{"id":1533,"date":"2005-02-05T01:26:44","date_gmt":"2005-02-05T01:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sunpig.com\/mt-entry-1533.html"},"modified":"2006-09-23T19:30:11","modified_gmt":"2006-09-23T19:30:11","slug":"2004-in-review-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunpig.com\/martin\/2005\/02\/05\/2004-in-review-music\/","title":{"rendered":"2004 in review: Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Shag, it’s February already. If I don’t get this list out of my head now, it’ll just sit in there forever. Here goes…)<\/p>\n

Top 10 albums of 2004<\/h4>\n

Note: Some of these albums were released in 2003, but I’m still counting them in my “best of 2004” list, even though I used different criteria for films<\/a>. This is mostly because I listened to far fewer new albums than I saw new films, and if I had to restrict myself purely to 2004 releases, the top 10 list would include some pretty weak material. And that’s just not cool.<\/i><\/p>\n

(Also, take the rankings with a grain of salt. I’m sure of numbers 1 and 2, but after that things the distinctions get a little blurry. Ask me again tomorrow, and you’ll probably get a different order.<\/i>)<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \"\"<\/a>Outkast – Speakerboxxx\/The Love Below<\/i><\/b>
    I’ve already     raved<\/a> about this one, and a year on it still sounds great. Amazing blend of hip-hop, rap, rock, and soul. Favourite tracks: almost everything.<\/li>\n
  2. \"\"<\/a>Green Day – American Idiot<\/i><\/b>
    With a loose storyline connecting the songs, this is more than just a great rock album–it’s a rock opera. An anti-establishment Les Miserables<\/i> for the media generation. Plus it has some of the best rock drumming I have ever<\/em> heard. Favourite tracks: Jesus of Suburbia, Wake Me Up When September Ends.<\/li>\n
  3. \"\"<\/a>Sondre Lerche – Two Way Monologue<\/i><\/b>
    It was     Keith’s<\/a> raving about Sondre Lerche that made me go out and buy this album. It sounded a bit bland at first (I’m a sucker for hard drums & some heavy bass), but I stuck with it and on every play a new track stuck with me. Light, beautiful pop, with subtle, happy melodies. Favourite tracks: It’s Too Late, Stupid Memory, Days That Are Over, Track You Down.<\/li>\n
  4. \"\"<\/a>Blink 182 – Blink 182<\/i><\/b>
    Blink 182 have grown up. This is still a youthful, bouncy speed-rock album, but underlying it all is a great deal of maturity and sophistication. It’s a fantastic pick-me-up energy booster for a slow afternoon. Favourite tracks: almost everything.<\/li>\n
  5. \"\"<\/a>Dogs Die In Hot Cars – Please Describe Yourself<\/i><\/b>
    Fabulous debut album from a Scottish band worth keeping an eye on. In terms of stardom they’ve been overshadowed by Franz Ferdinand (see below), but that’s not really the zone they occupy. Think XTC, with perhaps a little Crash Test Dummies thrown in. But in a cheerful kind of way. Favourite tracks: Modern Woman, Pastimes & Lifestyles, Godhopping.<\/li>\n
  6. \"\"<\/a>Alanis Morissette – So-called Chaos<\/i><\/b>
    It’s a lot less bitter and angry than her earlier albums. Actually, it’s happy<\/em>. On the one hand, this robs it of some of her traditional songwriting highs, but on the other hand, it has cut out almost all of the disjointed lows that littered Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie<\/i> and Under Rug Swept<\/i>. What’s left is an album consisting of ten near-perfect pop songs. From the up-tempo to the slow and moody, each one has a solid hook, and you’ll find yourself singing along with the choruses before you know it. Favourite tracks: Excuses, So-called Chaos, Not All Me, Spineless.<\/li>\n
  7. \"\"<\/a>Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand<\/i><\/b>
    Scotland’s answer to The Strokes, apparently. Only better. Meandering, spiky pop with easy listening punk leanings. Favourite tracks: Take Me Out, This Fire, Auf Achse.<\/li>\n
  8. \"\"<\/a>Tears For Fears – Everybody Loves A Happy Ending<\/i><\/b>
    Nothing like a big comeback, is there? Orzabal and Smith back together again, making music like it’s 1989. Not quite The Seeds Of Love<\/i> revisited, but it’s got the flavour. Big, spacious soudscapes, and gorgeous melodies. A must for any fan. Favourite tracks: Who Killed Tangerine?, Secret World, Last Days On Earth<\/li>\n
  9. \"\"<\/a>Beastie Boys – To The 5 Boroughs<\/i><\/b>
    Taken individually, the songs here sound a bit sparse; I tend to prefer a fuller mix. But put them all together as an album, and they resolve into an energetic old-skool whole. The rhymes are filled with a tasty blend of politics, silliness, and genuine affection for New York. Favourite tracks: Ch-Check It Out, Triple Trouble, All Lifestyles, An Open Letter To NYC, We Got The.<\/li>\n
  10. \"\"<\/a>Belle And Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress<\/i><\/b>
    Hard to believe that this was my first exposure to Belle and Sebastian, but there you go. It’s lovely, too. Light, airy pop, with a melancholy twist. Favourite tracks: Step Into My Office Baby, I’m A Cuckoo, Roy Walker.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Honourable mentions:<\/h4>\n