, none of these will really come as a shocker:

Top 10 Albums of 2008

Honorable Mention: Santogold (Self-titled)

Well, I was wrong about "rarely hearing" "LES Artistes." We couldn't get this song out of our collective minds this summer.

From June 3rd, 2008: "With great opportunity comes great expectation. And considering Santogold's former day job as an A&R rep for Epic, her collaborations with GZA and Lily Allen, and her connections to M.I.A., this Brooklyn-based songstress has a lot of people expecting big things. Does she pull this one off? Well, her first single "L.E.S. Artistes" may very well be the catchiest single you'll rarely hear. Because quite frankly, I don't know to classify it. Her penchant for freely experimenting with dub, new wave, punk, hip-hop, ska, and grime (sometimes all at once) is admirable, but this unfortunately may spread this NYC socialite too thin on her self-titled debut. And despite already having a slew of supporters south of Houston Street, Santogold bites the very hand that feeds on "Artistes" -- serving up a can of whoopass to the Lower East Side too-cool-for-school hipster class."

Honorable Mention: Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

And for the mother of all miscalls, I give you the fine words I said about Narrow Stairs. Please review and discard:

"There are some highlights on this album, but unfortunately they are few and far between. The upbeat "No Sunlight" shakes things up a little bit despite its repetitiveness. The unquestionable standout track on Narrow Stairs is "Long Division" -- Gibbard's most ambitious attempt to develop as a musician. And don't get me wrong. Musically this album is not bad, but it really doesn't show the progress that many could have otherwise hoped for after disappointing on Plans. There is no doubt that Gibbard is as a talented singer/songwriter as it gets. But in order to make the next great (and I mean GREAT) Death Cab album, he needs to get over his obsession with looking at the past for inspiration."

10) Coldplay - Viva La Vida

From June 5th, 2008: "The thing that I find most admirable about Coldplay is their willingness to not get comfortable in making this album. After what was considered to be a lackluster follow-up to the acclaimed Rush of Blood, the band still managed to sell millions of copies of 2005's X&Y. Rather than settling in with their bankable mediocrity as so many one trick ponies have done, Coldplay took the high road to meticulously create one of the year's surprises. For me, this band is back on the radar, and who knows, if they maintain this consistency on future albums, maybe I'll actually root for them."

9) Blitzen Trapper - Furr

This might be the only album sneaking into the top ten that I have yet to gush over/discuss in length. That's because I've only recently started falling in love with these guys. Blitzen Trapper is yet another band signed to Sub Pop that just happens to be from the Pacific Northwest. Story sound familiar? Unlike comrades Fleet Foxes, these guys have been around for years and have only recently been hitting it big -- Furr happens to be their fourth release. Evoking everything from early Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty, The Shins, and Modest Mouse, this band is well-versed in the art of genre-straddling. They're embarking on an early 2009 club tour and will be playing a couple of great shows in the NYC area. I'll be there.

8) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Technically released in 2007, this brilliant record hit wider distribution this year and is thus considered a 2008 release by many critics. Being the lemming I am, I'm following suit. If you are fan of indie rock and still don't know the story behind this album, you have obviously been living under a rock. Just to summarize, Justin Vernon's life hit the shitter (band breakup, girlfriend breakup, and pneumonia) so he retreated to a cabin in the Wisconsin woods and wrote and wrote and wrote. The finished product is For Emma, Forever Ago -- a heartwrenching collection of songs that kicks the ass of any Iron & Wine album that's ever come out. If you suffer from album ADD you only need one song to become hooked -- "Re: Stacks."

7) Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

From June 24th, 2008: "Don't be fooled by the intricacy of Sigur Rós' obscenely long new album title, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Compared to the aural complexity of some of the band's prior albums, this one is all about simplicity. Audiophiles who rejoiced the post-rock production knick-nacks scattered throught Ágætis byrjun and ( ) might be a little disappointed with how much the band really pulled back on this effort. However, despite the countless mispronunciation botches this one will invariably suffer, Með suð... will be on the minds of fans and critics alike for quite some time."

"And whether or not you've become accustomed to sudden foray into unexpected normalcy, this can either be considered good or bad. Taking a page from every other critic who has compared Sigur Rós to Radiohead, Með suð... is this band's The Bends -- except they've already made their own Kid A and OK Computer. I guess they do things differently in Iceland, which is perfectly fine in my book."

6) The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

From August 26th, 2008: "As awfully emo-suggestive as their name is, New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem is a rock band that's as pure at heart as it gets. Forget the label they're signed to, their meticulously coiffed punk hair, their age, and their sleeve tattoos. This band is living proof that, thankfully, you only need to leave it up to the music to do the talking. If their appearance screams Fall Out Boy, then you will pleased to know that their music evokes Bruce Springsteen more so than anything else. And yes, this is a very good thing. Growing up in New Brunswick-- not too many turnpike exits away from The Boss' stomping ground -- it's pretty apparent that these guys have been down Thunder Road, lived not too far away Jungleland, and have witnessed the darkness on the edge of town."

"Although I am well-aware that naysayers will knock this record for being contrived and unauthentic, I'm willing to overlook these inevitable criticisms. While most young pop-punks bands would opt to replicate the now tired verse-chorus-verse formula of cohorts Panic At The Disco, Boys Like Girls, and Plain White Tee's, these guys are digging a little deeper. I may be wrong here, but I'm willing to bet that Springsteen and Tom Petty tunes will outlast the latest Fall Out Boy offerings. Mix in the Gaslight Anthem's penchant for precocious songwriting, and you get a band that's on a whole different level."

5) TV On The Radio - Dear Science

From September 16th, 2008: "If I had any complaints about the last TV On The Radio record, I'd say there was bit of a consistency problem. And yeah, I know I might be alone here. The high points, which obviously outweighed the low, made Return To Cookie Mountain hands down one of the best records of the decade. However, the album wasn't without its faults -- the less-than-stellar spastic moments were nothing to write home about. Well, it appears that Tunde Adebimpe and crew have learned a thing or two in two years that have passed since Mountain's release. Tweaks have been made here for the better which will only accelerate this band's already rising stock. I'm happy to report that you'll be hard pressed to find a flaw on the new record, Dear Science. And as always, you'll be even harder pressed to put your finger on a specific genre here. This new oeuvre spans everything from hip-hop, trip-hop, shoegaze, funk, electronica, punk, and everything in between. If you thought these art rockers were out there before (in a good way), you really ain't seen nothing yet until you've experienced Science. Bottom line, this is the record Bloc Party tried to make if they had this Brooklyn quintet's talent."

4) My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

From April 30th, 2008: "The thing that is so admirable about Evil Urges is how it manages to perfectly combine the experimentation so prevalent on their last effort, Z, with the avant-garde, yet classic Southern guitar sound most associated with earlier albums It Still Moves and At Dawn. Jim James and gang take us for a ride during the first several tracks, which seem as if they could have easily been remnants from Z based on their respective falsetto vocals, schizophrenic tempos, and genre-straddling guitar riffs. "Highly Suspicious" is just that, and is hands down the band's weirdest track to date, sounding somewhere in between Prince and Gwar. The change is like night and day when we reach "I'm Amazed" -- a classic rock tune that couldn't have been done better by Skynyrd if they tried. This is when things start to sound a little more familiar to longtime MMJ fans. James' voice soars on the gorgeously sincere 1-2 punch that is "Thank You Too"/ "Sec Walkin'". We are then treated to the band's closest encounter to the radio-friendly world with the poppy "Two Halves" -- a apparent nod to early rock influences along the likes of Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers."

3) Sun Kil Moon - April

From August 15th, 2008: "The current band from Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters fame, this is Sun Kil Moon's second body of completely original material. And much like Ghosts of The Great Highway, this one is a masterpiece. Admittedly, though, this is an acquired taste. Fans of upbeat, fast-tempo indie-rock need not apply. This one's a downer -- inspired by failed relationships, the passing of loved ones, and imagery of American landscapes. Kozelek's brilliant lyrical sense gets a little lost through his hypnotically mumbling singing style, but take my word for it -- this is one of the most talented singer-writers at his best."

2) The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

From May 28th, 2008: "It's hard to have negative feelings for an album as optimistically titled as Stay Positive. Throw in The Hold Steady's track record of releasing some of the more exceptional studio albums of the past few years and this becomes an even more daunting task. Even so, considering the sheer genius that was 2006's Boys And Girls In America, The Hold Steady are surely destined to disappoint on their follow-up, right? I can safely answer this with a resounding WRONG! It's almost fitting that I happened to get my hands on Stay Positive the day after Memorial Day. Because more so than anything else, this is absolutely a summer record."

"All I have to say is there is a reason why The Hold Steady was the the first band in 15 years to grace the cover of The Village Voice. This bands brings an excitement to music that is unparalleled (just check them out live). And although the guys kind of reinvent the wheel on Positive (lyrically, this disc is very similar to B&IA), they prove that they can consistently make a musically complex record all the while incorporating themes that don't seem to get tired. Hey, if the Boss can make a career out of this, why can't these guys? For me, this is a stellar effort and shows progression of a band that you can bank on."

1) Fleet Foxes (Self-titled)

Here you have it folks. The Fleet Foxes were able to dethrone mighty favorite The Hold Steady. I think the tipping point for me was, of course, the live show. I cannot wait to hear what these guys have in store for a follow-up. This is arguably the best debut album of the decade. Pretty huge accomplishment for a group of shaggy early twenty somethings.

From August 21st, 2008: "Seattle's Fleet Foxes are perhaps the most exciting new band of the year (yes, more so than Vampire Weekend). And sure, it might be a little bold to throw these guys in the top 20, but I have this much faith that we are going to be hearing great things from this band for years to come. If you take a listen to their self-titled debut, you'll discover that this band is mature beyond their years. They've definitely done all their homework in Neil Young 101, and have already learned to perfect a country/folk sound that rivals even the mighty My Morning Jacket. Combine this with the songwriting sincerity of Mark Kozelek, and you get a band that's pretty difficult to criticize."

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times (Part 2)

Best Album Title of 2008:
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons...You Paint That Shit Gold!

While admittedly I have yet to hear a note (much less song) off the long-awaited album from this Minneapolis hip-hop duo, I am now more inclined to based on the record's title alone. Someone was handing out promotional stickers of this album's potty-mouth phrase, and I gladly swooped up as many as I could. Words to live life by.

Worst Album Title of 2008:
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology

If you were to judge Ryan Adams' latest offering solely based on the cover/title combo, this one would end up in the stinker. The artwork looks like it was designed for an 8th grade science project on Miscrosoft Paint circa 1993. Fortunately, the music does the talking here. Great album; terrible artwork and title choice. On a good day, Prince can get away with naming an album Musicology. Not so sure if Ryan's got the credentials just yet to add the "-ology" suffix to any of his.

Most Improved Player of 2008:
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

While this one was in the running for Worst Album Cover of the Year, I couldn't resist giving the award to MMJ (even though this one gives me a headache when staring too long). Ok, so let me explain this award. While the sports metaphor doesn't quite fit here (I understand that album cannot physically change/improve once released), this is the record that just got better and better the more I listened throughout the year. I was completely wrong when I gave this one the measly 6.5 in April. Although I still stand by the fact that "I Will Possess Your Heart" was a terrble first single selection (to go along with it 8+ minute length), the follow-up singles (and videos) were brilliant. Way to pick it up boys.

Worst Dropoff of 2008:
N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds

Like Death Cab's rating, this one clocked in at a respectable 6.5/10. However, if I got a re-do, this album's score would be much lower. I can't think of a record that plummeted so fast off my radar (and consequently iPod) than N*E*R*D's third release. In fact, this one was so forgettable that I have to think twice to remember that Pharell and crew even released an album this year.

Best Surprise of 2008:
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

Ok, so I'm talking about actual surprises here. Like having no idea about an album until it actually came out. This seemed to be a trend that got kicked-off last year with the now legendary In Rainbows experiement. Earlier this year, Trent Reznor gave us a freebie with the excellent single "Discipline." But little did we know that this was just the beginning. A couple of weeks later, he posted an entire album on his website as a gift to his fans with the simple message, "thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me." The most shocking part of all? This just happened to be his most focused effort since 1994's The Downward Spiral.

Worst Surprise of 2008:
Bloc Party - Intimacy

This one just goes to show that sometimes experiments don't always work out as planned. Bloc Party announced that they had entered the studio this summer with an expected 2009 release date for their third album. Then one day in August they surprised us all by announcing that the album would be ready for download by the end of that week. But unlike the Nine Inch Nails record, there were no freebies and apparently not much time thinking this through. Instead, we got a choppy record chock full of the experimental electronica bullshit that made A Weekend In The City so utterly dismissible. Sadly, this uber-talented band is now 1-2 in my book.

Best Album Hype of 2008:
Coldplay - Viva La Vida


I think I've made it abundantly clear that I didn't want to like the new Coldplay record. Considering how overrated and decadent this band has become, it makes it very easy to want to throw rocks at Chris Martin's head whenever he flamboyantly gallivants around the stage. But unfortunately, I gotta call a spade a spade and agree that this one lived up to the hype. Produced by Brian Eno, this one is better than anything U2 has put out in a very long time -- further proving that there's a new king in town. Rebounding from 2005's X&Y, Coldplay is a rare success story in the 2008 dismal realm that is mainstream music.

Worst Album Hype of 2008:
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Now I'll be the first to admit that there's a thing or two I can learn about hip-hop, but I just KNOW this album is utter garbage. When I hear about albums that are terrible yet get almost universal praise, I begin to question the sanctity of this industry (like I didn't already). Sometimes critics are lemmings, and this is just another example of it. Now Wayne is everywhere --- from Kanye West's album to the new Fall Out Boy. This stinks to high heaven.

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times (Part 1)

I guess we've exhausted all of the great new album releases for the year. I know I've been a little inactive as of late, but a lack of anticipated releases will do this to a guy. That being said, I literally cannot read a blog or music publication without avoiding an artist or editor's picks of the year. Rolling Stone's top-50 list is an abomination, fyi. I guess it's that time of season, so why not jump on the retrospective bandwagon? The rest of this year's blog articles (for the most part) will list the best and worst that this year had to offer in music. So here it goes, folks:

Best Comeback of 2008:
R.E.M.
For awhile, R.E.M. was arguably the most consistent band on this side of the Atlantic. These guys couldn't put out a bad record if they tried. That was, until Bill Berry left. The departure of an original member seemed to throw these guys out of whack. The band's last excellent effort was 1996's New Adventures In Hi-Fi. After releasing a string of mediocre albums in the late 90's/early 00's, the band came roaring back with the aggressive Accelerate, which came out this April. Not since 1994's Monster have we heard R.E.M. so inspired. These guys are like the Kurt Warner of rock bands. This album successfully rejuvenated what was otherwise considered as a finished career. Welcome back, boys.

Worst "Comeback" of 2008:
Counting Crows
I was rooting for these guys, I honestly was. August and Everything After changed my life in the 90's, and This Dessert Life was one of the most underrated albums of the past decade (aside from "Hanginaround"). I still believe Adam Duritz is an extremely talented songwriter in the same vein as Bruce Springsteen, so I marked my calender this past March when the Crows' oft-delayed first album in nearly six years (Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings) finally came out. The good news is that it did come out. The bad news is that it did nothing for me. I liked what I heard, but nothing stuck. Before I knew it, this one became undeserving of my iPod real estate. Too bad.

Best Album Artwork of 2008:
Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Who doesn't love streakers? I can't think of an album cover that better accentuates the feel the music contained inside. "Gobbldigook" is as free-spirited as Iceland's best band has ever been. Why not get naked and run around?







Worst Album Artwork of 2008:
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Yikes! This may be the only time I agree with Pitchfork Media, but they put it best when they said this looks more like "Brian Dennehey trying to crack the DaVinci Code."








Worst Album Artwork Trend of 2008:
Stealing masterpieces
If you know me, you know that I love art and history. Luckily, living in New York affords me the opportunity to check out the best that the world has to offer in these departments. For museums, this is just fine. Record shops, no thank you. For some reason, several bands in 2008 took the concept of album "artwork" too literally. Now I'm not asking for a simple mug shot of the band (a la Gaslight Anthem), but using a masterpiece to represent your own body of work is just too pretentious for me. Even if you are Coldplay. Still don't know what I'm taking about? Well Chris Martin and crew tapped Eugene Delacroix's "Liberty Leading The People" for Viva La Vida and then AGAIN for the follow-up EP Prospekt's March -- this time using "Battle of Poitiers". Coldplay's not the only guilty party here. As much as I love the band, the Fleet Foxes made the same blunder. They used Bruegel's 16th century painting, "Netherlandish Proverbs."

Do these look familiar? It's not just Joe Satriani's work that's being "borrowed" by Coldplay.



Best Attempted Crossover of 2008:
Panic At The Disco - Pretty. Odd.
The exclamation point at the end of the name wasn't the only thing this emo-branded band dropped. They also departed ways with the signature Fueled By Ramen sound most associated with acts like Fall Out Boy and Cobra Starship. Rather than duplicating the pattern that helped them bombard the VMA's two years ago, the guys opted to escape their inevitable kitschy fate by choosing to create a virtual homage to Sergeant Pepper's -- bells, whistles, and all. The end result is damn good. Songs like "Nine In The Afternoon" and "When The Day Met The Night" are crafted beautifully. One of the best surprises of the year for sure.

Worst Attempted Crossover of 2008:
Oasis (...again) - Dig Out Your Soul
The Gallaghers should one of two things: 1) take lessons from Brendon Urie about how to make a Beatles-sounding album 2) give up entirely on trying to make a Beatles-sounding album. Here we go again -- Oasis shamelessly trying to be something they're not. When this band was amazing, they sounded more like the Stone Roses and this just fit. The guitars were noisy, Liam's voice was distorted, and the bass was thumping. Bottom line, it rocked. They started going to shit at about album number four (Standing On the Shoulder of Giants), when they literally thought they were the next incarnation of Lennon/McCartney. Their sound has since waned, culminating in the utter failure that was this year's attempt at a psychedelic album. Whatever, I still love them.

Viva La March

Prospekt's March, the Coldplay EP that's released on Tuesday, can be streamed in its entirety HERE. Enjoy.

Marching Onward

As mentioned a little while ago, we haven't heard the last of Coldplay for 2008. Months after releasing the tremendously successful Viva La Vida, Chris Martin and crew announced their intention of releasing an additional companion EP by year's end. Weeks ago, we learned that the EP's title would be Prospekt's March, and would feature some new tracks along with "Lost+" -- the plus of course being Jay-Z's touch to the original Viva track. The album artowrk was revealed today, and well, corresponds VERY nicely to their most recent offering. Prospekt's March hits shelves November 25th. Here's the confirmed tracklisting:

1. "Life in Technicolor II"
2. "Postcards from Far Away"
3. "Glass of Water"
4. "Rainy Day"
5. "Prospekt's March/Poppyfields"
   1. "Prospekt's March"
   2. "Poppyfields"
6. "Lost+" (featuring Jay-Z)
7. "Lovers in Japan (Osaka Sun Mix)"
8. "Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground"

Viva La EP

Not to steal The Verve's thunder or anything, but it looks like Coldplay might actually end the year on top. According to Paste, the band is confirmed to release an EP of leftover recordings from the Viva La Vida sessions by the end of the year. The EP, which comes out on December 26th (can't believe that's already months away) is tentatively titled Prospects March or Prospects Songs or “something like that”. The band is still on tap to release a new album in 2009.

Creative Sparks

For those of you who just haven't been saturated enough with Coldplay, there's some good news a-brewin'. Apparently, Chris Martin and crew are already planning their next album for a 2009 release. Coldplay has typically taken at least three years in between albums, so this kind of comes as a surprise.

The List (Part 5)

For 100-91 (Part 1), click HERE.
For 90-81 (Part 2), click HERE.
For 80-71 (Part 3), click HERE.
For 70-61 (Part 4), click HERE.

60) Interpol - Antics (2004)
The New York foursome's follow-up to a tremendous debut, Antics proved that this "New New Wave" band had more staying power than Joy Division -- the very act that these guys unmistakably mimic. Whether it's Carlos D's thumping bass on tunes like "Evil," Paul Banks' hypnotically monotone singing style on "C'mere" or Daniel Kessler's throbbing punky guitar on leadoff single "Slow Hands," Interpol delivers an album that is wrought with nuances that collectively welcome a throwback sound. This band took indie rock to a new level when it most needed a swift kick in the ass. They returned last year with highly underrated Our Love To Admire.


59) Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit (2006)
Often referred to as Scotland's greatest band, these indie rockers certainly have the pop song formula down pat. They kind of reinvent the wheel on this one -- churning out sing-along gems like album standouts, "Funny Little Frog" and "Another Sunny Day," but who says this is a bad thing? If you're ever in a crabby mood, I can't recommend a better band to lift your spirits. The Life Pursuit is the latest from Belle & Sebastian, and is thankfully their most successful to date in the States. It's taken awhile for this stellar band to catch up and it's reassuring to know that they are getting their just due. No word yet of a new album in the works, which is unfortunate.


58) Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)
This is the album that started it all for 'Ye. Spawning three top ten hits in "Through The Wire," "All Falls Down," and "Jesus Walks," The College Dropout turned this producer into hip-hop's greatest superstar. And make no mistake about it, Kayne will be the first to agree with this claim. Featuring collaborations with Talib Kweli, John Legend and Jay-Z, The College Dropout is nearly flawless hip-hop and was a breath of fresh air for a genre that was struggling back in '04. Featuring a slew of hooky familiar samples mixed in with Kanye's super-intelligent rhyming scheme, this one set the tone for hip-hop's evolving state in the new century.


57) Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (2007)
Named after a spiritual community in Florida, this record is appropriately themed. Oozing all things Americana, this one is Conor Oberst's most folky to date. First single "Four Winds" is one of the best songs of 2007 and features backing vocals from a very talented Maria Taylor. But the cameos don't end there. Cassadaga may very well go down in the record books as having the most collaborations in the history of rock and roll. If you listen carefully, you can also hear M. Ward, Rachael Yamagata, Davind Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and a host of others making their respective contributions. Fun fact: this album comes with a spectral decoder that allows users to uncover hidden phrases in the artwork. This was considered so novel that Cassadaga won a Grammy this year for "Best Recording Package".


56) Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses (2005)
Ryan Adams' first release with his current band The Cardinals, Cold Roses is a virtual homage to the Grateful Dead and Neil Young. After experimenting with a more rock-oriented sound on previous releases Gold, Rock N Roll, and Love Is Hell, this marked Adams' return to the alt-country realm most associated with Heartbreaker and prior band Whiskeytown. Critics who lampooned Adams for his disconnected and choppy feel on prior albums all agreed that this was a return to form. From the slide-guitar sprawl on cuts like "Let It Ride" and "If I Am A Stranger" to the heartfelt tenderness on "Now That You're Gone" and "Friends," Roses showcases some of the better songwriting of the decade. While we are on the subject of packaging, this record was released as a "vinyl" double-disc set despite the fact that all songs fit on a standard compact disc. Had to throw that out there.


55) Sigur Rós - ( ) (2002)
Yes, you're reading that correctly. Sigur Rós' third studio album is unpronounceable and simply titled using two opposing parentheses. If this isn't cryptic enough, all of the songs on this record are untitled. But hey, if mood music is your thing, naming conventions don't really apply. And plus, unless you are one of like 50,000 people who speak Icelandic, this would just be gibberish anyway. It's the content that matters, and Sigur Rós certainly knocks it out of the park on this one. The first four tracks are optimistically ethereal. After a 36-second pause the mood changes and they get dark and mysterious on us. Those of who saw 2001's Vanilla Sky got a sneak peak at "Untitled #4" -- the song was featured during a crucial moment in the film.


54) The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me (2004)
The debut from what is arguably the best live rock act around, this marked the beginning of four consecutive stellar albums from this Brooklyn-by-way-of-Minneapolis band. Centered around themes of near-death experiences, drug abuse, and youth partying, there hasn't been storytelling this top-notch since early Springsteen albums. And like the Boss' debut, this one is a little unpolished around the edges. But have no fear; it only gets better from here. The Hold Steady was supposedly formed after guitarist Tad Kubler got inspired from watching a DVD of The Band's concert feature The Last Waltz. These guys get some bonus points for being average Joe's.

53) Coldplay - Parachutes (2000)
Before Coldplay became COLDPLAY, they made a little-known record called Parachutes way back in 2000. That's when things exploded for these guys. Spawning a couple of well-known hits ("Yellow" and "Trouble"), this was the album that would not go away. Thanks to years of soundtrack help from movies such as Igby Goes Down, Garden State, and yes, even Wedding Crashers, Coldplay's debut remains on our radar eight years after it was released. Although I gotta give props for their most recent offering, nothing they've put out since comes close to topping Parachutes.


52) Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News (2004)
I am well aware that this is this band's "bandwagon" album. But I don't care; it's still fantastic music, and without a doubt their best. People went nuts for "Float On" in 2004 -- Modest Mouse's first commercially successful song after over a decade of existence. This spawned an equally amazing follow-up hit in "Ocean Breathes Salty," a song that was picked out by Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon) for his very own Modest Mouse cover album. Good News flirts with everything from the Talking Heads to The Cure and is as endearing as it is quirky. The band went on to release their follow-up last year called We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, which features The Smiths' Johnny Marr, who joined on as a permanent band member.


51) Sun Kil Moon - April (2008)
The current band from Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters fame, this is Sun Kil Moon's second body of completely original material. And much like Ghosts of The Great Highway, this one is a masterpiece. Admittedly, though, this is an acquired taste. Fans of upbeat, fast-tempo indie-rock need not apply. This one's a downer -- inspired by failed relationships, the passing of loved ones, and imagery of American landscapes. Kozelek's brilliant lyrical sense gets a little lost through his hypnotically mumbling singing style, but take my word for it -- this is one of the most talented singer-writers at his best.

The List (Part 4)

For 100-91 (Part 1), click HERE.
For 90-81 (Part 2), click HERE.
For 90-71 (Part 3), click HERE.

70) The Thrills - So Much For The City (2003)
For a band born and bred in Ireland, these guys sure have a thing for California. With song titles that include "Big Sur," "Santa Cruz," and "Don't Steal Our Sun," you'd think The Thrills stole a page out of Brian Wilson's songbook. Sure this band got their big break on The O.C., but this should not undermine the musical complexity of this quintet's debut disc. Beach Boy harmonizing mixed in with organs, mandolins, and even harmonicas a la Neil Young make So Much For The City the most Americana disc this side of Dublin. The band's follow-up discs (2004's Let's Bottle Bohemia and 2007's Teenager) went largely unnoticed, but do manage to recreate the formula from City.


69) Beck - Sea Change (2002)
2002 marked a new a milestone for Beck with the appropriately titled Sea Change. Known mostly for his largely experimental catalog and signature idiosyncratic lyrical flow, this album is a complete departure for Mr. Hansen -- one that highlighted his ability to get a little sentimental on us. A record that revolves heavily around the ending of a relationship, this one's a tearjerker, as evidenced by tunes such as "Guess I'm Doing Fine," Lonesome Tears," and "Lost Cause". The formula seemed to work for Beck, as this was his highest charting album to date -- hitting the coveted #8 spot on the Billboard 200. Oddly enough, one of the record's cuts, "The Golden Age," was used as World Series music.


68) Coldplay - Viva La Vida (2008)
Chris Martin (and the other three anonymous Coldplay band members) could have given us a second helping of the slop that was 2005's X&Y. But instead they opted to get their hands dirty and really bounce back from mediocrity on this year's Viva La Vida. Featuring everything from straight up iTunesy pop ("Viva La Vida") to 90's shoegaze ("Yes"), Coldplay really took advantage of Brian Eno's expertise on this new one. I'll spare the details on this one because I am sick of writing about this band. But if you're so inclined, much more of my take on this disc can be found HERE.


67) Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll (2005)
The debut from these South-Londoners ushered in a new genre of rock known as "art wave" in Great Britain -- a movement that included fellow countrymen Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party. Calling a spade a spade, this music is as barebones as it gets: layered three-chord crunch backed by Eddie Argos' straight-to-the-point storytelling lyrical sense. Just listen to "Good Weekend" and you'll see that these art punks are as down to Earth as rockers get. They get my seal of approval based on their live show alone -- one that often includes a white screen with projected lyrics as they are spewed from Argos' mouth.


66) Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways (2006)
American V, the final sessions before the legend's passing, is a celebration of his life as much as it's a foreshadowing of Cash's death. The morbid crackle in his voice is an instrument all its own on the album -- one that is as crucial as any other on Highways. Cash was a trooper during these final sessions, even boldly recording the days following wife June Carter's death. This album is wonderful bookend to an illustrious career, and even debuted at number one -- his first since Live At San Quentin in 1969. The standout track is "Like The 309" -- Cash's heartbreaking last original and solid indicator that the Man In Black was finally at peace before leaving us.


65) The Postal Service - Give Up (2003)
Before UPS drove "Such Great Heights" into the ground with their incessant ad campaigns, Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and Dntel's Jimmy Taborello collaborated on a pretty sweet electric indie side project about five years ago -- one that got so big, it managed to (at the time) eclipse each member's respective main project. The album went gold before any Death Cab For Cutie album ever earned this status. Spawning several hit singles that were featured in countless movies, television shows, and commercials, this was really the album that put Gibbard on the map. But don't hold your breath for another Postal Service album anytime soon -- Gibbard's got his hands full with Death Cab right now, and in May, Ben was quoted as saying that he doesn't expect to release another PS album "before the end of the decade."


64) Bruce Springsteen - Magic (2007)
Again, I'm biased to musicians who hail from the Garden State. But even I'll admit it doesn't take a lot of convincing to throw a Springsteen album on this list. Although the man lost his touch in the 90's, he came roaring back this decade thanks to his 9/11-inspired opus The Rising and brought the E Street band with him. After a couple of side projects (Devils & Dust, and The Seeger Sessions) the band was back for good with 2007's Magic. And don't think age has softened Mr. Springsteen. Leadoff single "Radio Nowhere" is the most aggressive work he's given us to date. But there's something for everyone here that makes this effort, well, magical. Tunes like "Livin' In The Future" and "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" scream Springsteen from yesteryear, which is always music my ears.


63) Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (2007)
Girl's got some problems, but MAN can she sing! I didn't buy into the hype until I actually listened to this album a few times through. I will legitimately go on the record to say that if this walking disaster has the same good fortune as say a Scott Weiland (who is miraculously still alive), then she will be more than a one trick pony here. Bridging the (rather large0 gap between today's pop and classic 60's era Motown, this singer is also surprisingly a songwriter -- collaborating with Mark Ronson on most of the songs on her American debut disc. If she's ever sober enough to get her shit together and make a follow-up to last year's sensation, there's no doubt in my mind that we'll be hearing about this gal for years to come.


62) Kings of Leon - Youth & Young Manhood (2003)
This Tennessee-based Southern-rock/garage band consists of a trio of precocious brothers, and their cousin -- all of whom share the same last name (Followill). Youth and Young Manhood was a brilliant debut for a group who's members were mostly under the legal drinking age at the time of release. And whether you know it or not, you've definitely heard KOL before, if not on the TV commerical/video game soundtrack circuit. Before these guys struck it big in the States, they got huge in Europe where they opened for the likes of The Strokes and U2. Since the release of their debut, the band has put out two more phenomenal records and actually has another one on the way due this fall.


61) Bob Dylan - Modern Times (2006)
Sure, Dylan's voice is shot on this record. But then again, this man was never really known for his set of pipes. Modern Times is really a continuation of Love & Theft -- an album that departed from Dylan's stylistic folk rock and leaned towards pre-rock blues, rockabilly, and even jazz. Taking advantage of his exremely talented touring band, Dylan gives us lesson in how music used to be made before over-produced records became all the rage. At it's core, each cut on Modern Times sounds as if it was recorded in one take -- making this one anything but modern. Despite a few questionable lyrical references (Alicia Keys, really?!?!), Dylan's still got his edge as America's greatest living songwriter.