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Top 100 Albums of 2000s
Adam King
March 22, 2010
Well now that I'm entering the new decade with a brand new computer, I'm ready to re-enter an onslaught of bloggatory commentry. Here is, with no description, my top 100 albums of the Twenty-Oughts, in order, shame and sarcasm free.

1. Radiohead - Kid A
2. My Morning Jacket - Z
3. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
4. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
5. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
6. White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
7. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
8. Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus
9. mu'm - Finally We Are No One
10. The Postal Service - Give Up
11. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
12. Radiohead - In Rainbows
13. Arcade Fire - Funeral
14. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
15. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Continued
16. Dr. Dog - Fate
17. The Slip - Eisenhower
18. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
19. Sonic Youth - Murray Street
20. Mice Parade - Mice Parade
21. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
22. Beck - Sea Change
23. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
24. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
25. Dan Deacon - Bromst
26. Peter, Bjorn, & John - Writer's Block
27. Ween - White Pepper
28. Wilco - A Ghost is Born
29. The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
30. Danger Doom - The Mouse & The Mask
31. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
32. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
33. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
34. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
35. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Pig Lib
36. Dr. Dog - We All Belong
37. Sigur Ros - ( )
38. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
39. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
40. Death Cab for Cutie - The Photo Album
41. Jay-Z - Unplugged
42. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
43. Radiohead - Amnesiac
44. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
45. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
46. The Dead Weather - Horehound
47. Drummer - Feel Good Together
48. Beck - Guero
49. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
50. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
51. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight
52. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
53. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
54. Phish - Vegas 96
55. Talib Kweli & Hitek - Reflection Eternal
56. Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
57. Ween - Quebec
58. Bjork - Medu'lla
59. Beck - The Information
60. Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
61. Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up
62. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
63. Mice Parade - Bem-Vinda Vontade
64. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
65. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Shake Your Bones
66. The Breeders - Mountain Battles
67. Tool - Lateralus
68. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
69. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
70. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
71. Cake - Comfort Eagle
72. Benevento/Russo Duo - Play, Pause, Stop
73. Jay-Z - The Black Album
74. Passion Pit - Manners
75. The Polyphonic Spree - Live From Austin
76. The New Pornographers - Electric Version
77. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
78. The White Stripes - Elephant
79. Mastodon - Blood Mountain
80. Marco Benevento - Invisible Baby
81. David Gilmore - On an Island
82. My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves
83. Built to Spill - Ancient Melodies of the Future
84. I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends
85. Tapes and Tapes - The Loon
86. The Apples in Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
87. Gorillaz - Gorillaz
88. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
89. Secret Machines - Secret Machines
90. Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
91. God Speed You Black Emperor - Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
92. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
93. Spiritualized - Songs in A and E
94. Beastie Boys - To The Five Boroughs
95. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - 100 Days
96. Arcade Fire - Arcade Fire
97. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder
98. Guided by Voices - Earthquake Glue
99. Loney, dear - Loney, noir.
100. No Age - Nouns Brad Mehldau/Jon Brion Collaborate Again For Highway Rider
Mike McKinley
March 16, 2010
A few nights ago‚ Adam King (State of Mind writer) was telling me about his "100 Best Albums of the Decade" list. We discussed many records -- the obvious and not so obvious ones. As we jumped record to record‚ one that popped up in my head that I would rank high on my list is Brad Mehldau's Largo.

I have not interviewed Mehldau yet‚ unfortunately. Years ago it was in the works‚ but it fell through and I haven't pursued it since. He's still one of those musicians I feel like I need to talk to‚ as his playing resonates so deeply with me. This was around the time that either Day is Done or House On Hill was released -- both records showcasing the incredible dynamics of his trio (piano‚ bass and drums). A lot of people would say this is Mehldau at his best -- just playing live‚ acoustic with his trio.

Largo‚ from 2002‚ was different. He teamed up with producer Jon Brion and made a record that gave jazz a kick in the teeth. It's so "jazz" because of how fresh‚ forward-thinking and evolving it sounds. Mehldau's distinct voice on the piano comes through -- he hauntingly wraps himself around the melody of Radiohead's "Parnoid Android" and his playing is so sensitive and gorgeous on "When It Rains." He plays vibes on a mash up of "Waves/Mother Nature's Son" that sounds like nothing he's ever done before or since -- it's stunning. And throughout‚ Largo buzzes with dissonant electronics and interesting grooves (you have to love a record with Matt Chamberlain on drums)‚ and it sounds as if he grabbed all the great sounds of the modern age and found an interesting way to use them and twist them around. And with that‚ the album represents one of my favorite parts about the nature of the jazz language -- it feels like right now and we're looking ahead.

One of the things I wanted to pick his brain about then was whether or not he had the desire to make another record with as much sonic experimentation as Largo. The question has been answered today (3/16) with the release of Highway Rider -- a new collaboration between Brad and Jon. Check out the video:



Here's a cool blog that talks about the influence Largo had on younger musicians.

Visit Brad Mehldau
MGMT - "Flash Delirium"
Mike McKinley
March 12, 2010
I find MGMT's music to have the perfect blend of the inventive and homogenized. I think that's why their music is such a point of contention between so many music fans. I've heard it from a lot of my friends; they either love it or hate it.

While listening to their new track "Flash Delirium" -- from the upcoming record Congratulations (out April 13) -- for the first time I felt both extremes of love and hate. At first, it was hard to even get through. But then it started to work: I found myself totally digging the bass line, then a change happened and the vocals shifted and my ears perked up. And then… weird synthetic flutes? Awesome. It's like they sprinkle magic over the overly familiar. I still don't know what to make of it, but I do know that I want to listen again. It goes to show that these guys are tapping into something… download at their site whoismgmt.com.

"Flash Delirium"



Their last record, Oracular Spectacular, didn't excite me like it did for a lot of my fellow music geek friends. It still hasn't sunk in yet. But for some reason this video for "Kids" -- that the band didn't even make (and has 26 million views on YouTube) -- is so compelling. The groove, the painted faces, the dancing weather guy, random clips from 90s pop culture, the cinematography, etc. makes me just want to watch over and over again. I guess I'm not alone. And what dark corner of my mind finds this girl -- with the painted face, dancing around and lip syncing -- completely irresistible? I'm just typing my thoughts, please don't answer that.

American Babies - "Weight of the World"
Mike McKinley
March 3, 2010
It's always a treat getting an email from Tom Hamilton of Brothers Past and American Babies. This morning my inbox had an mp3 off of the new American Babies EP Weight of the World (the title track, listen below). I've always loved that Tom could put on a hell of a live show (you could hang out and party with Brothers Past for two sets and three hours of playing) and then go home and have an equally inspiring and deep experience listening to one of their studio records. He's always made great records.

Weight of the World EP was co-produced by Bill Moriarty -- another person who knows how to make great records. The EP will be released on Tom's new label Shoots and Boots on April 13th. Visit American Babies for more information.

Tom will be playing shows with both Brothers Past and American Babies in the weeks/months to come -- click the links for details.

"Weight of the World"



Video: Plants and Animals - "The Mama Papa"
Mike McKinley
March 2, 2010
I just got the advance of Plants and Animals' new record La La Land and the first spin through sounded great. A few weeks ago I posted the mp3 of "Tom Cruz," the first track on the album -- go here to listen.

The band just released a video for the song "The Mama Papa" -- this tune was one of the most immediate with my first listen. It just had a little more bite than that others, but my ears heard so much happening. I can tell it's going to be fun letting this one sink its way into my mind.

La La Land is out April 20th on Secret City Records.

The Mama Papa by Plants and Animals from Secret City Records on Vimeo.

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