Decent Decade of Music, pt II

Before we continue on down this road of my favourite albums of the last decade, I want to say, I was haunted last night before I went to sleep of albums that i had forgotten to include. But I can't remember them, so their loss.

15. Sigur Rós - Takk... (2005)

The most important Sigur Rós album for me (although it was hard to choose between this and Ágætis byrjun) because it will always remind me of a specific time of my life and a specific event. It will always remind me of seeing them play at the Palais in St. Kilda with my mum when I was 18, and crying during glosoli. And on that note, the video for Glosoli is possibly one of the best music videos ever created. A consistent and beautiful album, the mood of the tracks from Glosoli into Hoppipola is sombre into uplifting and Sæglópur is haunting and just beautiful. Sigur Ros understand the art of building up their arrangements from low twinkling sounds into massive orchestral booms and they do it damn well.

14. Cat Power - You Are Free (2003)

I remember buying this album on a complete whim when I was in year 11, cause I liked the artwork on the cover and I had seen the video for He War, and I was so impressed. It of course prompted me to research Cat Power and Chan Marshall a bit more and then I discovered Moon Pix and What Would the Community Think etc. So this album represents the beginning of my love for Cat Power as well as representing when I was in year 11 and broadening my musical tastes. I also remember doing a solo performance in drama based on one of her songs from this album, HA. I Don't Blame You, Good Woman, Werewolf, the fucking brilliant Maybe Not and of course He War, are all amazing tracks that were a good introductory course (for me) to the genius songwriting of Chan Marshall.

13. Fionn Regan - The End of History (2006)

A humble little album from the lovely little Irishman known as Fionn, from start to finish it weaves a beautiful little web. Hey Rabbit into Black Water Child is one of my favourite song transitions ever. Snowy Atlas Mountain features some of the most poignant lyrics i've heard. The album has a mixture of songs to elate you and songs to make you feel downright depressed and sob into your pillow. Amazing Lyrics, Wonderful guitar work, Great Job.

12. Feist - Let it Die (2004)

Sultry little devil Leslie Feist's second album, but the first one I had heard. She really is a talented musician, despite all the kerfuffle that was kicked up over the third Album - The Reminder, what with all the ipod commercial and I Feel it All being used on some foul Australian weight loss ad, at least she can write a good song. From her work with Broken Social Scene to her solo work. The woman used to live with Peaches for christs sake. She can do no wrong in my eyes. From the subtle opener Gatekeeper, through to danceable Mushaboom, onto the heartbreaking Let it Die. Lonely Lonely, is one of her best written songs, and the lyrics read very true, similairly with Secret Heart. Her cover of Inside and Out is sublime and will forever remind me of my friend Sunni dancing at 5am hands on hips, fingers wagging on a couch all sultry like. It also reminds me of my other friend Annie singing at a bus stop on our way to a gig. And of Leah singing all husky to me. It's an album that has echoed on and on and stuck with me since I first heard it.

11. My Latest Novel - Wolves (2006)

The debut album of My Latest Novel blew me away. They had many comparisons to the Arcade Fire, more often than not referred to as "the Arcade Fire, but from Glasgow". To some degree, it's an accurate comparison, but when you listen to this album more, you realise that it's really not. I think of them more as a Scottish Sigur Ros/Arcade Fire hybrid, they too understand the art of dramatic build up's in their song writing, as well as the magic of the mid song tempo change. Massive orchestral arrangements and swirling clouds of choral voices, violins and big drums pelt down on you and trap you in a shit storm tornado of emotions. Opener Ghost in the Gutter is glorious, Learning Lego is heart stopping - when all the children start singing at the end. It's truly a brilliant album start to finish. The last song, Reputation of Ross Francis is as upbeat as it comes and still stirs something sad and at the same time elated inside me every time I hear it.

10. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2005)

This album is my happy place. It reminds me of my first year of uni, using Panther Dash in a play me and my friends wrote about a school camp. It reminds me of dancing at Pony and other various Melbourne bars in the early hours of the morning to Huddle Formation (not to mention smashing a light at my friends house when I get to excited) It's just an all round, energetic, intense, frenetic album that I will put on to cheer myself up. Plus seeing them perform at the Big Day Out was one of the best shows i'd seen.

9. Tegan and Sara - The Con (2008)

What can I say, I have a soft spot of Canadians. All lesbian twin jokes aside, this album is actually incredibly crafted and structured from start to finish. There is a definite flow from track to track. And the story behind the album and songwriting is moving and comes across in each song incredibly efficiently. There is not a song on this album I don't like. It represents a very decent time of my life, which I have very fond memories of. And the album still translates well to today.

8. The Arcade Fire - Funeral (2005)

This was another album I bought on a whim. I hadn't heard anything by them, I had heard the name thrown around a few times. I remember it exactly, it was Valentines Day, I went to Greville Records after finishing uni to just have a browse, I saw the art work, really liked it, and bought it. I don't think I stopped listening to the album for about 3 months after that. Need I say more? Yes. One More thing - Arcade Fire are the masters of mid song tempo change (fierce competition from my latest novel though) and Win and Regine create amazing harmonies. And Regine is a talented babe of a woman.

7. Sleater Kinney - The Woods (2005)

I first heard Sleater Kinney in 2002 when One Beat was released. The song was "Oh!" and I remember thinking that it was just another angry lesbian band, but then I actually listened to the rest of the album and they really grew on me (and the wailing in Oh didn't annoy me as much) and I thought yeah cool, this bands pretty rad. But then The Woods came out and I was blown away. The Duelling guitar sound, the battling vocals, the denser more distorted sounds were all so compelling and sucked me right in. Again, seeing them play at Big Day Out (same year as the Go! Team) was one of the best days of my life. Listen to Jumpers, Modern Girl and Entertain.

6. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People (2002)

This album reminds me of sitting in backyards in summer, smoking cigarettes, drinking coopers and talking shit. Melbourne vs. Adelaide. Being an upset emotional teenager and also one of the raddest times (back then at least, there were more to come in later years). Start to Finish, there are many many MANY associations with this album. Park that Car, Drop that Phone, Sleep on the Floor, Dream about Me.