Chromeo: Taking Care of Business Casual

A while back we posted the video on the Facebook page for the new Chromeo single, 'Night by Night' (if you missed that: HERE IT IS). Well here it is 6+ months later and the rest of the album has been released, to give whatever passes for album context these days to that lonely single hanging out there all alone. First impressions can be the worst impressions and the hardest to recover from. If it weren’t for that I were reviewing it, Business Casual might not have made it past a second or third full rotation.

The first couple of times through, BC’s presence was defined by absence. I could only hear it for what it lacked. It was when I forced myself to listen a little closer that I began to hear less of what wasn’t there, and more of what was. Turns out what was missing may have just been one more song. It is one song shorter than both She’s In Control and Fancy Footwork, though average total length in minutes is right around the 40 mark, which is pretty much par for the Chromeo course (SiC and FF each clocking in at 44.5 and 39.8 respectively). Once I stopped waiting for a song that never came (a song like “You’re so Gangsta’ or ‘Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys)’ that catches your ear and won’t let go), I began to hear that what was left was still a pretty cohesive and relatively well thought out album that kicks out the jams when it has to and knows pretty much where it’s going the whole time. There seems to be a gradual shift in overall tone from get-the-party-started to general seduction, as if they’ve finished their introductions and are ready to do something about it.

There are enough jams on this album to satisfy any fan, easily as many as their previous two titles. It’s not always possible, or wise, to best oneself. Sometimes one must settle for just as good. Which should be fine. A consumer of any media, anticipating a new release to be gangbusters, is setting themselves up for disappointment from the get. Basically what I’m trying to say is that the artist doesn’t owe the audience anything, except a presentable body of work (which when read back sounds way more defensive than intended, and also implies a lot more than I’m willing to admit or even really agree with within the parameters of this essay, so I’ll leave it at that for now) (and by "presentable body of work", I mean literally able to be presented. I’m not willing to concede conceptual art for this point.). Thanks to the internet, there is no excuse for buying an album you don’t like any more. We have more than enough chances to try before we buy, as it were. So I guess what I’m trying to say is how can anyone complain about anything, ever? Let’s try and be a grateful audience for once, and forget all this fashionable irony and affected cynicism and hip to the fact that if you’re not paying it forward by creating some art of your own, then you need to pay it back. Huge. And if neither, than shut the hell up.

At Long Last, The List...

"and it went a little like this..."

There has been a slight change in the process of bringing to you the most beloved albums of the past decade (hence, the massive delay). Pretty much most of the second paragraph of the last post can be disregarded. Forgoing the categories, the albums will be filed under their respective year of release and presented in a neat and orderly fashion for your perusal. Pigeonholing these albums into specific categories was not only an exercise in futility, it was exceedingly unfair. The rest of the previous post still applies, however.

The only part of that second paragraph that still stands is that bit about the 1%. I’ve picked the best, and separated them from the rest, and naturally am saving them for last.

[REMINDER: all the albums were considered together. That is to say, albums from 2000 and 2001 were up against albums from every other year, not just their own. Some years are just going to be better for music. Hence the TC count. The TC (or Total Considered) is the number of albums from any given year that were beaten out for the slot on this list. It is followed by the percentage of records from that year that made it to the list.]

So, without further ado (let’s just get this over with already), here are:

The Best albums of 2000: (TC 77: 7.79%)

Dead Prez – Let’s Get Free; Loud Records (If you've seen Chappelle's Show, you've heard This Beat...)

Deltron 3030 – Deltron 3030; 75 Ark Records (Secretly plotting your demise...)

Iron Maiden – Brave New World; EMI

Johnny Cash – American III: Solitary Man; American Recordings

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Pay Attention; Island Def Jam Records (Remember third-wave ska-core? It was hot in those suits...)

Richard Cheese – Lounge Against the Machine; Ogilo Records (It's an improvement...)

Ween – White Pepper; Elektra

Wesley Willis – Never Kill an Ape; Wesley Willis Records

The Best Albums of 2001: (TC 95: 11.58%)

Aesop Rock – Labor Days; Definitive Jux Records

Andrew WK – I Get Wet; Island Records (I know someone who does exactly this...)

Clem Snide – The Ghost of Fashion; spinART Records

Daft Punk – Discovery; Virgin Records (It's my understanding that this mostly happens in Spain...)

Fugazi – The Argument; Dischord

Manu Chao – Próxima Estación: Esperanza; Virgin

Necro – Gory Days; Psycho+Logical-Records (Valuable lessons...)

Oysterhead – The Grand Pecking Order; Elektra Records (I was there when this happened...)

Spoon – Girls Can Tell; Merge Records

System of a Down – Toxicity; American Recordings (This is how it started...)

Tenacious D – Tenacious D; Epic Records (And so it was written...)

Tool – Lateralus; Volcano Entertainment (If you watch only one of these videos, let it be this one...)

The Best Albums of 2002: (TC 104: 9.62%)

Bad Religion – The Process of Belief; Epitaph Records (The singer is a science professor...)

Boards of Canada – Geogaddi; Warp Records (This is the best way to listen to this song...)

Bohren & der Club of Gore – Black Earth; Wonder Records

Elvis Costello and the Imposters – When I was Cruel; Island Records

The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot; Warner Bros. Records

The Les Claypool Frog Brigade – Purple Onion; Prawn Song Records (Buckle up...)

Nekromantix – Return of the Loving Dead; Hellcat Records (I wish they all could be Subcultural Girls...)

The Roots – Phrenology; Geffen Records (They didn't get here by playing to Jimmy Fallon every night...)

Strung Out – An American Paradox; Fat Wreck Chords

Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot; Nonesuch Records (A double kick drum by the river in the summer...)

The Best Albums of 2003: (TC 116: 6.03%)

Bonobo – Dial ‘M’ For Monkey; Ninja Tune Records

Children of Bodom – Hate Crew Deathroll; Century Media

Infected Mushroom – Converting Vegetarians; BNE/Yoyo Records

Jay Z – The Black Album; Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam Records

Electric Six – Fire; XL Recordings

The Mars Volta – De-loused In the Comatorium; Universal Records

Radiohead – Hail to the Thief; Parlophone Records

The Unicorns – Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?; Alien 8

The Best Albums of 2004: (TC 163; 6.13%)

The Arcade Fire – Funertal; Merge

Clutch – Blast Tyrant; DRT Entertainment

Fintroll – Nattfödd; Century Media

Grizzly Bear – Horn of Plenty; Kanine/Warp Records

GWAR – War Party; DRT Entertainment

Hella – The Devil Isn’t Red; 5 Rue Christine

Interpol – Antics; Matador

Iron & Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days; Sub Pop

Mastodon – Leviathan; Relapse Records

Marigold – Half Winter, Half Spring in the Unreal City; Self-Released

MF Doom – MM Food; Rhymesayers Entertainment

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – Shake the Sheets; Lookout! Records

Tom Waits – Real Gone; ANTI-

The Best Albums of 2005: (TC 161; 6.83%)

13 & God – 13 & God; anticon./Alien Transistor

Bloc Party – Silent Alarm; Wichita Recordings

Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning; Saddle Creek

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah; Self- Released

Dangerdoom – The Mouse and the Mask; Epitaph

Death Cab For Cutie – Plans; Atlantic

K’Naan – The Dusty Foot Philosopher; BMG Music (Canada)

M83 – Before The Dawn Heals Us; Groom (Europe)

Minus the Bear – Menos el Oso; Suicide Squeeze

My Morning Jacket – Z; ATO

The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema; Matador

Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary; Sup Pop

The Best Albums of 2006: (TC 138; 9.42%)

!!! – Mythtakes; Warp Records

The Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not; Domino

Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time; Sub Pop

Beirut – Gulag Orkestar; Ba Da Bing!

Buckethead – The Elephant Man’s Alarm Clock; TDRS Music

Built to Spill – You in Reverse; Warner Bros.

The Decemberists – The Crane Wife; Rough Trade Records

Girl Talk – Night Ripper; Illegal Art

The Knife – Silent Shout; Rabid Records

LCD Soundsystem – 45:33; DFA

M. Ward – Post-War; Merge Records

Mogwai – Mr. Beast; Matador

Peeping Tom – Peeping Tom; Ipecac Recordings

Ratatat – Classics; XL Recordings

Rodrigo y Gabriella – Rodrigo y Gabriella; ATO Records

Zombi – Surface to Air; Relapse

The Best Albums of 2007: (TC 66; 18.18%)

Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam; Domino

Battles – Mirrored; Warp Records

Chromeo – Fancy Footwork; Turbo

Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles; Last Gang Records

Dan Deacon – Spiderman of the Rings; Carpark Records

Golgol Bordello – Super Taranta; Side One Dummy

Justice – Cross; Ed Banger Records

Menomena – Friend and Foe; Barsuk

MGMT – Oracular Spectacular; Sony/Colombia

The National – Boxer; Beggars Banquet

Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?; Polyvinyl

Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound; Touch & Go

Yeasayer – All Hours Cymbals; We Are Free

The Best Albums of 2008: (TC 17; 17.64%)

Does It Offend You, Yeah?! – You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into; Virgin

High Places – 03/07 – 09/07; Thrill Jockey

Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust; EMI

The Best Albums of 2009: (TC 14; 53.71%)

Eminem – Relapse; Interscope

Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk; Rough Trade

Mos Def – The Ecstatic; Downtown

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix; V2 Records

Taken By Trees – East of Eden; Rough Trade

...Links to follow. Maybe. Or not.