Boards.ie Readers List: Best albums 1998-Present

Blisterman

Inspired by Pitchfork's Reader's list of the top albums 1996-2011, and the thread here related to it.

I'm arranging the boards.ie own readers list.

Rules are Simple.
Post your top 10 albums from 1998 (the year of boards.ie's founding) to present, in the format

1. Band - Album
2. Band - Album

etc, and using my complex algorithm of assigning 10 points to a number one choice, 1 point to a number 10 choice etc, we will work out the top albums of boards.ie Alternative and Indie Listeners.

The choices do not necessarily have to be indie or Alternative, just your top 10 albums.

I'll put all the votes together in a week or so, and post back with a list.

EDIT: If possible try and post your list before you read the rest of the thread, so that your choices aren't influenced by others.

The Scratcher

1. Joanna Newsom - The Milk Eyed Mender (2004)
2. Radiohead - In rainbows (2006)
3. Joanna Newsom - Have one on Me (2010)
4. Nick Cave...- The Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Blues (2004)
5. Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway (2003)
6. Interpol - Turn on the Bright lights (2002)
7. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers (2009)
8. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi (2002)
9. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career (2009)
10. Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (2010)

That was very hard!! There's another 20-30 albums that I'd like to put forward! Also nothing pre-2001 wonder what that means!!

Stompbox

1. The Strokes - Room On Fire
2. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
3. Blur - 13
4. The Strokes - Is This It
5. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
6. The Immediate - In Towers and Clouds
7. Radiohead - In Rainbows
8. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
10. Arcade Fire - Funeral

Gonzovision

1. The Antlers - Hospice
2. Radiohead - Kid A
3. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
6. The National - Boxer
7. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
8. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
9. Beach House - Teen Dream
10. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

Miguel_Sanchez

Don't forget it's 1998 onwards lads - Endtroducing was released in '96.

handsomecake

1.interpol-turn on the bright lights
2.the strokes- is this it
3.the strokes-room on fire
4.the libertines-up the bracket
5.kings of leon-youth and young manhood
6.kings of leon-aha shake heartbreak
7.arctic monkeys-humbug
8.arctic monkeys-whatever people say i am, thats what im not
9.kings of leon-because of the times
10.red hot chili peppers-californication


i read the o.p only then immediately did my ten. hence the multiples of same artists. i find if you read through the thread(especially as it gets larger) before you post,you get pre-empted by other peoples choices and copy them rather than give your own honest list-no matter how unoriginal it seems. it then becomes a consensus and a circle jerk rather than an objective poll.


the converse also applies (particulary in this forum) where the odd person has to post stuff nobody else has,or has ever even heard of to be more hipster or in the know then the others.

im interested in the results. ive found some really good music suggestions off this forum.

notnumber

1.The Besnard Lakes -The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
2.Menomena - Friend and Foe
3.Arcade Fire- Funeral
4.Modest Mouse-Good news for people who like bad news
5.Interpol - Antics
6.Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
7.The Decemberists - Picaresque
8.Royksopp - Melody AM
9.Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the deaf.
10.Placebo - Without you I'm Nothing

Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space surely a top contender misses out by a few months july 1997:mad:
Haven't listened to many full length albums last few years so most of my choices are pre 2008.

Honourable mentions

The Killers-Hot Fuss
Fischerspooner - #1
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

smacg

1. Ryan Adams - Gold
2. Arcade Fire - Funeral
3. Radiohead - OK computer
4. Mercury rev - deserters songs
5. Miracle fortress - five roses
6. The frames - dance the devil
7. Magnetic Fields - 69 love songs
8. Doves - Lost Souls
9. interpol-turn on the bright lights
10 The Walkmen - you and me

S.M.B.

1) Radiohead - Kid A
2) Joanna Newsom - Ys
3) Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
4) Arcade Fire - Funeral
5) At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command
6) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
7) Tool - Lateralus
8) Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
9) Radiohead - Amnesiac
10) Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile

Honourable mentions that I found very difficult to leave off my list.

-11) Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
-11) Deftones - White Pony
-11) Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing

G.K.

Hardly the most 'Indie' guy here. :pac:

1) Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in the Between
2) Blur - Think Tank
3) R.E.M. - Collapse into Now
4) Havana - Elastic Bands and Paperweights
5) Paul McCartney - Good Evening New York City
6) The Posies - Blood/Candy
7) Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
8) Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution
9) Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
10) Tired Pony - The Place We Ran From

jefreywithonef

1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Lyre of Orpheus / Abattoir Blues
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
3. Frank Black and the Catholics - Dog In The Sand
4. Eels - Souljacker
5. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News
6. The National - Alligator
7. The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
8. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
9. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
10. Grant Hart - Good News For Modern Man

Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene and PJ Harvey - Let England Shake just missed out.

SilverScreen

1. Carissa's Wierd - Songs About Leaving
2. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
3. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command
4. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
5. Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
6. Arcade Fire - Funeral
7. Autolux - Future Perfect
8. Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
9. Boards Of Canada - Geogaddi
10. Air - Moon Safari

Honourable Mentions:
My Vitriol - Finelines
Belle and Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap
Allo Darlin' - Allo Darlin'

Slow Show

1. The Antlers - Hospice
2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows
4. The National - High Violet
5. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
6. Radiohead - Kid A
7. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
8. Explosions In The Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
9. Arcade Fire - Funeral
10. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

Hmmm, dunno about that list, I feel like I should have The Strokes somewhere. Think The Antlers are definitely deserving of the #1 spot, any album that can make me feel like my heart has been torn from my chest at its end has done well imo. And yerra I'll probably be slated for mentioning Coldplay but I think A Rush Of Blood To The Head is a damn good album, everything else did admittedly go a little bit downhill from there...:pac:

Captain Graphite

This is tough. I know I'm gonna change my mind about this list as soon as I've clicked "post reply" but feck it, here goes!

1. Fever Ray - Fever Ray (2009)
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
3. Smashing Pumpkins - Adore (1998)
4. The Knife - Silent Shout (2006)
5. Cat Power - You Are Free (2003)
6. Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz! (2009)
8. Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights (2002)
9. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns (2009)
10. Warpaint - The Fool (2010)

smokedeels

Great idea but a massive headache... I'm probably forgetting to include a few albums, but I could spend another week tinkering, so... feck it, I'll just hit "post" and be done with it.

1. The New Year - The End is Near (2004)
2. Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You (2001)
3. Silver Jews - American Water (1998)
4. Mountain Goats - All Hail West Texas (2002)
5. WHY? - Alopecia (2008)
6. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass (2006)
7. Shellac - 1000 Hurts (2000)
8. Smog - Knock Knock (1999)
9. Mclusky - Mclusky Do Dallas (2002)
10. Nina Nastasia - Run To Ruin (2003)

1:The Strokes: Is this it
2: M83: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
3: The Hives: Your new favourite band
4: At the Drive In: Relationship of Command
5: Grandaddy: The Sophtware Slump
6: Beck: Odelay
7: Radiohead: Ok Computer
8: The White Stripes: White Blood Cells
9: Air: Moon Safari
10: Clap your hands say yeah: Clap your hands say yeah


This is very very difficult.

flyswatter

1. Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet
2. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
3. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
4. Radiohead - In Rainbows
5. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
6. Air - Moon Safari
7. Gorillaz - Demon Days
8. Passion Pit - Manners
9. Delphic - Acolyte
10. Mutemath - Mutemath

Some tough omissions to make were Funeral (Arcade Fire), In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Neutral Milk Hotel), LCD Soundsystem (Sound of Silver), Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Phoenix), Broken Social Scenes self titled album......probably many more worthy of my list.

S.M.B.

OK Computer could still win this without even being eligible.

karaokeman

1. Coldplay - Parachutes
2. Radiohead - Kid A
3. Elliott Smith - Figure 8
4. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood To The Head
5. The Killers - Hot Fuss
6. Arcade Fire - Funeral
7. Mindy Smith - Stupid Love
8. She & Him - Volume One
9. Jimmy MacCarthy - Hey-Ho Believe
10. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

Honourable mentions

Orbital - Wonky
She & Him - Volume Two
Death Grips - The Money Store

Miguel_Sanchez

New Rule: Please check the release dates of your albums lads. Anything pre-1998 won't be counted.

Ok Computer is 1997 for instance.

Miguel_Sanchez

Smog - Knock, Knock
Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Menomena - Friend and Foe
Bonnie Prince Billy - I See a Darkness
Mumblin' Deaf Ro - Senor, My Friend
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Yo La Tengo - I am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
Silver Jews - American Water


Lots of stuff I wanted to put in there and I'll probably change my mind by this evening on some of the choices.

RikkFlair

I made a list of 30 and whittled it down, 20 really good albums omitted!

1. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (2008)
2. Smashing Pumpkins - Adore (1998)
3. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (2010)
4. UNKLE - Never Never Land (2003)
5. Editors - In This Light & On This Evening (2009)
6. Godspeed You Black Emperor - F# A# Infinity (1998)
7. Primal Scream - Exterminator (2000)
8. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
9. Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
10. Foals - Total Life Forever (2010)


Very hard to omit The National, Radiohead, The Antlers, Iron & Wine etc

kingtubby

1. Radiohead - Kid A
2. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
3. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
4. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane over the Sea
5. Primal Scream - XTRMNTR
6. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
7. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
8. Aphex Twin - Drukqs
9. Clap your hands say yeah - Clap your hands say yeah
10. Akron/Family - Love is simple

Toby Take a Bow

1) Twilight Singers - Blackberry Belle
2) Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - Etiquette
3) The National - Alligator
4) Radiohead - In Rainbows
5) Joanna Newsom - The Milk Eyed Mender
6) Wye Oak - Civilian
7) Cat Power - Moon Pix
8) Low - Things We Lost In The Fire
9) Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
10)Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises

I'm probably forgetting some absolutely amazing albums.

kunst nugget

My ten albums in the alternative/indie atmosphere that I can think of at the moment:

1. Sufjan Stevens: C'mon, Bring the Illinoise
2. Brendan Benson: Lapalco
3. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
4. Justin Townes Earle: Midnight at the Movies
5. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
6. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever ago
7. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
8. Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs
9. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
10. Ben Folds: Rocking the Suburbs

notnumber

Some great albums mentioned already that I didn't even consider Mercury Revs Deserters song is a stone wall classic and should be in my list..looks like sufjan and radiohead are leading the charge so far.

smokedeels

I'm going to stop reading other peoples lists, seeing too many albums I want to include.

The Scratcher

I'm the same!! I'm reconsidering my Sun Kil Moon album, think admiral fell promises is better. Been listening to Midlake the last 2 days too, reckon they deserve a nod too but I don't know who to relegate!!

Dr.Slurm

1. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
3. Arcade Fire - Funeral
4. Radiohead - Kid A
5. The National - Boxer
6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
7. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
8. Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
9. Elliott Smith - Figure 8
10. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Decuc500

1. Sunny Day Real Estate - How It Feels To Be Something On
2. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
3. Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway
4. Marah - Kids in Philly
5. Superchunk - Here's To Shutting Up
6. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
7. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses
8. Luna - Rendezvous
9. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Source Tags & Codes
10. Richmond Fontaine - Thirteen Cities

pinksoir

1 - Shiina Ringo | Karuki Zemen Kuri no Hana
2 - Grandaddy | The Sophtware Slump
3 - Arcade Fire | Funeral
4 - Air | Moon Safari
5 - Camille | Le Fil
6 - Animal Collective | Merriweather Post Pavillion
7 - Grizzly Bear | Yellow House
8 - Deerhunter | Halcyon Digest
9 - St Vincent | Strange Mercy
10 - Beach House | Teen Dream

Honourable mentions to

11 - Richard Swift | Atlantic Ocean
12 - Elliot Smith | Figure 8
13 - Spoon | Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
14 - Oh No Ono | Eggs
15 - Blonde Redhead | 23
16 - Panda Bear | Tomboy
17 - Julian Casablancas | Phrazes For The Young
18 - MGMT | Congratulations
19 - Kuedo | Severant
20 - Sufjan Stevens | Illinois

Pretty difficult to pick just ten. It depresses me a little bit that so few people have heard Shiina Ringo's KZK as it's genuinely the most accomplished album of the last 15 years. It's actually very tough to make a list. There's been so much great stuff over the last 15 years but there's also been so much great stuff over the last 3-5 years, so my brain is biased towards the more recent stuff as it's freshest in my mind.