Sorry. Kid A isn’t number 1. Sorry. There’s no Arcade Fire. So sorry to disappoint you. Sorry that my top 5 has two rap records in it and it isn’t what you may have expected. Bright Eyes? Really. And it’s not “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning”? Really? I’m only human. And I’m not really sorry.
05. Kanye West – Late Registration
Say what you will about Kanye West. It’s all true. But you cannot deny his talent. I’ve probably played this record more than any other in the last five years. The video below gives you a taste of why.
04. Bright Eyes – Fevers and Mirrors
This may greet a love of people with a fair amount of disdain, but I am a sucker for Bright Eyes. Soon after reading an interview with Conor Oberst in Magnet back in 1998, I found a used copy of the ep Letting of the Happiness and I instantly became a fan. By the time Fevors and Mirrors came out two years later, I was really itching for more. I played the hell out of that cd. I made my friends listen to it and didn’t back down when they didn’t jump on the bandwagon. This was my Neutral Milk Hotel.
03. Strokes – Room On Fire
As often is the case with me, I was turned off by the hype surrounding the Strokes when Is This It came out. It wasn’t until Room On Fire that I fell in love and realized that the Strokes are the epitome of the band I wish I had.
02. Jay-Z – Blueprint
There are a lot of great rap albums, but this one tops them all. You’ve got Izzo (H.O.V.A), Song Cry, Hola Hovito, Girls Girls Girls. They’re some of the best raps ever. Although I love the albums that came after, they pale in comparison to The Blueprint 1. I doubt even Jay-Z will top this one.
01. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
I remember the first time I heard “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.” It caught me totally off guard. I was a fan of Summerteeth, and liked the chaos on songs like “Via Chicago” and “Shot In the Arm”, but this song took that controlled dissonance to another level. Wilco managed to deconstruct 11 well-written pop songs and put them back together in a way that would have made the Beatles proud. From start to finish there isn’t a weak moment, which is why Yankee Hotel Foxtrot battles OK Computer for the number two spot of my favorite albums of all time.
I actually prefer Digital Ash to both of those. I HATE YOU.
solid list bro.
I couldn’t agree more with your selection of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Talking about aging well. That record still does it for me.