Last year I listened through the Rolling Stone 100 best albums of the 90s. Going a different tack this year, I am listening to the 50 most important albums of the 00s as listed by NPR. I will post my thoughts as I listen in alphabetical order.
Here is the first album:
John Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls
Adams was commissioned to write a piece commemorating the 1 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Composition: A haunting and affecting arrangement. a mix of ambient influenced sounds, choral voices, and classical instrumentation.
Performance: Well executed and effectively portrayed the haunting arrangement.
Lyrics: Names of the dead or messages and memories of the surviors are used throughout the piece to powerfully evoke the feelings around 9/11.
Impact on the world: A fitting musical dedication to the victims of the 9/11 tragedy
Timeless or rooted in the decade: As a commissioned memorial this is timeless. It is designed to point to an event of the decade but I think it will be known for a long time.
