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Best Album in the past 10 years?
JamesKeenan
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
First, I'll lay down my own criteria for best album.
The album's songs should individually be of a certain high quality, but as a whole, the album is even better. Like Voltron. The album should be more than the sum of its parts, the songs don't all have to be about the exact same thing, but they should at least speak some bit of a single underlying message, or compliment each other thematically.
Secondly, the lyrics should be meaningful. They should say something. And personally, I feel or would prefer they say something meaningful and poignant about our modern life. Maybe even make me look at things differently. It should provide some intelligent perspective or give some recondite truth about life in the 2000's. It should be a work of art of the times. Timeless in its own, sure, but also an introspective work of its era.
To say that I want the music to be of respectable quality is like saying I want to there to be music at all. It goes without saying. But if I have to specify something about the music itself... I suppose the singer's voice must be at least tolerable, if not excellent.
In all, I think the album should make a statement. It should actually be art, as well as quality music.
Now, those are just my own criteria, but they aren't everyone's. And maybe what I consider the #1 album would only be someone else's #2.
Admittedly, I haven't even found my #1. I'm still looking for something that fits well enough...
But here, we can find that, and even propose our own albums with our own reasonings.
The album's songs should individually be of a certain high quality, but as a whole, the album is even better. Like Voltron. The album should be more than the sum of its parts, the songs don't all have to be about the exact same thing, but they should at least speak some bit of a single underlying message, or compliment each other thematically.
Secondly, the lyrics should be meaningful. They should say something. And personally, I feel or would prefer they say something meaningful and poignant about our modern life. Maybe even make me look at things differently. It should provide some intelligent perspective or give some recondite truth about life in the 2000's. It should be a work of art of the times. Timeless in its own, sure, but also an introspective work of its era.
To say that I want the music to be of respectable quality is like saying I want to there to be music at all. It goes without saying. But if I have to specify something about the music itself... I suppose the singer's voice must be at least tolerable, if not excellent.
In all, I think the album should make a statement. It should actually be art, as well as quality music.
Now, those are just my own criteria, but they aren't everyone's. And maybe what I consider the #1 album would only be someone else's #2.
Admittedly, I haven't even found my #1. I'm still looking for something that fits well enough...
But here, we can find that, and even propose our own albums with our own reasonings.
JamesKeenan on
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This discussion has been closed.
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Simply because it's what I listen to the most.
No matter what mood I'm in I feel very... comfortable when listening to them.
Honestly, most of my music collection consists of albums that are older than ten years, so I don't have a ton of contenders, but I love this album. Moby Dick is my favorite classic novel, and I think Leviathan absolutely captures the most prominent themes. It provides a flowing, erratic composition throughout, and I rarely find myself able to listen to any one song without playing the entire album afterwards. The pacing is fantastic, going from highs and lows to an outstanding climax in Hearts Alive. It remains both lyrically and melodically impressive, and doesn't overemphasize riffs.
Great, great album, reminding me just how good metal can be at times.
One of the first albums in a long time that swallows me whole. I find it near impossible to listen without stopping what I'm doing and devoting my full attention to it. The complete album just addresses so many core human elements.
Haunting
So, so haunting
It's a concept album about the rise and fall of a mid level rock star.
You heard that we were great
But now you think we're lame
Since you saw the show last night
Oh and I forget the best line on the album
I'm in love with rock & roll
But that'll change eventually
In the song Hit the Skids or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Rock
The Flaming Lips
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
I think I win.
I guess I should explain.
A concept album about fighting, pink robots, and the universe.
Excerpt from "Fight Test"
Oh to fight is to defend if it's not
Now than tell me when would be the time that you would stand up
And be a man - for to lose I could accept but to surrender
I just wept and regretted this moment - oh that I - I
Was the fool
Excerpt from "One More Robot - Sympathy 3000-21"
Unit three thousand twenty one is warning
Makes a humming sound - when its circuits
Duplicate emotions - and a sense of coldness detaches
As it tries to comfort your sadness -
The music is amazing. At times it is sing along space rock. At others, it is a slow drift to the center of the mind. Which is really a journey to the center of the universe.
The second in the set of albums that follows a comic book series. The Amory Wars.
It's one of the best "story-telling" albums. Every song on the album you can sit and listen to, and enjoy.
You can check out a complete live show here http://www.baeblemusic.com/Concerts/TheSpiegeltent/TheDodos.html
Lyrics to Joe's Waltz
the laughs are just dying out one by one
the lonelies are coming to gather their forces
left on a string, the emptiness forges us on and on
on and on
a weakness so strong you could wrap your arms around it
smother cheeks and smothered arms
sad but it's not maybe just for a moment
why won't you hold me?
why won't you carry me on and on?
No more patient
on and on
no more patient
simple you might think but wary of reason
you give up on what you think's dying out
your words aren't funny your poetry's false
maybe they'll like it, maybe they won't
you can face them on
no more patient
face them on
no more patient
face them on
no more patient
face them on
no more patient
hey there young man come understand
the ways you need to heal
I see your stress come take our test
come on this shit is real
you need help (x8)
I went downtown to look around
and see how people feel
this lady beckons me to come
and "boy why don't ya kneel?"
you need help (x8)
We let you in we see your face
and then we slap you on the wrist
and when you try to leave it's much too late
cause we've got you on our fucking list
you need help (x8)
Lyrics to Fools
He's been squandering, he's been squandering
And we don't do a thing, 'cause we're busy and think
We're just wandering, we're just a-wandering like fools
His son is his prize, he tells a few lies
He's got his father's eyes, it's in his father's eyes
And he thinks in his mind that he's just getting by
But he's a compromise, he's just a compromising fool
And the stance that we take isn't much to bear
Yeah, we leave things to change on their time
And our failure to care for it leaves us blind
'til we're tired and we're crazed in the mind
Now he lies on his back, and they tell him it's that
It's just a heart attack, it's just a heart attack
Too late to return to the ones that you've earned
No they don't give it back, no they don't give it back to fools
And the stance that we take isn't much to bear
Yeah, we leave things to change on their time
And our failure to care for it leaves us blind
'til we're tired and we're crazed in the mind
Johnny Hickman - Palmhenge
This is a solo album from Johnny Hickman - guitarist of Cracker. While there are a few non-artsy "fun" songs (2 to be exact) the overall album is amazing - Little Tom is simply beautiful and Beauregarde's Retreat was on the mix cd I use to put my son to bed because "Don't let the daily news distract you from the light" is something I wish I was better at.
Palmhenge reminds me of the albums my father used to listen to - folky rock with lyrics that tell the tale of their time so I suppose it has a strange feeling of nostalgia for me despite being a new album. It starts loud and angry about lost jobs and then flips entirely to a haunting song about an orphan - but the whole album is somehow cohesive. The lighter songs come at just the right times to avoid the album pushing too many messages at you.
I really wish more people had a chance to hear it - it's an amazing album.
NIN - The Fragile
Original release date - September 21, 1999
This is the album I continuously go back to. In my opinion, this is the best album put out by Trent Reznor. I don't have a very wide taste for music, it is pretty limited to rock and metal, but this is my best album in the last ten years.
Circulatory System
/thread
I'll probably think of a better one in a minute
This is Satyricon at their best. The production is crisp and cold, which fits extremely well with the lyrical content of the album. The whole album has to be digested in one full sitting. Pulling just songs to listen to should be a crime. Some people may write it off because of the vocal style, but in doing so they're simply limiting themselves to a great album.
It is also impossible to listen to this album while driving and not speed.
PSN : Bolthorn
I don't know, it's hard to single one album out... If I had to pick some of mine out, uh, maybe Songs for the Deaf, Aha Shake Heartbreak, ...Is A Real Boy, Battle of Los Angeles or Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots or something.
OLOL opinions
Although I agree with the Kings Of Leon there
EDIT:
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
Ludicrous levels of quality and variety on display, and she has the most amazing voice, as well as an almost Morrissey-level talent for writing barbed lyrics.
But I'm an Opeth fanboy.
First album and Songs for the Deaf are only Queens that I really care for, though I haven't spent much time with the last album.
I couldn't include Battle of Los Angeles or Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots simply because both bands put out much better albums beforehand.
That being said, my other tops would be Catch Without Arms by Dredg, Transatlanticism or Plans by Death Cab for Cutie, Sams Town by the Killers, Hopes and Fears by Keane, and maybe Saturday = Youth by M83.
Although of course my wife would disagree with all of these. To each their own I guess.
Yeah, but it's the best album of the last decade. Ruling something out because the band did better before doesn't count unless what they did better was released in the last 10 years :P
Actually I think I need to listen to it more.
They don't believe me
But you won't let those
Robots defeat me, Yoshimi!
If you're not going to allow compliation albums, I'll post something else, but this is by and far the greatest album ever, so it would have the be the greatest of the past 10 years.
(Otherwise the winner would be one of the Pavement reissues)
Terror Twilight came out in 99 though
that could count
That's not really a limb critically, but this kind of thread seems to have less hip hop usually.
You mean "less of anything that isn't indie", right? Because these threads are always full of indie.
Yeah, basically.
But yes, Stankonia is an amazing album and can definitely be considered. I also thought The Eminem Show was an amazing hip hop/rap album. Definitely the highlight of Eminem's career. I've already said what I think the best album for the past 10 years is. But here are other albums I would consider that fall into the "new music" category:
Rage Against the Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles
Eminem - Eminem Show
Outkast - Stakonia
Outkast - Speakerboxx / The Love Below
A Perfect Circle - Emotive
TOOL - Lateralus
Metallica - Death Magnet (Such an improvment from St. Anger)
Megadeth - United Abominations
The Eagles - Long Road out of Eden
Queen + Paul Rodgers - The Cosmos Rock
I could go on and on.
TOOL - Lateralus is up there. Senses Fail - Let it Enfold You is up there. Thrice - The Artist In The Ambulance is up there.
If I had to choose one......... I'd probably go for Senses Fail because I can listen to that CD in any mood.
Don't forget Postal Service - Give Up. Great album.
Elliott Smith - Figure 8 for me.
3DS friend code: 4811-7214-5053
YES
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Huh
Elephant Riders was early '98 and still holds its own.