This week, we bring you Top 10 Albums from 2000-2009 lists as determined by Loud Loop Press editors and contributors. Today, contributor Ross Meyerson shows us his sunny side with his list for the Top 10 Albums from 2000 – 2009.

10. Wolves in the Throne Room – Two Hunters
I have never been a huge fan of death metal often finding its inaccessibility a bit too inaccessible. 2007′s Two Hunters transcends the genre like no other. Yes, there are cardboard sounding drums, and massive bursts of pure speed and screeching vocals, all trademarks of death metal. But there’s also ambiance, layers, textures, and, dare I say, beauty in what WITTR do. Two Hunters changed the landscape of American death metal by expanding its boundaries.

9. Sloan – Never Hear The End Of It
The beginning of the decade had Sloan feeling a bit tired. 2001′s Pretty Together lacked energy and catchiness and 2003′s Action Packed, although more energized, was more one-dimensional than Sloan’s classics “One Chord To Another” and “Navy Blues”. There was no reason to expect the epic, sprawling genius of 2007′s Never Hear The End Of It. But there it was, 30 songs running the gamut of styles that had made Sloan the cream of the power pop crop. Eight albums in Sloan somehow produced a masterpiece of introspection that, through the course of its 70+ minutes, never has a dull moment.

8. Boris – Pink
Boris never make the same album twice. Their albums range from 40 minutes of pure feedback to psychedelic folk to straight forward metal riffing but 2006′s Pink synthesized all these divergent elements into one dizzying display of ferocity and beauty. Rumor has it Pink was Boris’s attempt to make a more Americanized album, usually a recipe for middle of the road crap. But in the hands of such technically sound and adventurous musicians not only did it succeed in sounding more mainstream (as mainstream as in the red guitars and long ambient jams can sound) but it served notice that Boris could play by the rules and still kick ass,

7. Brendan Benson – Lapalco
I highlighted some of the mild highs and lows of Brendan Benson’s career in my My Old Familiar Friend review. But mostly this was based on the industry and not the music. It may have taken six years to get One Mississippi’s follow-up, Lapalco, but it was worth the wait. Lapalco is a charmer. Self-deprecation (Folk Singer) mingles with awkward moments (You’re Quiet) and the joys of the little things (Good To Me) giving Lapalco an everyday charm. Musically, Lapalco hits all the right power pop notes, catchy melodies: power chord progressions, and acoustic diversions. Lapalco was one of those albums you just wanted to tell all your friends about.

6. Sword – Age Of Winters
I’m aware of the debate over whether the Sword are defenders of 80′s thrash or the poster children for hipster metal. As a child of the 80′s scene I have nothing but contempt for the Early Man’s of the world: ironic hipsters looking for the next ironic genre to mine for irony’s sake. As it was before it shall be today: death to false metal. For my money, 2006′s “Age of Winters” is legit. When I first heard it, a bit before the hype took over, all I heard was a record full of heavy old school riffs and Ozzy-like vocals. And wolves. “Age of Winters” synthesized Black Sabbath’s doom with Metallica’s scratchiness and speed and covered it in images of serpents and mythology. Metal, my friends, can be fun. “Age of Winters” reminded me of that.

5. Pernice Brothers – The World Won’t End
I might argue that anything Joe Pernice put out in the aughts is worthy of making a top 10 list but, narrowed to one, 2001′s The World Won’t End has to be it. After wandering away from the Pernice Brothers moniker to record what he deemed lesser material under the guise of Chappaquiddick Skyline and Big Tobacco, both great, Joe returned with a bit more polished and lush sound and a batch of songs to brighten your day and break your heart. And that’s the beauty of Joe Pernice. The World Won’t End is the perfect album to listen to when you’re up or when you’re down. And probably any place in between.

4. High On Fire – Death Is This Communion
Perhaps no band today represents the sound and spirit of straight up heavy metal better than High On Fire. What makes their fourth album, 2007′s Death Is This Communion, so epic is that, with the help of producer Jack Endino, High On Fire introduces a little bit more texture into their sound without losing any of their power. There’s kind of a Middle Easter vibe lurking beneath the wall of distortion this time and a little more focus on melody. None of this takes away from the fact that Death Is This Communion is pummeling metal at its finest.

3. Sparklehorse – It’s A Wonderful Life
Mark Linkous’s life has been, well, weird. There’s no need to cover it here but needless to say every Sparklehorse album feels like a welcome surprise. 2001′s It’s A Wonderful Life was not only welcome but was also the most warm and lovely album perhaps of the entire decade. It was also proof that a heavily produced album didn’t have to lose an organic feel. In a way It’s A Wonderful Life is the flip side to the Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin (both produced by Dave Fridmann). Both retain a warmth despite a lot of producing, but whereas Soft Bulletin sounds like a pop album from Mars, It’s A Wonderful Life sounds more like a twisted batch of backyard porch songs. And for years pretty much every song made its way onto a mix of mine. They still do.

2. Mastodon – Leviathan
Oh, Mastodon. Every album seems to bring in new fans while leaving some old a bit bewildered. It’s amazing how, in such a short time, Mastodon have garnered so much loyalty and distrust. And it all started with 2004′s Leviathan, an album that stretched and refined their sound and signaled to some a sort of selling out and to others the next big leap forward in metal. I’m clearly of the latter. Remission, for me, is a bit too hectic. Leviathan smoothed out some of the rough edges shedding further light onto not only the songwriting skills but the outright technical prowess of the band. And none of it felt showy for showy’s sake. Leviathan has the ability to crush you while your mouth just hangs wide open in awe. Metal has never been the same.

1. American Music Club – Love Songs For Patriots
This one is personal. American Music Club is one of my favorite bands. Ever since I first heard them I’ve been seeking out their out-of-print records, collecting singles for their B-sides and seeing Mark Eitzel wherever and whenever I can. So when they reunited for 2001′s Love Songs For Patriots, I was obviously excited. The thing is Love Songs For Patriots, while maybe not quite Everclear, might be their most cohesive and from top to bottom strongest album of their career. AMC always had trouble settling on a sound. The songs were always brilliant but often the production felt slightly off. Love Songs… finds a nice warm place for Eitzel’s tunes. At the time I felt it would be as good a place as any for the uninformed to start. I still do. And more than that it is still often the one I reach for when I need a fix. Pretty remarkable stuff from a truly remarkable band.