It finally happened. Winter arrived. Snow fell and we woke up this past Sunday with about three inches of the stuff. I’m glad it didn’t arrive earlier, as Friday saw me at KSVR for a four hour stint of music.

The first two hours flirted with folk music and the latter half was full-on garage rock, garage pop and psychedelic pop. Much of the 10 to midnight show came courtesy Finest Kiss, who posted some great 2011 lists.

Taking a week off from radio this Friday, as in appreciated for covering Stuarto’s show on the 13th he’ll be covering mine on the 20th. Here’s the list. Get ready, it’s a long one!

“Sunset Tulips” by Night Genes off Like The Blood
“What Never Comes” by Crooked Fingers off Forfeit/Fortune
“Cavern In A Square” by Ham 1 off Let’s Go On And On And On With Ham 1

“Valhalla” by Jack Wilson off S/T
“End of Days” by Brown Bird off Salt For Salt
“Can’t You Tell” by Vetiver off The Errant Charm

“My Pillow Is The Threshold” by Silver Jews off Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
“The Stations” by The Gutter Twins off Saturnalia
“Be Invited” by The Twilight Singers off Dynamite Steps

“Sixteen, Maybe Less” by Iron & Wine with Calexico off In The Reins
“Changing” by The Moondoggies off Don’t Be A Stranger

“The Wrong Light” by Kasey Anderson and The Honkeys off Heart of a Dog

“Close My Eyes” by Ólöf Arnalds off Ólöf Sings
“Smoke Will Rise” by The Lower 48 off Where All Maps End

“Wings Won’t Behave” by Whistle Peak off Half Asleep Upon Echo Falls

“Alphabet” by The Twilight Sad off No One Can Ever Know
“The Jessica Numbers” by The New Pornographers off Twin Cinema
“Yoshi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1″ by The Flaming Lips off Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

“Here Comes Success” by Royal City off 1999-2004
“No Reply” by Giant Sand off Chore of Enchantment
“October Boy” by Mick Harvey off Sketches from the Book of the Dead

“Dance” by Astrid Williamson off Pulse

“Moon See, Day See” by The Heligoats off Live Free & Let Loose
“Golden Friends” by Leopold And His Fiction

“Don’t Wait” by Bears off Greater Lakes
“Summer Gang” by Afternoon Naps off Summer Gang 7″

“If You Choose To Stay” by The Webelos off Shadow Seasons
“(I’ve Got) Trouble In Mind” by The Limiñanas off (I’ve Got) Trouble In Mind 7″
“Israeli Blues” by Index off Black Album + Red Album + Yesterday & Today [Disc-1]

“As Times Change” by Sea Lions off Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid To Ask
“Can You Feel The Backwash” by A Classic Education off Call It Blazing
“Pretty When You Smile” by Sweater Girls off Pretty When You Smile 7″

“Pretty Ballerina” by Left Banke off There’s Gonna Be A Storm – The Complete Recordings 1966-1969
“Like Dylan in the Movies” by Belle & Sebastian off If You’re Feeling Sinister
“Conventional Lullabies” by Young And Sexy off Panic When You Find It

“Roosevelt Island” by Eleanor Friedberger off Last Summer
“Dour Percentage” by Of Montreal off Paralytics Stalks
“The Golden Age” by The Resonars off Bright And Dark

“Catamaran” by Allah-Las off Catamaran b/w Long Journey
“Malkaus” by The Panthers off Pakistan: Folk and Pop Instrumentals 1966-1976
“Where You Gonna Go” by People’s Temple off Sons Of Stone

“Invitations” by Puberty off Invitations 7″
“Shari Vari” by The Dirtbombs” off Party Store

“Tuscaloosa Bar” by Indian Wars off Walk Around The Park

“Sycamore Tree” by Crystal Stilts off In Love With Oblivion
“Raspberry Thighs” by The Mantles off Raspberry Thighs 7″
“Bad Feeling” by Veronica Falls off Veronica Falls

“Give Me Back My Man” by Boyracer off Little Darla Has A Treat For You [Vol. 24 Disc 1]
“Blowing Kisses” by Exlovers off Blowing Kisses 7″
“So High” by Ringo DeathStarr off Colour Trip

“Plastic Disaster” by Little Cuts off Plastic Disaster 7″
“I Wanna Join The Army” by Dan Sartain off Too Tough To Live

“The Start of Something” by Voxtrot off The Start Of Something

When I compiled my original Best Of 2008 list last December, it was a snow day. The sky dropped about a foot, maybe a foot and a half of fluffy white stuff and we lowly sub-compact drivers could go nowhere. Between ranking albums and locating album art, I took a stroll around town with my camera. The above image comes from that trek. Overall, I was pretty happy with last year’s list but, in revisiting all the albums from 2008, I now see quite a few that I left out.

Sub Pop dominated the year with a total of 4 albums in the top ten with a fifth just outside. A few albums are now on this list that weren’t on my radar last year, or that I left off for some reason or another. And because of that, some albums have dropped in rank; but that’s not because they’re no longer as valid. All albums on this list are great, and you should check them out. I’m going to begin with a few honorary EPs (in alphabetical order). Three to be exact.

Let’s begin…

* * * * *

Honorary EP #1. Crystal Antlers EP by Crystal Antlers (Previously #17)

Influenced, in my opinion, by bands like Comets On Fire, Crystal Antlers blend experimentation with psychedelic noise. Wild solos and epic squeals made their self-titled EP more than worthy of checking out.

Crystal Antlers: A Thousand Eyes [mp3]

* * * * *

Honorary EP #2. Weepy EP by Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band (Previously #26)

Four powerful songs which ultimately led to one of 2009′s most anticipated debut albums, Weepy EP is brilliant in every form possible. Plus it features an outstanding homemade cover.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Dull Reason [mp3]

* * * * *

Honorary EP #3. Love Yourself EP by Thunder Power

Love Yourself is without question bouncy mid-western pop. Songs like “(Why Don’t You Go) Take A Hike?” and “Cassanova” launched Thunder Power into one of the year’s most promising acts. Yeah, we’re still waiting for that debut LP, but this EP is worthy of keeping us company until that happens.

Thunder Power: (Why Don’t You Go) Take A Hike? [mp3]

* * * * *

1/3. Topps 7″ Single by BOAT

Topps remains the top single of 2008. It’s hard to beat with trading cards and 80s-style baseball card chewing gum. “Topps” and “Three Beds For Boat” are both excellent portrayals of the band and their dreams.

BOAT: Topps [mp3]

* * * * *

33. Who Killed Harry Houdini? by I’m From Barcelona (Previously #19)

In last year’s Best Of list I noted that this album held together better than I’m From Barcelona’s debut, and that statement holds. I also mentioned that it didn’t have those standout tracks like “We’re From Barcelona” and “Oversleeping”. Also true. Still, I’m pretty obsessed with the track “Andy” for obvious reasons.

I’m From Barcelona: Music Killed Me [mp3]

* * * * *

32. Partie Traumatic by Black Kids (Previously #28)

In many ways, the best parts of Partie Traumatic were the songs that were originally released on Wizards Of Ahhhs. Still, revisiting the album there are plenty of new tunes that were just as enjoyable (well, almost).

* * * * *

31. Moonbeams by Throw Me The Statue (Previously N/A)

Of all the bands that dub themselves tropical, none hold the weight as well as Throw Me The Statue. For the longest time, I didn’t care for “Lolita”, but the song grew on me. Moonbeams is a strong debut from one of Seattle’s most cherished new groups.

Throw Me The Statue: Lolita [mp3]

* * * * *

30. Glistening Pleasure by Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head (Previously N/A)

A local hype band of sorts, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head took Seattle by storm. Especially the young. It’s easy to hear why – songs like “Me + Yr Daughter” and “Iceage Babeland” are easy songs to obsess over with their glam-like dance-worthiness.

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head: Me + Yr Daughter [mp3]

* * * * *

29. In Case We Lose What We Have by Letters (Previously #23)

I just found out my neighbor knows the parents of one of Letters’ members. It’s an odd coincidence. In Case We lose What We Have is one of this list’s more eclectic artists, and one of the least known. But they should be known, as the songs on this album are pretty astounding.

Letters: Ode To Yr Medicine [mp3]

* * * * *

28. Trouble In Dreams by Destroyer (Previously #33)

Following power albums like Rubies and Your Blues is a damn near impossible feat. Trouble In Dreams didn’t achieve the greatness of those albums, but it had plenty of excellence to drop it right behind them as Destroyer’s third best album.

Destroyer: Dark Leaves Form A Thread [mp3]

* * * * *

27. Cove by A Weather (Previously N/A)

Portland’s A Weather brought back bedroom pop with their debut LP Cove. Soft lullabies and whispered harmony vocals can lead a band to bore, but A Weather never approaches that point thanks to songs like “Oh My Stars” and “Spiders/Snakes”.

A Weather: Spiders, Snakes [mp3]

* * * * *

26. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge by Lightspeed Champion (Previously #25)

Acoustic guitars, light strings, and bouncy melodies aren’t exactly what you’d expect from rock music, let along rock music fronted by a hefty British accent, yet here they are. Lightspeed Champion made rock music beautiful.

* * * * *

25. First Frost by The Lucksmiths (Previously #22)

In 2009, after a decade-and-a-half tenure as Australia’s greatest pop group, The Lucksmiths called it quits. First Frost was their final full-length and, in reality, it is one of their best.

The Lucksmiths: Good Light [mp3]

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24. The Stand Ins by Okkervil River (Previously #12)

Over the past few years, Okkervil River has really grown into their sound, and with it they’ve strengthened their abilities, from the instruments they perform to the songs they write. This rang true throughout The Stand Ins just as it had in 2007′s The Stage Names.

Okkervil River: Lost Coastlines [mp3]

* * * * *

23. Forfeit / Fortune by Crooked Fingers (Previously N/A)

After their self-titled debut, Crooked Fingers seemed to lag a bit. I didn’t really get into the albums they released after that outstanding debut. It wasn’t until Forfeit / Fortune was released that I began to see merit return to the Eric Bachman-fronted group. And there is plenty here to enjoy, from the Tilly & The Wall-esque “Luisa’s Bones” to the Ricky Martin (WHAT? Yes!) musical styling in “Phony Revolutions”.

Crooked Fingers: Phony Revolutions [mp3]

* * * * *

22. Fear Of Flying by David Karsten Daniels (Previously #21)

“Falling Down” is one of the coolest songs of 2008. David Karsten Daniels is a storyteller that has the uncanny ability to translate narrative into song, and he does so perfectly on Fear Of Flying

* * * * *

21. Huggable Dust by Okay (Previously #20)

A curious mix of Electric President, Page France, and Bright Eyes for its oft electro-pop meets psychedelic-pop with simple mopey lyrics, Huggable Dust is truly a unique piece of work. A wonderful album!

Okay: Beast [mp3]

* * * * *

20. The Plum Album by Haakon Ellingsen (Previously #18)

Looking back over the past year, there have been a few truly underground artists that have made a splash with folks at work. These artists are ones that deserve an exponentially greater audience. Two from 2009 include We Swim You Jump and The Banyans. From 2008, the most prominent of the artists is Haakon Ellingsen. The Plum Album could have been how The Beatles would sound had they originated in Scandinavia.

Haakon Ellingsen: Sunshine Girl [mp3]

* * * * *

19. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea by Silver Jews (Previously #32)

2008 was really my introduction to Silver Jews. It’s sad, really, as they recently called it quits. Like David Karsten Daniels, Silver Jews’ David Berman is a phenomenal wordsmith whose ability to craft a damn good song nears par none.

* * * * *

18. If Children by Wye Oak (Previously #13)

Simplicity and complexity are both descriptive terms you can associate with If Children by Wye Oak. From minimalist moments to insanely epic heights, this duo’s modern version of post-shoegaze rock-pop demanded to be heard. Listening again to songs like “Please Concrete” and “Family Glue” I’m reminded at just how great this album is.

Wye Oak: Family Glue [mp3]

* * * * *

17. She’s The Dutchess & He’s The Duke by The Dutchess & The Duke (Previously N/A)

Another shocker in that it wasn’t on my original list, The Dutchess & The Duke’s lo-fi sounds were fit for the 70s. The male/female vocals and heavy guitar strums put forth a sound that is as infectious as the swine flu, but without need for vaccine.

The Dutchess And The Duke: Reservoir Park [mp3]

* * * * *

16. In Field & Town by Hayden (Previously #10)

What makes In Field & Town such a great album is it’s shock value. Similar to that found in Hayden’s video for “Where And When”, this album was startling. No longer were Hayden’s lyrics and songs utterly depressing. He had matured and with it was able to craft a wonderful album; not that the prior albums weren’t excellent on their own, just that this new direction was what Hayden needed in order to continue in the path of progression.

* * * * *

15. Second To The Last Frontier by Feral Children (Previously #15)

One of the few albums to keep its ranking outside the top 10, Second To The Last Frontier is truly wild. A local favorite, Feral Children effortlessly translates these crazy sounds into one of the best live performances around.

Feral Children: Spy/Glass House [mp3]

* * * * *

14. Everything Is Alive by Pomegranates (Previously #11)

Pomegranates’ Everything Is Alive is so unbelievably catchy, it has the instant ability to put a bounce in your step and a smile on your face. This is an easy band to love, one with graceful pop melodies and outstanding songwriting to boot.

Pomegranates: Thunder Island [mp3]

* * * * *

13. We Brave Bee Stings And All by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down (Previously N/A)

This is a hard album not to love. Entirely made of bouncy pop riffs, but inundated with folk sensibilities, Thao With The Get Down Stay Down really proved with We Brave Bee Stings And All that they are one of today’s most promising artists. “Beat”, “Bag Of Hammers”, “Geography” – this album has so many great tunes, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Thao: Beat [mp3]

* * * * *

12. Hospital Blossom by The Wailing Wall (Previously #9)

A unique songwriter, Jesse Rifkin deserves indie fame. Hospital Blossom is an experimental folk album like no other, featuring plenty of eccentricities and a fair share of praise-worthy lyrics. The performances all around are near perfect.

The Wailing Wall: Hospital Blossom [mp3]

* * * * *

11. At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade (Previously N/A)

How At Mount Zoomer didn’t make the list last year is beyond me. The year’s best lengthy track goes to album closer “Kissing The Beehive”. Once thought not possible, Wolf Parade topped their debut with ease. At Mount Zoomer is a must-have album.

Wolf Parade: Call It A Ritual [mp3]

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10. Eight Golden Greats by The Old Believers (Previously #8)

Listen to The Old Believers and your first impression might be that it’s something both you and your grandparents would enjoy. Eight Golden Greats fits that old-time-y sound perfectly, yet has a strange modernity to it that makes it more than appropriate for today’s youthful music fans.

The Old Believers: Granny’s Song [mp3]

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9. Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us by Death Vessel (Previously #14)

What I like about these retrospectives is that I can re-categorize the albums in a way they should have been organized originally. In the months after creating my original Best Of 2008 list, Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us took on a new light. “Peninsula” remains one of my favorite songs from 2008, and the album remains an integral part of my playlist.

Death Vessel: Bruno’s Torso [mp3]

* * * * *

8. This Is Ivy League by This Is Ivy League (Previously #7)

This album, in my opinion, channels four historic artists: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and Kings Of Convenience. Blending the best parts of each artist and concocting various recipes of these influences, This Is Ivy League progressed folk-pop while giving a hefty nod to the genre’s past.

This Is Ivy League: London Bridges [mp3]

* * * * *

7. Grand Archives by Grand Archives (Previously #6)

Grand Archives’ debut LP was easily my most anticipated release of 2008 and it lived up to all expectations. “George Kaminski” was reworked beautifully and “The Crime Window” was the epic album climax. Few weak points on the album and several phenomenal live performances, Grand Archives quickly rose to be one of my favorite bands.

Grand Archives: Torn Blue Foam Couch [mp3]

* * * * *

6. A Certain Feeling by Bodies Of Water (Previously #5)

A Certain Feeling remained a constant on my playlist for quite some time after I discovered it in 2009. These songs are filled with the perfect amounts of vocal harmonies and plush instrumentation, all of it anthem-worthy. Truly one of 2008′s most cherished releases.

Bodies Of Water: Under The Pines [mp3]

* * * * *

5. Soft Airplane by Chad VanGaalen (Previously #4)

Soft Airplane remains an obscure but brilliant album. You just cannot deny the power of “TMNT Mask”, with its erratic solo and the outstanding cartoon video of “Molten Light” that VanGaalen did himself. Truly a master of odd things; odd but brilliant.

Chad VanGaalen: Willow Tree [mp3]

* * * * *

4. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes (Previously #5)

When they debuted on the national scene in 2008, Fleet Foxes could do no wrong. Their sound brought all the great elements from the folk-rock of the 60s and 70s into modern times. With four-part harmonies and epic instrumentation, this self-titled release may ultimately go down as one of the all-time greats.

Fleet Foxes: White Winter Hymnal [mp3]

* * * * *

3. Lost Wisdom by Mount Eerie (Previously N/A)

On Lost Wisdom, Mount Eerie strips down his occasional dissonant distortion and wild erraticism for a fully acoustic sound. Title track “Lost Wisdom” is a true masterpiece. Phil Elverum has proved over and over again that he is one of most clever and brilliant minds when it comes to modern songwriting.

Mount Eerie: Voice In Headphones [mp3]

* * * * *

2. Bury The Cynics by The Lovely Sparrows (Previously #2)

Also no movement in The Lovely Sparrows’ Bury The Cynics. This album remains a folk-pop masterpiece, filled with some great tunes like “Wraith” and “Bury The Cynics”. Just this past week we posted a new video from the band; it is with great anticipation I await Shawn Jones’ follow-up to this album.

The Lovely Sparrows: Department Of Foreseeable Outcomes [mp3]

* * * * *

1. Na Na Ni by Fredrik (Previously #1)

Fredrik remains at #1 with Na Na Ni, my favorite album from 2008. Words cannot describe how excited I am for their follow up, Trilogy, due out early next year on The Kora Records. “Black Fur” and “11 Years” top this album, chalk full of great tunes. Close behind are “Evil And I” and “1986″.

Fredrik: Black Fur [mp3]

I’ve decided to create an installment in which I do a recap of my favorite albums of the past ten years now that we’re coming up on the turn-of-decade – yes, 2010 is upon us. They key: I do them one at a time. I figure contemplating the weight of albums that have been instituted in my library for the better part (or even just half) of a decade would warrant a skewed opinion when comparing them to those released just this month. And, as these things are all truly opinion-based, well I just couldn’t have that.

(Besides, an appreciator such as myself would have an even larger and more time consuming task ahead of them were they to go through the thousands of albums that have been released, listened to, loved, etc. over the past ten years. No, much easier to split it year by year. And yes, when available for public consumption, I’ll include an mp3 for your enjoyment.)

These are the albums that stick with you – or at least the ones that have stuck with me; they have longevity. They’re ones I’ll listen to for decades to come. We begin with my freshman year of college, 2000. Well, second half of my freshman year, that is. That being said, I would love for this to be a friendly dialog. So please feel free to chime in with some of your favorites as well…

Here we go: my top 15 albums of 2000…

* * * * *

15. Fevers & Mirrors by Bright Eyes
Odd as it may seem here, Bright Eyes‘ Fevers & Mirrors was a favorite of mine around 2000 and 2001. Songs like “The Calendar Hung Itself” and “When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass” just fit with my persona at the time. I was a sad bastard back then, but I’ve outgrown that phase. Still, every so often I revisit those albums of old and it still astonishes me that I can feel good while listening to them. Fevers & Mirrors is one such album.

* * * * *

14. Crooked Fingers by Crooked Fingers
Like Fevers & Mirrors, Crooked Fingers‘ self-titled LP had me in its grip for a long time. “A New Drink For An Old Drunk” was a perfect song back then, and in various scenarios today it works just as well. And who could forget “She Spread Her Legs & Flew Away”, or “Juliette”, or even “The Man Who Died Of Nothing At All”? Crooked Fingers was a difficult one for Eric Bachman to top; he didn’t until last year’s Forfeit/Fortune.

* * * * *

13. The Great Eastern by The Delgados
I don’t think I started listening to The Delgados until sometime around 2004, possibly even 2005. And while my initial love was Hate, eventually the power of The Great Eastern took hold. Sure, specific tracks on Hate may stand out more than some on this record (“All I Need Is Hate”, for example), but as a whole I think The Great Eastern is more consistently good.

* * * * *

12. Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Containing only four songs, only one of which was under 20 minutes (“Antennas To Heaven” came in at just under 19, far from brevity), Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven is all about building up to those epic climaxes and throwing out spacey shoegaze-like drones while maintaining that almost classical music approach signature to Godspeed You! Black Emperor. To say this album is breathtaking would be an understatement. I’ll probably kick myself later for not putting it in the top 10.

* * * * *

11. The Lioness by Songs: Ohia
The Lioness remains one of my all-time favorite releases by Jason Molina, no matter which moniker he may be using at the time of release. The only LP truly capable of exceeding its greatness is Trials & Errors (2004) by Magnolia Electric Co. Molina excels, especially under the guise of Songs: Ohia, at creating minimalistic country-folk tunes that on The Lioness dabbles lightly in a bit fuller sound.

‘The Lioness’ by Songs: Ohia

* * * * *

10. Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse
Like many albums in this list, Moon & Antarctica remains a favorite of mine from the Modest Mouse catalog. It was around this time I really began expanding my music horizons and Modest Mouse was a band that helped push me down this path. Tunes like “I Came As A Rat”, “Gravity Rides Everything”, and “Dark Center Of The Universe” all carried me toward this true obsession with music, from which I doubt I’ll ever return.

* * * * *

9. He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms by A Silver Mt. Zion
A Silver Mt. Zion snared me in its trap – looking for some great study music but not willing to seek out the limited classical music of my parents and their parents (and not knowing the immense modern artists who were more than worthy), I ended up landing on A Silver Mt. Zion. And while it wasn’t always instrumental, at the right volume it worked perfectly. Only later did I come to truly fall in love with this album, as well as their brethren, Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

* * * * *

8. Ugly But Honest by Carissa’s Wierd
I discovered Carissa’s Wierd from a magazine. It was a fairly random encounter, actually, but it led to an obsession like no other. I ultimately downloaded everything I could find from the band. Eventually, I would collect every album of theirs I could find – all in physical form, of course. To this day, the only item that eludes me is a rare 7″ single containing a remix or two; I even snagged a copy of that rare Scrapbook disc. I still find songs like “Drunk With The Only Saints I Know” and “Fluorescent Lights” to be among the most moving and personal songs around.

* * * * *

7. It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water by Microphones
The great thing about A Retrospective is that it allows me to list all those albums that truly should have made my ‘best of’ list back in 2000. (Had I created one at the time, it is highly unlikely It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water by The Microphones would have made it on the list. It was just a little beyond my temperament at the time.) But these days, I cannot get enough of practically everything Phil Elverum does, this album included. That being said, as soon as I can muster the cash, I’m gonna snag one of those “Books 6 & 7″ copies by Mount Eerie from Easy Street Records. Damn.

* * * * *

6. Live by Built To Spill
A collection of some of Built To Spill‘s best tracks recorded prior to 2000, from the astonishing Perfect From Now On (1997) to selections from Keep It Like A Secret (1999). It also includes an epic 20-minute rendition of Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer” and one of the best lyrical songs of the 90s: “Car”.

* * * * *

5. Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons by Blonde Redhead
This is really a no-brainer. Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons has always been an album to look up to since its release in 2000. With songs so different – I mean, just listen to “In Particular” stacked up next to “This Is Not” and jump back to “Hated Because Of Great Qualities” – it’s amazing they go so well together. Then again, that’s something of which Blonde Redhead has always excelled: putting together exceptional tracklists.

‘This Is Not’ by Blonde Redhead

* * * * *

4. Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant by Belle & Sebastian
I could say that Tigermilk was my first true love when it comes to Belle & Sebastian, but I’d be lying. No, it was actually Fold Your Hands opening track “I Fought In A War” that sold me on this band. Afterwards, songs like “The Model” and “Don’t Leave The Light On Baby” dominated my playlist, even through the release of The Life Pursuit and beyond.

* * * * *

3. Designing A Nervous Breakdown by The Anniversary
I can name few albums that have not only stuck with me through the years, but that also so heavily influenced my love for pop music. Designing A Nervous Breakdown by The Anniversary is absolutely such an album. The male/female vocals of Adrianne Verhoeven, Josh Berwanger, and Justin Roelofs were perfection back then. And songs like “The D In Detroit” and “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter” continue to wow me today.

* * * * *

2. We Have The Facts & We’re Voting Yes by Death Cab For Cutie
By far, We Have The Facts continues to dominate as my all-time favorite Death Cab For Cutie album. The lackluster way Gibbard sings about driving down the “405″ and the contemplations on friends and girlfriends reminds me of my college days and, later, grad school; it was the perfect accompaniment as I made my way out to Pullman from Portland, driving through the Palouse doing 75 in my Volvo wagon and watching the moon crest orange over hills at 1am. Yeah, even songs like “Scientist Studies” and “The Employment Pages” ring true today. Calm beauty seeps through every single moment of this album.

‘For What Reason’ by Death Cab For Cutie

* * * * *

1. Kid A by Radiohead
I mean c’mon! How could you not place this as your favorite album of 2000? It was Radiohead‘s follow-up to the amazing OK Computer and was really their first foray into a sound much more experimental than they had previously tampered with. “Idioteque”; the song remains to this day one of my all-time favorites by Radiohead. The tracklist is flawless – a feat they hadn’t achieved before, and wouldn’t again until In Rainbows.

If you’re like me, you haven’t listened to Crooked Fingers in quite a while. You missed their 2005 release Dignity And Shame, all but ignored Red Devil Dawn, and gave Bring On The Snakes a mere two listens. But you thoroughly enjoyed their 2000 self-titled debut thanks to the slow, depressing tunes. If you’re like me, the fact that Forfeit/Foreign was limited to 1000 copies on white vinyl was enough to rekindle the interest in this group.

Listening to the first few tracks of Forfeit/Foreign is like listening to a completely different band — of course, my exposure is limited strictly to the first two releases, but in comparison to early Crooked Fingers, that band no longer exists. Despite lacking even the remotest traces of what initially drew me to this band, I can easily say that Forfeit/Foreign is pretty decent. There’s orchestration here, and multiple vocalists, and the music is animated — “Phony Revolutions” has blaring trumpets and dual male/female vocals.

It’s a bit bizarre; knowing the early Crooked Fingers, whose dramatically lengthy titles included album toppers like “New Drink For The Old Drunk” and “Man Who Died Of Nothing At All”, the group has lost all traces of its former self. No longer are the songs painfully depressing. No longer are they slow and minimal in nature. What once appeared to be an Eric Bachmann (Archers Of Loaf) solo project is now a full-fledged group where female vocals dominate just as much as Bachmann’s, if not more.

And again, I cannot emphasize enough that this album is a masterful work that elevates the group well above their early minimalistic slowcore label. There’s a depth here that wasn’t there before. Even in the softer, slower tunes, like “Let’s Not Pretend (To Be New Men)”, the mixing is phenomenal and one has a hard time believing Bachmann when he croons Let’s not pretend to be new men. No, Bachmann, no pretending is needed. You may not be a new man, but Forfeit/Foreign proves that you lead a new band.

Crooked Fingers: Phony Revolutions [mp3]

Constant Artists/Red Pig [12" LP, 2008]

1. What Never Comes
2. Luisa’s Bones
3. Phony Revolutions
4. Give And Be Taken
5. Let’s Not Pretend (To Be New Men)
6. Cannibals
7. Sinisteria
8. No Me Lo Des
9. Run, Lieutenant, Run
10. Modern Dislocation
11. Your Control