Top Albums of the Decade - According to SteveA

OK - So I am continuing with my trend with "the last decade", here is my Top 20 albums from the last decade (according to SteveA of course):

20. Love/Hate/Tragedy - Papa Roach

This album rocked, and included the tracks 'She Loves Me (Not)'. Papa was part of the NuMetal scene, but with this second album they kicked the rap back a bit and upped the noise level on the hard rock side. They still continued to be some angry white boys on this album, showing that angst can be a driving force to create an album memorable of the time.

Papa Roach - She Loves Me Not

19. Get Born - Jet

Alot of people did not like this album, saying that the band were an AC/DC sound alike. But I loved their return to basic rock and roll -  great riffs; lyrics about sex; drinking and women. Their music is simplistic and just plain fun.

Key tracks - "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"; "Cold Hard Bitch"

18. Sing The Sorrow - A.F.I.

The return of a hard core punk sound to pop? Yeah, it sounds weird, but the sound of AFI gave a refreshing look and sound to the tired sound of nu metal on MTV and TRL. This band made goth main stream. The album, had a unapologetic rock sound showcasing the scorching screaming voice of Davey Havoc without actually reaching boiling point.

17. Z - My Morning Jacket

This was voted as one of the Top albums of the year by SPIN. It was a mellow sounding album that reminded me of the 70's dream sound as if everyone was spaced out on some kind of wonderful. The album has some great dreamy guitar works which is perfectly overlaid by the soft, soothing vocals of Jim James.

16. American Idiot - Green Day

This was a landmark album by the band, though in my opinion it is not as strong as Dookie. The album was a concept album - a rock opera telling a tale of youth in the State of the Union. This was an ambitious project that Green Day pulled off with much praise and success.

The changes in the music is quite intricate on this album, moving from fast, puck-rock guitars to a more melodic sound and then back to the band's hard rock/punk sound, with each change blending in nicely with the story told of the "Jesus of Suburbia".

15. In Rainbows - Radiohead

Radiohead has three featured albums in my Top 20. This album continues to show the consistency of this band in having their albums nominated by the Grammys.

Again Radiohead returns with a nice blend of electronics and the soft, eerie, other-worldly voice of Thom Yorke and the beautiful guitar stylings of Johnny Greenwood (I voted Johnny in my Top 10 Guitarists of the Modern Rock Era - see link (Top Modern Guitarists) )

Radiohead - Videotape

14. Kid A - Radiohead

Another Radiohead album that was also nominated for a Grammy for best album. This album I heard one critic say was "OK Computer" all grown up.

Download - Kid A - Radiohead


13. Absolution - Muse

When I heard "Sing for Absolution" I knew this band had a sincerity in rock that I had not heard for some time. The album is dynamic, ranging from soft melodies (like on Sing for Absolution) to a harder edgier arena-rock sound on Hysteria and Time Is Running Out.

Even with suttlety in their sound they do have some great riffs on this album - check out on You Tube the video for "Hysteria".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7la0SndoCI

The band's lead singer is Matthew Bellamy whom I had on my list of the Top 10 sexiest guys in rock today (Sexiest Men In Rock) - he was #6.

12. Transform - PowerMan 5000

I saw this band at a rock festival and the first couple of bands were "OK" and the crowd was asleep. Then Powerman 5000 came on and rocked the house. The style on this album I would describe as avant garde hard rock. The tracks are strong, clean and to the point.

On "Free", the band says "Living so free is a tragedy, when you can't be who you want to be"....so true for peeps like us - so remember cuties to be strong and love the freedoms that we have - whilst at the same time remembering those that don't have the same liberties.

Powerman 5000 - Free


11. In Your Honour - Foo Fighters

A double album, with one CD being the harder edgier rock side and the second CD being a laid back; lighter acoustic sound. There is some amazing drumming on this album and that's what keeps drawing me back to this album. On "No Way Out" the rough voice of David Grohl blends nicely with the drumming of Taylor Hawkins.

The rock on this album shows that the band is having fun whilst playing music, and it shows in the music produced on the album.

10. Come Away With Me - Norah Jones

There have not been much jazz artists who in recent times have made it to major pop success. The only other in recent times I recall is Sade and then there is Herbie Hancock, who won best album a few years ago with his comeback album. And of course - Amy Whinehouse!

Norah Jones was one of the more recent ones and that album was a breath of fresh air to the dancey, poppy sound that infiltrated the airways back then. The album's melodic and almost serene sound provided a calming atmosphere that one can just sit back and enjoy the beautiful voice of Norah.

9. Turn On The Bright Lights - Interpol

The New York sound was coming back in the early part of the decade with bands like Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Bravery and the Strokes (all but one are in my Top 20 list).

Interpol as a band had a definitive sound and look that is reminiscent of the early 80's new wave with bands like Echo and the Bunnymen and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Maybe that's why I am drawn to this album - Obstacle 1 has a great intro which says "hello - I'm here". The album is also quite a catchy piece of pop/modern rock that provided a break from the harder alternative that was being played on rock radio at the time.

Interpol - Obstacle 1

8. Amnesiac - Radiohead

This is the 3rd album by Radiohead to be on my Top 20 list so at this time, I guess you can tell I am a huge fan. Kid A and In Rainbows are actually more critically acclaimed albums, but I like Amnesiac because it is simple and does not have the high ratio of electronics that the two aforementioned albums have. In other words - it's Radiohead but with a more "alternativey" sound that is more characteristic of 90's rock radio.

7. Sea Change - Beck

The key word with this album name is "Change" and Beck seems to produce albums which are distinctly different from each other. With this album, Beck has a simple, acoustic, unplugged sound to each track, and has taken away the scratching turntable; drum beats and rap lines to give us a really clever, catchy piece of pop.

6. Back to Black - Amy Whinehouse

Speaking of jazz albums at # 10 with Norah Jones, we have another artist who gave pop music a refreshing break from all the overplayed dancey/poppy music on radio at that time.

This album introduced us to the controversial and extremely talented Mrs Whinehouse. Her voice seems bigger than her body, but the darkness in there echos a part of her life and also a part of her weakness - "Rehab" is a perfect example which really is about Rehab for Amy.

This album was nominated for quite a few awards and each one was well deserving.

I say welcome back to the blusey; soulful sound to pop music - Amy's style is rock; R&;B; jazz and pure talent!

5. Hybrid Theory -  Linkin Park

I absolutely could not get enough of this album - I played it over and over and over and every track is of high merit. Linkin Park broke big on TV and on this became huge on MTV's TRL where fans could not get enough. This album is a real prototype of the Nu-Metal movement.

The band's sound and look is something that many teens and youths can relate to and appreciate and at the same time they also appealed to the 20-30 something crowd as their music was part hard rock/metal.
The voice of Chester Bennington for such a small guy is huge and he seems to scream; reach boiling point and then overflow.

4. Fever to Tell - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I mentioned the New York sound with Interpol above, and now we have the trio from New York - Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This band looks and sounds like New York City and all the sophistication that the greatest city in the world has to offer. The YYY's serves it up with class on their debut and introduced us to the eccentric style of the band's frontwoman - Karen O.

This album was strong, it has a diverse sound and vocal range for Karen O that makes each track interesting and dynamic.

Yeah Yeah Yeah - Maps

3. Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay

I think this album is a modern classic. Each song is cleverly crafted; yet simple and melodic so that we can all simply hum along to it. "Clocks" was an unusual track blending the voice of Chris Martin with the beautiful sound of the piano.

This album also confirmed and sealed Coldplay as a force to be reckoned with in rock music. Since then all of their albums have been nominated at the Grammys.

2. Is This It - The Strokes

The New York sound strikes again - this time with the Strokes. This band really had a buzz building about them before the album was released and critics were wondering if the "buzz" was worth it - and the result - YES.

The band is led by the sexy Julian Casablancas - and despite having a great and memorable name; he (and the entire band) are quite talented - they seemed to bring the fun back in rock n' roll and reminded us of what it was all about.

1. Elephant - The White Stripes

Jack White and Meg White - this band seems to get it right each time with critical acclaim on each album. This album was recorded with only two instruments - guitar and drums, and done on 8-track, showing the band's love for music; perfection and creativity.

Each track on this album is great and the range is from hard-rock; country; pop and blues. Jack is an amazing guitar player and Meg equally as a drummer - that's probably why this album sounds so great. In my opinion, I don't think the 90's has produced an album with such energy and verve as this one.

The White Stripes - 7 Nation Army

Anyways peeps - hope you enjoyed!