Posts Tagged ‘Against Me!’
18 Crucial Albums of the Past Decade to Supplement the Editor's Picks
December 26th, 2009 • Commentary, Op-Ed
Tags: Against Me!, Animal Collective, Bill Callahan, Black Eyes, Bright Eyes, Dan Deacon, Deerhunter, Destroyer, Dinosaur Jr., Elliot Smith, Fugazi, Modest Mouse, Mountain Goats, Of Montreal, Q and not U, Rage Against the Machine, Re-Up Gang, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
I’ve seen a lot of ‘Best Of..’ lists, and Doug has already done a pretty good job of providing a musical overview to the past decade, but I feel these albums were super-crucial for my musical development and enjoyment, and I had to say something.
The following 18 albums, sometimes missed or overlooked on retrospective lists, but deserve some mention of worth.
1. Fugazi — The Argument/Furniture Ep
The last simultaneous releases from Fugazi also happen to be their best. Fugazi has been such an important band for the independent music scene, and these two recordings truly display the band’s ability to convey their ethos and message into a powerful musical form. The band’s impressive 15 year span culminates in these two final masterpieces.
2. Animal Collective — Water Curses
It was hard for me to pick between Water Curses or Feels, so I decided to go by my play count in iTunes. I think Water Curses is Animal Collective’s most dynamic, complex, and innovative recording to date. While their current pop direction is great, I do long for their freaky folk days. Additionally, the lyrical quality is much, much better than their latest releases. Street Flash and Cobwebs are standouts. If it wasn’t for Feels, then I would say that this is the best Animal Collective album by far.
3. Q and not U — Different Damage
Dance punk from DC. This album is much more subtle than their previous release, benefiting their sound to a huge extent. The energy is still there, but in a less frantic form. It has direction, velocity, and as a result, more force and power, exemplified in These Are Flashes. Another innovative punk album from our nation’s capital, but this one reigns above the rest.
4. Modest Mouse — Moon and Antarctica
One of my favorite Modest Mouse albums and their last great recording before they lost the air in their tires. Shows what a great band can do when backed by high production values on a major label. Too bad they blew it afterwards. This album, though, continues to blow my mind. Read more »