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25. Hold On Now, Youngster... - Los Campesinos! (2008)
This is a golden slice of hipster pop that really helped me through some oddly angsty-times in my sophomore year of college. The song "Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks" really sticks out in my mind and helped me through that time. It's really weird too, because this album is pure pop goodness, but it was able to help me through some serious angst. It doesn't make sense, but what in life does?Highlights: Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks, You!Me!Dancing!
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24. Fearless - Taylor Swift (2008)
Taylor Swift may have single-handedly re-established my faith in mainstream pop music. Her music embodies everything I want music to be. It's authentic, there's a real person expressing real emotions, real fears, real hopes behind it. It's catchy, she has the musical maturity of an artist who has been writing pop songs all her life. I may not be a teenage girl, so I can't perfectly relate with everything she expresses here, but when music is done this well, I can't help but sit back and admire. "Love Story" is a contender of song of the decade, in my eyes.
Highlights: Love Story, Fearless, Tell Me Why, Forever & Always
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23. The Crane Wife - The Decemberists (2006)
What an album! "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)" is one of my songs of choice for singing really really loud when nobody's listening (or if it's just my sisters there, cuz they'll join in, I'm sure.) Not only is there great sing-a-longs like "Yankee Bayonet," there's also sprawling epics like "The Island." This album does it all. I'm sure that if I continued to delve further into the album, such as paying attention to the Japanese historical concept behind it, I'd love this album even more. But that's really not necessary, I don't think I could handle loving something that much.
Highlights: Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then), The Island, O Valencia!
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22. Relationship of Command - At-the-Drive-In (2000)
This has become my "pump-up" album. Every time, before a midterm or a final, chances are that this is what I'm listening to at the moment. The energy pumps me up like none other. God bless Cedric Bixler and his screams.
Highlights: One Armed Scissor, Sleepwalk Capsules, Rolodex Propaganda, Arcarsenal
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21. The Eminem Show - Eminem (2002)
Speaking of "pump-up" music, here it is. Along with Relationship of Command, the combination of "Say What You Say" and "'Til I Collapse" pretty much sums up my music playlist whenever I really need to get invigorated to accomplish something. Along with that, there's the fact that this album came along really early in my music-loving infancy, and it was one of the most catchy albums I had ever heard. It's an odd pick for a favorite Eminem album, but it really has a special place in my heart.
Highlights: 'Til I Collapse, Sing For the Moment, Square Dance, Say What You Say
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20. The College Dropout - Kanye West (2004)
Sure, Kanye West would go on to become some sort of ego-driven maniac later on in the decade, but really, that Kanye seems like a completely different person. In this album, Kanye West is charming, down-to-earth, and extremely relate-able to me. Both "Jesus Walks" and "Family Business" are two of my favorite songs because of the sentiment they're portraying. In fact, "Family Business" has a line that I've actually been using as a personal motto since 2004: "Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God, and keep your face to the rising sun." A part of that line greets me every time I turn on my cell phone. So, no matter what other shenanigans Kanye wants to pull in the future, I'll always have his back because he gave me/us this album.
Highlights: Jesus Walks, Family Business, All Falls Down
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19. Futures - Jimmy Eat World (2004)
This is the first album I heard from what eventually became my favorite active band, Jimmy Eat World. If you asked me at the time, I would have told you... "No. There's no way Jimmy Eat World could top this." It's an album worthy enough to be the pinnacle of many other artists' discographies. It's a bundle of angsty emo-ness, and boy, did I use it as such in high school. I can't put into words how catharic "Kill" has been for me, it's probably saved me a lot of acne and maybe a couple of years in my life. Jimmy Eat World is a band that I can deeply relate with, and that's why I love them. They are also a band that continually writes gorgeous songs, which is another reason why I adore the hell outta them.
Highlights: 23, Kill, Work
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18. Riot! - Paramore (2007)
Aside from helping me develop a pretty hardcore celebrity crush on Hayley Williams, Paramore has been pretty important in my life. I think I like them so much because of what they represent. More than writing mean hooks, they're also authentic with the music they write, in terms of the emotions. They have fun. They have this wide-eyed innocence, but realization that they're growing up right now... something that's struck a chord with me. "That's What You Get" sort of epitomizes this... Hayley obviously dealt with problems, but addressed them, overcame her obstacles. And came out all the better for it, because "that's what you get when you let your heart win."
Highlights: That's What You Get, When It Rains, crushcrushcrush
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17. Blackwater Park - Opeth (2001)
Will probably always be my favorite death metal album. It's important to me because of what it represents in the development of my musical taste. It's the point at which I feel I expanded my boundaries. In some alternate universe, there's a Lucas who can't believe that this certain Lucas can listen to this sort of music. But I do, and I love it. Because I would hate to miss out on all the "Bleak"s of the world.
Highlights: Bleak, Blackwater Park, The Drapery Falls
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16. In Rainbows - Radiohead (2007)
During somewhere between late junior year of HS to freshman year of college (late 2005- late 2006-ish), I went through this completely dry spell in terms of music. I wasn't listening to much new music, and if I was tracking it, I'm sure it could be seen that my music listening overall was down as well. Then came this album. It sort of sucked me back into music, made me fall in love with it again. And guess what? I haven't had a dry spell since.
Highlights: 15 Step, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, Jigsaw Falling Into Place, Reckoner
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15. Funeral - Arcade Fire (2004)
I'd just like to say that I was rocking out to this before frickin Where the Wild Things Are put it on it's soundtrack, and consequently, it's new KROQ airtime slot. I mean, c'mon, KROQ. This album is over FIVE YEARS OLD. You douches, if it was good enough to recognize, you should have done it five years ago. Why do you need Hollywood-approval to put this on? In a way, I guess this is one of those "I was on this before the bandwagon started!" sort of things, but anybody remotely indie would slap the hell out of me for suggesting Arcade Fire was ever ultra-indie or obscure or anything of the sort. And there's a reason for that: this album is hot-fire.
Highlights: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies)
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14. The Ugly Organ - Cursive (2003)
My first introduction to emo music. In high school, I thought this was one of the best albums I had ever heard. It's emotionally poignant, and there are good, catchy tunes that demand that you rock out while listening. Right now, as I'm typing this, I think that all of the above still holds true.
Highlights: Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand, The Recluse, Driftwood: A Fairy Tale, Staying Alive
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13. Kid A - Radiohead (2000)
I don't think I really have a huge emotional connection this album or anything. No cute story like one I have for In Rainbows. But the fact that this might be the most perfect album I've ever heard... well, that sort of makes up for it. Easily Radiohead's pinnacle in my eyes, and very likely the pinnacle of the 2000s overall.
Highlights: The National Anthem, Idioteque, Kid A
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12. Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World (2001)
This is the best mainstream pop album I can think of. I defy you to listen to this album, and not find one song that you like. It's filled with such pop gems from top to bottom. It doesn't hold the same emotional impact that the other Jimmy Eat World albums hold with me, but when the songs are this well-written, this catchy, this toe-tapping... who the hell cares?!
Highlights: A Praise Chorus, If You Don't, Don't, The Authority Song
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11. Buiikikaesu - Maximum the Hormone (2007)
This album is about as freaky as the guy on the cover. When you think of a good metal album, you tend to think adjectives such as "epic" and "sweeping." This album spits on that notion. Somehow, even while being a metal album, it's able to become the most FUN album I have ever heard, an adjective you wouldn't normally associate with the genre. But then, there's that... the issue of genre. This album also seems determined to not just stay rooted in one genre: there's infusions of punk, pop, and funk throughout this thing. Seriously, Buiikikaesu... what the hell? You are like a freak of nature...a beautiful freak of nature.
Highlights: Buiiki Kaesu!!, Bikini Sports Punchin, Koi No Mega Lover
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10. Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective (2009)
What I've read somewhere is that Animal Collective, in the past, experimented with "tribal sounds." And with this album, the "tribe" that they've finally come to write about is our own suburban American lives. I think Pitchfork wrote that, and that is so right-on in describing the appeal of this album: the lyrics and emotions behind the music are completely familiar, but the music itself... well I guess it depends on what type of music you're familiar with. But, at it's core, they are writing about people like you and me. This is where the charm is. I love albums that I can relate to (I don't think I'm unique in that regard), and I sure as hell relate to this one. Case in point: "My Girls." If I had the flippin' talent, I would have written this song. This song is so frickin' ME, it should have been MINE. The song is my life anthem. Same goes for the rest of the album, for the most part. This is really the album I wish I wrote, but damnit, Animal Collective frickin' got to it first.
Highlights: My Girls, Daily Routine, Taste, Bluish
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9.No Name Face - Lifehouse (2000)
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. This sounds to me like one of the best mainstream albums to touch the market in the 2000s. However, nobody seems to agree with me, whether it be the media, the critics, or my fellow common music fan. Well, I don't care! This is the perfection of post-grunge pop-rock to me, and "Everything" is very likely my favorite song of all time! (seriously, it probably is.) So, sure, y'all can ignore No Name Face, but that just means more for me!
Highlights: Everything, Only One, Breathing
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8. Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? - Of Montreal (2007)
Albums usually have peaks and valleys. You know. Highlights. Some lowlights, hopefully minimized, if it's a good enough album. Well... not this album. A joy ride the entire way through, it feels like the album just keeps peaking. Peaking to the point where you have no idea what a peak is anymore, so you just shut up and enjoy. Then it'll end, and you'll put it back on again, and you're trekking up those mountains again. It never stops, and you never want it to. It's a drug, this one.
Highlights: A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger, The Past is a Grotesque Animal, Cato As Pun
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7. American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
The biggest musical surprise for me, ever. Hearing the "American Idiot" single on the radio, I wanted to gag. Green Day getting political? What the hell? There's something to be said for knowing your limits, right? But then I actually listened to the album, and it swept me off my feet. This is one of the best concept albums I've ever heard, it was an absolute home run. While most people nay-say this album (probably had the same opinion and reaction to the album as I did when I only heard the single), it taught me two things. First: don't judge an album by just one song, give the whole thing a chance. Second: give mainstream albums a chance. As someone who dislikes about 90% of what i hear on the radio, I really needed this second lesson. And it's served me well, keeping my mind open to other great artists I would have not given a shot otherwise, such as Taylor Swift and My Chemical Romance.
Highlights: Jesus of Suburbia, Give Me Novacaine, She's a Rebel
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6. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips (2002)
A neo-psychedelic album about a Japanese girl taking vitamins so she can fight big pink robots. Does any more need to be said? I thought not.
Highlights: Fight Test, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, Do You Realize??
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5. The Best Party Ever - The Boy Least Likely To (2005)
This is seriously the cutest album I've ever heard. It's an odd word to use to describe music, but look at that album cover. That's actually a good description of the musical content inside. However, there's also like...this huge rampant insecurity about growing up and life in general within these lyrics. It's an interesting dichotomy, and something I've been able to relate to a lot. Imagine that cute bear thing on the cover singing "How did I ever get to be a mess, so soon in my life?," and it being catchy as hell. That about sums it up.
Highlights: Paper Cuts, I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes, Hugging My Grudge
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4. Never Take Friendship Personal - Anberlin (2005)
The album in which I've been most able to indulge my angst throughout my life, I think. Not only are the songs insanely good, insanely catchy, they've acted as somewhat of an emotional outlet, especially valuable to me during my angsty high school years. That's the textbook definition of great emo music, isn't it? Thank you, Never Take Friendship Personal. Whenever I needed to angst out, you've been there for me, and I don't think I'd be quite the same person without you.
Highlights: Dance, Dance Christa Paffgen, (The Symphony of) Blase, Paperthin Hymn
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3. Lateralus - Tool (2001)
In all honesty, this is probably THE album that made me fall in love with music. This is the one piece that pushed me over the edge. Without Lateralus, I cannot see myself loving music the way I do today. Without Lateralus, I may not have 25 albums to put on this list.
Highlights: Parabol/Parabola, Lateralus
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2. Remedy Lane - Pain of Salvation (2002)
The most emotional music I have ever heard. Once, I was near tears listening to "Rope Ends" and "A Trace of Blood." No homo. I've never been near tears with any other album, never. This is probably the 2nd most important album in terms of me developing my love for music, after Lateralus. For me, this album basically shows the extent of the power that music can have. In a way, this is the album that made me "believe" in music. Wow, I sound like such a hippie wuss with this entry, let's pretend this never happened (me being a wuss, not me listening to this awesome possum album).
Highlights: Rope Ends, Dryad of the Woods, A Trace of Blood
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1. Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven! - Godspeed You Black Emperor! (2000)
I've always been about art that can portray the human condition. I think that's really what the point of art is. Anywhere you look. Artists are showing us the brokenness of what it means to be a human being, and we can relate, simply because we are human too. And we can not feel so alone, so broken. For a little while, anyway.
For me, there's no better album that portrays the human condition than Lift Yr. Skinny Fists. There's exaltation, there's sobering shocks of reality, there's nostalgia, there's longing, there's acceptance. A huge wealth of the emotional spectrum is displayed here, and I can find something new everytime I go back to it. And, unlike a lot of music, I never find Lift Yr. Skinny Fists ever feel like it's getting "old," which is incredibly impressive.
So in the end, GYBE! does this most basic aspect of art the best to me. They show me our shared emotions, as human beings. They show me that I'm not alone, that nobody is alone... but that we still sort of are. We're all just little puny creatures, hoping for something more than this broken life we know, and waving our skinny fists like antennas to heaven.
Highlights: Storm, Sleep
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