My friend introduced me to some of the band’s “deeper cuts”–songs like “Jack Straw”, “Franklin’s Tower” and “I Know You Rider”. These tracks intrigued me and I began to dig deeper into the bands catalog, delving into the deep collection of live tracks, discovering versions of “Eyes of the World”, “China Cat Sunflower” and “Scarlet Begonias” that would forever change the look of my iPod playlists.

Similarly, I struggled for years to understand why people felt U2 was so great. To me, the band came off as noting short of generic. I asked several U2 fans to suggest some deep cuts to help me gain an appreciation for the band.  While I still think the band is over-hyped, I developed a much better appreciation of the band after discovering tracks like “I Will Follow”, “Twilight”, “Is That All?” and “Drowning Man.”

I think it’s now time for a similar project for a band that many consider to be the “best of all time”–the Beatles. I admit that my exposure to The Beatles is relatively limited, basically just the “hits” and The White Album. It’s The White Album that especially perplexes me.  Yes, it marks the first time The Beatles drifted away from pop and experimented with real rock n roll, but it falls way short of the greatness of other albums released the same year. In addition to The White Album, 1968 saw the release of the Rolling Stones’ Beggar Banquet, Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends and perhaps the most innovative album of the decade, The Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo. All of these albums would have a much greater impact on the evolution of rock than The White Album.

What is it about The Beatles that I am missing?

In my opinion, The Beatles did two things well. One, they created radio friendly pop tunes, much like Nickelback or Fall Out Boy of the modern era, when compared to other British invasion bands like The Animals or The Zombies fall short on the artistic meter. Secondly, they produced some interesting whimsical tunes consistent with the work product of one hit wonder bands. Indeed, the two Beatles songs I like the most are “Honey Pie” and “Martha My Dear.”

So with that I put out this plea to all of The Beatles fans out there. Help me understand this band. Suggest some of the band’s work that I should check out that will change my perception.  Please provide the track and album name in the comments field.

For me, it’s been a decade of great discovery musically–one where I’ve opened myself to new artists and genres–and moved past some of my previous biases. The 1990′s were marked by great albums with huge commercial success. It seems like everyone had a copy of Ten, Nevermind and OK Computer. Times have changed and the manner in which we consume our music has evolved. Gone are the days where terrestrial radio dictates what we listen to and no longer do we go to our local music store to purchase our favorite CD’s.

Instead, we turn to the Internet–to download, share, listen and get recommendations. This has paved the way for artists who lack traditional commercial appeal to find their way into the home of every American.  Most of the albums on this list, never dominated the charts, but each one packed an emotional punch from beginning to end and provided the listener endless pleasure.

With that said, this selection process was not without a system. My iPod contains all 10 albums. I have carefully analyzed my listening stats for each album, averaging the ranking of all the songs on an album, using the iPod 5 star ranking system. In the event of a tie, I moved to the average number of listens per song for an album.

1.)    Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground

Bright Eyes

Saddle Creek Records, 2002

Seattle played a major role in defining the music of the 1990’s and while no one city has dominated the music world like Seattle in the aughts, the closest thing we had was the Midwest scene in towns like Lawrence, Kansas, Omaha, Nebraska, and Columbia, Missouri.

Seattle’s Sub Pop Records introduced the world to Nirvana, arguably Seattle’s most influential band. Omaha’s Saddlecreek Records, introduced the world to Bright Eyes, arguably the most influential band in the Midwestern sound and possibly the defining sound of the 2000’s. Nirvana already had a loyal following prior to the release of Nevermind, but it was that album’s release that earned them mainstream success. Similarly, Lifted earned Bright Eyes, already a favorite among the indie crowd, a mainstream following.

No album of the decade captures the post-9/11 angst many Americans my age felt. Indeed, Lifted marked Conor Oberst’s first overt attempt to fuse his music with politics and his own unique brand of existential dread, as evidenced by the opening lines of the albums’ first song, “The Big Picture” (The picture is far too big to look at kid/ Your eyes won’t open wide enough and you are constantly surrounded by that swirling stream of what is and what was./Well, we’ve all made our predictions but the trust still isn’t out/So if you want to see the future, go stare into a cloud.).

These themes continue throughout the album, hitting emotional crescendos in songs like “Waste of Paint” and “Don’t Know When But a Day Is Gonna Come” and my personal favorite song of the decade, “Let’s Not Shit Ourselves (To Love and To Be Loved)”.

I first discovered Bright Eyes in 2001, at the end of a dark chapter in my life. A friend gave me a copy of Fevers and Mirrors and I listened to it religiously. I bought Lifted the day it was released and I credit it for keeping me sane through the majority of the Bush years.  I knew at that point the album was special, but it wasn’t until I began this project to compile the best albums of the decade that I realized just how special it was and remains.

2.)  The Moon & Antarctica

Modest Mouse

Epic Records, 2000

Modest Mouse achieved their greatest commercial success starting in 2004 with their release of Good New for People Who Love Bad News. However, this Seattle act has been rocking since 1993.  The Moon & Antarctica represents their most complete album with hardly any blemishes. Compared to their albums, The Moon is much more instrumental driven, featuring numerous memorable guitar riffs, some of which have permeated our popular culture. Nissan used the opening to “Gravity Rides Everything” in an ad campaign a few years back. With that said, Modest Mouse manages to avoid being superfluous with their music, never allowing their instruments to overshadow the deeper meaning of their songs. Indeed, their unique sound provides an ethereal backdrop for delivering a chilling, often heart wrenching message.

Though not a concept album by definition, the songs blend perfectly together. I divide the album into three parts and an epilogue. The first part begins with Track #1, “3rd Planet” and culminates with “Perfect Disguise.” Part Two  begins with “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” and climaxes with “The Stars Are Projectors,” the most powerful song on the album. The third part begins “Wild Packs of Family Dogs” and ends with “Lives.” While “Life Like Weeds” and “What People Are Made Of” combine to form the perfect postscript.

3.)  Picaresque

The Decemberists

Kill Rock Stars, 2005

I was a little surprised at how well Picaresque scored when I started going through the numbers on my iPod. I knew the album would make my Top 10 list, but I didn’t remember how great this album is until I actually started going through it again. While the Top 2 spots are held down by albums full of melancholy, Picaresque is much more lively and fun. The Decemberists don’t shy away from dark subject matter, but beginning with the high-energy “The Infanta” on track 1 you get a totally different vibe. What sticks out most about the album, and can be found in most of The Decmberists work, is the tight narratives that hold the songs together. Frontman Colin Meloy is a master of the use of imagery within a song, the likes of which we have not seen since Paul Simon. As you listen to the songs, Meloy paints a vivid picture, so the experience becomes as much visual as audible. Some even remind us of some of the great writers of the English language. The first time I heard “The Mariner’s Revenge Song,” I could not help but think of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” While the plots aren’t the same, the structure that both Coleridge and Meloy employed are similar.

If you want a small sample of this album’s greatness, I recommend “Eli, the Barrow Boy.” It is a perfect example of the imagery and narrative I discussed above and my personal favorite from the album.

4.)   Kid A

Radiohead

EMI, 2000

One album sure to be on every “best of the decade” list is Radiohead’s Kid A. Since it’s release, Radiohead fans and music fans alike have debated over the meaning of the album. The commonly held belief is that it is a concept album about the world’s first human clone, “Kid A.” Musically and stylistically, the album represented a break from the Radiohead of the 1990′s and defined the Radiohead sound of the aughts. The songs feature electronic sounds and vocal distortions, rarely used in the group’s first three CD’s, but that have been more common in their more recent work. I love Radiohead, but would never have the audacity to claim to be an expert on the band. I know they have a very loyal fan base and out of respect to that fan base I will refrain from commenting too much on the album. I don’t need to!  The album speaks for itself. I will say that “How to Disappear Completely” is my favorite Radiohead song and “Optimistic” is not too far behind.

5.)  Backspacer

Pearl Jam

Monkeywrench, 2009

This choice will not surprise many of who know me and understand my love of Pearl Jam. Simply put, the best  Pearl Jam album since No Code and the best album released by anyone in 2009. I doubt Backspacer will win over many new fans to the band, but Pearl Jam has a well established fan base and those fans, including myself, can see the growth this band has experienced over the years. Perhaps it’s the new President or maybe it’s being free of a major label and allowed to express their artistic freedom, but Eddie Vedder and the entire band seem almost happy for the first time in their career. Indeed, on the album’s firs track, “Gonna See My Friend”, a song about addiction, Vedder expresses a common theme for the album, “I’m gonna shake this thing/I wanna shake this pain before I retire.” For the past twenty years, Pearl Jam has rocked against the establishment with a youthful exuberance and proud ideology. While they remain true to those principles, it seems like they’ve learned, through experience, that in spite of the problems the world presents, there are many places to find a respite and some inner peace.

One of those places seems to be their own music. No longer trying to please a record executive, the band can make music they want to hear. Backspacer is much more up tempo and high energy than the band’s previous releases. It’s almost as if they’ve had all this energy stored, throughout the years, and finally have an outlet to express it.

Vedder also looks to love as a means to some inner peace. In “Amongst the Waves,” a song that traces the path of a relationship, Vedder writes, “if not for love I would be drowning/I’ve seen it work both ways, I’m up/Riding high among the waves/I can feel like I have a soul that has been saved.” On “Just Breathe”, we see Vedder adopt the acoustic style he favored for his recent solo work to carve out an old fashioned love song. They return to the sea analogy and more hints of love in the anthem, “Force of Nature”–the best song on the album.

6.)  Tennessee

Lucero

Madjack Records, 2002

“Alt-country” experienced a boom in popularity during the decade. From some of the early pioneers of the genre like Ryan Adams and the Old 97′s, to the new blood of bands like My Morning Jacket and Drive-By Truckers, the music permeated the landscape and found it’s way into other genres as well. One band in the genre that is often overlooked is Lucero. I first saw Lucero play a show around the time they released Tennessee. At the time, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find decent entertainment during a weekend trip to Little Rock and just happened to walk into a Lucero show. I had never heard of the band and did not know what to expect, but to this day I rank it as one of the best shows I have ever been to.  The band played festivals all over the country in support of Tennessee and earned a loyal following.  One of the best reviews I read regarding Tennessee upon its release compared Ben Nichols’ vocals to a “country” Kurt Cobain. Indeed, there is a grittiness to his voice and it is that distinctive voice that draws the listener into the lyrics. Once drawn in, the band takes the listener or a journey into dance halls, honky tonks and little roadside dives all across the United States. This is especially true with tracks like “Slow Dancing”, “Nights Like These” and “Here at the Starlite.” Since the release of Tennessee, Lucero has experienced some mainstream success, but still doesn’t get the respect of My Morning Jacket or Drive-By Truckers. Take it from me, they have done more for the country rock genre than anyone since Gram Parsons.

7.)  The Blueprint

Jay-Z

Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam, 2001

As a teen in the early 90′s, I became a huge fan of the rap and hip-hop of the time. I still count Dr. Dre’s The Chronic as one of the top 5 albums of any genre and I loved everything 2Pac put out, but when 2Pac died the genre seemed to fade as well. Instead of remaining true to telling stories of the streets, rap and hip-hop evolved into a philistine, pseudo-art form. It reminded me of the evolution of rock. In the 60′s and 70′s, rock was defined by truly talented artists writing great songs of political and social importance. In the 80′s, hair bands started hijacking the genre and rock went from fighting “the man” to one big party, full of booze, Aqua Net and strippers. When rap and hip-hop laid down their guns and picked up the bling, the music took a serious hit. Sure, it was easier for a suburban audience to consume, and thus more profitable, but it just wasn’t the same as the great music I experienced in middle school and high school.

For years, I refused to listen to any “new” rap or hip-hop, including some of Jay-Z’s earlier stuff, but when I first heard The Blueprint I heard an edge that had been missing from the genre for far too long.  Without a doubt, this is the best rap/hip-hop album released since the death of 2Pac. At the beginning of “The Ruler’s Back,” Jay-Z announces “what you about to witness is just my thoughts.” When I heard those words, I knew real hip-hop was back.

8,)  Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Belle & Sebastian

Rough Trade, 2003

If I had to use one word to describe this album it would be “fun.” At the end of the day, sometimes music needs to be fun. In Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Belle & Sebastian reaches back into the annals of music and channels the spirit of so many of the great “British invasion” bands. Catchy tunes and whimsical lyrics abound on this album, including the title track.

As a fan of classic rock, I simply love the Thin Lizzy inspired “I’m a Cuckoo.” The baseball fan in me laughs at the tongue and cheek humor found in “Piaza, New York Catcher.” No matter what life may throw my way, I can listen to this album and know that at the end I will be in  a much better mood. It may not be as great or artistic as some of their recordings from the 90′s and, yes, it was released at a point when their music was becoming far more commercial, but when you stack it up against the rest of the music of the decade, this one definitely lands in the Top 10.

9.)  Cassadaga

Bright Eyes

Saddle Creek, 2007

The second Bright Eyes album to make our list is a much more polished version than the first and finds Conor Oberst refining many of the styles he experimented with on Lifted, most notably the alt-country genre. Indeed, if you listen closely you can hear the influence of The Byrds’ Sweethearts of the Rodeo stage and Gram Parsons.

The pedal steel plays in the background, mixing beautifully with Oberst’s Dylan-like delivery of lyrics on “If the Brakeman Turns My Way”.  On “Four Winds”, Oberst puts an alt-country twist on William Butler Yeats’ “Second Coming”.  Perhaps the most moving of all the songs on the album is the haunting “Middleman,” a collection of beautifully played strings mixed  with the distant howling of a woodwind section creates a symphony of sorrow best enjoyed alone.In “I Must Belong Somewhere”, Oberst points a mirror directly at America, causing each of us to pause and question our society and culture–the sign of a true artist.

10.)  Fever to Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Interscope Geffen, 2003

I never got the chance to visit CBGBs. When I listen to Fever to Tell, I like to imagine that this is what it sounded like back in its prime. Lead singer Karen O is our generation’s Patti Smith and the music’s raw energy makes you want to jump out of your seat and move along with the beat. The album is best known for the single “Maps”, which received heavy radio play, but relatively speaking it’s a “weak” song when compared to the rest of the album. The one-two combination of “Rich” and “Date With the Night” gets the album off to a fast start, which continues up until “Maps” when the album takes a decidedly slower turn, not that it’s a bad turn. In fact, the closing trio of “Maps”, “Y Control” and “Modern Romance” caps the album off nicely.

Honorable Mentions

Lost Souls – Doves

Bleed American – Jimmy Eat World

You Are the Quarry – Morrissey

Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant – Belle & Sebastian

Living in America – The Sounds

1.) Slate Culture Gabfest – This is a must listen if you want to stay current on all things related to culture. The shows regular panel consists of Dana Stevens, Julia Turner and Stephen Metcalf, though they are frequently joined by other members of the Slate.Com staff. The content leans towards the “high brow” and much of it involves material published in Northeast publications (i.e. New York Times, The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, etc.), but it provides an inside look at what intellectual elitists all over the nation are talking about.  The most recent episode included a review of the controversial new Lee Daniels’ movie Precious, a review of the Ian McEwan novel Black Dogs to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and Jim Windolf’s recent Vanity Fair article on “cuteness.”

2.)  Slate Political Gabfest – Functions in pretty much the same fashion as the Culture Gabfest–three person panel discusses three issues–only involving politics instead of cultural issues. The normal panel consists of John Dickerson, Emily Bazelon and Slate managing editor, David Plotz. Be warned, the panel leans Left–far Left, but it’s entertaining and informative all the same.

3.) Anything You Ever Wanted to Know – This show is produced by KERA, Dallas’ local public radio station. The show airs each Friday afternoon, but I always listen to it via podcast. The show provides an open forum for listeners to submit questions, either on the phone or through e-mail, to be answered by other members of the listening audience and is moderated by Jeff Whittington. Over the past three years, I’ve learned some fascinating things from the show.

4.) The Writer’s Almanac Podcast – Hosted by Garrison Keillor, the show serves as a “this day in literary history” for lovers of words.  Normally, Keillor lists off several key events for each day and then will focus heavily on one birthday or event before reading a selected “poem of the day.” More than anything else, the show has introduced me to some great new poetry.

5.) NPR Playback – While the other podcasts I listed are released on a weekly or daily basies, the NPR Playback podcast is released on a monthly basis and features audio clips from the archives from 20 years prior. For example, the November podcast features audio from NPR segments from November 1984. I love being transported back to the 80′s and this podcast does just that.

However, Dallas has changed and even the bands I followed as a college student seem to have sold out or disbanded all together.  There are days I long for the East Texas music scene. While they may lack the number of venues and bands as Dallas, when you dig deep, when you step into the underground, true treasures await.

Nestled deep within the majestic pine forests of East Texas, down a one-lane black-top county road, sits a lonely cabin. To be certain, these forests contain many cabins, but none as magical as the one in question here. I remember the first time a musician friend invited me to the cabin to hear “some cosmic American music.” At the time, punk dominated my playlists and I had very limited exposure to “cosmic American music,” but my friend promised fun, so I decided to tag-along.

We drove out a lonely Farm to Market road, past the county jail, turning onto a dark county road that created a snaking black vein through the lush pine thicket.  The further we drove, the road narrowed, giving way to the brush and over-growth.  Tree roots protruded out from the road and all was pitch black. Finally, we pulled onto a dirt drive and I caught my first glimpse of the Cosmic Cafe.

There was a clearing directly in front of the cabin and I noticed a make-shift pen, which on closer inspection contained two full grown Clydesdales.  We walk towards the cabin, which was actually two conjoined cabins: a spherical cabin of the geometric variety and a traditional wood cabin you would find on any lake or on any deer lease.  We entered through a door in the spherical shaped building and I was greeted with the smell of patchouli and cannabis.

Once inside the cabin, I noticd a large chandalier, which resembled an old wagon wheel, suspended from the ceiling. On top of the the chandalier were several mason jars, each one containing a dimly lit bulb. Hanging from the mason jars were assorted pieces of women’s lingerie, in ever shape, size and color imaginable.

To our right, was the main stage, where three men and lady, all in their 50′s and all dressed in vintage Western wear, gathered together.  To our left, a wide open space, wihch led into the other cabin. Tucked against the wall were two couches straight out of the 1970′s. A wall, with twin doors, had been constructed in between the two cabins and a few feet in front of the door way sat the sound board. Pops, a tall, lanky gentleman with long gray hair and a thick gray beard sat the helm.  A small group of ten or twelve people huddled around Pops. I knew a few of them from other local scenes, so I stopped to exchange pleasantries, before heading into the second cabin.

It appeared that this section served as the cantina, with two large folding tables, containing various wines and spirts, pressed against the wall on the left. Underneath the two tables, there were two coolers full of beer–Miller Lite, Shiner Bock, and Lone Star.  Two breakfast table sat in the middle of the room and each table featured an intense game of dominoes.  We grabbed a Shiner and were headed towards a door at the back of the cabin when we heard the first chord followed by a booming voice:

“Good evening! Welcome to the Cosmic Cafe.”

The band launched into a rendition of Gram Parson’s “In My Hour of Darkness,” and we decided to head back towards the stage. The lights were even more dim and another ten people had showed up. The stage was so dark, we couldn’t even see the drummer’s face. The lady sat at keyboard on the right side of the stage. On lead and vocals, appeared to be the oldest member of the outfit. He chained smoked throughout the entire set, holding a lit cigarette in between his ring finer and pinky on his right hand as he strummed the strings–true talent. Though not the best vocalist in the world, he did a terrific job not butchering Parson’s work.  The bassist was huge, at least 6’8, and had jet black hair and a jet black beard. This gave way to a cover of Grateful Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower,” which rolled into “Desperado,” into “Ripple.” The set ran about 45 mintues. Somewhere along the way, the band launched into CCR’s “Lodi.” It was the only time the female sang lead vocals and the only truly awkward moment of the set. They ended with an electric version of “Woodstock” (CSN&Y style), thanked the audience and invited “Pablo” to the stage.

Pablo, who doesn’t resemble a Pablo, took the stage with two other younger guys.  The three launched into an acoustic set that really engaged those present. By night’s end, Pops and I were the only two in the crowd not to take the state at some point.

When the music ended, my friend and I made our way the back door to a deck for a cigarette. We walked to the side railing and once again caught a glimpse of the pen with the Clydesdales.  What a weird place for Clydesdales. All of a sudden, I heard a deep booming voice.

“You want one of those horses?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer the question, so I simply stared at the man. It was the bassist from the first band–the giant. He told me he had recently “won” the Clydesdales in game a poker on a “whiskey night,” and had since sworn off whiskey. It turns out he owned the Cosmic Cafe and the land it set on, also a prize in a poker game.

Over the next few months, I made a few more visits to the Cosmic Cafe and found it be one hell of a venue. Normally, I was the only non-musician present. It truly was a locale for musicians to jam with other musicians. There were no set lists to speak of, no cover charge, no merchandise, just a bunch of people who loved good music getting together and jamming. Some nights the music leaned more towards rock, some night it leaned country, some nights indie and yes, there was always “cosmic American music” to be heard.

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Now playing: Grateful Dead – Eyes of the World
via FoxyTunes