The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 165

Yep, today is Thursday, but here we are, ready to unveil our TOP TEN Jukebox already! Why, you ask? What's the reason for this change of day? Well, we have an extremely exciting weekend ahead that includes...attending The National gig in Lisbon! But don't worry: we are going to leave you in great hands, thanks to the excellent company of our beloved Sufjan Stevens, the new, arresting single of Line & Circle (one of our favourite 'newcomers', for sure), the comeback of Tennis and terrific discoveries like Patsy's Rats. Not bad for just one playlist, right? Have an awesome weekend and remember, all songs are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!)

Direct links to 2017 Jukebox playlists

Week 126  Week 127  Week 128  Week 129  Week 130  Week 131 Week 132  Week 133
Week 134  Week 135  Week 136  Week 137  Week 138  Week 139 Week 140  Week 141
Week 142  Week 143  Week 144  Week 145  Week 146  Week 147  Week 148 Week 149
Week 150  Week 151  Week 152  Week 153  Week 154  Week 155  Week 156  Week 157
Week 158  Week 159  Week 160  Week 161  Week 162  Week 163  Week 164

Best Songs of the Year 2015: 50-26

As promised yesterday, here's the third round of our Best Songs of 2015, this time comprising songs between positions 50 to 26. As we approach the end of the lists, you''re going to see some artists/groups "repeating" their apparitions (just one tune per round) in both lists, something logical considering some of them have been the responsible of the EPs and Records of the year, in our opinion. Remember the playlist below is available at our Soundcloud. Stay tuned, the Top 25 arriving shortly!


50. Strange Hellos- Torres
49. Been in the wars- New Politicians 
48. Creep Me Out- Ghost Transmission
47. Stars- The Treasures of Mexico
46. Ahora que hace bueno- Reina Republicana
45. Waste the alphabet- Dick Diver
44. What went down- Foals
43. Swept Away- Star Tropics
42. Desencuentros- The New Raemon
41. Dream date- Salad Boys
40. Stranger – Twerps
39. Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens
38.  Lake song- The Decemberists
37. Blo
37. Blood- Algiers
36. Blue swallow- Novella
35. Silhouettes- Viet Cong
34. Saw the light- Seapony
33. Burn masculinity- The Spook School
32. Again- Faith Healer
31. Out of metaphors- Line & Circle
30. Wasting time- Young Romance
29. O- Desperate Journalist
28. A 
28. A New Wave- Sleater-Kinney
27. Odiar
27. Odiar- Hazte Lapón
26. The Legend of Chavo Guerrero- The Mountain Goats

Best Records of the Year 2015

No time to rest. After EPs and Concerts, now it's the turn for the Best Records of 2015! As done on previous years, we have listed the 30 LPs most enjoyed this year. During 2015 we have had the chance to see some of them live, others have been exceptional discoveries (you'll find many at our 'Discoverer Section') or listed at our 'Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Series'. Even a few of them have been interviewed at the 'These Go to 11' series (zillions thanks!). Best Songs following shortly! Thanks to all of bands listed, you gave us a wonderful soundtrack this 2015!

30. Goon- Tobias Jesso Jr.
29. No One's Coming to for Us - Trust Fund
28. Souvenirs- The Birkins
27. MCIII- Mikal Cronin
26. Songs to Play- Robert Forster
25. Silver Bullets- The Chills
24. Jekyll Island- Surf City
23. Oh, Rompehielos- The New Raemon
22. In my flat- The Hermit Crabs
21. Time to go home- Chastity Belt
20. El Despertar- Reina Republicana
19. Of love & other affections- Postal Blue
18. A vision- Seapony
17. Holding Pattern- The Treasures of Mexico
16. Apparitions- Ghost Transmission
15. All odds ends- The Mantles
14. Algiers- Algiers
13. Wasting away and wondering- The School
12. Sometimes I sit and think, and sometimes I sit- Courtney Barnett
11. I love you, honeybear- Father John Misty
10. Melbourne, Florida- Dick Diver
9. The agent intellect- Protomartyr
8. Range Anxiety- Twerps
7. No son tu marido- Hazte Lapón
6. Land- Novella
5. No cities to love- Sleater-Kinney
4. Beat the champ- The Mountain Goats
3. Desperate Journalist- Desperate Journalist
2. Split Figure- Line & Circle
1. Carrie and Lowell- Sufjan Stevens


Want to check last year's list? Then check here
Or do you prefer checking 2013?
And 2012's? Click here
And 2011's?

Best Concerts of the Year 2015

And the time has arrived. Let's begin our contribution to the best of the year lists' madness! So, ladies and gentleman we are more than happy to start, as we did on previous editions, with our favorite concerts of 2015. And what a top ten! Bands that we have been waiting to see for a long time, new and superb discoveries and much more! Hope you like it!

10. The Mountain Goats (Heliogàbal, Barcelona, November 23rd)

2015 has been a Mountain Goats’ year for us. We finally embraced their music, thanks to ‘Beat the champ’ (look for it among our best records of the year) after flirting with many of their songs for years. We enjoyed John Darnielle’s intriguing and absorbing first novel ‘Wolf in the white van’ and, out of the blue, he came to Barcelona to present his prose and also giving us a short but unforgettable gig in one of the most intimate venues of the city, Heliogàbal. A fascinating storyteller, among the best songwriters in the world, Darnielle is also a breathtaking performer, ready to blow you up with an instant of rage, a vocal tear or a gentle melody in which words and music merge becoming one. ‘There Will Be No Divorce’, ‘Woke Up New’, ‘Up the Wolves’, ‘No Children’… A brief but phenomenal dose of an immense song book. One full of songs that hurt. Songs that cure. Songs that remain with you.

The Mountain Goats - Heliogàbal - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

9. Sufjan Stevens (Auditori Fòrum - CCIB, Barcelona, October 29th)

It could had been the concert of the year, as almost every song of the heartbreaking 'Carrie & Lowell' was disarming live, with 'Death With Dignity', 'Should Have Known Better', 'Drawn to the Blood', 'John My Beloved', 'The Only Thing' shining... a stunning collection of tunes performed brilliantly, with Sufjan showing a fragility in his voice and gestures that added another piece of wonder to the gig and a terrific band leaded by multifaceted Dawn Landes. Vulnerability, naked feelings and honest intimacy for an audience of 3.000 souls. What a miracle. But it could had been the disappointment of 2015 too, as ‘Age of Adz’ tunes also appeared, breaking the unique atmosphere created. There was time still for a third transformation, with an encore devoted to “Sufjan folk classics" ending the gig in a lighter, cheerful way. So, despite not being our perfect setlist, one can't argue. We saw an immaculate performance, and a genuine, polyhedral, indispensable artist.

Sufjan Stevens - Auditori Fòrum - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Torres - Primavera Sound Festival - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

8. Torres (Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona, May 31st )
We didn’t stay very late on Saturday at Fòrum, because there was a mandatory gig to watch next day (and you usually are too tired to enjoy much music on Primavera Sound’s final day). Our first time watching Mackenzie Scott's live, finally. And she didn’t disappoint. On the very contrary, she excelled our expectations at BARTS, our only complaint is her performance didn’t last longer (only six tunes), but what an intensity! She left us wide mouthed several times, in complete awestruck while we watched her fighting against the threatening guitar lines, shouting and whispering her wounded lyrics, breaking and letting her voice disarm you. Superb artist.

7. U2 (Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, October 5th & 6th)
Being part of a U2 concert today is such a confrontation with the person you are now and who you were today. Tastes evolve and, most luckily, new and exciting bands and sounds occupy your head & heart. Your past heroes are no longer the ones releasing the record of the year. Even more important than that, there’s a sense that dimension & context are also very important too, making it clear, bigger doesn’t mean better. In what regards to music, it might as well be the contrary. But after years and years of dealing with small stages and terrible sounding, many bands that have more courage than talents, you find yourself at Palau Sant Jordi and all your hipster & let’s face it, cynical defences, crumble after hearing a stormy, intimidating rendition of ‘Electric Co.’. It’s just nostalgia channeling the younger you? It has to be more than that. A gigantic screen on which Bono recreates his teenager years got you completely. Sure it’s all a choreography fuelled by the highest technology but, for a while, it seems to point directly at you. ‘Iris’, not particularly your favourite tune on the new record, breaks you with the outstanding vocal performance of the aging, a bit weary, but still powerful singer. And so does ‘Raised by Wolves’, a glimpse of that primeval, raging urgency of their early days. Or hearing ‘October’ for the first time. Or seeing people surrounding you on a state of pure joy you don’t see (drunk people doesn’t count) at the coolest indie festivals or gigs (the rampant cynicism again), or collapsing, breaking down in tears as some of the classics arrive. Or sharing the gigs with two of the most important people of your life, and seeing your little brother get himself into the celebration that is now ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ while you think this is something that you have shared with him for more than two decades now. Sure, there are a couple of forgettable moments during the show, some lame performances that seem to be done ‘on autopilot’ and songs choices that are regrettable, in your opinion. But it doesn’t really matter, because they are still there, still meaning quite a lot to you...

U2 - Palau Sant Jordi - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Algiers - Primavera Club - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

6. Algiers (Primavera Club, Barcelona, October 25th)

They were our discovery just before the Primavera Club arrived, so we were aware this wasn’t “just another band”. But we weren’t prepared for such a powerful performance. Each song a strike, a statement, a howl for the one that are struggling but haven’t been defeated yet. There’s something genuine in the flammable rage and passion with which each member of the band plays, in particular their front man Franklin James Fisher spitting each word, hitting the guitar, or writhing on the floor. An unleashed beast at Apolo, their mutant, combat music comes from somewhere very deep inside every human being. A very needed band.

5. Twerps (Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona, May 28th)

It wouldn’t be this Blog without an Antipodean band on the list, don’t you think? Twerps have delivered one of our favourite records of the year without a doubt, so there were we, with a gigantic smile on our face, waiting at the first row way before their gig began at Pitchfork stage. It was a shiny, joyful, carefree and warm gig. An impeccable afternoon with indiepop gems like 'I Don't Mind', 'Back to You', 'Shoulders', ‘Conditional Report’, ‘Stranger’... 45 minutes of pure magic, as it is done down under, making your mind disappear for a gentle while into the jangly guitar lines.

Twerps - Primavera Sound - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

4. Novella (Primavera Club, Barcelona, October 23rd)
Speaking of making your mind disappear, here comes our biggest “live discovery” of 2015. We knew Novella was a band to follow (we featured them in 2012) and we love the album ‘Land’. But we didn’t know how overwhelming and irresistible they were live. Psych-pop, shoegaze with kraut hints, with a ton of floating guitars in space. Echoing Pale Saints, Neu! as well as the Dum Dum Girls, the gig was a stunning, incandescent trip, guided by the vocal harmonies of Hollie Warren and Sophy Hollington and leaded by gems like ‘Follow’, ‘Blue Swallow’ or ‘Land Gone’. Love at first guitar line.

Novella - Primavera Club - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Lambchop - Sala BARTS - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

3. Lambchop (Sala BARTS, Barcelona, July 17th)
Seeing Lambchop had become a pending, frustrating affair for many years but, luckily, we finally managed to solve it. And what a pleasure turned to be. Kurt Wagner and Co. have the rare ability to stop time while they are playing. Wagner telling us his stories in the form of gorgeous tunes, picking us up, carrying us to a place that’s light-years away from the maddening crowd, to an imaginary campfire with the rest of the band. A quiet, distant place, yet at the same time, so recognizable, so human and full of soul. A masterclass with too many highlights to choose among, like the impossible, poignant beauty of ‘Gone Tomorrow’, the jazzy atmosphere of ‘Sharing a Gibson with Martin Luther King Jr., the upbeat ‘Grumpus’ and ‘National talk like a pirate day’ or the great, arresting, ‘Up With People’ with the majestic finale of Wagner letting himself go vocally, unleashing something that can’t be faked: that there's a guy, well, a bunch of guys, enjoying what they do on stage. And giving us the time of our lives. Huge night.

Luna - Sala Bikini - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

2. Luna (Sala Bikini, Barcelona, April 23rd)
Celebrating Sant Jordi with a Luna gig seems like an unbeatable plan. Even more considering here’s a beloved band we never had the chance to see live. The night already started in a fantastic way with the lovely Flowers as their support act, so when Luna took the stage everything was set in its right place for a great show. And the group delivered. Fantastic, crystal clear sound, Dean Wareham and guitarist Sean Eden having and making fun with the audience, and a setlist including the majority of songs we hoped for Superfreaky Memories’, ‘Chinatown’, ‘23 Minutes in Brussels’, ‘Lost in Space’, plus the final renditions of Velvet’s ‘Ride Into the Sun’ and Beat Happening’s ‘Indian Summer’ . Nearly two house of haunting and hypnotic guitars, ethereal bass lines and moody drums. The best dreampop in Sant Jordi, not bad for a holiday, don’t you think?.

1. Sleater-Kinney (La Cigale, Paris, March 20th)

When the comeback was confirmed we knew it was one of these rare occasions when you do have to make an effort and watch them live, aside from a Festival slot where it’s much harder to see a band performing at their best. What a wise choice it proved to be. Mind-blowing from start to finish. La Cigale’s floor shaking (no, really) from the very beginning of ‘Price Tag’, 26 tunes with two encores, with ‘No Cities to Love’ tunes as celebrated as the old ones by a enthusiast crowd that was eager to let the performing trio (a quartet live) how happy they were to have them back. And the band was eager to give their 110% in return. Carrie Brownstein was electric. Janet Weiss thunderous but for us (consider we were just in front of her) the real star of the night was Corin Tucker, what an explosive, mesmerizing performance. To put it simply, one of the best bands we’ve seen live. One of the best bands out there. Welcome back.

Sleater-Kinney - La Cigale - Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Want to check last year's best concerts? Just click here
What about 2013? Click here 
And 2012? Click here
Or 2011? Then check here

Sufjan Stevens, intimacy for the masses

Sufjan Stevens (+ Austra), Auditori Fòrum, Barcelona, September 29th

Sufjan & Dawn Landes, folk of the heart. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Despite not being the most fervent fan, or even a regular one, although I love 'Seven Swans' (a song about one of the best short stories of Flannery O'Connor, you have me) and I'm pretty sure 'Carrie & Lowell' is among the best releases of the year, I have to admit I was pretty excited with Sufjan Stevens' gig at Auditori, the first time I was going to see the Michigan artist live. Hipsterland, commonly known as Barcelona, seemed to be all gathered at the Fòrum. The date seemed an unmissable one.

Dark waves with Austra. Photo; Bloodbuzzed

The night didn't started in the most promising way, though. Not to say Austra's music is bad or that their performance was disappointing. Katie Stelmanis is an impressive singer and their songs, if you are into that dark-disco/new wave style, even darker live (her most famous songs, the stunning 'Lose you' sounded gloomy and intensely desperate) are going to appeal you for sure. No, the question mark here is what does she have to do with Sufjan's music? It simply didn't fit there...

No shade in the shadows of the band. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Anyway, on time at 21:00 Sufjan and his troupe took the Auditori's stage and after opening with 'Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)', they performed 'Carrie & Lowell' in its entirety and almost following the record's order. 'Death With Dignity' and the strikingly beautiful 'Should Have Known Better' were the first two gems to arrive, making the miracle of disarming 3.000 souls with an exercise of intimacy and naked vulnerability so rare to find in popular music (we were lucky to be seated on the first row and we could assure Sufjan looked affected with the performance of several songs). 'Drawn to the Blood', 'Eugene', 'John My Beloved', 'The Only Thing', a stunning collection of tunes performed brilliantly by an impeccable band, where Dawn Landes was beyond terrific on backing vocals and all sorts of duties all night. Even the fragile, somewhat broken voice of Sufjan, seemed to add another piece of wonder to the gig. Unique atmosphere, embellished by the stark but touching visuals that backed the band.

A man, his thoughts, his feelings, his songs . Photo: Bloodbuzzed

But then arrived 'Fourth of July', one of the masterpieces of his latest album, and doubts arised. With Sufjan on piano, the arresting, devastating tune, evolved into an epic monster that for sure left the audience dazed, but changed the vibe of the album and the gig completely. 'No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross' and 'Carrie & Lowell' seemed to return to the previous folkier path. A mirage. Then came 'All of Me Wants All of You', with its electronic R&B beats and Stevens dances. It was the beginning of a concert section where electronics leaded the way, with 'The Owl and the Tanager', 'Vesuvius', imo almost laughable, 'I Want to Be Well' and the visually gorgeous but neverending outro 'Blue Bucket of Gold'. Maybe Sufjan wanted to shift from indie-folk for a while, worried such a big audience was going to "disconnect" from the gig with too many slow, moody numbers. Understandable but, being diplomatic, not my cup of tea. Not a fan of 'Age of Adz'.

The return of the folk singer. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The show couldn't end that way. And luckily, it didn't. As a matter of fact, the encore felt like a completely different gig, with Sufjan returning to stage dressed as the recognisable folk-singer with baseball cap and colourful shirt, and much more talkative with the audience, to offer a short set of "Sufjan classics", with 'Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois', 'Heirloom', the goosebumps of 'For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti' and the final trio of 'John Wayne Gacy, Jr.', the great 'Casimir Pulaski Day' and, of course, 'Chicago', which lacked its joyful fanfare in a somewhat lukewarm acoustic version. One can't argue: the performance was flawless, immaculate, definitely a thing to watch. It's easy to understand why the public was fascinated and stood up to applaud the band during minutes. Also the universal praise of critics on the following days. But for me, I can't say it was an unforgettable, life-changing gig, because some of the choices made by the artist during part of the gig didn't convince me. Just a matter of taste on an otherwise indispensable artist...

Best Records and EPs of the year 2015... so far

Here we are once again, half of the year is already gone. So, honouring one of the Blog's favourite traditions, and after a very tough decision, here are, in our opinion, the 25 best records and EPs of the year 2015 so far (until half June). As we did in previous years, the albums and EPs are listed in alphabetical order (the complete, final list will arrive when the year ends). Hoping you enjoy these great artists as much as we do!* Stay tuned, we are working on our favourite songs of this six months of music!

Apparitions- Ghost Transmission
Beat the Champ- The Mountain Goats
Beta- El Lado Oscuro de la Broca
Carrie & Lowell- Sufjan Stevens
Desperate Journalist- Desperate Journalist
Everything Else Matters- Pinkshinyultrablast
El Despertar- Reina Republicana
Goon- Tobias Jesso Jr.
Holding Pattern- The Treasures of Mexico
I don't want to let you down - Sharon Van Etten
I Love You, Honeybear- Father John Misty
Jekyll Island- Surf City
Love is love - Skittle Alley
MCIII- Mikal Cronin
Melbourne, Florida- Dick Diver
Murder Shoes - Murder Shoes
No Cities to Love- Sleater-Kinney
No One's Coming to for Us - Trust Fund
Oh, Rompehielos- The New Raemon
Overeasy EP - Diet Cig
Pure American Gum - American Culture
Range Anxiety- Twerps
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I just Sit- Courtney Barnett
Switch Me On- The Fireworks
Wild EP - Young Romance

Click on the years to check our 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 selections!

* Note: Still have to properly listen The Catenary Wires's "Red Red Skies" and the forthcoming Day Ravies "Liminal Zones" which, considering what I have listened so far, seem fated to be on the list.

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 45

Facing tough days lately, but weekends and music are still able to provide an antidote to fight against them. Here's another new round of our TOP TEN playlist to prove it, diverse, rich and exciting, with many several new finds with a couple of surefires (one thanks to our dear friends at Fishrider Records, always something worth to dig out down under). And remember, this is also available at our Soundcloud blog page. So, join us!

Direct links to 2015 Jukebox playlists
Week 36  Week 37  Week 38   Week 39  Week 40

Week 41  Week 42  Week 43  Week 44

Discoverer 72: new indie findings

It's Sunday, so here you have more new indie proposals, enjoy !

San Fermin. Forget the terrible band name (I'm not Hemingway so I won't pretend I like bullfighting and getting drunk) and allow me to introduce you to Ellis Ludwig-Leone, a young songwriter from Rhode Island based in Brooklyn that after finishing his musical studies in 2011 became assistant of acclaimed arranger Nico Muhly (among other works) while prepared his own songs prior to collaborating and recording. The self-titled album is out since September via Downtown Records and is a surprising blend of chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition, where the ever-recurrent topics are "characterized" and sung with several vocal contributions. You'll hear The National, Tindersticks, Sufjan Stevens, The Divine Comedy and a dozen bands more at the same time, so be prepared. San Fermin, the band, is a unique experience.

Break It Up. Short drive to Philadelphia to meet drummer Casey Bell, who in 2009 found guitarist-vocalist Jen Sperling, and after several iterations of members added guitarist-vocalist Dan Morse, initially their producer, to complete the band. In 2011, they debuted with blogosphere's hit single “Excavate” and, since June, we have their ridiculously enjoyable self-titled LP available at their bandcamp. An immediate collection of hyper-vitaminated power-pop tunes, fuzzy and noisy guitars, traces of riot girrrl enthusiasm, a knack for melodies and a genuine feeling of enjoying themselves while playing together. A MUST.

The Clothes. And we end our "trip" in Macerata, Italy, to introduce you to singer and guitarist Massimo Scoposki and drummer Laura Palmiz. It seems the idea of having a band came to Massimo during his Erasmus in Nancy. Whatever the case, the White Stripes alike duo recorded their debut songs last year, and the result, “Fairy Lights Dress” EP (a mini-album of seven songs) is available since February, and for free at their bandcamp. You should be virtually running to grab the tunes now, because The Clothes are a C-86 injection straight to your spine and brain. Punk-pop, a relentless, true live spirit packed with the most "in-your-face" version of jangle melodies. Not to miss.  

First confirmations for Primavera Sound Festival 2012

The 2012 Festival's rumble has officially started. Benicàssim Festival shot first with The Stone Roses, and today the Primavera Sound organization confirmed the first seven line-up names for the twelfth edition of the Festival in Barcelona, from the 30th May until 3rd June, and first in Porto, the following week.

Honestly, for me this initial round has been a bit disappointing, especially if compared with last year. No offence, the seven names are great indie proposals, some cult artists indeed, but Björk and Neon Indian are not my taste, Codeine's slowcore is not very appealing in principle, and with Yo La Tengo I have never been capable to maintain my interest further than a few songs. On the good side, I'm intrigued with Guided By Voices, that I'll hear thoroughly and Other Lives, on my Discoverer radar the last months. Sure, I should be excited by the confirmation of Jeff Mangum, but as it has been announced in the PS forum, he will play at the auditorium twice, like Sufjan Stevens did on May. So having the chance to see him seems unlikely... I was hoping for Mazzy Star, Feist or Beirut. Umm my PS12 sweepstake hasn't started in a very promising way. Well, no worries, so many names have to be announced... it will get better! 

The 25 greatest artists of the last 25 years: 25 to 11

For its 25th Anniversary, Qmagazine proposes a challenging and attractive poll. To vote for the 25 greatest artists of the last 25 years (Q was born in 1986), but with only 3 chances of adding different names than the listed on the web, I decided to make my own. So, this is my top 25. Many are personal favourites, but included a few that, despite not being really my cup of tea, deserve a recognition due to their influence, legacy or career. I also discarded the vast majority of bands with less than a decade of activity.

25. Massive Attack. The first entry of the list, and in a close fight with Portishead and Depeche Mode, was reserved to an electronic music act, an style that, despite not being interested in, has been essential to understand music in these 25 years. So I chose them, because of "Blue Lines", "Teardrop", the elegance, the innovation and the value of a career focused on create something, and not just commercial success.

24. The Smiths/Morrissey. I can't stand Bigmouth, and with very few exceptions, his solo career leaves me quite indifferent, but The Smiths were amazing and their influence is immense. The fathers of indie?

23. Coldplay. Before everything turned ridiculously huge, and sorry to say, empty, Chris Martin and co. they had great albums and an extraordinary ability to connect with their audience.

22. The Beautiful South. A personal soft spot I couldn't help but include on the list. From 1989 to 2001, but specially during the Jacqui Abbot period, they were pop genius, combining great lyrics (Paul Heaton deserves recognition among the greatest) with unforgettable melodies.

21. Sufjan Stevens. A fair good share of the rebirth of folk (indie-folk) we have witnessed lately rests on Sufjan's shoulders. A true artist, in the whole sense of the word.

20. Elbow. The underdogs that finally succeed. Underrated during many years, their flawless career is among the most solid, relevant and exciting of the last decade.

19. The Walkmen. "Just" a bit more than a decade active, but what a decade! "Bows and Arrows", "You and Me" and "Lisbon" are the trio of aces of an extraordinary career so far. Among the greatest bands of the last decade.

18. Eels. Mr. E's career is one of a kind. The freak that become "beautiful" has shown many different and exciting sides during all this years, but always sounding as himself. Besides, his memories "Things the Grandchildren Should Know" are among the best "music books" ever written.

17. The White Stripes. Voice, drums, guitars. Red, black and white. An unlikely shock to the system that became a music scene of their own. And Jack White remains one of the most intriguing music personalities of contemporary music.

16. Teenage Fanclub. "Bandwagonesque", "Thirteen", "Grand Prix" and tens of other indie gems deserve a better recognition of the fabulous but underrated band, whose real influence has yet to be measured. Scottish finest.

15. Nick Cave. Twelve albums with the Bad Seeds (starting to count from 1986 onwards) and two more with Grinderman, to build an undisputable, universal reputation. As passionate, bloody and doomed as rock can be.

14. The Cure. Probably lost their magic long ago, but from 1987 to 1992 ("Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me", "Disintegration" and "Wish") they were outstanding, and their legacy is immortal.

13. Natalie Merchant. "In My Tribe", "Our Time in Eden" and "MTV Unplugged" while she was with 10.000 Maniacs, "Tigerlilly", "Ophelia", "Motherland" solo, her words, and her incorruptible attitude makes Ms. Merchant one of the most relevant artists, no matter long hiatus and minor activity recently. Always special.

12. Nirvana. Although far from being a fan, the influence, weight and personality of Kurt Cobain obviously deserves a mention on this list. They were a band. Now they are a myth.

11. Radiohead. Another sure-fire, very hard to measure their enormous influence and impact. Not really keen on their latest decade, but "OK Computer" alone grants the band a well deserved place on the list.

Check the rest of the list, the final ten spots, here.