10 Obscenely Amazing Modern Classic Albums
(In exactly 25 words each)
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Since the new century began, there have been many great albums. (Ok, Mermaid Avenue was 1998 – still “modern” to me). These are among my very favs.
The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream (2014)
Philly Indie-Rock, authentic as hell, Springsteen/Dylan/Dire Straits/U2/touch Tears for Fears. Unbelievably uplifting still way cool. BEST DRIVING ALBUM EVER. Literally.
Gateway Track: Under the Pressure
Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Lie Down In The Light (2008)
Godfather Of All Hipsters-slash-brilliant songwriter artist’s most sky blue album. Color of artwork but also what it sounds like. Sparse, wholesome, cunning, stunning.
Gateway Track: Easy Does It
Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean (2011)
Indie-folk troubadour. More than acoustic. Shades of Rumours era Mac, classic CSN harmonies. Wistful, intelligent, somewhat-abstract, nostalgic lyrics. Plenty pulsing percussion, touches sweet low horns.
Gateway Track: Glad Man Singing
The Killers – Day & Age (2008)
Vegas Big American Arena Rock-Pop, incredibly catchy, brilliant production, electronic flourishes subtly with GUITARS. Like less cheesy, more creative, rougher edged Coldplay. Huge singalong hooks.
Gateway Track: Neon Tiger
Courtney Barnett – The Double EP – A Sea of Split Peas (2013)
Female australian Kurt Cobainesque rocker (way cooler imho), brilliant lyrics, storyteller of the sublime mundane, three chord grunge rock with TONS OF SOUL AND GROOVE.
Gateway Track: History Eraser
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Cat Power – The Greatest (2006)
Most accessible album from indie Chan-teuse legend. Sultry, lovelorn piano bar tunes. Incredibly singable. Humid production, brilliant through headphones or high quality speakers loud.
Gateway Track: Lived In Bars
Drive Soundtrack – Various Artists (2011)
Throbbing synth neo-future electronic jams alongside minimalist, Eno-esque moods. FULLY WROUGHT AURAL WORLD. Psychologically foreboding. Sound of lone soul in desert. Crackling with life.
Gateway Track: Kavinsky – Nightcall
Beck – Sea Change (2002)
Slow acoustic TEXTURAL heartbreaking breakup record, with subtle, perfect electronic touches. Radiohead producer. Beck at his least ironic, least postmodern, most sincere, still detached best.
Gateway Track: Lonesome Tears
Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue (1998)
Woody Guthrie lyrics previously un-set to music. Strummy, raw, unpretentious, folk-rock. Natalie Merchant backgrounds couple tunes. Everyone can’t help but feel good when this plays.
Gateway Track: She Came Along to Me
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (2013)
Everyone knows “Get Lucky” but rest of album hyper-dynamic, electronic groove masterpiece. Many tempos. Somehow simultaneously throwback and ultra-new. Cinematic, space-age, blissful, Nile Rodgers, DANCE.
Gateway Track: Lose Yourself to Dance
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There you have it, the very best for me since just before the millennium. If you don’t know every single one, I hope you soon will ;)
Best, DB
P.S. I’m hopelessly devoted to albums. Tyranny of the mp3 be damned, I will fight for the album format and MAKE ALBUMS until I die.
You heard it here first.
#AlbumsForever #GreatAlbumsNeverDie
P.P.S. What’d I miss?? Leave it in the comments. And if you have a good idea for a list, can leave that too. Who knows, maybe I’ll do it.
9 Comments
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thanks David. now i have some new tunes to listen to and groove on! always interested in discovering things i’ve somehow missed out on since the “music (industry)” died…you know my feelings on most music since 1990, or should i say, lack thereof!
keep ’em comin’ and “albums forever”!
I love that The Killers and Daft Punk made the cut! So many good albums to recognize as modern classics, but this is comprehensive and has so much variety.
Keep the suggestions and awesome recommendations coming; I can’t wait for more!
Fun page. I was not aware of a few of the albums and enjoyed your quirky descriptions.
I’m so happy you guys like the list! Best, D
I thought the one “The Killers” song that I liked was “Human, but I really enjoyed “Neon Tiger.”
I am starting to realize that I enjoy more of the electronic sound, which is why I enjoyed Beck’s “Lonely Tears.” I’m also a sucker for great string arrangements, which is what Beck has.
Thanks Dave for a great list! This is ever expanding my music knowledge!
LV
Great list! Look forward to checking some of the ones out I’ve never heard.
Cool, Mutt – glad you dig! :D
Iron and Wine and Daft Punk! Sounds like a good dichotomy to me :) but I love them equally.
Im gonna check out some of these albums!