This list is one louder than the others, it also doesn’t represent the opinions of all members of The Fire Tonight. However, it does represent that I clearly loved this past decade far more than David did. He showed me his list and Darius Rucker’s solo album is the only thing on it.
11. Muse – Absolution: This probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has checked out The Fire Tonight, so I thought I would get it out of the way early. While in my opinion Muse peaked with this album, that doesn’t change how ridiculously good it is. The epic songwriting, insane instrumental chops, and huge, yet raw production make this album a fantastic rock opus. In this day and age it is really nice to get punched in the face by the sound of a rock album.
10. The Bad Plus – Give: You might not have ever heard of grunge jazz, but you have now. It is a distinct fusion of jazz, rock, country, big band, I mean really, whatever these guys want to do they do. The sound may offend jazz purists but like most jazz musicians they are insanely talented and their abandonment of conventional genre boundaries really sets them apart. For an introduction, check out their cover of “Iron Man.”
9. Kevin Martin & The HiWatts – The Possibility of Being: The mid-90’s were a great time for rock music, and I always felt that Seattle-based band Candlebox was one of the more underrated acts. In the late 90’s the band split and the lead singer Kevin Martin formed the HiWatts. Their one album retains all the energy of grunge and introduces it to the strongest batch of songs that Martin has written. It is a nice burst of mid-90’s energy for the 2000’s, I guess I never outgrew being a teenager after all.
8. Nickel Creek – Why Should the Fire Die?: The last album (for now) from the well known bluegrass trio was the first album that really seemed to capture the most unique elements of their sound. It is dark, eclectic, and hopefully not the last we’ll hear from them. If I had to pick a favorite song of the decade, “Helena” would not have much competition. Also, that youtube video just proves that some people need more to do, but at least it does it with gusto.
7. The Dismemberment Plan – Change: Evidently this is the part of my list where I grieve over bands that have moved on. The Plan was one of the greatest indie bands of the late 90’s and their career was all too short. Their last effort may be a bit less edgy than earlier releases, but it is a fitting swan song full of jazz and funk inspired rock. If you haven’t heard this band, look up “The Face of the Earth” to get an idea of what you are missing. It is even accompanied by a really pretty picture of our dear planet.
6. Rufus Wainwright – Want One: If there ever were an album to be turned into an amazing musical, this would be the one. This is clearly Rufus’ most well funded release and the layers of orchestration make this album a listening experience like few others. There are times when I wonder how all of the sound was captured with such clarity, and Wainwright’s signature vocals are always at home in the lush instrumentation.
5. Angie Aparo – The American: The American was to be the start of something huge for Angie Aparo, but unfortunately not as a performer. As an artist he has remained in obscurity but has written some extremely popular songs. Problem is, they all pale in comparison to his solo work. The American shows off Angie’s absolutely amazing voice and the completely over the top (in a good way) production of Matt Serletic, back when he knew how to make a unique record. The production takes well written pop songs and turns them into versatile anthems by combining a little creativity with 80’s flare. At the heart of the effort is Angie’s amazing vocals, which you can experience here.
4. Outkast – Idlewild: Yeah, the movie was terrible, but the album is fantastic. For the most part the rap music of this decade has been sex-crazed, auto-tuned nonsense, but Outkast has still managed to put out albums that combine innovation with lyrics that are as humorous as they are intelligent. Idlewild is no different, and it exists as an unexpected yet pleasing ode to 50’s big band and thumping beats.
3. Matthew Good – Hospital Music: Canadian Matthew Good put out six great efforts with a band and without, and none of them hold a candle to Hospital Music. The move from sleek rock to Johnny Cash influenced dirty acoustic sounds may be jarring, but not as jarring as the content of the album itself. Word is, Good wrote the album following a divorce, being diagnosed as bipolar, and nearly overdosing. Its a weighty album, but a raw testament to the power of authentic and emotional music.
2. The Mars Volta – The Bedlam in Goliath: Honestly, I could have put any of the five albums released by the Mars Volta in this spot and been perfectly happy. They are all unique, rhythmically interesting, and above all non-stop progressive rock. Before I heard the Mars Volta I didn’t think I would hear a new band that could compete with my absolute favorites of classic rock, and they proved me wrong. Bedlam shows them at their musical best, and the dark nature of the story takes the band to places it hadn’t gone before. It also restored hope that good music can still win a Grammy.
1. Ben Folds – Live: For my money, Ben Folds owned the 2000’s. A live album, a live DVD with an orchestra, an in-studio Myspace DVD, 3 EP’s, a fake album, three real albums, an a capella release, a soundtrack, a reunion, a “mix it yourself” re-release, and even some nice production work (Amanda Palmer anyone?) made Ben Folds a legend in my book. He has shown himself to be a consistent innovator and one of the most talented pianists around. Of all his work this decade I picked the Live album because it captures him at his very best. Folds’ songs shine in a sleek, produced format, but even more so in their native piano environment. Kudos to Ben Folds for continually pushing the boundaries and perhaps most of all for always doing it without taking yourself too seriously.
Even though my list goes to 11, there were still albums that were left on the floor. As a result, I definitely give this decade a gold star for great music. Hopefully the next one will be just as good.
