Skinny Genes

Just once...

…I’d like to write a nice little tumbl, have a few people like it, then edit it to say something completely inappropriate - I mean terribly offensive.  Borderline criminal.  Then I’d take a screenshot of the post and who liked it and finally the joke’s on them.

My Favorite Albums of the Decade

Alright, since a few of us have been talking about these “decade” lists, I thought I’d make a few for fun.  First, my favorite albums.  These are not the albums I consider the “best” of the last decade (that would be a harder list to make), just my favorites.

This was really hard, as evidenced by my Honorable Mentions.  I think my musical tastes have shifted so much from the time I was 13 until now, 22.  I had to dig up my old Windows Media Player playlists from high school, checked iTunes, last.fm, and really had to think.  I had to not be biased against albums I adored in the early 2000s - they’re as much my favorites as albums from last year.  However, I realized that I am inherently biased towards the beginning and middle of the decade, because those albums have had their chance to solidify in my mind and stew longer than more recent ones. Hm.

Criteria:  One bad apple could spoil the barrel, in my opinion.  Albums had to be good all the way through.  I had to remember that I liked the album, and why.  These ten albums sum up my last decade, for better or worse.  I had to rate albums, not artists - even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Here’s my top ten:

10. Dashboard Confessional - MTV Unplugged 2.0 (2002)
I knew Dashboard would have to crack my top ten, and this collection of songs from their first two albums, complete with some rowdy (relatively speaking) drums, did it for me.  Highlights: Turpentine Chaser - Hands Down

9. Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas (recorded 2001-2006, released 2006)
Maybe I’m biased because Christmas is a few days away, and it’s almost a slap in the face to include a Sufjan album that’s nearly all covers, but this box set finds its way to my ears more than just one month a year.  Highlights: Get Behind Me, Santa - Sister Winter - Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

8. Brand New - Deja Entendu (2003)
I was having a hard time deciding between this and Your Favorite Weapon, but Deja ultimately won out based on its more mature sound.  It’s less of a pop-punk album, which was refreshing and different from them at the time.  Highlights:  Okay, I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t - Seventy Times Seven

7. Saves the Day - Stay What You Are (2001)
One of many high school soundtrack albums.  I’ve never seen Saves the Day live, and don’t have any desire to, but if I could see them touring in support of this album, count me in.  Highlights: See You - Firefly

6. Bright Eyes - I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005)
I don’t like Bright Eyes.  I think Conor Oberst is a self-absorbed, overrated lyricist with little to no appreciation for his craft (as evidenced by his drunkenly slurring his ways through shows in years past).  His latest stuff is okay, but this album is the highlight of his career, in my opinion.  While that might not be saying much, based on my opinion of his career, this album is folkin’ awesome.  Highlights:  Lua - First Day of My Life

5. The Get Up Kids - Guilt Show (2004)
The swan-song for the band from Kansas City (although they have recently reunited).  They reached new heights in their musicianship and lyrical content in this album.  Highlights:  Martyr Me - Wouldn’t Believe It

4. Blink 182 - Blink 182 (2003)
My favorite band growing up had to make the cut.  Also an au revoir album (at the time), Blink 182 moved away from toilet humor and into a more serious effort at making good music.  A collaboration with The Cure’s Robert Smith also makes this album head and shoulders above the rest of their catalogue.  Highlights:  Always - Here’s Your Letter

3. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
The best band currently assembled on planet earth.  This album changed the way I listened to music.  Highlights: I’m the Man Who Loves You - Poor Places

2. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism (2003)
The crown jewel of Death Cab’s career thus far.  Plus, a poster of the album hung on Seth Cohen’s wall on The O.C.  Highlights:  Passenger Seat - We Looked Like Giants

1. Wilco - A Ghost is Born (2004)
The album lends itself to play live very well, unlike YHF (although Wilco pulls off both).  It’s a more piano-driven album, in my mind, and I like piano.  Basically, it’s my favorite Wilco album, and had to be my favorite album of the decade by default.  I love it.   Highlights:  Wishful Thinking - Hummingbird - The Late Greats

Honorable Mention:
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008) - I came really, really close to including this.
Wilco - Come on, two albums is enough, but I like Sky Blue Sky (2007) and Wilco (The Album) (2009) just fine.
Spoon - Gimme Fiction (2005) - I like this one more than Kill the Moonlight, and apparently that puts me in the minority.
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) - The track listing looks more like a greatest hits album.
Sufjan Stevens - Michigan (2003), Seven Swans (2004), and Illinois (2005) were all hovering near this list.
Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (2001)
Cat Power - The Greatest (2006)
The Postal Service - Give Up (2003)

The Browns won again...

timyok:

billkahler:

…despite their quarterback.  Brady Quinn was 10/17 for 66 yards and 2 INTs…against the Chiefs.  Joshua Cribbs threw one incompletion out of the wildcat and had a better passer rating than Quinn.  Remember when people were surprised when he fell to the 22nd pick in the draft?

Speaking of Cribbs, he had two kickoff returns for TDs and contributed 214 total yards (rushing, receiving, and returning).  Combine that with Jerome Harrison’s 286 rushing yards, and two players beat the Chiefs.  Congratulations, Adam.

Too bad the Bears couldn’t win despite their quarterback’s 7.9 rating…

And too bad the Bears can’t draft another one because they traded all their picks for the next hundred years to get this one.

Trim

Trim is a pretty versatile word, eh?

I sure love Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
It’s time to trim the Christmas tree!
Hey, trim those bangs so I can look you in the eyes.
Thank goodness it’s not a hundred degrees while I trim these hedges!
Trim and I wrent to get vregetarian frood for drinner.

The Browns won again...

…despite their quarterback.  Brady Quinn was 10/17 for 66 yards and 2 INTs…against the Chiefs.  Joshua Cribbs threw one incompletion out of the wildcat and had a better passer rating than Quinn.  Remember when people were surprised when he fell to the 22nd pick in the draft?

Speaking of Cribbs, he had two kickoff returns for TDs and contributed 214 total yards (rushing, receiving, and returning).  Combine that with Jerome Harrison’s 286 rushing yards, and two players beat the Chiefs.  Congratulations, Adam.