10. Private Dancer ALBUM: âÄúTrouble EyesâÄù (2008) LABEL: Learning Curve Records ItâÄôs not complicated. ItâÄôs not critically lauded and Solid GoldâÄôs âÄúBodies of WaterâÄù would serve as a trendier pick. But âÄúTrouble Eyes,âÄù simply put, is 2008âÄôs best local release. The groupâÄôs punk-meets-surf sound is honed to a tee and tracks like âÄúI See Trouble,âÄù âÄúDo the Hot DogâÄù and âÄúDo You Like to Read?âÄù possess stellar replay value. 9. Caroline Smith & The Goodnight Sleeps ALBUM: âÄúBackyard Tent SetâÄù (2008) LABEL: Self-released Haley Bonar is a better songwriter and Lucy MichelleâÄôs band has more complex arrangements, but Caroline SmithâÄôs debut is far and away the best Twin Cities girl release of the decade. Smith brims with charm throughout the discâÄôs 10 tracks but never comes off grating. What sets âÄúBackyardâÄù apart, though, is her knack for earnest lyricism and tot-notch pop sensibilities. 8. STNNNG ALBUM: âÄúDignified SissyâÄù (2005) LABEL: Modern Radio Record Label âÄúDignified SissyâÄù is blessed with album art that brutally and hilariously describes the music within. The cover, by the way, is men with rifles at war with vicious polar bears in the arctic; itâÄôs a perfect metaphor for the music âĦ er, sort of. A full-on punk guitar assault, âÄúDignified SissyâÄù features singer Chris Besinger sing-talking while the instruments do battle around him. ItâÄôs a poppier, funnier Black Flag record for Minnesotans. 7. P.O.S. ALBUM: âÄúNever BetterâÄù (2009) LABEL: Rhymesayers Tough call to rank this one ahead of P.O.S.âÄôs 2006 LP âÄúAudition,âÄù but his almost militaristic intensity on âÄúNever BetterâÄù simply does more. The production is raw and forceful and P.O.S.âÄôs machine gun flow overtly calls the listener out. ItâÄôs a challenging listen, but a few spins of tracks like âÄúPurexedâÄù and the title track reveal âÄúNever BetterâÄùâÄôs density doesnâÄôt mask its quality; it simply makes you work for it. 6. Lifter Puller ALBUM: âÄúFiestas + FiascosâÄù (2000) LABEL: Frenchkiss Records FinnâÄôs pen was sharp. The bandâÄôs loose, indie sound was on. And Nightclub Dwight (possibly) died. Lifter Puller died with this album too, but it went out strong with a concept record ripe with Finn-isms (themes like liquid tans and dripping wet things) and standouts like âÄúLake Street is for Lovers,âÄù âÄúTouch My StuffâÄù and âÄúThe Flex and Buff Result.âÄù 5. The Plastic Constellations ALBUM: âÄúMazatlanâÄù (2004) LABEL: 2024 Records âÄúWe wrote this/and laced up our shoes/we came to playâÄù sings frontman Aaron Mader on âÄúMazatlanâÄùâÄôs opening track. Somehow, that song, like many on the record, melds humor with unrelenting anthemic energy. ItâÄôs a post-punk cocktail that doesnâÄôt take itself seriously or compromise integrity âÄî thereâÄôs obvious depth to the arrangements. The tempo-shifts, the enthusiasm and the general accessibility make âÄúMazatlanâÄù an underrated local classic. 4. Atmosphere ALBUM: âÄúGod Loves UglyâÄù (2002) LABEL: Rhymesayers/Fat Beats AtmosphereâÄôs third LP epitomized and perfected SlugâÄôs self-loathing. If his shtick gets tiresome on later releases (it does), âÄúGod Loves UglyâÄù balances harder-edge (âÄúOne of a Kind,âÄù âÄúShrapnelâÄù) with sentiment (âÄúModern ManâÄôs Hustle,âÄù âÄúF*@K You LucyâÄù), and the protagonist remains a skilled and relatable anti-hero throughout. Also, any record that boasts so many songs every Minneapolitan knows is doing something right. 3. Low ALBUM: âÄúThings We Lost in the FireâÄù (2001) LABEL: Kranky Why is âÄúslowcoreâÄù a genre? Yes, Low doesnâÄôt play fast. A lot of bands donâÄôt. ItâÄôs a stupid genre name and a stupid use of a suffix. Rant aside, âÄúThings We Lost in the FireâÄù is a lush, thoughtful and gorgeous record. ItâÄôs a record ripe with Sparhawk and ParkerâÄôs pitch-perfect vocal melodies, and it both tests and rewards the listenerâÄôs patience. Culminating with the insanely poignant ode to ParkerâÄôs child âÄúIn Metal;âÄù âÄúThingsâÄù ranked as one of finest national indie records of the decade by Pitchfork, coming in 117th. 2. Brother Ali ALBUM: âÄúShadows on the SunâÄù (2004) LABEL: Rhymesayers Before Brother Ali was a happy suburban father, he was a hungry street poet âÄî one who would readily smack you in the mouth. âÄúShadows on the Sun,âÄù Brother AliâÄôs Rhymesayers debut, shows a green emcee in mid-career form. âÄúRoom with a ViewâÄù is an urgent introduction and âÄúForest Whitaker âÄù is a local treasure. Arguably AntâÄôs best production effort, Brother Ali confidently and cogitatively ushered himself in as a local force. 1. The Hold Steady ALBUM: âÄúSeparation SundayâÄù (2005) LABEL: Frenchkiss Records Technically a Brooklyn band, but screw it. Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn put his Lifter Puller-era characters to bed with that groupâÄôs final LP âÄúFiestas and FiascosâÄù (also on this list). His new groupâÄôs first LP, âÄúAlmost Killed Me,âÄù birthed a new clique of hapless Twin Cities deviants âÄî Holly, Charlemagne and Gideon. ItâÄôs here, on âÄúSeparation Sunday,âÄù where Finn breathed the most life into their collective story arch and, in turn, produced the Hold SteadyâÄôs most realized crop of tunes. âÄúBanging CampâÄù is a power chord/baptismal orgasm; âÄúMultitude of CasualtiesâÄù is as liberated musically as it is lyrically; âÄúHow a Resurrection Really FeelsâÄù is a perfect, conclusive capper to a record that navigates gripping storytelling and dynamically structured songs better than any other record of the decade. It may not be as cool to like the Hold Steady as it once was, but match any of these songs up to other groups and itâÄôs really no contest. And now, other local media-types picks! Mary Lucia DJ âÄî 89.3 The Current P.O.S. âÄî âÄúNever BetterâÄù (2009) Tim OâÄôReagan âÄî âÄúTim OâÄôReaganâÄù (2006) Vicious Vicious âÄî âÄúParadeâÄù (2007) Death To Our Enemies âÄî âÄúDeath To Our EnemiesâÄù (2007) Idle Hands âÄî âÄúThe Hearts We Broke on the Way to the ShowâÄù (2009) Divorcee âÄî Music For Clean-up Men, Breakdown and In-Betweeners (2005) Little Man âÄî âÄúSoulful AutomaticâÄù (2007) OlâÄô Yeller âÄî âÄúGood LuckâÄù (2006) Atmosphere âÄî âÄúWhen Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit GoldâÄù (2008) White Light Riot âÄî âÄúAtomismâÄù (2007) Jay Gabler Associate editor âÄî TC Daily Planet Leadbelly âÄî âÄúPrivate Party November 21, 1948âÄù [recorded in Minneapolis, released in 2000] Minnesota Orchestra âÄî âÄúBeethoven symphony cycleâÄù Paul Westerberg âÄî âÄúCome Feel Me TrembleâÄù (2003) Atmosphere âÄî âÄúWhen Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit GoldâÄù (2008) Peter Wolf Crier âÄîâÄùInter-BeâÄù (2009) Maps of Norway âÄî âÄúDie Off SongbirdâÄù (2008) Walker Kong âÄî âÄúThere Goes the SunâÄù (2001) Cloud Cult âÄî âÄúFeel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)âÄù (2008) Charlie Parr âÄî âÄú1922âÄù (2002) Haley Bonar âÄî âÄúBig StarâÄù (2008) Kate Iverson Editor in chief âÄî l’etoile magazine, arts editor SecretsoftheCity.com Atmosphere âÄî âÄúGod Loves UglyâÄù (2002) Jeremy Messersmith âÄî âÄúThe Silver CityâÄù (2008) P.O.S. âÄî âÄúAuditionâÄù (2006) Lifter Puller âÄî âÄúFiestas and FiascosâÄù (2000) Astronaut Wife âÄî âÄúFlying SaucerâÄù (2003) Tapes n’ Tapes âÄî âÄúThe LoonâÄù (2006) Doomtree âÄî Doomtree (2008) The Hold Steady âÄî âÄúBoys and Girls in AmericaâÄù (2006) Cloud Cult âÄî âÄúFeel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)âÄù (2008) The Soviettes âÄî All Jahna Peloquin Contributing writer/stylist âÄî Vita.MN Solid Gold âÄî “Bodies of Water” (2008) Lookbook âÄî “I Fear You, My Darkness” (2008) Thunder in the Valley âÄî “A Long, Long Walk” (2006) Low âÄî “Things We Lost in the Fire” (2001) Faux Jean âÄî “Kiss Life on the Lips” (2002) Vampire Hands âÄî “Hannah in the Mansion” (2009) Jeremy Messersmith âÄî “The Silver City” (2008) 12 Rods âÄî “Lost Time” (2002) Melodious Owl âÄî”Melodious Owl” (2005) P.O.S. âÄî “Never Better” (2009) Tom Loftus Owner âÄî Modern Radio Record Label Signal To Trust âÄî “Golden Armour” (2007) STNNNG âÄî “Dignified Sissy” (2005) Lifter Puller âÄî “Fiestas and Fiascos” (2000) Low âÄî “Things We Lost in The Fire” (2001) Malachi Constant âÄî “Zenith” (2002) Volante âÄî “45 Degrees North” (2001) The Plastic Constellations âÄî “We Appreciate You” (2008) Vampire Hands âÄî “Me & You Cherry Red” (2008) The Chris Danforths âÄî “Outside of Outer Space” (2003) Skoal Kodiak âÄî “Three People Are Keep Having Grape Emergency’s” (2007)