Fortunately, end of decades only happen once a decade. Otherwise, trying to decide on a reasonably accurate (not to mention reasonably brief) list of “best of decade” albums, movies, books and songs (et cetera) would put many good minds in an insane asylum. Come to think of it, what better place to get the necessary peace and quiet necessary to compile such lists? Do they allow i-Pods in those places?
But seriously folks. I feel obliged, or at least compelled, by the lesser angels of my list-making mind, to take a crack at what moved and impressed and inspired me most this very busy decade. And even before you get around to separating the good, very good, and great, you invariably stumble upon more distressing shit like “Good grief, ten years went by that fast?” And then you start thinking that the Big C (Cliche) is lurking ever around the corner, like a straight-jacket.
And yet, in some ways, it’s easier to assess a decade than it is to focus on one year; picking, say, the ten best albums of 2010 might prove more challenging than picking, say, the fifty best albums of the decade. In part because you can really be picky and anything that doesn’t make the cut can get tossed pretty quickly. And, of course, as all the hipsters know, there ain’t any good music being made anymore anyway, right? Hardly. In fact, this past decade was a near bottomless pit of bliss: so much great music and so many great movies, it is intimidating as much as it is astonishing to consider what remarkable artistic times we live in.
So where does one begin (assuming one is the odd sort who puts stake in such lists and thinks anything is accomplished by making them)? Well, you start with a list. And then revise and expand, expand and revise. Get frustrated, get angry, feel overwhelmed, feel a little bit like God. Feel the eyes of friends and strangers already getting you in the cross-hairs. How could you possibly leave out this one? How can you possibly think (insert CD or movie) is worthy of making the cut? Et cetera.
And that is what it’s all about: sharing ideas and stimulating some discussion. That is all it’s ever been about for people who really love art and live to talk about it. And it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun (or edifying) to consider spending so much time agonizing over these lists if you couldn’t count on the conversation that is certain to ensue. And before you know it, your living room looks like the week before final exams, with notes and cheat sheets scattered around like stale breadcrumbs. But those crumbs serve a purpose, and you drop them on the (dirty) ground in the hopes that they’ll lead you to something approximating Epiphany. The moment you make your choice(s) and throw them out there. And then look forward to hearing how much better it could or should have been (and laughing because you knew going into it that you, above all, would likely end up feeling the same way). The weak get paralyzed, and the uncertain get to work (the only ones who know all the answers are of little assistance because, unfortunately, they are in padded rooms with iPods).
Keep an eye out for the Top 50 (or 60) Albums, the Top 40 Jazz Albums and the Top 20 (or so) movies. And get your scalpels out. Figuratively speaking, of course.
