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.
16. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
Let's forget OK Computer for a while and look at all the releases that this Oxford graduates has offered the world all throughout last decade and I bet you many (and probably I should add: most) music critics will say that 2000's Kid A is Radiohead's best album of all. I call that bullshit. The pseudo indie electronic album has got to be one of the most over-hyped album in the history of rock music. And, not to mention that once, this album was regarded by many to be Radiohead's most irrelevant record. Well, irrelevant in the sense that it came hot off the heels of the most important rock record for a generation. The immense anticipation from fans worldwide was greeted with a bemusing bewilderment - a rock band has gone techno? But the amazing thing is the album clicked with its audience; or specifically, Radiohead audience. It didn't draw jeers or criticism from them, instead they loved it and embraced this whole new paradigm for this highly talented unit. Classic Hallmark moment.
But when it comes to being in this list as 30 of the best albums for the entire decade, Kid A doesn't even hold a candle close enough to In Rainbows. What sets this 2007 release apart from its crafty elder sister is the consistency found in substance, depth, style, mood, and delivery. Thom Yorke is well known for his astute and insightful lyrics, and not reducing himself to repeating catchphrases over and over again, this album reveals his lyrical muscle in its finest glory. It's an album that is rich with expression that covers on so many aspect of the human emotion and psyche, it could cover the entire universe up to its littlest details.
Radiohead also is well-known for mood, or atmosphere in their songs. All their previous releases has all been about self-alienation, self-doubt, and self-confusion, and hence their mood tends to drift towards the gloom and doom. But in this, Thom for once had a clear view and a clear mind. He's no longer complaining about something rather open-heartedly accept the quagmire that he is in (well try to look at this in a fictitious way). This time they are no longer expressed in cryptic and symbolical words but in a very honest manner. Thus, because of this openness in Thom's lyric, the songs are now more self-assured. It wants to be heard. It doesn't stray far and into the farthest stretch of the human psyche but it stays firmly rooted to the ground. It doesn't go flying madly into lofty heights but rather soars gently so as not to let anyone fall down.
Then there is the matter with the format in which this album was first released: digital. This may not make that much logic to readers of today but in the near future, the digital format will be the commonly accepted format for music. The days of physical format are numbered and soon, we will see the compact disc will go the way of the vinyl record of today in which its purpose is as a collector's item. Radiohead made this album available on their website on any price the buyer is willing to pay for, then a few months later released the same album in CD format. Straight away you know - the CD has been relegated to the status of a historical relic. Sadly enough though, this may mean that people in the distant future will remember this album not for its amazing content, but for effectively killing the CD.
*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.
16. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
Let's forget OK Computer for a while and look at all the releases that this Oxford graduates has offered the world all throughout last decade and I bet you many (and probably I should add: most) music critics will say that 2000's Kid A is Radiohead's best album of all. I call that bullshit. The pseudo indie electronic album has got to be one of the most over-hyped album in the history of rock music. And, not to mention that once, this album was regarded by many to be Radiohead's most irrelevant record. Well, irrelevant in the sense that it came hot off the heels of the most important rock record for a generation. The immense anticipation from fans worldwide was greeted with a bemusing bewilderment - a rock band has gone techno? But the amazing thing is the album clicked with its audience; or specifically, Radiohead audience. It didn't draw jeers or criticism from them, instead they loved it and embraced this whole new paradigm for this highly talented unit. Classic Hallmark moment.
But when it comes to being in this list as 30 of the best albums for the entire decade, Kid A doesn't even hold a candle close enough to In Rainbows. What sets this 2007 release apart from its crafty elder sister is the consistency found in substance, depth, style, mood, and delivery. Thom Yorke is well known for his astute and insightful lyrics, and not reducing himself to repeating catchphrases over and over again, this album reveals his lyrical muscle in its finest glory. It's an album that is rich with expression that covers on so many aspect of the human emotion and psyche, it could cover the entire universe up to its littlest details.
Radiohead also is well-known for mood, or atmosphere in their songs. All their previous releases has all been about self-alienation, self-doubt, and self-confusion, and hence their mood tends to drift towards the gloom and doom. But in this, Thom for once had a clear view and a clear mind. He's no longer complaining about something rather open-heartedly accept the quagmire that he is in (well try to look at this in a fictitious way). This time they are no longer expressed in cryptic and symbolical words but in a very honest manner. Thus, because of this openness in Thom's lyric, the songs are now more self-assured. It wants to be heard. It doesn't stray far and into the farthest stretch of the human psyche but it stays firmly rooted to the ground. It doesn't go flying madly into lofty heights but rather soars gently so as not to let anyone fall down.
Then there is the matter with the format in which this album was first released: digital. This may not make that much logic to readers of today but in the near future, the digital format will be the commonly accepted format for music. The days of physical format are numbered and soon, we will see the compact disc will go the way of the vinyl record of today in which its purpose is as a collector's item. Radiohead made this album available on their website on any price the buyer is willing to pay for, then a few months later released the same album in CD format. Straight away you know - the CD has been relegated to the status of a historical relic. Sadly enough though, this may mean that people in the distant future will remember this album not for its amazing content, but for effectively killing the CD.
Labels: 30 Best Albums of the Last Decade (2000 - 2009), radiohead
posted by Hafeez at 8:11 PM
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