11. The Avett Brothers – Emotionalism
The Avett Brothers – Will You Return?
12. Mother Hips – Kiss the Crystal Flake
The Mother Hips – Time Sick Son of a Grizzly Bear
13. Radiohead – In Rainbows
Radiohead “Last Flowers” Live Video (Thom Yorke Solo)
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14. Bruce Springsteen – Magic
Bruce Springsteen – Radio Nowhere
15. Menomena – Friend and Foe
16. Blitzen Trapper – Wild Mountain Nation
Blitzen Trapper – Wild Mountain Nation
. Kings of Leon – Because of the Times
Kings of Leon – “Fans” Live Video
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18. Great Lake Swimmers – Ongiara
“Your Rocky Spine” Video
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19. Iron and Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
Iron and Wine – Boy With a Coin
Iron and Wine – Innocent Bones
20. Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I know that I helped compile that list but 11-20 are 10 phenomenal albums that I would have no problem being 1-10. In particular I love the Bruce disc. As someone that grew up on Bruce living in NY and saw him on the Born In The USA tour, this disc is a return to the old Bruce.
The Rising is an amazing disc in its own right. I lost some friends in 9/11 and that disc always wells up some emotions in me. But Magic is more like The River, which coincidentally enough was one of the first cassettes I ever owned. Yes cassette!!!.
I’m a big fan of Bruce Springsteen. I bought “Magic” the day it was released….Unfortunately, I totally disagree with you. That album sounds like SHIT. Brendan O’Brien is a hell of a producer and engineer (I loved “The Rising”), but what the hell is going on with the sound of this record? Sounds like Nickelback production or something. Super compression on every instrument. It’s like this big huge compressed voice and then a wall on noise behind it…everything is in your face. No depth. I put it on in the car and my wife was even like…”whoa that sounds like crap.” She was amazed when I told her it was the Boss. Yes, it sounds modern…but not good. My $.02. I just put on my flame suit….let me have it.
I still like Bruce, I just had to put on “Nebraska” after I first listened to “Magic” to remind me why.
I think it doesn’t sound live and at some points sounds over-produced but overall I really enjoy the feel of the disc. My wife saw him live in Oct. and said the songs sounded awesome live. So we’ll have to agree to disagree or we can have our wives fight it out.
I’m in the middle. I listened to Magic a few times and it was unmemorable for me. It’s one of the few albums on our list I never purchased, but I’m still listening to it on rhapsody to see if it sticks.