Rolling Stone Top 100 Albums of the 00s listening thread

Why Not Wilco

You know I should be all over Wilco as a band as stylistically they should really appeal to me but for some reason I have just never been able to give them more than a cursory listen. I don’t own a single album. Just one of those bands I guess where you can recognize their talent yet you can’t seem to join the party.

 

I know that there is a System Of A Down album, but I wonder why hardrock and metal (and progressive rock) are always non-existant in lists like these. I think Porcupine Tree and Opeth have both released masterpieces in the last decade.

 

I was planning on doing my own top 100 list, or top 10 that didn't make this list, or something like that, at the end. Assuredly, Porcupine Tree and Opeth will be there.

Mainstream rock criticism and Rolling Stone are notoriously anti-prog and anti-metal.

 

I find myself (much like your last thread) trying hard NOT to read many of the responses because of the 'spoiler' issue. I too like very much not knowing what's on the list and whether or not some of my faves are coming or were omitted. So I try to read the first couple words to determine where the comment is going.

Glad you're back!

 

#96 Original Pirate Material- The Streets

Ever wonder what Ian Dury would sound like if he had a Mac? Ok me neither but this album is pretty engaging.

Electronica/techno is one of the few genres of music I never could get into. I think it's because it's dance music that often has no swing or groove (I'm of the R&B/fhip-hop booggier variety), and a lot of it sounds samey and repetitive.

But this Mike Skinner guy (the "band" name is just a guy, like Nine Inch Nails, apparently) manages to inject a unique personality and actually funny or interesting lyrics, along with enough stylish flourishes to make this record a lot of fun.

I think if you can dig Massive Attack you can dig this. Massive Attack is the only the group that makes anything like electronica I know, so I will compare every such album to Massive Attack. By the way, The Streets sounds nothing like Massive Attack. I'm old and I don't understand the young people!

But the great thing about this record is that it sets out to make you understand the young people. Vivid and blunt descriptions of "a day in the life of a geezer," and it's sophisticated enough to include humor and expose the dark side, especially on the impressively haunting final track.

What also helps here is the track sequence. It makes the whole thing feel like an "album," which is very impressive considering it's a genre that plays to singles and remixes.

The 2nd record is supposed to be some sort of concept album. I will check that out as well.

 

Thanks god Mike B is back. Not a single album reviewed so far that I really liked when they came in. Not even a single artist that I truly respect (with the notable exception of Leonard Cohen).
My perception is that the 00´s were the weakest decade since rock´n roll inception. And that was by a large margin. I don´t think I can count more 20great albums.

 

If you like these aspects of the first, you're really gonna like the next one. Big drop off in quality after album #2 though.

 

100% agree withChip Z...the second Streets album is a masterpiece but it is all down here from there

 

I really like the Streets in small doses. Geezers! Love it! Like a male Lily Allen! I've had it on my MP3 player in random and liked the tracks I heard. I don't know if I would want to hear the album as a whole. For the most part I find rap albums very boring and repetitive, but I can enjoy it a song at a time.

 

Only have a handful of these albums. Need to buy Vespertine, Sea Changes and Amnesiac. To much crap I mean rap in that list for me, also what's with the coldplay albums booooring and although a legendary artist in his heyday, are these Bob Dylan releases worthy entries? Glad to see Kings of Leon in there after the bashing they got in their dedicated thread

 

The Rolling Stone site is too slow for me for some reason so I got the list from another site. I sent you a PM as maybe the list is deliberately left off the thread by the OP to focus on discussion of each album working the way from 100 to 1.

 

I love Dear Heather - it's my kind of weird. I love how flat-out weird Cohen can still be even in his 70s.

Craig.

 

Sky Blue Sky is really an amazing album. Song for song its just pure quality, I would say its my favorite right now in their catalogue. Very much reminds me of one of the great 70's albums. People often compare them to Radiohead, they remind me a lot more of The Greatful Dead. Should have been listed a lot higher in the top 100, whatever its just a list. Yes, His name is Nels Cline, I much prefer this latest lineup (with Nels) compared to the previous lineups of Wilco, they just seem to be more cohesive and sound like a unit. In live performances it seems Jeff is having a blast.

I agree I cant stand the singer in TV on The Radio, its what keeps me from listening to them, same thing with Death Cab For Cutie, singer kills it for me.

To the person that asked if the Dylan albums belong in the list? Of course they do, Dylans work in the 00's has been really good, I think he has dropped 100 percent quality since about 1997 or a little earlier, which is amazing to me cause starting in the 70's he was really hit or miss, almost a complete miss in the 80's, so in my opinion he has had a long run of top quality albums, Time Out of Mind, Love and Theft, Modern Times, Together through Life and the Tell Tale Signs box are all superb. Thats quite a run, over 10 years. I havent listened to the Christmas album but plan on picking it up, im sure its neat for christmas music.

 

I, for one, say the Dylan albums from the last decade don't belong on the list....maybe "Modern Times". I just don't get all the praise for "Love & Theft", and I LOVE Bob. I think I'm tired of the old-timey music/production fad. I would much rather listen to "Empire Burlesque" or "Under The Red Sky". He just sounds crabby on this album. I like it when he's really pissed, not just trying to sound like an old-time hobo singer.

 

There are WAY too many other great albums released by people not named Bob Dylan that should be on the list.

 

Different strokes I guess..........

I would much prefer he continue the way he has (boring in your opinion, stellar in my opinion) and leaves his legacy strong. Empire Burlesque type albums at this point would do more to ruin his legacy in the long run in my opinion.

 

After glancing through the list, some thoughts:

Much worse chart IMO than the Rate Your Music one. Not saying there are bad choices, but the rankings are all over the place. Iillinoise at only #78, below Franz Ferdinand?? Even though the 00s remain for me the weakest decade for music, I've found a lot more great music than I originally gave it credit for, but I still don't see how a Justin Timberlake album can belong on any best of list that professes to cover a wide range of genres.

Anyway, from that list I own/have heard:
1. Radiohead - Kid A
3. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (at least they got those two right)
6. Arcade Fire - Funeral
20. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (admittedly heard only once, and while I don't want to speak ill of the dead this is way too high, should be more like #80. An album that shows great talent and potential, but with tracks that veer dangerously close to lounge music and others that seem a bit too short and undeveloped)
25. Radiohead - Amnesiac (too high, this feels largely like uninspired outtakes from Kid A, which to be fair is exactly what it is)
29. Sigur Ros - Agatis Byrjun (seems about right but isn't this a 90s album?)
30. Radiohead - In Rainbows
47. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (too low, should be top 20)
59. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights (way too low)
71. Franz Ferdinand (vastly overpraised by some, undeniably catchy and solid songwriting, but doesn't wear well over repeated listenings. Just feels like I've heard it all before, be it David Bowie-style glam rock, late 70s/early 80s post-punk, 80s American lo fi alt rock or 90s Britpop, but this placing seems about right)
78. Sufjan Stevens -Illinoise (put this at least 60 places higher and you won't hear me complaining)
89. Radiohead - Hail to The Thief (I actually dig this somewhat more than Amnesiac, although if they met each other halfway that would be OK)

Some glaring omissions:
Modest Mouse - Moon in Antarctica (are they actually aware of this band's existence?)
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Madvillain - Madvillainy (but plenty of love for 50 Cent and Eminem...I see.)
Portishead - Third
At least one more Sufjan Stevens album

 

You could say the same for U2.

 

This album should be in the top 5

 

...their masterpiece. I would put Damnation and Deliverance in the mix as well.

 

Wow, I only own 27 or 28 albums on that list. I must be out of it.



Just in case, hope no one minds, this is only for review purposes and we'll continue on with the discussion as normal:

BEST ALBUMS
100 Leonard Cohen – 10 New Songs
99 The Hold Steady – Almost Killed Me
98 TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain
97 Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
96 The Streets – Original Pirate Material
95 Alicia Keys – Songs In A Minor
94 The Libertines – Up The Brackett
93 Johnny Cash – Unearthed
92 Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
91 The Hives – Veni Vidi Vicious
90 Amadou & Miriam – Dimanche A Bamako
89 Radiohead – Hail To The Thief
88 Brian Wilson – Smile
87 Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
86 The Postal Service – Give Up
85 Coldplay – Viva La Vida
84 Eminem – The Eminem Show
83 The Black Keys – Attack & Release
82 Queens Of The Stone Age – Rated R
81 Ryan Adams – Gold
80 Kings Of Leon – Youth And Young Manhood
79 The New Pornographers – Electric Version
78 Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise
77 Yo La Tengo – And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
76 Sigur Rós – ( )
75 Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
74 Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
73 Coldplay – Parachutes
72 Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
71 Bright Eyes – Lifted Of The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground
70 Sleater-Kinney – The Woods
69 Missy Elliott – Under Construction
68 U2 – How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
67 Björk – Vespertine
66 Antony & The Johnsons – I Am A Bird Now
65 Manu Chao – Próxima Estación Esperanza
64 Gillian Welch – Time The Revelator
63 Kanye West – 808s And Heartbreak
62 Johnny Cash – American III: Solitary May
61 The Shins – Oh, Inverted World
60 Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
59 Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights
58 Danger Mouse – The Grey Album
57 Death Cab For Cutie – Transatlanticism
56 Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
55 Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
54 Norah Jones – Come Away With Me
53 Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night
52 M.I.A. – Arular
51 Spoon – Kill The Moonlight
50 Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning
49 Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine
48 TV On The Radio – Dear Science
47 Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
46 Justin Timberlake – FutureSex/LoveSounds
45 Kanye West – Graduation
44 System Of A Down – Toxicity
43 The Killers – Hot Fuss
42 Elliott Smith – Figure 8
41 Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
40 Kanye West – Late Registration
39 Kings Of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak
38 Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
37 50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
36 U2 – No Line On The Horizon
35 PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
34 OutKast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
33 Daft Punk – Discovery
32 Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
31 My Morning Jacket – Z
30 Radiohead – In Rainbows
29 Sigur Rós – Ágætis Byrjun
28 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell
27 The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
26 Cat Power – The Greatest
25 Radiohead – Amnesiac
24 Bruce Springsteen – Magic
23 D’Angelo – Voodoo
22 Green Day – American Idiot
21 Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head
20 The White Stripes – White Blood Cells
19 Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
18 MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
17 Beck – Sea Change
16 OutKast – Stankonia
15 Bruce Springsteen – The Rising
14 Jay-Z – The Black Album
13 U2 – All That You Can’t Leave Behind
12 LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver
11 Bob Dylan – Love And Theft
10 Kanye West – The College Dropout
09 M.I.A. – Kala
08 Bob Dylan – Modern Times
07 Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
06 Arcade Fire – Funeral
05 The White Stripes – Elephant
04 Jay-Z – The Blueprint
03 Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
02 The Strokes – Is This It
01 Radiohead – Kid A

 

Only 17 days to go before I can wax lyrical about Illinoise, I suppose that's one positive to be gained from its scandalously low placing!

 

#95: Songs In A Minor- Alicia Keys

Melding R&B with hip-hop seemed to become the holy grail of popular music in the late 90s and continues today. The ambition is understandable- hip-hop is now the main style of popular music, has a killer beat, and offers power and style. R&B's rich history provides soul, swing, class, and sexiness.

Unfortunately, even at the top of the charts the results are often mixed. Sometimes it's done with craft and taste but doesn't inspire (Mary J Blige), sometimes it's just awkward (usually when rappers include a love ballad somewhere deep in an album), usually it's dull (John Legend, Mariah Carey), and occasionally it truly is inspired (Erykah Badu).

To me, Alicia Keys falls in the "competent but not inspiring" camp. She's like Mary J Blige's sexier younger sister. So overall the music is pretty good and is pleasant enough when it's on, but the individual songs aren't terribly memorable.

To her credit, she was only 20 years old when she made this record! Pretty damn good, then.

One musical quibble with Alicia Keys: she just does not sound good on the songs without the beat, the piano ballads. Melodies are weak and her voice comes off as thin.

One personal quibble with Alicia Keys: not so much her personally, but how the entertainment hype machine seemed to make her come off as this Mozart-like wunderkind super-talent. Yes, she plays, writes, and sings. She is talented. But I'm afraid the bar for pop music talent has been set so low (and no this isn't just a recent thing despite what half of you are probably thinking, top-40 pop has always been pretty silly and about style, looks and marketing) that some people end up exaggerating the positive attributes of other musicians. OMG Alicia Keys can play an instrument! OMG Lady Gaga can actually sing notes and write tunes! OMG Adele sings pretty good! Folks… professional musicians are supposed to do that.

Favorite thing about Keys musically: sound/tone/personality of her romantic come-on tunes, like the massive hit Fallin'. Work it, girl.

Favorite thing about Keys personally/stylistically: she's a truly stunning woman, but doesn't prance about like a whore, as is the default style for young female pop singers. Maybe that's another reason she's such a Grammy-magnet- not being a brazen strumpet makes one looks more like a serious musician. And, of course, it does. But, again… low bar, people.

By the way if you're reading this Alicia, feel free to use "not a whore" as part of your marketing campaign on you next album or tour.

 

Great write-up on Alicia - pretty much nails how I feel about her. I own two of her full-lengths and respect her as an artist, but find nothing too compelling about any of it, and rarely listen to them.

Being drop-dead gorgeous doesn't hurt either...

BTW - speaking of Mary J., I find her much more the substantial artist, and can't believe "Growing Pains" at least isn't on that list somewhere (high up I would suggest)...