The Decade, Volume '01

And the hits don't stop here at Airbag Radio. This week we tackle the year that was 2001. The year that four unlikely cartoons from England burst onto the scene with a catchy little jingle known as "Clint Eastwood." That's right our pick for best album of 2001 goes to none other than Gorillaz.

All Pop, All Funk, All Brit, All Punk. Gorillaz self-titled debut defies all genres and categories and as a result can only be defined as great. The album's lead single "Clint Eastwood," featuring a ghostly Del on vocals, may in fact be the decade's best song. Masterminded by Blur's Damon Albarn, Gorillaz is as much a musical statement as an artistic one. In our world of manufactured pop icons and recycled celebrities, Gorillaz stand out as an ironic breath of fresh air. Four cartoons, a virtual band, standing head and shoulders above the "real" world. Beyond the irony, Gorillaz is pure fun. Give it a listen and you'll find yourself wishing you we're a cartoon too.

Four More

Jay-Z - The Blueprint

If Jay-Z wasn't already hip-hop's greatest rapper, he was after the Blueprint. This was the "Takeover!"

Radiohead - Amnesiac

The B-Side to the greatness that was Kid A. Amnesiac continues in the same vein with it's own unique mood.

System Of A Down - Toxicity

More metal from the early 2000's? Yes, but the difference is that these guys broke every rule you learned in your Music Composition class and still managed to take the world by surprise.

The White Stripes - White Blood Cells

Guitar + Drums = Everything You Need

The Decade, Volume '00

The end is nigh! No, not that apocalyptic, fire-and-brimstone kind of end. The end of the decade is nigh. And as the 2000's come to a close, we at Airbag Radio are taking time to reflect on the past 10 years of music and all that our ears have enjoyed. For the next 10 weeks, we'll be featuring the best album of each year of the decade. It all starts here with Y2K, the millenium kickoff.

Radiohead - Kid A

Not only the best album of 2000, but likely the best album of the decade. At the time, Radiohead's Kid A was seen as a drastic departure from form for the band, however in retrospect, it can be seen more as a commitment to form as Thom Yorke & Co. continually pushed the envelope and moved in new directions with each subsequent release.

Kid A simultaneously embraces and pulls away from the dawning of new era. Drenched in electronic soundscapes, Thom Yorke's voice conjures up images of an old soul wrestling with our present future, a personal life lost in the magnitude of modern life. Does that make sense? No? It might after you listen to the album, or you may draw your own conclusions. Nonetheless, Kid A will make you uncomfortable, and in that discomfort you will likely arrive at a new understanding your world.

Beyond our artsy-farsty rambling-on, the music on this album straight kills. Dense beats, lofty beats, dense piano, lofty piano, muffled vocals, muddy vocals, strained vocals, soaring vocals. A true accomplishment in sound. Get your ears around this. Highlights include: "Everything In Its Right Place," "The National Anthem," and "Idioteque."

Four More

Here are four more greats from the year that was 2000.

The Hives - Veni Vidi Vicious

This one took a couple of years to catch on, but when it did it started a fire. All Rock. All Roll. All Rock & Roll. And matching suits to boot.

Deftones - White Pony

Sacto's finest move beyond the watered down metal scene of the late 90's, unleashing Chino's ethereal vocals and the bands atmospheric capabilities. At the same time White Pony never abandons the heavy core that makes Deftones Sacto's finest.

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP

His greatness can't be denied and this was Eminem at his peak. The world hated him and he hated the world right back.

Coldplay - Parachutes

If you're a regular here at Airbag Radio, you know how much we hate Coldplay today, but there was once a time when these now-douchebags weren't concerned with pleasing all the soccer moms of the world. Parachutes is subtle, great, and subtly great.

Fake It 'Til You Make It...

We're back from hibernation with a new semi-irregular feature called Fake It 'Til You Make It. FITYMI is a showcase of obscure and sometimes quirky cover versions of popular songs. It all starts here with a cover of Beyonce's "Single Ladies" from Pompaloose. Check the vid below.

For more brilliance from these monkeys click here. Thanks to @50Champ for the tip.

Quite Possibly The Worst Movie Ever

A small town setting and a folksy guitar soundtrack can't save you from a cliche plot and predictable dialog.

Why is Sunshine Cleaning quite possibly the worst movie ever? It's B-Grade Hollywood junk masquerading as a hip indie drama. I wish I had three hands, so I could give it three thumbs down.

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Thank You.

PS Listen to your favorite song. You'll be glad you did. (And so will we.)