Adam Lambert – For Your Entertaiment (2009) – One of the most singulalrly entertaining guys in the biz today.
Americans In France – Pretzlyvania (2009) – What happens when a whiney lead singer leads a lo-fi art rock punk band with a painter for a drummer.
Aimee Mann – Bachelor # 2 (2000) I bought this at Tramps when it was an EP and I just knew it wouldn’t be half as good when she made it into an album. And I was wrong.
Aimee Mann – Lost In Space (2002) – Pitch black pop songs.
Alan Jackson – Good Time (2008) – The more upbeat he is, the more I love him.
Alanis Morrisette – Under Rug Swept ( 2002) – The after effect of a march September romance.
Alejandro Escovedo – Real Animal (2008) – Punk star still has it.
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2006) – It’s hard to see it sometimes but this story aint nearly over.
Apples In Stereo – The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone (2000) – Here come the Beatle comparisons
Apples In Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder (2007) – There go the Beatles comparisons
The Arcade Fire – The Neon Bible (2007) Yeah, yeah, I know, Funeral united the world. Well, Neon Bible had better songs.
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006) – I saw em on this tour and thought they were a drag but the album was the best slice of English rock since the Streets.
Arms – Kids Aflame (2007) – Teen angst soul rock
Art Brut – Art Brut Vs Satan (2009) – Alcoholics Unanimous?
Ashley Simpson – Bittersweet World (2008) – A great pop rock album. I said it and I’m glad I said it
Be Your Own Pet – Be Your Own Pet (2006) – Resembling Rancid or the Ramones in its consistency of sound.
Be Your Own Pet – Get Awkward (2008) – Resembling Be Your Own Pet in its consistency of sound.
Beck – Sea Change (2002) – As good a heartbreaker as 808s and Heartbreaks
Big L – The Big Picture (2000) – Best rap album of the decade
Bjork – Selmasongs (2000) – The movie was just as good.
Bjork – Volta (2007) – return to form after some Bjorks most bewildering exercises. Still waiting for the Dirty Projectors collaboration to see the light of day.
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D. (2009) – The remix as art form, best album of 2009.
Black Kids – Partie Traumatic (2008) – indie dance bend, but won’t teach your bofriend gow to.
Blue October – Appreoaching Normal (2009) – Cuz Helen sez soBob Dylan – Love And Theft (2001) – One of the finest albums of his career -more songs about aging and loss.
The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue (2002) – After the terrible Hard Rain, this live album is a complete shocker. One of dylan’s best tours almost lost in time.
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (2008) – Iver can sound a little, I dunno, stilted, samey? But the sameneess is such a cold and bleak and haunting day you don’t mind reliving it.
Booker T. – Potato Hole (2009) – The great keyboard player rocks it hard with a coupla Drive By Truckers.
Born Ruffians – I Need A Life EP (2008) – Youthful and strange singalongs.
Boyz Noize – Oi Oi Oi (2007) – Nobody does “more bass” wilder than this german DJ
Brad Paisley – American Saturday Night (2009) – Enough great songs to make it his best since Who Needs Pictures.
Bright Eyes – Fevers And Mirrors (2000) – Listen to Conor become Conor. One of his masterpieces.
Bright Eyes – Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground (2002) – “Let’s Not Shit Ourselves” is one of the songs of the decade
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005) – Album Of the decade
Bright Eyes – Motion Sickness: Live Recordings (2005)- The “Make War” and “True Blue” are standard bearers.
Bright Eyes – Cassadega (2007) – I prefer it to Wide Awake in some ways. It peaks enormously high with “Hot Knives” and Conor was never better than on this tour.
Britney Spears – In The Zone (2003) – This is the one in which she gives Madonna a run for her money, literally on “Me Against The Machine”, figuratively on “Toxic”
Britney Spears – Blackout (2007) – Fucked up divorcee gets back on the dancefloor.
Britney Spears – Circus (2009) – Recherchez dance queen gets back on stage.
Britney Spears – The Singles Collection (2009) Works the remix better than anything this side of Black Eyed Peas.
Buddy Holly – Down The Line Rarities (2009) – One of the albums of the year fifty years after he died.
Cam’Ron – S.D.E. (2000) – Gangsta was never this much fun.
Cam’ron – Purple Haze (2004) – Art rock with great rhymes.
Cam’ron – Crime Pays (2009) – “Get It In Ohio” is the old school gangsta rap song of the year.
Carlene Carter – Stronger (2008) – The album Rosanne cash can’t or won’t make any more.
Carole King – The Living Room Tour (2005) – The Chick Singer Songwriter.
Carolyn Smiyth and the Goodnight Sleeps –
Backyard Tent (2008) – Chick singer songwriter writes real good songs.
Cat Power – Dark End Of the Street EP (2008) – Chick singer songwriter covers with amazing originality.
Ciu – Vagarosa (2009) – Chick singer songwriter Brazilian division.
Chickenfoot – Chickenfoot (2009) – Let’s keep this our nasty little secret.
Cobra Starship – Hot Mess (2009) – Are they dance? Indie? Boy band? Yes.
Cold War Kids – Loyalty Is Loyalty (2008) – One of the most original alt rock bands you’ll ever hear. They do to radiohead what Dirty Projectors do to Black Flag.
Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst (2008) – Conor’s most consistent album to date. Just about flawless and my fave of 2008.
Cute Is What We Aim For – The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch (2006) Pop rock.
D’angelo – Voodoo (2000) – Where is this guy? This superb r&b album (and an awesome set at Radio City on, wait, let me check my ticket stubs, Thu March 16th, 2000) is the last we’ve heard of himm except for last years appearance on a Q Tip song. ps: one of my top twenty albums of the decade.
D.C. Snipers – Live At Maxwells 10/24/2004 (2005) – Best punk rock album of the decade
David Guetta – One Love (2009) Genius DJ
Death Cab For Cuties – Narrow Stairs (2008) – Will they ever write a song like “I Will Possess Your Heart” again?
Del McCoury Band – Moneyland (2008) – Best bluegrass album by best bluegrass band. Plus: find their version of “Nashville Cats” if you can.
Diana Krall – The Look Of Love (2001) – Hoo hah – Caught her at Carnegie with my nieces Nisrine and Serena. Nisrine used to sing “Devil May Care” to her cat.
Diana Krall – The Girl In The Othe Room (2004) – I know you disagree.
Dierks Berkley -Long Trip Alone (2006) – Free and easy down the road he goes.
Dirty Projectors – Rise Above (2007) Wave a black flag
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (2009) – Second best album of the year.
Dizzee Rascal – Maths + English (2007) Grimey
DJ Khaled- Live from the 305 (2009) The Flo Rida remix is proforma.
Don Omar – Idon (2009) – More consisten than Daddy Yankee plus -full disclosure, i saw him live and he blew me away.
Drake – So Far Gone EP (2009) – I give up but the “The One” rap still sucked.
Drop The Lime – Hear Me EP (2008) – More trouble
Drop The Line – Like Thunder EP (2008) – The best DJ on earth… listen to “I Love New york”.
Drop The Lime – Set Me Free (2009) – Really? Really Really?? Cassie Wilds owns it.
Duncun Sheik – Spring Awakening Soundtrack (2007) – And if you live in NYC and didnt see it on Broadway youre a jerk
Ella Fitzgerald – Twelve Nights In Hollywood (2009) – There is no way for this collection of live performances to be better.
Elvis Costello and Ann Sofie Von Otter (2000) – That “Broken Bicycles/Junk” medley, man. Just beautiful.
Elvis Costello – North (2003) – “I’m In The Mood Again” is a lost Costello masterpiece from his wedding album.
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint – The River In Reverse (2006) – It ding donged.
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers Album (2000) – It was all over after this one.
Eminem – The Eminem Show (2002) – One of my top ten albums of the decade.
Eminem – 8 Miles (2002) – And “wanksta” introduced the world to Fitty.
Eminem – Encore (2004) – Considered a disappointment at the time. Huh?
Eminem – Relapse (2009) May I be the first to disagree with Eminem’s assessment that it is a weak album?
Fabolous – Loso’s Way (2009) – In which a rap everyman pulls off the album of his career -especially the one with Keri Hilson.
Falu – Falu (2007) – George Harrison couldn’t do it, Haylee Mill’s son couldn’t do, no one could do it but Falu: make Indian music relevant for a Western audience. So, needless to add, everybody ignored it.
Fat Joe – The Elephant in The Room (2008) – Call me old fashioned but “I Won’t Tell” rocks.
Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine (2005) – Please, please, please come home.
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008) – Harmonizable.
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S. (2009) – Pure pop for now people. Don’t believe me? Try “Jump” and “Right round”.
Franz Ferdinand – Tonight (2009) – Dance music plus “Katherine Kiss Me”.
George Jones – The Gospel collection (2003) – Yadda, yadda, masterpiece, yadda, yadda yadda
George Strait – Troubadour (2008) – the most miserable guy in country… and maybe the best.
Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientelle (2000) – More stories about poverty and murder
Ghostface Killah – Fishscale (2006) – More stories about drugs and hos.
Ginuwine – Back II Da Basics (2005) – Same ol G.
Girls – Album (2009) – Great songs
Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers – Pandemonium Ensues (2009) – Excellent at the Highline and “Best Of Times” is a personal best.
Gnarls Barkley – St Elsewhere (2006) – “Crazy”? Not bad, right?
Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple (2008) – I know people disagree but I consider it the equal of the first one. “Run” is bet
ter than “Crazy”.
The Grates – Gravity Won’t Get You Down (2006) – Makes you jump up and down.
Green Day – American Idiot (2004) – Protest music.
Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown (2009) – Better protest music.
Guns N Roses – Chinese Democracy (2008) – Worth the wait, I have no idea why people had problems with it
Freddie Gibbs – Flood the Hood (2009) – very powerful gangsta rap. Best flow in the biz albeit not the best MC
Harper Blynn – Loneliest Generation (2009) – It’s all about pop music and motion.
The Hold Steady – Boys And Girls In America (2006) – They sound like the children of Bruce Springsteeen
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive (2008) – They sound like the children of Bruce Springsteeen somewhere between a killer case of the DTs and a drinking jag.
Iris Dement – Lifeline (2004) – The best sing-songwriter currently working. Enough to make you believe in God. Perfection with just a piano earlier this year in concert.
Jackson Browne – The Naked Ride Home (2002) – “My Stunning Mystery Companion” always breaks my heart
Jamey Johnson – That Lonesome Song (2008) – When George Jones said Taylor Swift wasn’t country he meant she wasn’t Jamey Johnson.
Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications (2009) – This guy is actually getting better.
Jay-Z – The Blueprint (2002) – If only because it introduced Kanye.
Jay-Z – The Black Album (2004) – He’s got 99 problems but a song aint one.
Jay-Z – American Gangster (2007) – Plus the movie killed.
Jeff The Brotherhood – Heavy Days (2009) _ you know how people say there’s no center to the music scene. They mean people don’t get the chance to listen to awesome rock psychedelic whatever band Jeff the Brotherhood.
Joan Baez – Day After Tomorrow (2008) – Costello’s best moment of the decade is cover by Joan Baez.
Johnathan Rice – Further North (2007) – Oh yeah? Blew his girlfriends band right off stage at Irving Plaza.
Justin Timberlake – Justified (2002) – Didja ever see him opening for the Stones in Brazil, getting booed off stage, and then going back on stage to sing “Miss You”? There were some Puerto Rican girls who were just dying to meet him…
Justin Timberlake – Future Sex/Love Sounds (2007) Took my niece Hyam Lababedi to see the concert they taped for HBO. Just unbelievable, unreal, see it if you can.
Kanye West – The College Dropout (2004) – I remmeber him playing “Jesus Walks” at some radio show. Awsome
Kanye West – Late Graduation (2005) – The one with “Gold Digger”
Kanye West – Graduation (2007) – I once gave Louba an Ipod with all my fave songs. Thousands of course. “Stronger” is the one she picked up.
Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreaks (2008) – One of the best albums ever,
Kathleen Edwards – Asking For Flowers (2008) – Don’t tell me you’re too tired, ten years I’ve been working nights.
Katy Perry – One Of The Boys (2008) – Pop stroke, took the Lily wannabe stigma off.
Keith Urban – Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing (2006) – Lives up to its name.
Kelly Clarkson – My December (2007) – American Idol
Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon (2009) – If Americans In France are not the newcomers of the year,he is.
Kid Rock – Rock n roll Jesus (2007) – If only for the Zevon rip.
Kid Sister – Right Hand Hit (2009) – Old school hip hop. Like fun.
The Killers – Hot Fuss (2004) – Awesome album and “Mr Brightside”
The Killers _ Sam’s Town (2006) – Superb, hugely underestimated, rock album
The Killers – Day And Night (2008) – Great album, I think the only reason I don’t like him is uck, Brandon Flower???
The Kills – Midnight Boom (2008) _ Plus? “No ow”
Kings Of Leon – Only By the Night – Yeah, but if it had sold a million less..
Kiss – Sonic Boom (2009) – Good album, missing a hit single to take it over the edge.
The Lady Antebellum – Lady Antebullum (2008) – Like Taylor Swift their power lies in their crossover appeals, and like Taylor that power lies in the songwriting.
Lady Gaga – The Fame (2008) – It came out late and has ruled the charts all your. Nursery rhymes for dancing fools.
Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster (2008) – Plus eight new songs included the masterful “Telephone”.
Lamb Of God – Wrath (2009) – Best metal band in the world today.
LCD Sound System – Sound Of Silver (2007) – I bought it on the strength of “All My Friends -which has one of the best opening minutes, a two note serenade. The rest of the album doesn’t disappoint.
Lemonade – Lemonade (2008) – A calypso dance summer album.
The Libertines – The Libertines (2004) – Has it been five years? Did for London what the Strokes did for NYC.
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter (2008) – What hard drugs can do to your music if you’re lucky.
Lily Allen – Alright, Still (2007) Myspace’s first and best sensation. Have you ever noticed “Alfie” on the album? Sisterly affection!!
LMFAO – Party Rock (2009) – Ulttimate fun album. Especially the song with Lil Jon.
The Lonely Island – Incredibad (2009) – Hysterical and dead modern pop satire.
Los Campesions – Sticking Fingers Into Sockets EP (2007) – College kids prove their smarts except when they don’t and reinvent tweecore while they’re at it.
Los Campesinos – Hold On Now, Youngsters (2008) – Sample song name? “This Is How You
Spell “HAHAHA, We Destroyed the Hopes and Dreams of a Generation of Faux-Romantics”
Los Campesinos – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed EP (2008) – Laugh, choke, grow up.
Love Grenades – Tigers In The Fire EP (2008) – La Dance rock band blows shit up with their heart. In other words, Blondie for the 21st CenturyKooks – Inside Out/Outside In (2008) – Think they’re the Kinks.
M.I.A. – Kala (2008) – Sri Lankan British Dance pop Princess and she sounds it.
M.I.A. – – How Many Votes Fix Mix EP (2008) – The Jay-Z rap alone is worth the price of admission and while I am at it the Rye Rye duet on “Bang” from this is fabuslous.
Madina Lake – From Them, Thru Us, To You (2006) – Pretty good power pop if you can’t get over their pretty boy looks.
Madonna – Music (2000) I wanna singy singy singy… This is the one with French DJ Marvais.
Mandy Moore – Wild hope (2007) – Indie folkies the Weepies helped her but this heart felt cry is all Mandy’s. All good things, indeed.
Mariah Carey – The Emancipation Of Mimi (2005) – Mariah comes all the way back from “Glitter” with knockout modern R&B classic.
Maroon 5 – It Won’t Be Soon Before Now (2007) – I know they are a pop rock band much better than their name.
Marshall Crenshaw – I’ve Suffered For My Art…Now It’s Your Turn (2001) – Mostly acoustic live from the Stone Poney.
Marshall Crenshaw – Jaggedland (2009)- Completely ignored great Crenshaw.
Martha Wright – I Know Your Married,But I’ve Got Feelings Too (2008) – And if you don’t like it she’ll steal your melodies.
Mary J. Blige – No More Drama (2002) – So good she names a song “Family Affair” and Sly didn’t sue.
Michael Jackson – Invincible (2002) – The last hurrah.
Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007) – The clang of perpetual history by indie stalwarts.Plus the great single from 2009: “History Sticks To Your Shoe”.
My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade (2006) How an emo band transforms themselves into…. Queen?
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges (2008) – What if Curtis Mayfield fronted the untimate Southern rock band? Nick Cave And the Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Digg!!! (2008) – “I don’t need what it is but there’s definitely something going on upstairs”, Cave sings in his story of a resurrection that maybe wasn’t such a great idea and then Cave calls upon the author to explain.
The First Days Of Spring – Noah And the Whales (2009) – Oh, yes, love.
Of Montreal – The Sunlandic Twins (2005) – Kevin Barnes breakthrough on the Apples Of Stereo label.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – The Pains Of being Pure At Heart (2009) – Aches and pops
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heat – Higher Than The Stars EP (2009) – Sure it sounds like Belle and Sebastian, what doesn’t? But it sounds good as well.
Panic! At The Disco – Pretty. Odd (2008) – Sure it’s Beatley, what isn’t? But it is psycehdelic pop Beatley.
Paramore – Riot! (2007) – She hasn’t done anything as good as “Misery Business” since, er, “Misery Business”.
Pitbull – Rebelution (2009) – This is the one that brought him out of the nightclubs, where the PR chicks, who know about this kinda shit, have dug him for years, and onto the charts. Best set at Jingle Ball this year.
P.J. Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000) – The City is New York City by the way, and the sea is the sea of love. Includes Thom Yorkes best vocal ever on “The Mess We’re In”
P.J. Harvey and John Parish – A Man, A Woman Walked by (2009) – I bought this album song by song. I kept on thinking well “Sixteen, Fifteen, Fourteen” sux and then a week later I can’t stop listening and then I got “Black Hearted Love” and so on and so on. Like Dirty Projectors, you think you’ve heard it but you haven’t heard it till you’ve heard it.
Primal Scream – XTRMNTR (2000) – Like Vanishing Point only with better songs.
R. Kelly – Chocolate Factory (2003) – On his very next album R. Kelly would make a profound ass of himself pretending to be the next Stevie Wonder but Chocolate Factory was just a straight collection of soul classics. One of the very very best albums of the decade.
R. Kelly – Untitled (2009) – I still don’t have a complete handle on it yet but it has the feel of a very complete sex and dance knock out. “Echo” has the tag of the year with its “Sex in the morning, sex all day” and the “Number One” remix with T.Pain and Keyshia Cole is special, especially Cole who I’d never much noticed before.
By The Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers (2002) – “This Is The Place” is the best song RHCP ever wrote. It’s better than “Californiation” and “Give It Away”. The entire album is of such an intense power it may have been the best of 2002. The next one sucd.
Regina Spektor – Begin To Hope (2006) – It took Marie Lynn forever to turn me on to this album. She sounded both quirky and girly ridin’ her piano like Elizabeth Taylor on National Velvet on the way to the Lilith Fair. Call it sexism because today I have no idea why it would take more than a listen to love “Fidelity” or “Better” or “Edit”. A Masterpiece.
Regina Spektor – Far (2009) – Marie Lynn’s claim is it is over-produced and I think she might be right. So “Folding Chair” is overproduced, so “Eet” is overproduced”, so “Human Of The Year” is over produced. So what? The songs are still vastly superior to nearly everything else on the planet.
Rihanna – Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) – I wrote a coupla dozen posts ago about naff follow ups to smash album and Rated R is maybe the perfect example. Rated R might not be as bad as I make it sound but Good Girl Gone Bad is a hip hoppy dance move topped by the-Dream’s “Umbrella” which even Taylor Swift covered.
Rilo Kiley – The Execution Of All Things (2002) – Invented indie rock. Altogether: “and if you want me you better speak up I won’t wait so you better move fast”.
Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous (2004) – Perfected indie rock. By yourself: “it’s just the slow fade of love”.
Rufus Wainwright – Want One (2003) – It’s not great because he’s gay, his g
ayness has nothing to do with “Dinner At Eight” (a family trauma) or “Vibrate” (go on, call), it’s great because he is an emotionally devastating singer who can write anything.
Ryan Adams – Gold (2001) – No, it’s not that he wants to be the new Gram Parsons, it is that he is the new Gram Parsons.
Ryan Adams – Rock N Roll (2003) – What a fucking mess
Ryan Adams – Love Is Hell (2004) – A lost love album disguised as a bad case of withdrawal -for Beth Orton would be my bet because she’s just a tall glass of water and he’s pouring her down the sink.
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals – Cardinolgy (2008) – A lotta crossed out names.
Santogold – Santogold (2008) – An America M.I.A. but I don’t know why.
Scissor Sisters – Ta-Dah (2006) – I know you prefer the first one but this has Elton’s best song of the decade, “I Don’t Feel Like dancing”.
Screaming Females – Power Move (2009) – It’s so new to me I’m not certain BUT it sounds like it is gonna grab me hard soon, sorta prog-punk fronted by Sleater Kinney.
Shakira – Laundry Service (2000) – It would be on here if only for “Underneath Your Clothes” but there is so much more. It’s a sorta salsa rhythm hip hop produced pop stroke with a dollop of Middle Eastern (she is my fellow countryman, being half Lebanese).
Shakira – She Wolf (2009) – After years of fixations, Shakira is back, with a deeply eccentric self-portrait masked as a dance album. Aaaawoooo.
Shinobi Ninja – Brooklyn To Babylon EP (2009) – Wiggers, flygirls and a heavy metal guitarist.
The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow (2003) – This band will change your life
The Shins – Wincing The Night Away (2008) – Their final album? Mercer’s greatest achievement to date: a dyseptic folk-rock skepticism mired in melody.
Sinead O’Connor – Faith And Courage (2000) – and sex.
Sinead O’Connor – Throw Down Your Arms (2005) – Jah willing, many a reggae fan will search out these lovely covers of obscure classics.
Solange – Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008) – An alternative future of R&B.
Spider Bags – A Celebration Of Hunger (2007) – Country rock with a killer hangover it can only drink its way out of. Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus called it the album of the decade. I have it in my top ten.
Spider Bags – Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World (2009) – The difference between Celebration and this is: Cruel World doesn’t have a country song as good as “Waking Up Drunk” and Celebration doesn’t have a rocker as good as “Long White Desert Rose”. And both songs are better than anything the Stones -surely the antecedents to Spider Bags, have released in decades.
Steve Earle – Transcendental Blues (2000) – People think I’m paranoid and I admit I’m getting nervous about this guy, to paraphrase Stevie baby in a later song. One of the great songwriters fucking sucked all decade. Sure, there was a song here and a song there, but this was one of the great country-rockers of all time. The last time I was this sick of a songwriter? Rosanne Cash.
Stevie Wonder – A Time To Love (2005) – Prime Stevie? No. But good enough, believe me…
The Streets – Original Pirate Material (2002) – English rap. NO REALLY REALLY.
The Streets – A Grand Don’t come For Free (2004)- A concept album about how rap would sound with a great Brit pop chorus.
The Streets – The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living (2006) – You know all the shit that’s going down with Pete Doherty, fame and sex and drugs and drugs, the Streets really knew it and really explained it.
The Strokes – Is This It? (2001) – Yup, this is it.
The Strokes – Room On Fire (2003) – Talk to them now they are older.
The Strokes – First Impressions Of Earth (2006) Art rock pretending to be alt rock.
T-Pain – Thr33Ringz (2008) – Gave Auto-Tune a good name
Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift (2006) – From the vest start was a fully formed country pop Princess.
Taylor Swift – Fearless (2008) – Magic album of flawless crossover country.
The Teenagers – The Teenagers (2008) – Language problem but the confusion lies in the differences between the sexes as well.
Tigercity – Pretend Not T o Love EP (2007) – Blue eyed soul indie style. “Power Stripe” is one of the songs of the decade.
Titus Andronicus – The Airing Of Greivances (2008) – One of the greatest punk rock albums of all time.
Tune-Yards – Bird-Brain (2009) – You know how everybody is raving about this woman and saying how you aint heard nothing like this found sound clang-clank musical wallop and you’re thinking, I’ve heard that before. This time it’s true.
TV On The Radio – Dear Science (2008) – One of tmy top five albums of the decade.
U2 – All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000) – Followed the excellent Pop. Yup, there was a time they weren’t all mouth and trousers.
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (2008) – As New York as the scene where Paul Simon congrats Diane Keaton on her singing in a club while Woody Allen fumes in Annie Hall. Maybe more.
Van Morrison – You Win Again (2000) – Rock And Roll with Jerry Lee’s kid sister.
Van Morrison – What’s Wrong With This Picture (2003) – A coupla great trads and a brilliant original.
Van Morrison – Keep It Simple (2009) – One of his less r&by efforts, something about the ritualistic nature of God and sound.
The Vandals – Live At The House Of Blues (2004) – SoCal punk pop group who were everything Blink 182 said they were except popular.
The Virgins – The Virgins (2008) – Like the Stones circa Some Girls meets the Strokes.
Warren Zevon – The Wind (2003) – The one about Warren being tied to hi
s wife like the buttons on her shirt makes me cry.
Weezer – Maladriot (2002) – River’s best since Pinkerton is his best till now. The Muppets video is hysterical.
White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001) – sure this is a great album, it’s all the ones in the past three years that suck.
Wilco – Yankee Foxtrot Hotel (2002) – sure this is a great album, it’s all the others that suck.
The Wombats – A Guide To Love, Loss and Desperation (2008) Best Brit album of the decade. I’m serious and so are the Wombats but we both have a smile on our face.
It’s Blitz – Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs (2009) – How can you take out the guitars and still rock harder?
50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Trying (2003) “In Da Club” is a song of the decade.