Despite the very obvious decline in the abundance and quality of music, this decade still had some gems. The following is a list of albums I very much enjoyed, in order of release. Please note this is entirely according to my own personal tastes and just for fun.
Radiohead
Kid A 2000
A popular choice for everyone's favourite album of the decade, but not mine. As much as I dig this record, it's hard for me to listen to it without finding the praise a bit overrated. I guess the homages to Eno and Underworld are a little obvious for me.
Boards of Canada
Geogaddi 2002
This album scares me. Satanic overtones and hidden messages make for a dense and exhaustive trip to take in from start to finish. Definitely the up there with their first record.
Four Tet
Rounds 2003
I'm still looking for a vinyl copy of this one. I've heard this played in more coffee shops and pubs than any other electronica album. For an electronic record it's wonderfully organic and human sounding.
Ulrich Schnauss
A Strangely Isolated Place 2003
A discovered this one walking into Penguin Music one day; it was playing and I liked what I heard but it was on import for 25 bucks. I went home to try to download it, with very little success. Finally found it when it was back in stock a month later. Two years later it received a much wider release and everyone fell in love. My favourite album of the decade.
The Arcade Fire
Funeral 2004
A bit of an obvious choice, but that doesn't make it any less of an excellent album. Five years on, it doesn't date in the least and it always reminds me of summertime in Montreal.
Bloc Party
Silent Alarm 2005
"The Bends" of the naughties. I listened to this record an insane amount of times. In terms of sheer songwriting, this record was bursting with an energy and maturity that these guys never really showed again. For shame.
Sigur Ros
Takk 2005
As much as I enjoyed their earlier work, as an overall album Takk shone through with a more uplifting and accessibly varied palette. I think they got a little too accessible with the next record, at times spiraling into New Age corniness, but for me Takk was Sigur Ros at their peak.
Deerhunter
Cryptograms 2007
This record flows along, soaked in atmosphere. The guitars go whoosh on everything from Smiths pop to Eno ambiance.
Radiohead
In Rainbows 2007
Whether you consider it a return to form or another victory lap, the sound and feel of these recordings hold true again and again. This is a beautifully written, beautifully played and beautifully mixed album. This is the sound of the band not trying so hard, and sounding all the better for it.
Cut Copy
In Ghost Colours 2008
What started out as a guilty pleasure of mine became the record I couldn't deny. Sure we've heard it all before and so much of this material is heavily scripted(The New Order track, the Tears For Fears one), but this is a perfectly honed Summery Synth Pop masterpiece.
Honourable mention:
Broken Social Scene - Your Forgot It In People 2002
Air - Talkie Walkie 2004
M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us 2005
Death Cab For Cutie - Plans 2005
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel 2005
The Knife - Silent Shout 2006
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver 2007
Working For A Nuclear Free City - Businessmen & Ghosts 2007
James - Hey Ma 2008
Portishead - Third 2008
Onward
