Question:
Which of these 2004 releases is the best in your opinion? Feel free to discuss any or all, plus add your personal #1 if it's not here. I could only include five choices. They are listed alphabetically by artist name.

Choices:
Loretta Lynn "Van Lear Rose"
Madvillain "Madvillainy"
Sufjan Stevens "Seven Swans"
The Streets "A Grand Don't Come For Free"
Brian Wilson "SMiLE"

 

My vote was for SMiLE. I also really liked Seven Swans. My lack of taste for hip-hop drops the Streets and Madvillain out of contention. I'm in the minority who really didn't dig Loretta Lynn. It was OK...but there were better female alt-country records released this year (Tift Merritt or Tres Chicas, anyone?)

After SMiLE, I'd offer up Camper Van Beethoven, American Music Club, Rilo Kiley, Elliott Smith, and Wilco as legitimate contenders. And that doesn't even include several of the records in my personal top ten (Lambchop, Maplewood, the Twilight Singers)...

My vote goes to Madvillain. Loretta Lynn is a close second, followed by the Streets. I tried to get into Sufjan's album but just couldn't.

I can't get into rap...even really good rap. I try to be open minded about all genres, but no matter how much I try to like rap I can't get into it. So that narrows it down to Smile, Van Lear Rose, and Seven Swans for me.

And seeing as how I haven't heard Seven Swans...I would give Loretta Lynn the edge over Brian Wilson.

But my favorite album in 2004 was Funeral.

Everyone was shooting at me when i said on another web site that rap or hip hop is a little less interesting that other types of music. And my best friend even told me that i was not open enough to every music style because i said that... I sincerely think that rap is a bit too repetitive and is not enough emotional compared to rock, country, electronic, in general. Now, it is so popular and you look so chill to say "I like every kind of music" that when you say your thruth opinions, like i don't like rap so much, you're supposed to be an asshole...

favorite 2004 album (do i need to mention it) : Wilco - A ghost is born

My vote went to SMiLE. I do not believe how anyone could not vote for it. Had its been released in 1967 or 1968, like it was intended to, people would love it just as much as Pet Sounds, if not more. And not only that, but it would be one of the top albums of all time. As good as Arcade Fire's album is, it doesn't even come close to SMiLE.

I have Madvillain, The Streets and Loretta Lynn in my top 10 while the Sufjan Stevens album is in my top 30, there were just better stuff like, Kanye West, Interpol, Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand than Seven Swans.

And just kind of off topic, it really bugs me when people say that they can't "get into" or appreciate rap/hip-hop. Not only is it really annoying when someone says that but in a way it is ignorant. Rap is just as important as everyone in this forum's favorite: indie rock—if not more. It really does you an injustice when you can not appreciate rap music and there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to "get into it" if it's good. I know many will bark back on this one but rap is too often ignored, forgotten and/or thrown to the side by too many people in this forum. If you just look at the overall top 20 on this website by users, most of it is indie rock and for some reason the best rap/hip-hop albums of the year—Kanye West and Common—are not where they should be, which is in the top 5.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FragileKidA,

quote:

It really does you an injustice when you can not appreciate rap music and there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to "get into it" if it's good.

I'm not sure what you mean by saying it "does you an injustice," but it's absurd to say that there's no reason people shouldn't be able to like rap "if it's good." That's like saying there's no reason anybody shouldn't enjoy apples, "if they're good." I've listened to some rap and hip-hop stuff, and I do not enjoy it at all. What's wrong with that? I'm not sure what the reason is that I don't enjoy rap. Maybe it's because I never heard much growing up or something, but whatever the reason is doesn't matter anyway. So people who like rap tend not to post on forums like this one? So what?

By the way, I voted for Seven Swans. I've only heard part of one of the other four albums though (Madvillainy), though. Still, Seven Swans is one of my top 5 or 6 albums since 2000. I just listened to it a couple days ago, and I think it's every bit as good as Illinois and probably slightly better than Michigan.

Hmm..since I made that post months ago saying I couldn't get into rap I've gotten really into Outkast and Madvillain, among others..


I think you're right that if Smile was recorded in 1967 it would be considered nearly if not on the same level as Pet Sounds. But it wasn't -- it was recorded in 2003-2004. Brian Wilson had aged forty years and the other Beach Boys weren't even involved. The album called 'Smile' that would have been recorded in 1967 does not exist.

I thought Smile was incredible when I heard it performed live, but on the studio recording, I have trouble getting into it other than a few tracks.

Um, wasn't "Funeral" released in 2004? That would be my number one.

Out of those albums listed, probably "Van Lear Rose." Very consistent songwriting, still sounds good.

quote:

Originally posted by paxsoprano:
Um, wasn't "Funeral" released in 2004? That would be my number one.

Yup. Either that or "Ta Det Lugnt" for me.

Feel free to start a new thread for 2004 (with five completely different albums) and/or 2005 if you wish. I posted this as an experiment. Feel free to carry on.

P.S. Dungen kicks the Arcade Fire's ass, but that's only an opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by dubs:

quote:

Originally posted by paxsoprano:
Um, wasn't "Funeral" released in 2004? That would be my number one.

Yup. Either that or "Ta Det Lugnt" for me.

They'd both be in my top 3.

I chose SMiLE, I absolutely love that album. Loretta Lynn's album is second, followed by Sufjan Stevens, with the Streets third. Neither the Stevens or Streets albums are my favorites by them (that falls to Greetings from Michigan and Original Pirate Material. I haven't heard Madvillian. My favorite album of '04 was the Black Keys Rubber Factory though Wilson and Lynn did place in my top 20.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:

P.S. Dungen kicks the Arcade Fire's ass, but that's only an opinion.

I won't disagree with that. Dungen's definitely a lot cooler.

By the way, lately when I've listened to "Funeral" I'm starting to see why everyone says it ages poorly. But it's still one of the best that year, and a lot better than "Apologies to the Queen Mary," which I got tired of much more quickly (Please don't kill me that doesn't mean I don't like it, I do).

I think anytime one of the strong points of an album is the emotion behind it, as is the case with Funeral, the album won't age as well. The more you listen to it, its only natural for you to not get chills as much or feel the emotion behind it as much. Its just human nature to grow somewhat numb to it, and most of what's left is the songwriting itself. Funeral's songwriting is solid, the first two tracks to me are still amazing. But I agree overall its not as great as what I thought a year ago.