Best Albums of the Decade, 49-40

Before you read any further, make sure you’ve caught up with the first half of the countdown! Click to see 101-90 and 89-80 and 79-70 and 69-60 and 59-50.

49. Josh Roseman Unit, Cherry (2001)
Roseman is clearly the coolest trombonist in music today–where was all the love when I was playing the thing in junior high? Dude is fearless and ridiculously talented and funny; here his band tumbles thru “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” wrecks on “Kashmir,” and throws down on some complicated covers. Jazz? Rock? Irrelevant!
Other albums that could have gone here: Treats for the Nightwalker (2003), New Constellations: Live From Vienna (2007).

48. Los Tigres del Norte, Pacto de Sangre (2004)
Never ever underestimate these norteño studs, who have been pumping out hot hits for about 900 years. They have done more adventurous records this decade, but this one stands above because it was their best collection of songs, anchored by “José Pérez León,” the story of an illegal immigrant’s death that has made us cry a dozen times.
Other albums that could have gone here: La Reina del Sur (2001), Directo al Corazón (2005), Detalles y Emociones (2007), Raices (2008), La Granja (2009).

47. Traband, Hyje! (2004)
Straight outta Brno in the Czech Republic, Traband has also logged some serious miles over the years. But this one stands out even in their strong catalog for being jumpy funky ska/gypsy fun. Oompah honks, yes, but great rock breakdowns, too. Jarda Svoboda’s lyrics are extremely strange, even if you speak Czech.
Other albums that could have gone here: 10 Let na Ceste (2005), Pritel Cloveka (2007).

46. Blackalicious, Blazing Arrow (2002)
At the time, it sounded like the future of hip-hop: complex and uplifting lyrics, spat nimbly by Gift of Gab (nicest guy in the game), pretty/hard tracks from Chief Xcel, lots of great guest spots. We feel horrible about putting this so far down but it has not aged well–dudes have a lot of answers but no questions, which makes me nervous.
Other albums that might have gone here: Nia (2000), The Craft (2005).

45. Heloísa Fernandes,Candeias (2009)
Helô is a Brazilian pianist with a big open heart and a restless soul. Here, she leads a tiny band through intense twisty compositions based on traditional Brazilian folk melodies, teaching off-handed lessons in economy, beauty, and generosity. Her eventual stardom will be one of the best things to happen to jazz/classical/folk music.

44. Junior Senior, D-d-don’t Stop the Beat(2003)
Relentlessly ridiculous Danish dance-pop! Shiny trebly weirdness pumped out by a two-man duo with a healthy sense of absurdism! “Move Your Feet” was the jam of that whole year–we still love watching the evil squirrel video around here–but “Rhythm Bandits,” “Shake Your Coconuts,” and “Chicks and Dicks” are all great silly dancetraxxx.

43. Battles, Mirrored (2007)
Life is usually too short for indie post-rock workout records, but this one has slain us since the first time we heard it. These songs are bizarre and lovable, spiky but warm, and resist any attempts to pigeonhole. Oh, and it cements John Stanier’s reputation as the toughest drummer of his generation. Dude just never stops, like, EVER.

42. Daniela Mercury, Carnaval Eletronico (2004)
Brazil’s socially-conscious queen of axé music steps into the new age, inviting all her country’s most interesting electronic artists to create glittery soulful dance tracks. The Gilberto Gil collaboration is cool, but her partnerships with Carlinhos Brown, DJ Anderson Noise, and Marcelinho da Lua are muscular and sexy club-slayers.
Other albums that could have gone here: Sol da Liberdade (2000), Balé Mulato (2005).

41. The Early November, The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path (2006)
In which Ace Enders, leader of this popular emo-rock group, one-ups everyone with a maybe-a-concept-album-maybe-not TRIPLE DISC set. Features hooky pop tracks (“Decoration”), strange hybrid tunes with banjos and strings, and a very odd conversation between a man and his own brain. Broke up the band…and Enders’ mental health.

40. Jucifer, I Name You Destroyer (2002)
We thought we might be overrating this album, which combines Brobdingnagian metal riffs with indie vocals about need and drugs and love and the opposite of love–until we listened to it again and fell in love all over. Amber Valentine, the perpetrator of said vocals, is my heroine, and a hell of a nice girl (with a dirty mind) to boot.
Other albums that might have gone here: War Bird (2004), If Thine Enemy Hunger (2006), L’Autrichienne (2008).