Top Albums of Decade (2000-2009): 1-10

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Spencer

The top albums of the decade. This is opinion and for some reason 2005 was my favorite year of the decade in music. It shows in this list. I could listen to these albums, and only these albums, from now to the end of time and continue to find something wonderful and new in each one. The funny thing is that 3 of these albums had trouble getting released and another one skipped labels all together and decided to release it on the internet.

1	Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) – Wilco The story of this album is amazing. That it had to be leaked to the internet because the label didn’t hear a single is amazing. Simply a gorgeous album – one of my all-time favorites, and this says a lot: one of Wilco’s best. My Favorites: Jesus Etc., Kamera, I’m the Man Who Loves You
2	Figure 8 (2000) – Elliott Smith At the time this album came out many of Smith’s fans thought this album was over produced. Compared to Smith’s previous albums, it was. This is also one of Smith’s best. Unfortunately it was his last before his death. My Favorites: Son of Sam, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud, Can’t Make a Sound
3	Bachelor No. 2 (2000) – Aimee Mann – Another album that waited on someone’s desk because they didn’t hear a single. Fucking record execs are morons. My Favorites: Red Vines, Deathly, Calling it Quits
4	Extraordinary Machine (2005) – Fiona Apple Whoa, yet another album where the execs didn’t hear a single. Jon Brion stirred Apple out of a funk and produced album and then the execs “didn’t hear a single”. A joy to listen to. Brilliantly unique. My Favorites: Extraordinary Machine, Used to Love Him (Tymps)
5	In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead Radiohead set the world on its head by releasing this over the internet, for free. It is their best album since OK Computer. It brings together elements of their best work of the past two decades. My Favorites: 15 Steps, Bodysnatchers, Reckoner
6	Stories from the City – Stories from the Sea (2000) – PJ Harvey I missed this album when it was released and now I get to rectify that mistake. My Favorites: W*es Hustle and the Hustlers W*e, The Mess We’re In
7	American Idiot (2004) – Green Day I never took this band seriously until this album. Full of angst and serious while maintaining their distinct sound. Took me months to realize how great this was. My Favorites: Holiday, Wake Me Up When September Ends
8	Back to Me (2005) – Kathleen Edward Three brilliant albums – I had a hard time figuring out which was the best, but after listening a few times, this is the most complete – and has the big songs. She will go down as one of the best. She keeps knocking them out of the park. My Favorites: In State, Copied Keys, Back to Me
9	Leaders of the Free World (2005) – Elbow I don’t get why people don’t know this band. They are THE brit pop band around today (outside of Radiohead that is). Start listening to this band. My favorites: Station Approach, Forget Myself
10	Andrew Bird (2007) – Armchair Apocrypha This album is truly amazing. The more I listened, the better it got. My Favorites: Fiery Crash, Darkmatter

That’s it. Thanks for indulging me. I finished in just enough time to start working on my best of 2009 list. Share your favorites and comments in the comment section.

The running list can be found here: Top 100 Albums: 2000-2009.

Cheap good music: Fanfarlo – “Reservoir”

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Spencer

Thanks to Kelly’s Alter Ego for this one. I downloaded Fanfarlo’s Reservoir which can be had for the fan-friendly price of $1 through the Fanfarlo website or the link below. For a dollar, I’ll try anything (probably why my iPhone is is loaded with crappy 99 cent apps). Anyway.

Upon one listen, this is a dollar very well spent. They sort of remind me of Andrew Bird (the voice) meets the Decemberists (friends, that’s a good thing). I love artists that market themselves this way – I read a book recently about music marketing and it made the statement that “first you listen to music, then you like it, then you buy it; it can happen in no other sequence.” This is how it worked in the past with radio, but the new economy changed how you listen. And the lack of compelling radio meant that people found other often illegal means to listen. Giving people the opportunity to first listen is crucial to artist success.

You can listen to some songs below and if you like, click the download button.

Amazon MP3: Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha $1.99

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Spencer

Andrew Bird’s Armchair Apocrypha was #3 on my top albums from 2007 (I never did an 08 list – bad blogger). Today it’s on sale at Amazon MP3 for $1.99. Outstanding deal.

A Rubber Door’s Top albums of 2007

Posted on December 24, 2007 by Spencer

Here’s my top 18 albums from 2007. Why 18? Well I keep listing albums until I feel there are no more that deserve to be mentioned. I’d love to hear your comments – and if you have your own list, put it in the comments section and I’ll keep a running list of best of 2007 around the blogosphere. For the most part links will link you to iTunes (except for Jay-z and Radiohead).

1	Spoon – Ga ga ga ga ga – For some reason this album got middling reviews. For me every time I heard a song from it I couldn’t believe how good it was. Easily the most accessible of their releases. My Favorites: Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog
2	Foo Fighters – Echoes, Patience, Silence, and Patience – I love Foo Fighters but hadn’t liked anything they’d done recently. This album is the best they’ve had since The Color and the Shape. My Favorites: The Pretender, Home
3	Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha – This album is truly amazing. I’ve described it as a more tuneful Sufjan Stevens album. And it holds together better than a Stevens piece. My Favorites: Fiery Crash, Darkmatter
4	Radiohead – In Rainbows – This album will be remembered for the unique, name your own price, distribution method. It should be remembered as classic Radiohead. My Favorites: Bodysnatchers, Falling into Place
5	Peter Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block – I couldn’t get the whistling song (Young Folks) out of my head all summer – which was like torture since I can’t whistle. Get past that and this some kick ass jangle rock. My Favorites: Objects of My Affection, Young Folks
6	The Apples in Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder – I waited to get this because it’s a double album and took a lot of my eMusic downloads. Stupid. Some people won’t like it because of it’s experimental takes, but it includes a ton of great songs. My Favorites: Energy, 7 Stars
7	Travis – The Boy With No Name – Travis hasn’t been the same since 12 Memories but they still kick Coldplay’s whiny ass. My Favorites: 3 Times and You Lose, Closer
8	Mark Ronson – Version – All I have to say is Ol’ Dirty Bastard redoing Britney Spears’ Toxic. Just one of an album full of great covers – done so differently you forget the original. My Favorites: Toxic, Oh My God
9	Feist – The Reminder – Thanks to Apple’s ubiquitous nano ad I bought this album. 1234 is the catchiest song of the year – but the rest of the album holds its own. My favorites: 1234, I Feel it All
10	Amy Winehouse – Back to Black – Listening to this album, you should have been able to see the train wreck coming. That doesn’t make this into a novelty act – Winehouse (and producer Mark Ronson) update the 60’s girl sound – without making it trivial. My favorites: Back to Black, Love is a Losing game
11	Okkervil River – The Stage Names – This one will surprise you, demanding repeat listen after repeat listen. My favorites: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe, John Allyn Smith Sails
12	John Doe – A Year In the Wilderness – John Doe does what I would want to as a singer/songwriter – work with unique voices such as Kristen Hersh or Kathleen Edwards. His song The Golden State (with Edwards) is one of the best examples of songwriting I’ve heard this year. My favorites: The Golden State, Unforgiven
13	Albert Hammond Jr. – Yours to Keep – Maybe The Strokes should let this guy write because this is better than any of their albums. My favorites: In Transit, 101
14	Crowded House – Time on Earth – I didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did. It’s been 14 years since their last release and this sounds like an older Crowded House – but I’m an older me, so it works. My favorites: Silent House, Nobody Wants To
15	Jay-Z – American Gangster – So much better than his last album. This one is fierce and sounds like it has a purpose. My favorites: Roc Boys (And The Winner Is…..), American Dreamin’
16	Kristin Hersh – Learn to Sing Like a Star – Kristin keeps on cranking them out, and she keeps getting better. My Favorites: In Shock, Day Glow
17	Trances Arc – XOXOX – I have a sneaking suspicion this album will keep rising and rising the more I listen to it. I didn’t get it until recently and it’s already made an impression as one of the best pop rock releases this year. My favorites: Peace of Mind, New Style
18	Mark Olson – The Salvation Blues – The former Jayhawks lead singer sounds like he hasn’t skipped a beat. This could have followed up Tomorrow the Green Grass. Some might call that nostalgic; I’ll call it timeless. My favorites: Clifton Bridge, Tears from Above