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I guess every year I tried to make this list bigger and bigger. I've just really started realizing that I end up putting crap on there that I shouldn't just for the sake of breadth. This year, I just decided to finally do this about 5 minutes ago. And it'll probably be more honest than any list I've had before because it'll be without the calculation element of past lists, and probably with a lot less in the department of indulgent blurbs. Oh, and the list is shorter too. I'm jaded when it comes to music I guess. Besides that, this list needs a few caveats:
1.) Some albums lost major points for having some incredible points but all around sucking and being boring as sin. Most notably TV on the Radio: two amazing songs, the rest is utter crap. Thus, this album didn't make the list while a notably less-noteworthy album (ahem, The Eraser) did because Return to Cookie Mountain just absolutely pissed me off to no end. It got lumps and lumps of praise for mediocrity; thus I was willing to put somewhat less heralded mediocrity (again, The Eraser) on the list for "justice" reasons -- as in, I just can't bring myself to putting TV on the Radio on another top list when it really really wasn't that good besides two tracks which collectively melted my face.
2.) A lot of probably deserving stuff didn't have a chance just cause I never listened to it all the way through (see: Clipse; I just kept listening to "Trill" over and over cause that song rules, also Mew and a few others... these are probably great albums that would've made the list had I not slacked so much).
3.) The competition pool was really small this year. I just didn't listen to that much music. Thus, besides those on the list, these are the only other artists whose albums were in the running for this year: +/-; Built to Spill; Clipse; Decemberists; Flaming Lips; Malajube; Mylo; the Streets; the Strokes; Tapes 'n Tapes (techincally 2005?); Justin Timberlake; TV on the Radio. I did listen to other stuff of course (Crystal Skulls, the Frames, Sunset Rubdown, Fujiya and Miyaki, Sparklehorse...) but not nearly enough to consider it for this list. In other words: take what I say with a grain of salt.
4.) This is like embarassing indie/GAP pop city.
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15. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
You're all laughing a bit right now. You should be. My Radiohead-worshipping identity shines through. This album's not very good. That being said, parts of it are really good. This sort of half-stumbled into the list by default (see caveat 1 & 3 above).
Top Tracks: "The Eraser," "Analyse," "Harrowdown Hill."
14. The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
Greg Dulli's so over-the-top in terms of over-production and dramatically over-clean anthemic pop that he reminds me of the person I'd constantly be repressing inside if I ever were to record an album. This album is unintentionally hysterical and pretentious at points -- if you haven't heard it, think a Doves album on steroids with tons and tons and tons of melodrama -- but that only adds to the appeal to me.
Top Tracks: "Underneath the Waves," "Dead to Rights," "Powder Burns."
13. The Futureheads - News and Tributes
Really, I enjoy this whole album form start to finish. The title track is still hands down one of my favorites of the year. The only reason it placed this low is that it was an unexceptional, all-around good album, if you get what I'm saying. Definetly worth checking out and not deserving of the lack of attention it got this year: this is no sophomore slump (assuming this is even their second album).
Top Tracks: "News and Tributes," "Yes/No," "Back to the Sea."
12. Max Richter - Songs from Before
I'm a sucker for pretty, somewhat tense music. This sounds like the score to a somewhat creepy movie. It ruled while reading certain books. It's, and you can quote me on this, devastatingly beautiful -- just like my life!
Top Tracks: "Flowers for Yulia," "Autumn Music 2," "Sunlight."
11. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
I enjoyed writing these guys off and I still enjoy disliking them and their fans and pretty much all the cutesiness they embody and celebrate, etc. That being said, this is an excellent pop album and I'm glad I wasn't stupid enough to overlook it in my general hatred for this band/twee music/cutesy pop music in general. This album (along with Strange Geometry by the Clientele) also scored one of my favorite memories of this year: taking my first multi-hour walk around the National Mall in D.C. upon arriving in January.
Top Tracks: "White Collar Boy," "We are the Sleepyheads," "Sukie in the Graveyard."
10. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Does this really count? I mean it's just one big mash-up. But it's pretty great, assuming the amount of math (he said the most-used instrument was a calculator... yikes) and patience dude must have put into it.
Top Tracks: "Hold Up," "Smash Your Head," "Warm it Up."
9. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
This one re-emerged in the latter half of the year. Like the rest of this list, there's nothing tremendous about it. It sorta reminds me of the Shins mixed with My Morning Jacket, and I guess that's cool. I think I more just treasure the fact of new, organically-raised indie bands that seem to really dig what they're doing, and that's the vibe I always got from these guys. Thus, they're not like other pretentious indie rock asshole bands that seem hell-bent on appealing to the douchebags in NYC/scenesters exclusively (*ahem* TVOTR *ahem*).
Top Tracks: "The First Song," "Funeral," "Weed Party."
8. Destroyer - Rubies
This album gets placed this high despite its listenability across the whole effort: it all just starts sounding the same. That being said, it's got enough going here across the whole disc to make up for it's snooze-inducing moments. And then, well, when you consider that "Rubies" is one of the most incredible songs I've heard in quite some time (and let's not forget about the brilliance of "Your Blood" and "European Oils"), you can understand it claiming this spot.
Top Tracks: "Rubies," "Your Blood," "European Oils."
7. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Another unremarkable album that would've been somewhat lost in the shuffle had this not been such an off year for me. Not to be too harsh, though -- there's some incredible stuff here. I instantly fell in love with "Star Witness," and really, how could you not? Truth be told, every song on here is good, and as a cohesive package, this was among the very best of the year: it fit together seamlessly, and listening to it straight through was a truly enjoyable experience -- and a rare one "these days."
Top Tracks: "Star Witness," "A Widow's Toast," "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood."
6. The Radio Dept. - Pet Grief
This album just sounds right. It sounds the way I want an album to sound. Somewhat cold but still very engaging. Totally 80's. I think the most appropriate word is "lush." The JAMC vocals are killer. And it's got my favorite song of the year ("Every Time.") And again, this album scores major points for being enjoyable all the way through.
Top Tracks: "Every Time," "I Wanted You to Feel the Same," "What Will Give."
5. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
I don't know how everyone feels about this band; really, sometimes I don't know how I feel about music that seems catered specifically and fine-tuned directly to the sensibilities and "inner desires" of nerdy indie rock store clerks. I mean, the vocals are either prophetic or just ridiculous, and I tend to side with the latter definition. That being said, this album was immensely enjoyable, the hooks were good, I enjoyed a little bombast amongst the other offerings of this somewhat chilled-out year. When it comes down to it: I had more fun listening to this album than most others this year, and the fact that I just so happened to think the songwriting was good too was simply an added bonus. However, the cover art is just atrocious.
Top Tracks: "Stuck Between Stations," "Hot Soft Light," "First Night."
4. M. Ward - Post-War
This is the most likely candidate for "album I'll look back on and wish I didn't place that high in a few months/next year," but for now I'll praise it: what a damn solid album. What an amazing voice. This album sort of made me want to sit around a camp fire, or be in a Hollister ad, or just generally "take it easy!" I envision this would've made fine background noise whilst lounging in the hammock or going for a scooner ride. Dude's voice just rules.
Top Tracks: "Chinese Translation," "Post-War," "Requiem."
3. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Maybe a sentimental choice. Just maybe. I've been wanting these guys to be "back" for a while. I got tired of boring Mogwai albums I grew apathetic to on the 3rd listen. This album didn't follow a different path than any of their other recent flops, yet I similarly didn't find the apathy coming, even on 10th, 17th, 30th listens (no really). I don't know what it is about this album that makes it work, but it works, and it works quite well, and I'm pretty sad that a lot of people really just glanced over this one so quickly. A band I personally have a soft-spot for (they're one of the first "indie" bands I ever liked... or loved for that matter) made like Mags and knocked one way out of the park (gosh I'm sorry for that) -- and no one cared?
Top Tracks: "Travel is Dangerous," "Glasgow Mega Snake," "Folk Death 95."
2. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
If you weren't laughing then, you're probably laughing now. How could this rank so high? Well, cause I stopped being dumb and decided to actually make a list of my "favorite" albums from this year, and this was undoubtedly my second-favorite, if not my all-around favorite in terms of "stuff I threw on just because for months on end." It's probably a step back for Phoenix, and it's Phoenix doing the Strokes, and it's probably Phoenix doing their own brand of "mall-punk Phoenix," but it's also really, really, really good.
Top Tracks: "Rally," "Napoleon Says," "Consolation Prizes."
1. Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye
Sentimental choice? Yes. I just personally love this band for some reason. They just do something that just hits me. If I could go back, I'd consider making "Last Exit" my #1 of 2004, and it'd easily be in the top three. I eagerly anticipated this album, and boy, did it fail to disappoint (at least, according to me -- I know some of you didn't like it so much). There's no other album that came close in my mind; nothing deserved this spot more than this album. I felt it the weekend it leaked, and it's honestly (and somewhat surprisingly) held the crown ever since. Pedophilic Canadian electro-pop at its finest. And about 8,000x sexier than FutureSex/LoveSounds.
Top Tracks: "In The Morning," "First Time," "The Equalizer."
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More lists will come when I'm not so tired -- I think. I plan on discussing my favorite songs and favorite radio singles at some point. We'll see.