Today I continue a series of posts dedicated to the best albums of the last decade, posting analysis of one album at a time.
32. Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American
Originally called Bleed American, but changed to a self-titled moniker due to the post-9/11 censorship mania, Jimmy Eat World’s breakthrough album is an undeniable power pop classic. Spawning four huge singles, including unavoidable hit “The Middle,” the album propelled the band into the mainstream almost overnight. Listening in retrospect, it’s easy to hear why: everything here is infectious from beginning to end. You’d have to be a robot to not find something you liked.
“A Praise Chorus” is a lovely nostalgic sendup to the 80’s, while “Sweetness” is a call-and-response shout-along made for arenas. “Hear You Me” is a somber tribute to Weezer fans Mykel and Carli, and “Authority Song,” quite possibly the best track on the album, pays homage to the old Mellancamp tune in name only. Overall, Bleed American is an easy pill to swallow, but by no means is it one you get tired of consuming repeatedly. Even after ten years, the melodies still click in a way the band has been unable to match since. Catchy, intelligent, precise, timeless.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
70. Band of Horses – Is There a Ghost
The first track off Cease to Begin is a great introduction to Band of Horses’ second disc – it’s a beautiful rising track with the simple, repeated lyrics “I could sleep” and “When I lived alone, is there a ghost in my house.” What follows is a near-flawless album that embodies the Southern spirit and indie charm this now-immensely popular group delivers.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
160. Jimmy Eat World – Authority Song
The band’s breakthrough was in the form of a pretty spectacular power pop album, and while their new sounds reveal the group to have eased into generic territory, this self-titled disc (originally called Bleed American, but changed due to the post-9/11 attack on media and music) was a welcome escape from the over-saturation of bland hip-hop and post nu-metal radio dreck. “Authority Song” is a forgotten album track that has more hooks than the uplifting, cheesy lead single “The Middle.”
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
240. Menomena – Wet and Rusting
The finest track from Friend and Foe begins with Menomena’s trademark effects layered across an odd strumming pattern. By the time we reach the second chorus, the track turns into a cavalcade of rolling drums and scaling piano lines. And to top it all off, it’s simply beautiful.
