Built on a Weak Spot

So a little over a month ago I accepted an invitation to be a part of a blog tour that would list their favorite albums from this decade. I figured why not and take a break to re-listen to some of my favorites over the past ten years. There have already been a couple lists posted as part of this project. Yesterdays featured the top 10 albums from The Album Project and tomorrows list will be provided by Can You See the Sunset?. For anyone wishing to see any of the previous lists and future lists to come, just visit this link http://10blogs1decade.tumblr.com/ for a complete schedule.

One thing I realized while doing this list was that it was a lot more difficult than I had originally anticipated. I figured I would have more contenders, but I really didn’t. I’d planned on doing 20; however that just wasn’t going to work. Keep in mind that these are my personal favorite albums of this decade and by no means should be considered some sort of definitive list of albums. There is just far too much music for something such as that and I am certainly not one to be considered qualified enough to do it. However, I hope this list does help some of you out there discover some new music that may have been overlooked at some point. So here are my 10 favorite albums from the 00’s (that’s how you say it right?).

10. Silver Jews – Bright Flight
[2001, Drag City]
Buy It!
Yeah, there is a Silver Jews album on this list and this is the album that made me a fan, which is partly why it’s on here. I don’t necessarily know which album of theirs is generally agreed upon as the “best”, but I’ve never liked the others any more than this one. Bright Flight seemed to strike a chord with me I guess, in that it seems to have a sort of downer vibe to it…most notably the song “Horseleg Swastikas”, which is just soul crushing. I remember listening to this album straight through on a long road trip through Arizona/New Mexico in the dead heat of summer and I probably shouldn’t have done that. While I can’t say I fully grasp what David Berman is trying to say in a lot of the songs, I end up respecting his odd lyrics anyway. I’ve never checked out the book of poetry however. It’s one of those deals where I’d rather not mess up a good thing and have my point of view changed. But if it’s good, please do…let me know.

Silver Jews – Horseleg Swastikas [MP3]

9. Morphine – The Night
[2000, Dreamworks]
Buy It!
The last album for the band, posthumously released after the sad and tragic death of singer/bassist Mark Sandman collapsed on stage and passed away due to a heart attack. They were easily one of my favorite bands throughout the 90’s, releasing a string of successful albums amongst college rock/indie-rock circles during that period. Their high water mark to me was the 1993 album Cure for Pain, although you certainly can’t go wrong with any of them I believe. I wouldn’t say The Night saw the band heading in other directions, but it was easily the most “different” sounding album the band ever put out. It was still very much Morphine, and in my opinion the most ominous sounding album they ever released which ultimately I fell in love with and rank it an easy second behind Cure for Pain, which may draw some mixed reactions amongst fans of the band…I don’t know. Coincidentally Rhino Records just recently put out a cool 2-disc compilation of some of the bands rarities and a bunch of live cuts. Check that out if you’re a fan, otherwise grab this album!

8. Craw – Bodies for Strontium 90
[2002, Hydrahead]
Buy It!
This album rocked me so hard when it first came out and it still has the same sort of effect whenever I put it on these days, so that has to count for something. But really, Craw is (were?) an amazing band that for whatever reason to this day still doesn’t get nearly enough props. What already seems like a reoccurring theme to this list, this was the last album the band released, however I can’t rule out that they won’t ever put anything else out as they very well could I suppose but I am not holding my breath on that one. Craw released three albums in the 90’s before this one, all of which are super good and should be owned by anyone that comes across them and enjoys their rock with a bit of complexity. They are out of print, but should be findable on Amazon and the likes. Bodies for Strontium 90 is the only one that is in print fortunately thanks to it being released on Hydrahead. They are really the only band that I can think of that made both the music and lyrics equally difficult and rewarding to listen to. In fact Joe McTighe may very well be my favorite lyricist of all time. Bodies for Strontium 90 holds up just as well to anything else in the bands discography, although I don’t quite know where I would place it. What I do know though is that it beats the pants off of just about anything else that came out this decade.

Craw – Caught My Tell [MP3]

7. Wicked Farleys – Make It It
[2000, Big Top]
Buy It!
Why Wicked Farleys and why at number 7 on this list? Because this is my list and it is probably the furthest thing from a definitive list of albums that anyone should own from the past ten years. If you’re wondering where Radiohead is at this point, well you’re looking in the wrong place and I certainly can’t blame you for heading towards the exit door as fast as you can. However, if you’re looking for an album that practically encapsulates what was so very good and dear to my heart about indie-rock during the 90’s then this one sums it real well. Odd that an album that primarily has itself rooted in a whole other decade makes its way on a list for the 00’s, however it just got in by the skin of its teeth being released in 2000 and was (once again) the bands last album before parting ways. The Farley’s were from Boston and it greatly showed in their music that burst forth with a minor experimentation similar to that of peers the Swirlies, numerous off-kilter rhythms, and songs that could seamlessly string together the full range of emotions. A band and a record that defies most labels you can throw at it, which I think says plenty. A great and highly underrated album if there ever was one.

Wicked Farleys – Dig the Ring [MP3]

6. Ulrich Schnauss – Goodbye
[2007, Independiente]
Buy It!
I can certainly understand the complaints that this album is too dense, busy, etc. I guess that sort of thing can happen when someone reportedly takes on and tries to orchestrate up to 100 audio tracks at once. In my opinion Schnauss did the absolute best he could with the extensive layering that took place on Goodbye and the results are an album that is absolutely beautiful and a perfect finale to what is part of a three album trilogy. There is certainly a lot going on when listening to just about any track on the album, however that’s part of the enjoyment of listening to what Schnauss manages create, which is an album that continually stands out on repeated listens of its chilled ambient/dreamy offerings. There is more and more to find as you listen to these tracks multiple times, discovering new random pieces and subtleties that in the beginning may have never even been apparent but in the end seem to so vital to the track and how it gets from point A to point B. Sure, it isn’t perfect…but the melding of electronics and shoegaze is far from derivative here. In fact Goodbye might just be one of the freshest sounding albums the genre has produced over the past few years.

5. Traindodge – On a Lake of Dead Trees
[2002, Ascetic & No Karma]
Buy It!
On a Lake of Dead Trees is the follow up to the bands debut About Tomorrow’s Mileage which is also a favorite of mine, however that was a completely different decade (although not by much). I’ve always kind of thought of On a Lake of Dead Trees as somewhere in the middle of what they did on their debut and what would follow on the bands massive double album The Truth, which started incorporating the use of synthesizers more predominately in their overall sound and steering towards a larger progressive influence. While I’m a fan through and through of what the band has done over their roughly decade long career, I can’t help but yearn for the big riffs and melodies that find themselves just about everywhere on this album. Also, it probably has the best album opener of any of their releases in “Beckon the Inferno”. Really a classic example of what rock of the Midwest sounds like. If I recall correctly I think they were still a three piece at this time, and if so, how they managed to sound this large is still somehow impressive. They’ve since scaled back down to a three piece after the release of their third album The Truth. Still out doing their thing, I highly recommend seeing them live if you get a chance. Rob Smith playing drums and a keyboard at the same time is pretty amazing really along with the band rocking in the process.

Traindodge – Beckon the Inferno [MP3]

4. Shiner – The Egg
[2001, DeSoto]
Buy It!
If you’re a regular reader of the blog then you probably foresaw this gem popping up on the list. That is if I had told anyone I was even making this list. My bad I guess. Anyway, The Egg was Shiner’s last album and quite possibly their most accomplished. If anything, it’s definitely one of the most definitive albums of Midwestern rock I can think of. There just weren’t that many bands that sounded as large as they did during their run together. The Egg definitely becomes an even more interesting and impressive release when listening to the bands progression starting with Splay and their meaty alt-rock beginnings all the up until the very end. The Egg is a classic example of a band at their sonic and creative peak. It was certainly a shame to see them break up after this album, but really in what direction could they have gone? Although, with the amount of bands doing one off reunion shows, full tours, and even albums I wouldn’t complain if a Shiner reunion were to happen. Nope, not one bit.

Shiner – The Egg [MP3]

3. Rumskib – Rumskib
[2007, Darla]
Buy It!
The bands self-titled record absolutely owes a heavy dept to the Cocteau Twins, but there is a difference between simply copying a sound and taking that sound and extending upon it. I am a firm believer that the latter occurred when Keith Canisius and crew set forth and made this record. I want to say I saw something written about this album around the time I initially discovered the group and it described the album as something like “Cocteau Twins on steroids”, which if that quote does exist…I apologize to whichever publication said it as I honestly forget. But I do believer that is a fairly accurate assessment of what takes place on the bands one and only full-length thus far (Canisius has since released two solo records of his own of similar material however). The formula for this albums success really seems quite simple when looking at it, take something good and give it a few tweaks. Not saying it’s better, but it’s certainly an interesting take and something that has rewarded me upon repeated listens since its release in 2007.

Rumskib – Think Eyes Away [MP3]

2. Oxbow – An Evil Heat
[2002, Neurot]
Buy It!
I can’t even begin to fathom the idea of how many times I’ve listened to this record since it came out. It’s just one of those ultimate listening experiences that once it clicks…it really clicks. It’s also quite a bit of fun to throw on for those uninitiated to Oxbow, which is always a sight to see the facial expressions that follow. An Evil Heat is an album that when described as being terrifying, one should probably believe it. While practically all of the bands albums operate on that same sort of level, An Evil Heat is a great accomplishment both musically and in developing a mood. There are very few other albums that come to mind, especially from this decade, that manage to convey the sort of torment and horror that Eugene Robinson manages to spew forth in just his vocals alone. The rest of the band backs up the theatrics with the sort of gnarled guitar churn that shatters and comes together just as much Robinson seemingly does. An amazing album, that’s about all I can say.

Oxbow – Stallkicker [MP3]

1. The Forms – The Forms
[2007, Threespheres]
Buy It!
This album completely blew me away when I first heard it in 2007. That feels a bit weird to say about an album that, while definitely rocking in its own way, has such a smooth and soothing quality to it. The Forms get so much out of forming melodies with vocal patterns that intertwine along with the other instruments that really in the end the vocals are probably one of the most important pieces to the bands sound. They definitely wouldn’t be the same without them, I know that much. The band has seemingly been labeled everything under the sun as far as indie-rock goes and really there is no great way to describe what the band does. Their approach is one that just drifts along in little two to three minute snippets that creates a sort of dreamy atmosphere that will undoubtedly suck you in. The instrumentation is just on a whole other level than most other indie-rock you hear these days and really The Forms are a band that truly can say they have a sound of their own…because I’ve yet to find something that even closely resembles it. Also, they are the only band that I’ve come across that can make a Billy Joel song listenable, check out their cover of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” if you don’t believe me.

The Forms – Bones [MP3]

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