Initially I didn’t think I could write this post. It seemed like an impossible task. How on earth was I supposed to come up with and then rank my favorite albums from the past decade? I have enough trouble doing it for just one year. There’s simply too much good music out there (despite my occasional whining to the contrary).

But when I really started thinking about it, I came to the following conclusion: a decade is a terrible thing to waste. In all reality, I may not get another opportunity like this. After all, who knows what I’ll be doing ten years from now. Also, musically speaking, the past decade was an important one for me. Over the course of ten years, my muted appreciation of music gradually transformed into a full-blown obsession. I now spend most of my free time searching for, writing about, and listening to music.

In the end I guess it was a pretty easy decision. I would’ve been extremely foolish to let the decade pass without weighing in on my favorite albums. It was a lot of work, but I managed to compile a list of my 30 favorite albums from 2000-2009. Not necessarily the best or most important albums, but those that had the greatest impact on me.

With all that said, I proudly present the Top 30 Albums of the Decade…

ALBUMS 30 – 21

ALBUMS 20 – 11

ALBUMS 10 – 1

Like I said, compiling this list was no easy task. In the end, tons of amazing albums got axed. Check the comments to see which ones barely missed the cut. And leave comments to let me know which albums I missed completely!

I begin my coverage of the best music of 2008 by resurrecting an idea from two years ago. It’s called the “New to Me” list and it has nothing to do with music released in 2008. Instead, it gathers a few excellent bands that I discovered this year, even though they have been around much, much longer. You might also call it the “I’m Embarrassed to Admit It Took Me So Long to Discover These Bands” list.

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS

It’s crazy to think about how a simple action or decision can have huge consequences. At the trivial end of the spectrum, there’s the decision about which song to first listen to when you discover a new band. If you choose the wrong one, you might never listen to that band again.

That’s almost what happened to the Drive-By Truckers. A few year ago, after reading some glowing reviews, I decided to give the Truckers a try. I think I listened to “Puttin’ People On the Moon,” which can be downloaded for free at the band’s website here. The song’s odd pacing and hostile tone turned me off big time. I probably stopped the track halfway through, shelving the band after hearing only two minutes of their music.

Earlier this year, the Truckers released Brighter Than Creation’s Dark and again I read some pretty good reviews. I decided to give the band one last shot. This time, however, I listened to “Goddamn Lonely Love.” What a difference a song makes: it’s way more mellow than “Puttin’ People On the Moon.” If you’re a fan of sad bastard music like I am, you will absolutely love it. After a while, you might even warm up to “Puttin’ People On the Moon” (as I have).

[mp3] Drive-By Truckers :: Goddamn Lonely Love

JOSH RITTER

Last time I talked about Josh Ritter, I got a little carried away. I went on a mini rant about how Ritter, as a singer-songwriter, gets very little love from certain critics. Since writing that post, I’ve come to terms with the fact that not everyone will like the same music as me.

Despite a few lukewarm critical reviews, I really like Josh Ritter. Over the course of 5 albums, he’s changed his sound quite a bit. On Golden Age of Radio, my favorite Ritter album, he sounds like a twangy Dylan. On Hello Starling, he sounds like a folk troubadour. And on Animal Years, he sounds like an apocalyptic indie rocker.

Regardless of his sound, Ritter has maintained his knack for writing simple, affecting songs. To understand what I’m talking about, just listen to “Here At the Right Time,” the closing track on The Animal Years. It doesn’t get much better.

[mp3] Josh Ritter :: Here At the Right Time

CARISSA’S WEIRD

Why is it nearly impossible to track down anything released by Carissa’s Wierd? I’d really appreciate it if someone could answer this question for me. I’ve only been able to track down Songs About Leaving, which isn’t even their best album. The rest I had to download “illegally.”

I put the word illegally in quotes because I seriously doubt I’m breaking any laws by downloading an album that is out of print (and therefore can’t be purchased legally). Please correct me if I’m wrong. Anyways, after a little searching, I found a blog where you can download the band’s entire catalog (here).

And while I love free music, I wish I at least had the option to purchase their albums. Carissa’s Wierd wrote some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard (though sometimes their song titles can get a little out of hand — see below for proof). Unfortunately, the band split up in 2003 after releasing only 3 albums. I guess they wanted to end on a high note.

[mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: Ignorant Piece of Shit

The city of Seattle has long been a hotbed of music and culture. And it’s easy to see why. During my brief 3 day visit last summer, I completely fell in love with the city and its many vibrant neighborhoods.

But this was skewed picture. The weather, usually overcast and dreary, was sunny and warm when I visited. In other words, not your typical Seattle experience. The contrast between the ephemeral beauty of summer and seemingly permanent bleakness of the other seasons can explain, at least partially, the type of music that emanates from the city.

Back in the 90’s, Seattle more or less gave birth to grunge music. Today, it is home to the Sub Pop record label and some of indie rock’s most influential bands.

Consider, for example, Carissa’s Weird. Formed in Seattle in 1995, the band recorded three albums before splitting in 2003. Members included Mat Brooke, Jenn Ghetto, Ben Bridwell, Sarah Standard, and Sera Cahoone. Together, they created some of the most uplifting slowcore music ever recorded, accented by Sarah Standard’s phenomenal violin playing. Their songs are consistently sad, but also incredibly beautiful, in many ways mirroring Seattle’s climate.

Since the band’s split in 2003, Mat Brooke and Ben Bridwell created the band Nov. 16 before changing its name to Band of Horses. Jenn Ghetto formed the band S and Sera Cahoone started a solo career. Later, Mat Brooke left Band of Horses to front Grand Archives.

Despite these different directions, the former members of Carissa’s Wierd have maintained their distinct Seattle sound. And while the reunion of these insanely-talented musicians might be a dream come true, it’s also fun to watch where they go on their own.

The following Regional Mix samples only some of the fallout from Carissa’s Wierd. I have yet to listen to anything released by S and Sera Cahoone doesn’t really fit the mood (though she is amazing nonetheless). Despite these omissions, I hope you enjoy the mix!

• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: The Color That Your Eyes Changed With the Color of Your Hair
• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: All Apologies and Smiles, Yours Truly, Ugly Valentine
• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: Fluorescent Lights
• [mp3] Carissa’s Wierd :: Some Days Are Better Than Others
• [mp3] Nov. 16 :: I’d Like to Think
• [mp3] Band of Horses :: I Go to the Barn Because I Like the
• [mp3] Band of Horses :: Monsters
• [mp3] Grand Archives :: Sleepdriving

As usual, a zip file containing all 8 songs is provided here

Also, Grand Archives (supported by Sera Cahoone) are currently on tour. I highly recommend seeing them if they visit a city near you! I know I will!