Both of Lorde’s albums came out this decade, with 2013’s Pure Heroine introducing the startling young talent to the world and 2017’s Melodrama proving that she was far from a one-album fluke.
I’m a big fan of both albums, but for my money Melodrama is definitely the stronger effort. It takes more risks both musically and lyrically, all of which pay off.
Josh Rouse became one of my very favorite artists based on his work in the 2000s, specifically his run of albums between 2002 and 2006 (Under Cold Blue Stars, 1972, Nashville and Subtitulo).
His 2010s didn’t live up to that remarkable stretch, seeing him release a Spanish-language album and a side project before a couple of better-than-decent studio efforts.
Sara Bareilles wrote this song, from her 2010 album Kaleidoscope Heart, to herself after she moved into a new house on her own.
About halfway through, the track samples a BBC interview with Alfred Hitchcock. Bareilles included the clip because she felt it fit with the “sinister” air of the song.
Due to an oversight on my part, I initially left one of my top 20 albums off of the list. Adding it back in meant I had to bump the previous #20 into oblivion.
I realized the error after I had already started writing my posts, so rather than discard my thoughts on the unlucky album now in the 21st slot, I’m presenting them today in place of my usual Random Weekend post.
Whether it’s because my own tastes have shifted, or because the cultural landscape has become more inclusive, my list of favorite 2010s albums is dominated by women. Thirteen of the top 20 and seven of the top 10 titles are by female artists.
Jenny Lewis emerged as a favorite in this decade, after being on my radar tangentially in the prior one. The sound and perspective of her 2014 album The Voyager feel completely fresh, even as the record hearkens back to folk rock and pop sounds of the 70s.
Meet Me In Montauk 