The main reason I make lists like this is so that I can keep track of what I liked at certain points in time. That way, I can go back and read them again in a few years and rediscover what my tastes were. If I were still the me of 10 years ago, this list certainly won’t look like this, and if I were to run through this exercise again in 10 years (i.e. make a list of my favourite albums that were released between 2000 and 2009), there’s a good chance that it won’t look exactly like this either. But at the end of 2009, these are the records that I have dubbed my favourite releases of the past decade.
In addition to the release-date restriction, I’m also only picking 1 record from each artist. This is to prevent having 4 or 5 Decemberists records show up, which would not really be informative to Future Me as I don’t think I’ll soon forget how much I love them. Because narrowing lists like this down is always difficult for me, I’ve also listed 10 additional records — 5 Canadian and 5 non-Canadian — that didn’t quite make this list. This has allowed me to name-check more albums without ruining the whole 37 thing I’ve got going.
I feel that this list really captures my preferences as a consumer of music at the end of 2009. It’s pop-heavy, girl-heavy, and early-in-the-decade leaning. In fact, no records released in the last 3 years made the list, which says to me that I haven’t discovered very many new bands that I’ve been really excited about in the past 3 years. Am I going to become that guy who insists that contemporary music is inferior to records from the past? Only time will tell.
Aside from This is list roughly 1/3 Canadian without me having to try to include CanCon deliberately. It also doesn’t look very much list many of the decade-end lists that you’ve probably seen (alas, Kid A did not make my list). This is all Ho, and frankly, it’s rather predictable.
So here it is. I might post some additional commentary on my list in the coming days, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. May the next 10 years be just as kind to my record collection as the last 10 have been!
Canadian Honourable Mentions:
Final Fantasy – He Poos Clouds (Blocks Recording Club, 2006)
Feist – Let It Die (Arts & Craft, 2004)
The Weakerthans – Reconstruction Site (Epitaph, 2003)
You Say Party! We Say Die! – Hit the Floor (Sound Document, 2005)
The Organ – Sinking Hearts (Global Symphonic, 2002)
Non-Canadian Honourable Mentions:
Phantom Planet – The Guest (Epic, 2002)
Haley Bonar – Size of Planets (Chairkickers’ Music, 2002)
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat (Team Love, 2006)
M.I.A. – Arular (XL, 2005)
Be Your Own Pet – Get Awkward (Ecstatic Peace, 2008)
Top 37:
** Denotes Canadian artist
01. Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism (Barsuk, 2003)
02. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife (Capitol, 2006)
03. Mirah – C’mon Miracle (K, 2004)
04. Bright Eyes – Fevers and Mirrors (Saddle Creek, 2000)
05. The Postal Service – Give Up (Sub Pop, 2003)
06. Annie – Anniemal (697 Recordings, 2004)
07. Stars – Heart (Paperbag, 2003) **
08. Tilly and the Wall – Bottoms of Barrels (Team Love, 2006)
09. Metric – Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (Last Gang, 2003) **
10. Sufjan Stevens – Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty, 2005)
11. Eisely – Room Noises (Reprise, 2005)
12. Arcade Fire – Funeral (Merge, 2004) **
13. Rilo Kiley – The Execution of All Things (Saddle Creek, 2002)
14. Elliott Smith – From A Basement On the Hill (Anti, 2004)
15. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – Shake the Sheets (Lookout!, 2004)
16. Azure Ray – Azure Ray (WARM, 2001)
17. Pretty Girls Make Graves – The New Romance (Matador, 2006)
18. Belle and Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress (Rough Trade, 2003)
19. Pedro the Lion – Control (Jade Tree, 2002)
20. The Pipettes – We Are the Pipettes (Memphis Industries, 2006)
21. Lily Allen – Alright, Still (EMI, 2006)
22. Patty Griffin – 1000 Kisses (ATO, 2002)
23. The Blow – Paper Television (K, 2006)
24. Kathleen Edwards – Failer (MapleMusic, 2002) **
25. The New Pornographers – Mass Romantic (Mint, 2000) **
26. The Shins – Oh, Inverted World (Sub Pop, 2002)
27. Sarah Slean – Day One (Warner, 2004) **
28. Sarah Harmer – You Were Here (Cold Snap, 2000) **
29. Emm Gryner – Girl Versions (Dead Daisy, 2001) **
30. The Wrens – The Meadowlands (Absolutely Kosher, 2003)
31. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (Arts & Crafts, 2002) **
32. Spoon – Kill the Moonlight (Merge, 2002)
33. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s – The Dust of Retreat (Artemis, 2006)
34. Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender (Drag City, 2004)
35. Pony Up – Make Love to the Judges With Your Eyes (Dim Mak, 2006) **
36. Maplewood Lane – Maplewood Lane (Anniedale, 2003) **
37. Immaculate Machine – Fables (Mint, 2007) **
NP: (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia)