my last post was about how a certain album was not 10/10 even though i gave it that rating initially.

today i've been trying to improve my stats by listening to my itunes five-star rated songs exclusively. normally i listen to full albums. but then it's hard to show you folks my favorite songs.

however, i was wondering if anybody reads this and would like to tell me their personal 10/10 albums. we can skip the obvious ones (london calling, sgt pepper, pet sounds etc). but tell me what albums you think are just flawless, that take you to another level. especially those under-recognized gems. here are some of mine:

blackalicious - blazing arrow
the first hip hop album i ever got is also still my favorite. the flawless production, the mix of positivity and ridiculous talent, it's an album that'll "make you feel that way"

brainiac - electro-shock for president ep
so very unfortunate that they never got to follow this one up. this band was on the verge of something huge. the extent of their impact is just now being felt. .

the broadways - broken star
very warm guitar sound with socially aware lyrics and real passion and etc. seriously though, this album is something i can always come back to, sing along to, and believe in. .

calexico and iron & wine - in the reins ep
basically it's like chocolate and pretzels. i guess iron & wine is the chocolate and calexico is the pretzel? .

cursive - domestica
once the ugly organ came out, i was sure it was a superior album. but i have changed my mind. the songs that have stayed with me are the ones on domestica. i saw them live recently and they played stuff mostly from their three most recent albums, and the domestica material was clearly the strongest. .

descendents - milo goes to college
you know someday, my day will come. someday i'll be the only one... .

elvis costello - king of america
+elvis costello & the attractions - blood and chocolate
in one year, he managed to release two albums that would turn out to be (in my opinion) his strongest. i'm a big EC fan, and while these two albums couldn't be much more different (until you get to today's standards, when he'll release a classical ballet composition the same day as a roots rock record) but they both have a certain bite to them. the bitterness on B&C, the romanticism (sorta) of KoA, they both just have some sort of consistency that hits me so effectively. .

enon - high society
john schmersal hits his post-brainiac stride. super eclectic, this album is just fun to listen to. .

harry nilsson - nilsson schmilsson
who knew my dad was a hipster? turns out most of the stuff he listened to when i was a kid (and he still listens to it) would end up being super amazing. he's an engineer, a total nerd, but he managed to introduce me to kris kristofferson, laurie anderson, and harry nilsson. we used to listen to this album all the time. only recently did i realize that this artist is now not-very-well-known but recognized by music scholars as one of the greats. but now when i listen to it, i understand why. .

of montreal - hissing fauna, are you the destroyer?
this covers a lot of heavy shit, and does so with a circus of harmonies and insanity. here's how it got me: it was so poppy that i was singing along before i realized how dark the lyrics actually were. .

tv on the radio - desperate youth, bloodthirsty babes
i feel like return to cookie mountain may be a superior album in just about every way, but since this is the one that introduced me to the Next Great American Band, it holds that special place for me. yes, tv on the radio is the band that restores my faith in music. i believe they will turn out to be as important as the pixies. .