Depeche Mode - Ultra
For me, this is the last truly great Depeche Mode album. I love the vibe of the record, almost eerily electronic. It feels like the complete opposite of Songs of Faith and Devotion, which is my favorite DM record. "Barrel of a Gun" is one of the band's best singles and should be regarded as highly as "Personal Jesus" or "A Question of Time." "Home" makes nearly every other Martin Gore song pale in comparison. I love its slow and steady buildup that centers on Gore's performance, and ends with that fantastic guitar riff. "Useless" is another song that deserves more love than it gets, containing such a grungy guitar part, but it's filtered in such a way that it fits alongside more electronic numbers like "It's No Good" and "Sister of Night." Given the band's immense struggles at the time, it's absolutely shocking at how good Ultra turned out.
David Bowie - The Next Day
If you removed Bowie's entire discography after Scary Monsters, then The Next Day would be the perfect follow-up album. I definitely feel that it is Bowie's strongest since then, containing an energy and aggressiveness that he rarely displayed in those intervening years. The title track is one of my favorite Bowie songs overall, particularly with its fierce vocals and the way it builds to that explosive chorus. "I'd Rather Be High" is an excellent combination of an almost-militaristic guitar riff and a great set of lyrics that manages to be about war without beating the listener over the head with it. "The Stars Are Out Tonight" is one of his catchiest songs in recent memory. I also love the slimy saxophone in "Dirty Boys," the belting female vocal and percussion in "If You Can See Me," the synths in "Love Is Lost" and the "Five Years" teaser in "You Feel So Lonely You Could Die." Sure, the record is a little too long, but I think it stands up with Bowie's best.
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
This album feels like the first major evolution of NIN's sound since The Downward Spiral. The two records after that one felt like Trent Reznor was stuck in a stylistic rut, though I like The Fragile and With Teeth. The merger of electronics with industrial metal makes for some of Reznor's strongest work, with "Survivalism," "My Violent Heart" and "The Warning" being the best examples. I love the digital freakouts at the end of "Vessel" and "The Great Destroyer." "In This Twilight" is his best closer outside of "Hurt." It's one of those records that doesn't get as much love or notice as it should. I feel it's the strongest of Reznor's post-90s work.
St. Vincent - Marry Me
I feel that the strength of St. Vincent's subsequent albums has left this one in the dust, which is a shame since it's her debut that made me a fan. "Now Now" is still in my Mount Rushmore for her. I love the way it switches gears from gentle and slightly off-putting to absolutely furious. It's like the blueprint of St. Vincent's sound. "Marry Me" is a great piano ballad, which she seems to have abandoned on her last two albums. The macabre tone of "Paris Is Burning" fits perfectly with its historical lyrics. I also really like "The Apocalypse Song," especially its lovely chorus. "Your Lips Are Red" is one of the album's best, and the only song from this era that she still plays consistently. Makes sense, given how weird, funky and off-kilter that riff is. While she has an absolute ton of incredible songs over her four records, I wish this album would get a little more love on tour.
Other records:
Blur - 13 (A beautiful, weird record that feels like it doesn't get any love outside of "Tender" and "Coffee and TV." Highlights: "Bugman," "No Distance Left To Run")
Beck - Midnite Vultures (I love how this album fully embraces 70s funk. It should have been as huge as Odelay. Highlights: "Sexx Laws," "Mixed Bizness," "Debra")
Elbow - Cast of Thousands (The first signs of the potential the band had for giant, inspirational choruses, alongside quiet, floating ballads. Highlights: "Ribcage," "Fugitive Motel," "Not a Job")
Garbage - Not Your Kind Of People (One of the very few examples of a reunion album that stands up with the band's best work. Fantastic album. Highlights: "Automatic Systematic Habit," "Big Bright World," "Battle In Me")
Keane - Perfect Symmetry (Keane tries to stretch out their style and it works. This album's textures and introduction of guitars/synths was a great experiment and put them on a path they should have kept going down, rather than abandoning it. Highlights: "Spiralling," "Better Than This," "Perfect Symmetry")
R.E.M. - Up (The band's first effort without Bill Berry is one of their bravest, moving into electronic music without losing the qualities that made them R.E.M. The only downside is it's way too long. If you cut this down to 10 songs, it'd be among their stronget efforts. Highlights: "Lotus," "At My Most Beautiful," "Walk Unafraid")
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (A great follow-up to Fever To Tell. It feels like it didn't get the attention it deserved though. Highlights: "Gold Lion," Way Out," "Phenomena")
