But This One Goes To Eleven

Hmm, random stuff to talk about...

Ah, let's talk about music. Let's be specific. Like Rolling Stone specific, except not paid by record companies to say one hot new band is going to be the next Skynyrd or whatever. Specific as in let's explore the top ten best skindamarinking albums of the most recent millennium. That is to say, the ten best albums that came out after January 1st, 2000...as Steve Holcomb rates them (and, keep in mind that I have not heard every album that came out after January 1st, 2000, so this list is also incomplete in scope and complete in bias. Take that!). Also, take that this list does not include live albums, compilations, or super deluxe max re-issues of old crap. So, *sigh* the top ten best original studio albums, according to Steve, that Steve has heard that came out after January 1st, 2000. As a Libra, I always have to keep things fair and am generally indecisive. As such, I could only narrow it down to eleven ("But this one goes to eleven.") and there's not a snowball's chance in hell that I ranked them from 1-10 (erm, 11). Thus they are in alphabetical order. Who am I kidding? I'll probably look at this tomorrow and think at least three of these need to be changed out. Don't gimme no lip.Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion. Since coming out last year, Merriweather Post Pavilion has steadily grown on me. Upon first listen, I thought, hey this sounds like the Beach Boys if they were born 30 years later, on acid that was made in a government lab (as opposed to the acid they were actually on), and maybe a bit more pretentious. Honestly, this album is a trip. Just look at the cover. The reason I made it so big is because it moves when you stare at it. In fact, the cover perfectly sums up the sound: trippy and maybe even nauseating, but entrancing and beautiful at the same time. On the first song, the vocalist sings, "If I could just leave my body for a night," and from there on out, the album takes you to places that you never thought you'd like. Actually, this album is fairly polarizing. Love/hate/love again/hate twice in a row/love forever.

Arcade Fire: Funeral. Arcade Fire's first album is appropriately named. Before production, various family members of the band line-up died, bringing some pretty raw emotions into production. It seems like every song is about death or loss, but not in an overly depressing way. Sometimes, it is just raw power ("Wake Up") and sometimes it is as delicate as a flower ("In The Backseat"). I can't count the times I've listened to this album. But that may go for most of the albums on this list.

Andrew Bird: The Mysterious Production of Eggs. This clown was introduced to me by my sister, who (believe it or not) influences my life considerably. Well, not lately, since I live 9,000 miles away. The first time I listened to this album, I thought, hmm, that's nice. Eventually, it got so bad that the paramedics had to pry this album off of my cold dead chest before resuscitating me back to life. I couldn't stop listening to this album and had each song from it stuck in my head at at least one point over the course of last summer. It's whimsical and light, yet heavy enough to help you feel.

The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Let me get this out of the way. I have a man-crush on Wayne Coyne. If I were a supple young female, I would be won by his charm. With that said, Yoshimi is a great album. I wish there were more albums like this. Weird and electronic, yet still warm and human. Like Unit 3000-21, this robot has learned to feel. I also think "Do You Realize??" is one of the best singles to come off of any of the albums on this list.

Interpol: Turn On The Bright Lights. I'm going to be honest and confess my nerdiness. I didn't know how much I liked this album until Rock Band 2 came out and reminded me that "PDA" existed. After that, I gave Bright Lights another spin. I'm glad I did, because I would have missed out on a classic that, unfortunately, Interpol hasn't been able to replicate since. This release finds power song after power song. I don't know if there is a really weak track on the album.

Iron & Wine: The Creek Drank The Cradle. I remember the exact moment I began my journey with this album. I was about to go into the chaos that is Fairfax Circle when "Upward Over The Mountain" came on my iPod and distracted me. It hit me like a ton of bricks and I almost crashed into some Asian lady who didn't yield when she was supposed to. I made it safely, and began what would be a passionate relationship with Iron & Wine. Like most passionate relationships, however, ours too fizzled out and now we are just occasional lovers.

The Mars Volta: De-Loused In The Comatorium. I also remember where I was when I first heard this album, although the story is much less remarkable. I was driving to work...and I heard it through a friend. It was really like nothing else I'd ever heard before. It sounded like if Led Zeppelin just came out and had a heavy jazz influence mixed with an interest in the psychological subconscious instead of the blues. They would just get weirder after their debut.

Radiohead: Kid A. This is the oldest album on the list, clocking in at an October 3rd, 2000 release date. It took me a while to get into parts of this album. Particularly "Kid A" and "Treefingers" and the silent part between "Motion Picture Soundtrack" and the secret song. I remember the first time I saw Radiohead in concert, it was before I had heard this album. When they played stuff from it, I thought, hmm, that's interesting. Very electronic. Yeah, but this album got me into electronic based music. Good job, boys. A solid departure from OK Computer.

Radiohead: Hail To The Thief. Yes, sue me. I put two Radiohead albums on this list. When I was narrowing my list down from 17 or so, I had three. Along with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Radiohead hold a place in the triumvirate of British rock bands that have helped shape who I am. This 2003 album is based mainly as an attack on then President Bush. It's pretty biting. It is also a return to a more guitar oriented sound for the fivesome, but instead of returning to their earlier sound, they grew to incorporate their electronic period into a more traditional rock set up.

The Strokes: Is This It. You may notice that five of the past ten albums listed have been debut albums. I believe there's a reason for this and it points to a trend in the music industry. It's about attention span and maximizing profit. At some point in time, record companies must have realized that it's easier and cheaper to exploit some band for maybe three albums, each subsequent one trailing off a little bit into the ether, before dumping them. This is what happened to the Strokes, this is what may happen to Arcade Fire, to Interpol, and what should have happened to the Mars Volta. Actually, all three of the Strokes albums are fine works, but this first one is genre defining. So seemingly simple yet based from a more complicated formula. Albert Hammond, Jr. is clearly the star and main talent to me in this band.

Tenacious D: Tenacious D. This is more of an honorable mention than anything. It's just a coincidence that it also falls last on the list alphabetically. I had to include this comedy album because I think, not really by choice, I heard this album during college more than any other. It was a staple between me and my friends. It's coarse, vulgar, and it rocks. The Tenacious D movie pales in comparison and a lot of people can't stomach Jack Black, but this album brings fond memories for me of times past that will never return (sometimes I'm glad for that).

So, you've made it, eh? What do you think? I should probably quit this blogging thing or "expressing my opinion" and stick to teaching, which I'm also not very good at. Well, here's to being mediocre at everything, eh? Cheers, buddy. Say, has anyone ever told you you're kind of an asshole? You don't always have to call people out on their shortcomings. Sometimes, they are well aware without your citicism. I expect an apology soon.