Tyler Ripley's Top 5 Albums of the Decade
Tyler Ripley is an engineer and producer with Free Dive Records at Rittenhouse SoundWorks.
Morning Phase - Beck (2014)
It’s pretty amazing that an artist can win a Grammy for Album of the Year 20 years after their biggest hit "Loser" was released in 1994. “Morning Phase,” sonically, is one of the most beautiful records I’ve ever listened to. Songs like “Blue Moon,” “Heart Is A Drum,” and “Wave” are rather simple yet submerge you with a modern day version of Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound.” The whole album feels glued together and allows the mind to just relax and hit play. The engineering on this album is what puts it at the top for me.
Blak and Blu - Gary Clark Jr (2012)
I can’t think of a better singer and guitarist combo than Gary Clark Jr. to come out of this decade. The song “Please Come Home” shows this perfectly. “Blak and Blu” flows from genre to genre, showcasing blues, rock, r & b, and all show his Texas roots with a splash of Motown. The album also shows the evolution of genres - for example “Travis County” is a nod to Chuck Berry. Gary Clark’s found his sound on “Bright Lights.” Clark also probably has my favorite live album of the decade.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West (2010)
An album I feel that is the best of Kanye’s discography with an all-star cast of features. The production/composition on the album gives hints of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys especially, on "Dark Fantasy" and "Devil In A New Dress." In my opinion it is one of the few albums that became an instant classic in this decade.
Currents - Tame Impala (2015)
An album I listen to often. To me it is the “Oracular Spectacular” (MGMT) of this decade. Groovy synth ballads with psychedelic flavors. Kevin Parker has something for everyone on this album. I love the cd skip effect that introduces a string section followed by some dirty synths on "Let It Happen." His ability to write, play, produce, record, and mix an album to this caliber was really inspiring to me.
Swimming - Mac Miller (2018)
A young freshman in high school has me picking this one in my top 5. Mac Miller evolved over time and finally found his sweet spot in this album. The production is buttery which features an amazing string section interlude on “2009” and horns section on “Ladders,” my favorites off the album. Collaborations from John Mayer to Thundercat add some funk and groove to this album in songs like "Small Worlds" and ““What’s the Use.” One of the main reasons I work in music is the influence of the mixtape era of the early 2010s and Miller was one of the few I continued to follow.