10 years of great music is a lot to pour through, but fear not fellow squadders, we’ve assembled a combined list to share with you. And why not, we’re just as self-congratulatory and list-obsessed to share our favorite albums released between 2000-2009 as any other blog. This is a combined list from all the esteemed action-squad authors, graciously compiled by Mark in this spectacularly nerdy google doc. If you’d like to know the details, check out all the stuff below our 10 favorites to see everyone’s Top 30 (!) list as well as our super-scientific plan for world domination. We’ve each written a couple blurbs for the top 10, writing honors going to the squad member who ranked it highest overall. Enjoy, see if you can tell which of us is trying too hard. (answer: all of us)

Go ahead and click those album banners to listen to a track (autostart alert.)

Rev Dave / Dave
An astonishing collection of obscure often cryptic lyrics and haunting melodies, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2006) was Case’s first real exit from her more traditional alt-country sound from previous albums. Twisting tales that i’ve never quite been able to make sense of has never kept me from enjoying this album as a true great experience from start to finish. Like Middle Cyclone released just this year, Neko Case is at the top of her game with Fox Confessor and 4 years later sounds just as timeless as ever. Allow me to quote myself from 2006’s favorite albums: “I have a hard time writing about music like this album (didn’t Elvis Costello say something like “writing about music is like singing about architecture”) because I just don’t have the skills. This, to me, is simply the most spectacular, heartbreaking, and surprising album of 2006.” And now I can add “of the decade.”

Fivecoat / Ryan
Too many cooks in the kitchen usually spells disaster, but Broken Social Scene’s budding roster proved otherwise in 2002 with their album You Forgot It In People. No single instrument, sound, or band member seemed off-limits in the band’s sophomore effort, as a massive collection of song-writing fueled the Canadian natives. Ranging from searing and heavy, to melodic and instrumental, You Forgot It In People placed the Montreal music scene on the map.

Mark / Mark
Dave believes Ted Leo is going to save rock and roll. If he doesn’t, it’s pretty much going to be rock and roll’s fault, not Ted’s. Because the guy is doing everything he can, including, of course, melting faces. He’s one of the best guitar players alive, and he somehow found a drummer whose is as skilled at ass-kickery as beard-having. I’m always impressed by how these songs rock out but in a really tuneful way, and how impressive the guitar parts are without all that much soloing. Plus it’s got “Timorous Me.” And it is clinically insane how good that song is. The Tyranny of Distance (2001)

Rev Dave / Dave
I have a strong personal attachment to this band and this album in particular. I remember driving down from Kalamazoo to see them play in Chicago a few times and once I had finally moved here, it was one of the first shows I attended. It might have even been the first time I was on the Irving Park bus (#80 rep-ra-sent.) I even remember a girl I met at Beulah show that I haven’t seen since, back when The Abbey Pub still had shows worth going to. Still, 2001 was not a particularly sunny year yet here is an album full of bright brass hooks, surf guitar riffs and Beach Boys melodies. A classic representation the Elephant 6 sound, The Coast Is Never Clear is packed with a bunch of toe-tapping singalong (thats right I said toe-tapping) indie pop that I particularly enjoyed 10 years ago. Beulah split up in 2004 (although Miles Kurosky has an upcoming solo album).

Greedo / Brian B
The Hour of the Bewilderbeast is the debut album by UK artist Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) and is in many ways his defining work. An easy way to describe it is as lo-fi folk pop with an offbeat charm, but I prefer to call it a piece of modern Baroque music, a layered tapestry of sounds, instruments, colors and emotions. Taken as a whole, it follows the cycle of a relationship from beginning to end—an intense experience for the Gough, and an intensely satisfying journey for the listener.

uRob / Rob
Radiohead had already turned music on its ear at the end of the 20th century with OK Computer, but they singlehandedly manipulated the direction of the new millennium with the release of Kid A in 2000. Conventional song structure, instrumentation, and tone were abandoned for space-age experimentation in sound and pacing. Standout tracks like “The National Anthem” and “Optimistic” have led many to conclude Kid A was the best album of the past decade – it’s hard to argue otherwise.

Greedo / Brian B
Funeral took a small indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec and turned them into international superstars. Seemingly overnight The Arcade Fire went from playing small clubs in obscure towns to headlining Lollapalooza and rocking duets with David Bowie. It’s for good reason, Funeral is a harrowing, personal and passionate album. Orchestral and melodic, it balances death, loss and angst with life, hope and euphoria in a way that only rock n’ roll can.

Fivecoat / Ryan
In 2002, New York-based band Interpol arrived for a performance in Detroit, Michigan an hour late to an aggravated audience. All was forgiven after Paul Banks and Daniel Kesslar picked up their guitars and played the first few bars of “Untiled,” the opening song to their debut album, Turn On The Bright Lights. The audience that night heard what the rest of the world was to realize 7 years later – one of the best albums of the decade.

uRob / Rob
Trying to create a concise description of Sufjan Steven’s sprawling opus, Illinois, the second in his now abandoned 50 state music project, is utterly futile. How could someone describe the emotional range, from gut wrenching (“John Wayne Gacy Jr.”), to playful (“Decatur”), to heartbreaking (“Casimir Pulaski Day”) to inspirational (“The Tallest Man”), contained within its grand orchestration? Illinois is a vast musical state which deserves repeated visits, for each listen discovers new destinations, all of which are good in their own quirky and unique ways.

Mark / Mark
#1 for so many reasons…An incredibly diverse album, ranging from the rockingly good natured (“Heavy Metal Drummer,” “I’m the Man Who Loves You”) to the dark and beautiful (“Poor Places,” “Ashes of American Flags”), all tied together with an adventurous, wide-open sounding production style. This is Wilco with the best lineup and best collection of songs they had to date. Throw in the story behind the recording and release, which adds another layer tho the listening experience (and made for one of the best music films of the decade as well in I Am Trying To Break Your Heart), and you have an album that left a huge footprint on the decade. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2001)

Full lists and other nonsense after the jump…

Tabulation Results (fun stuff)

Full Lists:
Greedo / Brian B
30. Gorillaz – S/T (2001)
29. Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping (2008)
28. Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere (2006)
27. Michael Buble – Call Me Irresponsible (2007)
26. Tenacious D – S/T (2001)
25. Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American (2001)
24. The Postal Service – Give Up (2003)
23. Junior Senior – D-D-Don’t Stop the Beat (2003)
22. Franz Ferdinand – S/T (2004)
21. David Byrne/Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (2008)
20. Mates of State – Team Boo (2003)
19. Rufus Wainwright – Poses (2001)
18. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007)
17. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
16. Vampire Weekend – S/T (2008)
15. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
14. Phoenix – United (2000)
13. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast (2009)
12. A.C. Newman – The Slow Wonder (2004)
11. The New Pornographers – The Electric Version (2003)
10. Metric – Old World Underground, Where Are You Now (2003)
9. Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise (2005)
8. Blur – Think Tank (2003)
7. Spoon – Gimme Fiction (2005)
6. The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
5. Badly Drawn Boy – Hour of the Bewilderbeast (2001)
4. Beulah – Coast is Never Clear (2001)
3. Electric Six – Fire (2003)
2. The Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
1. Radiohead – Kid A (2000)

Fivecoat / Ryan
1. Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast (2000)
2. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (2002)
3. Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous (2004)
4. Interpol – Turn On The Brightlights (2002)
5. Kings Of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)
6. Wolf Parade – Apologies To The Queen Mary (2005)
7. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2006)
8. Zwan – Mary Star Of The Sea (2003)
9. Mates Of State – Team Boo (2003)
10. Sleater-Kinney – The Woods (2005)
11. Phoenix – It’s Never Been Like That (2006)
12. The Strokes – Is This It? (2001)
13. Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies (2006)
14. Doves – Lost Souls (2000)
15. The Cardigans – Long Gone Before Daylight (2004)
16. Richard Ashcroft – Alone With Everybody (2000)
17. Mates Of State – My Solo Project (2000)
18. The Strokes – Room On Fire (2003)
19. Rilo Kiley – Execution Of All Things (2004)
20. Stephan Malkmus – s/t (2001)
21. French Kicks – The Trial Of The Century (2004)
22. The Fiery Furnances – Gallowsbird’s Bark (2003)
23. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – s/t (2005)
24. Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinois! (2005)
25. Junior Senior – D-D-Don’t Stop The Beat (2003)
26. Shout Out Louds – Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (2005)
27. Asobi Seksu – Citrus (2006)
28. Peter, Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block (2006)
29. Yo La Tengo – And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out (2000)
30. The Raveonettes – Chain Gang Of Love (2003)

Mark / Mark
1. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot- Wilco
2. The Hold Steady- Boys and Girls In America
3. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists- Shake the Sheets
4. Band of Horses- Everything All the Time
5. The Frames- Set List
6. The Decemberists- Her Majesty the Decemberists
7. My Morning Jacket- Z
8. Mike Doughty- Haughty Melodic
9. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists- The Tyranny of Distance
10. Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American
11. The Decemberists- Picaresque
12. Bank of Horses- Cease to Begin
13. The Thermals- The Body, The Blood, The Machine
14. Patty Griffin- 1000 Kisses
15. The Hold Steady- Separation Sunday
16. Fountains of Wayne- Welcome Interstate Managers
17. Sufjan Stevens- Illinoise
18. The Promise Ring- Wood/Water
19. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists- Hearts of Oak
20. Pete Yorn- Musicforthemorningafter
21. Guster- Keep It Together
22. The Decemberists- Castaways and Cutouts
23. Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
24. Ben Folds- Rockin’ the Suburbs
25. Tenacious D- s/t
26. Elliott Smith- Figure 8
27. Rogue Wave- Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
28. The Arcade Fire- Funeral
29. The Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
30. Midnight Organ Fight- Frightened Rabbit

Rev Dave / Dave
1. Phoenix – United (2000)
2. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Tyranny Of Distance (2001)
3. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
4. The Strokes – Room On Fire (2003)
5. Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)
6. Beulah – The Coast Is Never Clear (2001)
7. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2006)
8. The Thermals – The Body, The Blood, The Machine (2006)
9. Aimee Mann – Bachelor No 2 (2000)
10. Destroyer – Destroyers Rubies (2006)
11. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (2002)
12. Silversun Pickups – Carnavas (2006)
13. Mates Of State – My Solo Project (2000)
14. Wolf Parade – Apologies To The Queen Mary (2005)
15. Spoon – Kill The Moonlight (2002)
16. White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001)
17. Electric Six – Fire (2003)
18. LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver (2007)
19. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
20. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Pig Lib (2003)
21. Metric – Old World Underground, Where Are You Now (2003)
22. The Big Sleep – Sleep Forever (2008)
23. Girl Talk – Feed The Animals (2008)
24. Flight Of The Conchords – Flight Of The Conchords (2008)
25. Girls – Album (2009)
26. The Hives – Veni Vidi Vicious (2000)
27. Joanna Newsom – The Milk Eyed Mender (2004)
28. Jens Lekman – Oh You’re So Quiet Jens (2005)
29. Sufjan Stevens – Illinois (2005)
30. Zwan, Mary Star of the Sea (2003)

uRob / Rob
1. Coldplay – Parachutes – 2000
2. Sleater-Kinney – One Beat – 2002
3. Guster – Keep It Together – 2003
4. Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans – 2004
5. Radiohead – Kid A – 2000
6. Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights – 2002
7. Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head – 2002
8. Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinoise! – 2005
9. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – 2002
10. Radiohead – Hail To The Thief – 2003
11. Radiohead – In Rainbows – 2007
12. Mates of State – Bring It Back – 2006
13. Guster – Ganging Up On The Sun – 2006
14. Portishead – Third – 2008
15. Richard Ashcroft – Alone With Everybody – 2000
16. Sleater-Kinney – The Woods – 2005
17. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky – 2007
18. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend – 2008
19. Interpol – Antics – 2004
20. The White Stripes – Icky Thump – 2007
21. The Cardigans – Long Gone Before Daylight – 2004
22. Once – Movie Soundtrack – 2007
23. Hello Dave – Wicked Revelry – 2000
24. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells – 2002
25. Cat Power – The Greatest – 2006
26. Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American – 2001
27. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand – 2004
28. The Doves – The Last Broadcast – 2002
29. Promise Ring – Wood/Water – 2002
30. PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea – 2000

Chimchombly / Brian C
My list contains only one album because I typically find one album or song and listen to it over and over until my friends request we stop hanging out. Yes, I’m that guy and it’s okay. Freshman year of college I had a crappy car with a crappy tape deck and I couldn’t be bothered to dub any CDs outside of Fugazi’s thirteen songs, Repeater+3 and a live album someone let me borrow. If you rode in my car in 1996 you will know my previous statement to be true.

Eddy Grant – Killer on the Rampage (1982)
Eddy Grant’s most popular album, 1982’s Killer on the Rampage, was an international hit, slaying its way into the Top Ten in the U.S. The album spun off the smash hit “Electric Avenue,” while two further tracks — “I Don’t Wanna Dance” and “War Party” — also hit in the U.K., with the former topping the British chart. Surprising considering its success, the self-composed, performed, and produced album is not far removed from Grant’s previous efforts; it’s just a little slicker, but still as musically adventurous. The mighty “Electric Avenue” is an almost primal slab of funk punctuated by a pumping beat and percolating synthesizer. “Funky Rock’N'Roll” headed more toward rock while tossing in a solid dance beat, while the tough “War Party” melded together funk and deep roots. Generous helpings of pop are lavished across the rest of the record, foamy concoctions of strong synth beats and bright melodies, all spiced with smatterings of rock, funk, and wave. For a single, shining moment, Grant was at one with the entire music continuum, creating a nigh on perfect hybrid twining together music’s strongest strands. From the hippest discos to the funkiest inner-city clubs, into the rock stadiums and out to the Latin quarter, Killer on the Rampage danced on a pinhead where all genres intersected. It was a magical feat never to be repeated, but brilliant while it lasted.

To avoid harsh criticism and potential copyright infringement I feel it necessary to disclose my review is actually copied directly from the pages of allmusicguide. I feel it is also worth mentioning that this is my seven week old daughter’s favorite song.

Year Lists if we had them:
Mark 2008
Greedo 2008
Rev Dave 2007
uRob 2007
uRob 2006
Greedo 2006
Rev Dave 2006
uRob 2005
Greedo 2005
Mark 2005
Rev Dave 2005