Localized The decade in local music: 2007

It's December, and you know what that means: lists. But this isn't just the end of a year, it's the end of a decade, which means even bigger lists (and an even bigger chance of pissing people off by forgetting something). Over the next two weeks, The A.V. Club will roll out year-specific lists of our favorite local albums. Is it a best-of? Not quite. We thought it would be more interesting to make it a little looser in scope, the better to highlight both some of the most well-known albums and also the ones that we love even though they've gotten a little lost in the mists of time. We've limited each artist to one album for the entire decade, and limited ourselves to no more than six albums for each year.

Brother Ali, The Undisputed Truth (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
The artist: The Muslim albino rapper clawed his way to the top of the local scene with 2003's Shadows On The Sun, helping bring Rhymesayers to new heights with his self-assured, politically conscious rhymes.
The album: Brother Ali's triumphant return on The Undisputed Truth is a powerful reminder of his impressive lyricism and untouched talent on the microphone. Lauded local beatmaker Ant, who's given just as much of a voice here as the MC, provides neo-soul beats that make even the heaviest subject matter (divorce, war, race) go down smooth. From the Atmosphere producer's name-that-sample interludes to Brother Ali's flipped lyrics, Truth is jam-packed with references to hip-hop's golden age ("Listen Up" sounds like it was lifted straight out of a late-'80s New York house party). On "Letter From The Government," Ali incorporates portions of Public Enemy's "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos" into his scathing condemnation of the government, the police, and the war on terror. The album's homage to a different era isn't just a throwback: When Ali says he "wants more" from modern music on the title track, he's speaking less of aesthetics and more of music's role in protesting social problems and uplifting the populace.

Building Better Bombs, Freak Out Squares (Init)
The band: Stef Alexander (a.k.a. P.O.S.) is pretty good at this rap thing, but what's shocking is that he might be even better co-fronting the abrasive, post-hardcore band Building Better Bombs with singer/guitarist Isaac Gale.
The album: "Aggressive" isn't the right word for it, although it might be the first word you reach for on hearing Alexander's paint-stripping vocals on opener "This Is A Gang." "Aggressive" connotes anger, and Building Better Bombs aren't any angrier than the contents under pressure in a canister marked "flammable." They're explosive, firing on all cylinders and in every direction at once. This is not an album for the meek; it thrives on its rough edges, from Alexander's spoken aside ("You guys want to get in here?") that leads into the frantic close of "No Handouts," to the glitchy, cell-phone-static beat that rides out "Cold, Not Frozen." These little touches give listeners—even non-fans of hardcore—access to the raw energy of Freak Out Squares. "Kid Tested, Motherfuckin' Approved" is a straight-up anthem that even features a nimble guitar solo from Alexander. You've seen bits and pieces of this kind of ragged backdrop in his hip-hop records, but with Building Better Bombs, Alexander's omnivorous musical abilities are given free rein.

Mouthful Of Bees, The End (Afternoon Records)
The band: Mouthful Of Bees, founded by siblings Chris and Katelyn Farstad, specializes in catchy, chaotic rock music that's equal parts Beatles and Pixies.
The album: It all starts with "The Now," an infectious song that grabs listeners by the lapels and shakes them around for a while. It's the album's highlight, but its twitchy energy and memorable melody also hints at the greatness to come. Songs jump in and out of frame as if on speed, yet parts snap into focus at a moment's notice. The guitar riffs are as catchy as the melodies, the distortion as mighty as Iggy Pop's finest hour. There are also plenty of surprises, from the unexpected quiet of "Jessica" to the suddenly triumphant gallop of album closer "Old Gold." Mouthful Of Bees was hyped to death upon The End's release, but the album hasn't gotten its due since. Listen again, and remember how great chaos can be.

Walker Kong, Deliver Us From People (Magic Marker Records)
The band: When Walker Kong debuted in 1998, only leader Jeremy Ackerman had any musical training, but the band’s unschooled pop showed plenty of promise. As the group evolved and picked up new members, some true potential began to emerge.
The album: On Walker Kong's third (and apparently final) disc, the band split the difference between amped-up power pop in the vein of The New Pornographers and the sweetly sunny and sensitive approach of Belle And Sebastian, with a dollop of Robyn Hitchcock in Ackerman's literate and slightly surrealistic lyrics, which explore the sometimes exploitative relationship between humans and other animals. ("Your mother, she's a suitcase," he sings on "Lonesome Eyes.") Although that can be a heavy theme at times, the breeziness of Walker Kong's guitar-pop keeps the atmosphere light and constantly enjoyable; the whimsical "Andy Warhol And The Honey Bees" is a particularly fine bit of Kinksian craftsmanship.