Annual Lists

I can't believe it—it's December 26th and you guys haven't already flooded the forum with year-end lists—albums, tracks, artists, gigs, videos, best of 2004, breakthrough artist of the year... etc., etc...

I honestly can't keep up with music on an annual basis. In 2004, I spent most of my time digging through records from '74, '84, and '94. As for what was actually great in 2004? I'll probably catch up when I retire—but there were a few albums that totally floored me that came out this year (assuming they weren't actually 2003 releases and I've just lost my mind). To kick things off: Real Gonifs' Aw Cmon / no you Cmon, and then Bubblegum by Mark Lanegan. God, I want to cook meals for that man, buy him a dog, open a savings account in his name—just all those typical ways I express affection.
Alright, your turn—remind this forum what actually mattered in 2004.

p.s.
Oh, and Morrissey released You Are the Quarry. It might not be in my top xy albums of the year, but I'm sentimental about it... I'm just glad the old bastard hasn't retired yet; makes me feel less out of touch. Plus, it's a solid album.

I wasn't exactly moved by the rest of Morrissey's album, but "The First of the Gang to Die" is easily the pop song of the decade. Hats off to him...

The Mighty Caesars - 1977; I have a feeling Billy Childish probably cranked out seven or eight albums in 2004 alone, but who actually has the bandwidth to keep up with all that? 😢

Just wanted to say that I don't feel any real pressure to put together those annual lists of albums, artists, music videos, or whatever else. Honestly, my musical taste just got stuck back in the flower power psychedelic era. Full stop. 😁 🙂

redcrane28 said:Man, Mark Lanegan’s Bubblegum hits different. Seriously, I just want to cook him dinner, buy him a dog, open a retirement savings account in his name—just every chaotic way possible to show some love.

redcrane28, if I had my way, I’d have kicked his ass. I would've been carrying his t-shirts around like some pathetic servant, writing poetry, and expressing my love in all those other weird ways that were just typical of me—no matter how damn gay it sounded.😁

As far as I'm concerned, 'Bubblegum' is the album of the year, hands down. And honestly, I'm pretty annoyed you didn't mention who exactly you're listening to it with.😠 🙂

As for everyone else... look, there’s Nick Cave. For me, he’s always been in a league of his own—someone with a taste so distinct and sacred that I wouldn't even dream of comparing him to anyone else. He’s beyond competition, and honestly, I know he wouldn't want the comparison anyway.😳

I’m telling you, I just listened to the new Jim White, and honestly? He belongs in a top ten list. If you take those first two tracks as an EP, it's absolute perfection. It's just that good.

The Czars are just phenomenal...
Who wants proof? —> Little Pink House

Woven Hand's "Consider the Birds" is just... hauntingly beautiful. It’s honestly so intense that I don't even want to attempt describing it.

I stumbled onto Los Lobos' "The Ride" completely by accident, and man, I’m still reeling. The sheer force of the vocal charisma they pulled together for this album is insane—they basically assembled a dream team with Tom Waits, Mavis Staples, Elvis Costello, David Alvin, and Bobby Womack. Just wild.
Just listen to "Wreck of the Carlos Rey" featuring Richard Thompson. That’s all you need to do. Everything else will make sense after that.😉

Arcade Fire’s "Funeral" is actually incredible if you put in even a little bit of effort to really listen to it. Honestly, most critics are probably going to end up agreeing with me on that one.

Tom Waits' Real Gonifs is pure sludge. It’s this perfect, messy ratio of avant-garde madness and intimate ballads centered around some pretty dark themes and just plain dirty beauty.

I hear The Dears are actually pretty solid with No Cities Left.

I just couldn't get "Chutes Too Narrow" by The Shins out of my head while driving... stuck on loop.

Uncut says Brian Wilson's 'Smile' album was released back then?!? Who the hell is he? I definitely need to look that guy up...

Looking at a few of these blasphemous top lists, I’ve realized people are actually calling Franz Ferdinand the album of the year?? Even including Gallov's picks... What can I even say? God help you, you dumb boy!🙄

A friend of mine actually thinks the Cherry Tree EP could be a god-tier album. Honestly... maybe they're onto something.
🙂

So they're bringing up Interpol and The Libertines big time... well, Gentlemen Prefer Black Heart Procession.🙂

That's all from me... unless something else manages to rot my brain or get stuck in my ear by December 31st, then I'll be back to bother you all.👋

Walter Foster52 said:I honestly couldn't get "Chutes Too Narrow" by The Shins out of my head—it was stuck on loop in my car like some kind of beautiful, melodic curse.

Man, that takes me straight back to 2003.

Uncut says Brian Wilson’s Smile album was from what year?!? Who the hell is that guy? I definitely need to look him up...

Hey, listen up! 🙂
I can't believe I'm actually clicking through this AllMusic link—it’s like opening a digital time capsule of everything we love and hate about indie rock. Honestly, looking at this list feels like a fever dream. You've got legends like Tom Waits and Brian Wilson sitting right there next to stuff that makes me want to throw my headphones across the room. It's a wild mix, though. One minute you're vibing to the soulful grit of Mavis Staples, and the next you're staring at the chaotic energy of Modest Mouse or the sheer weirdness of Animal Collective. It really hits home how much our taste has just been a messy collision of these massive icons and those cult bands that only a handful of us actually "get." It's kind of beautiful in a chaotic, disorganized sort of way—sort of like my actual record collection, which is mostly just a pile of things I bought because they looked cool on a poster.

Alright, here’s my list:

1. FIERY FURNACES - Blueberry Boat
2. TOM WAITS - Real Gone
3. WILCO - A Ghost Is Born
4. FRANZ FERDINAND
5. AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB - Love Songs for Patriots
6. ARCADE FIRE - Funeral
7. DEVENDRA BANHART - Nina Rojo
8. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - The Slow Wonder
9. EX - Turn
10. LAMBCHOP - Aw Cmon / No You Cmon
11. THE CONCRETES
12. MIRAH - C'mon Miracle
13. JIM WHITE - Drill a Hole...
14. CREEKDIPPERS - Mystic Theatre
15. DELGADOS - Universal Audio
16. PLASTIC CONSTELLATIONS - Mazatlan
17. PRESTON SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY - Monsoon
18. EAGLES OF DEATH METAL - Peace, Love, Death Metal
19. WOVEN HAND - Consider the Birds
20. SONDRE LERCHE - Two Way Monologue

As for food...

Roger Jones5 said:That's from back in 2003.

So how did Uncut end up ranking them at number 39 this year then?

Roger Jones5 said:pssssst! 🙂
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...227gjtrj6ib~T1 [/B]

🙂 thx!🙂

Roger Jones5 said:Here’s my list too:

11. CONCRETES

With the melting...

Ugh, someone please record them for me!🙂

Here’s my list....

1. Mark Lanegan ~ Bubblegum
2. Razorlight ~ Up All Night
3. Nick Cave ~ Abbattoir blues/The Lyre of Orpheus [sorry, just how it is 😁]
4. Delgados ~ Universal Audio
5. Blueskins ~ Word of Mouth
6. 22-20's ~ 22-20's
7. Cowboy Junkies ~ One Soul Now
8. Holly Golightly ~ Slowly But Surely
9. Ed Harcourt ~ Strangers
10. P.J. Harvey ~ Uh Uh Her

I'm intentionally leaving out Tom Waits (yawn), Interpol, and Franz Ferdinand. 😁

Walter Foster52 said:So, did Uncut really rank them at number 39 this year?

Well, it's because they all dropped in America back in 2004... 🙂

Arcade Fire - Funeral
Wilco - A Ghost is Born
Franz Ferdinand
Interpol - Antics
David Byrne - Grown Backwards
Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
AC Newman - The Slow Wonder
Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum
Tom Waits - Real Gone
Lambchop - Aw Cmon/No You Cmon
Brian Wilson - Smile
Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days

In no particular order—and certainly subject to change...

Walter Foster52 said:Ugh, seriously, just film them already!🙂

If you're from Cleveland, you're more than welcome.
If you aren't... ugh, seriously... just posting constantly... quit being such a drag... just hang tight for a bit... maybe sometime after New Year's, alright?

Hey, is the new Modest Mouse actually any good? Honestly.
I only really stumbled onto them a few years back (shoutout Frank Howard79) and fell in love instantly—Lonesome Crowded West is easily my favorite, and honestly, pretty much everything else they've done is solid. But this new stuff... man, it's just boring. It feels so flat, almost like some modern nu-metal derivative at points. Or maybe I'm just losing my edge? 😁

Emily Castillo81 says:
Here’s my list, too....

1. Mark Lanegan ~ Bubblegum
😘

2. Razorlight ~ Up All Night
..what even is that!?😕

3. Nick Cave ~ Abbattoir blues/The Lyra of Orpheus [sorry stars, but it's just how it is 😁]
🙂 No, don't blaspheme!😁

10. PJ Harvey ~ Uh uh her
I totally blanked on her, but there are actually a few gems on that disc!😵

I'm intentionally leaving out Tom Waits (yawn)..., Interpol, and Franz Ferdinand. 😁
Actually, damn it, Waits is seriously groovy!😛

boldscout72 said:That's exactly why they finally broke out in America back in 2004. 🙂

So, am I just some little guy from Europe? Or not!??😁

Roger Jones5 said:If you're from Cleveland, awesome.
If you aren't... ugh, just posting... such a drag... hang in there... maybe sometime after New Year's, okay?

I'm not from Cleveland😢 but I'm not exactly Anton aus Tirol either.😁

Whenever you're in the mood, oh Captain My Captain!👋

...redcrane28 says:

1. Arcade Fire - Funeral
2. Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles
3. Mission of Burma - Onoffon
4. !!! - Louden Up Now
5. Fantomas - Delirium Cordia
6. Mclusky - Difference Between Me And You Is That I'm Not On Fire
7. The Magnetic Fields - i
8. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry
9. The Futureheads - s/t
10. Hot Snakes - Audit in Progress

1. Nick Cave - Abbattoir Blues / The Lyra of Orpheus
2. Arcade Fire - Funeral
3. Interpol - Antics
4. Comets on Fire - Blue Cathedral
5. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry
6. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
7. Wilco - Ghost is Born
8. Giant Sand - Is All Over the Map
9. Liars - They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
10. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike
11. Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing the Hands
12. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
13. Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum
14. Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
15. Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles
16. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill
17. Delgados - Universal Audio
18. Tom Waits - Real Gonifs
19. Pinback - Summer in Abandon
20. Walkmen - Bows & Arrows

Albums by Strokes, Thrills, Interpol, Walkmen, and Biffy Clyro are easily some of my favorite things I've heard all year so far.

Here is my damn list:

1.Cunninlynguists-Sloppy Second Vol. One
2.The Disco Biscuits-Trans Fusion Radio
3.The Clinton Administration-Take You Higher
4.Goran Kajfes-Headspin
5.George Clinton and P-Funk All Stars-3/19/04, Portland ME
6.Eddie Bo and The Soul Finders-Hook & Sling (reissue)
7.The Name of This Band is Talking Heads (reissue)
8.Weird Al Yankovic-Poddle Hat (this masterpiece dropped in 2003, but since I didn't actually hear it until 2004, it makes the cut here)
9.Brother Ali-Shadow On The Sun
10.Phabao-Present Lone Ranger & Friends

Roger Jones5 said:So, is the new Modest Mouse actually any good? Honestly—I'm still undecided.
I only stumbled upon them a few years back—shoutout to Frank Howard79—and honestly, I was hooked instantly. Lonesome Crowded West is easily my favorite, and most of their other stuff hits the spot just fine, but this new material? Boring, man. It’s just flat—at times it actually sounds like some generic, modern nu-metal derivative. Or maybe that's just me? 😁

I think *Good News for People Who Love Bad News* is alright... a bit hit-or-miss, honestly. It starts off strong, but by the middle, I usually lose interest—I end up staring at the clock wondering when it’ll actually wrap up or if my office mate is going to snap at me to put my headphones on—but then it clicks again toward the end. Maybe it needs a little more polish, but I just don't have the energy to care right now. Besides, I don't have anything else of theirs. 😳 If anyone feels like they owe me a little compensation for that—hey, I definitely won't be complaining.

As for the other albums I've listened to—*A Ghost Is Born* feels kind of uneven to me—it’s not bad, per se. It just wasn't quite good enough to make my list. Plus, I don't have anything else from them. 😳 😳 (Should I just start embarrassing myself now?)
That last cave was incredible—I totally missed mentioning him (yeah, I’m embarrassed).
Franz Ferdinand is also totally great—why don't we actually get up and dance for once instead of just rotting on the couch listening to something incredibly pretentious? Interpol - Antics is fine, I guess, but that’s about it.
I actually really dug Random Harvest when I picked it up back when Bill Elm was touring around—honestly, if I were a guy, I’d definitely be coming out as gay right now. Not that it matters—being gay is fine by me.
Yep, I picked up Loretta Lynn - van Lear Rose today—so if anyone’s asking, I'm basically one step closer to crowning my Album of the Year. Haven't actually popped it into the player yet, though—I grabbed four CDs at once and I'm working my way through them alphabetically. So, stay tuned.
n/p Django Reinhardt - It Don't Mean a Thing