Quarterly Review (Deluxe Edition): The Best of 2010’s First Half

August 13th, 2010

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Boy that big list threw me off my schedule. Focusing on the last decade really prevented me from listening to anything new (or at least listening to it properly). I missed my first Quarterly Report and I’m two months late on the second one, so here’s a deluxe edition, which covers everything up until the end of June.

Now it’s time for a big breath and getting back to regular, non-list writing.

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“God don’t make no trash!” The 10 Worst Songs from the 2000s’ Best Albums

August 6th, 2010

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As good as I believe the albums on my Top 100 list are there’s really no such thing as a “perfect” album. There’s always at least a moment that just doesn’t seem “right.” In the case of these 10 tracks, there are complete songs that set the album back. Suffice to say, had these songs not sullied their respective albums, the albums would have placed a bit higher on my list. No one is safe.

A special shout out to all pointless intro tracks. You make me mad and you rarely serve a purpose. Go away.

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The Best Closing Tracks From V&B’s Top 100 of the 2000s

July 28th, 2010

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Finishing your album on a strong note is an oft-overlooked skill, especially in an age where albums seem to be increasingly front-loaded to appease shortened attention spans. It would almost seem that the back half of even some of the greatest albums are meant for filler and the last song is usually meant for forgettable tracks or painful extended jams that needlessly extend an album’s running length.

These 10 tracks, however, are different. They emphasize the concept of an album as a united whole, something to be viewed as a single entity. The provide the lingering resonance that makes an album truly something to cherish. You could say that these songs are the last of a dying breed.

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The Best Opening Tracks From V&B’s Top 100 of the 2000s

July 22nd, 2010

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We’re not done just yet! A lot of what made some of the albums from my Top 100 so effective for me was their ability to suck me in almost immediately. A good start can do wonders for an album and occasionally even provide more goodwill than an album actually deserves. A strong opening track can really provide some smoke and mirrors for lesser albums. Fortunately, none the albums on my list are lesser releases, thereby making these opening tracks all that much more powerful. This is truly the best of the best.

*Note: I could probably do a list of 25 great opening tracks from my Top 100 list, but that may be diluting things a bit too much. I wanted to, however, point out that unnecessary intro tracks prevented some truly wonderful songs from making the list. So apologies to “Shakey Dog,” “Cashout” and especially “Nutmeg.”

Two more supplementary lists to follow.

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The Top 100 Albums of the 2000s (10-1)

July 13th, 2010

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10. The Hold Steady Boys And Girls In America (2006)

As great as The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me and Separation Sunday were (and they were great – Separation Sunday landed in at No. 101 on this list), the Hold Steady could occasionally be accused of putting the story ahead of the song. Singer Craig Finn’s stories are so fascinating and quotable that it seemed at times that the songs weren’t required to be at the same level. However, when you’re doing the whole barstool scribe schtick, it’s probably best if you project to the cheap seats. That’s what the Hold Steady do on Boys And Girls In America, their apex and one of the most thrilling straight up rock records ever. Instead of furthering the narratives of popular Finn characters like Holly and Charlemagne, the Hold Steady let the story slack, focusing more on a short story approach that allows the group to explore new territory lyrically and even musically. You still get fascinating stories in songs like the John Berryman and Jack Kerouac referencing “Stuck Between Stations” or the dry out duet “Chillout Tent,” but those songs are bolstered by some of the biggest and most infectious classic rock swipes around, courtesy guitarist Tad Kubler and moustachioed pianist Franz Nicolay. These songs are as quotable and smartly hilarious as anything Finn has ever penned, but never before and never since have the songs themselves been so absolutely stacked with goodies. You could probably write a book about Finn’s lyrics, but chances are with Boys And Girls In America, you’ll be too busy playing air guitar.

“Southtown Girls”

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