My Top 10 Albums of the Decade (Haas)

Before I start, I would just like to say how hard it was to narrow this down to 10 albums. I am sure I will get ridiculed for some of my selections but I was honest to myself and its what I came up with. The 10 spot was up in the air, so if I could I would like to list some honorable mentions before we get into the meat and potatoes.

Honorable Mention:

Robbers and Cowards, Cold War Kids

Rabbit Fur Coat, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

American Idiot, Green Day

Illinois, Sufjan Stevens

Sea Change, Beck

Here is my 10 favorite albums from the 2000s:

10. Farmhouse, Phish
People say Phish's albums suck and you gotta hear them live to really appreciate what they do. Well that may be somewhat true, but the Farmhouse CD was probably played hundreds of times by myself the year I graduated high school. It will always have a special place in my heart and I can't leave it off this list. The dreadful "Heavy Things" aside, this album plays straight through on my stereo to this day.


9. The Swimming Hour, Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire
Admittedly I listened to this album about 7 years after it was released. It is probably one of the most beautiful records I can think of. It is influenced by so many different kinds of music its amazing how it all came together. It has a song for everyone and transcends time. Andrew Bird's masterpiece.



8. Funeral, Arcade Fire
This high energy debut from one of the best emerging bands hit me right away with the song "Wake Up". Then I listened to "Rebellion/ Lies" and didn't look back. The lyrics, diversity in instruments, and just plain emotional rollercoaster that this album takes you through never gets old. I see Funeral as the ultimate coming of age record of the decade.



7. Sound of Silver, LCD Soundsystem
At the start of the decade I would have never seen myself listening to any sort of electronic synth dance music. LCD Soundsystem is the group that changed all that. They brought me into the fold and opened up my ears to something new. Sound of Silver is a great party CD, and the title of the single "All My Friends" could not be more fitting.



6. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, Bright Eyes
Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis' studio experiment with synth may have upset some of their most hardcore fans, but it won me over. This album sounded so strange to me at first listen and I really couldn't tell if it was good or bad. Over time it grew on me and songs like "Arc of Time" and "I Believe in Symmetry" were ingrained in my head. After that the rest of the songs fell in line and I was hooked.

5. A Ghost is Born, Wilco
When this album came out I went to see Wilco at a bar near NIU. My face was melted. The extended guitar solos and experimental jams were refreshing and play great live. Jeff Tweedy plays guitar on Ghost more than any other Wilco record. This was Wilco's last great album and marked the end of Tweedy's addiction to painkillers. Hmm? correlation? Songs like "Handshake Drugs" and "Spiders/Kidsmoke" will never be composed again.

4. Elephant, The White Stripes
When "Seven Nation Army" got massive radio play The White Stripes blew up. While they probably gained fair-weather fans based on that single alone, I could not stop listening to Elephant on the whole. Elephant is just absurdity raw at times and then you get hit with a country jingle. Jack White is basically saying take it or leave it, hate it or love it, this is what I'm giving you. Simple and catchy songs are littered throughout.

3. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, The Flaming Lips
When Yoshimi came out I was told by a friend that I HAD to listen to it. It was like nothing else out there, he said. "The 'she don't eat jelly' band?" I replied. Well I gave it a listen and saw how far that weird band from the 90's had come. Yoshimi is epic, its weird, and trippy. Yet it has so many songs to sing along with Wayne Coyne too. One of the best concept albums to date.

2. I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, Bright Eyes
This is one of the greatest albums from one of the greatest modern songwriters. Its like a modern day The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. The sweet country folk on this record turns out classic song after classic song. They are intense and emotional and no one could do this except Conor Oberst. Its an everyman CD and a real piece of Americana.

1. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco
To quote a fellow Claptrapper, "My favorite album from my favorite band, this was really a no-brainer." Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was a game changer for me. It made me realize what great bands who try something different and challenging can create. Take the simple folk song and then blow it up. At first listen it was chaos, but eventually it all came together. The lyrics and voice of Tweedy on top of the mixing of Jim O'Rourke and the late Jay Bennett make this album the best of the decade. I know every word and still hang on every note. When this claptrapper gets drunk, this is the first album he goes for. And this claptrapper gets drunk a lot.