Sleestak's Best of 2004 Mix

The Walkmen, "The Rat"*

I honestly didn't think they had it in them. After being disappointed by their debut album, it was good to hear that the Walkmen knew how to make an honest to goodness rock record. The rest of Bows and Arrows doesn't measure up (natch), but this song more than makes up for it.

Pinback, "Fortress"

Sometimes I listen to Pinback's latest and think it sounds alarmingly like Supertramp, but not this song. "Fortress" is a great piece of indie pop that I find myself singing in my head hours after hearing it on the stereo.

Mclusky, "Without MSG I Am Nothing"

It sucks that their latest (and I think best) album turned out to be their swan song because Mclusky were the masters of skewed indie rock. Granted, this won't be for everyone, but patient listeners are rewarded with brilliant and humorous songwriting and chaos at its most catchy.

Loretta Lynn, "Portland, Oregon"

This song is close to perfection. I love the gorgeous guitar intro and the simplicity of the lyrics relating the drunken May-December tryst at the heart of the song.

David Kilgour, "Living In Space"

Having only heard the sloppy garage rock of his former band, The Clean, I was shocked by how he evolved into such a mature songwriter. This might be the most evocative track on the mix, mostly because of how well the beautiful acoustic guitar and background "na na na's" capture the song's feeling of loss.

Rasputina, "Wicked Dickie"*

This was a controversial inclusion for me since, like much of the album from whence it came, it's so self-consciously reminiscent of a Smithsonian field recording. I have a weak spot for Rasputina, though, so consider this song an indulgence for me.

Madvillain, "Figaro"

Definitely one of my favorite releases of the whole year. It's a hip-hop album bristling with ideas, humor, and some of the most brilliant samples I've ever heard on record. There's nothing quite like a CD that appeals to both my rhythmic side (it's there, I swear) and my comic book geekdom.

Interpol, "Slow Hands"

I was disappointed by Antics, but mostly because I would have been happy for them to have simply re-recorded Turn on the Bright Lights instead of veering into poppier, dance floor-friendly territory. "Slow Hands" is an undeniably awesome single, however.

Mission of Burma, "Dirt"*

Cheat #1. This song was originally recorded in the '80s for a Burma live album, but this studio version was released on their 2004 album OnoffOn. It's been said by a million critics already, but I'll reiterate how shocking it is this song sounds such a part of the "now" even though it perfectly reflects Burma's aesthetic from over twenty years ago. I guess it's easy to "come back" when your original incarnation was decades ahead of its time.

Neko Case, "Train From Kansas City"

I love Neko, so she would get a pass from me even if her live album completely sucked. Luckily it turned out to be a great example of how such a release can serve as much more than discography filler by including both new songs and covers of classics like "Train From Kansas City".

The Black Keys, "10 a.m. Automatic"

It's Cream for the Hipster Generation! Seriously, if there's one thing I can appreciate is two nerdy guys from Cleveland unironically playing the blues and tearing that shit UP.

Namelessnumberheadman, "Every Fiber"*

Seeing these guys play on a regular basis will be one of the things I miss most about living in Kansas City. It's hard to pick out a single from a band whose output is best served by the album format, but this song does a good job of capturing how successfully they're able to combine the organic and the electronic in their music. (Think a more post-rock version of The Notwist or Postal Service.)

TV on the Radio, "Staring At the Sun"*

Cheat #2: Not only was this song initially released on 2003's Young Liars e.p., it's not even my favorite song on Desperate Babes, Bloodthirsty Youth, but I decided to spare everyone five minutes of neo-barbershop. I'm not so sure that I look at their full-length debut as a wholly successful experiment, but at the very least, it's nice to hear someone attempting something completely different.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, "Let the Bells Ring"

I haven't really given NC's double album Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus a fair listen, but this song immediately stood out. It's a tribute to Johnny Cash, who covered Cave's "The Mercy Seat" on one of the American recordings, and whose aesthetic pretty much informed all of Cave's career.

The Futureheads, "A to B"

The Futureheads really do sound a lot like XTC for much of their debut album, but I chose this one because it expands on their influences to include (to my ears) both XTC and The Jam. Easily one of my favorite albums of the year.

Of Montreal, "Rapture Rapes the Muses"*

There are better songs on Their Satanic Majesties Request Satanic Panic in the Attic, but this is the one that manages to stick in my head. Also, I can't recommend Of Montreal's surreally entertaining live show highly enough.

Johnny Boy, "You Are the Generation That Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve"

Many thanks to stoof for introducing me to this incredible song. It's a gorgeous tribute to girl bands of the '60s and Phil Spector's "wall of sound" production. Plus it has one of the greatest title's EVER. Pop bliss!

Sufjan Stevens, "All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands"

I remember chatting with culturalvacuum and priceyeah when I first heard this song and feeling compelled to type "This is the most beautiful song I've ever heard." I hope it's not too repetitive for everyone else, but I was completely transfixed by the slowly building loop around which the song is structured.

Hot Snakes, "Audit in Process"

This may be my favorite song on this mix, mostly because it just rocks so damn hard. Thanks to socialretard for singing the praises of their new album, strangely enough, also called Audit in Process

Kanye West, "Two Words"

I failed to be enthralled by Kanye West's schtick - sped up soul samples serving as the foundation for his raps - but the live performance of it on Chappelle's Show totally sold me. I'll just chalk up my admiration for this song to the awesomeness of special guest Mos Def.

Rogue Wave, "Every Moment"*

I admit there's nothing new about West Coast stoner indie featuring a vocalist reminiscent of Neil Young, but these guys do it really well! Of course my love of Grandaddy and the fact that I had a nice conversation with Jason Rogue following their opening set in NO WAY influenced my inclusion of this song. Nope.

Franz Ferdinand, "Darts of Pleasure"

Hype, overhype, and backlash...the mystical fame cycle continues. This was the first song I heard by FF, and it still remains my favorite - which says a lot considering the song doesn't have the filler that plagued so many releases last year. C'mon guys, give 'em another chance!

The Features, "The Way It's Meant to Be"

Of the three 2004 releases I've heard that owe an obvious debt to XTC, The Features' is easily the bronze medal winner. Unfortunately, it doesn't really hold up that well upon repeated listenings like the albums by the Futureheads or Dogs Die in Hot Cars, but I'll give them credit for crafting this nifty bit of '80s-inspired retro pop.

Death From Above 1979, "Cold War"

I put DFA '79 last on the mix because I'm still not entirely sold on them. To me, their "one bassist, one drummer, no guitar" setup is far too gimmicky to support a long career in music. Still, "Cold War" is both a strong tune and one of the shorter ones on the album, so I'll let you all decide for yourself.