OUCH... my head hurts. I've been trying to turn 10 years' worth of music into a concise list - replaying albums, thinking about their impact, how the fans and critics raved. At the heart of it, I've tried to lay personal feelings aside and think objectively about the albums that shaped the Double-Os - the ones that shaped music, culture and really affected people. There's a couple of albums here I don't even like but can't ignore. But we all know deep down that musical taste is pretty subjective... oh well. Also I've limited each band to one entry only on the list so it doesn't fill up with Radiohead, Muse and Gomez albums.
91. Cancer - My Disco (2006)
THE term 'angular guitars' gets bandied around a lot, but My Disco's Ben Andrews' playing is so angular it sounds like his amp is emitting triangles. These Melbournites play minimalist post-punk - a warped kind of robotic funk you can dance to, despite the odd time signatures. This eight-track album, clocking in under 25 minutes, is incessant and punchy, as Liam Andrews speaks/rants about his cancer diagnosis in 2005. Unique doesn't even start to cover it.
92. St Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley (2006)
DANGER Mouse would be in the running for Producer Of The Decade accolades, and the evidence can be found on this kitchen-sink mash-up that's big on soul and cool. Crazy is the clincher (plus their ingenious Violent Femmes cover) and the best example of the album's mix of old-school vibe and new-millenium production, but it's the gospel voice of Cee-Lo Green that drives this amazingly diverse record.
93. Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006)
LIKE many double albums, this probably could have been one lean mean disc, but the 28 songs all have their moments. Aside from being their most ambitious record to date, it also redeems the disappointment of the patchy By The Way. Across its two hours, it rocks, grooves, swoons, raps, funks, pops and rolls - the accumulation of everything that makes the Chilis so great.
94. Universes - Birds Of Tokyo (2008)
JUST a year after their attention-grabbing debut, this Perth band outdid themselves on album number two. The songs surge and breathe in all the right places but are dominated by magical choruses that highlight Ian Kenny (whose name sounds more like a groundskeeper than a rock singer) and his effortless vocals and lines. Songs like White Witch swing from boppy to heavy with ease and it's that merger of light and shade throughout makes it such a gripping journey. The bonus acoustic take of Wayside is like a forgotten Christmas present you discover on Boxing Day.
95. Maladroit - Weezer (2002)
THEIR last great album before they became overly gimmicky and forgot to write good songs. Weezer's earlier work always managed to feel familiar and fresh at the same time, and Maladroit does this brilliantly, merging some of their heaviest riffs with melodies and sentiments seemingly plucked from the collective unconscious. The album is a lost gem, filled with Rivers Cuomo's wry loser sentiments, tasty 'ooh-ooh' backing vocals, and some of the best songs of their career - in fact every song is awesome. Not many albums can boast that. And dare I say it - it could be their best record.
96. Listen To The Radio - The Smallgoods (2003)
THRIVING on the two big B's of the '60s - The Beach Boys and The Beatles - these ex-Port Fairy guitar-pop-lovers piled stunning harmonies on smart lyrics and melodies to craft an under-rated gem. There's a sunny jangle to the likes of Get Up, Capricorn and the cheeky Good Afternoon that's reminiscent of The Kinks and The Small Faces, while Enough Said and Junior show they can rock it up with ease. The tail end of the album winds down like you're coming home before the triumphant finale of Take Your Bow, beautifully completing their overall concept of a day on the road with the radio. A sweetly affecting nod to the sounds that made the '60s so great.
97. Addicted Romantic - Faker (2005)
FAKER'S debut is an immensely strong batch of songs, big on British influences such as The Smiths and Echo & The Bunnymen but filtered through Aussie power-pop. Frontman Nathan Hudson lyrics feel like overheard bits of conversations, daring the listener to fill in the blanks, and his passionate put-on Pommy inflection put many off but it's part of the records charm. Accumulating many of their earlier tracks (Kids On Overload, Teenage Werewolf), Addicted Romantic is one of most accomplished first records to come out of this country rock scene in years. Plus Hurricane is a killer track.
98. Begin To Hope - Regina Spektor (2006)
THAT voice - when this Russian-born New Yorker hits the first chorus in bittersweet opener Fidelity, it's something special. Not only catchy and wonderfully orchestrated, it's the first hint at the range and skill of Spektor. The 12 songs here are a wondrous dichotomy - stark yet lush, poppy yet honest and they all carry the feeling of hope amid the loss.
99. Phantom Planet - Phantom Planet (2004)
AFTER they're O.C.-theme yielding slick pop record The Guest, Phantom Planet joined the garage-rock revival and pumped out one of the most under-rated albums of the decade. Energetic and up-tempo, it's filled with rampant fuzz-bass, wailing and clanging guitars and yet still feels fresh and inventive. Badd Business hints at The Police, Big Brat has edges of electro to go with its shouty punk, and the whole thing is infectious, well-produced, and a real head-bobber.
100. Tenacious D - Tenacious D (2001)
NO one ever said funny albums can't be great, and this one truly is, not only because it's hilarious but because it rocks. After all, a joke is really only funny the first couple of times, but The D (Jack Black and Kyle Gass) manage to keep you coming back for more because the songs are damn good. While it's all done with tongue firmly in cheek, Tribute is a piece of faux-Stairway To Heaven genius, Wonderboy is almost as good, and even their flat-out funny tracks are melodically impressive (Friendship, F*** Her Gently). And Jack Black is a whiz on the microphone, whether he's belting out high notes, wailing like a hard-rock legend and detailing the D-lights they have instore for their female fans.
Stay tuned over the coming days for the rest of the list.
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