Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

"Can You Feel This, I'm Dying To Feel This" that was Corey Taylor's desperate cry on 2007's mind blowing The Blister Exists by the time this track was in heavy rotations Slipknot had consolidated their position as metals première hit makers of the decade, ahead of Metallica and ahead of System, Slipknot ruled supreme. The track itself felt like a magnum opus with it's powerhouse chorus, military double drum breakdown and multiple hooks. Like most Slipknot tracks at it's heart was a brutal metal beat down and a brilliant one at that. Hear It Here

In 2005 CSS were about two things: dirty sexy beats and cooky creativity. The result was usually some daffy ironic pulsating beats designed to stir your loins and numb you brain. Alala was one of their best efforts, it oozed a cheeky sense of sexuality and blended it with a droll sense of humour ("Alala, Alala, Your So Cool, Can I Be Your Friend? I'll Drive You Till The End"). So much of CSS was lost in translation and oddly that was the root of their quirky charm. Hear It Here

The Scissor Sisters' second album Ta-Dah would on the whole be a failure, it seemed more contrived and less spontaneous than the camp carnival that was their debut. Yet it all started rather well with I Don't Feel Like Dancing the first single from that rather disappointing album, built on a simple but affectionate piano line, they created a charming sweet little pop song, that was destined for success. It's a shame that these simply thrills were so few and far between in the coming years, but the success of this single will guarantee the Sisters one more chance to recapture the zietgiest. Hear It Here

The progressive wing of metal has never really been the most approachable genre in the world, and yet it has often spawned some of the 21st centuries most intriguing acts. In the latter half of the decade Dillenger Escape Plan began to emerge from a densely packed scene and began to garner cross over success. At one time this would have seemed impossible but listening back to the glorious Black Bubblegum everything becomes clear, as we find a band who simultaneously create music which is epic is scope, powerful in punch and fun in delivery. Hear It Here

In 2006 Lil'Wayne was finally starting to make some real noise, people were beginning to take notice, and big things were expected. But this was Lil'Wayne and four albums into his career and he'd managed to carve out a comfortable little niche, laid down some sublime guest vocals but he'd never threaten to be great. That all changed on Tha Carter II suddenly Lil Wayne was not just making crafty little hits he had one of the decades best rap records and in Hustler Musik he had a divine single. Beautifully arranged with a laid back soulful flavour combined with seductive guitar licks setting the scene for Wheezy to unleash his calm and soothing flow. This was the moment leap out from the rap crowd and stepped toward immortality. Hear It Here

So in 2006 while a little rapper name Wayne was blowing up rap's establishment was indulging itself with a vanity project, well another Vanity project actually, what could top a double concept album? Well a movie and a self made soundtrack of course. Idlewild was weighed down by it's own creativity but in the midst of all the silliness Dre & Big Boi got together to lay down one hard hitting old school hip hop anthem. 'Dre was firing on all cylinders warning people about his family tree in exquisite rhymes, while Big Boi revealed how the government was controlling the people and running the drugs industry. It was thrilling stuff, with hardly a second reserved for a chorus, this was straight spitting bars. Hear It Here

Manu Chao has always marched to his own drum and remarkably despite all the potential hurdles he's taken his broad world influenced music across the globe and found fame wherever he's tred. It's not really surprising when you here the charming Rainin In Paradize while his words are actually a harsh warning and a tough moral lesson he delivers them with such attractive arrangements and with such soft and engaging melodies you can't help but be won over. It's hard not to be taken with Chao's approach when confronting Eastern and Western extremism he has one simple credo "be mellow", and you know what, I couldn't agree more. The best protest song of the decade without doubt. Hear It Here

Bloc Party maybe a band of slowly diminish returns but they've never failed in one department, they've always had the best singles. As a result they've become indie's premier hit makers, they've never quite made it to the absolute zenith, but they've done pretty much everything else. After the faux creativity of Mercury came the more traditional but radically more thrilling One Month Off. It was a rip roaring assault, with spikey crunching guitars and Kele ranting like a man possessed as he promised to fight fire with fire. It felt instantly essential and naturally translated into a festival party starter. Hear It Here

Dave Grohl seems to have matured so much over the last ten years, he's still the same goof ball he always was, but somewhere around 2005 he seemed to become an elder statesman, and an iconic figure, and less of a joker. Looking back to Breakout there's a certain thrill, it's like watching a different man, he seems so young, energetic and earnest, and the agnsty rage of the track itself reflects that. At it's heart Breakout is a track for teenagers, full of pent up rage and mixed emotions it's a scream a minute riot, and honestly who doesn't love the finally ear shattering lung shattering screamfest? Hear It Here

Antidotes had to be the biggest disappointment of 2008, while Foals bravely abandoned older hits in favour of new materiel, they ran up against a more traditional dilemma than simply being a little light on big tunes, Foals were found to be lacking in substance to match their sophisticated style. So while their art couldn't match their intentions, they made sure to at least deliver some crunching hits, Cassius with it's call a repeat chorus, and quirky delightful and arrangement simply couldn't fail, it was to perfectly pitched and it duly took the indie discos by storm. Hear It Here

Sometimes you have to wonder why you'd take an instrument that can sound as soulful and beautiful as guitar and thrash the holy the hell out of it turning it into the musical equivalent of night stick. Well Lamb of God would say that's merely pussy talk, as they launch into a monstrous pummelling anthem like Ruin. Ruin however is much more than dark rhythemic chugathon, it's a cleverly crafted track with some distinctly proggy guitar work, and some staggering time changes as the the rhythem section of the band seems hell bent on showing off the entire remit of their talents. And by the end of Ruin you've had to much fun banging your head and stomping your feet to care about words like melody or harmony. Hear It Here

I remember dismissing Evanescence when they first broke onto the scene, another OTT operatic-rock act, with an attractive front woman and little else to offer. Yet come 2009 and Evanescence have co-headlined every metal festival on earth and have almost become Download's answer to Reading's Bloc Party. While I still find it all rather passée, it all started with the smash hit single Bring Me To Life oddly while it's hooks were unforgettable it evokes nothing in me. It's one of the decades signature hits and a important break through from a band with a huge cross over potential, yet it leaves me cold everytime. Hear It Here

Sometimes you just stumble across a track, until a few years ago I'd never heard of Jurgen Paape, but on a free mix CD I stumbled across this absolute gem. In a decade where dance music and electronica has had it's ups and downs, So Weit Wie Noch Nie feels like an art house piece. The beat is almost metronomic and provides a wonderful contrast to the whirling ethereal backing vocals that run throughout the track creating a surreal almost ghostly atmosphere which allows the lead vocal sample to seap into your subconscience, it's sung with such soft delicate and beautiful hue. Hear It Here

Miss Dynamite shocked the world in 2002 when she picked up the much converted Mecury Music prize beating defining albums from The Streets, Roots Manuva and even the return to form of one David Bowie. It seemed bizarre at the time, but looking back Miss Dynamite represented the transition of an aggressive music scene, from the underground, to the pop charts and finally to critically recognition. Dy-na-mi-tee seemed gimmicky at the time but looking back we see a subtly crafted arrangement and a remarkably honest and well told lifestory. Dynamite's knack for the engaging narrative is remarkably strong and now it seems a shame that her career was interrupted and in her absence the scene that thrust her to stardom had fallen by the wayside, leaving her tragically in the lurch. Hear It Here

Bleed America would be Jimmy Eat World's commercial and to some extent creative break through, ultimately it would produce more hits than any of their previous or subsequent records. Sweetness was hardly a ground breaking record, it had one of the simplest but most effective hooks of all time (shouting "Wooah Oooh"). It was strangely addictive, and remarkably hard to hate, it should make us collectively roll our eyes yet when this gem booms out of amps world wide indie discos continue to go crazy. Hear It Here

Who would have thought Elvis would still be topping the charts in the 21st century, well he actually did it multiple times with a series of reissues, however it was this track that brought Elvis into the 2000s. Of course the only way to bring a legendary singer up to date is with an annoying vacuous dance mix. Unsurprisingly A Little Less Conversation was an unstoppable hit, and surprisingly groovy. Hear It Here

In NME's insane obsession to dictate trends rather than analysing art, Datarock were inexplicably thrown in with the emerging nu-rave movement. It seemed to confuse and alienate a large number of potential fans, but their loss was everyone else gain, and in the end Fifa 09 did a better job of bring Datarock to the people than the nations leading music magazine. Fa Fa Fa Fa was an urgent soulful and groovy beast, it had a real sense of drive, with it's relentless rhythm and surprisingly sharp lyricism. Hear It Here

So what's my favourite Foo Fighters track I hear you ask? Stacked Actors I reply, while I accepted it's not their best work, Stacked Actors is nonetheless and absolute riot. A rage filled satire that rips to shreds celebrity life and glamour in general with a real dark edge, and afterall don't we all prefer Dave Grohl when he's evil? Whatever you answer there's no doubt that this track is a visercal thrill "Stacked Dead Actors, Stacked To The Rafters...We Cry When They All Die Blonde", the track is positively sardonic, it's demented going from a marching drum beat, to a soothing psychedelic guitar before bursting into aggressive thrusting spikes. Now why did Dave have to go and mellow out? Hear It Here

I have to admit I was one of the millions introduced to Priestess by the guitar hero franchise and still to this day I'm staggered that this was recorded in the 2000s. Aside from the top notch production this sounds like a classic hard rock track from the seventies or eighties. Ultimately Lay Down is just sheer fun, it holds no pretence, it simple aims to reset the clock and rock out like it's rock and roll heroes, and you know what, every once in a while, in small doses that's not such a bad thing. Hear It Here

Bizarrely even though I continually throw sly digs in the direction of Mr. Guetta and his effect on the dance world, I've added yet another of his tracks to my list, and the truth of it is, there just too addictive to resist. I placed Love Is Gone ahead of Sexy Bitch because it was more heartfelt and in it's way more powerful, but most of all it has the perfect euphoric moment when the beat is dropped leaving only the steady twang of guitar and the powerhouse hook that drives the track. Love Is Gone is more than irresistible it's the perfect designed Euro Dance classic...hmmn...Euro Dance classic surely that's an oxy-moron, oh well. Hear It Here

In 2001 on second album Missunderstood Pink began to emerge as a legitimate pop sensation and cast off the rags of a novelty faux R'n'B artist. Family Portrait was more than a pop song, written alongside Scott Storch it was a surprisingly powerful ballad and Pink's weak occasionally faltering voice only added to the depth of the track. Whether her emotions were genuine or manufactured Pink created one of this decades great personas and unleashed some surprisingly heartfelt and remarkably powerful pop music. Hear It Here

The Lostprophets always had cross over potential and in 2003 they exploded, with a series of hard rock anthems that could not be resisted. With a plethora of somewhat generic hooks and an insatiable energy the Lost Prophets began to carve up the UK scene and Burn Burn was one of their trademark anthems. It's riff was instantly recognizable and the track was perfectly designed to turn festivals into giant sweaty mosh pits, and five years later they'd ride the momentum of these early hits all the way to a headline slot at Donnington. Hear It Here

Franz Ferdinand simply waited too long to unleash their third album, everything seemed to go wrong, they couldn't get along with pop's overlords Xenomania and had to throw out a whole albums worth of materiel, and by the time they got round to release the scene had moved on. It's a shame because Ulysses was a diamond studded disco anthem, it was maniacal, schizophrenic and darkly sexy, however it simply wasn't immediate, it didn't snap the way Take Me Out had in past. It was never destined to conquer the charts, but it was simple irresistible on the dancefloors. Hear It Here

Damien Rice may have been remarkable dull as a musician and a personality, but in 2002 he crafted one of the decades biggest hits, a sultry little ballad, beautifully understated and remarkably well balanced. At the time we were bludgeoned to death with the track until breaking point, but now seven years removed, the track no longer grates, and it's emotional resonance has returned and it ranks among the decades finest ballads. Hear It Here

In 2002 Wilco released the staggering Yankee Hotel Foxtrot LP (which I'll be reviewing in a career retrospective in the near future) it was a wondrous emotive and powerful work, and was one of the decades defining albums. However, Wilco didn't release a single single from it, yet the album spawn several anthems including the fragile and heartbreaking Radio Cured where Jeff Tweedy's voice is so tender and emotive it feels as though he's going to burst into tears at any moment. "Cheer Up Honey, I Hope You Can" remains one of the most powerful and emotive opening gambits in musical history. Sparse, bare and heart breaking, this was music making of the highest order. Hear It Here