Compiling a list of your favorite albums for an entire decade is quite the challenge, especially when that decade was as strong as the 2000s were. Six of our favorites come from two bands (Animal Collective and Radiohead), and two were from this past year (Veckatimest and Merriweather Post Pavilion). This list is by no means a definitive statement of the best music from last decade. Instead, these are our favorite albums that were on heavy rotation in our iPods and scrobbled endlessly on Last.FM.
1. Strawberry Jam (2007) – Animal Collective
2. Silent Shout (2006) – The Knife
3. The Moon and Antarctica (2000) - Modest Mouse
4. Kid A (2000) – Radiohead
5. Figure 8 (2000) – Elliott Smith
6. Veckatimest (2009) – Grizzly Bear
7. De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003) – The Mars Volta
8. Future Perfect (2004) – Autolux
9. The Eraser (2006) – Thom Yorke
10. Person Pitch (2007) – Panda Bear
11. Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) – TV on the Radio
12. Sea Change (2002) – Beck
13. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) – Wilco
14. High Society (2002) – Enon
15. The Loon (2006) – Tapes N’ Tapes
16. Microcastle (2008) – Deerhunter
17. Feels (2005) – Animal Collective
18. Sound of Silver (2007) – LCD Soundsystem
19. In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead
20. Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009) – Animal Collective
This weekend’s Flaming Lips-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties show in the Catskills (in the same location as the resort in Dirty Dancing) featured a strong and eclectic lineup over three days (Animal Collective, Atlas Sound, Deerhunter, Autolux, Sufjan Stevens, etc.). Panda Bear played a solo set on Friday night which featured two new songs. The entire set can be downloaded 
Animal Collective has lost my interest as a live band. Merriweather Post Pavilion is, of course, one of my favorite albums of 2009, but a third straight snoozer from the live incarnation requires me to reconsider their abilities as an engaging stage presence. The problem mainly lies with the live presentation of electronic music in general. Watching three guys bob their heads up and down while triggering samples does not stir excitement.
During parts of Animal Collective’s set, Panda Bear did pound live drums and Avey Tare did hold his guitar. However, both instruments seemed more like props than important components of the live versions of their songs. I could easily sense from the crowd that a collective interest was lost about mid-way through the set, as side conversations tended drown out a lot of the sound. Maybe that’s just the product of a large outdoor venue filled with indie hipsters who do not really like the music they claim to. It could also be a result of unyielding 10-minute jam sessions of “Fireworks” or “Daily Routine” that embrace segues and ignore all elements of song structure.
Animal Collective’s missing member, Josh Dibb (aka Deakin), hasn’t been completely on hiatus from the band. He’s been working on a few remixes, the latest of which is his take on the Palm’s “Boundary Waters.” Details about Deakin’s absence due to the sudden death of his father has been sparse, and this new remix makes us wonder if and when he will return to AC. In the meantime, you can download “Boundary Waters (Deakin remix)” 
Deerhunter mastermind Bradford Cox has decided to release his second lone effort afterall. Atlas Sound, as he is referred to as a solo artist, will release Logos via Kranky on October 20. Last summer, Cox accidently left both Deerhunter’s Weird Era Cont. and an early version of Logos in a public folder on his MediaFire account. It wasn’t long before someone found and shared them. Cox reacted angrily at first by posting on his Deerhunter blog, “I am a dumbass,” but “that does not excuse people from sifting through my garbage.” He went on to say, “fuck this shit. I can just make another album. It’s not finished and now it never will be.” Apparently, he changed his mind. Cox later apologized for and deleted his angry posts.
Phaseone, who also remixed Panda Bear’s “I’m Not,” takes a crack at Animal Collective’s “Daily Routine” from Merriweather Post Pavilion. I’m usually not a big fan of these types of remixes, but this one isn’t too bad. Download the track 
An anxious crowd looked on as Grizzly Bear members Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear set up their own equipment. After an exhausting three-night stint in New York and another gig in D.C. the night before, I wondered if the Brooklyn-based band had enough left to give a performance that would live up to the impossible hype that has built preceding the release of the brilliant Veckatimest. I saw Grizzly Bear once before back in 2006 when they opened up for TV on the Radio (also in Philly at Starlight Ballroom) but did not pay them much attention. Last night at The Trocadero in Philly, it just took the opening notes of “Southern Point,” and the entire crowd realized we were in for a something memorable.
Grizzly Bear founder and frontman Ed Droste promised early in the show that he had a special guest joining them later on in the show. About mid-way through the set, Beach House songstress Victoria LeGrand joined the band for a riveting performance of “Two Weeks.” The band continued playing mostly from their latest record with a few tracks mixed in from their sophomore effort, Yellow House, including “The Knife,” “Little Brother,” and an intoxicating performance of “Colorado” as an encore. As good as Yellow House was, hearing Veckatimest live was something to behold. Daniel Rossen’s guitar was stunning, especially on personal favorites “While You Wait For The Others” and “I Live With You.” Ed Droste’s slightly processed but wide ranging vocals were also a highlight. Droste’s voice mixed with the atmospheric instrumentation of “Ready, Able” led the crowd to a collective swoon. I was slightly disappointed that Droste didn’t play Veckatimest closer “Foreground,” as he did in each of the NYC shows.
Veckatimest solidifies Grizzly Bear as indie rock royalty and supports the argument that 2009 may already be the best year indie music has seen this decade. As one of the most anticipated releases this side of Merriweather Post Pavilion, Veckatimest exceeds all expectations and may just be the best album of the year. It’s difficult to describe a record that nears perfection, and Veckatimest deserves all accolades that come its way. The album leaked almost three months early, and less than adequate copies of this opus have been circulating for some time. Fortunately, the album officially releases next Tuesday (vinyl pre-orders have already shipped), and all of the intricate elements that make Grizzly Bear the best at their craft can be revealed.
“Ready, Able” may just be the best offering on Veckatimest. This song places Ed Droste in a category inhabited by few. His voice absolutely mesmerizes, and the additional vocal effects do not distract but add another dimension to the song’s composition not often seen in the band’s songwriting. About two minutes into the song, Droste brings us to the album’s highpoint, a repeating chorus that should never end. “They go we go, I want you to know, what I did I did,” confesses Droste over a crescendo of strings and guitar. Rossen continues the immaculate songwriting with the lovely “About Face” and “Hold Still.” “While You Wait For The Others” follows, and Veckatimest peaks once again. Rossen’s lyrics are especially strong, as he professes, “while you wait on the answers that I’ll pretend to find | keeping up with emotions still occupies our time.” The song features some very witty vocal deliveries, leading to harmonies that spellbind (the album is filled with them). “I Live With You” is another stamp of greatness and is as beautifully chaotic as the album gets. The album ends with the prettiest song that Grizzly Bear has conceived to date in “Foreground.” Ed Droste’s pop sensibilities shine through on this inspired piano ballad. The song and album end with an eerie choir of voices that slowly fade to silence.