Top 10 2000s Alternative Albums

Honorable Mention: Turn On The Bright Lights - Interpol (2002)

10. Rubber Factory - The Black Keys (2004)

Rubber Factory is a vintage sounding blues-rock type of vibe that helped the Black Keys to put themselves on the map. As the title hints, this album was actually recorded in a nonoperational rubber factory which they rented out; much of the production was simply done by Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach. It gives off a authentic raucous touch found in "Just Couldn't Tie Me Down" while giving the album some peaceful solace in "The Lengths".

9. Sea Change - Beck (2002)

Sad boi hours. There's not a whole lot on Sea Change which will lift your spirits - but that's perhaps the whole premise. Much of the album was written after a rough breakup Beck dealt with in the early 2000's. We can see this especially in despairing tracks like "Guess I'm Doing Fine" and "Lost Cause". It's also worth noting that Nigel Godrich (best known for his involvement with Radiohead) produced Sea Change. You can hear a lot of this with the detailed layers of instrumentation. Some of the most harmonically complex songs come through towards the later part of the album especially on "Sunday Sun" and "Little One". I think they're somewhat hypnotizing / mesmerizing (listen for the atonal piano lines executed so perfectly on "Little One"). Other songs like "The Golden Age" and "It's All in Your Mind" bring out that oh so low voice of Beck and wallow you up with despair.

8. Audioslave - Audioslave (2002)

Pivoting away from his grunge roots, Chris Cornell formed a unique collective with the remaining members of Rage Against the Machine which had dissolved just two years before. With hard hitters like "Cochise" and "Show Me How to Live", Audioslave established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the alternative scene. There's definitely less funk and metal riffing, but much of Tom Morello's explosive signature sound is still stamped all over. On paper, it would be hard to imagine a personnel crossover such as this being successful - but Audioslave delivers.

7. Cage the Elephant - Cage the Elephant (2008)

This is a down and dirty raw assortment of blues-rock/cowpunk styled racket. The popular "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" has become almost a cult classic of sorts, fitting in at most party atmospheres. I've always enjoyed the angsty themes explored in "Back Against the Wall" along with "In One Ear". But don't forget about "Free Love" which displays some raw heat right before "Cover Me Again" finishes the album - foreshadowing elements of the band's future sound.

6. Because of the Times - Kings of Leon (2007)

This marked the turning point in the band's career where their raw sound began to become slowly polished. But there's still plenty of hard rocking riffs to choose from - see "Charmer" and "Camaro". Blasting the chorus of "Black Thumbnail" through some loudspeakers can put you in the spin cycle when done right. The album ends on one of my favorite songs of all time in "Arizona". It encapsules such a spacey musical feeling that intensifies with a perfect crescendo. While forming a more refined sound is never a bad thing, KOL's signature raw sound would unfortunately never return, especially after the subsequent release of Only By the Night in 2008.

5. Funeral - Arcade Fire (2004)

Funeral is a wistful and nostalgic collection of hope that can loosely be defined as indie or "the album that killed indie". Yet with such a unique sound, it's difficult to lay a finger on what really describes the recording - with a seemingly European inspired youthful edge. But once I heard the phrase "baroque pop" thrown around, it made total sense. This album incorporates strong elements of old school string tracking and horn sections (similar to '67-'68 Beatles songs) that intensify the musical emotions invoked. "Neighborhood #1" leads the album off with a great structure while dense layering is evident during the climax of "Wake Up". Overall, this was a great effort to put forth something fresh and new in the 2000s.

4. Is This It - The Strokes (2001)

At one point in time, the Strokes were primed to take over as the new face of rock during the turn of the millennia. The catchy melodies on Is This It capitalized on this opportunity by drawing in listeners with a no frills approach. This excitable and fast paced album features Julian Casablancas' slightly distorted vocal style - which gives birth to an instantly recognizable modern garage rock sound. It's a very straight ahead album, with little contrast between each individual track. But songs like "Soma" and "Last Nite" are memorable and will leave you wishing there was more.

3. Aha Shake Heartbreak - Kings of Leon (2005)

Put the song "Use Somebody" out of your mind for a moment - Kings of Leon actually used to be a hard rocking band. In a genre loosely defined as "cowpunk" their blend of garage rock styled southern punk was truly exciting. The album starts off on "Slow Night, So Long" and refuses to slow down until nearly halfway through the album. Their youthful, sloppy, and drunken attitude is especially apparent later on with "Four Kicks": a firecracker of raw energy. Yet the tamer side of the band comes out in "Day Old Blues" and "Milk", helping to round out the album.

2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco (2002)

I must admit Yankee Hotel Foxtrot didn't have much of an effect on me at first; yet something about the song "Jesus Etc." kept reeling me in. Its melancholy nature and empyrean lyrics helped me to give this album another chance. Initially I though much of the experimentation was too busy and unnecessary - but songs like "Pot Kettle Black" showed how seamlessly the effects could flow. I also think "Ashes of American Flags" is one of the better songs I've heard in awhile. And if you keep listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the masterful ending of "Poor Places" will at some point get stuck in your head for weeks.

Eventually the album as a whole began to piece itself together after multiple listens. While some may argue that there are times where it's overproduced, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's attitude to explore new sonic territory ultimately delivers both a consistent and creative performance. This album would be very high on a "Top 10 Albums I Changed My Mind On" list (if I ever get around to it).

1. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys (2006)

(The) Arctic Monkeys really had it here, a special alternative/underground sound. Their first release touches on youthful themes of avoiding the police in "Riot Van", along with after-hours nightclub adventures in "Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured". The edgey pentatonic lead guitar lines help to blend hard rock with jangly British pop. All of these tracks flow nicely in a fast paced and unstable manner; especially once you get used to Alex Turner's heavy accented eccentric lyrics. Songs that would appear to be calm ballads such as "Mardy Bum", and "When the Sun Goes Down", quickly pick up into excitable tracks that engage the ear. "A Certain Romance" progressively closes out the album with the longest and most compelling track of them all. While AM would help the Monkeys to reach mainstream critical acclaim in 2013, this album will forever be untouched in the history books.