I bet Mike and Stuart's kids would feel a whole lot more responsive if they could see the pics that you tried to upload, Derek. Hopefully, it wasn't a shot of Michael Jackson.

As for your picks, I think both the Beck and Flaming Lips albums you mentioned will be on my list, likely in the top 30 or 20, and interesting that you should put these two together as their double-bill concert was one that I enjoyed a few years back when they came to Massey Hall. The only disappointment was that 4 songs in, the Flaming Lips, who were opening, had some technical/sound problems that ended up cutting their set short. They did a few accapella versions of some songs but didn't get to 'Are You a Hypnotist', which wouldn't have really translated well without the complete production. Still think I prefer their 1999 (read: ineligible for nomination for this decade) disc "The Soft Bulletin" but "Yoshimi" has some pretty great moments as well, as you've duly noted.

Also dig the Microphones disc, which I only discovered last year and will likely include on my list. As for your omission of Arcade Fire, Bri, I was going to file this under 'deliberately provocative on an unconscious level, despite implied sincerity' but then recalled that you never were on board this particular train. Both discs will likely hit the top of my list so I'll have to either have to make a compelling case for its greatness when the complete list is unveiled or simply make a derisive comment on your artistic sensibility (likely the easier route but we'll see what my time is like around December).

For now, two more additions:

Madvillain - Madvillainy (2004)

Madvillian is less a group than a collaboration between producer Madlib (the music) and MF Doom (the lyrics and vocals). Though the tracks sometimes come to an abrupt end just as they're getting interesting, the clever word play, rhymes, use of music samples and what sounds like mid-20th century radio programs, make this an engaging listen from start to finish. For those not sold on the more commercial sound of someone like a Kanye or Common, this might be a good foray into the genre.



Elbow - Cast of Thousands (2003)

Really beautiful English atmospheric pop, with nods to Radiohead and Catherine Wheel. This album ranges emotionally and lyrically between being caustic and soothing, hopeful and deeply cynical. Some songs build into soaring, anthemic choruses, at times accompanied by full choir, while others use little more than a piano and quiet, pained vocals to sad yet beautiful effect. What I would have hoped Coldplay's future releases would have sounded like after 'Don't Panic' and 'Yellow'.

Video here as they've disabled embedding.