Franz Ferdinand- "Take Me Out", Franz Ferdinand, Domino 2004. I almost didn't want to include this, what with the MTV2 and the hype and all. But gosh darn, it is down right addictive. It's even my ringtone.

Reissues

Galaxie 500- "Blue Thunder (w/Sax)", Uncollected, Rykodisc 2004. Seminal shoegazer band Galaxie 500 entered this year with a career-spanning DVD, "Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste". To follow the frenzy, Uncollected, which was originally packaged only in the hard-to-obtain box set. Full of covers, demo takes and rarities it is a completists dream. Blue Thunder appears in this version with sax solo, a version originally procured from the 12inch single. Haunting, shattering and perfect. I'd drive so far away.

Talking Heads- "Stay Hungry", The Name of This Band Is the Talking Heads, Rhino 2004. David Byrne, et al commanded a lot of playtime on my first Sony. I credit this song, and Tina Weymouth's infectious and urgent bass line with convincing me to save for a fender four string.

Lou Reed, John Cale, Nico- "Pale Blue Eyes", Bataclan 72, Pilot 2004. A lo-fi unplugged version of one of my favorite Velvets songs from a pre-solo Paris show. Beautifully simplistic, who can argue- "Down for you is up".

Pavement- "Cut Your Hair", Crooked Rain Crooked Rain, Matador 2004. Pavement was a band that I had to my own in high school. My friends, a group of equally obsessed music fanatics, skirted the shoals of industrial and mope rock, while I danced closer the edge of indie. Malkmus convinced me that college boys could be punk too.

The Go-Betweens- "The House that Jack Kerouac Built", Tallulah, Jetset 2004. The Go-Betweens were always just under the radar, despite having an arsenal of tunes that threatened to launch them into relative notoriety. Critics adore them, and for good reason- they are quite the gem. Former bassist Rob Vickers now run's Jetset records and had re-issued the band's middle catalog this November.

Songs from bands reuniting in '04 (In part or whole)

Feelies- "Higher Ground"; Only Life, Coyote 1988. The Feelies just may be the best thing to ever come from New Jersey. Reuniting sans Bill Million these Maxwell's mainstays create intricately woven tapestries of sound with frantic drumming and wailing guitars. Higher Ground is a glimpse at their hookier soft side.

Mission of Burma- "Progress"; The Wasted Years. Always intense and captivating, and always loud MOB were a great cult band that is finally getting proper attention this go-around. I swear that seeing their reunion tour prior to On/Off/On, coupled with seeing the Stooges reunited had me shaking that those men could rock as hard as they did when they were my age.

Pixies- "Broken Face"; The Purple Tape. 2004 is the year of the Pixies. 'Nuff said.