Jan 4
2005
Top 50 Albums of 2004
This is the moment everyone's been waiting for, the proof that I really have no life. These are my 10 favorite albums of 2004, in order (roughly), with five word descriptions (or less) and an MP3 (mostly legal and only when I could find a link). (Also, for the MP3s, many are links to InSound and betterPropaganda.) I'm going to keep editing this list, and some rankings may change. Hope you enjoy it, I worked very hard. Any comments, questions, suggestions, let me know.1 - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Shake the Streets
http://www.tedleo.com/2 - Moonbabies - Orange BillboardRockin' punk originally from Jersey
MP3: "MeAndMia"
http://www.moonbabies.nu/3 - Saturday Looks Good to Me - Every NightSwedish, LIYL My Bloody Valentine
MP3: "Sun A.M."
http://www.saturdaylooksgoodtome.com/4 - The Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed50's sounding rock from Detroit
http://www.themountaingoats.net/5 - Annie - AnniemalOne guy whining with guitar
MP3: "Palmcorder Yanja"
http://www.anniemusic.co.uk/6 - Kings of Convenience - Riot on an Empty StreetVery poppy electro with vocals
http://www.kingsofconvenience.com/7 - Erlend Oye - DJ KicksErlend Oye's better known project
MP3: "I'd Rather Dance With You" Live at Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, October 31, 2004
http://www.erlendoye.com8 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz FerdinandAn indie DJs DJ mix
http://www.franzferdinand.co.uk/9 - Joanna Newsome - The Milk-Eyed MenderScottish rock that everyone's heard
http://www.walnutwhales.com/10 - The Arcade Fire - FuneralMore quirky than Bjork?
http://www.arcadefire.com/11 - Rilo Kiley - More AdventurousCanadian band hard to describe
MP3: "Wake Up"
http://www.rilokiley.com/12 - The Killers - Hot FussThis band does no wrong
MP3: "Portions for Foxes" Live at Good Records, Dallas, TX, October 23, 2004
http://www.thekillers.co.uk13 - Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered DaysMore poppy than The Strokes?
http://www.ironandwine.com/14 - Annimal Collective- Sung TongsGuy and his guitar folk
MP3: "Naked As We Came"
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/ . . .15 - Sufjan Stevens - Seven SwansBeats the hell outta me
MP3: "Leaf House"
http://www.sufjan.com/16 - A.C. Newman - The Slow WonderSnowy folk with Christian overtones
MP3: "Sister"
http://www.acnewman.net/17 - Of Montreal - Satanic Panic in the AtticLead singer of New Pornographers
MP3: "Miracle Drug"
http://www.ofmontreal.net18 - The Streets - A Grand Don’t Come for FreeAcid was involved in recording
MP3: "Lysergic Bliss"
http://www.the-streets.co.uk/19 - Interpol - AnticsNew breed of British hip-hop
http://www.interpolny.com/20 - Feist - Let it DieJust like their last album
MP3: "Slow Hands"
http://www.listentofeist.com/21 - Phoenix - AlphabeticalEvery song is completely different
MP3: "Mushaboom"
http://www.wearephoenix.com/22 - Joy Zipper - American WhipFrench electro-pop band
http://www.joyzipper.tv23 - The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, StrikeI really like electro-pop
http://www.thegoteam.co.uk/24 - Walkmen - Bows and ArrowsLeft this description to last
MP3: "Power is On"
http://www.thewalkmen.com/25 - Scissor Sisters - Scissor SistersThey appeared on The O.C.
http://www.scissorsisters.com/26 - Maritime - Glass FloorSomewhere between Elton and Prince
http://www.maritimesongs.com27 - Ratatat - RatatatPoppy guitar music nothing more
MP3: "Sleep Around"
http://www.ratatatmusic.com/28 - Madvillain - MadvillainyTwo guitars and a computer
MP3: "Seventeen Years"
http://www.stonesthrow.com/madvillain/29 - Mirah - C'mon MiracleMadlib and MF Doom hip-hop
MP3: "Accordion"
http://www.krecs.com/mirah/29 - The Cardigans - Long Gone Before MidnightOften beautiful female vocals
MP3: "Jerusalem"
http://cardigans.com/30 - John Vanderslice - Cellar DoorI like female lead singers
http://www.johnvanderslice.com/31 - The Roots - The Tipping PointIntelligent rock with electronic hints
MP3: "Pale Horse"
http://www.theroots.com/32 - Kanye West - The College DropoutAnother solid album
http://www.kanyewest.com/33 - Murs - Murs 316 The 9th EditionShould this be ranked higher?
http://www.definitivejux.net/jukies/murs/34 - Wagon Christ - Sorry I Make You LushMurs and 9th Wonder hip-hop
MP3: "3:16"
http://www.ninjatune.net/ninja/artist.php?id=3535 - Air - Talkie WalkieElectronic music with some umph???
http://www.intairnet.org/36 - Wilco - A Ghost is BornAir make sweeping electronic music
http://www.wilcoweb.com37 - The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry BoatHow do you explain Wilco?
http://www.thefieryfurnaces.com/38 - Modest Mouse - Good News for People who Love Bad NewsNot sure I get it
MP3: "Chris Michaels"
http://www.modestmousemusic.com/39 - Magnetic Fields - IThey make poppy indie rock
http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/tmf.php40 - Prince - MusicologyAll songs start with "I"
http://www.npgonlineltd.com/41 - Death from Above 1979 - You're a Woman, I'm a MachinePrince does Prince again
http://www.deathfromabove1979.com/41 - The Fever - Red BedroomThese guys rock hard
MP3: "Romantic Rights"
http://www.thefeveronline.com/42 - The Bad Plus - GiveSame realm as The Strokes
MP3: "Gray Ghost"
http://www.thebadplus.com/43 - cLOUDEAD - TenExciting jazz trio
http://www.dirtyloop.com/cLOUDDEAD.html44 - Lambchop - Aw C’Mon/No, You C’monHip-hop like you've never heard
MP3: "Rifle Eyes"
http://www.lambchop.net/45 - TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty BabesTwo albums of southern goodness
http://www.tvontheradio.com/46 - Zero 7 - When It FallsBrooklynites experiment with sound
MP3: "Dreams"
http://www.zero7.co.uk/47 - Sonic Youth - Sonic NurseMore female vocals than Air
http://www.sonicyouth.com/48 - Mellow - Perfect ColorsGrunge grandfathers make fuzzy music
http://www.mellow-workshop.com49 - Lali Puna - Faking the BooksThe band's name says it
http://www.lalipuna.de50 - Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the HandsGerman glitch-pop
http://www.younggodrecords.com/Artists/DevendraBanhart/Mostly indescribable quirky folk music
MP3: "The Body Breaks"
Great list Noah...will have to check out a lot of these bands.