And honestly, this is probably half of my list for "best albums" of all time. Partly because, when all the great 2001 albums were coming out I was still 16 and visiting places like Auschwitz and the World Trade Center with Natalie Imbruglia and the Shrek 1 soundtrack on my CD player. And partly because, goddammit, I actually do believe that the music being made in our current era is leaps and bounds ahead of that of the past. We have the technology, and thanks to the agonizing death of the major labels we also have the intentions to do good by it, in the form of an increasingly more educated and connected community of artists. And in terms of the musical form itself, of course it's better--we stand on the shoulders of tradition, and such and such. I'll spare you my full argument.
Anyways, I tried to judge albums based on how they functioned as a cohesive units, not just on the quality of their individual songs (although having good songs certainly doesn't hurt), and of course the subjective component is unavoidable. But for example, I really do think Amnesiac is a better album than Kid A even if Radiohead did not intend it to work out this way. As a freshman at Tufts in 2002 I was taking four-hour walks through Boston on weeknights and weekend nights both. This was back before there were mp3 players. And when I only had one cd to avail myself for an entire trek through the city, I wanted something that would subsist even through the third repeat. And Amnesiac is an incredible album on repeat. It rivals Can's Monster Movie in repeatability. But Kid A? You try going down Tremont past all the night clubs with long lines while Treefingers is playing. Skip. But if Pulk/Pull comes on while you're walking through the ghost-town that is MIT just as you descend into the Kendall Square subway station to find it empty? Moments like that are why you listen to music in the first place.
Final point: the worst song on Amnesiac happens to be a remix of the best song on Kid A. I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin. I think if you pay attention to the comments Radiohead have made since both albums have come out, it's clear they were never more pretentious than they were on Kid A, but perhaps in an unexpected way they have come to admire even more what they did on Amnesiac. That's where I stand on both albums at least.
So here it is. I've said too much. Bonus points if you can identify the song of origin for the lyrics below. I'll start with two albums that didn't make the list by virtue of the rules, but nevertheless deserve mention:
Best folk/Americana album of the 00's: The Duhks - Migrations(If you have no experience with old-time, gospel, or Zydeco music then by all means start here.)
Best bluegrass album of the 00's: Noam Pikelny - In the Maze
(There might not be a soul in the world who believes this, Noam included, but he's our future as far as this instrument is concerned. We will look back at this as the beginning of Solomon's reign to succeed Bela's David, and after him the fall.)
25. Glass Candy - B/E/A/T/B/O/X (2007)
What do we always say about rhythm?
It can't be lost, it can only be found!
24. Spoon - Girls Can Tell (2001)
23. Jim Noir - Tower of Love (2006)
22. Kathleen Edwards - Back to Me (2005)
You say you like me in your memory
You've gotta be fucking kidding me
21. Superpitcher - Here Comes Love (2004)
20. The Juan Maclean - The Future Will Come (2009)
I lost you to oblivion
But the black hole is in my heart.
19. Elliot Smith - Figure 8 (2000)
If I didn't know the difference living alone'd probably be ok
It wouldn't be lonely
I got a long way to go
I'm getting further away
18. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World (2000)
17. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
You can try the best you can
If you try the best you can
The best you can is good enough
16. Beck - The Information (2006)
15. The Rapture - Echoes (2003)
14. Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)
13. Moloko - Statues (2003)
Just to live a lifetime
In the space of a lifetime
Well it's the hardest thing to do
But there'll be nothing after you
12. Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000)Watching my hopes follow dreams down the drain.
I'm only joking of course yet again, as I do.
11. Asobi Seksu - Citrus (2006)
10. Wilco - A Ghost is Born (2004)
There's so much less
To this than you think
9. Radiohead - Amnesiac (2001)
8. Of Montreal - Satanic Panic in the Attic (2004)
7. Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power (2003)
I'm a minger, you're a minger too.
So come on minger, I want to ming with you.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=minger
6. Herbert - Scale (2006)
I'm ready for this moment
This moment keeps me steady
And the popcorn with it
5. Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2004)
I was the boss of you
And I loved you, you know I loved you
It’s all over now
4. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (2004)
And when we are dead,
we all have wings.
We won't need legs to stand.
3. Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator) (2001)
But when I pass through the pearly gate,
Will my gown be gold instead?
Or just a red clay robe with red clay wings,
And a red clay halo for my head?
2. Roisin Murphy - Ruby Blue (2005)
And if you don’t receive this valentine
It doesn’t mean that it ain’t true
And I’m not thinking of you
1. Stereolab - Sound-Dust (2001)
Utopia and reality
Hand in hand all this way,
Dedicated to a change it can't bring about
It failed but succeeded,
It failed but succeed-didn't.
