LISTED: 30 Best Albums of the Last Decade (2000 - 2009)
*As the year 2010 is about to draw its curtain close, it is the time of the year (of any year) for many music sites and blogs to come up with a top list of albums of the year. Yes indeed the year 2010 has seen many interesting releases worthy of at least a top 20 list. But here at The Genuine Mind Zine we decided to do things a bit different and take a look at some of the best (of the best) releases throughout the last decade. This may not be the most comprehensive list around, lack of hip hop records for one, but all the albums listed here are indeed the most precious of last decade's precious gems.
19. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf (2002)
It's not easy to pick out one outstanding record from a host of outstanding albums by an outstanding band. From the 2000 release sophomore effort Rated R, to their breakthrough record Songs for the Deaf, 2005's Lullabies to Paralyze, and finally 2007's Era Vulgaris. So, they're pretty much like Acid Mothers Temple then: an excellent rock band who knows no boundary when it comes to guitar work, but only a lot less prolific, and a lot lot less hairy. And should I add - a lot less crazy as well. But when it comes to serving a healthy dose of kick-in-the-backside type of badassery, none surpass this (what I believe is essentially) one man band.
A certain critic, whom I have the impression was a big fan of The Strokes and The White Stripes, opined that while Songs for the Deaf have its merit as a thoroughly enjoyable rock album, and rightly so points to the fact that many other critics were applauding the album as well, the somewhat monotonous feel to the whole album greatly muffles the whole experience and considered it to be ineffectual. Besides, this album was recorded with the help of Dave Grohl on the drums, completing the dream team of Homme, Oliveri, Lanegan and Grohl. So naturally expectation was pretty high. But as how that critic noted, Grohl's drumming was muted and dwarfed by the presence of Homme's larger-than-life killer riffs. What it should have been, or perhaps how, is that the drumming should complement the guitar since Grohl is a terrific drummer. Sounds like a lot of bull but annoyingly, I agree on that bit.
QOTSA is, like how someone has put it, a band for musicians. And the sole driving force behind the moniker, as it seems, is Josh Homme. Ever since the band dropped their first album up until their last album, their fifth album to be precise, the personnel behind all the instruments has largely changed hand every time they are in the studio, leaving only Homme as the sole torch bearer as other musicians come and go with every recording process. Just think of them like a jamming studio owned by a genius, a visionary guitarist. And every time another kid who's very good with his gear come to the jamming studio, an impromptu jam will almost definitely break out. Try to think of QOTSA's music that way.
Because of that, their music constantly sounds like a musical duel between all the players involved within the song. Which then brings us to Grohl's drumming matter - yes it is a shame that his drumming somewhat sounded muted when compared to Homme's delivery. In fact he pales in comparison with everyone else, including Lanegan, whose only duty is on the mic. But as far as everything else goes, this album is almost perfect. Because once again this is the dream team line-up we have here. You have a feeling that somehow during the recording process it must have been totally kick ass. Angels in the heaven must have been weeping in delight every time they get together and play a song, or any song, even if it is just a random free jam session. They were seriously that awesome.
*As the year 2010 is about to draw its curtain close, it is the time of the year (of any year) for many music sites and blogs to come up with a top list of albums of the year. Yes indeed the year 2010 has seen many interesting releases worthy of at least a top 20 list. But here at The Genuine Mind Zine we decided to do things a bit different and take a look at some of the best (of the best) releases throughout the last decade. This may not be the most comprehensive list around, lack of hip hop records for one, but all the albums listed here are indeed the most precious of last decade's precious gems.
19. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf (2002)
It's not easy to pick out one outstanding record from a host of outstanding albums by an outstanding band. From the 2000 release sophomore effort Rated R, to their breakthrough record Songs for the Deaf, 2005's Lullabies to Paralyze, and finally 2007's Era Vulgaris. So, they're pretty much like Acid Mothers Temple then: an excellent rock band who knows no boundary when it comes to guitar work, but only a lot less prolific, and a lot lot less hairy. And should I add - a lot less crazy as well. But when it comes to serving a healthy dose of kick-in-the-backside type of badassery, none surpass this (what I believe is essentially) one man band.
A certain critic, whom I have the impression was a big fan of The Strokes and The White Stripes, opined that while Songs for the Deaf have its merit as a thoroughly enjoyable rock album, and rightly so points to the fact that many other critics were applauding the album as well, the somewhat monotonous feel to the whole album greatly muffles the whole experience and considered it to be ineffectual. Besides, this album was recorded with the help of Dave Grohl on the drums, completing the dream team of Homme, Oliveri, Lanegan and Grohl. So naturally expectation was pretty high. But as how that critic noted, Grohl's drumming was muted and dwarfed by the presence of Homme's larger-than-life killer riffs. What it should have been, or perhaps how, is that the drumming should complement the guitar since Grohl is a terrific drummer. Sounds like a lot of bull but annoyingly, I agree on that bit.
QOTSA is, like how someone has put it, a band for musicians. And the sole driving force behind the moniker, as it seems, is Josh Homme. Ever since the band dropped their first album up until their last album, their fifth album to be precise, the personnel behind all the instruments has largely changed hand every time they are in the studio, leaving only Homme as the sole torch bearer as other musicians come and go with every recording process. Just think of them like a jamming studio owned by a genius, a visionary guitarist. And every time another kid who's very good with his gear come to the jamming studio, an impromptu jam will almost definitely break out. Try to think of QOTSA's music that way.
Because of that, their music constantly sounds like a musical duel between all the players involved within the song. Which then brings us to Grohl's drumming matter - yes it is a shame that his drumming somewhat sounded muted when compared to Homme's delivery. In fact he pales in comparison with everyone else, including Lanegan, whose only duty is on the mic. But as far as everything else goes, this album is almost perfect. Because once again this is the dream team line-up we have here. You have a feeling that somehow during the recording process it must have been totally kick ass. Angels in the heaven must have been weeping in delight every time they get together and play a song, or any song, even if it is just a random free jam session. They were seriously that awesome.
Labels: 30 Best Albums of the Last Decade (2000 - 2009), queens of the stone age
posted by Hafeez at 9:53 PM
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