My Favorite Albums of the Decade

Okay, I'm a few months late. In January, I kept seeing bloggers and even credited music websites publishing lists of the best albums of the decade. The one thing they all had in common? Readers got angry. So I'm not going to write a list of the best albums of the decade. These are just my personal favorites. And even that is subject to change.

A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms

This band is very close to my heart for a lot of reasons. Aside from being generally amazing songwriters and lyricists, A Perfect Circle happened to be a "right place at the right time" kind of thing. Mer De Noms, comprised in no small part of songs about sex and love, came out when I was fourteen years old. This album helped to shape my perceptions of love and rejection and guided me through some particularly trying relationships.

A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step

Then came Thirteenth Step in 2003. An album about the dangers of addiction, this one helped through some very different struggles.

The Cure - Bloodflowers

There's something about The Cure that seems timeless, even the first time you hear them. They have this sense about them, as if they're the authority on the type of music they play. As if they're the authority on heartbreak itself. Bloodflowers is the only record I'd even consider to contend with Disintegration as the best Cure album. The consistency of the atmosphere from track to track makes this one of the most well-constructed records of the decade.

Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute

Glassjaw... oh man, what to say about Glassjaw? I can't stand hardcore, but I love Glassjaw. That's their legacy, I guess. They got it right.

Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me

I didn't like Brand New before this album. I know a lot of people who feel the same way. This album came out of nowhere. Most bands progress gradually over time, so you can see how they got from album to album. But this one... after the acoustic, emo Deja Entendu, I don't think anybody was expecting Brand New to release the epic, progressive monster that is The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me.

Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

As much as I like to hate Amanda from time to time, I can't deny how amazingly talented she is. We've got a lot of artists who fit the "I'm a girl with a piano and some raging emotions" model, but this Boston native stands out from the crowd. Provocative, poetic and utterly ballsy... thank you for some great music and performances over the years, Miss Palmer. (Or is it Mrs. Gaiman now?)

Deftones - White Pony

See Worship and Tribute, but replace "hardcore" with "metal."

Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around

Naturally, I jumped on this album because of the Nine Inch Nails cover. But the whole album stuck with me. This was one of my "mind-opening" music experiences: what I once would have written off as boring acoustic singer-songwriter stuff (or even worse: country) was actually pretty good.

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

I had the pleasure of seeing this band live. It was amazing. There was a full string section. And a guitar player. And a bassist. And the drummer from Marilyn Manson. That show made me realize that I probably shouldn't assume that vaguely hip-hop sounding music is always going to be performed by an MC and a turn-table.

mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister

Goddamn, what an amazing album. It took a while to grow on me. The song structures are a bit odd. The vocals frequently sound more like the rantings of a madman than actual singing. But that's actually pretty awesome once you get into it. I was also turned off by the frequent (albeit cryptic) references to religion. Now I find them comforting. Curious.

Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust

This one's intense, provocative and legitimately edgy...

Mindless Self Indulgence - You'll Rebel To Anything

...and this one's just plain fun.

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Okay, so I might be biased because of the awesome release tactics. This is a great album though, especially if you can get your hands on the two disc version. I've always had an issue with Radiohead. While they are undoubtedly excellent musicians, I found most of their albums after The Bends lacked the personal element. The vocal performances just seemed a bit insincere and impersonal. I feel like the passion's back on In Rainbows, though it's decidedly more cryptic and infinitely more mature.

Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child

Another band I was initially turned off to because of religious references. The Manchester Orchestra grew on me with their brand of passionate, often angry folk rock. And now they make me wish that I was religious.

Lauren O'Connell - The Shakes

More folk rock. Lauren O'Connell's great. I found out about her through YouTube and actually paid to download her album. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is.

Marilyn Manson - Holy Wood

This album gets a lot of crap, even from Manson fans. I liked it a lot. People trash it for being repetitive... I find that the repetition helps to make it a coherent album--more coherent than the much-praised Mechanical Animals, even.

Carissa's Wierd - Songs About Leaving

I don't know how to describe this album. I've heard the term "chamber rock," but that doesn't really mean anything. Picture a depressed singer-songwriter guy with an acoustic guitar. Now add a female singer doing lead vocals with him. Cool! Now throw in a piano and a string orchestra. That's what this album is, sort of. It's also sort of like The Cure, but not at all like The Cure. Just do yourself a favor and get this one.

Tool - Lateralus

This is the album that made me want to play bass. This is also the album which, for better or worse, shaped a lot of my philosophical ideals. Of course, now I'm realizing most of the ideals on this album were ripped straight out of Eastern religion. So, I guess it's probably not a bad thing. But yeah. Great record.

Okay, well... that's it for now! Hope you found something worthwhile on this list.