Friday, March 19, 2010

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #27: Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.


On their debut album, Hope Is Important, Scottish rockers Idlewild really hadn't figured out what they were doing yet. Their output was a rough attempt at grungy punk which really doesn't deserve more than one spin. So the polished evolution featured on their sophomore effort, "100 Broken Windows," was certainly a surprise.

Suddenly this was a band with talent. They could write songs, deploy catchy-as-hell riffs, and singer Roddy Woomble even discovered a capable croon. But I am not trying to say that this is a band simply getting their act together. These are shimmering pop songs buoyed by an incisive edge that few bands can muster without screeching. The thing is, often times you hear a catchy tune, you dig the hell out of it for a few weeks and then it fades away as quickly as it arrived. These gems simply don't quit.

The record begins innocently enough, with a mathy riff that pops from the strings of a guitar before Woomble displays his improved vocals. But once that chorus hits, you can't help singing along, agreeing that "All I need is a little discourage." From there, the band pumps out winner after winner. I could list them, but check out the Youtubes below and then go get the rest of the album.

The records that followed have their high points, but they are just a bit too slick. On 100 Broken Windows, the band found the perfect blend of their past and future. And I know I'm going to keep reliving that moment in their timeline for years to come.








Previous Entries:
#28 - Common - Be
#29 - The Futureheads - News and Tributes
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn


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