Radar

them, but tracks like “Symmetry” and “Her Voice is Beyond Her Years” also provided an emotionally charged oasis from their angular attacks. The album fttingly concludes with 8-minute, quiet-to-loud opus “Comforting Sounds,” neatly tying together their myriad of ideas and proving that we might not quite be friends and not quite strangers, but we were certainly fans. By Laura Studarus Also released in 2003: British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power, Broadcast: HaHa Sound, The Cardigans: Long Gone Before Daylight, Clearlake: Cedars, The Concretes: The Concretes, Elbow: Cast of Thousands, Grandaddy: Sumday, Spiritualized: Amazing Grace, and M. Ward: Transfguration of Vincent.

2004

Arcade Fire

Funeral

(Merge,2004)

With some time to look back, the explosion of amazing music, including fully-

formed debuts, in the early aughts was less about a cohesive sound than a cohesive scene. Arcade Fire emerged from Montreal with the barely tamed wildness of Talking Heads and the weirdness of the freak folk movement, and on Funeral, they explored a world in which much of what we know has rotted away. Not really apocalyptic, but whatever culture emerged afterwards seemed strikingly like a fort made by children. The breaking of Win Butler’s voice on “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” betrayed how much they truly cared about this world, and that care has permeated their music since, as they’ve risen to become one of the biggest bands in the world, and will likely continue to be when we’re living in blanket forts in the abandoned homes built by our parents. By Jim Scott Stereolab

Margerine Eclipse (Elektra/Duophonic, 2004) “All the aches, pains and the joys/Of growing up beside you/Dancing a

spontaneous dance with you/Your spirit lives,” Lætitia Sadier intones on “Feel and Triple.” It’s her elegy to Mary Hansen, who played on Stereolab’s near-perfect run of albums in the ’90s before being tragically killed in a bicycling accident. The group’s frst release without her since 1992 debut Peng! honors her legacy with a collection of focused and tender compositions—the portentous bleep-bloops of “Cosmic Country Noir” that climax into a blissful, shimmering guitar plateau, the rich Moog pads and hypnotic bass on “Vonal Declosion,” and the bittersweet bossa nova of “Dear Marge.” Margerine Eclipse is unjustly eclipsed by preceding albums, but it’s unclear why. Here is a gentle yet direct collection of motorik lounge pop, a polished mission statement, and a poignant goodbye to a close friend with a “love of life.” By Hayden Merrick

Arcade Fire in Los Angeles, 2005. (Photo by Wendy Lynch Redfern)

Elliott Smith

From a Basement on the Hill

(ANTI-,2004) set to music. What it is, at least musically, is his darkest, most chaotic release, a small detour by an artist who seemed eager to prove he could make an album sound as foreboding as the subject matter in his lyrics. “Don’t Go Down” churns with a sort of menace that Smith had never reached previously, its dark undertow of guitars swirling around his defant vocal. “Strung Out Again” is as straightforward a song as Smith ever wrote about addiction, with howling guitar leads echoing the desperation of the lyrics. That’s not to say that there aren’t delicate moments on From a Basement on the Hill. The haunted “Let’s Get Lost,” “The Last Hour,” and “Little One”—all nimbly fngerpicked acoustic ballads that rank among the best in his catalog— sound that much more fragile due to the raw nerves that surround them. All of the fundamentals of his craft—the sophisticated melodic sense, the fragile vocals, the constantly shifting arrangements—are present, but here Smith pushes everything into the red. Though he’d be gone by the time the album came out, he never sounded more alive than he does on these tracks. By Matt Fink

Also released in 2004: Air: Talkie Walkie, Ambulance Ltd: Ambulance Ltd., The Divine Comedy: Absent Friends, Electrelane: The Power Out, The Fiery Furnaces: Blueberry Boat, Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand, The Go! Team: Thunder, Lightning, Strike, Interpol: Antics, Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Rilo Kiley: More Adventurous, and TV on the Radio: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.

2005

Bloc Party

Silent Alarm

(Wichita,2005)

Everything seems to be some shade of art rock or politically charged post-punk these days, but rewind to a time that was still reeling from the overbearing excesses of Britpop and the impotent toxic masculinity rage of nu metal, and the arrival of Bloc Party and their fresh new sound as heard on Silent Alarm cannot be understated. Fusing rapid fre riffs with breakbeat rhythms and boasting such huge anthems as “Helicopter,” “Banquet,” and “Like Eating Glass,” Kele Okereke (singer/guitar), Russell Lissack (fringe/guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass), and Matt Tong (drums) shot to Number 3 in the UK album charts, and their debut LP became a gold selling record in less than 24 hours, with the singles staying as a mainstay at any decent indie disco ever since. By Jimi Arundell

Richard Hawley

Coles Corner (Mute,2005)

A throwback to a kinder, gentler musical era, Cole’s Corner is replete with tales of unfulflled love and protagonists who face the ghosts of their past. Richard Hawley’s classic, sultry baritone is the star of the singer’s fourth studio album, which takes its name from a meeting spot in his hometown of Sheffeld, England, where people have rendezvoused for more than a century. An accomplished guitarist who played with several bands including Pulp and Beth Orton, Hawley didn’t make his singing debut until he was in his late 30s, and the world is much richer for it, as proven by this magical and achingly beautiful album, which he performed many songs from at Under the Radar’s frst ever SXSW party in 2006. By Laura Ferreiro

Sufjan Stevens

Illinois

(Asthmatic Kitty,2005)

The Midwest has long possessed a certain melancholy urban mythology. In 2005, Michigan-bred singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens managed to depict this unique region in the production of Illinois—a vast, symphonic exploration of the sprawling Prairie State through the eyes of its inhabitants.

Spanning generations and genres, Illinois ranges from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition to the riverfront community of Decatur and so forth, encountering along the way Carl Sandburg’s ghost, Mary Todd Lincoln, and John Wayne Gacy, Jr. The album’s epic scope is mirrored by its eclectic infuences, exploring everything from indie rock to folk, jazz, and ’70s pop, running raw with emotion still so deeply affecting, as on the devastating “Casimir Pulaski Day.” 16 years later, Stevens’ groundbreaking masterpiece is yet to be replicated. Part lesson in American history, part experimental indie epic, Illinois continues to make waves, standing as a monumental release of its genre. By Austin Saalman

Also released in 2005: Death Cab for Cutie: Plans, Elbow: Leaders of the Free World, Gorillaz: Demon Days, Ladytron: The Witching Hour, Jamie Lidell: Multiply, Metric: Live It Out, Mew: And the Glass Handed Kites, My Morning Jacket: Z, The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema, Rogue Wave: Descended Like Vultures, Spoon: Gimme Fiction, and Supergrass: Road to Rouen.

with attention-grabbing synth single “Seasons (Waiting on You).” As novel as Samuel T. Herring’s Vincent Price-bellow and fancy theatrical moves felt, the performance and album had all the hallmarks of what we’ve come to love from the band—namely, a chance to dance it out while celebrating all-consuming heartache and earthshaking love. By Laura Studarus

The War on Drugs

Lost in the Dream

(Secretly Canadian,2014)

Lost in the Dream is a work of perseverance. With his Springsteen-inspired, midwestern breeze, The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel so tangibly offered us passionate refections on love, dreams, and the pressures that would try to disrupt them. The album—our favorite release of 2014—propels us forward with a steady beat through the lonely threat of night until dawn crests the horizon again. Here, meticulous care is given to the ambient Beach House

Thank Your Lucky Stars

(Sub Pop,2015) Somewhat unexpected and released just two months after their ffth album especially in the case of Mayberry, a literal target of online misogyny and threats. Somehow, against such overwhelming attention and pressure, CHVRCHES’ sophomore effort Every Open Eye exudes a defning confdence that the band has maintained ever since. Doherty and Cook’s hooks are crystalline in their sharpness, and Mayberry’s vocals are reaching and aspirational in a way that frmly established her as a template which many future artists will undoubtedly emulate and follow for years to come. Every Open Eye is where CHVRCHES found their clarity with singular vision. By Mike Hilleary

Father John Misty

I Love You, Honeybear

(Sub Pop,2015)

Josh Tillman’s Father John Misty persona is self-evidently a pretentious misanthropic character. What a surprise, then, that he delivered one of the previous decade’s best love stories with I Love You, Honeybear. In an internet-addicted, ironypoisoned media landscape, one of the most notorious emblems of 2015-era hipsterdom created an album full of surprising warmth and joy. The story Tillman crafts is just as expansive, freewheeling, sardonic, and frequently brilliant as the man himself. It’s an album about being hopelessly, deliriously in love, delivered through the eyes of a bitter cynic. By Caleb Campbell

Tame Impala

Currents

(Interscope,2015)

One of the ultimate break-up albums and the soundtrack to many a college kid’s life, 2015’s Currents by Tame Impala (aka Kevin Parker) is all about change, and how Parker translates the dizzyingly inevitable vortex of it is truly unparalleled in its emotional resonance. Parker’s lyricism strikes directly at the heart of what it means to grow as a human being, at once broadly prophetic and intimately relatable. The album, which according to Parker was a nightmare to create and “unlistenable” upon its completion, has struck a chord with many since its release exactly because it speaks volumes about a natural process with which we all have to face: getting older, and the pain and liberation with which it can bring. Bound to be a future classic, Currents will undoubtedly be a cornerstone coming-of-age record for generations to come. By Joey Arnone

Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice and Josh Tillman of Father John Misty in London, 2015. (Photo by Pal Hansen)

silences (“The Haunting Idle”) occupying the space between explosive waves of guitar-jam euphoria (“Red Eyes”). Because only when you’ve truly understood the darkness can you understand the spark that overcomes it. By Chris Thiessen Also released in 2014: alt-J: This Is All Yours, Caribou: Our Love, East India Youth: Total Strife Forever, EMA: The Future’s Void, First Aid Kit: Stay Gold, Jenny Lewis: The Voyager, Angel Olsen: Burn Your Fire For No Witness, Real Estate: Atlas, St. Vincent: St. Vincent, and Wye Oak: Shriek.

2015

Courtney Barnett

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

(Mom + Pop/Marathon/Milk!,2015) could be forgiven for not seeing that indie rock’s savior of the literate pop song would be arriving from Melbourne’s shores. Barnett’s frst full-length album would prove that earlier singles “Avant Gardener” and “History Eraser” were no fukes. The drolly titled Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit took us places we had never heard of and didn’t know we needed to go. From Melbourne’s 96 tram line (“Elevator Operator”) to Phillip Island’s Sunset Strip (“Kim’s Caravan”) to suburban Preston (“Depreston”), Barnett’s hyper descriptive lyrics allow you to skip the actual trip. And with tracks like the slow rolling boil of “Small Poppies” and Barnett’s still best rave-up, “Pedestrian at Best,” Sometimes both announced her full on arrival and stood the test of time. By Mark Moody

Depression Cherry in 2015, Thank Your Lucky Stars was a most pleasant surprise. With a focus on surrounding the lush and gossamer melodies with catchy beats and softly soaring guitar riffs, it’s the quintessential Beach House album, featuring their signature dream-pop formula of airy guitars, hushed indie-rock beats, and ethereal vocals.

The duo of vocalist/keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally are often compared to Cocteau Twins, but Beach House’s vibe is distinctly 21st century ethereal pop perfection. With Legrand’s velvety voice and Scally’s atmospheric guitar swirls adorning the hypnotic melodies, Thank Your Lucky Stars is a gorgeous triumph. By Matt the Raven

CHVRCHES

Every Open Eye

(Glassnote/Virgin EMI,2015)

With the breakthrough success of their debut album The Bones of What You Believe, Scottish trio Lauren Mayberry, Martin Doherty, and Iain Cook conquered a zeitgeist of synth-pop in 2013. Being placed at the forefront of a whole genre naturally made them targets for scrutinizing fans and critics waiting for what they would pull for their follow-up, Wolf Alice

My Love Is Cool

(Dirty Hit/RCA,2015)

After a succession of dazzling singles, Wolf Alice released a stunning debut album that proved that the excitement surrounding the band was more than justifed. My Love Is Cool was an album that pretty much delivers on every level. The sheer quality of Wolf Alice’s songwriting can be judged not just by the collection of fantastic songs that do appear on the album, but also by those that do not. When you can afford to leave off songs such as “Blush,” “She,” and “Leaving Home” and still release a debut album as exceptional as My Love Is Cool, it goes to show just what a talent Wolf Alice are.

The haunting Mazzy Star-esque opener of “Turn to Dust” gives way to the exuberant, chiming majesty of “Bros,” in which Ellie Rowsell’s beautifully expressive vocal perfectly captures the joys of childhood friendship. “Your Loves Whore” is another example of Wolf Alice’s consummate ability to combine melody with noisy, crunching guitars. Live favorites “Giant Peach” and “Fluffy” demonstrate how Rowsell can quickly transform her vocal delivery from a soft whisper into a belligerently combative riot grrrl roar as the band demonstrate an unerring ability to fuse melody with ferce but controlled power. By Andy Von Pip

Also released in 2015: Amason: Sky City, Beach House: Depression Cherry, C Duncan: Architect, Everything Everything: Get to Heaven, FFS: FFS, Gwenno: Y Dydd Olaf, Julia Holter: Have You in My Wilderness, My Morning Jacket: The Waterfall, Neon