Since this is just last year's list, there really isn't TOO much movement. The top spots are all pretty solid, so instead of completely rearranging the list, here's the awesome stuff I've heard from 2007 that didn't make it on the original list. Also, the stuff that seemed awesome initially, but has faded in time.
Awesome:
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool (I got this CD the last of '07, hardly enough time to make an informed decision about it. Turns out it's pretty fantastic. Lupe has a certain presence about him that a lot of his contemporaries don't have - or even try for. He can flow with the best of them, but doesn't lean on that fact on every song.)
Burial - Untrue (They call it "dubstep". Whatever it is, it makes for awesome headphone music.)
Gob - Muertos Vivos
M.I.A. - Kala (Everyone's heard 'Paper Planes', but anyone who's purchased the CD based on that song is in for a crazy ride. Dance, Hip-hop, world, and tribal styles all fuse to form some of the most interesting music I've ever heard. The fact that it's heart-speeding toe-tapping ear candy just comes as an added bonus.)
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Filled to the brim with more goodness. The "carbon" freakout at the end of 'The Parting of the Sensory' is incredibly surreal)
Fade-Outs:
Fratellis - Costello Music (Music like this has a short shelf life. It had it's time, but it's not something that will get put in time and time again.)
Burning Brides - Hang Love (It's got a kick, but Leave No Ashes is so much easier 0 and more enjoyable - to listen to.)
Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, The Angry Mob ('Ruby' still rules, but nothing else compared.)
2007 was a good year for music. I still listen to most all of the CDs that I had marked as top 20 last year. This look back over the past week has been eye-opening. Here's hoping I don't have to do this again in 6 years.
Showing posts with label Revisionism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Revisionism. Show all posts
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Revisionism: Year End List (2006)
Near the end of 2006, I started taking a deeper look into indie music. The results didn't initially show up in my year end list (with the exception of the number spot, but more on that in a second.) This was the year I discovered that rap music could kind of rule in certain contexts (T.I. - What You Know being one of those contexts). It's a little embarrassing to be making these discoveries at age 23, but the underground doesn't buzz very loud when you live in the middle of nowhere.
Original List (Link)
10. Mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister (They've softened in the sonic sense only. The lyrics carry the same bite that A->B Life's did - and almost more in some cases.)
9. Starflyer 59 - My Island (They've long since abandoned the more shoegaze-y sounds of their earlier stuff, but these songs sound awesome anyway. The less droning, more immediate guitars do Jason Martin's songs well.)
8. Children 18:3 - Songs of Desperation (I've noted numerous times, but 'LCM' was truly a revelation the first time I heard it. It's since been cleaned up and fleshed out quite a bit, but the more garage-y quality still has it's merits.)
7. Incubus - Light Grenades (Mm... It's got some very good songs, and it's got some sort of 'meh' moments on it, as well. Kind of middle of the road for them, but 'Anna Molly' still brings it.)
6. Gym Class Heroes - Cruel as School Children (Travis McCoy is no one's idea of an amazing rapper, but this CD is extremely enjoyable. Why should I have to affix 'guilty pleasure' status on it? Songs about MySpace can be cheesy as hell, but that doesn't make 'New Friend Request' any less hook filled or fun.)
5. People in Planes - As Far As the Eye Can See (The opening line to 'Baracuda' sold me on this CD more than possibly any 20 seconds of a song ever has. The rest of the CD is good, 'Baracuda' is killer.)
4. Lacuna Coil - Karmacode (I suppose in some alternate universe, these guys get massive play on all the radio stations, while Evanescence is relegated to endlessly playing Club1 while emo kids hold conversations in the mosh pit and make out. I sort of prefer that alternate universe.)
3. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (Let's get this straight - 'Crazy' is the biggest song of this decade. It rules in every way imaginable. If this were a song list, Crazy would hold positions numbered 1-10. That being said, what I said about Gnarls Barkley - that the rest of it is "extremely good" - isn't entirely accurate. There's a lot to love ('Smiley Faces', etc.) but there's also plenty of very skippable songs. Luckily 'The Odd Couple' came along this year. I'm sure we'll hear about that next week.)
2. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (I stand by this. It's a great CD.)
1. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - So Divided (Okay, I'll admit it. I got caught up in some serious ToD love upon discovering them and sort of gave them one of those 'Lifetime Achievement' awards. This isn't their best CD... or their second best.... or maybe even their third best, and it's pretty certainly not the best CD to come out in 2006. Source Tags and Codes earned this spot. This exact spot is pretty much why I decided to take up this endevour in the first place - well... that and that inexplicable Souljahz thing in 2002... I mean...... seriously??)
And now... the revised list
10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (Sketchy as it sometimes gets, the highs are SO high...)
9. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - So Divided
8. Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back (Soft piano songs backed by the lightest of arrangements aren't supposed to have this weight. Emily Haines tears her heart open and lays it on the table for the world to see. The result is emotional, raw music that grabs the attention and doesn't let go.)
7. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife (Who would have thought they'd have come out with something like the epic prog-rock 'The Island'? Who would have thought the concept would flesh out so well?)
5. Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots (Easily my favorite 'guilty pleasure' album ever - though for how many spins I've gotten out of it, can I really call it a guilty pleasure? In the end, it doesn't matter either way, this CD is just awesome.)
4. Viva Voce - Get Yr Blood Sucked Out (They've come a long way since 'Hooray For Now', but the vaugely druggy fuzz still comes flying out of Anita Robinson's guitar, and that makes it all good. They've stripped away some of the pop from their earlier releases, and the tunes have a certain immediate feel to them as a result.)
3. P.O.S. - Audition (In yesterday's post, I mentioned how nice it is to have a rap-rock artist focus on the rap side. P.O.S. does this better than anyone I've soon. He fuses guitar lines that one would think completely incompatible with rap - Underoath? Song of Zarathustra?? - and somehow makes them sound like they were meant to be rapped over in the first place. His show at First Avenue prompted me to pick up as much of his discography as I could find. This is the pinacle so far - fiercely political without being preachy, streetwise without being either condescending or dismissive. This is honestly one of my favorite CDs, period.)
2. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (This is real rock from a real rock band. I dismissed it upon hearing Craig Finn's voice, but it's since grown on me to the point where I could safely say it's in my top 15 favorite albums ever.)
1. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (You know up there, where I said 'Crazy' was the song of the decade? Well... it is, but 'Wolf Like Me' has to be included in the discussion. The wall of guitar and effect sounds like the most furious storm of bees ever, and the intensity in the lyrics matches in pound for pound. That being said, I initially panned the rest of the CD as weird and a little bizzare for my tastes. I couldn't have been more wrong. This CD is easily in my top 5 ever. There's maybe one or two skips, and the bonus songs aren't incredible, but there's so much to absolutely love about this CD that it seems like second nature to just love it. One kind of funny note from this post in which I discuss new CD purchases. The idea of Eve 6 being as good as TV on the Radio is an amusing one to me now.)
Original List (Link)
10. Mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister (They've softened in the sonic sense only. The lyrics carry the same bite that A->B Life's did - and almost more in some cases.)
9. Starflyer 59 - My Island (They've long since abandoned the more shoegaze-y sounds of their earlier stuff, but these songs sound awesome anyway. The less droning, more immediate guitars do Jason Martin's songs well.)
8. Children 18:3 - Songs of Desperation (I've noted numerous times, but 'LCM' was truly a revelation the first time I heard it. It's since been cleaned up and fleshed out quite a bit, but the more garage-y quality still has it's merits.)
7. Incubus - Light Grenades (Mm... It's got some very good songs, and it's got some sort of 'meh' moments on it, as well. Kind of middle of the road for them, but 'Anna Molly' still brings it.)
6. Gym Class Heroes - Cruel as School Children (Travis McCoy is no one's idea of an amazing rapper, but this CD is extremely enjoyable. Why should I have to affix 'guilty pleasure' status on it? Songs about MySpace can be cheesy as hell, but that doesn't make 'New Friend Request' any less hook filled or fun.)
5. People in Planes - As Far As the Eye Can See (The opening line to 'Baracuda' sold me on this CD more than possibly any 20 seconds of a song ever has. The rest of the CD is good, 'Baracuda' is killer.)
4. Lacuna Coil - Karmacode (I suppose in some alternate universe, these guys get massive play on all the radio stations, while Evanescence is relegated to endlessly playing Club1 while emo kids hold conversations in the mosh pit and make out. I sort of prefer that alternate universe.)
3. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (Let's get this straight - 'Crazy' is the biggest song of this decade. It rules in every way imaginable. If this were a song list, Crazy would hold positions numbered 1-10. That being said, what I said about Gnarls Barkley - that the rest of it is "extremely good" - isn't entirely accurate. There's a lot to love ('Smiley Faces', etc.) but there's also plenty of very skippable songs. Luckily 'The Odd Couple' came along this year. I'm sure we'll hear about that next week.)
2. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (I stand by this. It's a great CD.)
1. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - So Divided (Okay, I'll admit it. I got caught up in some serious ToD love upon discovering them and sort of gave them one of those 'Lifetime Achievement' awards. This isn't their best CD... or their second best.... or maybe even their third best, and it's pretty certainly not the best CD to come out in 2006. Source Tags and Codes earned this spot. This exact spot is pretty much why I decided to take up this endevour in the first place - well... that and that inexplicable Souljahz thing in 2002... I mean...... seriously??)
And now... the revised list
10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (Sketchy as it sometimes gets, the highs are SO high...)
9. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - So Divided
8. Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back (Soft piano songs backed by the lightest of arrangements aren't supposed to have this weight. Emily Haines tears her heart open and lays it on the table for the world to see. The result is emotional, raw music that grabs the attention and doesn't let go.)
7. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife (Who would have thought they'd have come out with something like the epic prog-rock 'The Island'? Who would have thought the concept would flesh out so well?)
5. Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots (Easily my favorite 'guilty pleasure' album ever - though for how many spins I've gotten out of it, can I really call it a guilty pleasure? In the end, it doesn't matter either way, this CD is just awesome.)
4. Viva Voce - Get Yr Blood Sucked Out (They've come a long way since 'Hooray For Now', but the vaugely druggy fuzz still comes flying out of Anita Robinson's guitar, and that makes it all good. They've stripped away some of the pop from their earlier releases, and the tunes have a certain immediate feel to them as a result.)
3. P.O.S. - Audition (In yesterday's post, I mentioned how nice it is to have a rap-rock artist focus on the rap side. P.O.S. does this better than anyone I've soon. He fuses guitar lines that one would think completely incompatible with rap - Underoath? Song of Zarathustra?? - and somehow makes them sound like they were meant to be rapped over in the first place. His show at First Avenue prompted me to pick up as much of his discography as I could find. This is the pinacle so far - fiercely political without being preachy, streetwise without being either condescending or dismissive. This is honestly one of my favorite CDs, period.)
2. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (This is real rock from a real rock band. I dismissed it upon hearing Craig Finn's voice, but it's since grown on me to the point where I could safely say it's in my top 15 favorite albums ever.)
1. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (You know up there, where I said 'Crazy' was the song of the decade? Well... it is, but 'Wolf Like Me' has to be included in the discussion. The wall of guitar and effect sounds like the most furious storm of bees ever, and the intensity in the lyrics matches in pound for pound. That being said, I initially panned the rest of the CD as weird and a little bizzare for my tastes. I couldn't have been more wrong. This CD is easily in my top 5 ever. There's maybe one or two skips, and the bonus songs aren't incredible, but there's so much to absolutely love about this CD that it seems like second nature to just love it. One kind of funny note from this post in which I discuss new CD purchases. The idea of Eve 6 being as good as TV on the Radio is an amusing one to me now.)
Friday, December 26, 2008
Revisionism: Year End List (2005)
We pick up where we left off. I was closer to the mark in 2005 - 5 of my original picks stick around from the revised list.
Original List
10. Jimmy Eat World - Stay on My Side Tonight (There's one extremely good song on this EP. All the other songs range from decent ('Over') to godawful ('Drugs or Me - Styrofoam Remix'). I guess one song was good enough here?)
9. Project 86 - And the Rest Will Follow (This is probably the weakest effort by Project 86, but I got really into their other stuff around the time I listened to this one, so it had a carryover effect.)
8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Poppier and more radio-ready than Transatlanticism, this CD has some killer tunes, but isn't quite as good.)
7. Coldplay - X+Y ('Viva La Vida' shows this CD to be a pretty big swing and a miss. Everything's either overblown or overly obvious, and with a couple of exceptions, there's not a lot to go back to.)
6. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor (This CD does not have a weak track on it. Since there's 20 songs on it, that's quite a statement.)
5. Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree (Haha, don't get TOO excited to not see this one on the revised list. It'd probably make #11 if it was expanded a little.)
4. Ra - Duality (Meh. Fairly generic pop-metal that I fell for when I first heard it. Haven't listened to it in well over a year.)
3. Gorillaz - Demon Days (This is all over the place, and I love just about every track on it. Still awesome, and deservedly made this 'band' huge.)
2. Rosefield Rivals (A guilty pleasure, but one I badly wish was still around. I've only ever dug up 6 songs from this group - five of which are on this disc - but they've gotten a TON of play.)
1. Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth (It's Oasis - more importantly, it's Oasis at least trying to get back to what made them awesome; big rock songs. Dig Out Your Soul does a little better job than this one, but after Standing on the Shoulder of Giants and Heathen Chemistry, it was nice to see that these guys still had a little left in them.)
Revised List
10. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (Great guitar pop-rock. Listen to 'Sing Me Spanish Techno' or 'Bleeding Heart Show' and try to not have the choruses wedged in your head for the remainder of the day.)
9. Death Can For Cutie - Plans
8. Kanye West - Late Registration (It's rapidly becoming hip to hate Kanye West. Whether there's good reason for that or not, this CD shows that he's extremely good at what he does. As much as I actually kind of like 808's and Heartbreak, I'm hoping that it's a phase, and that he gets back to making more great CDs like this one.)
7. Rosefield Rivals
6. Flipsyde - We the People (It's odd to find rap-rock music that focuses more on the rap side than the rock side. These guys had great flow and cutting lyrics - it's a shame that their new CD sounds like it will be as generic as can be.)
5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (The guy makes beautiful, irresistable music. If not for pure nostalgic value, this CD would probably take number one walking away.)
4. Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
3. Gorillaz - Demon Days
2. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
1. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart (A lot of people hated the shift Trail of Dead made toward proggy meanderings. I loved it. There's not a single misstep on the entire album, and nearly every song is fantastic in its own way.)
Moving forward, tomorrow I take a look at 2006.
Original List
10. Jimmy Eat World - Stay on My Side Tonight (There's one extremely good song on this EP. All the other songs range from decent ('Over') to godawful ('Drugs or Me - Styrofoam Remix'). I guess one song was good enough here?)
9. Project 86 - And the Rest Will Follow (This is probably the weakest effort by Project 86, but I got really into their other stuff around the time I listened to this one, so it had a carryover effect.)
8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Poppier and more radio-ready than Transatlanticism, this CD has some killer tunes, but isn't quite as good.)
7. Coldplay - X+Y ('Viva La Vida' shows this CD to be a pretty big swing and a miss. Everything's either overblown or overly obvious, and with a couple of exceptions, there's not a lot to go back to.)
6. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor (This CD does not have a weak track on it. Since there's 20 songs on it, that's quite a statement.)
5. Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree (Haha, don't get TOO excited to not see this one on the revised list. It'd probably make #11 if it was expanded a little.)
4. Ra - Duality (Meh. Fairly generic pop-metal that I fell for when I first heard it. Haven't listened to it in well over a year.)
3. Gorillaz - Demon Days (This is all over the place, and I love just about every track on it. Still awesome, and deservedly made this 'band' huge.)
2. Rosefield Rivals (A guilty pleasure, but one I badly wish was still around. I've only ever dug up 6 songs from this group - five of which are on this disc - but they've gotten a TON of play.)
1. Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth (It's Oasis - more importantly, it's Oasis at least trying to get back to what made them awesome; big rock songs. Dig Out Your Soul does a little better job than this one, but after Standing on the Shoulder of Giants and Heathen Chemistry, it was nice to see that these guys still had a little left in them.)
Revised List
10. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (Great guitar pop-rock. Listen to 'Sing Me Spanish Techno' or 'Bleeding Heart Show' and try to not have the choruses wedged in your head for the remainder of the day.)
9. Death Can For Cutie - Plans
8. Kanye West - Late Registration (It's rapidly becoming hip to hate Kanye West. Whether there's good reason for that or not, this CD shows that he's extremely good at what he does. As much as I actually kind of like 808's and Heartbreak, I'm hoping that it's a phase, and that he gets back to making more great CDs like this one.)
7. Rosefield Rivals
6. Flipsyde - We the People (It's odd to find rap-rock music that focuses more on the rap side than the rock side. These guys had great flow and cutting lyrics - it's a shame that their new CD sounds like it will be as generic as can be.)
5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (The guy makes beautiful, irresistable music. If not for pure nostalgic value, this CD would probably take number one walking away.)
4. Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
3. Gorillaz - Demon Days
2. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
1. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart (A lot of people hated the shift Trail of Dead made toward proggy meanderings. I loved it. There's not a single misstep on the entire album, and nearly every song is fantastic in its own way.)
Moving forward, tomorrow I take a look at 2006.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Revisionism: Year End List (2004)
It's Christmas, so no write-ups. Just know that I'm actually not all that disgusted by my original list for 2004 - that being said, there are zero carry-overs from my original list to my revised. Also, number 1 really shouldn't be all that surprising.
Original
10. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
9. Mewithoutyou - Catch For Us the Foxes
8. Mutemath - Reset EP
7. Halo 2 Soundtrack
6. Project 86 - Songs to Burn Your Bridges By
5. Lostprophets - Start Something
4. Falling Up - Crashings
3. Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder
2. Skillet - Collide
1. Relient K - Mmhmm
Revised
10. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
9. Green Day - American Idiot
8. Viva Voce - The Heat Can Melt Your Brain
7. P.O.S. - Ipecac Neat
6. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
5. MF Doom - MM.. Food
4. Further Seems Forever - Hide Nothing
3. Sum 41 - Chuck
2. Jimmy Eat World - Futures
1. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Funeral is epic. That's really the only thing that needs to be said. Merry Christmas, everyone.
Original
10. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
9. Mewithoutyou - Catch For Us the Foxes
8. Mutemath - Reset EP
7. Halo 2 Soundtrack
6. Project 86 - Songs to Burn Your Bridges By
5. Lostprophets - Start Something
4. Falling Up - Crashings
3. Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder
2. Skillet - Collide
1. Relient K - Mmhmm
Revised
10. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
9. Green Day - American Idiot
8. Viva Voce - The Heat Can Melt Your Brain
7. P.O.S. - Ipecac Neat
6. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
5. MF Doom - MM.. Food
4. Further Seems Forever - Hide Nothing
3. Sum 41 - Chuck
2. Jimmy Eat World - Futures
1. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Funeral is epic. That's really the only thing that needs to be said. Merry Christmas, everyone.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Revisionism: Year End List (2003)
We move on to 2003. It's a little embarassing, I suppose.
Original List: Link
10. Thrice - Artist in the Ambulance (I actually haven't heard this one in a while. It could actually be pretty good. I may have to check it out again.)
9. P.O.D. - Payable on Death (Wow, seriously? Listen to 'Wildfire' and tell me that P.O.D.'s self-titled has any place in anyone's list.)
8. Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown (I still wish they'd play more of their superior older stuff in concert, but I'll admit that I backlashed against Switchfoot pretty hard after this CD. From what I'd heard in '03, this deserved to be higher.)
7. Starflyer 59 - Old (Since buying this CD, I've slowly started appreciating Starflyer's music more and more. If the revised list was expanded to 20, you can bet this one would've parked around 11 or 12.)
6. MxPx - Before Everything, and After (Eh, it's got a couple catchy songs, lots of filler... it's an MxPx CD, what could one possibly expect?)
5. Powerman 5000 - Transform (After 'Destroy What You Enjoy', I really went cold on PM5K. That being said, I can still put this CD on every so often and - with liberal use of the skip button - enjoy enough of it to call it a decent, if unremarkable, CD.)
4. Julianna Theory - Love (Another decent CD, has some good melodies that makes up for the fact that it's aged kind of poorly.)
3. Thousand Foot Krutch - Phenomenon (I can't think of a band that I've gone more cold on than TFK. With maybe 2 exceptions, this CD does nothing for me.)
2. Relient K - Two Lefts Don't Make a Right, But Three Do (It's still their best CD. They never achieved this mix of humor, wit, and big hooks again.)
1. Linkin Park - Meteora (Ah, hell... What can I say? I have a soft spot for their first 2 releases.)
On to the Revised list...
10. Mew - Frengers
9. King Geedorah - Take Me To Your Leader (Doom's flows - when he's actually rapping - are ridiculous as ever, but the real treat is the off-the-wall beats. If you like strange hip hop and old monster movie references - or if you need a starting point into MF Doom's stuff, you owe it to yourself to listen to this.)
8. The White Stripes - Elephant (The formula never sounds like a formula, and it never sounded better than here.)
7. Atmosphere - Seven's Travels (With 19 tracks, there's plenty of songs to love - and a couple fo skip - but overall, this is my favorite Atmosphere CD.)
6. The Black Mages - The Black Mages (These are Final Fantasy instrumental metal arrangements. From that sentence alone you'll be able to tell whether you'll like this CD or not.)
5. Viktor Vaughn - Vaudville Villian (My favorite MF Doom alias. V goes from demented to sly to witty to just plain weird... in almost every song. It's almost all nonsense, but it's AWESOME nonsense.)
4. Linkin Park - Meteora
3. Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers (The first half is chock full of pure, unaduterated awesome. The second half is nearly unsalvageable. Luckily the first half comprises about 10 tracks.)
2. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (Deservingly got them their big break, this is the music they were making JUST before they got on the hipster's nerves.)
1. Cold - Year of the Spider (If this CD was comprised of 'Remedy' played 10 times, it would merit inclusion on this list. There's literally not a weak track on the CD. Disagree if you want, but you'll only be missing out on one of the only alt-metal CDs that's really, truly worth your time.)
The only consolation I really take is that I had the sense to leave 'Peace of Mind' off of the list. That CD was truly wretched from the first spin, and has only gotten worse with time.
2004 tomorrow!
Original List: Link
10. Thrice - Artist in the Ambulance (I actually haven't heard this one in a while. It could actually be pretty good. I may have to check it out again.)
9. P.O.D. - Payable on Death (Wow, seriously? Listen to 'Wildfire' and tell me that P.O.D.'s self-titled has any place in anyone's list.)
8. Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown (I still wish they'd play more of their superior older stuff in concert, but I'll admit that I backlashed against Switchfoot pretty hard after this CD. From what I'd heard in '03, this deserved to be higher.)
7. Starflyer 59 - Old (Since buying this CD, I've slowly started appreciating Starflyer's music more and more. If the revised list was expanded to 20, you can bet this one would've parked around 11 or 12.)
6. MxPx - Before Everything, and After (Eh, it's got a couple catchy songs, lots of filler... it's an MxPx CD, what could one possibly expect?)
5. Powerman 5000 - Transform (After 'Destroy What You Enjoy', I really went cold on PM5K. That being said, I can still put this CD on every so often and - with liberal use of the skip button - enjoy enough of it to call it a decent, if unremarkable, CD.)
4. Julianna Theory - Love (Another decent CD, has some good melodies that makes up for the fact that it's aged kind of poorly.)
3. Thousand Foot Krutch - Phenomenon (I can't think of a band that I've gone more cold on than TFK. With maybe 2 exceptions, this CD does nothing for me.)
2. Relient K - Two Lefts Don't Make a Right, But Three Do (It's still their best CD. They never achieved this mix of humor, wit, and big hooks again.)
1. Linkin Park - Meteora (Ah, hell... What can I say? I have a soft spot for their first 2 releases.)
On to the Revised list...
10. Mew - Frengers
9. King Geedorah - Take Me To Your Leader (Doom's flows - when he's actually rapping - are ridiculous as ever, but the real treat is the off-the-wall beats. If you like strange hip hop and old monster movie references - or if you need a starting point into MF Doom's stuff, you owe it to yourself to listen to this.)
8. The White Stripes - Elephant (The formula never sounds like a formula, and it never sounded better than here.)
7. Atmosphere - Seven's Travels (With 19 tracks, there's plenty of songs to love - and a couple fo skip - but overall, this is my favorite Atmosphere CD.)
6. The Black Mages - The Black Mages (These are Final Fantasy instrumental metal arrangements. From that sentence alone you'll be able to tell whether you'll like this CD or not.)
5. Viktor Vaughn - Vaudville Villian (My favorite MF Doom alias. V goes from demented to sly to witty to just plain weird... in almost every song. It's almost all nonsense, but it's AWESOME nonsense.)
4. Linkin Park - Meteora
3. Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers (The first half is chock full of pure, unaduterated awesome. The second half is nearly unsalvageable. Luckily the first half comprises about 10 tracks.)
2. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (Deservingly got them their big break, this is the music they were making JUST before they got on the hipster's nerves.)
1. Cold - Year of the Spider (If this CD was comprised of 'Remedy' played 10 times, it would merit inclusion on this list. There's literally not a weak track on the CD. Disagree if you want, but you'll only be missing out on one of the only alt-metal CDs that's really, truly worth your time.)
The only consolation I really take is that I had the sense to leave 'Peace of Mind' off of the list. That CD was truly wretched from the first spin, and has only gotten worse with time.
2004 tomorrow!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Revisionism: Year End List (2002)
I've decided to take up the rather embarassing task of looking back on and revising some of my year-end lists of the past. I say 'embarassing' because... well, just look.
Top 10 of 2002 (Original List)
Original Post
10. John Reuben - Hindsight (okay, so I'm wondering just how many CDs I listened to in 2002. I remember being pretty disappointed with this CD. I'm not sure how it got on my list - I'm thinking the bottom few spots were pretty random.)
9. Souljahz - The Fault is History (I mean, seriously... how else do you acount for this?? I remember thinking maybe 2 songs off of this CD were 'okay'. The fact that this is at number 9 has always baffled me. I can't imagine CDs that would've have been bumped from the list in order to make room for these.)
8. 12 Stones - 12 Stones (There's a couple of decent songs on this CD, but there's a LOT of skippable post-grunge and mediocre alt-rock.)
7. 38th Parallel - Turn the Tides (I used to be sort of into rap-rock. Good Lord, this was only 6 years ago???)
6. Linkin Park - Reanimation (This one's not SO bad. I mean, it wouldn't make the top 20 now, but there were a few perfectly serviceable tracks on here. There's a lot of filler, though.)
5. Pax217 - Engage (I used to like this one quite a bit. I listened to it a while back, and it hasn't aged well at all.)
4. 30 Seconds to Mars - 30 Seconds to Mars (I still like this one better than 'A Beautiful Lie'.)
3. Chevelle - Wonder What's Next (It's still their best one.)
2. Grits - The Art of Translation (They have their good moments, and I still like this CD, but too often they sound like a less-adventurous Outkast; particularly on 'Seriously'.)
1. Blindside - Silence (Wow. Number 1? I remember enjoying this, but I can't imagine ever liking it enough to put it at number 1)
It was actually a pretty good year for music - some of my all-time favorite CDs come from that year - but you wouldn't know it from looking at that list. Here's the new-and-improved version.
2002 Revised list
10. Lacuna Coil - Comalies
9. Eminem - The Eminem Show (Even if he was running out of ways to be provocative, he still had moments of brilliance here.)
8. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head ('Viva la Vida' has made me take a look back at all of Coldplay's previous output with renewed interest. 'Parachutes' and 'X+Y' still sound pretty generic, but this one is actually pretty fresh).
7. Chevelle - Wonder What's Next
6. Mewithoutyou - [A-->B] Life (They may have smoother some of the edges down a bit and tightened up the lyrics on subsequent releases - all of which are fantastic - but they never sounded more firey than here.)
5. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People (It's rightly labelled a classic. Every song works, which is quite a feat, all things considered.)
4. Project 86 - Truthless Heroes (Cynicism and sarcasm abound. Truthless Heroes paints a portrait of American pop culture that's almost impossibly bleak. I strongly disliked this CD when I first heard it. Truth be told, I wasn't ready for it.)
3. Quarashi - Jinx (There is absolutely no reason to put this CD this high up, except it's one of the most enjoyable albums I've ever heard.)
2. Sigur Rós - ( ) (It's all sung in a made up language, no liner notes or song names, tracks that run upwards of 13 minutes - how is this music that popular? Because it's the most haunting music I think I've ever heard. People called this one "funereal", and I'd have to agree, but Track 8 is still one of the most cathartic musical experiences ever.)
1. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes (ToD took their earlier 'rough around the edges' material and refined it. The result is possibly my favorite CD ever. The album has near perfect pacing - blasting when it can, softening when it needs to. All albums should have this mix of intensity, passion, and abandon.)
Tomorrow I'll take a look at 2003.
Top 10 of 2002 (Original List)
Original Post
10. John Reuben - Hindsight (okay, so I'm wondering just how many CDs I listened to in 2002. I remember being pretty disappointed with this CD. I'm not sure how it got on my list - I'm thinking the bottom few spots were pretty random.)
9. Souljahz - The Fault is History (I mean, seriously... how else do you acount for this?? I remember thinking maybe 2 songs off of this CD were 'okay'. The fact that this is at number 9 has always baffled me. I can't imagine CDs that would've have been bumped from the list in order to make room for these.)
8. 12 Stones - 12 Stones (There's a couple of decent songs on this CD, but there's a LOT of skippable post-grunge and mediocre alt-rock.)
7. 38th Parallel - Turn the Tides (I used to be sort of into rap-rock. Good Lord, this was only 6 years ago???)
6. Linkin Park - Reanimation (This one's not SO bad. I mean, it wouldn't make the top 20 now, but there were a few perfectly serviceable tracks on here. There's a lot of filler, though.)
5. Pax217 - Engage (I used to like this one quite a bit. I listened to it a while back, and it hasn't aged well at all.)
4. 30 Seconds to Mars - 30 Seconds to Mars (I still like this one better than 'A Beautiful Lie'.)
3. Chevelle - Wonder What's Next (It's still their best one.)
2. Grits - The Art of Translation (They have their good moments, and I still like this CD, but too often they sound like a less-adventurous Outkast; particularly on 'Seriously'.)
1. Blindside - Silence (Wow. Number 1? I remember enjoying this, but I can't imagine ever liking it enough to put it at number 1)
It was actually a pretty good year for music - some of my all-time favorite CDs come from that year - but you wouldn't know it from looking at that list. Here's the new-and-improved version.
2002 Revised list
10. Lacuna Coil - Comalies
9. Eminem - The Eminem Show (Even if he was running out of ways to be provocative, he still had moments of brilliance here.)
8. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head ('Viva la Vida' has made me take a look back at all of Coldplay's previous output with renewed interest. 'Parachutes' and 'X+Y' still sound pretty generic, but this one is actually pretty fresh).
7. Chevelle - Wonder What's Next
6. Mewithoutyou - [A-->B] Life (They may have smoother some of the edges down a bit and tightened up the lyrics on subsequent releases - all of which are fantastic - but they never sounded more firey than here.)
5. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People (It's rightly labelled a classic. Every song works, which is quite a feat, all things considered.)
4. Project 86 - Truthless Heroes (Cynicism and sarcasm abound. Truthless Heroes paints a portrait of American pop culture that's almost impossibly bleak. I strongly disliked this CD when I first heard it. Truth be told, I wasn't ready for it.)
3. Quarashi - Jinx (There is absolutely no reason to put this CD this high up, except it's one of the most enjoyable albums I've ever heard.)
2. Sigur Rós - ( ) (It's all sung in a made up language, no liner notes or song names, tracks that run upwards of 13 minutes - how is this music that popular? Because it's the most haunting music I think I've ever heard. People called this one "funereal", and I'd have to agree, but Track 8 is still one of the most cathartic musical experiences ever.)
1. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes (ToD took their earlier 'rough around the edges' material and refined it. The result is possibly my favorite CD ever. The album has near perfect pacing - blasting when it can, softening when it needs to. All albums should have this mix of intensity, passion, and abandon.)
Tomorrow I'll take a look at 2003.
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