Each year when I see holiday decorations begin popping up, I know it's time to start thinking about my picks for the best albums of the year.
This year, I'm throwing down the gauntlet early. 2004 has been a surprisingly good year for music, with strong releases from both new faces (Franz Ferdinand, The Killers) and old salts (The Cure, Morrissey), along with a healthy dollop of end-of-year, revenue-driving reissues (The Name of the Band is Talking Heads) and box sets (Nirvana's With the Lights Out) that should keep the musically-obsessed happy.
The Rhapsody playlist below includes songs from my personal favorites of the Class of 2004, listed in no particular order. If you're subscribed to Rhapsody, you can click on the link below to begin listening immediately. If you're not subscribed, you can sign up for a free 2-week trial via http://www.rhapsody.com.
You can check out this playlist and many more at Rhapsody Rock School.
Best of 2004?
"Banquet" - Bloc Party
"Going For Adds" - Moving Units
"Black Curses" - Communique
"She Will Only Bring You Happiness" - Mclusky
"Cheating On You" - Franz Ferdinand
"Run Into Flowers" - M83
"Vapour Trail" - Trespassers William
"Fighting for it All" - Mindy Smith
"Glitterball" - Seachange
"Plantlife" - Autolux
"All These Things That I've Done" - The Killers
"University Microfilms International " - Stereolab
"Slow Hot Wind" - Block 16
"Road Leads Where It's Led" - The Secret Machines
"One Chance" - Modest Mouse
"Gone Under Sea" - Electrelane
"I Was Born (A Unicorn)" - The Unicorns
"Long Time Coming" - Delays
"Misery Is A Butterfly" - Blonde Redhead
"Sugar Pill" - Ambulance Ltd.
"Souvenirs" - Architecture in Helsinki
"Step Back" - Bumblebeez 81
"Fallen Angel" - Elbow
"Gravity Grave" - The Verve
"Asphyxiated Circle" - Guided By Voices
"Victory Lane" - Komeda
"Thoughts Of A Dying Atheist" - Muse (UK)
"I Like You" - Morrissey
"White Plains" - John Vanderslice
"Absolute Affirmation" - Radio 4
"Does He Love You? " - Rilo Kiley
"Love And Some Verses" - Iron & Wine
"Unmade Bed" - Sonic Youth
"The Angels' Share" - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
"Take Me Anywhere" - Tegan and Sara
"Assessment" - The Beta Band
"Blind Pilots" - The Cooper Temple Clause
"Anniversary" - The Cure
"Pretty (Ugly Before)" - Elliott Smith
"The Melting Moon" - Vhs Or Beta
"Cities" - Talking Heads
"Stretch (You Are All Right)" - Tortoise
"Fit But You Know It (Album version)" - The Streets
NOTE: The Rhapsody online music service enables subscribers to create music playlists, share them with other subscribers, and drop playlist links into their blogs (using Blogger, Movable Type, or TypePad).
Article comments
1 - olorin took
erm,
de la soul - the grind date
talib kweli - the beautiful struggle
earl zinger - speaker stack commandments
2 banks of 4 - three streets world
william shatner - has been
i like rock music as much as the next guy, but how about some diversity, please?
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
fine selection man, but no Shatner nor libertines?
3 - mgrooves
Both fair comments; the list is more rock-oriented (and more specifically indie rock oriented) than the broadly-worded "albums of the year" title would suggest.
Interesting that William Shatner'a album apparently is making two lists this year; I didn't find the album that good, but I'll have to give it a listen. I haven't hear the Talib Kweli album yet.
4 - Scoota Rey
It hasn't really been a good year for rap, as far as quality and uniqueness in music. The best rap years are (in my opinion): 1994, 1995 and 1996. The only good albums that I've heard this year are:
Kanye West- "College Dropout"
Eminem- "Encore"
I think next year might be a better year, but not by much because everybody is biting off each other and scared to stand out. It's horrible.
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
scoota, get yourself Dizzie Rascal's Showtime or Skinnyman's Council Estate Of Mind. The latter will be denting The Duke's Best Of 2004 for sure
6 - The Dude
You forgot 3 more:
* Brian Wilson's "Smile"
* "Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster."
* Steve Earle's "The Revolution Starts Now."
Don't worry, I forgive you.
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Second SMiLE and Earle. Haven't heard the other one...
8 - Triniman
Some of my favorite albums this year:
The Violettes
The Wailin' Jennys - 40 Days
Alexander - OST
U2 - HTDAAB
The Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour
Franz Ferdinand
Michael Kaseshammer - Strut
There's more but these come to mind first.
9 - SomeDude
Skinny Puppy - The Greater Wrong of the Right. So good these losers are boycotting it: http://www.pabaah.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=717
10 - ClubhouseCancer
Eric, are we gonna have any kind of end-of-the-year best of Blogcritics -type poll? I'd spew out my 10 best records. I guess films and books too?
11 - Eric Olsen
yes, all writers are very much encouraged to compile best-of, notable, year-end, worst-of lists of any and all kinds - we will compile them into a master post
12 - ClubhouseCancer
Fun! You are the postmaster.
13 - toadmaster
Eric,
Just a couple of questions.
1. Should we email you an end of year list so that you can make a master post, or should we post a list? (If the former, is there a deadline?)
2. What if we can't think of ten?
14 - Eric Olsen
TM, make your own posts and let me know - I will collect links to the individual posts from a master post. List as many or few items as you would like, but give SOME kind of explanation for each choice, even if just a sentence or two.
15 - HW Saxton
As was noted back in Post#1 the lack of
diversity outside of "Rock" releases is
really noticable.I guess that I'm truly
marching to the beat of a different drum
(a slightly off beat one,I will proudly
admit) as no one has listed ANY of these
so far in their own personal lists.
Here's my Top Ten CD's for 2004:
Nancy Sinatra - Nancy Sinatra
J-Zone - A Job Ain't Nuthin' But Work
Black Keys - Rubber Factory
Quintron - The Frog Tape
Capleton - Reign Of Fire
Tom Waits - Real Gone
Dirty Dozen Brass Band -
Funeral For A Friend
Nathaniel Mayer - I Found Out
Wolf Eyes - Burned Mind
V/A - Not The Same Old Blues Crap V.3
Honorables to "Smile",all of the Trojan
Records Reggae Box Sets and the re-issue
""Tales From The Funk Dimension"" by Bo
Diddley.
16 - nathan
People what about Badly Drawn Boy "One plus one is one" clearly one of the best albums of the year. Hands down.
17 - Pete Rosenzweig
Utterly fascinating that Arcade Fire's "Funeral" didn't make your list. 'Round these parts (L.A.) seems I can't walk out my door without being broadsided by their (well-deserved) buzz.