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Top 100 Albums, Vol. V (compiled 01/09)

18 Jan 2009, 20:05

Here we go, volume 5 of my annual top 100 album list. Just to clarify, this is an annual "snapshot" of my personal favorite records and in no way reflects an attempt to make a "100 greatest albums of all time" list. This year I've brought it down to a 2 album per-artist limit. The number in (##) shows the change from last year's list. Now that I have 5 years of data, I can start making some cool graphs and I am officially no longer ashamed with any of my 100 selections.


100. Siamese Dream- The Smashing Pumpkins (-1)
99. This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About- Modest Mouse (-9)
98. Fever To Tell- The Yeah yeah yeahs (-4)
97. California- Mr. Bungle (-4)
96. In an Aeroplane over the Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel (new)
95. Face the Truth- Stephen Malkmus (-7)
94. Icky Mettle- Archers of Loaf (+3)
93. The Rebel's Not In- The Halo Benders (+2)
92. Room on Fire- The Strokes (-5)
91. All Is Dream- Mercury Rev (-2)

90. Strangers From the Universe- Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 (new)
89. Stands For Decibels- The dB's (-20)
88. Whatever and Ever Amen- Ben Folds Five (-5)
87. In One Era Out The Other- The Movies (+5)
86. The Shocking Pinks- The Shocking Pinks (new)
85. Moon Safari- Air (-5)
84. Apologies to the Queen Mary- Wolf Parade (+1)
83. White Blood Cells- The White Stripes (-2)
82. Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone- The Walkmen (--)
81. I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One- Yo La Tengo (+3)

80. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot- Wilco (-3)
79. The Argument- Fugazi (-1)
78. The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast- Badly Drawn Boy (-2)
77. Guilt, Regret, And Embarassment- Treepeople (-14)
76. Oracle Spectacular- MGMT (new)
75. Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State- Sufjan Stevens (--)
74. Control- Pedro the Lion (-2)
73. Rubber Soul- The Beatles (+1)
72. Firewater- Silkworm (new)
71. Stephen Malkmus- Stephen Malkmus (+2)

70. Buhloone Mindstate- De La Soul (+16)
69. De-Loused in the Comatorium- The Mars Volta (+2)
68. Odelay- Beck (+2)
67. Teenager of the Year- Frank Black (+1)
66. Hearts of Oak- Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (-1)
65. Evil Empire- Rage Against the Machine (-20)
64. Sung Tongs- Animal Collective (+15)
63. A Series of Sneaks- Spoon (-2)
62. The Charm of the Highway Strip- The Magnetic Fields (+4)
61. This Night- Destroyer (+6)

60. Who's Your New Professor- Sam Prekop (+2)
59. High/Low- Nada Surf (+1)
58. A Ghost is Born- Wilco (+1)
57. The Return Of The Space Cowboy- Jamiroquai (-34)
56. Songs Of Leonard Cohen- Leonard Cohen (+2)
55. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness- I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness (--)
54. The Soft Bulletin- The Flaming Lips (--)
53. Before and After Science- Brian Eno (+3)
52. The Sunlandic Twins- Of Montreal (--)
51. Oui- The Sea and Cake (--)

50. Fear of Music- Talking Heads (-8)
49. Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia- The Dandy Warhols (+1)
48. Instrument- Fugazi (-10)
47. Bee Thousand- Guided by Voices (new)
46. Fashion Nugget- Cake (--)
45. Pinkerton- Weezer (-1)
44. Sharpen Your Teeth- Ugly Casanova (-1)
43. It's A Wonderful Life- Sparklehorse (-2)
42. Love Is Real- John Maus (new)
41. Vaya- At the Drive-In (-1)

40. London Calling- The Clash (+8)
39. God Don't Make No Junk- The Halo Benders (--)
38. Vs.- Mission of Burma (-7)
37. Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements- Stereolab (--)
36. Phantom Power- Super Furry Animals (--)
35. Return of the Rentals- The Rentals (-5)
34. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain- Pavement (+1)
33. Electric Warrior- T Rex (+1)
32. The Boy With The Arab Strap- Belle and Sebastian (--)
31. Frank Black- Frank Black (-3)

30. Elliott Smith- Elliott Smith (+3)
29. After the Gold Rush- Neil Young (+24)
28. American Water- The Silver Jews (+1)
27. Doolittle- The Pixies (--)
26. Lonesome Crowded West- Modest Mouse (--)
25. Sea Change- Beck (-1)
24. Remain in Light- Talking Heads (+1)
23. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots- The Flaming Lips (-1)
22. OK Computer- Radiohead (-1)
21. The White Album- The Beatles (-1)

20. Girls Can Tell- Spoon (-1)
19. Weezer- Weezer (-2)
18. Pet Sounds- The Beach Boys (new)
17. Daydream Nation- Sonic Youth (-1)
16. Keep It Like a Secret- Built To Spill (+2)
15. Bakesale- Sebadoh (--)
14. Marquee Moon- Television (--)
13. House Arrest- Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (--)
12. Crazy Rhythms- The Feelies (--)
11. Here Come the Warm Jets- Brian Eno (--)

10. Funeral- Arcade Fire
9. The Modern Lovers- The Modern Lovers (--)
8. Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons- Blonde Redhead (--)
7. Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?- The Unicorns (-3)
6. The Natural Bridge- The Silver Jews (+1)
5. Is This It?- The Strokes (--)
4. Perfect From Now On- Built To Spill (+2)
3. Surfer Rosa- The Pixies (-1)
2. Slanted and Enchanted- Pavement (-1) ...dethroned!
1. Good Morning Spider- Sparklehorse (+2)

I'd like to thank Kellen, Brendan, Andrew, as well as Jenny, Trevor, Travis, Lauren, Earl, Greg, Charlie, Jeremy and Glenn for their shared enthusiasm.

Comments

  • Dunnemin

    Interesting list. The highest album in your list that will apear in mine will be Pet Sounds, after that OK Computer. For Neil Young ive chosen Comes a Time. (lol I know, maybe its not his best, but i have some memories of that album of one summer i spend almost every day at the beach and listened to that album on my walkman) You like different kinds of music. Interesting.

    20 Jan 2009, 14:48
  • porkchopsltd

    It's an interesting idea, a list that is actually kept up to date.

    20 Jan 2009, 18:05
  • Lord_Krichian

    too much indie ;(

    22 Jan 2009, 09:26
  • kida86

    very interesting but....where are the beatles?!

    23 Jan 2009, 12:04
  • yoohoojuju

    I can't wait to see the graphs you come up with!! Only one radiohead album? :( Have you heard the new Animal Collective? I'm kind of obsessed.

    23 Jan 2009, 18:49
  • chrisrazor

    Some very, VERY good records here. Interesting Modest Mouse choices. For me, it's hard to beat The Moon And Antarctica.

    24 Jan 2009, 19:44
  • imbored

    Hey I'm just some random person who saw your list, hope you don't mind me commenting. I think your top 10 is pretty great, the only one I'm not familiar with is The Modern Lovers, but I'm going to check that out now. I don't love The Natural Bridge as much as I love American Water, but now I want to go give it another listen. The only other comment I have is that I like Dreamt for Light Years in The Belly of A Mountain more than It's A Wonderful Life; I just haven't fallen in love with IAWL like I have with DFLYITBOAM and Good Morning Spider. I guess I should probably give it another listen soon as well :)

    26 Jan 2010, 04:52
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