Goodnight to the rock 'n roll era
john
::20 dec 2004 :: 05:44pm
My favorite music of the year, the stuff that kept me going for 365 days.
Albums of the Year
OnOffOn
Michael Azerrad put out a book called Our Band Could Be Your Life in 2002, and Mission of Burma was one of the bands
profiled in the book. Around this time Burma started to reform after breaking up 20 years earlier.
Coincidence? I'm a huge fan of Signals, Calls and
Marches, but I figured that there's no way the band could capture the magic that the once
had. I was wrong. This album kicks ass. It is an intense as they're earlier stuff, and in my
opinion, better than Vs.
Shake the Sheets
Ted Leo's last two albums were amazing, and while not as good, I still love this album. It took me a
little while to warm up to it, but now it's easily one of my favorites of the year.
Abandon
One of my best friends from high school IMed me four years ago urging me to check out a song from
Pinback called Tripoli, which is the first song from their first album. It blew me away. I
was going through a period of really loud music and for some reason the soft song stuck with me.
I've stuck with Pinback ever since.
Inches
Schizophrenic. 9 seven inches now out in digital form. 4 art students gone good. One crazy bald
bearded lead singer. Still schizophrenic.
is Not Brain
I respect J. Robbins like no other. Not only were Jawbox and Burning Airlines
incredible, but he is a wizard when it comes to producing albums. Almost everything he touches is
gold. I bought this album solely because Robbins produced it, and I wasn't let down. The first song,
Payroll, I think was my favorite song of the year.
Floor
Another J. Robbins produced album, but this one comes with built in pedigree. 2/3 of the band come
from the Promise Ring,
and the other from the great Dismemberment Plan.
Don't expect power pop or crazy indie math rock and you'll do alright. Soft, beautiful pop songs
about friendship, love and death.
Funeral
Legend has it that four of the band's members relatives died during production of this album, and
that's where the name comes from. All I know is this is the surprise album of the year for me. I'd
like to thank pitchfork for introducing
this to me.
4. Interpol -
Antics
When I saw these guys perform some of these songs last year I was unimpressed. They didn't seem to
have that special something that made their debut so great. But somehow the album was way better
than I expected. Happier than Turn on the Bright Lights, and that somehow is a good thing.
Franz Ferdinand
Pretty. Melodic. Poppy. One of the few albums ever that makes me want to dance when I hear it.
Album of the Year
Tim Kasher makes good music, whether it's in Cursive or in the
Good Life. I really liked the Lovers Need Lawyers
EP that preceded this, but this just blew me out of the water. A concept album about a year in the
life of a relationship.
News for People who Love Bad News
I'll admit, I'm a little surprised that this is my #1, but when I made the order, this kept being
pushed higher until it reached the top. And I guess it makes sense, because there was was no album I
enjoyed more as a whole than this. Every song is great, and if Payroll by Mock Orange weren't
my favorite song of the year then Bury Me With It would be. I love this record.
Reissues of the Year
Rain Crooked Rain: L.A.'s Desert Origins
When there is a massive reissue of one of your favorite records of all time, you have to get it,
right? And when they add something like 24 unreleased songs from the era with it, it's alright to be
so excited that you are counting the days before you get your grubby little hands on it, right? And
it's okay to listen to it in your car for a month straight without replacing it in your CD player,
right? Just checking.
(Deluxe Edition)
1994 was a year that changed me. I was 13 and just starting to really develop my identity. Music was
one of the things that really helped me define myself. I remember the day I bought this album I also
bought Dirty, Exile in Guyville, and Dookie.
While all of those albums are now considered classics, this album has always been one of my all time
favorites. I played the hell out of it that summer, and even though I bought Crooked Rain Crooked
Rain the next week, this one still couldn't be removed from the stereo. I think this album is
burned into my brain.
Calling (Legacy Edition)
It really is hard to beat this album. The Clash at their best.
Overlooked Until this Year Albums of the Year
Her Majesty the Decemberists
I saw these guys opening for the Pixies and Death Cab for Cutie
in Bend Oregon. While the couldn't outshine the Pixies, they did hold their own. People say the
sound a lot like Neutral Milk Hotel.
These people are right.
Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?
Weird stuff. It sounds like a bunch of stoned guys banging on their instruments and somehow making
it sound alright. This is probably not the best endorsement ever.
Will Break Your Heart
I told myself I wouldn't buy this because at the time there were a lot of -ill bands releasing stuff
(the Stills, the Thrills, the Kills, etc.). Well, I now bought it and it's pretty damn good. Most
people will say the killer track is Still in Love Song. These people are idiots, as Lola
Stars and Stripes kicks way more ass.
Industry - All This Sounds Gas
I'm a huge Pavement fan. And more specifically, I'm a huge fan of Spiral Stairs' Pavement songs. So
why did I wait so long to get this album, which is his solo debut? The world may never know.
So there you have it. See you next year.
