I’m a power pop guy at heart. Big hooks over manic drums and surprise minor chords? Can’t beat it. That’s my disclaimer before I call The New Pornographers the best band of the last 20 years. It’s not a popular choice, generally well-liked though they are. But to my ears, no one can match the…
“Surgeon” – St. Vincent
For all the hand-wringing about rock’s demise in the early aughts (and the absurd pressure on unassuming post-punk revivalists like The Strokes and The White Stripes to save it), come the ‘10s, rock ‘n roll had disappeared from the charts and nobody seemed all that bothered. Gen Z has fully moved on, but it was…
“King Kunta” – Kendrick Lamar
There are three schools of thought on who the artist of the decade was. Beyoncé brought high art to poptimism, pushing the boundaries of how music is consumed while continuing to be the biggest star on the planet. Frank Ocean became a generational icon, driving what became the dominant sound in ‘10s R&B and achieving…
“Let England Shake” – PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey is one of an elite few artists whose albums rank among the best of each of the last three decades. If she’s somehow still underrated, it’s because she’s always been ever so slightly out of step with the scenes of the moment. She entered the ‘90s a uniquely raw and confrontational voice, occupying…