Top 25 Artists/Bands of All-Time

I felt like I needed to redo this one because I half-assed the first one. I am also putting their best album and song with the band.

25. Arcade Fire                       

Best Album: Funeral Best Song: Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

24. Red Hot Chili Peppers   

Best Album: Californication Best Song: Fight Like A Brave

23. Sigur Ros                     

Best Album: Agaetis Byrjun       Best Song: Olsen Olsen

22. Bob Marley                      

 Best Album: Catch A Fire    Best Song: No Woman, No Cry (Live)

21. Dave Matthews Band    

Best Album: Crash Best Song: Lie in Our Graves

20. U2 (I hate Bono Though)                                    

Best Album: The Joshua Tree Best Song: Sunday Bloody Sunday

19. The Smiths                       

Best Album: The Queen is Dead  Best Song: Bigmouth Strikes Again 

18. The Beach Boys               

Best Album: Pet Shop Sounds   Best Song: God Only Knows

17. The Flaming Lips          

Best Album: The Soft Bulletin         Best Song: Do You Realize?

16. The Doors                          

Best Album: Strange Days         Best Song: L.A. Woman

15. Nirvana                              

Best Album: Nevermind         Best Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit 

14. Metallica                           

Best Album: Master of Puppets        Best Song: One

13. Modest Mouse                  

Best Album: The Moon and Antarctica    Best Song: Cowboy Dan

12. Sonic Youth                      

Best Album: Daydream Nation        Best Song: Teen Age Riot

11. Bob Dylan                           

Best Album: Blonde on Blonde          Best Song: Like A Rolling Stone

10. Billy Joel                             

Best Album: Piano Man              Best Song: Piano Man

9. The Who                                

Best Album: Who's Next             Best Song: Baba O'Riley 

8. Jimi Hendrix                        

Best Album: Electric Ladyland   Best Song: All Along The Watchtower

7. The Beatles                           

Best Album: Revolver               Best Song: Eleanor Rigby 

6. The Pixies                             

Best Album: Surfer Rosa                Best Song: Where is My Mind?

5. Neil Young                            

Best Album: On The Beach             Best Song: Cortez the Killer

4. The Rolling Stones             

Best Album: Sticky Fingers          Best Song: Sympathy For The Devil

3. Pink Floyd                            

Best Album: Dark Side of the Moon     Best Song: Comfortably Numb

2. Radiohead                           

Best Album: OK Computer                Best Song: Paranoid Android 

1. Led Zeppelin                           

Best Album Led Zeppelin IV               Best Song: Stairway to Heaven

Featured Artist: Bat For Lashes

Bat For Lashes

Bat For Lashes is a one-woman music machine based on the originality and sophistication of Natasha Khan of Brighton, England. In 2006 she broke on to the indie scene with her experimental album Fur and Gold, which she wrote working as a nursery school teacher, and won over many critics right away. It even earned her a nomination for the Mercury Prize in 2007, which is awarded to the best album from an artist from the UK or Ireland. However, the album did win her the prestigious ASCAP Vanguard Award and a showcase at the South By Southwest Festival in Austin Texas the same year. Her sound has been compared to that of the experimentalism of Bjork, the natural voice of Stevie Nicks, and the musical structure of Fleetwood Mac. All of these being fair comparisons, nevertheless her new album Two Suns, which was released earlier this month, has set her on a new plane. It is filled to the ceiling with great lyrics, harmonies and original compositions, not to mention debuted at #5 on the UK charts. Two Suns drew compliments from the likes of Thom Yorke, M.I.A., and Bjork.  With Two Suns, Khan has been able to establish herself as one of the top female artist writing and preforming music right now. The album has been the stand-out album of the year for me so far. She is most definitely worth a listen and I expect big things out of her in the future. 

Songs to check out:

-Horse and I

-Prescilla

-Daniel

-Pearl's Dream

Featured Artist: Blonde Redhead

Blonde Redhead

Blonde Redhead is a trio that contains Montreal-transplanted twin brothers Amedeo and Simone Pace and Japanese-born Kazu Makino. They formed in 1993 in New York City after meeting each other by chance. Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley produced their self-titled debut album which was well received in the NYC underground music scene. After numerous albums they released their 6th album and breakout album Misery Is A Butterfly in 2004. This album featured a new sound that was more refined and it hit big on the indy music scene. After the break away from their previous elusive, distorted prog-rock sound that was compared to Sonic Youth meets Joy Division, they were able to gain popularity world-wide. Their new creative melodies are quite rhythmic and enjoyable. In 2007 their latest album, 23, was released and gained critical acclaim. By the way Blonde Redhead also play songs in Japanese, Italian and French. I thoroughly enjoy these guys, whether its before their transformation or after. 

Songs to check out:

-23

-Falling Man

-Dr. Strangluv

-Spring and by Summer Fall

Featured Artist: The Thermals

 The Thermals

The Thermals formed in 2002 in Portland, Oregon by Hutch Harris on guitar and vocals, Kathy Foster on bass and Westin Glass on drums. They have added and subtracted members here and there and at the moment Harris and Foster recorded the latest album Now We Can See without a full-time drummer. In 2003 they released their outstanding debut album More Parts Per Million that displayed their raw post-punk sound. With fast uptempo bass lines, shattering guitar rifts, and simplistic drum lines they create an exciting and rhythmic tune. In 2004 the released their sophomore album Fuckin' A which was followed up in 2006 with their  breakthrough album The Body, The Blood, The Machine which blew some critics away. That includes me. It just straight rocked the shit. I was lucky enough to see these guys after The Body, The Blood, The Machine came out, and they were intense and loud and all kinds of badass. And Harris, the lead singer, was sick and he still screamed his high-powered, overloaded voice over the amps. I look forward to the new album and hopefully another live show.

Songs to check out:

-Returning to the Fold

-Here's Your Future

-At The Bottom of the Sea

-I Let It Go

Top 25 Albums Since 2000

These are the top 25 albums since 2000 so far.

25. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco (2002)

24. Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio (2006)

23. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips (2002)

22. Z by My Morning Jacket (2005)

21. In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007)

20. Bang Bang Rock & Roll by Art Brut (2005)

19. Everything All the Time by Band of Horses (2006)

18. Bitte Orca by The Dirty Projectors (2009)

17. Boxer by The National (2007)

16. Hail to the Thief by Radiohead (2003)

15. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes (2008)

14. Stankonia by OutKast (2000)

13. Boys and Girls In America by The Hold Steady (2006)

12. Embryonic by The Flaming Lips (2009)

11. The Blueprint by Jay-Z (2004)

10. Silent Shout by The Knife (2005)

9. Agaetis Byrjun by Sigur Ros (2000)

8. Dear Science by TV on the Radio (2008)

7. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear (2009)

6. Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem (2007)

5. Kid A by Radiohead (2000)

4. Turn On The Bright Lights by Interpol (2002)

3. Illinois by Sufjan Stevens (2005)

2. The Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse (2000)

1. Funeral by Arcade Fire (2004)