30. Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)
Best producer turned rapper ever? Maybe. I'm not saying the man's flow is historic, but his personality makes up for the things his rhyming lacks. The timing of his debut was perfect. A near fatal car accident, his jaw wired shut and a sample that surely made Puff Daddy green with envy, "Through the Wire" could not have been a better way to introduce Mr. West to the world. The song nearly encompasses Kanye's entire formula for a hit - an old soul sample, a sharp wit, an insatiable appetite for success and an inflated ego. The only thing missing is the conflict his stark self awareness presents. That conflict is present in just about every track on The College Dropout, however, especially the Lauryn Hill inspired "All Falls Down."
In my opinion, it was his self consciousness, his brutal honesty about his fears, his weaknesses that made mainstream rap music relevant again. After Dropout, suddenly everyone wanted a Kanye beat. One of our great underground "conscious" rappers, Common, gets nominated for Grammys (for the Kanye produced album Be). John Legend wins Grammys (for the Kanye produced album Get Lifted) and rescues R&B from R. Kelly's sex music, temporarily. West himself manages to get a song about his relationship with Jesus on the nations radio stations. It's no wonder Jay-Z was hesitant to let Kanye out from behind the boards (Kanye was largely responsible for the success of Jay''s 2001 The Blueprint, producing several of it's key tracks). I imagine Jay-Z as a king of old, keeping an eye on Kanye to make sure he doesn't grow strong enough to take his crown. Sorry, Jay. If you ask me your student has overcome you. The man can do whatever he wants, that includes giving up rap in favor of singing.
29. Mogwai - Rock Action (2001)
Arguably the most accessible album Mogwai has made (although Happy Songs for Happy People is my favorite), Rock Action marks an evolution in sound for the decade's leader of the post-rock genre. This is apparent in the opening track, "Sine Wave." As synth and fuzz great us, it becomes clear that the band has added something new to their repertoire. By incorporating electronic instruments, Mogwai's sound takes on a new texture, evoking more emotion and widening their sonic spectrum. They will still woo you with their guitars ("Dial: Revenge") and then smash you with their guitars ("You Don't Know Jesus") but now they can cradle you with electronic atmosphere ("Sine Wave") and will mask their vocals with processor swirl ("2 Rights Make 1 Wrong").
It may just be me being partial to Mogwai, but I believe that without their work, other prominent post-rock outfits like Explosions in the Sky, Do Make Say Think and, the lesser known but still fantastic, This Will Destroy You, may not be enjoying much success. Without these bands, tell me who would score our dramatic sporting moments or provide soundtracks for our nature shows? Randy Newman, that's who. Do you want to be stuck with Randy Newman??
28. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife (2006)
I'll be quite honest, I don't care for most of the Decemberists music. I want to like them more, I really do. A band that creates a story, a concept with each release is something I should like. I think it's too epic for me though, too grand. I can't relate. That was, until they signed with Capital records and released their major label debut, The Crane Wife.
I'm still not sure I can pin point exactly what it is about this album I like so much. There seems to be a different energy at play here. They're still telling stories, as always, but there appears to be more emotion here. The music seems to tell the story just as much as the lyrics, which is a definite difference from their previous work. Their sound is broader, it's bigger. Something you might expect from a major label signing. I also think it makes the album more accessible, which is likely why it was received so well both critically and commercially (they didn't end up in a mock feud with Stephen Colbert on his Colbert Report for making an album no one listened to).
It's still folk-rock. It's still written about Civil War era lovers and based on ancient Japanese tales. It's still a little odd, but it sounds so freaking good.
27. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury (2006)
I think most rap music these days is awful. There, I said it. I grew up on Wu-Tang, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Mobb Deep, Nas, Jay-Z, 2Pac and Biggie. I lived through the heyday of gangsta rap. Those guys have all grown up, just as I have. Some of them changed, most of them didn't. For the most part, gangsta rap nowadays is boring (see my post on Raekwon's Only Built for Cuban Linx Pt. II). Well, this is where I contradict myself.
The Clipse are not saying anything new. They're talking about selling dope, cooking coke, making money and protecting it by any means necessary. They're just so good at it. I know it's old hat, but something about their flow actually makes it interesting again. It's so unpolished, so honest and they sound so hungry even on this, their second album. The fact that they're connected with Pharrell Williams and the Neptunes - the hit-making, booty-shaking production wiz kids - has always puzzled me. The Neptunes have hit the charts with just about everybody you can imagine - Snoop, Busta Rhymes, Justin Timberlake, No Doubt, Britney Spears and...Clipse? One of these things is not like the others. It's a wonder, but it's also a perfect match. The digital pop and shine of the Neptune's beats, which are also fairly minimal, serve as an appropriate contrast to the dark street tales of Mailce and Pusha T.
While Hell Hath No Fury did not enjoy large commercial success, the critics loved it. It's more cohesive than their debut, Lord Willin', both in content and sound and it's actually interesting to listen to. In my mind, it gave rap music hope.
26. Radiohead - Amnesiac (2001)
Essentially, Amnesiac is a collection of leftovers from 2000's stunning Kid A, but it would be a mistake to compare the two. They are meant to compliment one another, not to be reflections. Thom Yorke probably sums it up best:
"They are separate because they cannot run in a straight line with each other. They cancel each other out as overall finished things...In some weird way, I think Amnesiac gives another take on Kid A, a form of explanation. Something traumatic is happening in Kid A...this is looking back at it, trying to piece together what has happened. I think the artwork is the best way of explaining it. The artwork to Kid A was all in the distance. The fires were all going on the other side of the hill. With Amnesiac, you're actually in the forest while the fire's happening."
The journal image on the cover of Amnesiac further drives Yorke's point home. This album is a recount of the events transpired in Kid A. Despite being recorded at the same time as Kid A, Amnesiac does act as a perfect bridge. It's sound is similar to Kid A but with slight modifications. It's a tad more guitar given, a bit less electronic, which makes it feel like a "remember when" record, a slight nod to the Radiohead of 1997, while at the same time embracing the changes in the band's sound.
I think Amnesiac usually stands in the shadow of Kid A, which is a shame because personally, this album is one of my favorites in the Radiohead catalog. They can do no wrong in my eyes, though. I could easily include all three of their releases from this decade in my list...and I just might.
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