Part 3
15. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
Their music is simple and straightforward but that is not a bad thing, and when coupled with such amazing lyrics you just fall under their spell. They need to be experienced live to really get the full experience, but this album is the next best alternative. Sit with a bottle of bourbon and tell me you don’t get a thrill when this is roaring out of your stereo.
14. Muse - Absolution
This very nearly got forgotten about, which would have been criminal, as this is Muse hitting their high point. They hadn’t gone pompous yet, and were able to rein in the excessive noodling and madness that has appeared on their last two albums. Classic stadium rock that has you shouting along and wanting to jump around a lot, what can be wrong with that?
13. Low - Great Destroyer
What was hardest with Low was which album to include on this list as they have produced so many good albums this decade, but to me this is their best, picking up the pace a little from previous albums and making a perfect piece of indiepop.
12. Nick Cave - Lyre of Orpheus/Abattoir Blues
This man just can’t stop creating brilliant music, he’s been going since the 70’s and seems to manage to produce at least one amazing album each decade (although I can’t think of a bad album he’s been involved with, even his soundtracks with Warren Ellis are great), and to me this is his best album from the noughties. As ever full of religious imagery, pulled along by some of the best Bad Seeds music they have ever played. Forget that it is a double album and just let it wash over you.
11. Aereogramme - Sleep and Release
I couldn’t stop listening to this album when it came out, they’d taken a step forward from their pure guttural sound and laid a template for the future of Scottish indie music (tell me Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit etc aren’t influence but this album). Heartbreaking and immense.
Their music is simple and straightforward but that is not a bad thing, and when coupled with such amazing lyrics you just fall under their spell. They need to be experienced live to really get the full experience, but this album is the next best alternative. Sit with a bottle of bourbon and tell me you don’t get a thrill when this is roaring out of your stereo.
14. Muse - Absolution
This very nearly got forgotten about, which would have been criminal, as this is Muse hitting their high point. They hadn’t gone pompous yet, and were able to rein in the excessive noodling and madness that has appeared on their last two albums. Classic stadium rock that has you shouting along and wanting to jump around a lot, what can be wrong with that?
13. Low - Great Destroyer
What was hardest with Low was which album to include on this list as they have produced so many good albums this decade, but to me this is their best, picking up the pace a little from previous albums and making a perfect piece of indiepop.
12. Nick Cave - Lyre of Orpheus/Abattoir Blues
This man just can’t stop creating brilliant music, he’s been going since the 70’s and seems to manage to produce at least one amazing album each decade (although I can’t think of a bad album he’s been involved with, even his soundtracks with Warren Ellis are great), and to me this is his best album from the noughties. As ever full of religious imagery, pulled along by some of the best Bad Seeds music they have ever played. Forget that it is a double album and just let it wash over you.
11. Aereogramme - Sleep and Release
I couldn’t stop listening to this album when it came out, they’d taken a step forward from their pure guttural sound and laid a template for the future of Scottish indie music (tell me Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit etc aren’t influence but this album). Heartbreaking and immense.