Forgotten Records of the Early Aughts

Having lately spent a great deal of friend time with various 20-somethings of a slightly younger age than my own--I'm a young 27, thank you very much--I've realized that several records seminal to my own musical and artistic development during my college years are sadly facing neglect at the hands of kids just 2-4 years my juniors. I mean, really...it's somewhat disconcerting to me when my mention of, say, Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"--arguably THE. BEST. RECORD. OF. THE. DECADE.--is met with the blank stares of those who should know much better. So, having said that, I intend to use the rest of this post as a means of spreading knowledge. In no particular order, here are, off the top of my head, a handful of somewhat obscure records released during 2002-2005, otherwise known as my early college period. While the albums may be "obscure," all that should mean is that I don't think that even most "artsy" kids these days have heard them, let alone the normals. All of these albums had profound impacts on my life, and it is my hope that maybe some of them will have similar effects on yours. Included with one sentence descriptions and album art will be links to places on the internet where you can download the music.*

2003 :: British Sea Power - The Decline of British Sea Power(Mediafire)




Literate, poetic lyrics propped up by upbeat Brit-pop instrumentation with healthy hints of psychedelia and punk.

Favorite tracks: "Apologies to Insect Life", "Something Wicked", "Carrion", "Blackout", "Lately".



2005 :: Black Mountain - Black Mountain(Mediafire)



Throwback, retro-stylized post-psychedelic freak-out proto-jam-metal with huuuuuge balls.

Favorite tracks: "Don't Run Our Hearts Around", "Druganaut", "Set Us Free", "Faulty Times"



2004 :: Thee More Shallows - More Deep Cuts(Mediafire)



Reeeaaaally awesome weed music; if you can get past the weirdness, this is an all-time great sleeper record.

Favorite tracks: "Post-Present", "Freshman Thesis", "Int", "Ave Grave", "2 AM"



2004 :: Comets On Fire - Blue Cathedral(Mediafire)



What it would sound like if you went camping with a band of magical, musical wood elves with unlimited food, mushrooms and weed, and just jammed out until you lost your mind.

Favorite tracks: "The Bee and the Cracking Egg", "The Antlers of the Midnight Sun", "Brotherhood of the Harvest"

[Special note: just listen to the fucking backwards reverb on the lead guitar on "Brotherhood of the Harvest"!!!]



2005 :: Mice Parade - Bem Vinda Vontade(Megaupload)



More a "mood" record than a "songs" record; this is just the epitome of chill, all layered fingerstyle guitars, hushed vocals, and brushed cymbals.



2004 :: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter - Oh, My Girl(Mediafire)



Mournful, lyrical Indie-Americana/Country/Folk, with vocals along the lines of Lucinda Williams or Gillian Welch, and lyrics featuring the word fuckery on track one.

Favorite tracks: "Oh, My Girl", "You Are Not Gotten Here", "Tell the Boys"



2003 :: Calexico - Feast of Wire(Mediafire)



This record I actually consider to be one of the best and most thorough of the decade because the sheer range of its North American musical styles and influences--traditional Country, Americana, Blues, Acid Jazz, Mariachi, Rock, and even Morricone-esque Western stuff--keeps you listening, at full attention, to all 19 amazing tracks.

Favorite tracks: "Sunken Waltz", "Black Heart", "Woven Birds", "Corona", "Fallin' Rain"



*Please note, none of the D/L links are my personal creation. All were found through simple google searches.