70: Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple (2008)
The most funk-tastic r&b duo this side of OutKast, Gnarls Barkley came roaring into the world in 2006 behind the magnificent single "Crazy". 2 years later the group, consisting of Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse, returned with another healthy serving of soul power. While not as spontaneous as their debut, The Odd Couple is filled with more character. If St. Elsewhere was a party, this album is the morning after. Top Tunes: (Who's Gonna Save My Soul, Going On, Surprise)
69: Mastodon - Leviathan (2002)
Who knew classical literature could be so metal, extreme, brutal and every other kind of word that they use on Metalacalypse. Mastodon woke the world up and knocked Metallica off of their dusty thrones as the reigning metal kings with Leviathan - a concept album based off of Herman Melville's maritime classic Mody Dick. Like a mighty tsunami the band's crushing guitars and pounding drums drown you in sound and won't let go until the bitter end. How can you not like an album with the line, "split their veins with blood and thunder!" Top Tunes: (Blood And Thunder, Seabeast, Naked Burn)
68: Radiohead - Hail to the Thief (2003)
Radiohead have always been paranoid. Each album, with exception to In Rainbows, finds them growing more and more uneasy. Hail To The Thief is the band's most maddening and distraught album. While every record the band ever made has it's own distinct "flavor" for lack of a better word, this one is a mixture of everything the band had done up to this point. Sure that might lead to an uneven listening experience, but that's what Thom Yorke was going for. So if you're in the mood to go crazy this one is for you. Top Tunes: (Sail To The Moon (Brush The Cobwebs of the Sky), The Gloaming (Softly Open Your Mouths In The Cold), Go To Sleep (Little Man Being Erased))
67: Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III (2008)
Lil' Wayne wanted this to be the greatest rap album ever so bad that he couldn't stand it. While he fails on his own irrelevant terms Tha Carter III is still an important album, if not instantly classic. Besides who can knock Weezy for trying so hard? Is he the best rapper alive? No. Is this LP the best rap record ever? Absolutely not. Is it even top 10? No. But is it still memorable and worth your money and tiime? No doubt about it. Top Tunes: (Mr. Carter, Lollipop, A Milli)
66: TI - King (2006)
The self proclaimed "King of the South" earns his bread and butter on King. Sure in an era of over the top rap starts like Kanye, Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne and disposable "ring tone" artists such as Mims and Soulja Boy, it's easy to forget about the more earthly rappers who who are simply content to focus on the tunes before they proclaim supreme domination over every other rapper. Way to go TI. Top Tunes: (What You Know, Why You Wanna, Live In The Sky)
65: The Good The Band & The Queen - Self Titled (2007)
Damon Albarn was tired of Gorillaz and a few years off from reuniting with Blur. So he gathered some of his favorite musical friends including Paul Simonon from The Clash to form a new band. Mr. Albarn has plenty of critics in line waiting to tear him apart when he makes an unfortunate mishap, but they'll have to wait after The Good, The Bad & The Queen. A modern London Calling, the album holds a mirror up to a seedy and greasy London with Albarn pointing out all the blemishes he sees. Top Tunes: (Herculean, Kingdom Of Doom, The Good, The Bad & The Queen)
64: The Roots - Phrenology (2002)
The album The Roots have always been trying to make - an avant-garde, forward thinking Hip Hop album mixed with old school rap tricks as well as some jazz and rock sprinkled on top for good measure. While this band of soul-rific all stars have always known how to make good albums, Phrenology is the band's only record that is a must have. Where are they now? The hottest house band on TV for Jimmy Fallon. Top Tunes: (The Speed (2.0), Quills, Complexity)
63: The White Stripes - De Stijl (2000)
No one made being so awesome look so easy quite like The White Stripes. Two people, 1 girl, 1 boy, and tons of note worthy tunes to take away the novelty of the whole shtick. Jack White loves blues and country so much that he takes it upon himself to unite them in holy matrimony. De Stijl is just another step in the ladder towards their ultimate path to greatness. Top Tunes: (I'm Bound To Pack It Up, Sister Do You Know My Name?, Let's Build a Home)
62: Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet (2001)
I Get Wet is the 21st century equivalent of Rocket To Russia for the Jackass generation. It's a high octane whirl of fast paced punk rock that leaves you feeling exhausted long after your first listen. Andrew W.K. came to party and have a hell of a good time, and he wants you to jump around and get a disgustingly awesome bloody nose just like him. Top Tunes: (Party Hard, Girls Own Love, She Is Beautiful)
61: Green Day - American Idiot (2004)
Sure it's easy to toss this album off as another Bush-Bashing hit machine. "Jon, everyone was bashing W, why is Green Day any different?" But American Idiot isn't as political as you, or Billie Joe for that matter, thinks it is. You would never know this was a rock opera or a concept album if I didn't tell you so. Instead of focusing on a single story or narrative (technically there is one but it's so vague I could never tell you what happens), Green Day buckled down and wrote some of the best material of their career. Sure the title track and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" was a tad overplayed, but look beyond the obvious and you find a band small in numbers making big things happen. So what if Green Day are a shopping mall friendly rock band? I Guess that makes this album the best shopping mall friendly record ever made. Get over it. Top Tunes: (Jesus Of Suburbia, Wake Me Up When September Ends, Holiday)
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