2. Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory (2000) : Almost half of the songs on this album were singles and I still don’t think it spawned enough. Every song on this album could and should have been a hit on the radio. It’s short and sweet and no matter how over exposed we all were to these songs, I’ll never tire of them.
   Highlights – Points Of Authority, Place For My Head, Pushing Me Away

I’m currently watching: Seinfeld

3. A Perfect Circle – Mer De Noms (2000) : Very rarely do I hear a song from an unknown band on the radio and immediately like it, then go and listen to the album, turn it off after 6 tracks because it’s unbearable to listen to, pick it up 4 months later and listen to it 7 times in a row and then 9 years later declare it once of the decade’s best. I had this one ranked #1 for good chunk of the time I was writing this list but after a lot of thought, it found it’s spot at #3. In a time completely overrun with Nu Metal, A Perfect Circle opened my ears to what rock music could be. I remember it like it was yesterday…. Walking around campus on a beautiful Fall day at Penn State. It was one of my 8AM-5PM Freshman days. I had other CDs with me but I couldn’t stop listening to this disc and it just kept getting better. Good times.
   Highlights – The Hollow, Judith, 3 Libras

I’m currently watching: Dirty Jobs

4. John Mayer – Continuum (2006) : So John gets tired of pop music, really loves the blues, jams with some buddies, tours as a blues trio, puts out a live disc and then immediately heads back to the studio to record an album that’s going to be hard to top. All the pop elements are still there in the beautiful yet catchy, radio friendly tunes however John fattens the whole thing up with traces of the Trio. Everybody wins.
   Highlights – Belief, Stop This Train, Dreaming With A Broken Heart

I’m currently watching: NFL Football: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

5. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) : Even moreso than non rap albums, it seems like most rap albums only ever have 1 or 2 good songs that can make it to radio and that’s it. Those songs are normally surrounded by complete unlistenable garbage never to be heard from again. This album on the other hand had it’s 2 radio friendly singles but then it had everything else… blood, guts, guns, cuts, knives, lives, wives, nuns, sluts. Just no Drips. From start to finish, this was Eminem after he had to try really hard but before he had to start trying too hard again. He had mastered his craft and that is why he was the top selling artist of the decade. I now have 3 rap albums under my belt which I never would have made if it wasn’t for this album. I’d venture to say that I never even listen to rap music if this album isn’t made.
   Highlights – Kill You, The Way I Am, Marshall Mathers

I’m currently watching: Family Guy

6. Paulson – All At Once (2005) : This could be the catchiest record of all time from a band that nobody has or probably ever will hear of. The moment I heard Miami Current, there was no turning back. This album just has everything that popular music could ask for. Yet… it is not popular. It’s a really big world out there. That’s the only explanation how these guys are virtual unknowns.
   Highlights – Voids, Window Frames, Miami Current

I’m currently watching: Iron Man

For most leagues, the season is winding down or completely done at this point. Last week was Championship week for even the longest head to head leagues. However, this is a points league and it just keeps on ticking. Good thing too because some teams have everything to play for. The way it looks now, we’ll have some crazy competition for 2nd and 3rd places before this thing is through. But these posts are about my team and how it did so let’s take a look. The week started on Thursday with Reggie Wayne returning to form against the Jags and finding a whole lot of yards and the end zone. Then there was that other early game on Saturday where Drew Freakin Brees just laid down against the Cowboys. So disgusting we won’t discuss it further. Nothing else majorly shocking happened. Players performed just as expected. Oh yeah, all as expected except! for the fact that I had the greatest fantasy day, probably of all time, sitting on my bench. It didn’t sting at all though because probably 1% of all people had Jerome Harrison’s 34 carries for 286 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns active. 54.7 points. Again though, I was cool with it because Beanie Wells performed better than expected to get me 21.52 points which was plenty enough to snag me another 1st place week and keep my lead growing stronger. And the train kept a rollin…

I’m currently watching: Mystery Bear of the Arctic

7. John Mayer – Room For Squares (2001) : My favorite riff of all time might not be found on a Cream or Jimi Hendrix album. It may not have been played by Randy Rhoads or Jimmy Page. No, my favorite riff of all time may have been recorded by a 22 year old white dude from Connecticut. Sure, Neon may have been written and released first in 1999 but I didn’t hear it until I heard it on this album burried in between pop track after pop track. Oh yeah, all those pop rock tunes grew on me. Don’t worry about all the screaming girls; John Mayer knows how to write a song. I’ve been hooked ever since. Highlights – My Stupid Mouth, Neon, St. Patrick’s Day

I’m currently watching: College Football: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl: Marshall vs Ohio

8. Coheed and Cambria – Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005) : I’m not sure what I can write about this record that would do it justice. It’s a concept rock opera with a bizarre, yet humorous, concept that definitely works. The music is captivating… Hard prog rock with dynamic hooks and melodies and ups and downs. There are the single worthy songs but it’s just too hard to not listen to this album in it’s entirety. Take the entire journey. It’s 1 hour and 11 minutes well spent.
   Hightlights – Welcome Home, Ten Speed (Of God’s Blood and Burial), Apollo 1: The Writing Writer

I’m currently watching: Seinfeld

9. Radiohead – Hail to the Thief (2003) : There will be no Kid A on this list. Sorry. Perhaps I’m not cool or music savvy enough to fully appreciate that album in all of its majesty. There will also be no Amnesiac on this list. It was a step in the right direction but Radiohead wasn’t quite there yet with the direction they wanted to take their music. This album on the other hand. Amazing. It’s spacy but finally not too overbearing and they were finally able to find a good balance between the electronics and a good old fashioned guitar. When it comes to Radiohead, I’ll take the middle road to the land of musical pretentiousness.
   Highlights – Backdrifts, A Punchup At A Wedding, A Wolf At The Door

I’m currently watching: Modern Family

10. Weezer – Green Album (2001) : There was a time this decade when all I listened to was Weezer. This record is why. It’s what got me into the group. After I heard this album, I finally gave the non single tracks on the Blue Album another chance and then discovered a little gem called Pinkerton which I never even knew existed. Thank heaven for that. For me though, this is defintely where it all started. There’s not a bad song on this record and every song has me singing within 10 seconds. The songs are tight and poppy. It’s just a real fun disc. Just what everyone could use once in a while. Weezer released a good deal of music in the last 10 years but this was easily their best material during the span.
    Highlights – Don’t Let Go, Photograph, Island In The Sun

I’m currently watching: Seinfeld