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!

Despite its obscenely ugly album cover, Mike Mix 08 features some great music. It’s also the most upbeat mix to date – even the sad songs sound kinda happy. But don’t worry, it’s not all sunshine and puppy dogs. Beneath the surface lurks an undercurrent of sadness.

The mix contains so many amazing songs I can’t possibly write about each one. So instead I will focus on a select few.

The first is “Broke” by Modest Mouse. One of the darkest songs on the mix, “Broke” features a pretty guitar riff and some of the finest (and most self-loathing) Modest Mouse lyrics ever recorded. At the other end of the spectrum is “Two Kids” by Strand of Oaks. Though slightly self-deprecating, the lyrics are also undeniably sweet. Lastly, “Bones” by DeYarmond Edison captures the mood of the entire mix: the cheerful instrumentation masks feelings of longing and regret.

These three songs are only the tip of the iceberg. The other eleven lie waiting to be discovered. I highly recommend listening to Mike Mix 08 in the order presented below. Download the entire mix here or stream it using the player below! Enjoy!

2007 was a great year for music. New albums from Radiohead, Interpol, The National, Andrew Bird, Okkervil River, and Spoon all rocked hard. My discovery of The Acorn, Kings of Leon, The Everybodyfields, and Menomena, coupled with an impressive debut from Deer Tick, made the year that much more amazing.

So when it came time to assemble my annual Top 10 Songs of 2007 list, I just couldn’t chop it down to size. As a result I’ve decided to expand the list to 15 songs. Plus I’ve already blogged about 9 of the 15 songs on the list, so the 5 extra slots allow me to post some new mp3’s.

Continuing to break with tradition, I’ve decided to categorize the 15 songs into 5 separate categories based on their mood and style. Enjoy!

Songs I listen to when I am happy (aka pop songs):

[mp3] The Shins :: Australia
[mp3] Okkervil River :: Unless It’s Kicks
[mp3] Modest Mouse :: Missed the Boat

Songs I listen to when I am sad (aka bawlers):

[mp3] Andrew Bird :: Cataracts
[mp3] The National :: Slow Show
[mp3] The Acorn :: Glory

Songs I listen to when I party (aka rockers):

[mp3] Interpol :: Rest My Chemistry
[mp3] Spoon :: Eddie’s Ragga
[mp3] Kings of Leon :: McFearless

Songs I listen to when I drive (aka rollers):

[mp3] The Everybodyfields :: Aeroplane
[mp3] Deer Tick :: Dirty Dishes
[mp3] Magnolia Electric Co :: Nashville Moon

Songs I listen to whenever (aka great songs):

[mp3] Kings of Leon :: On Call
[mp3] Radiohead :: Reckoner
[mp3] Menomena :: Rotten Hell

Get ‘em while they’re hot! Check the comments for additional lists…

With the year officially over, it’s time to reflect upon the awesomeness that was 2007. Unlike last year, 2007 had an excess of truly great music.

Unfortunately, this year’s “Best of” coverage won’t be as extensive as last year’s. Mainly because I’m lazy, but also because I got a much later start writing this year. I’m also going to try a new format for my Top 10 Albums of 2007 list. Below is a thumbnail image, which you can click on to enlarge.

Given my obsessive-compulsive engineering background, I decided to make a table summarizing the Top 10 Albums of 2007. There are no mp3’s associated with this post because there is a lot of overlap with my Top 10 Songs of 2007 list, which will be released shortly.

Not to leave you high and dry, I’ve uploaded a special treat to hold you over. Check the comments!

If anyone has yet to listen to Radiohead’s new album In Rainbows, I strongly recommend making your way over here where you can download it for free (if you so choose). It’s nothing short of amazing. Along with the Acorn’s Glory Hope Mountain, it’s been the only thing I’ve listened to for the last 3 weeks.

Which is why I’m worried. Whenever I find an album I really like, I listen to it so much that it loses its impact. Songs that initially moved me to tears (or ecstasy) become stripped of emotion after repeated listens. I can’t tell whether this is inevitable or purely my fault.

The true test, however, is whether you come back to the album after the obsession has subsided. Bands like My Morning Jacket, Okkervil River, and Built to Spill have definitely benefited from this treatment.

A band that’s currently riding this wave of re-obsession is Sigur Rós. Diehard MWW fans may recall that I put a song of theirs on my first podcast. Sadly, I haven’t mentioned them since, which in my opinion is unacceptable.

So in an attempt to amend the situation, I’ve decided to post the closing track from Sigur Rós’ untitled album ( ). The song, which approaches the 12-minute mark, sounds like an epic struggle between good and evil. Don’t let the made-up lyrics distract you, instead think of the vocals as another instrument in the song.

A new Sigur Rós compilation arrives November 6th, with their next studio album currently in the works.

[mp3] Sigur Rós :: Untitled 8

Before uploading a podcast (which is coming very soon), I think you all should know the type of music I enjoy. But seeing as how I could go on forever, I have decided to reduce my entire music collection to my 5 favorite artists. It wasn’t very easy – and it’s even harder to rank them. So I won’t. Please enjoy the fruit of my labors…

MY MORNING JACKET: Soaring vocals drenched in reverb.

You know you’ve discovered one of your favorite bands when you stop listening to the rest of your music collection. That’s what the first note of Jim James’ amazing voice made me do. My Morning Jacket is the inspiration for the name of my blog, so I will share with you the song whose title I ripped off.

[mp3] My Morning Jacket :: Phone Went West

BUILT TO SPILL: Epic guitar band with melodies to match.

Initially unimpressed with some mp3’s I downloaded, I let Built to Spill collect dust on my harddrive for several months. Then one fateful day I decided to buy Perfect From Now On after finding nothing else appealing at Rasputin. Next thing I knew, I was buying everything they released and thought that all other music sucked. No joking, they are that good. I saw them live at Slim’s on June 22 and they blew me away. They played ridiculously epic versions of “Untrustable” and “Broken Chairs.” I leave you with the studio recording of the former. Enjoy.

[mp3] Built to Spill :: Untrustable / Pt. 2 (About Somebody Else)

OKKERVIL RIVER: Lyrics as beautiful as the instrumentation.

One of my more recent finds, Okkervil River has quickly moved up the ranks of my favorite bands. The focal point of the music is the lyrics, which, though they range from heartbreaking to murderous, are always excellent. If this seems contradictory, just listen to these two songs.

[mp3] Okkervil River :: A Favor
[mp3] Okkervil River :: Westfall

RADIOHEAD: The original innovators.

Radiohead is the band that started my love affair with music. Senior year of high school my friend introduced me to them. I remember the first time I heard “Fake Plastic Trees.” It was incredible. I’m sure that you all know and love Radiohead, but on the off chance that this is your first exposure, I’ll start you off where I began.

[mp3] Radiohead :: Fake Plastic Trees

SUN KIL MOON: Heartbreaking, yet uplifting nostalgia.

Despite having only one proper album to their name, Sun Kil Moon still makes my top 5 because Ghosts of the Great Highway is one of my favorite records of all time. I bought it with a gift certificate my ex-roommate Joel gave me for my birthday (I hope he enjoys the shout out). Beautiful, uplifting music that at the same time breaks your heart. So few bands can pull it off successfully. I hope you like it as much as I do.

[mp3] Sun Kil Moon :: Carry Me Ohio

BARELY MISSED THE CUT: Make sure to check out these other excellent bands, though I will most likely post on them in the future: The National, Songs: Ohia, Iron & Wine, and Ryan Adams.