Adding It Up: The 2004 Hierarchy
I've done all the work and I'm pretty sure that's the last I'm gonna use. Here's the outcome of this year's 50 year ends I considered:
40)
Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand
35)
The Streets: A Grand Don’t Come For Free
32)
Kanye West: The College Dropout
31)
Wilco: A Ghost Is Born
30)
Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose
29)
Brian Wilson: Smile
28)
Elliot Smith: From A Basement On The Hill
27)
Bjork: Medulla
Interpol: Antics
TV On The Radio: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
26)
Dizzee Rascal: Showtime
25)
The Libertines: The Libertines
Tom Waits: Real Gone
24)
Morrissey: You Are The Quarry
22)
Scissor Sisters: Scissor Sisters
21)
Devandra Banhart: Rejoicing The Hands
20)
The Arcade Fire: Funeral
Green Day: American Idiot
Modest Mouse: Good News For People Who Love Bad News
19)
Nick Cave: Abbatoir Blues/ The Lyres Of Orpheus
18)
Madvillain: Madvillainy
Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans
16)
Drive-By Truckers: The Dirty South
Joanna Newsom: The Milk-Eyed Mender
15)
Mark Lanegan Band: Bubblegum
Sonic Youth: Sonic Nurse
U2: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
14)
!!!: Louden Up Now
PJ Harvey: Uh Huh Her
Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me
A.C. Newman: The Slow Wonder
13)
Animal Collective: Sung Tongs
DJ Danger Mouse: The Grey Album
The Futureheads: The Futureheads
The Hives: Tyrannosaurus Hives
Iron and Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days
The Killers: Hot Fuss
12)
Air: Talkie Walkie
The Fiery Furnaces: Blueberry Boat
Ghostface: The Pretty Toney Album
Kings Of Leon: Aha Shake Heartbreak
11)
Junior Boys: Last Exit
The Magnetic Fields: I
The Walkmen: Bows + Arrows
10)
Cocorosie: La Maison De Mon Reve
Elvis Costello: The Delivery Man
Steve Earle: The Revolution Starts…Now
Fennesz: Venice
Keane: Hopes And Fears
Prince: Musicology
The Secret Machines: Now Here Is Nowhere
The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow (2003)
9)
The Beastie Boys: To The Five Boroughs
Comets On Fire: Blue Cathedral
The Go! Team: Thunder Lightning Strike
Jill Scott: Beautifully Human
8)
Blonde Redhead: Misery Is A Butterfly
Cloudhead: Ten
Jolie Holland: Escondida
Mastodon: Leviathan
Rilo Kiley: More Adventures
The Roots: The Tipping Point
The Snow Patrol: The Final Straw
7)
Adem: Homesongs
American Music Club: Love Songs For Patriots
Badly Drawn Boy: One Plus One Is One
The Dears: No Cities Left
Dillinger Escape Plan: Miss Machine
Feist: Let It Die
Mylo: Destroy Rock And Roll
Razorlight: Up All Night
Ron Sexsmith: Retriever
Xiu Xiu: Fabulous Muscles
The Zutons: Who Killed The Zutons?
6)
Devandra Banhart: Nino Rojo
The Black Keys: Rubber Factory
Cee-Lo Green: Cee-Lo Green…Is The Soul Machine
The Delays- Faded Seaside Glamour
Eminem: Encore
The Hidden Cameras: Mississauga Goddam
Micah P. Hinson: Micah P Hinson & The Gospel Of Progress
Isis: Panopticon
Jimmy Eat World: Futures
Kasabian: Kasabian
Phoenix: Alphabetical
Patti Smith: Trampin’
Usher: Confessions
Wolf Eyes: Burned Mind
5)
Ada: Blondie
The Bees: Free The Bees
The Beta Band: Heroes To Zeroes
The Blue Nile: High
Leonard Cohen: Dear Leather
The Cure: The Cure
De La Soul: The Grind Date
Dogs Die In Hot Cars: Please Describe Yourself
Electrelane: The Power Out
Patty Griffin: Impossible Dream
Hope Of The States: The Lost Riots
Kelis: Tasty
Ray Lamontagne: Trouble
Lambchop: Aw C’mon/Noyouc’mon
Ted Leo & The Pharmasists: Shake The Sheets
Le Tigre: This Island
Mos Def: The New Danger
Mountain Goats: We Shall All Be Healed
N.E.R.D.: Fly Or Die
R.E.M.: Around The Sun
Gwen Stefani: Love Angel Music Baby
Stereolab: Margerine Eclipse
The Thermals: Fuckin A
The Von Bondies: Pawn Shoppe Heart
Paul Westerberg: Folker
4)
Blanche: If We Can’t Trust The Doctor
Bonnie “Prince” Billy: Greatest Palace Music
Brandy: Afrodisiac
Neko Case: The Tigers Have Spoken
Converge: You Fail Me
Deerhoof: Milk Man
Destroyer: Your Blues
DJ/ Rupture: Special Gunpowder
The Faint: Wet From Birth
Giant Sand: It’s All Over The Map
Norah Jones: Feels Like Home
Kings Of Convenience: Riot On An Empty Street
Alison Krauss: Lonely Runs Both Ways
Lhasa: The Living Road
Liars: They Were Wrong So We Drowned
Courtney Love: America’s Sweetheart
McLusky: The Difference Between You And Me Is That I’m On Fire
Youssou N’Dour: Egypt
Ordinary Boys: Over The Counter Culture
Max Richter: The Blue Notebooks
William Shatner: Has Been
Sountrack Of Our Lives: Origin Vol. 1
Superpitcher: Here Comes Love
Tinariwen: Amassakoul
Two Lone Swordsmen: From The Double Gone Chapel
Laura Viers: Carbon Glacier
Rufus Wainwright: Want Two
3)
Keren Ann: Not Going Anywhere
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti: The Doldrums
Joseph Arthur: Our Shadows Will Remain
Frederico Aubele: Gand Hotel Buenos Aires
Auf Der Maur: Auf Der Maur
Blonde Redhead: Misery Is A Butterfly
The Bronx: The Bronx
David Byrne: Going Backwards
Don Byron: Ivey-Divey
Califone: Heron King Blues
Camera Obscura: Underachievers Please Try Harder
Carina Round: The Disconnection
The Concretes: The Concretes
Graham Coxon: Happiness In Magazines
Diplo: Florida
Dolorean: Violence In The Snowy Fields
The Dresden Dolls: The Dresden Dolls
Dungen: Ta Det Lugnt
Eagles Of Heavy Metal: Peace Love Death Metal
The Earlies: These Were The Earlies
Finn Brothers: Everyone Is Here
Richmond Fontaine: Post To Wire
The Foreign Exchange: Connected
Jason Forrest: The Unrelenting Songs Of The 1979 Post Disco Crash
Ghost: Hypnotic Underworld
Goldie: Lookin’ Chain
Jean Grae: This Week
Handsome Boy Modelling School: White People
Ed Harcourt: Strangers
R. Kelly: Happy People/ U Saved Me
Khonnor: Handwriting
K-Os: Joyful Rebellion
Lali Puna: Faking The Books
Les Savy Fav: Inches
Manic Street Preachers: Lifeblood
Buddy Miller: Universal United House
Mirah: C’mon Miracle
Mission Of Burma: OnOffOn
Juana Molina: Tres Cosas
Murs/The 9th Wonder: 3:16 The 9th Edition
My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge
Nas: Street’s Discipline
Stina Nordenstam: The World Is Saved
Ordinary Boys: Over The Counter Culture
Polly Paulusma: Scissors In My Pocket
Pinback: Summer In Abaddon
The Ponys: Laced With Romance
Q And Not U: Power
Reigning Sound: Too Much Guitar
Max Richter: The Blue Notebooks
RJD2: Since We Last Spoke
Rogue Wave: Out Of The Shadow
The Sadies: Favourite Colours
Slipknot: Vol. 3
Sophia: People Are Like Seasons
Soulwax: Any Minute Now
Squarepusher: Ultravisitor
V.A. Soundtrack Of Our Lives- Volume 1
Joss Stone: Mind Body & Soul
Talking Heads: The Name Of This Band Is
Tinariwen: Amassahoul
James Yorkston & The Athletes: Just Beyond The River
Stook!
I guess I am going to have to pick up the TV on the Radio disc. I heard a song from it the other day, and it made me smile.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
TV On The Radio's album is fabulous (no exageration), 3rd fave album of the year so far, it snuck in at the beginning of the year to mild praise yet I knew it was a classic from the first listen (who wouldn't like post-punk/doo-wop); And it's easy to purchase. :?)
:?)
I will have to nab a copy.
Thanks!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs (who is both dodging flying popcorn at the moment and wondering why the critics went nuts over When I Was Cruel but not quite so over the much better Delivery Man...)
What lists are you culling these from?
By the way, I am so freaking sick of Franz Ferdinand's prominence on the music scene. I know that may be unfair to a well-meaning quasi-indie band, but I just wish other, more deserving, artists could get some breathing room.
That said, so so so so happy about The Streets.
For your ponderance and wonderation, here's the list of sources:
All Music Guide Editor's 2004
Amazon.com's Best CDs of 2004
BBC UK 2004
Boston Globe 2004
Cokemachineglow.com's 50 Best Albums of 2004
Exclaim Year End 2004
Glide: Our Top Albums Of 2004
GQ 10 best albums of 2004
Heaven (netherlands) 2004 only top 100
Intro 2004: critics top 50 albums
Junkmedia.com 2004: The Year In Music
Largeheartedboy.com Albums Of 2004
Les Inrockuptibles Albums of 2004
Maxim Blender 50 CDs of 2004
The Milk Factory: Best Of 2000
Mojo Recordings Of 2004
musica di repubblica: 2004 best 100
Musikbyran Albums: 2004
Musikexpress Albums 2004
NME Top 50 Albums Of 2004
Nojesguiden Best Albums Of 2004
Observer Music Monthly 2004
Onion A/V Club 04
Oor 2004 (top 100 only)
Popmatters Music Of 2004
Prefix 2004 Year End
Pure Pop's best of the year
Q Magazine's playlist 2004
Rolling Stones 2004: Year End
Rough Trade 2004
Rumore's best albums of the year
Salon.com Top 10 Records
Slant Top 10 list
Spin 40 Best Albums of 2004
Tracks Top 20 Albums of the Year
Uncut Albums of 2004
Still waiting for another 10 but the order seems set already.
:?)
Honestly, the high ranking of Franz baffles me a bit as well. It is a very good album, but...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Don't worry, I'm sure Pitchfork will be praising the overrated Streets tomorrow...
Hmm...I suppose it is a case of "different strokes for different folks".
It's a treat to have you back stook, even if this is just a flash in the pan.
Funny thing, my wife and I went browsing around a used CD store last night, and they had like a million copies of Wilco's "A Ghost is Born". I'm wondering if somehow the critical raves made it into the consciousness of the wider public, they snapped up a bunch of copies, and then rejected what they heard. That's no reflection on the quality of the album, of course, just a wild guess as to why it was so heavily returned.
Or it could just be something in the water.
I think many people bought Ghost expecting Yankee Hotel Foxtrot part 2, which it just is not.
What it is, however, is a pretty good album.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Thanks J, I've received the Secret Santa mixes and was planning on writing a review for the peoples responsible but I thought everyone would enjoy this little tidbit.
I agree with LB on the expectations people had (which I don't understand since none of their albums sound like the other) and would like to add that I think it's excellent, another one of my favorites.
:?)
I sense a lot of hostility towards Franz Ferdinand that I don't understand. I love this album; every song is excellent fluffy pop rock with some psuedo-disco and Strokes thrown in for good measure. While The Streets manages to create a sound collage of the accessible and inaccessible that's eminently listenable. They purvey the essence of every great pop band throughout the history of modern music...great hooks, song writing with some minor experimentation slathered in 3 chord goo. I tend to think it's amazing when someone doesn't like these bands.
Every year I listen to the CD's I can afford (usually about half) with an preference for hailed releases yet the excellent get bashed by year end for selling out or being over-rated if they don't confound the listener with complex, genre-bending song structures or just unlistenable wanking. Ideally people would prefer Devandra or Joanna Newsom or Blood Brothers (basically anyone who typifies daring [ie. starving] artists} to be heralded in that year. The problem being that daring stylists generally don't come in an easy to listen to package. They take brainpower (even will power), time and patience to get the most out of them. A year will have to pass before every critic will be talking about how wonderful Lali Puna's "masterpiece" Faking The Books is; usually after 10 listens. I will venture a guess at the reason. A critic listens to over 300 albums a year and the most obviously great albums will get heavy rotation. You can't expect them to intake that much music and put time into more than twenty hidden albums a year, I don't think that's even possible. Therefore Franz (and possibly The Streets) rise to the top of the critical melee because it is 1) generic enough to appeal to everyone, 2) has marvellous song writing, 3) has a few good, fresh musical ideas 4) and because you can enjoy them for 20 listens or more and not want to belch with Homer Simpson fervour. Some critics will discover The Secret Machines, others will love Fennez and their overall ranking will probably be lower than expected, you'll have to wait a couple of years.
I can understand personal taste (except when people love Engelbert Humperdink) but to label Franz Ferdinand as overrated is an error. The album will be mentioned 20 years from now as a classic for much the same reason "David Bowie-Ziggy Stardust" is still gushed over: Because it makes you want to shake your ass while making inaudible noises (like James Brown) or make some mucho hardcore lovin', maybe even both at the same time.
Please take the time to tell me of your opinions considering this issue.
:?)
I have no hostility toward Ferdinand. I think the album is good, just not great.
I suspect you nailed the reason for its high positioning on these polls.
Now the Streets showing up pretty high, on the other hand, will find no opposition from me...
Honestly, I seriously doubt that FF will be held in anything close to the esteem of Ziggy Stardust thirty years down the road (Why? Frankly, I just do not feel it is nearly as good...), but I confess I am not always the best guesser of the future.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I think it is unfair to compare Franz to The Streets in this regard, because much of the appeal of The Streets is the storytelling and humanity of the last album. Franz is throw-away pop, whereas Mike Skinner created a character with basic human flaws and dreams, and developed a beautiful sonic story that both entertained and touched me. The actual pathos of the music, and the thought put into the meaning are what attract me so much to The Streets.
Franz is absolute fluff (as you said) and I am therefore puzzled as to the critical acclaim. Usually, the concensus album has at least a little substance.
The Streets I would consider as openly pop oriented as Franz Ferdinand (or should I say Mike Skinner) in many respects. Musically these albums share more than they differ, both contain a preponderance of gooey hooks and sing-along choruses, trolling the popular music of the last 3 decades to create something both original and completely comfortable. Of course Skinner's chosen genre is more modern, but pop music none the less.
I think the difference as you've pointed out comes down to story-telling, lyrics and the means with which the music serves both. While Skinner chooses a practical, straight foward approach, creating characters and building a world about them, Franz's lyrics are far more oblique yet no less full of detail. Franz create slivers of modern English life for a young man, their importance in negligable but that does not lessen their impact. For instance:
"I time every journey to bump into you, accidentally, I charm you and tell you of the boys I hate, all the girls I hate, all the words I hate, all the clothes I hate, how I'll never be anything I hate, you smile, mention something that you like, how you'd have a happy life, if you did the things you like."
It's a fabulous passage that communicates little about the person speaking them, but I surely identify with their meaning and elegance.
What interests me about people's opinion of Franz is the willingness to dismiss it as a marvellous album simply because the sonic package is pop music. To make a bizarre analogy:
I'd rather have my belly rubbed than have my back scratched any day of the week.
What is your opinion on that?
T'ho
I see what you're saying with Franz Ferdinand, but a lot of their lyrics come off as purposely ironic or, even worse, shallow...at least, that's how I've felt.
The Streets create a very pretty sinic package, I'm well-aware, but I think that Mike's level of emotional honesty is what makes the album fascinating for me.
I think this may just be an argument of apples vs. oranges, and I am very willing to concede that Franz is a good band, but they just don't do a whole lot for me.
Okay, Pitchfork has been added, along with Mucchio Selvaggio n' E-Online and the list has CHANGED...very little.
:?)
Somehow, you've forgotten to include the list of the most important music critic & rock historian living today.
Shame.
I guess that gives Franz Ferdinand another point, that should make everyone happy. :?)
That's an interesting list, although I have to say I knew Kasabian would be there.
And all these years I thought that to be Chuck Eddy, what was I thinking? :?)
:?)
A common mistake.