Best Music of the Decade

Once again, reading Freealonzo's blog has given me an idea for a blog post. Free recently mentioned that the end of the first decade of the 21st century is nearing, which means it is time for the inevitable "Best Of" lists. This got me thinking about the music that has been released since 2000, and what albums have had the most influence on me. So I decided to sit down and peruse iTunes and pick out my favorite albums that have been released over the past 10 years.

I happened (by chance) to pick out 20 albums. I am not going to claim that I am some sort of expert and these are necessarily the best albums for everyone. They are simply my favorites since the year 2000. So I present to you "Jeff's Top 20 Albums of the 21st Century So Far." They are listed in reverse order to build tension (no question about that). By the way, I think you'll be able to tell who my favorite band is:

#20. Paul Westerberg - "Folker" (2004): Recorded in his basement, Westerberg played all the instruments and sang all the parts on this album. The ode to his father "My Dad" chokes me up every time.

#19. The Honeydogs - "10,000 Years" (2004): Very strong concept album from the Minneapolis band. The album tells the somewhat bleak story of a test-tube baby growing up during an apocalyptic war. Not exactly happy stuff (but great music)!

#18. Arcade Fire - "Funeral" (2004): Outstanding band with about 1000 members. This album made many "Top 5 of the decade" lists and might be higher on my list if I actually listed to it more often. Judging by how good this album is, I might have to revise this choice.

#17. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Howl" (2005): The band that is known for being a Jesus and Mary Chain clone released this Dylanesque, folk-tinged rock album in 2005. It is, by far, their best.

#16. Mark Olson & Gary Louris - "Ready For The Flood" (2009): The former Jayhawks front men release an album that is more "Simon and Garfunkel" than Jayhawks.

#15. Band of Horses - "Everything All The Time" (2006): I'm not a fan of all of this band's music, but this album has some classics. Soaring in parts, very quiet in others. All in all, a very good album.

#14. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago" (2007): A stark, yet melodic, first offering from the Eau Claire, WI native Justin Vernon. This album was recorded in a northern Wisconsin cabin while recovering from mono after breaking up with his girlfriend. I guess that is why it is stark.

#13. Bob Dylan - "Love And Theft" (2001): Released on September 11th, 2001 while something else was (unfortunately) happening. I may in the minority, but I prefer Dylan's last 4 albums to his 1960's classics.

#12. Drive By Truckers - "Decoration Day" (2003): This album is the Truckers at their best - part Lynard Skynard, part Replacements. Jason Isbell was still with the band and contributed the classics "Outfit" and title track "Decoration Day."

#11. The Hold Steady - "Boys And Girls in America" (2006): Possibly the best live band you'll ever see, the Hold Steady combines "alternative" with Springsteen-influenced classic rock. They also mention Har-Mar in one of their songs which guarantees them a spot in the top-20.

#10. Ryan Adams - "Gold" (2001): As I've mentioned before, Adams is a prick, but he can certainly write good songs. This offering brings the listener back to the mid-1970's with laid-back California rock 'n roll.

#9. The Jayhawks - "Rainy Day Music" (2003): The last album from The Jayhawks. The album features mellow, pop-country with surprising great songs from the drummer, Tim O'Reagan. I truly believe "Save It For A Rainy Day" is one of the finest pop songs ever written.

#8. Arctic Monkeys - "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" (2006): Oddly enough, this is the only non-American band in my top 20. Part "Clash," probably more "Jam." Those are two good bands to be compared to.

#7. The National - "Boxer" (2007): This is on my current "heavy rotation" play list. Fantastic album that gets better with each listen. The 50th listen is literally better than the 49th. I say this from experience.

#6. Flaming Lips - "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" (2002): Another great live band. Despite the odd title, this is the band's most pop-oriented and accessible album.

#5. Wilco - "A Ghost Is Born" (2004): A great follow up to "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot." Probably Wilco's most underrated album.

#4. Ryan Adams - "Heartbreaker" (2000): The solo debut from the former Whiskeytown lead singer. Part Paul Westerberg, part Hank Williams.

#3. Wilco - "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" (2002): This album was so "non-radio friendly" that the band was dropped by it's label. Brittney Spears, it ain't. Upon 2nd, 3rd, and 75th listen, however, you'll realize that you are experiencing a classic. This album is the antithesis of brainless American Idol, and we're all better for having it around.

#2. Paul Westerberg - "Stereo/Mono" (2002): After some relatively weak solo efforts, Paul Westerberg released "Stereo/Mono," a double CD that brought him back to his roots. The songs on these albums could have fit it with the Replacements circa 1984-1987. It also set off a string of excellent Westerberg solo efforts. Welcome back, Paul.

and......

#1. Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky" (2007): Most professional critics would put this album behind "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born." In my opinion, however, this is Wilco's finest effort. They return to their "alt-country with a touch of Beatles" roots and add a couple of stellar musicians including guitar-master Nils Cline. The album also features what might be my favorite song of all-time - "Impossible Germany." A great album from the best band in the world.

So there you go. My top 20 albums of the 21st Century, so far. Let me know what you think. What is missing? What do you agree with? What are your favorites?

Jeff

Joe Mauer - Master of the Universe

Congratulations to Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer, as he was just named the American League's Most Valuable Player for 2009. There is something that I have wondered about Joe Mauer for a long, long time. I have wondered what hell his soul must have endured in a former life to come back as Joe Mauer. Let's mull over a few things about Joe so far at age twenty-six:

1. 2009 American League Most Valuable Player
2. Three-time American League All-Star
3. Two-time Gold Glove Winner
4. Three-time American League batting champion
5. Three-time Silver Slugger award winner
6. USA Today High School Football Player of the Year as a Quarterback in 2001
7. Offered full-ride to Florida State University to play Quarterback.
8. High School Basketball All-Star at Cretin-Derham as a Junior and Senior.
9. Will soon sign a contract for $20-25 million per year.
10. Good looking. Great Sideburns.
11. Used to go out with a former Miss USA Chelsea Cooley.
12. Despite #1-11, he's allegedly as humble a person as you'll ever meet.

What gives??!?? In all seriousness, the guy is talented. I have a poster hanging up in my domicile at THE CHECK that reads: "Some day you will tell your grandchildren that you saw him play." That poster ain't talking about Jesse Crain.

A guy like Mauer, for the Twins, comes around once in a generation. Harmon Killebrew. Rod Carew. Kirby Puckett. And now Joe Mauer. He is not merely a run-of-the-mill All-Star, he is a "difference maker." He's a St.Paul kid playing for the home-town team that he grew up rooting for. He's their best player on the field and their most marketable player off the field. Geez, how many teen-age girls have Joe Mauer shirts? Let's put it this way - how many teen -age girls DON'T have Joe Mauer shirts? He is the face of the Twins franchise.

Now, I trust that the franchise understands this. Amidst all of this giddiness, storm clouds are gathering on the horizon as Mauer has one lone year left on his contract. Rumors persist that the evil east-coast teams such as the Red Sox and Yankees already have their sights set on the Twins catcher. And who can blame them - they certainly have more money to spend. I have to admit that seeing Mauer in Yankees pinstripes might cause me to stop watching sports all together. It would be like Packer fans having to to watch Brett Favre in Viking..........oh wait.

Mauer contends, however, that money will not be the final piece of the puzzle. According to Mauer, her simply wants to win. The Twins are also taking steps to make Joe happy. First, they kept one version of their hat for next year with an "M" rather than "TC" because Joe grew up with the "M" hats. Good move. Second, they brought in J.J. Hardy, one of Mauer's good buddies, to play on the team. Good move. Third (and most important) it was just announced that statues of retired Twins players Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett will be built in downtown Minneapolis, along with a statue of Joe Mauer. Yes, that is correct - 26-year-old Joe Mauer will have a statue downtown not too far from Mary Tyler Moore. You cannot beat that. How can Joe possibly leave the team when he already has a statue?

I guess we'll see in the upcoming months. I really believe the Twins will be a pretty good team as they move into Target Field in 2010. I hope they will be good enough to convince Joe Mauer to stay with the Twins.

Otherwise, give him all the money he wants.

Jeff

Blast From the Past - Raising Arizona

In my opinion, the 1987 film Raising Arizona is the second-finest Coen Brothers movie behind The Big Lebowski. The outstanding quotes that are applicable to every day life in this movie are endless. The following 1-minute scene contains the quote that I use from a movie more often than any other,. If I had a dollar for every time that I used the John Goodman phrase - "So many social engagements.........so little time," I could retire.

Check out the look on Hi's face (Nicholas Cage) after he asks his wife (Holly Hunter) if he can skip the upcoming "get together" and go knock back "a couple of Coca-Cola's" with the boys." Priceless.

What a movie.

Jared Allen. Why I Love Him.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is a hillbilly. But I love him. Why? Because in this day and age of egotistical pro atheletes that whine about being "disrespected," Jared Allen is a guy who can laugh at himself. He gets it.

And he has a fantastic mullet.

Jeff

The Non-Vikings Sports Update

The Vikes had a bye week, so here are a few updates from the non-Viking world of sports:

1. Twins Trade Gomez to Milwaukee for J.J. Hardy. You know, I always liked Carlos Gomez. There is no question that he drove me absolutely insane, but he seemed like a good, enthusiastic kid. He is a great defensive outfielder with a flair for the dramatic and has great speed once he gets on base. Therein lies the problem, however. He really never gets on base. He may be the worst fundamental hitter that I have ever seen at the Major League Level. Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press summed up Carlos Gomez perfectly with the following statement:

"The Twins have traded a toolbox without a key for a mystery. Carlos Gomez has talent, the greatest of which is raw speed. He also has the baseball instincts of an Icelandic grade-schooler. "

Perfect. The guy constantly threw to the wrong base. Missed the cutoff man. Got picked off base. He smelled his bat. The coaches couldn't get to him. I never thought I'd see a bigger space cadet on the Twins in my lifetime than Lew Ford. But along came Carlos Gomez just a few short years after Ford. Amazing. In return for Go-Go, the Twins receive shortstop J.J. Hardy who is two years removed from appearing in the All-Star game. Hardy has the ability to hit some home runs and is a pretty good shortstop. Plus. I don't think he's goofy. There is the matter of Hardy being demoted to the minors last year after a major slump at the plate. I'm hoping that he is one of those guys that simply needs a change of scenery. Gomez, on the other hand, might be in the wrong hemisphere.

2. Target Field 360-Interactive View. Speaking of the Twins, check out this interactive view of Target Field:

http://www.twincities.com/ci_13730070

3. Gopher Football. The Golden Gopher football team is on my mind these days with the hated South Dakota State Jack Rabbits coming to town. I will admit that I may have been wrong about Glen Mason when I called for his firing. I challenged him to schedule Cretin-Derham High School and called him the Single Biggest Fraud in Minnesota coaching history. Well, I hereby apologize to Glen Mason, because he may have been Vince Lombardi compared to Coach Tim Brewster. At least there were a few Alamo Bowls in the mix when Mason was around. Not anymore. Here is a question for Gopher fans out there: When is the last time a Gopher football team actually got better as the year progressed? Can't think of it? That is because it was probably during the Johnson administration.

Now, I'm really not an advocate of changing coaching staffs every year because it screws up the kids on the team (see: Adam Weber). But I just don't see how things are going to improve with Coach Brew at the helm. As I have stated before, the guy can talk a good game. Whether or not he can coach has not yet been determined. On the bright side, at least they are now losing in a beautiful stadium.

4. Timberwolves season is underway. Rumor has it that tickets are still available for most home games. Seriously, what do you think the attendance will be at some of the Wolves home games this year? How about the Wednesday, February 10th tilt against the Charlotte (Hornets?) Bobcats? Maybe 4,000? Even the free beer promotion didn't work.

5. Wild season is underway. I still love hockey but it's no shock to me that the Wild are struggling this year with a new GM, coaching staff, offensive system and many new players. They look a little lost on the ice. Marian Gaborik, of course, has been the second coming of Wayne Gretzky after leaving the team and signing with the New York Rangers. What did ex-GM Doug Risebrough get in return for Gaborik? Nothing. What organization does Risebrough work for now? The Rangers. Funny how these things work out. Unfortunately, many of the trades that Risebrough made over the years has left the Wild depleted of draft picks and young players at the minor league level. I hate to say it, but perhaps the best thing that could happen to the Wild is to miss the playoffs for a few years and draft some talented young players. Time to rebuild, I think.

That's all for now.

The National - Another Band I Am Three Years Late On

Jerry from THE CHECK burned a CD for me months ago called "Boxer" from a band called The National. I put it on my iPod and waited until just a few weeks ago to start listening to it (sorry, Jerry). I had noticed that every time I listened to Wilco on Pandora, The National would be featured as a similar band. That is all I need to know. Also, the bands last two albums have been critically praised, so I thought it might be time to give these guys a chance..

I began listening to The National and I must say that I haven't had a band grow on me like this in a long time. Admittedly, the disc took some getting used to. It's a so-called "creeper." The lead singer, Matt Berninger, has a somewhat mumbly, baritone voice that comes across as part Nick Cave and part Ian Curtiss. The music is fairly mellow and atmospheric (a good word) and has lyrics that make you think. I wouldn't say I'd put it on at a party, but it's fantastic music that really grows on a person.

Troubled? Awkward??

Upon returning from a short business trip to Massachusetts, this tidbit happened to be the first thing I read on the St. Paul Pioneer Press web site:

"The quarterback who led the Minnesota Vikings to six NFC Central Division titles and three Super Bowl appearances says it was awkward to see Brett Favre in purple Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Fran Tarkenton says Favre is playing as well as he ever has and is helping young Vikings receivers Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin become better players.

The former Vikings quarterback says he had a hard time watching the game against the Green Bay Packers in light of the emotional toll it took on some fans and on Favre, who he says looked troubled."

If Favre (17 for 28 passing, 244 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions) was troubled, I hope he is troubled the rest of the year. Speaking of troubled, Mr. Tarkenton has been very outspoken from the beginning on Favre joining the Vikings. He is firmly against it, and has been speaking out in the news quite often on this subject. By the way, do you know what is awkward and troubling to me? This:

Brad Johnson
Brooks Bollinger
Kelly Holcomb
Tarvaris Jackson
Gus Frerotte

Those are the Vikings starting QB's since 2004. Lots of losses. Very awkward. The Vikings have their first quarterback perhaps since Warren Moon (outside of Daunte Culpepper for a couple of years) that gives them a chance to score every time they have the ball. They are 7-1 going into the bye week. Favre has Pro Bowl numbers. (By the way, I'm not going to say anything more than that or make any bold predictions because, if you're a Viking fan, you are waiting for the proverbial Other Shoe to drop any time now).

Here is what ex-Vikings running back Chuck Foreman had to say in response to Tarkenton's criticism of Farve:

"Loyalty in this game is not what it used to be. If you’re not playing well, they drop you like a hot iron....but as far as being selfish goes, I think some people need to look in the mirror. In this game, there’s some selfishness in all of us. So to say that Brett is selfish or that the Packers gave him . . . he gave the Packers just as much as they gave him."

There is no question that Fran Tarkenton was the best quarterback to ever play for the Vikings. But, along with Chuck Foreman, other past Viking great have weighed in the issue of Tarkenton being "selfish" and not necessarily a "team player" when he was with the Vikings. Hall of Fame tackle Ron Yary had this to say on the issue:

"If the Vikings would have had Brett Favre during the time of my career, we would have been 7-0 in Super Bowls. Absolutely," Yary said.

That is a bit of a rip on Tarkenton if you ask me. Why, really, is Sir Francis so bothered by Favre playing for the Vikings? Does he suddenly have concerns for the "emotional toll" on Packer fans? Is he troubled that Favre could be troubled? Or is it something else? Could it be that he is concerned that his legacy could be eclipsed if Favre should win a Super Bowl with the Vikings (although we all know that is cosmically impossible)? I think this goes beyond the "awkward" sight of Brett Favre in purple.

Jeff