Music Sampler

One of the things that I love about my friends is the diversity of their music tastes. I received some great comments in person and online about the top 100 list below. Some people hadn't heard of half the stuff I had on there, and others thought I was way too mainstream. Back in the day, I used to be a music snob, but now I am just a music whore. I can't get enough of the good stuff, and I find myself listening to a lot of stuff that I wouldn't have normally listened to. Is it because I am growing older and my tastes are softening (I need to be wary of that). But I do want to recommend some albums that I picked up over the last year or two that I think are great. Many of these aren't your top 40 albums, although some of them hit the charts. Click on the links to hear a track from each album. Then go out and buy it here or here. Feel free to comment on the tracks you do or don't like.

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (Banquet)
Bloc Party are what I imagine U2 Boy would sound like if U2 were from London in the start of the 21st century. A band with huge potential. They released their second album last month, but check this one out first.

Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene (Swimmers)
Definitely the most artsy album on this list. This indie collective has more members than I think anyone can keep track of, and it is hard to describe their style. I would recommend this for anyone looking for something that you won't hear on corporate radio (although I think I heard them on an episode of Friday Night Lights). Their 2003 album, You Forgot It In People is also excellent (and better in my opinion).

Spoon - Gimme Fiction (I Turn My Camera On)
This Austin band has been around for awhile, but I think they finally got it all together for this album. Some of it is a little derivative of the Stones, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Deathcab for Cutie - Plans (I Will Follow You Into The Dark)
Ah, Seth Cohen's favorite group. This is a beautiful album, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

The Shins - Wincing the Night Away (Phantom Limb)
New album from that band that had that song on the Garden State soundtrack that Luke Skywalker's mom said would change your life.

Califone - Roots and Crowns (Pink & Sour)
A mix of rock, folk, jam band, country, and experimental sounds. Also hard to define.

Arcade Fire - Funeral (Wake Up)
Another Canadian band. This 2005 album has been riding critical acclaim from fellow musicians David Bowie, Coldplay, David Byrne, and U2. Their new ablum, Neon Bible, comes out tomorrow.

The Decemberists - Picaresque (Engine Driver)
One of the most theatrical albums I have heard. They released another album last year, which is also good, but I recommend this one.

Beck - The Information (Think I'm In Love)
Just more solid stuff from Beck.