Top Ten Albums of 2004...
As every year, I've compiled a list of my favorite albums of 2004. These are the "records" that got the most play in either my MP3 player, or truck stereo, etc... They may or may not have been released this year (although I think most of them were), I just needed to have purchased them in 2004. I think it was a good year for music. It was one of the more interesting years and I think people are starting to lean away from pop. Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, The Killers, all these bands had people hear them this year. These are bands that would really have struggled to have been heard a couple years ago. Even though they didn't make my list, they're on plenty of critics year end lists and I'm thrilled to see some talented bands on the charts again.
1) "American Idiot" - Green Day - The most ambitious album they've recorded (without a doubt) is also their best. One listen to "Jesus of Suburbia" and I was hooked. An overtly political album that leaves no doubt which side they take in the red state/blue state divide. See my previous post on this album for more info.
2) "Oh, Inverted World"/"Chutes Too Narrow" (tie) - The Shins - I started listening to these guys more intensely this year and they're my favorite band currently. It's a shame you won't hear them on the radio. This is one of those bands that takes a couple listens but is worth it once you're hooked. Recently caught their performance on Austin City Limits. They're fabulous. I can't wait to see them live.
3) "Give Up" - The Postal Service - A side project formed with "Death Cab For Cutie"'s Ben Gibbard and "Dntel"'s (whoever that is) Jimmy Tamborello. I was first introduced to this from a internet radio station I programmed on Launchcast. It will play artists you might like from the list of favorite artists you gave it. This was one of their suggestions and I haven't stopped listening to it since. I guess you would call it Electronica, but not what you think when you hear that term "electronica". An elegant, approachable electronic album.
4) "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" - U2 - A fantastic album (I think superior to their last one, feels completely cohesive from front to back). It sounds like classic U2 with some updates.
5) "Rainy Day Music" - The Jayhawks - Easily their best album since their masterpiece "Tomorrow The Green Grass". This is the album Jayhawks fans have been waiting for, a return to a earlier sound. There's none of the electronic textures they experimented with on "Smile" and it's great to hear them get back to basics. Now all we need is for Marc Olson to return and I can then re-live my late high school/early college years. Beer run!!!!
6) "In Between Evolution" - The Tragically Hip - Another solid effort from the Hip. It's too bad they aren't bigger in America because they're one of the best bands around.
7) "Contraband" - Velvet Revolver - A "super group" consisting of Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots and members of the dismantled Guns & Roses (including Slash), this was a huge pleasant surprise this year. When I heard these guys were getting together I thought it was a desperation move to try and bring the 80's back with a 90's flourish. I couldn't have been more wrong. This is a tremendously loud and fun record. Hard rock done the best way possible. Dirty and LOUD. Are you listening Axl?
8) "To The 5 Bouroughs" - Beastie Boys - Rolling Stone magazine gave this record five stars which is the highest their chart goes, thus calling it a classic. I'm not going to go quite that far. (It makes one wonder if the liberal agenda that goes on throughout the magazine is seeping into the review staff?) Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good album (and I certainly agree with the political agenda) , I just didn't think it was as fun as "Check Your Head" or "Ill Communication". In the end though, the song "Ch-Ch-Check it Out" is worth the purchase price alone. It has it's moments and is a good Beasties album.
9) "Me and Mr. Johnson" - Eric Clapton - Claptons best album since "From The Cradle". I'm slightly biased on this one, as both records are blues albums (and there weren't many great blues albums this year in my opinion. When the two best are this one and SRV's Live at Montreux, there's a lull in the blues. Not to take anything away from these guys, there just wasn't a lot to go crazy for in Blues this year.) This is a collection of covers that Eric does of Robert Johnson material. If you're not familar with Robert Johnson, you have issues. Robert is the touchstone of the beginning of popular blues music, (many would say he simply IS the blues and all others run through him to modern day). This is a great collection and Mr. Clapton gives them the treatment they deserve.
10) "The Revolution Starts Now" - Steve Earle - I didn't realize this, but three of my top ten this year are Bush bashing albums. You could say maybe the bush bashing agenda I have here at this blog is influencing my reviews. You could say that, but you'd be wrong. You could be Rush Limbaugh and not be able to debate the quality of the music of this and the two others on the list. Well, maybe he could, but he's an idiot. This is the best work by the most unapologetic lefty in music. I like Steve Earle because he really couldn't give a... he doesn't care if you buy his record or not. He's doesn't let silly things like record sales drive what his views are. In country music, it's typically career suicide to say anything against the President. He's commited it time and again with his views.
Honorable mentions:
"A Ghost is Born" - Wilco - This is a good album, but I felt nowhere near as good as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or some of their other work. I'm having a hard time enjoying post Jay Bennett Wilco. Just a personal thing I guess.
"Places For Breathing" - Revis - Highly derivative and sounded similar to oh... about 100 other bands I've heard, but I loved the record. Highly charged rock similar in sound to (ick) Creed I guess. I hate making that comparison because of my dislike for Creed. It's in that vein though.
"The Rolling Thunder Revue - Bootleg Series" - Bob Dylan - I couldn't bring myself to put this on the list due to the fact that I borrowed it from a friend and didn't actually buy it. It's a terrific show.
"The Beginning Stages Of... " - The Polyphonic Spree - I can't figure this thing out. When they come out on stage they look like extras from the Northfield High School Stage production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", but when they started playing I was completely mesmerized. They look like a cult, but create a terrific sound. They dress in colored robes and have a french horn, trombone, choir, etc... I can't sufficiently explain it to you in words. It's a group that has to be seen to be believed. I would reccmend the album, but it isn't the same without the visual production.
"Julie Roberts" - Julie Roberts - The only thing worth listening to coming out of mainstream country this year. I watched her "In The Moment" special on CMT one night and really liked her voice and music. It has some soul that others are lacking in todays pop/country.
1) "American Idiot" - Green Day - The most ambitious album they've recorded (without a doubt) is also their best. One listen to "Jesus of Suburbia" and I was hooked. An overtly political album that leaves no doubt which side they take in the red state/blue state divide. See my previous post on this album for more info.
2) "Oh, Inverted World"/"Chutes Too Narrow" (tie) - The Shins - I started listening to these guys more intensely this year and they're my favorite band currently. It's a shame you won't hear them on the radio. This is one of those bands that takes a couple listens but is worth it once you're hooked. Recently caught their performance on Austin City Limits. They're fabulous. I can't wait to see them live.
3) "Give Up" - The Postal Service - A side project formed with "Death Cab For Cutie"'s Ben Gibbard and "Dntel"'s (whoever that is) Jimmy Tamborello. I was first introduced to this from a internet radio station I programmed on Launchcast. It will play artists you might like from the list of favorite artists you gave it. This was one of their suggestions and I haven't stopped listening to it since. I guess you would call it Electronica, but not what you think when you hear that term "electronica". An elegant, approachable electronic album.
4) "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" - U2 - A fantastic album (I think superior to their last one, feels completely cohesive from front to back). It sounds like classic U2 with some updates.
5) "Rainy Day Music" - The Jayhawks - Easily their best album since their masterpiece "Tomorrow The Green Grass". This is the album Jayhawks fans have been waiting for, a return to a earlier sound. There's none of the electronic textures they experimented with on "Smile" and it's great to hear them get back to basics. Now all we need is for Marc Olson to return and I can then re-live my late high school/early college years. Beer run!!!!
6) "In Between Evolution" - The Tragically Hip - Another solid effort from the Hip. It's too bad they aren't bigger in America because they're one of the best bands around.
7) "Contraband" - Velvet Revolver - A "super group" consisting of Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots and members of the dismantled Guns & Roses (including Slash), this was a huge pleasant surprise this year. When I heard these guys were getting together I thought it was a desperation move to try and bring the 80's back with a 90's flourish. I couldn't have been more wrong. This is a tremendously loud and fun record. Hard rock done the best way possible. Dirty and LOUD. Are you listening Axl?
8) "To The 5 Bouroughs" - Beastie Boys - Rolling Stone magazine gave this record five stars which is the highest their chart goes, thus calling it a classic. I'm not going to go quite that far. (It makes one wonder if the liberal agenda that goes on throughout the magazine is seeping into the review staff?) Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good album (and I certainly agree with the political agenda) , I just didn't think it was as fun as "Check Your Head" or "Ill Communication". In the end though, the song "Ch-Ch-Check it Out" is worth the purchase price alone. It has it's moments and is a good Beasties album.
9) "Me and Mr. Johnson" - Eric Clapton - Claptons best album since "From The Cradle". I'm slightly biased on this one, as both records are blues albums (and there weren't many great blues albums this year in my opinion. When the two best are this one and SRV's Live at Montreux, there's a lull in the blues. Not to take anything away from these guys, there just wasn't a lot to go crazy for in Blues this year.) This is a collection of covers that Eric does of Robert Johnson material. If you're not familar with Robert Johnson, you have issues. Robert is the touchstone of the beginning of popular blues music, (many would say he simply IS the blues and all others run through him to modern day). This is a great collection and Mr. Clapton gives them the treatment they deserve.
10) "The Revolution Starts Now" - Steve Earle - I didn't realize this, but three of my top ten this year are Bush bashing albums. You could say maybe the bush bashing agenda I have here at this blog is influencing my reviews. You could say that, but you'd be wrong. You could be Rush Limbaugh and not be able to debate the quality of the music of this and the two others on the list. Well, maybe he could, but he's an idiot. This is the best work by the most unapologetic lefty in music. I like Steve Earle because he really couldn't give a... he doesn't care if you buy his record or not. He's doesn't let silly things like record sales drive what his views are. In country music, it's typically career suicide to say anything against the President. He's commited it time and again with his views.
Honorable mentions:
"A Ghost is Born" - Wilco - This is a good album, but I felt nowhere near as good as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or some of their other work. I'm having a hard time enjoying post Jay Bennett Wilco. Just a personal thing I guess.
"Places For Breathing" - Revis - Highly derivative and sounded similar to oh... about 100 other bands I've heard, but I loved the record. Highly charged rock similar in sound to (ick) Creed I guess. I hate making that comparison because of my dislike for Creed. It's in that vein though.
"The Rolling Thunder Revue - Bootleg Series" - Bob Dylan - I couldn't bring myself to put this on the list due to the fact that I borrowed it from a friend and didn't actually buy it. It's a terrific show.
"The Beginning Stages Of... " - The Polyphonic Spree - I can't figure this thing out. When they come out on stage they look like extras from the Northfield High School Stage production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", but when they started playing I was completely mesmerized. They look like a cult, but create a terrific sound. They dress in colored robes and have a french horn, trombone, choir, etc... I can't sufficiently explain it to you in words. It's a group that has to be seen to be believed. I would reccmend the album, but it isn't the same without the visual production.
"Julie Roberts" - Julie Roberts - The only thing worth listening to coming out of mainstream country this year. I watched her "In The Moment" special on CMT one night and really liked her voice and music. It has some soul that others are lacking in todays pop/country.
posted by Big Scott | 1:24 PM
1 Comments:
YOUR LIST SUCKS. Where the hell is Mud on The Tires by Brad Paisley, you obviously don't know much about country music today because you don't give it a chance. Julie Roberts - Honorable Mention? That's it? Who are you?
Put some more thought into it next year, it was a waste of my time reading any of it.
But your in luck because I still love you!
Pammy
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