Best Of 2004: Albums
Smile Like You Mean It:
Mike C.'s Favorite Music Of 2004 I don’t have any great wisdom to impart about 2004 that you haven’t already read elsewhere. We’re already more than a month into the new year, and I have no desire to dissect 2004's political, natural, and baseball debacles right now. What I will remark about 2004 is that I heard so much good new music during the year that it took me the first five weeks of 2005 to sort it all out. I’m not going to write here at any length about iPods, rockism, or crunk. These topics all may surface on the blog from time to time, but not today. The tide of new music continues to grow every year, and this year I heard more of it than ever. I listened to more than 130 new full-length 2004 albums in their entirety, not counting EPs and reissues. At least 110 of them may be worth your time, depending on your tastes. There are another 40 or 50 releases I’m interested in hearing from the past year which haven’t fallen into my hands yet. And then, of course, there are the other hidden gems of the year which I’m not even aware of yet. Sometimes these lists stand the test of time, but usually they don’t. Distance and perspective are really important, and those luxuries are simply not available when the year just ended. Still, it would be worse not to try to make some sense out of it all. For the record—and many of you reading this already know this, but some of you might not—in addition to being a frequent DJ and a sometime critic, I am also a full-time employee of one of those big, evil major record labels. Though some people may feel that last bit disqualifies me from being able to credibly write opinions about music, I will swear on a stack of Beatles records that I would have nothing much to gain by letting personal or professional self-interests influence the opinions I express about music. Not punk enough for you? Fine; I'll put my hand on a copy of Minor Threat's Complete Discography and uphold the oath of musical honesty. Anyone who’s interested in knowing my business or personal relationship with any of the artists on this list is welcome to ask. Just so we’re all on the level here. For more a more democratic take on the year in music, I suggest The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop and Tris McCall's Critics Poll. Rock on,
Mike C.
100 Favorite Albums Of 2004  1. THE KILLERS
Hot Fuss
(Island)
I thought White Blood Cells was fine, for an album that sounds like a collection of Violent Femmes b-sides, but nothing too special. Some standout tracks, sure, but not a reinvention of the wheel, or even of the hubcap. So why is it that my favorite album of 2004 is Hot Fuss, an album that by any reasonable analysis is so regurgitatively derivative of the oeuvre of another '80s band, Duran Duran, that it’s now impossible not to think of one band without thinking of the other?
Because The Killers do the schtick better than the Duranies ever did. Originality is nice, but to take an idea already extant and improve upon it—well, let’s just say that as someone who considers himself an editor first and a writer second, I can relate and appreciate. Even the weakest tracks on Fuss—and I’m in the minority who considers "Mr. Brightside" to be one of them—are superior to every song LeBon, Rhodes, Taylor, Taylor & Taylor Esq. ever came up with in all those years of trying, save "Save A Prayer," "Planet Earth," and maybe "Ordinary World." This Las Vegas foursome reinvented my current favorite musical wheel—the new wave/post-punk/English-sounding pop one that all the indier-than-thou kids are already pooh-poohing as so 2003—and made an album that changed my life, or at least my summer. In much the same way that Cookie Monster felt about the fact that "C" is for "Cookie," that’s good enough for me.
2. RILO KILEY - More Adventurous (Brute/Beaute)
A little bit country and a lotta bit rock and roll, the indie rock drool-a-thon of the year was over this band and its alluring lead singer, Miss Jenny Lewis—well, at least until that Arcade Fire record came out. Where Tracey Ullman might have broken your heart in seventeen places, Lewis will break each part of your body at least that many times. But the whole time she's killing you softly with her songs, she'll hold your hand, stroke your hair, and rail against the government in ways that make you softly smile.
3. ANNIE - Anniemal (679)
An outrageously infectious and fun electric pop dance album by a Swedish chanteuse doing the "I’m so cool I only go by my first name" thing, and deservedly so. Beats Kylie and Madonna at their own game and even skates close to lofty Saint Etienne-like territory, minus some of the endearingly arty pretensions. Melodies that cleverly echo Tom Tom Club and The Human League, too. Big fun for anyone who misses Waltz For Debbie, and may prove more enduring. An import album that I’ve never actually seen a copy of in any record store. I was first hipped to this by Stereogum.
4. FRANZ FERDINAND - Franz Ferdinand (Domino/Epic)
It wasn’t this year’s London Calling, because it’s not sprawling or varied or ambitious enough, but man, at times it’s close to being their Give 'Em Enough Rope. Which means they start out an album ahead of the game, and also that the weight of the world is upon them to deliver an all-world second effort they may or may not have in them.
5. THE PONYS - Laced With Romance (In The Red)
Like a garage version of Echo & The Bunnymen or the early Psychedelic Furs, The Ponys plucked well-worn guitar riffs out of the air, out-Dandying the Warhols and burning Hotter than Hot Heat.
6. I AM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER - The Cover Up (Gammon)
Electronic Pop Dance Party Fun Part 2, this time from Athens, Georgia. Hooky, nervy, and cool, when The Cover Up gets played, it tends to end up on repeat. Read my interview with the band's Dan Geller here.
7. BRIAN WILSON - Smile (Nonesuch)
Some people consider cold leftover pizza to be a delicacy. I am one of those people. Still, I was very, very wary of this project. While many people whose taste I respect were plunking down $16 for this the first few weeks it was out, I resisted. The only well-produced Wilson solo album to date had been the Don Was-coached re-recordings on I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times, and it seemed unlikely that the aging Wilson could scale those heights again, ten years after. Only after hearing the new version of "Surf’s Up" a few times did I finally break down and buy this, a couple months after its release. Not only is the new Smile not embarrassing, it’s stupefyingly great. The new lyrics to "Good Vibrations" are a little grating, and brother Carl's voice is sorely missed, but everything else sounds spot-on perfect. I was expecting to hate this.
8. WILLIAM SHATNER - Has Been (Shout Factory)
Yes, ever since "Weird Al" released In 3-D, I've had a bit of a thing for joke albums (see also #10) but T.J. Hooker’s first album since the late ‘60s is far more than that. With Ben Folds in the director’s chair, Has Been became one of the most poignant and entertaining portraits of an artist as an old man this side of Leonard Cohen’s 2001 Ten New Songs.
9. THE STREETS - A Grand Don't Come for Free (Vice)
An inevitable letdown because, no, Mike Skinner was unable to equal the brilliance of his already-classic debut Original Pirate Material. But still a damn good second effort of songs about Murphy’s Law (the actual legislation, not the band) by the geezer pleaser who, if he keeps this up, could end up with the "artist of the decade" crown. Which Skinner will no doubt realize, when he gets home that night after the award ceremony, that he left the damn crown on the seat next to him on the tube.
10. HAR MAR SUPERSTAR - The Handler (Record Collection)
The Handler actually might not be one of the ten best albums of 2004, but it’s certainly one of the ten funnest, and that’s got to count for something. For those who haven’t heard the joke yet, Minneapolis' Sean Tillman, aka Har Mar Superstar, used to strut his stuff as indie rocker Sean Na Na, but he's found more cred as this libidinous alter ego who's also written songs for J.Lo and Kelly Osbourne. He's paunchy, he’s hairy on the body but balding up top, and he’s got a way with the ladies. In other words, I can relate to this guy. Guest spots by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Northern State and a cover of Gilbert O’Sullivan are fine but almost superfluous in the face of this white soul party genius.
11. MORRISSEY - You Are The Quarry (Attack/Sanctuary)
One or two weak tracks and occasional lapses into over-production keep it out of the top ten, but on You Are The Quarry, S.P.M. sounds great and his lyrics are typically sharp. His best album in ten years; granted, his only album in seven.
12. DUNGEN - Ta Det Lungt (Subliminal)
Another Stereogum pick, and a Swedish import. Unlike his fine countrymen Soundtrack Of Our Lives, to whom he is sometimes compared, one-man psychedelic rock attack Gustav Ejstes sings it all in Swedish. Album-opener "Panda" is the best fuzzed-out Steppenwolf imitation anyone needs in their record collection, "Festival" has a groove so loose it’s tight, and the contemplative "Lipsill" is reminiscent of peak-period Rundgren. The drums sound amazing throughout, too. I may already regret not putting this in the top 10. 13. SMART BROWN HANDBAG - The Big Sigh (Stonegarden)
One of 2004’s saddest moments for music freaks who surf the web came in the summer, when Glenn McDonald concluded the weekly run of his column The War Against Silence after publishing for 500 consecutive weeks. The irony of it all for me was discovering McDonald’s brilliant writing a mere four or five weeks before he pulled the plug on one of the best-written journalistic columns—music or otherwise—I’ve had the privilege to read. Luckily, the archives are still up there for those who were late to the party. (And speaking of luck, it was surely that which allowed me to get there in time to win his contest.) In one of the column's last installments, McDonald makes a rather convincing argument that The Big Sigh, Smart Brown Handbag’s eighth full-length, is "the most underrated album on the planet," and he’s right. The strangest thing about it is that the music SBH leader David Steinhardt creates is ridiculously accessible for someone wallowing in such obscurity. McDonald writes: "Thousands of artists with more-inherently limited appeals have attracted evangelical cult followings in a fraction of the time it has taken David to get, apparently, nowhere. It's beyond weird, it's suspicious, and we should have started doing something about it years ago." While lacking an all-world "single" a la previous Handbag classics like "Ungrateful After All" and "Greetings From The Longest Weekend (Of Trying So Hard To Stay Thankful)," Sigh may be the band’s most consistently satisfying album yet. Go to cdbaby.com and buy it now. 14. LLOYD COLE - Music In A Foreign Language (One Little Indian)
15. JONATHAN RICHMAN - Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love (Vapor/Sanctuary)
Still kickin’ it, these old-school faves turned in very strong efforts. Lloyd’s is late night weariness personified, while Jonathan’s is a multilingual but non-Ziggy Marleyesque conscious party. 16. THE DEARS - No Cities Left (SpinArt)
Ambitious, cinematic, romantic, beautiful, arty tunes from the black Canadian Morrissey, who they'd have to invent if he didn’t exist. 17. SCISSOR SISTERS - Scissor Sisters (Universal)
More fun electro pop dance—less electro and more pop—with an early Elton John fetish, the Bee Gees doing Pink Floyd on coke, and a George Michael riff ripped off. Sign me the fuck up. 18. THE DIVINE COMEDY - Absent Friends (Nettwerk)
After an ill-advised foray toward a more straightforward rock direction, the cavalier English playboy returned at the top of his game. Whew. 19. DAN BERN - My Country II: Songs To Beat Bush By (Messenger)
Well, we tried. The ultimate triumph of this eight-song collection by the best folk-influenced singer-songwriter of the last ten years may be that songs like "Bush Must Be Defeated" will take on even more urgency over the next four years. 20. THE MAGNETIC FIELDS - I (Nonesuch)
You can’t top 69 Love Songs, so Stephin Merritt didn’t try to. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be gimmicky, though, so these 14 gay love songs all start with the letter of the album’s title. And yes, several of them are great, as one could reasonably expect from such a superlative lyricist and tasteful arranger. 21. DIZZEE RASCAL - Showtime (XL)
It seems unfair not to call Dizzee hip-hop just because he’s British, even though he sounds nothing whatsoever like virtually all of his American musical compatriots. Bettering the promise of his 2003 debut Boy On Da Corner with a manic pace, this is an album that upends all conventions. 22. NORTHERN STATE - All City (Columbia)
Strong Island’s female Beasties deliver the most fun rhymes of the year and plenty of dance-floor-worthy moments. 23. BEN KWELLER - On My Way (ATO/RCA)
24. TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS - Shake The Sheets (Lookout)
25. GREEN DAY - American Idiot (Reprise)
Politics personal and universal from three of the finest American practitioners of tuneful punk-influenced rock and roll. Smart lyrics and performances all. 26. THE FUTUREHEADS - The Futureheads (Sire/Star Time)
Wouldn't be fair to leave all the Jam/Billy Bragg/Joe Jackson imitations to a guy from Bloomfield, New Jersey, so a British band gets into the act and cops a more robotic angle on the Ted Leo act. Cool. 27. EDWARD ROGERS - Sunday Fables (Not Lame)
Great ‘60s-influenced pop songwriting lives. 28. TRASHCAN SINATRAS - Weightlifting (SpinArt)
29. SNOW PATROL - Final Straw (A&M)
Still love the Brits. 30. PALOMAR - Palomar III: Revenge Of Palomar (The Self-Starter Foundation)
I’ll take Brooklyn hipsters for $200, Alex. 31. MATTHEW SWEET - Kimi ga Suki (RCAM)
Originally a 2003 Japan-only release. 92% fun! 32. THE THERMALS - Fuckin' A (Sub Pop)
It’s all been done. Dylan already went electric, The Clash already played Bonds, G.G. Allin already shat onstage. You can’t try to top everything that came before, you can only let the past inform your future; that’s more or less what The Thermals do on a very hot punk rock album.
33. GWEN STEFANI - Love Angel Music Baby (Interscope)
34. SAHARA HOTNIGHTS - Kiss And Tell (RCA)
35. KYLIE MINOGUE - Body Language (Capitol)
Girls just wanna have fun.
36. THE LIBERTINES - The Libertines (Rough Trade)
Shame about the whole crack/disappearing/jail thing, really, ‘cause they’re a cool little band. 37. THE HIVES - Tyrannosaurus Hives (Interscope)
38. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (Reprise)
The occasional metal flourish could go, but otherwise north Jersey’s own My Chemical Romance made the punk-pop single of the year and threw in a couple cool glam moments on their major-label debut. The Hives upchucked more of their same, and that’s just as well. 39. ROBYN HITCHCOCK - Spooked (Yep Roc)
He's still weird, and his records are still worth hearing. "Television" is one of many haunting acoustic numbers. His cover of Dylan’s 1997 song "Tryin’ To Get To Heaven" is on the money, and will come as no surprise to anyone who remembers his version of "Dignity" on the 1996 promo sampler Royal Queen Albert & Beautiful Homer. 40. ARCADE FIRE - Funeral (Merge)
The most overrated indie record of the year isn’t bad, it’s just not life-changingly great. Critics, bloggers, fans—and I’m guilty three times over there—tend to mean well, but they succumb to herd mentality all too easily. I’ve certainly done it. Once Pitchfork and a few of the hipster blogs latched onto this, the lemmings lined right up. Why The Arcade Fire gets heaped with praise from all corners while, say, Smart Brown Handbag can’t get arrested in the press or on the blogs shows just how out of proportion things are. Funeral is fine, I smile at some of its more blatantly New Order-inspired moments, and by no means is it a record anyone should avoid. It's just that I’ve heard it all before, and with more memorable tunes. 41. NANCY SINATRA - Nancy Sinatra (Attack)
Ms. Sinatra sounds quite fine going back to the future with new tunes scribed by Jarvis Cocker, Pete Yorn, and the Mozzer himself. 42. JOHN CALE - HoboSapiens (Or)
43. JONNY POLONSKY - The Power Of Sound (Loveless)
Worthy works by old faves (some older than others) from John and Jonny, demigods who occupy the pinnacle of the avant-rock and power-pop worlds, respectively. 44. JAY-Z AND THE BEATLES MIXED BY DJ DANGERMOUSE - The Grey Album (no label)
Gimmicky or not, I’m a sucker for good mash-ups, and these are some of the best I’ve heard. If the White Album is in your DNA as it is in mine (despite it being one of my least favorite Beatles albums), it’s a goof and two-thirds to hear it dissected and re-assembled with Jigga’s vocals giving it a sense of 21st century urgency. Alas, the excitement did burn out; if this had first hit the net late in 2004, it probably would have been in my top ten, to my eternal embarrassment. These things get old quickly. 45. KINGS OF LEON - Aha Shake Heartbreak (Handmedown)
46. LE TIGRE - This Island (Universal)
Growing pains with glowing moments. 47. CAETANO VELOSO - A Foreign Sound (Nonesuch)
There’s certainly nothing wrong with the Nirvana cover, but the real action on this sixtysomething Brazilian legend’s album of English-language covers is when he goes medieval on the asses of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, Cole, Rodgers & Hart—and David Byrne. 48. KEANE - Hopes And Fears (Island)
Was really excited for this one to finally come out, and when it landed, it was…nice. For some dumb reason, I was expecting more than a guitarless Coldplay. 49. VON BONDIES - Pawn Shoppe Heart (Sire)
50. LORETTA LYNN - Van Lear Rose (Interscope)
What hath Jack White wrought? 51. MATTHEW SWEET - Living Things (RCAM)
52. A.C. NEWMAN - The Slow Wonder (Matador)
The legendary Van Dyke Parks lends late-‘60s California arrangements to Sweet, who more or less has earned legendary status himself by now, and a New Pornographer steps out in (not out of) his own clothes, which is an event in itself. 53. TEGAN & SARA – So Jealous (Vapor/Sanctuary)
They’re not in the same league as indie rock’s other gay sibling duo, The Aluminum Group. Nor are their songs as memorable and engaging as my favorite lesbian power-pop twosome of the past decade, The Murmurs. Yet, despite a little vocal whininess, this is tuneful, poppy, hooky stuff. 54. PEELANDER-Z - P-Bone Steak (Swell) 2003
Garden-variety "Japanese action comic punk band" who wear superhero uniforms and chuck up loud, fast, stupid songs about love, meat, and "Ninja High School," along with a cover of "Detroit Rock City." You know, pretty standard. 55. CERVERIS - Dog Eared (Low Heat)
The only indie rocker who won a Tony Award in 2004, Michael Cerveris imbues his solo debut with enough heartache to fill a Buick, and enough indie-cred guest stars to fill a minibus. 56. THE FEVER - Red Bedroom (Kemado)
I’ll take Brooklyn hipsters for $400, Alex. 57. THE VEILS - The Runaway Found (Rough Trade)
I was skeptical at first, grew to like it a lot, then kinda forgot about it. That probably says something. 58. TWILIGHT SINGERS - She Loves You (One Little Indian)
In which Greg Dulli cruises through a set of mystifying cover choices. In contrast to Mr. Veloso’s album (#47), this one's best track is the gimmick, a sly take on Mary J. Blige’s "Real Love." 59. NELLIE MCKAY - Get Away from Me (Columbia)
Introducing the hard line according to some Upper West Side smarty pants prodigy who lied about her age. 60. JEM - Finally Woken (ATO)
Sexycool, but not crazy. Which is fine. 61. THE ROOTS - The Tipping Point (Geffen)
There’s no classics a la "The Seed (2.0)" here, but the latest Roots disc proves that they’re still one of the smartest groups in the game. 62. BUTCH WALKER - Letters (Epic)
I always thought The Marvelous 3 were kinda bland, and while there’s a lotta gloss here, ex-3er Walker's solo joint has some poptacular moments. We’re at a pretty awful juncture for mainstream pop/rock radio if something this accessible and good can’t catch on. Not that we didn’t already know that; it’s just necessary to say it out loud once in a while. 63. OLD 97'S - Drag It Up (New West)
A few good songs, but there’s something lacking when Rhett Miller, so brilliant on his 2001 solo outing The Instigator, gets back together with his Texas cohorts. Worse, "Coahulia," one of the songs on the record not sung or written by Miller, opens with a cringe-inducing couplet about microwaving chicken ravioli. Let’s be clear: the acceptable types of ravioli are cheese, meat, lobster, crabmeat, spinach, mushroom, and combinations thereof. (Some might lobby for sun-dried tomatoes, but they’d be wrong, because sun-dried tomatoes suck.) Anything else might be fine if prepared at home or by a gourmet, but if you’re eating that shit out of a microwaveable container, you should not be going anywhere near the chicken. Gross. 64. BEASTIE BOYS - To The 5 Boroughs (Capitol)
They went old-school, and that was fine as concepts go, but it wore out quickly. It was a fun couple of weeks, though. 65. U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (Interscope)
Should have come with better instructions. 66. THE FIERY FURNACES - Blueberry Boat (Rough Trade)
Should have come with a map, or a libretto. I just didn’t have the patience or time to decipher this. My loss. Maybe. 67. THE CARDIGANS - Long Gone Before Daylight (Koch)
Fine, but would it kill them to do another catchy pop single? I’m not asking for a "Lovefool" or a "My Favourite Game." I’ll settle for an "Erase And Rewind." 68. R.E.M. - Behind The Sun (Warner Bros.)
Talk about a lack of catchy pop singles. It’s never out-and-out terrible, but the group Christgau now accurately refers to as The Michael Stipe Band really did hit the rock-bottom point of their career with this yawner. If their live show hadn’t been so incendiary, I’d almost be ready to give up on them. I love this band so much that this album broke my heart. 69. CHROMEO - She's In Control (Vice)
Processed vocals up the wazoo, and hooks reminiscent of Yazoo. I’m buying. 70. MODEST MOUSE - Good News for People Who Love Bad News (Epic)
At Tunes, Hoboken’s record store of record, the #1 selling CD of the year was Modest Mouse’s Good News For People Who Love Bad News. Though I’ve always been underwhelmed by these guys, they stepped up and delivered a solid album with a few bona fide gems. Of all the badges of honor Hoboken rock & roll kids can wear—and there are a bunch—one is that the best-selling CD in their town this past year was something pretty cool. 71. AMBULANCE LTD. - LP (TVT)
Brooklyn hipsters for $600, please. 72. THE CURE - The Cure (Geffen)
The production was lame—why the hell isn’t that intro keyboard bit on "Taking Off" about a million times louder?—but Smith & Co. come out slightly ahead on the gem-to-dud quotient. 73. EARLIMART - Treble & Tremble (Palm)
A cool, quiet little record from a band that did nothing for me when I saw them do a short promo set at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square a couple years ago. But then, the only in-stores I’ve ever seen that didn’t suck were Joe Strummer and Hall & Oates. 74. COURTNEY LOVE - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
My, what a cleverly ironic title! But damn her if she doesn’t still know how to make some quality rock & roll songs. Damn her, damn her indeed. 75. RAY LAMONTAGNE - Trouble (RCA)
Winner of the Earnest Bearded Troubadour From Maine Award for 2004, and you get the feeling he won’t have much competition for a while. 76. VAL EMMICH - Slow Down Kid (Red Ink/Epic)
An edgier Pete Yorn, and yes, he’s from Jersey too. 77. LEONARD COHEN - Dear Heather (Columbia)
Lackluster, and that’s most disappointing, considering how great his last record was. Nice to hear his voice, still, though—really. 78. DELAYS - Faded Seaside Glamour (Rough Trade)
Dream-pop from Southampton, England. 79. THE WALKMEN - Bows + Arrows (Record Collection)
80. DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine (Vice)
81. INTERPOL - Antics (Matador)
Holy hype, Batman. 82. SLOAN - Action Pact (Koch)
Not their strongest effort, but c’mon, it’s Sloan. 83. DAVID CROSS - It's Not Funny (Sub Pop)
It takes a lot to laugh, these days—a lot. David Cross makes it a little easier. 84. GRETCHEN WILSON - Here For The Party (Epic)
The mainstream female country album everyone loved to love in 2004. Pretty awesome if you like this sort of thing, which I generally don’t. But it didn’t make me cringe much, so it’s gotta be pretty great. 85. THE FAINT - Wet From Birth (Saddle Creek)
(Might-as-well-be) Brooklyn hipsters (who are actually from the midwest) for $800. 86. SIT N' SPIN - Doin' Time With (Blood Red)
Cool Jersey female rockers with punk in their veins. 87. MOVING UNITS - Dangerous Dreams (Palm)
Dangerous in the same way that Paul Shaffer's solo album was The World's Most Dangerous Party. 88. THE ZUTONS - Who Killed...The Zutons? (Epic)
Professor Plum in the conservatory with the lead pipe? 89. REGINA SPEKTOR - Soviet Kitsch (Sire)
More Soviet than kitsch, it’s angular rock from a F.O.T.S. (Friend Of The Strokes). 90. THE BIGGER LOVERS - This Affair Never Happened...And Here Are Eleven Songs About It (Yep Roc)
Philly tunesters who straddle the power-pop/alt-country line slip a notch but still are worth hearing. 91. FRENCH KICKS - The Trial Of The Century (Star Time)
Brooklyn hipsters for $1,000, and it’s the Daily Double! 92. THE WILDHEARTS - Must Be Destroyed (Gearhead/Sanctuary)
Loves me some of that punk rock. 93. PATTI SMITH - Trampin' (Columbia)
94. WHEAT - Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second (Aware/Columbia) 2003
95. THE BLUE NILE - High (Sanctuary)
Albums I should spend more time with. 96. JUST JACK - The Outer Marker (TVT)
The Streets lite. Really, really lite. 97. MIKE TICHY - Self-Titled (no label) 2003
98. THE MOONEY SUZUKI - Alive & Amplified (Red Ink/Columbia)
The one-time New York hipsters succumb to the admittedly irresistible charms of songwriting team with the same name as those Keanu Reaves movies I’ve never seen, and almost manage to outdo Tichy, their former bassist. Almost. 99. DE LA SOUL - The Grind Date (AOI/Sanctuary Urban)
Much like The Pretenders, they’ve never been able to match the genius of their first album, but it’s fifteen years in and at least they’re not doing "I’ll Stand By You." 100. DURAN DURAN - Astronaut (Epic)
So we end as we begin. The notorious original five dudes get back together, and the results are too slick and the songs too unmemorable, aside from an ok Queer Eye single. Despite the title, sounds to me to be of decidedly earthbound origins. Postscript: 2004 albums I jumped the gun on and included on my 2003 list
THE ALUMINUM GROUP – Morehappyness (Wishing Tree)
MISTY ROSES - Komodo Dragons (Frog Man Jake)
15 Favorite EPs Of 2004
1. PITTY SING - Demons, You Are The Stars In Cars 'Til I Die (Or)
2. CRAYON ROSARY - Crayon Rosary (XOXO)
3. THE TROUBLE WITH SWEENEY - Fishtown Briefcase (Burnt Toast Vinyl)
4. SPIRALING - Challenging Stage (no label)
5. HUMA - Huma (no label) 2003
6. THE BRAVERY - The Bravery (Loog)
7. BELLE & SEBASTIAN - Books (Rough Trade)
8. BELLE & SEBASTIAN - I'm A Cuckoo (Rough Trade)
9. BEN FOLDS - Super D (attackedbyplastic.com)
10. GROUP SOUNDS - Group Sounds (no label)
11. THE BLUE VAN – The Blue Van (TVT)
12. NUMBER TWELVE - Number Twelve (no label)
13. MY MORNING JACKET - Acoustic Citsuoca (ATO/RCA)
14. MOTEL CREEPS - Pleasantries In The Parlor (no label)
15. THE UPWELLING - The Upwelling (no label)
From New York City via Manchester, New Brunswick, Philly, Dunellen, New Brunswick, Brooklyn, Scotland, Scotland, Australia via North Carolina, New York City, Denmark, Strong Island, Kentucky, Jersey/NYC, and New York, respectively. All worthy, and all short—the best part, since it means we all have time to listen to them. More lists: songs • reissues • live shows
|
