15 Favorite Artists at the End of the Decade

These are artists that I love right now. To qualify, they have to have more than one album that I know well and love. Side projects count.

Top Ten, in no particular order:

1. Blood, Sweat & Tears:
My favorite band for the past decade. Musical tutors to me. Nine musicians, some jazz cats others rock and blues guys, all blending their organs, pianos, trombones, saxes, trumpets, guitars, drums, and bass. Some amazing arrangements and solos. Great versatility.

Albums: Everything 1968-1972: Child is Father to the Man, BST, BST3, BST4, New Blood, No Sweat.

(spin-offs, side-projects, and seeds: Lew Soloff, Al Kooper [solo and with Michael Bloomfield, and with Dylan], the Blues Project)

2. Chris Thile:
The Mozart of our era - though he actually writes good music. Once a child prodigy, this musical genius left Nickel Creek and started a slew of excellent recordings. Solo albums, duet albums with Mike Marshall, and a new band, the Punch Brothers.

Albums: Deceiver, Live Duets, Punch, How To Grow A Woman From The Ground

3. Dave Brubeck Quartet:
I'm especially loving their 1959-1965 era.

Albums: Time Out, Time In, Jazz Impressions of Japan, Anything Goes!

4. Jack White:
Solo, with The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, Dead Weather, Loretta Lynn, Alicia Keys. Versatile musician, delicious music.

Albums: Icky Thump, Horehound, Consolers of the Lonely

5. Decemberists:
"The Hazards of Love" is a masterpiece. Their keyboardist is remarkable: piano, electric piano, organ, harpsichord, accordion - all very different instruments she's mastered. Colin Meloy is an excellent lyricist and writes lovely melodies. Each member is crucial to the band. Literary references galore.

Albums: The Hazards of Love, The Crane Wife

6. Elbow:
If not for their dreariness, I'm sure they'd be even more popular. Five UK gents making lovely, melancholy music.

Albums: Cast of Thousands, mostly, but also Asleep in the Back. Eager to hear their latest.

7. The Kinks:
Loved them since I was 12, but was more familiar with their earliest work - their rock n roll. I've really taken to their classic era work, their social commentary and rich melodies.

Albums: Lola vs Powerman and the Money-go-round, Muswell Hillbillies, Something Else by The Kinks

8. Procol Harum:
Great lyrics, great music. Organ and piano. Classical and Blues mixed together.

Albums: Procol Harum, Shine On Brightly, Live with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra

9. Radiohead:
Need I say anything?

Albums: The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, I Might Be Wrong, In Rainbows, and various EPs. (Also, covers by Brad Mehldau, Christopher O'Reilly, The Section Quartet, Jeff Tweedy, etc...)

10. Sondre Lerche (and the Faces Down [Quartet]):
Versatile, perfect-pitch, energetic, melancholic.

Albums: Faces Down, Two-Way Monologue, Phantom Punch, Dan in Real Life, Duper Sessions


5 Other Artists Up There:

11. Delta Spirit:
One of my favorite, but I've out-played their music. Time for a new album, boys.

Albums: I Think I've Found It! Ode to Sunshine (2007 version)

12. Elton John:
His classic era, not the 80s, or Lion King. His rootsy, Americana albums.

Albums: Tumbleweed Connection, Friends Soundtrack, and soon, Madman Across the Water

13. The Strokes:
Their debut helped get us out of the rap-rock drudge of the turn of the century. Raw. Simple. Just what we needed.

Albums: Is This It? First Impressions of Earth, Phrazes for the Young

(spin-offs, side-projects, and seeds: Julian Casablancas)

14. Thrice:
Versatile. If they didn't also play hardcore, I'd love them more.

Albums: Alchemy Index Vols 2, 3, 4, Vheissu (non-screaming songs)

15. Tchaikovsky:
The Russians wrote the best classical music, and he was the best.

Works: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Marche Slave, Piano Concerto #1, Fantasy Overture, 1812 Overture.

Honorable Mentions:
Lupe Fiasco. Nice new mixtape. But you gotta break the "1-and-2-and-3-4" rhythm. It's getting old.
The Black Keys.
The Zombies.