Bobby B's Top 50 Albums Of The Decade (#15-11)

For ramblings on how I came to compile this list go here. And for commentary on previous selections: [#50-46] [#45-41] [#40-36] [#35-31] [#30-26] [#25-21] [#20-16]

15. The Stage Names - Okkervil River (2007)

Okkervil River are the decade's greatest examples of combining self reflection with compelling storytelling, presenting a narrative that may or may not be autobiographical, but makes for an entertaining and tragic story either way. They've displayed this exceptionally on previous albums, but this 2007 release has taken that formula and made it rock. While most artists believe that somber lyrics should be accompanied with somber melodies, Will Scheff took the opportunity to take those ideas and turn them on their heads with an album that can easily be described as a full on rock 'n roll assault. Charging out of the gate with three rockers right off the bat, Scheff and company refuse to hold back, and the album is mostly action packed from start to end. For those moments where the album does chill out, the band does not sacrifice thrill for monotony, as songs like the album's centerpiece A Girl In Port goes epic as it builds and builds to its brassy climax. The album brings it all together in the grand finale with John Allyn Smiths Sails, a song about the tragic death of poet John Berryman, with a reworking of the traditional Sloop John B making the song sound celebratory despite the subject matter being so sad. The reason the album appeals so much to me is in its ability to seek out positivity in a sea of negativity as it celebrates death, as much as it celebrates life. [Myspace: Okkervil River]

14. Lifted, Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To the Ground - Bright Eyes (2002)

Not only the most pretentious album title on the list, this album may also be in the running for being the most pretentious album on the list period, which for me, is part of what makes it so great. Although there are a couple of contrived moments, overall Oberst has never sounded so open, and on this album he sounds to me like he's seriously taking some therapeutic measures for reasons of self growth, as opposed to simply sounding angsty to sell a record. Of course, I could be wrong and easily fooled but whatever, it works for me. Originally, it was a shoo-in for my top ten, since not only have I listened to it repeatedly throughout the course of the decade, but it also contains what is probably my favorite song of the decade (the highly emotive Waste Of Paint), but upon listening to it more recently, I decided to knock it down a couple of notches in favor of a few albums that are more where I'm at right now. As I mentioned while blabbing about my #18 pick, I'm not always into what Bright Eyes is doing, and probably less so these days but when Conor is properly focused, he can really knock it out of the park. His lyricism has never been better, with odes to constant failure like Nothing Gets Crossed Out ("it's too hard to focus with all this doubt, I keep making this to-do list but nothing gets crossed out"), the human need for companionship expressed in Bowl Of Oranges ("I learned the lesson that everyone is alone and your eyes must do some raining if you are ever going to grow") and the aforementioned Waste Of Paint where his personal feelings of desperation have never come across more clearly and although his warbly vocal is not for everybody, for me it adds that extra sense of realism that I find very moving. [Myspace: Bright Eyes]

13. Smile - Brian Wilson (2004)

This masterpiece does have the unfair advantage of being 37 years in the making, as Wilson began this self proclaimed "teenage symphony to God" all the way back in 1966. Recording difficulties, his own mental breakdown and the fact that the rest of The Beach Boys just wanted to surf, prevented the project from ever reaching any official form of completion, although I've been listening to fan-made bootleg versions of this one for years. The fact that Brian Wilson was a misunderstood genius has been well documented yet sadly overshadowed by his former band's penchant for recording catchy, but basically saccharine sounding songs about surfing, girls, sunshine and surfing. This orchestral song suite is as brilliant as I'd anticipated it would be, as it gels together in a way that includes classical flourishes with singalong lyrics, doo wop melodies and creative segues into a package that begs to be experienced as a whole piece, as opposed to being simply a collection of songs. The album also gets extra marks for surpassing the initial hype. With 30 plus years of build-up, I think that we were all pretty skeptical that this finished product could possibly live up to such heightened expectations, enabling most of us to hold on to those old bootlegs, just in case. The fact that the finished product is even better than expected is a real testament to the genius of Wilson, and there's no doubt that the album will continue to be heralded as one of the true classics of the rock era. [Myspace: Brian Wilson]

12. Set Yourself On Fire - Stars (2004)

The subtle intricacies of pop music have never sounded more nuanced than on this third offering by Stars. The album is a grand romanticized listen for many reasons: First of all, there is the fact that there's a great eloquence exuded in every perfectly articulated syllable sung by the charismatic Torquil Campbell. The more understated, yet charming vocals of Amy Millan serve as the greatest complement to those of Campbell, creating a melodramatic atmosphere that weaves in and out of the album in the same way that it tends to within most relationships, romantic or otherwise. No, Campbell and Millan are not a couple in real life, but the natural interplay that they possess throughout the album never sounds "put on" or "for show", and you'd be forgiven for assuming that, not only are they a couple, but they have been one for years. This is by far their most consistent album, with every song working together to create a defined whole. One of my favorite moments is the opening track about two former lovers meeting together entitled Your Ex-Lover Is Dead which is both affectionate and damning at the same time, as is indicated in the harsh lyric "and all of the time you thought I was sad, I was trying to remember your name." There's the obvious homages to mid 80's English pop such as Calendar Girl and the album's "hit" Ageless Beauty. And it's those celebratory moments that really help escalate the album to majestic heights, namely What I'm Trying To Say and Soft Revolution, where the mission is made clear in the lyric "we are here to take the blame, to take the taunts and if the shame, we are here to make you feel." Exactly. It's those expressed feelings that make this album so great as it hits on every nerve and moment that dwells in each and every one of us. Sounds corny, but it's true. [Myspace: Stars]

11. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene (2005)

The Social Scene's follow up to 2002's You Forgot It In People is a mess. It's jumbled and sloppy, and very much lacking in the structured hooks that were so prevalent on the previous album. Yes, this is one huge catastrophic mess. However, so is the desk in my office but I promise you that I would never be able to get a single thing accomplished if my desk wasn't in the state that it's currently in. Sometimes it can only be out of chaos that true inspiration is derived, and I find this album to be as inspirational as they come. The album is a sonic boom of conflicting sounds and ideas with layered symphonies that clash as much as they complement, but I absolutely love it! The most appealing thing about BSS has always been the way that they can make their music sound like a community in action, and this album is the noisy din of just such a community. The sequencing is just perfect, with each song outshining the one prior, culminating in the epic, and somehow appropriately titled, ten minute explosion of It's All Gonna Break. The album is downright exhausting, and I usually need a few minutes of silence and a stiff drink once it's finished, but it also weilds several surprises every time I put it on, making every listen a unique experience unto itself. How many albums can you say that about? [Myspace: Broken Social Scene]

Tomorrow: Bobby B's 50 Albums Of The Decade (#10-6)