20. Sufjan Stevens -- Illinois (2005)
Sufjan’s Prairie State
I wish he did all fifty
(Yes, I fell for it)
19. Jeffrey Lewis -- It’s the Ones Who’ve Cracked That The Light Shines Through (2003)
Anti-folk hero
Serves comic stripped down delight
Raw, honest and fun
18. PJ Harvey -- Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000)
Poptastic Polly
Her most commercial album
That never sells out
17. Pulp -- We Love Life (2001)
Leafy perfection
From kitchen sink troubadours
Sad, Sheffield swansong
16. TV on the Radio -- Dear Science (2008)
Arse-shaking anger
As Sitek and crew unleash
Brooklyn funky stuff
15. Bruce Springsteen -- Working on a Dream (2009)
My favourite Boss
Is reconciled with E Street
Glory Days again!
14. Midlake -- The Trials of Van Occupanther (2006)
Lush, pastoral grooves
Et in arcadia they go
I think I’ll head home!
13. The Strokes -- Is This It (2001)
New York storybook
A soundtrack of the decade
This, it seems, is it
12. Johnny Cash -- American III: Solitary Man (2000)
Departed legend
Au revoir, L’homme en noir
No one sounds like you
11. Brian Wilson -- Smile (2004)
Infamous Beached Boy
Went back to sea triumphant
And served up Surf’s Up
10. Grinderman -- Grinderman (2007)
Black Crow Kingdom reigns
As Bad Seeds bear twisted fruit
(See what I did there?)
9. The White Stripes -- White Blood Cells (2001)
Third from Jack and Meg
With incandescent gee-tars
And Awesome Welles riff
7. Lift to Experience -- The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads (2001)
A Lone Star Statement
They burnt fast but -- by God! -- burnt bright
“Don’t mess with Texas”
8. Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
Tupelo’s Tweedy
Overcame Warner Bother
To create this gem
6. The National -- Alligator (2005)
Late night, low-rent wit
Don’t compare to Tindersticks
They’re better than that
5. Arcade Fire -- Funeral (2005)
Mournful joie de vivre
Joyous momento mori
(Inadequate praise)
4. Tom Waits -- Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards (2006)
Gravel voiced Bardfly
Serves up three courses of treats
We hunger for more!
3. Warren Zevon -- Life’ll Kill Ya (2000)
Sardonic singer
Enjoyed every sandwich
Then left us a feast
2. Lambchop -- Nixon (2000)
Funky slide guitars
Where country and Curtis meet
Mayfield, not Stigers!
1. The Flaming Lips -- Yoshima Battles The Pink Robots (2002)
Fearless freaks, rejoice!
Perfect bubblepop classic
Don’t you realize??