The Mars Volta – De-Loused In The Comatorium
This surprised me just because I’ve loved so many records in my life and I wouldn’t think it’d be one that would make a list. I came upon it as a recommendation from a friend, and I think it’s a modern masterpiece of production... those guys just straight out knocked it out of the park. I think it’s probably the last time anybody has seen such an amazing combination of a pop-rock sensibility and a prog-rock sensibility. It is its own thing and I don’t think every record should sound like this, but I think they’re slept on and people don’t give them the credit they deserve. It’s all these different records thrown together, but the balance is right and that’s what you strive for as a producer. Especially a hip hop producer, trying to take different influences to create this new thing and striking the right balance between those ideas. The right amount of older influence and the right amount of the new idea. Man, those dudes just went for it on this thing and it was ballsy as fuck... probably the last great, promoted prog-rock record.