Favorites from the Naughties

By mrshl

You probably thought you were getting away without reading any more boring roundup lists. But no, I’ve put together a list of my favorite recordings from the last decade. Note that I don’t say “best” or “most impressive”. I’m going for something a little different. If a recording is on this list, it’s because I actually listened to it. On purpose. Several times. And enjoyed the experience. Some of these I enjoyed more than others. So I’ll be employing the + or ++ symbols I used in my previous post to indicate the special goodness. Although I’ve tried to pick out only records of which I have clear memories, I’ve made qualitative assessments based on my 2010 opinions. For example, in my 20s, I might have told you I liked Animal Collective. There is not one Animal Collective record on this list.

I should note, before beginning, that this is a long list. But it isn’t everything I enjoyed. I’ve left off the very few favorite local records I loved. I’ll write about this handful in later, separate posts (one of my resolutions). And then there is the stuff I’ve forgotten. Oh well.

I have tried to ensure I include records that didn’t make a lot of the lists you’ve already read. Even though I tend to focus my listening on pop music (broadly defined), I stray away sometimes to corners of my field and gnaw on some sweet grass that significantly fewer sheep have tasted. I don’t claim any of my choices are terribly obscure, unless obscurity has been achieved by age. But it was a nice thing, going back and remembering the songs that I loved. Since even before I began blogging my worthless opinions.

For you who are more grizzled, I offer my ++ as indicia of something especially worthy, which you ought to consume, even if you normally wouldn’t. Album artwork subtly indicates my favorite for that year. Links are to LaLa, Metacritic, Amazon, and Emusic.

2000

The Clientele – Suburban Light +

Starlight Mints – The Dream That Stuff Was Made Of ++

The Sea and Cake – Oui

Lambchop – Nixon ++

Sleater-Kinney – All Hands On The Bad One

Smog – Dongs of Sevotion

Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker +

The Fucking Champs – IV

Cat Power – The Covers Record

Modest Mouse – The Moon and Antarctica ++

Emmylou Harris – Red Dirt Girl ++ (this record gets me emotional many years later)

Yo La Tengo – And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out +

Aimee Mann – Bachelor No. 2 (or, the last remains of the dodo)

The Mermen – The Amazing California Health And Happiness Road Show

J Mascis and the Fog – More Light +

Radiohead – Kid A

Self – Gizmodgery

Silkworm – Lifestyle +

Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R ++

2001

Bob Dylan – Love And Theft

The Strokes – Is This It? ++

The Avalanches – Since I Left You

Fugazi – The Argument

New Pornographers – Mass Romantic +

Jay Z – The Blueprint

The Moldy Peaches – S/T ++

Cub Country – High Uinta High ++

Hedwig and the Angry Inch( Soundtrack)

M. Ward – End of Amnesia

American Analog Set – Know By Heart

Stephen Malkmus – Stephen Malkmus + (better than at least two Pavement records, and certainly his best solo record)

My Morning Jacket – At Dawn ++

Mogwai – Rock Action

O Brother, Where Art Thou (Soundtrack)

Spoon – Girls Can Tell ++

Frank Black & The Catholics – Dog In The Sand +

2002

Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Neko Case – Blacklisted ++

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Source Tags & Codes ++

Beck: Sea Change ++

Missy Elliott: Under Construction

The Hives: Veni Vidi Vicious

Josh Rouse – Under Cold Blue Stars ++

Deerhoof – Reveille ++

The Decemberists – Castaways and Cutouts +

The Mountain Goats – All Hail West Texas

Iron & Wine: The Creek Drank The Cradle +

Paul Westerberg: Stereo/Mono ++

Luna – Close Cover Before Striking + (my favorite EP of the decade)

The Octopus Project – Identification Parade +

Stereolab – ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions

2003

OutKast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below ++

Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People ++

British Sea Power – The Decline Of British Sea Power

Holopaw – S/T

Pernice Brothers – Yours, Mine & Ours

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever To Tell ++

The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow +

The New Pornographers: Electric Version

The Libertines: Up The Bracket ++

Caroline Herring – Wellspring

The Darkness: Permission To Land ++

The Black Keys – thickfreakness

M. Ward – Transfiguration of Vincent

Cat Power: You Are Free +

The Jayhawks – Rainy Day Music (this one’s been growing on me for years)

The Notwist – Neon Golden ++

The Strokes: Room On Fire

The Cardigans – Long Gone Before Daylight (very few bands since Fleetwood Mac are capable of making this kind of realistic adult pop; not only were they still making good records, they were making better records)

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Hearts of Oak

Dumptruck – For The Country +

Evan Dando – Baby I’m Bored ++

Josh Rouse – 1972

Guided By Voices – Earthquake Glue ++ (gbv fanboys can’t give this the credit it deserves…late era classic)

Stars – Heart