The Top Albums Of The 2000s: 50-41

It's time to start.




Here begins our journey through the top 50 albums of the past decade.



50. The Postal Service - Give Up

Ben Gibbard of Death Cab and Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel combine to make one of the best pop/electronic bands of all time. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like at least one song off of this album. It flows well, each song is distinct and catchy in its own way be it musically or lyrically, and the smooth sound of Gibbard's voice is a pleasantly familiar one. If you haven't already heard this album, buy it now.

1. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
2. Such Great Heights
3. Sleeping In
4. Nothing Better
5. Recycled Air
6. Clark Gable
7. We Will Become Silhouettes
8. This Place Is a Prison
9. Brand New Colony
10. Natural Anthem

Oh, and if someone is like "You'll like Owl City if you like The Postal Service" just go ahead and punch them in the face.
Seriously.



49. edIT - Certified Air Raid Material

edIT is unheard of. What he does to blend hip hop and thick electronica just blows my mind. Every time I start this album I prepare myself for three things: 1) the inevitable dance party, 2) the violent crying that will happen from its sheer power, 3) maxing out my volume. If you like the tracks you sampled below then without a DOUBT get the rest of the album. edIT is amazing.

1. Questions
2. Battling Go-Go Yubari in Downtown L.A.
3. Artsy Remix [ft. The Grouch]
4. Certified Air Raid Material
5. Night Shift [ft. Abstract Rude]
6. Straight Heat
7. Sirens Listen
8. Back Up off the Floor, Pt. 2 [ft. The Grouch]
9. Fire Riddim
10. If You Crump Stand Up
11. Crunk de Gaulle [ft. Busdriver, D-Styles, & TTC]
12. Parting Shot


48. Edison Glass - A Burn Or A Shiver

Edison Glass went to college with my brother so I've known about them for a while. Every time I listen to them I just am amazed at how talented every member of the band is. Then they put out "A Burn Or A Shiver," their first legitimately, studio produced album. Make sure you listen to this album a couple of times in a row so you can catch every detail of every song. The guitar duos play off of each other better than an any straight up rock band I've ever heard, the drummer is steady and talented, the bassist's tones are perfection, the lyrics are great and the vocal melodies keep this rock album under wraps, making it accessible to anyone who gives it a shot. This album is perfect.

1. My Fair One
2. Forever
3. Starlight
4. This House
5. Today Has Wings
6. Dear Honesty
7. In Such A State
8. Angelic In Heart
9. Minutes For Memories
10. The River
11. You Mean The World To Me
12. A Burn or a Shiver
13. When All We Have Is Taken/Comfort


47. Muse - Absolution

Muse is one of the best consistent rock bands of all time. Each album is completely different in production and instrument focus but each is incredible in its own way. Absolution starts with a heavy piano in your face, then proceeds to melt if off with guitar solos, mind blowing transitions and loud, almost opera-esque, vocals. If you don't respect Muse then you don't respect rock.

1. Intro
2. Apocalypse Please
3. Time Is Running Out
4. Sing For Absolution
5. Stockholm Syndrome
6. Falling Away With You
7. Interlude
8. Hysteria
9. Blackout
10. Butterflies & Hurricanes
11. The Small Print
12. Endlessly
13. Thoughts Of A Dying Atheist
14. Ruled By Secrecy



46. Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová - Once: Music From The Motion Picture

The modern musikal that is "Once" is as captivating as its songs are beautiful. People often criticize it and say, "It was all about musick!" Well, welcome to the genre of musikals idiot. Each song is heartfelt, beautifully written with a perfect accompanying melody to fit the words. Separate from the film, this album stands as one of the best folk albums of the 2000s.

1. Falling Slowly
2. If You Want Me
3. Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy
4. When Your Mind's Made Up
5. Lies
6. Gold
7. The Hill
8. Fallen From The Sky
9. Leave
10. Trying to Pull Myself Away
11. All the Way Down
12. Once
13. Say It to Me Now



45. Lykke Li - Youth Novels

This album starts out with spacey melodies and a spoken word introduction. It quickly moves into an indie-pop sensation's dream come true. It remains 100% pop until the final three songs when Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson decides to examine her loved ones and love itself. The transition using pop melodies and, while elementary, down right catchy lyrics is masterful. If you don't like this album I will think less of you.

1. Melodies & Desires
2. Dance, Dance, Dance
3. I'm Good, I'm Gone
4. Let It Fall
5. My Love
6. Tonight
7. Little Bit
8. Hanging High
9. This Trumpet in My Head
10. Complaint Department
11. Breaking It Up
12. Everybody But Me
13. Time Flies
14. Window Blues



44. She & Him - Volume One

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. Both beautiful artists separately. Together? Mind blowing. This duo is one of the best collaborative albums I've heard in a long, long time. It's not even necessarily a collaboration since they are an official band now and have their second album scheduled for 2010. Regardless, the pop/folk sensibility of this album is amazing.

1. Sentimental Heart
2. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
3. This Is Not a Test
4. Change Is Hard
5. I Thought I Saw Your Face Today
6. Take It Back
7. I Was Made For You
8. You Really Got a Hold on Me (Smokey Robinson Cover)
9. Black Hole
10. Got Me
11. I Should Have Known Better (The Beatles Cover)
12. Sweet Darlin'
13. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot



43. Milosh - Meme

This album is as good to everyone as it is influential to me. Growing up on Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers, I thought that all electronic musik had to be dance worthy/shatter the windows with the thumping bass. Milosh changed that. Milosh introduced me to soft spoken, aerodynamic electronica. He opened my mind to variations of genres I though I knew and he does it well.

1. It's Over
2. Falling Away
3. Couldn't Sleep
4. You Fill Me
5. Instrumental
6. I'm Trying
7. The City
8. My Life
9. This Way
10. Run Away
11. Playing with Yen



42. Coheed And Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness

Okay. I get it. You guys think Coheed is overrated. Well you're wrong. As far as a rock album goes, this one is the most accessible to both radio kids and those with taste (us). It leads us through sagas of solos, orchestral backing and chorus vocals. This album is epic in proportion and should be valued. If you can't appreciate one of the best, in-your-face rock albums of the past 10 years then you need to take a step back and adjust your attitude. In Keeping Of Silent Earth III is my personal favorite by Coheed but this album opened the public to Coheed so I respect it. I'm right. You're wrong. Deal with it.

1. Keeping The Blade
2. Always & Never
3. Welcome Home
4. Ten Speed (Of God's Blood & Burial)
5. Crossing The Frame
6. Apollo I : The Writing Writer
7. Once Upon Your Dead Body
8. Wake Up
9. The Suffering
10. The Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets Of Miss Erica Court
11. Mother May I
12. The Willing Well I: Fuel For The Feeding End
13. The Willing Well II: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness
14. The Willing Well III: Apollo II: The Telling Truth
15. The Willing Well IV: The Final Cut



41. Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel The Illinoise

It's pronounced "soof-yawn," not "suf-jan." There, cleared that up.
Sufjan has quite the following. People go crazy over every little thing he does. This is interesting to me since 2 of his albums are downright awful - A Sun Came & Enjoy Your Rabbit. But alas, he does have quite a collection of albums that never cease to amaze me. Illinoise is obviously on this list. His most popular album and I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't like him. He kept true to his orchestral/folk style and created a pop connection that everyone loves. This album has it's hits for sure but every track flows well into the next while never loosing sight of his goal: make Illinoise beautiful by song. And that he does. Thank you Sufjan. You have done it again.

1. Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
2. The Black Hawk War, Or, How To Demolish An Entire Civilization And Still Feel Good About Yourself In The Morning, Or, We Apologize For The Inconvenience But You're Going To Have To Leave Now, Or "I Have Fought The Big Knives And Will Continue To Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!"
3. Come On! Feel The Illinoise!
4. John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
5. Jacksonville
6. A Short Reprise For Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But For Very Good Reasons
7. Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother!
8. One Last "Whoo-hoo!" For The Pullman
9. Chicago
10. Casimir Pulaski Day
11. To The Workers Of The Rock River Valley Region, I Have An Idea Concerning Your Predicament
12. The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
13. Prairie Fire That Wanders About
14. A Conjunction Of Drones Simulating The Way In Which Sufjan Stevens Has An Existential Crisis In The Great Godfrey Maze
15. The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!
16. They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh!
17. Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All The Way Out In Bushnell
18. In This Temple, As In The Hearts Of Man For Whom He Saved The Earth
19. The Seer's Tower
20. The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders
21. Riffs And Variations On A Single Note For Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, And The King of Swing, To Name A Few
22. Out Of Egypt, Into The Great Laugh Of Mankind, And I Shake The Dirt From My Sandals As I Run


Be sure to come back for more of the list.
Monday, October 5th: 50-41
Tuesday, October 6th: 40-31
Wednesday, October 7th: 30-21
Thursday, October 8th: 20-11
Friday, October 9th: 10-1



Thanks to these guys for letting us jack their MP3s.
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