Best of the Aughts: Albums

MUSIC LIST

by Slant Staff on February 1, 2010 Jump to Comments (13) or Add Your Own

50. Brian Wilson, Smile. Worth the wait of three decades? No, but what album could be? The even-better-but-how successor to Pet Sounds it was long rumored to be? Sadly, no, but that level of expectation would crush almost any album. Entirely successful as a teenage symphony to God? No, but Brian Wilson is hardly a teenager, so the question is somewhat unfair. Better than the various bootlegs and compilations put together by the die-hard contingent over the years? Probably not. Still among the finest and most meticulous, most sophisticated pop albums in history? And then some. JK

49. Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds. It's debatable, but this is probably the best Timbaland album ever. Sure, he's had more technically talented (Aaliyah) and insanely creative (Missy) collaborators, and some of his other projects exude more raw originality (Bubba Sparxxx's Deliverance). But this is the album most representative of what you might call the Timbaland Ideal, as typified by his Shock Value albums, where you've got the big electro chart-toppers shoved up against the vaguely Coldplay-esque big-emotion rock ballads next to the Orientalist R&B. The stylistic ADHD works well here because all the parts are so strong. Also, Justin Timberlake is on this album, and he is a talented singer and performer. DH

48. Antony and the Johnsons, I Am a Bird Now. Describing Antony Hegarty's heartbreaking vibrato with mere words is one of the trickier tasks a rock critic can take on. Comparisons to other great androgynous warblers (Nina Simone, Bryan Ferry, Klaus Nomi) fall short when you actually listen to this otherworldly talent who, on I Am a Bird Now, blows such A-list guest stars like Rufus Wainwright, Boy George, and Lou Reed out of the water. But despite Hegarty's undeniable, awesome gifts and penchant for the bizarre, Bird is still a thoroughly humble work that investigates the sorrow of loss and the brief respite of dreamlife. JN

47. Erkyah Badu, New AmErykah: Part One (4th World War). Like her equally trippy, diggable Worldwide Underground, Erykah Badu's New AmErykah: Part One (4th World War) was a promise and benediction, lush with big beats and even bigger ideas, braving to suggest that hip-hop in the last decade became a mode of learning more crucial than religion to a generation of people. Grandiose and intense, sincere even in its imperfections, it paid courageous homage to the teacher, the solider, the dreamer, the healer, even the telephone—which is to say, all messengers. EG

46. The Chemical Brothers, Come with Us. It's no wonder Gregg Araki chose "Star Guitar" as the theme song for his stoner flick Smiley Face: There's no better music to get blitzed to. "It Began in Afrika" and "Denmark" are stacked with bigger-than-life beats, but Come with Us isn't just an interplanetary acid trip. The Chemical Brothers are the ultimate mood-enhancers, and what's amazing is how fluidly each epically proportioned track flows into the next. The eerie opening notes of "My Elastic Eye," which sound like the prelude to an Edgar Allen Poe reading, gradually segue into Beth Orton's calming voice on "The State We're In," the perfect 7 a.m. comedown. PS

45. Burial, Untrue. In less than a decade, dubstep has gone from a British house curio to a Rihanna-endorsed name. But by the sounds of Hyperdub's recent compilation album, much of it just isn't very listenable. Untrue is as dense and difficult as anything to come out of the subgenre, but it also speaks to its crossover potential. Burial takes what's right about house (an undulating, propulsive beat to get lost in) and layers it with found vocals, looped and manipulated into unrecognizable howls. The result sounds like a skittish dance party haunted by dead lovers. PS

44. Sleater-Kinney, The Woods. Even in a decade that included Boris's Pink and A Place to Bury Strangers's debut, the absolute loudest single moment of the last 10 years of music is the opening shrieks and squall of "The Fox," the first track on Sleater-Kinney's explosive coda The Woods. The energy—and noise—doesn't let up for 10 straight tracks, building toward the Monks-y, 11-minute freakout "Let's Call It Love" and the still quite loud but hypnotically melancholy closer "Night Light," proving you can apparently go out with a bang and a whimper. JN

43. Missy Elliott, Miss E…So Addictive. Tweet's wispy PSA on Miss E...So Addictive's intro about not needing drugs or weed to enjoy the album would be laughable if it weren't so true. That's because beatmaster Timbaland had uncannily refined his signature sound to create an album where every song constituted a different kind of mood enhancer—bump-and-grind songs as MDMA blasts straight into our brains' pleasure centers. Like the equally empowered Erotica before it, the album is an emboldened exaltation of its maker's narcissism and sexual agency; yes, indeed, as Missy insists at one point, no drugs are needed because she is the high. EG

42. The New Pornographers, Twin Cinema. Hideous album artwork aside, there's not much to criticize about the third record by preeminent power-pop supergroup the New Pornographers. Yes, Mass Romantic is rawer, and Electric Version hits harder, but this album is more expansive and emotionally generous than either of its predecessors, and, if anything, its hooks are even more ruthless. And from the windswept grandeur of "The Bleeding Heart Show," to the oddball melodic superglue of "Sing Me Spanish Techno," to two of the three best Dan Bejar New Pornos songs ("Jackie, Dressed in Cobras" and "Streets of Fire"), it's wall-to-wall hits. DH

41. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible. Hookier, groovier, more affecting, contemplative, and adventuresome than Arcade Fire's more revered (at least by the indie sect) than Funeral, more expansive in its thematic obsessions, even if a tad more sinister in tone, Neon Bible has the biting introspection of John Kenney Toole and exudes the immaculate grace of a Terrence Davies composition. Its sonic landscape is immediately striking for its expansive scale: Its songs, which sound less performed than hurtled or exorcised, suggest immaculate visions reflected and refracted by the opening "Black Mirror." EG

Page 6 of 10

Page: « prev 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 next »

Comments

JRHG1 on February 4, 2010, 01:56 PM

Nice to see Music also on the list. It received decent acclaim on year-end lists for 2000, but has not fared as well on decade-end features. Good on Slant for remembering it. Music took things a step forward from the sound of Ray of Light, but American Life was kinda samey to Music, which is why (in part) it suffered (the material, in general, also wasn't as strong). Confessions on a Dance Floor was a nice return to form, but then she didn't quite deliver as Madonna should with Hard Candy. Going by the trend of the last four albums (in terms of quality), the next one should be a doozy. :) (hopefully)

adamant_cocoon on February 5, 2010, 08:41 AM

It was wise of you guys to place Vespertine 3rd on the list (I largely prefer it to Kid A, in that Bjork chronicles saintly amour and quiet ecstasy so beauteously); you almost got me there. I still think valleys abound in your decade-in-retrospect, which are nonetheless redeemed by 30 truly fantastic albums. Haphazard choices fare worse (No Doubt? Higher than...well, most of the list and dozens of better prospects?!!) and I'd wish Kala trumped Arular even on your watch.

FattTony on February 5, 2010, 09:50 PM

Well, this is admittedly a decent list (I should stress that I only own 18 of these albums at present, and 5 others I listened to but did not feel the need to either buy or keep, though I may now buy Kala from my local second-hand dealer, and give a second listen to others I had ignored or dismissed); I'm grateful to the compilers/reviewers for alerting me to various artists whose talents I was unaware of or unfamiliar with—though I tend to agree with 'adamant' that Rock Steady has been slightly overrated, and I'm prepared to state under oath that I believe Since I Left You to be INSANELY overrated, and that In Ghost Colours would have been INFINITELY more deserving of a place on this list—but good job overall, gang; you do a fine service for us music fans who don't have time for everything but don't want to let the best slip through our radar!

P.S. Sorry Mr. Keefe, but regardless of opinion, you should at least get your facts straight; namely, that The Disconnection did NOT get Christgau's 'dud' rating; if you actually examine his Consumer Guide with a bit of care, you'll see that he listed it as an Honourable Mention, and that he wrote an informative three-star-out-of-five review for Rolling Stone; rather than 'dismissing' the album with a single throwaway line, he was summarising his feelings about the music in the manner in which he does with every other Honourable Mention...by all means disagree with him, and you make good points about his wordplay and choice of comparisons (I love and admire him but he can be an annoying son-of-a-gun!) but how about trying to avoid making outright mistakes in your writing? (because it's otherwise pretty good!)

Jonathan Keefe on February 6, 2010, 12:24 AM

Making a list of this sort is an exercise in collective memory. In this case, I was so certain that I remembered that "dud" rating from Xgau's Village Voice "Consumer Guide" column that it didn't even occur to me to review his archives. Though the blurb in question has been amended, now this comment thread and Google cache will preserve our memories of that error. Super.

Carrie on February 6, 2010, 08:14 AM

I really liked this list!! But i thought that it was missing two albums. The first is Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, what happened guys? After that mind blowing review, 4.5 stars and such a masterpiece, the best of her career, and that means something, since Blacklisted and Middle Cyclone are terrific too. The other one is Joanna Newsom's Ys. It was called a masterpiece, it received 5 stars and yet it was not in the list, while The Milk-Eyed Mender (a terrific album by the way and one of my favorites of all time), that wasn't even reviewed by Slant made it. I'm pretty sure that was enough space to both (you guys placed to M.I.A. & Madonna albums inside the top 40) and even if it wasn't i would totally pick Ys over Mender any day. Without Ys, Mender wouldn't make this list, maybe Pitchfork's and others's since they actually gave it some attention back in 2004. Glad to see Aimee Mann and so many other records that we can only find over here in Slant's list. And Bjork inside the top 3 was awesome, and Polly Jean Harvey inside the top 20, even better. After that 3 stars review that you guys gave to Stories, a top 20 placement is awesome. I though White Chalk would make the list too, it was rated a 5. Beach House's Devotion was rated a 4.5 and didn't make it either! Speaking of Beach House you guys need to review their new album Teen Dream! But anyway solid list, i love it, i love the new website, i love Slant!

alexbwolf on February 7, 2010, 05:09 AM

Cool to see Music and Rock Steady on the list. I was surprised Rolling Stone had forgotten them in the decade 100 since both were in their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Carrie on February 7, 2010, 03:45 PM

Slant, i'm so glad you guys released the top 101-250, the albums i was complaining about not being included and others i love too were there! I'm even happier now! Slant keep doing more lists more often. The favorites from the 90's, the 80's, the 70's, the 60's (don't forget about Laura Nyro on that one!). You guys are also REALLY GOOD, i mean REALLY REALLY REALLY good when it comes to singer/songwriters, especially female, a list containing the 100 essential records or the best female albums ever would be the most awesome thing ever! I love you Slant staff! I need to come down now, sorry!

Ang on February 10, 2010, 12:34 PM

Thank you for this list. I really appreciate Slant's diverse choices. I visit this site on a regular basis and commend them for being inclusive of different genres and musicians. I made my own top 10 album list of the Aughts (it wasn't easy) and seven of the ten are on this list! I would have liked to see Neko too, and Fever Ray's debut album (2009) floored me.

Gila on February 14, 2010, 03:42 AM

As per usual when these kinds of retrospective lists come out, I try to seek out a lot of the albums listed. Thanks to Slant for introducing me to Goldfrapp's debut which is shockingly good- I had no idea they made an album that sounds like this. A left-field pick, but a good one.

I just wish there could have been some room made for at least one of Neko Case's albums (a second Goldfrapp album, more than 1 Liars album, and Neon Bible, I could live without) or Joanna Newsom's Ys in the Top 100.

Some Guy on February 17, 2010, 01:46 PM

I'm just curious: why didn't the Pet Shop Boys' Fundamental make it into the top 100? It's a fantastic album that, if not outright placement in the upper section of this list, deserves at least to be ranked higher than the stillborn Release.

T-Money on February 18, 2010, 04:18 AM

Pretty awesome list! Damn, I have to say that several of my favorite albums made the cut, and I'm glad to have been introduced to some new ones.

Some albums I thought would be deserving of this list would have been...

Bloc Party—Silent Alarm

Despite the generally downward trajectory that Bloc Party have taken in recent years, this album remains a gem in British indie/post-punk. An absolutely stunning album.

Zero 7—Simple Things

While Thievery Corporation may be the most recognizable name in the low-fi electronic genre, this album is one of the most mellow and smoothest sets produced.

Kings of Convenience—Riot on an Empty Street

Now I may be alone on this one, but the track "Cayman Islands" is the closest we have gotten to Simon and Garfunkel in quite a while. This is beautiful album, perfect for that rainy day when you want to curl up with your hot chocolate in hand.

Mastodon—Leviathan

When you need to rage and get every motherfucker in the room's attention, this is the AK47 of your musical arsenal. The concept album, inspired by Moby Dick, is epic. The final track, "Hearts Alive," is nothing short of glorious.

fjraz on March 1, 2010, 01:53 PM

T-Money: I absolutely agree with Zero 7 and Kings of Convenience...truly standout albums.

Now, if I could recommend a little something, these two albums by (in my opinion) the finest Asian music exports would have made the list:

Anggun—Luminescence (2005)

This did not get a release outside of Europe, but it's a fantastic pop record nonetheless. Simply classy and demure...pop at its finest, much like her very underrated (hell everything about her always seems underrated) 1997/1998 international debut, "Snow on the Sahara". But "Luminescence" packs in more confidence, attitude and soul...had it been released in North America it would have been a massive hit record.

Key tracks: "In Your Mind", "Undress Me", "Breathe in Water", "Saviour" and the acoustic version of "Captivity".

2. Utada—Exodus (2004)

Released in the US in late 2004, it didn't do much outside of the club scene. Timbaland co-wrote 2 and produced 3 tracks here: the sweeping, ethereal-sounding (and standout) "Exodus '04" as well as "Wonder 'Bout" and "Let Me Give You My Love" (remember, this was pre-"Loose" and "FutureSex/LoveSounds"). Yes it comes off downright silly at times (especially on the album's lead single, "Easy Breezy"), but heck, there's some other gems to be found here. She released an English follow-up last year with "This is The One": a lot mainstream-sounding, but still great. Nevertheless, this *is* actually the one.

Key tracks: "Devil Inside", "Exodus '04", "Hotel Lobby", "Animato", "Kremlin Dusk"

Branching out a little further...

Sugababes—One Touch (2000)

The edgiest album ever to come out by any girlband, and by the most successful girlband of the 21st century not many in North America know about. Never mind about the line-up changes, how none of the original founding members are not even in the band right now or even their more mainstream-sounding follow-ups, this is a standout debut that never got quite the recognition it deserved. Moreover, this is actually the band's only album to feature all three original members.

Key tracks: "Overload", "New Year", "Soul Sound", "Lush Life", "Run for Cover"

Siobhan Donaghy—Revolution in Me (2003)

Exactly. The first member of the Sugababes to leave and perhaps the best one. Now we all know who was the mastermind of One Touch's left-field pop, offbeat moments. A very impressive solo debut that went very underrated (#117 in the UK). Well, she's anything but "overrated".

Key tracks: "Overrated", "Nothing But Song", "Revolution in Me", "Twist of Fate", "Iodine"

juniusmaltby on March 26, 2010, 12:48 AM

Jack White is a great guitar player, no doubt. But Tom Morello can play circles around him.

Add Your Own

Features

Oren Moverman

On the phone from L.A., the Oscar-nominated writer-director chatted with Slant about his experience making Rampart.
by Gary Kramer

Giveaway

Slant Magazine