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| ‹ ‹ ‹ past FEATURE articles |
:: FEATURE :: |
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by So Much Critics Team |
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#10 Another example of musical simplicity executed to perfection, O is definitely one of my favorite albums of the last few years. This album boils with barely restrained emotion and occasionally boils over with it. Damien Rice's lyrics are sometimes abstract but they always seem to fit the emotional core of the songs perfectly. Even though emotionally this album sometimes careens out of control (see "I Remember" and "Cheers Darlin'"), it's the same cathartic style that drives home the album's great songs like "The Blower's Daughter" and "Delicate." Truly though, the albums great masterpiece is its last act: the operatic but strangely touching "Eskimo." It really serves as a microcosm for the entire album - it doesn't necessarily make any sense lyrically, but the emotions that it conveys are completely genuine.
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#9 The consummate break-up album (it was actually written after a break-up), Sea Change finds a stripped down, subdued Beck - shaken to his musical core. I hate to say it, but I almost wish he would break up with a serious girlfriend before every album he records. No, I've never listened to this album after a break-up, and to me, that's why it's such a great album. You can relate to it on so many other levels than the subject matter that inspired it. Not only that, but it's not really even depressing, despite how subdued the music is and how disillusioned the lyrics are. It's hard to explain, but listening to Sea Change is like meeting an old friend who you haven't seen for a long time but when you do it's like you were never apart. It's like a worn, comfortable pair of jeans. Nick Drake would be proud.
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#8 Where the Wallflowers' major label debut album, Bringing Down the Horse, was a memorable collection of songs with a few that really stood out, Breach is one of those albums where every song holds its own and it's hard to pick a clear favorite. Blending straight-ahead roots rock with subtle instrumentation, the band seemed to gel into a cohesive unit with this recording, but more impressively, Jakob Dylan lyrically stepped out from under the considerable shadow of his legendary father. From the dark but playful vampire analogy he uses to describe the entertainment industry, to the Sam Cooke references in "Sleepwalker," Dylan adeptly builds a collection of lyrics that are sometimes harsh, sometimes sensitive, and constantly engaging. Even if you can't get past the Dylan Sr.-esque vocal delivery, or the Wallflowers' brand of music doesn't do it for you, at the very least the lyrics are a worthy read.
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#7 The magnus opum of a gifted songwriter, Liturgy is an album of simplicity and depth. From the opening strains of "Here in America" to the closer "Land of My Sojourn," Mullins weaves life experience with authentic expressions of worship seamlessly, creating a warm, organic work that proves that Christians can create music that is devout without being preachy; passionate but honest - deep spirituality grounded in humanity. Even though he wore his heart on his sleeve, sometimes to the detriment of his music at the beginning of his career, on Liturgy Rich Mullins seemed to really come into his own, and created a work that still rings true 14 years after its recording.
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#6 I know it might be a strange selection, but this really is one of my favorite albums of all time. This is an album that I've listened to so many times I can't even count, but it still carries emotion and beauty. I don't think it could be called groundbreaking, but memorable and enduring it certainly is, as evidenced by the absurd amount of times parts of this soundtrack have been used in movie trailers for other movies.
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#5 While Leigh Nash is the recognizable face of the now defunct Sixpence None the Richer, the true heart and soul of the band really was another very skilled lyricist; Matt Slocum. And while this album is best known for their break-out song, "Kiss Me," that song really does not do justice to an album that is full of melancholy moments of brilliance. Born out of the band's struggle with an oppressive record company, songs like "Anything" and "The Lines of My Earth" wrap frustration and disillusionment in as pretty a package as you'll find.
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#4 This album is one that took some time to really grow on me, but once it did, we've been inseparable. The best asset of the album is the offbeat yet poetic lyrical observations of singer Ben Gibbard on everyday mundane life. On "Title and Registration" he sings, "the glove compartment is inaccurately named and everybody knows it . . . cause behind its door there's nothing to keep my fingers warm. And all I find are souvenirs from better times, before the gleam of your taillights fading east to find yourself a better life." Every song on Transatlanticism is unique and unusual, but somehow the album is a very cohesive whole and weaves a musical narrative, sort of emulating the experience of reading an intelligently written novel.
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#3 For a band fresh out of college and with little experience playing live or recording, Jars of Clay's debut album really set the bar high not only for themselves but for the whole Christian recording realm. Not only that, but they created one of the most resonant and innovative albums the Christian music industry has ever produced - certainly in my lifetime. There might not be another album that has influenced me so greatly or that I have played to death as much. From the opener, "Liquid," to the closing strains of "Blind," Jars of Clay is rife with riff and rhyme, not to mention creative detail. By far one of my favorites.
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#2 While I loved Parachutes, A Rush of Blood to the Head really pulled me in. It is one of those rare albums that is supremely satisfying, but still manages to take a few unexpected turns along the way. Songs like "Clocks" and "The Scientist" are almost like musical guilty pleasures (but without the regret!), while "Politik" and the title track are healthier, meaty compositions. Ultimately, while they don't reach the creative heights of their loftier influences (Radiohead, U2), Coldplay are masterful at walking the tightrope between critical acclaim and listenability. The result is an album that is enjoyable without insulting the listener's intelligence.
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#1 Ohio has to be at or near the top of this list for me. The depth of emotion rooted in life experience that resonates in Karin Bergquist's vocals is so subtle and understated. It's hard to explain what makes Over the Rhine so engaging. They are a good example of the sum equaling more than the individual pieces. Not to say that they are not incredibly talented musicians - it's just that they find a way to take simple melodies and sentiments and layer them on a musical canvas, creating an impressionistic piece of art that up close may look blurry and unfinished, but seen from the right perspective is a masterpiece. The fact that Over the Rhine recorded an album with 21 songs spanning 2 disks that is remarkably cohesive is an achievement in itself; the fact that I've listened to it probably 40 or more times and still hear something new and interesting makes it one of my favorite albums of all time.
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The Almost Made It List: |
a rush of blood to the head |
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