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Uncut's Top 150 of the 21st Century


Steevo

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*Copy and paste, none of my opinions. Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

 

 

List: Uncut's Top 150 Albums of the 00s

 

 

This month's Uncut Magazine has a list of their 150 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century so far (i.e. the best ones of the decade or noughties or whatever), and so far I've been unable to locate the full list online. Therefore I'm going to take the time to type them all out for you, and maybe even provide a little review or opinion piece at the end.

 

150 - Band of Horses Everything All the Time

149 - Ray Lamontagne Trouble

148 - Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand

147 - The Acorn Glory Hope Mountain

146 - Richard Thompson Front Parlour Blues

145 - Iron & Wine Our Endless Numbered Days

144 - Robert Wyatt Comicopera

143 - Leonard Cohen Ten New Songs

142 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever to Tell

141 - Rahel Unthank and the Winterset The Bairns

 

Great to see Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention making the list, and the stellar YYYs record, but it's a pity Sam Beam's only entry is OEND and at such a low position. And The Acorns album is one I really must check out.

 

140 - Espers Espers II

139 - Outkast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

138 - Wilco Sky Blue Sky

137 - Elliott Smith From a Basement on a Hill

136 - The Strokes Room on Fire

135 - Willard Grant Conspiracy Regard the End

134 - Radiohead Hail to the Thief

133 - Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

132 - Drive-By Truckers Brighter Than Creation's Dark

131 - Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head

 

When Q Magazine does a similar list later in the year, expect that Coldplay album to be 100 places higher. Great to see DBT's latest proper album on there (although it's a pity no Jason Isbell solo album made it). I'm surprised at all the Wilco love, and Outkast's entry is more inline with this magazine than all Pitchfork's hip-hop loving.

 

130 - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

129 - Yo La Tengo And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out

128 - Antony and the Johnsons I Am A Bird Now

127 - The Handsome Family In the Air

126 - Neil Young Prairie Wind

125 - The Hold Steady Stay Positive

124 - Brightback Morning Light Brightback Morning Light

123 - Doves The Last Broadcast

122 - Donald Fagen Morph the Cat

121 - Hot Chip The Warning

 

Doves' The Last Broadcast is one album I would've forgotteb about, but when they burst on the scene with this, we all expected great things. Antony's debut wasn't for everyone but those who liked it, loved it. Wouldn't have put that Neil Young album in my list though.

 

120 - MGMT Oracular Spectacular

119 - Scritti Politti White Bread, Black Beer

118 - Super Furry Animals Love Kraft

117 - At the Drive-In Relationship of Command

116 - Sufjan Stevens - Michigan

115 - Steven Malkmus & The Jicks Real Emotional Trash

114 - The Raconteurs Consolers of the Lonely

113 - The Shins Chutes Too Narrow

112 - Beirut The Flying Club Cup

111 - Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins Rabbit Furcoat

 

Aside from the part that they picked the wrong Beirut album, the glaring error here is the inclusion of MGMT. The album is so-so with just three or four good tunes and a lot of filler. It shouldn't be on any best of list.

 

110 - Steely Dan Everything Must Go

109 - The White Stripes Icky Thump

108 - Comets on Fire Avatar

107 - Paul Westerberg Come Feel Me Tremble

106 - The Go-Betweens The Friends of Rachel Worth

105 - Steely Dan Two Against Nature

104 - Grizzly Bear Veckatimest

103 - Missy Elliott Miss E...So Addictive

102 - The Felice Brothers The Felice Brothers

101 - Neko Case Blacklisted

 

What is with the Steely Dan/Donald Fagen love at Uncut? I just don't get it. Nor do I get why all these lists seem to include Missy Elliott! But that Felice Brothers record is fantastic, I recommend everyone check it out.

 

100 - Jim O'Rourke Insignificance

99 - Babyshambles Down in Albion

98 - The Avalanches Since I Left You

97 - Paul Weller 22 Dreams

96 - Rufus Wainwright Want One

95 - Grandaddy The Sophtware Slump

94 - Devendra Banhart Oh Me Oh My...

93 - The Streets A Grand Don't Come For Free

92 - Tom Waits Real Gone

91 - John Cale HoboSapiens

 

Being English, they had to include The Streets and Pete Doherty, so I'll forgive that. Huge props to Jim O'Rourke and John Cale though.

 

90 - Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning

89 - Neil Young Living With War

88 - The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan

87 - Queens of the Stone Age Rated R

86 - PJ Harvey White Chalk

85 - MIA Arular

84 - David Bowie Heathen

83 - Outkast Stankonia

82 - Drive-By Truckers The Dirty South

81 - Okkervil River The Stage Names

 

Here it starts to get good. Really good. Bright Eyes' highpoint and DBT's highpoint. I think you're on to something. Especially with that White Stripes album and Okkervil River's splendid Stage Names.

 

80 - Levon Helm Electric Dirt

79 - Kings of Leon Only By the Night

78 - Johnny Cash American III: Solitary Man

77 - Kanye West The College Dropout

76 - Beck Seachange

75 - Gorillaz Demon Days

74 - Elbow Asleep in the Black

73 - Elliott Smith Figure 8

72 - Emmylou Harris Red Dirt Girl

71 - TV on the Radio Dear Science

 

Levon Helm's newest hasn't had time to grow on me yet, must give it another listen. KoL and TVotR were two of last year's biggest albums, and that Johnny Cash album is his finest 00s work in my opinion.

 

70 - The Good, The Bad & The Queen The Good, The Bad & The Queen

69 - Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare

68 - D'Angelo Voodoo

67 - Midlake The Trials of Van Occupanther

66 - Jay-Z The Blueprint

65 - Rufus Wainwright Poses

64 - Lift to Experience The Texas-Jerasulem Crossroads

63 - The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang

62 - Ghostface Killah Fishscale

61 - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds The Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Blues

 

Whatever happened to D'Angelo anyway? That album wasn't too bad now that I remember. Although I don't know much about Lift to Experience, and I never thought that Stones album was all that fantastic.

 

60 - Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose

59 - The White Stripes De Stijl

58 - Bob Dylan - Together Through Life

57 - Robert Wyatt Cukooland

56 - Sonic Youth Murray Street

55 - Bjork Vespertine

54 - Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs

53 - Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights

52 - Dizzee Rascal Boy in Da Corner

51 - Warren Zevon The Wind

 

That was the album Dizzee won the Mercury with, so a shoe-in. Great to see Loretta and Warren, as well as another Robert Wyatt album getting the credit they deserve.

 

50 - Cat Power The Greatest

49 - PJ Harvey Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

48 - Ry Cooder Chavez Ravine

47 - The National Alligator

46 - Drive-By Truckers Souther Rock Opera

45 - Solomon Burke Don't Give Up on Me

44 - The Libertines Up the Bracket

43 - The Streets Original Pirate Material

42 - Richmond Fontaine Post to Wire

41 - Bruce Springsteen Magic

 

Surprising that this is the only Libertines album to make it, as I think the self-titled follow-up is just as worthy. Also, no sign of Boxer which is equal to Alligator.

 

40 - Boards of Canada Geogaddi

39 - Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend

38 - Ryan Adams Gold

37 - The Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldiers

36 - Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around

35 - Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

34 - Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago

33 - Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion

32 - Calexico Feast of Wire

31 - My Morning Jacket It Still Moves

 

With lists like this, it's hard to fit newer albums into a whole decade. Thus Animal Collective's new one appears this high, as do Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver, but I feel in decades to come, Bon Iver is probably the only one any of us will still be listening to.

 

30 - Sufjan Stevens Illinois

29 - Neil Young Chrome Dreams II

28 - Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf

27 - The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America

26 - Lambchop Nixonland

25 - Radiohead Kid A

24 - Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

23 - Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man Out of Season

 

22 - Blur Think Thank

21 - Joanna Newsom Ys

 

Far too much Neil Young on here (those albums are only good, not great), and Hold Steady hardcore fans would argue for their second album Separation Sunday, but the sore thumb here is that awful Beth Gibbons album. Nowhere near as good as anything Portishead have ever done. Joanna Newsom is fantastic though.

 

20 - Amy Winehouse Back to Black

19 - Bruce Springsteen The Rising

18 - Kate Bush Aerial

17 - The White Stripes - Elephant

16 - LCD Soundsytem Sound of Silver

15 - Radiohead In Rainbows

14 - Primal Scream XTRMNTR

13 - Gillian Welch Time (The Revelator)

12 - Portishead Third

11 - The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

 

Great selection all-round, especially ranking In Rainbows ahead of Kid A. Aside from all the price fanfare, that's a phenomenal album, as is Kate Bush's Aerial. Got to love the inclusion of Gillian Welch too.

 

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes

9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker

8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times

7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral

6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand

5 - The Strokes Is This It

4 - Brian Wilson Smile

3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born

2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft

1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

 

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

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Don't understand the lack of Porcupine Tree, Muse, Marillion, The Decemberists, and Green Day. Really don't understand the inclusion of any Neil Young, Rolling Stones, or Bob Dylan from this decade, really really don't understand Veckatimest being anywhere close to this list. And why the f**k is Alligator ranked and Boxer isn't? Ditto Our Endless Numbered Days and The Shepherd's Dog, and A Rush of Blood to the Head and Viva la Vida, and Chutes Too Narrow and Wincing the Night Away (although you can at least begin to make a case for that one).

 

Seriously, no American Idiot? On this entire list? No Marbles or Black Holes & Revelations or The Crane Wife or Picaresque or In Absentia? On this entire list?

 

...Ah well. To each his own.

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QUOTE (Steevo @ Oct 30 2009, 12:41 PM)
*Copy and paste, none of my opinions.  Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times
7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral
6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
5 - The Strokes Is This It
4 - Brian Wilson Smile
3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born
2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft
1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

That makes my blood boil, a lot.

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QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Oct 31 2009, 01:21 PM)
QUOTE (Steevo @ Oct 30 2009, 12:41 PM)
*Copy and paste, none of my opinions.  Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times
7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral
6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
5 - The Strokes Is This It
4 - Brian Wilson Smile
3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born
2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft
1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

That makes my blood boil, a lot.

It's that upsetting?

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QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Oct 31 2009, 09:21 AM)
QUOTE (Steevo @ Oct 30 2009, 12:41 PM)
*Copy and paste, none of my opinions.  Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times
7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral
6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
5 - The Strokes Is This It
4 - Brian Wilson Smile
3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born
2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft
1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

That makes my blood boil, a lot.

They certainly deserve a spot on this list. I would definately say top 50 but top ten albums of the decade? Hardly.

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QUOTE (theworkingman @ Oct 31 2009, 05:48 PM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Oct 31 2009, 09:21 AM)
QUOTE (Steevo @ Oct 30 2009, 12:41 PM)
*Copy and paste, none of my opinions.  Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times
7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral
6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
5 - The Strokes Is This It
4 - Brian Wilson Smile
3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born
2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft
1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

That makes my blood boil, a lot.

They certainly deserve a spot on this list. I would definately say top 50 but top ten albums of the decade? Hardly.

Top 25. Max. It's got melodies that The Beatles and Choral music from the baroque age did better, and winter type acoustic music that isn't fit to shine Bon Iver's boots.

 

I hate to say it, but they've released a good album at the right time which makes them appear better. Can't see them sticking around ten years down the line.

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QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 1 2009, 12:57 PM)
QUOTE (theworkingman @ Oct 31 2009, 05:48 PM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Oct 31 2009, 09:21 AM)
QUOTE (Steevo @ Oct 30 2009, 12:41 PM)
*Copy and paste, none of my opinions.  Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times
7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral
6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
5 - The Strokes Is This It
4 - Brian Wilson Smile
3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born
2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft
1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

That makes my blood boil, a lot.

They certainly deserve a spot on this list. I would definately say top 50 but top ten albums of the decade? Hardly.

Top 25. Max. It's got melodies that The Beatles and Choral music from the baroque age did better, and winter type acoustic music that isn't fit to shine Bon Iver's boots.

 

I hate to say it, but they've released a good album at the right time which makes them appear better. Can't see them sticking around ten years down the line.

The Fleet Foxes album is the best and most original debut album I've heard in a long time. Easily the best album of 2008. Live, they're something else. Robin Pecknold has an amazing voice too.

The Sun Giant EP confirms their talents. Cannot wait for the follow up.

 

Going back to MH's point, I'd rate Bon Iver and FF around the same. 1 great album and one great EP each and both incredibly raw live.

 

Overall, the poll is pretty solid, remember whose writing it and who, in the main, reads it. You'll never see PT or Rush in these polls.

 

It wouldn't be my top 10, it wouldn't be far off, all 10 are excellent albums.

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QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Nov 2 2009, 06:53 AM)
remember whose writing it and who, in the main, reads it. You'll never see PT or Rush in these polls.

Yep, thought you guys would've taken that into account. I still haven't had time to dissect the list but on first glance it was okish I guess.

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QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Nov 1 2009, 05:53 PM)
QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 1 2009, 12:57 PM)
QUOTE (theworkingman @ Oct 31 2009, 05:48 PM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Oct 31 2009, 09:21 AM)
QUOTE (Steevo @ Oct 30 2009, 12:41 PM)
*Copy and paste, none of my opinions.  Let me know yours though, get to mine soon.*

10 - Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes
9 - Ryan Adams Heartbreaker
8 - Bob Dylan Modern Times
7 - The Arcade Fire Funeral
6 - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
5 - The Strokes Is This It
4 - Brian Wilson Smile
3 - Wilco A Ghost is Born
2 - Bob Dylan Love and Theft
1 - The White Stripes White Blood Cells

Two Bob Dylan albums in the top ten? Now that's just wrong, and do the Fleet Foxes deserve to be there? probably not. But when it comes to the number one album, I'm hard pressed to find a real reason to disagree. It's one of the defining records of the decade (along with #5) and is definitely a worthy chart topper.

That makes my blood boil, a lot.

They certainly deserve a spot on this list. I would definately say top 50 but top ten albums of the decade? Hardly.

Top 25. Max. It's got melodies that The Beatles and Choral music from the baroque age did better, and winter type acoustic music that isn't fit to shine Bon Iver's boots.

 

I hate to say it, but they've released a good album at the right time which makes them appear better. Can't see them sticking around ten years down the line.

The Fleet Foxes album is the best and most original debut album I've heard in a long time. Easily the best album of 2008. Live, they're something else. Robin Pecknold has an amazing voice too.

The Sun Giant EP confirms their talents. Cannot wait for the follow up.

 

Going back to MH's point, I'd rate Bon Iver and FF around the same. 1 great album and one great EP each and both incredibly raw live.

 

Overall, the poll is pretty solid, remember whose writing it and who, in the main, reads it. You'll never see PT or Rush in these polls.

 

It wouldn't be my top 10, it wouldn't be far off, all 10 are excellent albums.

I wasn't expecting PT either and Rush's 00's output doesn't deserve to go anywhere near there, but no Muse is just plain wrong. Even if they're not the best, they've been 100 times more important than anything Brian Wilson/Neil Young have released this decade.

 

FF's debut is solid, but I think it's latching onto a fad, and obviously we'll have to wait to see but I don't see it being in the Top 10 of any list like this in 20/30 years time. Magazines seem to be far too enamoured with all this folky stuff right now, just like they were with the Indie-dance explosion in the early part of the decade. Note the 5 stars Franz Ferdinand's debut album got from Uncut and it only scrapes into the list?

 

At least Q sticks to its original ratings!

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QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 4 2009, 03:53 AM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:02 AM)
QUOTE (Kudzu @ Nov 1 2009, 08:02 AM)
Am I the only person here who really, really likes Fleet Foxes?  unsure.gif

Limey Loves Fleet Foxes.

 

A lot

I get the feeling Limey could marry them if he had the chance wink.gif

laugh.gif no.gif tongue.gif

 

I just really love their music, it's different from really anything else that's come out in the past few years, i'm tired of the same music being put out by different artists and people going nuts over it.

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QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:38 PM)
QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 4 2009, 03:53 AM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:02 AM)
QUOTE (Kudzu @ Nov 1 2009, 08:02 AM)
Am I the only person here who really, really likes Fleet Foxes?  unsure.gif

Limey Loves Fleet Foxes.

 

A lot

I get the feeling Limey could marry them if he had the chance wink.gif

laugh.gif no.gif tongue.gif

 

I just really love their music, it's different from really anything else that's come out in the past few years, i'm tired of the same music being put out by different artists and people going nuts over it.

You know, at first this Fleet Foxes love-in was making me wretch, but I decided to listen to it again, and well, I'm changing my opinion on it, because of your persistence.

 

Which makes you an arse.

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QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 5 2009, 05:42 PM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:38 PM)
QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 4 2009, 03:53 AM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:02 AM)
QUOTE (Kudzu @ Nov 1 2009, 08:02 AM)
Am I the only person here who really, really likes Fleet Foxes?  unsure.gif

Limey Loves Fleet Foxes.

 

A lot

I get the feeling Limey could marry them if he had the chance wink.gif

laugh.gif no.gif tongue.gif

 

I just really love their music, it's different from really anything else that's come out in the past few years, i'm tired of the same music being put out by different artists and people going nuts over it.

You know, at first this Fleet Foxes love-in was making me wretch, but I decided to listen to it again, and well, I'm changing my opinion on it, because of your persistence.

 

Which makes you an arse.

laugh.gif

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QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 5 2009, 09:42 AM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:38 PM)
QUOTE (Mandalorian Hunter @ Nov 4 2009, 03:53 AM)
QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:02 AM)
QUOTE (Kudzu @ Nov 1 2009, 08:02 AM)
Am I the only person here who really, really likes Fleet Foxes?  unsure.gif

Limey Loves Fleet Foxes.

 

A lot

I get the feeling Limey could marry them if he had the chance wink.gif

laugh.gif no.gif tongue.gif

 

I just really love their music, it's different from really anything else that's come out in the past few years, i'm tired of the same music being put out by different artists and people going nuts over it.

You know, at first this Fleet Foxes love-in was making me wretch, but I decided to listen to it again, and well, I'm changing my opinion on it, because of your persistence.

 

Which makes you an arse.

Your welcome cool.gif smile.gif

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