>>1. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
>
>I still like Amnesiac better. Though I have a better 'story'
>around Kid A.

the highs on 'amnesiac' are arguably higher. "how to disappear completely" (which has been one of my top 5 favorite radiohead songs since they debuted it live 2 years before 'kid a') and maybe "idioteque" are better than anything on 'amnesiac,' but "pyramid song," "dollars & cents," "like spinning plates," and "life in a glasshouse" are some of their best songs and make 'amnesiac' seem better than it really is (due to sequencing and questionable arrangement and production in some songs i almost didn't even consider this album for the list until i remembered my favorite songs on it).


>>2. Björk - Vespertine (2001)
>
>My daughter pretty much confirms the greatness of this album,
>having not even been born when it dropped but asking for songs
>from it constantly.

it's a classic; other people will realize it one day.


>>5. dead prez - lets get free (2000)
>
>This never lived up to my expectations. Or put another way
>they never lived up to my expectations. Or put another way,
>my personal thoughts get in the way of appreciating this at
>that level. It is good though. But how can you not skip Mind
>Sex?

i never skip "mind sex" and didn't know until maybe yesterday that people consider it out of place on the album. i can see why some may find it corny (if that's the criticism), but i think it has a good message, and i love the music. i've only skimmed the ongoing discussion on this album here, but it seems like people's expectations and unreachable standards for political/conscious hip-hop do seem to prevent them from getting into this album. i'd never heard of dead prez until seeing their cd in sam goody and hearing "hip-hop" and "selling D.O.P.E." so dpz has always just been dpz to me. my expectations are based on this album mostly, so that's why i wasn't able to get into 'RBG' as much and have lost interest in their music for the most part (truthfully it's more a matter of not making time for it since i actually own m1's first solo album and downloaded stic.man's and haven't played either, but if they'd dropped before 'RBG' i'd have been all over those albums).


>>7. A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms (2000)
>
>This surprised me. Not sure why, I mean it is absolutely the
>awesomest. But I don't think I've ever seen it talked about
>here like that.

the only thing that surprised me was that i couldn't honestly pick either tool album released in the last decade because they never stayed in rotation or were returned to year after year like the first APC album.



>>9. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)
>
>I still gotta make that track.

you do. you've had nearly 4 years to remake that beat in 10 minutes. "sexyback" may be my least favorite on there, but i'll defend it to a degree.


>>10. Madvillain - Madvillainy (2004)
>
>SC Better

it hurt to exclude SC. i didn't realize which one i preferred until i made the list. each has its own strengths. ghost outspits doom in an album-to-album comparison, easily.

i also wish i could've included 'the w.'


>>11. Autechre - Confield (2001)
>>I've learned this is also the worst place for newcomers
>>to Autechre to start.
>
>Since I'm no longer a newcomer....

i started dating my current girlfriend right around when this album came out, and i ruined autechre for her for many years because i let her hear some of this new album i was really into and playing a lot. i just figured it was a chick thing, but i've learned my lesson since then.

i will say that i think it was this album in particular that opened my mind for good. so maybe i'm the one who should have that "autechre changed my life" banner. ha.


>>13. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007/2008)
>>In the right order, these songs complement each
>>other flawlessly, and although I find the high points to be
>>higher on Amnesiac and Hail To The Thief and the production
>of
>>those albums to be more "interesting," this is truly a
>great,
>>often addictive listen.
>
>LOL!!! Sequencing ftw. Ehhhh.. kinda. I still think
>Amnesiac better. HTTT close.

'in rainbows' reminds me of 'white pony' now that i think about it.


>>14. Saul Williams - Saul Williams (2004)
>>15. Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of
>>NiggyTardust! (2007/2008)
>
>It's hard to argue against this order. Great pair.

when i first thought about making this list months ago and was also listening to self-titled i had the idea to put all 3 together, but in hindsight the production on 'amethyst' brings it down, and a lot of the songs really are spoken word over music more than they're real songs. lyrically they're all on par, and i love most of the music on 'amethyst,' it just hasn't aged as well, or maybe my tastes have just changed a lot since then.


>>16. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein (2001)

>IMO, though they are good compliments.

el-p's music and vast and vordul's vocals and lyrics are a perfect fit, but i'm really a fan of the rap performance on and content of this album, not just the beats or general sound.


>>17. Outkast - Stankonia (2000)
>
>Yeah I lost all hope with this album. Mighty O was the last
>hint of former greatness, but I'm doubtful it'll ever come
>back.

i love "mighty o" but might actually prefer "hollywood divorce" ('idlewild' didn't make my top 100, but probably would've been in the next tier). i know you're not a big fan of last decade's outkast (i keep writing "this decade" so if you see that i mean last decade).


>>18. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (2007)
>
>LOL @ Rock genericisms. I consider Trent a master of those.

he overdid it on 'the slip.' it's all the generic hard rock elements i take points off YZ and WT for even though i can usually find my way into enjoying them. with WT it took me a few years before it just hit me how massive it all was.


>>21. Common - Like Water For Chocolate (2000)
>
>While it has some lyrical moments, there are a lot of low
>points

there are.


>and too often the music stands out above the artist.

i don't know if that's my criticism of it as i think some of the music (too varied to call just beats) isn't as appealing to me these days. i'm thinking of songs like "the questions," "a song for assata" (which used to be one of my favorites), and some others.


>Still waiting for the instrumental version of this to happen.

i have it. i can link it up sometime.


>>22. Common - Electric Circus (2002)
>
>I stopped taking Com serious with this one. It's very fetishy,
>and the aftermath of it in terms of the career only solidifies
>that.

fetishy?


>>23. Mogwai - Rock Action (2001)
>
>Haven't heard this in forever. Had a friend that was deep
>into it. I dug, but not that deep.

i prefer their live show to their albums these days, but i keep buying them because they always sound good.


>>24. Boards Of Canada - Geogaddi (2002)
>
>Confession I don't think I've heard a BoC album front to back
>intentionally. I know I've heard a lot, but never really sat
>down with them. May start with this one.

you might prefer the previous one, 'music has the right to children' (their 1998 debut on warp). it's easier to get into; i'm not sure how much you'll like the synth tones/patches on 'geogaddi' and the production in general. MHTRTC is the sure winner in their catalog, unless you like new indie rock (or fennesz), then it's 'the campfire headphase.'


>>27. Slum Village - Fantastic, Vol. 2 (2000)
>>This is a very fun hip-hop album with dope beats and catchy
>>raps. The End.
>
>It's wild, but that's really about all there is to say. I
>never talk about it. LOL!

i think the beats on it are often brilliant and find them underrated as emcees, but saying that seemed preemptively defensive, so i stuck to the basics. it's a great rap album if you like rap music, and that's all that has to be said.


>>29. J-Live - All Of The Above (2002)
>
>Always expected more out of J-Live. But he did well in his
>lane.

you should try to produce him! philly isn't that far away. i think he'd sound good over your beats honestly.


>>30. El-P - Fantastic Damage (2002)
>
>I never got into this one.

i didn't either until a year after its release, during tough times. then it all made sense.


>>33. Quasimoto - The Further Adventures Of Lord Quas (2005)
>
>*helium voice* not a fan

have you listened to the instrumental versions?


>>36. Radiohead - Amnesiac (2001)
>
>I always saw Kid A as the draft and Amnesiac as the final
>product.

with all of 'kid a,' most of 'amnesiac,' a re-recording of "i might be wrong," and some of the 'amnesiac' b-sides, they could've also made the best double album ever.


>>37. The Roots - Game Theory (2006)
>
>Great album, but Rising Down trumps it on my list.

discussed above... i respect that.


>>38. The Roots - Phrenology (2002)
>
>As a big Malik B fan this was a serious let down. I still
>contend Malik kept the group down to earth. The follow ups
>kinda support this.

i was never a big malik b fan. i do like him, but i've always preferred BT by a lot. the music on 'phrenology' is a great expansion of the roots sound though if you look at their progress from album to album.


>>40. Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (2002)
>
>This was the first hip-hop album I referred to as overproduced
>I think. It's their opus IMO.

overproduced, opus... yeah, i agree. i really like 'nia,' too, but i've always had a weakness for grand statements, so even with all the guests and coproduction i give BA the nod, although i was much more into it in 2002 and 2003. in 2002 this and 'quality' were my 2 favorite albums of the year, to give you an idea of how my tastes have changed.


>>41. Hood - Outside Closer (2005)
>
>Really need to get into hood.

i'd recommend 'cold house' first. they started off in the early '90s making lo-fi like sebadoh, then their sound was more post-rock like talk talk's 'laughing stock' album, then what seems to be their last era (the 2000s) was a mix of lo-fi, post-rock, electronic, and dub with some abstract hip-hop production influence/elements.


>>42. Herbert - Bodily Functions (2001)
>
>Need to check this.

i'm fairly confident you'd enjoy it. you'd definitely "get" it.


>>43. Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek) - Train Of
>>Thought (2000)
>
>I was always disappointed with this. Not bad, but just ok
>imo.

it could be better.


>>44. The Notwist - Neon Golden (2002/2003)
>
>Hmmmm...

hmm you disagree, or hmm you should check it out?

a lot of people don't like to hear english lyrics sung in a non-native english speaking european accent, but i think it makes it more interesting, and i like the lyrics.


>>45. The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia
>>(2000)
>
>That's shoegaze!!! I never knew.

some of it, enough that the album overall has the feel.


>>47. Burial - Untrue (2007)
>
>I don't see this getting to much burn from me in the 10's

let me know. i was surprised how much i listened to it, but a lot could change in the next 10 years.


>>48. Air - Talkie Walkie (2004)
>
>I love this album.

i had no idea.


>>49. Squarepusher - Go Plastic (2001)
>
>Glad he made the cut.

i wish it was higher, but i was listening to some of it recently and it wasn't as good as i remembered. my favorite is still his debut, 'feed me weird things.'


>>50. Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)
>>I listened to this album a lot, and you probably did, too.
>
>Maybe... if I'd heard it.

it's just that most people have heard it if they like electronic music (and even if they don't). it's one of those crowd pleaser albums, which apparently aren't my preference.


EDIT: did you see/read this? one of the reasons i wrote it was because i knew it wouldn't make this list.
http://www.last.fm/user/howisya/journal/2009/12/31/3aswds_album_of_the_year_2009