My favorite albums of 2004

As usual, these are not necessarily albums that were released in 2004, but rather those that I listened to the most. Well, actually, those I listened to the most that were also recent acquisitions. As a counter example, may I present the following evidence to the court:

Yann Tiersen, Le Phare

I listen to this quite a bit, because it's just a great record. But I've been listening to it quite a bit since I got it.

Portishead, Dummy

A classic, never really gets old.

So, on to this year's picks...

Stereolab, Margerine Eclipse

A friend pointed out that this album was mixed so that it was almost like having a complete band in each ear. Definite earphone fodder, and I listened to it on the bus many days this year. The sound, combined with the fact that the entire album is an ode to their dear departed bandmember (hence the title), makes for a real listening experience.

Nasa, Remembering the Future

I always loved New Musik, especially their album Warp. This album sounds almost as if Tony Mansfield &co were reincarnated as Swede synthpoppers. And that's a good thing.

Interpol, Turn On the Bright Lights

Yeah, so they sound like Joy Division (Unknown Pleasures) and The Jam (“Eton Rifles”) among others. Echo and the Bunnymen perhaps? But still, they rock. Good and dark. Weird videos, too.

Dogs Die in Hot Cars, Please Describe Yourself

I was told that they sound just like XTC (especially Drums and Wires). Perhaps. But the first thing I thought of was early Poi Dog Pondering. I was listening to The Futureheads as well, but I decided I like Dogs Die In Hot Cars more because they really write lyrics. And they're upbeat. Sometimes happy music is good. (I was told by my wife to put on some “happy music” and I had the hardest time finding any in my collection. It's all dark, disturbed and intense.)

Louis Philippe, My Favourite Part of You

There's something about Louis Philippe's songs that really get me. They're lushly arranged, they're beautifully sung. They're “adult”. He's often singing about relationships, and often they're failed. Yet he often as not sounds happy about it. I can't get enough. We're all doomed.

The Bad Plus, These Are The Vistas

Is it real jazz? I don't know. Does it matter? No. Do I like it? Yes.

They Might Be Giants, The Spine

One of their best albums in a long time. So good, I actually want to listen to it! Played it tonight, in fact.

The Futureheads, The Futureheads

Impressive musicality, lots of energy. But what does it all mean, Mr. Natural? The lyrical content value is low, or perhaps I just don't grok it. But I'd rather listen to Dogs Die In Hot Cars.

Fountains of Wayne, Welcome Interstate Managers

Okay, so I finally got this record. It's good, but it's not as good as everybody seems to believe. It's sprawling, incoherent, and inconsistent. That said, it's also got some brilliant moments, especially the classic “All Kinds of Time”.

Peter Blegvad & Andy Partridge, Orpheus - The Lowdown

I just love to listen to Peter Blegvad speak. And his use of language is awe inspiring. That said, this album is often overmuch for casual listening. It requires a certain mood, a certain concentration.

Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand

There are a couple of great songs on here: “Darts of Pleasure”, “Tell Her Tonight” and especially the album closer “40 ft”. But overall I find the album a bit flat. It's good, but it doesn't grab me for repeated listens. I can't say what it is. Perhaps it's the production, as I really enjoy the demo version of “Darts of Pleasure”. It's more angular, more angry. It really moves. The album version, as it all too often happens, is smoother, the rough edges sanded off, the energy sapped. As Robert Green Ingersoll might have said, “pebbles are polished and diamonds are dimmed”

William Shatner, Has Been

“You're gonna die” 'Nuff said.

Luke Haines & The Auteurs, Das Capital: The Songwriting Genius of Luke Haines and The Auteurs

I really would have liked to have been able to see these concerts. But I didn't. And this recording, while interesting, doesn't quite match the raw energy of the originals. Oh, Luke Haines sneers grandly, the strings scratch, the guitars grind. But it's more like a revue, and it leaves you wanting the original show again.

Daryll-Ann, Trailer Tales

I'm always afraid to play this one when my wife is home, as the lyrics are a bit on the bitter end. Broken relationships and ambiguous morality seem to be the themes here.

Chester Stacey, >Westminster Life

Westminster is the town in Maryland where these guys live. I saw Chester Stacy in between The Jennifers and Thee Bowlermen, and they blew me away. It was the coldest gig I've ever been to, probably below 30°F in the club (the heat was out for the first half). But they rocked, perhaps to fight off the cold. Somewhere in between Minutemen, Meat Puppets, and Baltimore, the lead singer wrung power, noise and grace from his Telecaster. I had to pogo.

Catorce, The World Before Your Eyes

Intimate, oddly psychedelic little brother of The Sugarplastic, filtered through Syd Barrett and lo-fi production (the good kind of lo-fi). Why did I listen to this so much? I still don't know.

Honorable mentions:

Christmas Remixed - Holiday Classics Re-Grooved (various artists)

Absolutely essential Christmas music.

Mike Watt, The Secondman's Middle Stand

Harsh but true.

Rusty Anderson, Undressing Underwater

A bit overproduced, but high quality power pop.

John Francis, Fiddling - Seventeen Tunes

National Champion performs some of his favorites (including one he learned from me).

Matthew Sweet, Kimi Ga Suki · Raifu

Some good tunes on here, but it seems to lack something. More interesting than his recent Living Things, however.

Andy Partridge, Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 5 and Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 6

As usual, a mixed bag. Some gems. Some dross.

Chomsky, Let's Get to Second

Very disappointing. Rehashing some songs from their previous (Onward Quirky Soldiers) with some new songs, this album is another that loses the energy of the originals. I'm not trying to “second” guess the band, but why they decided to go back in time (in an effort to improve upon it?) is beyond me. Still, it's good overall, and I continue to listen to it. (Damning with faint praise.)

The 88, Kind of Light

Solid power pop.

Owsley, The Hard Way

More solid power pop, but the best song on here is the bonus track from “Listen to What the Man Said„ - Popular Artists Pay Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney, Owsley's cover of “Band on the Run”.

The Tubes, Now

I've been waiting for this on CD since before CDs were invented. Oddly enough, this seems to be the least favourite Tubes album for most people. Don't know why. I like it.

Art Bears, The Art Box

Along with most Frank Zappa, Big Black, L.A. punk-pop, and Conlon Nancarrow, this is music my wife would rather I didn't listen to. Especially if she is within earshot. But The World as it is Today is so amazingly powerful and seriously scary, how could I live without it. This mastering in this reissue is audibly improved over the original CD releases, plus you get all sorts of bonus stuff (which I will probably listen to once).

Back to John Relph's Decade in Music