quote:

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Originally posted by Vykromond:
Most definitely not just you; I can't stand the Bad Plus. The closest thing to good jazz we've had so far this year is _Junk Magic_, which I highly recommend.

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I noticed Taborn on an earlier list of 2004 favorites. He came on the scene after I quit following jazz quite as closely as I once did, but really like everybody he has worked with. I'll check him out on the strength of both your recommendations. Thanks for the tip!

So far ( in no order: )

Penelope Houston - Pale Green Girl
Abra Moore - Everything Changed
Patti Smith - Trampin'
Indigo Girls - All That We Let In
Alanis Morissette - So Called Chaos
Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin
Wilco - Ghost Is Born
Mindy Smith - One Moment More
Butterfly Boucher - Flutterby
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose

I have heard enough of the Avril to include it. I'm sure it will be there at year's end, too. Others sure to make my list are the ones by The Corrs, PJ Harvey, and U2. Velvet Revolver also has a good chance.

I have a really varied taste and I love music, so it will be fun to post on these boards.

No order here:

French Kicks--Trial of the Century
Modest Mouse--Good News...
Ambulance Ltd--LP
Secret Machines--Now Here is Nowhere
The Walkmen--Bows & Arrows

I guess I'm just an indie rock layabout after all...

Top 3 albums:
1. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free
2. McLusky - The Difference Between...
3. Modest Mouse - Good News...

my favourites THUS FAR (since Wilco, PJ Harvey, and a whole bunch of others have yet to be released...)

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

And that's it. Nothing has really struck me yet. Van Lear Rose blew me away though, on first listen.

Hmmmmm ... lessseee ...

Sufjan Stevens ~ Seven Swans
Iron and Wine ~ Our Endless Numbered Days
The Streets ~ A Grand Don't Come Easy
Decemberists ~ The Tain (OK, so it's a EP, let's just call it a "short-form album")
Wilco - A Ghost is Born (unrealeased or not)

Maybe I'd add the Franz Ferdinand album and Lorretta Lynn if I'd got more to terms with them. And an honorable mention to the Candi Staton compilation, which is not technically a new 2004 release I guess, being 30 years old, but what the h3ll.

quote:

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Originally posted by 0:
Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News
The Robot Ate Me - On Vacation
Les Savy Fav - Inches
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
Tv On The Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing In The Hands

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i agree with these, only adding Mirah's "C'mon Miracle". i haven't heard that much yet, however.

Nice to see the multiple mentions for Sufjan Steven's "Seven Swans".

At this particular moment, I'd probably give the Scissor Sisters debut a nod as my fave title of 2004.

Kinda surprised it hasn't gotten a U.S. release yet.


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Modest Mouse - Good News...
Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
Franz Ferdinand
Scissor Sisters
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
Animal Collective - Tung Songs
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
Of Montreal - Satanic Panic in the Attic
Shearwater - Winged Life (check them out)
Now Here is Nowhere - The Secret Machines

ps i was never a huge fan of kings of convenience but their new one is slowly growing on me, for reasons i dont really know

No order:

Paul Kelly - Ways and Means
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose

Looking forward to new albums by Wilco, The Streets, Icarus Line and especially Tom Waits.

Daniel Wylie - Ramshackle Beauty
Nic Armstrong - The Greatest White Liar
Graham Coxson - Happiness In Magazines
Morrissey - You Are The Quarry
Ash - Meltdown
Lambchop - Aw C'mon/No You C'mon
Ron Sexsmith - Retriever
The Stands - All Years Leaving
The Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour
Franz Ferdinand
These are not in any order.

1) Bumblebeez 81, The Printz
2) The Walkmen, Bows and Arrows
3) Ghostface, The Pretty Toney Album
4) Ratatat, s/t
5) Madvillain, Madvillainy
6) Xiu Xiu, Fab Muscles

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Originally posted by LinnTate:
So far...

The Candy Butchers - Hang On Mike (criminally overlooked, but then isn't all power pop today?

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It's funny that you bring this one up, LinnTate, because I was REALLY disappointed with it. Mike's got such great potential, but he just doesn't make consistently good reocrds.

I agree with the "power pop is overrated" comment, though.

I'm not sure of the release dates (I think they're both 2003) but for good power pop, see Brendon Benson's new one (as well as the reissue of "One Mississippi") and the Benson side project Mood Elevator's "Married Alive."

Also good: the new, self-titled record by the Hang Ups (the readily available Japanese version has bonus tracks!) and "10,000 Years" by the Honeydogs. They started as alt-country, but they're much more power poppy now...

You meant overlooked, right PE?

Yours is not the first opinion I've heard to the effect that _HOM_ is disappointing fare from Mike Viola, which actually makes me happy as he has managed to get past me until just this year and I'm looking forward to hearing the first two albums.

For that matter, I'm catching up on a lot of good stuff that has gotten past me for the past decade or so and those suggestions are appreciated muchly.

Next time I'm in St. Louis, which isn't infrequently, I'd admire to buy you a pint or two of what your drinking, pick your brain, and listen to you tell me about the 6,000 or so great shows you've seen.

Now Playing: The 58th Annual Tony Awards

In no particular order:

The Streets - A Grand...: Don't think it's as good as his debut, but it's still decent enough. Has some good and bad songs. Hoping it'll grow on me.

Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands: Yup, love this album. More produced and polished than his debut, but the songs are still there.

Lone Pigeon - Schooozzmmii: 2nd solo album from the former Beta Band member. Sounds kinda scrappy sometimes, with some stuff that sounds half-finished, but the invention and experimentation makes it an interesting listen.

Savath & Savalas - Apropa't: Definitely a mood album. Soft ambient music, with lovely hints of hip-hop and folk. Nice music for a peaceful summer's evening.

That's all I can think of now, but the Modest Mouse album will probably make my top 10 at the end of the year.

only bought one, Alanis Morissette's "So-Called Chaos" wonderful album, though I do anticipate buying Nelly McKay's album.

(In Alphabetical Order)

Auf Der Maur - AUF DER MAUR
Ben Jelen - GIVE IT ALL AWAY
Jem - FINALLY WOKEN
Norah Jones - FEELS LIKE HOME
Courtney Love - AMERICA'S SWEETHEART
Loretta Lynn - VAN LEAR ROSE
George Michael - PATIENCE
Kylie Minogue - BODY LANGUAGE
Alanis Morissette - SO-CALLED CHAOS
Rachael Yamagata - HAPPENSTANCE

In no order

Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose
Cee-Lo: Cee-Lo Green Is The Soul Machine
The Streets: A Grand Don't Come For Free
Ron Sexsmith Retriever
PJ Harvey: uh huh her
Madvillan: Madvillany
Avril Lavigne: Under My Skin
Modest Mouse: Good News For People...
Holmes Brothers: Simple Truths
JC Chasez: Schizophrenic(very underrated)
Auf Der Maur

Some changes to my list:

01 - Architecture In Helsinki - Fingers Crossed
02 - Tamion 12 Inch - Let's Suffer
03 - Mclusky - The Difference Between Me and You is That I'm Not on Fire
04 - Craig Taborn - Junk Magic
05 - AC Newman - The Slow Wonder
06 - Espers - Espers
07 - El-P and the Blue Series Continuum - High Water Mark
08 - Clouddead - Ten
09 - TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes
10 - Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose

Some changes here, too.

01 Madvillain - 'Madvillainy'
02 Franz Ferdinand - s/t
03 Fennesz - 'Venice'
04 Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles
05 Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News
06 Wilco- A Ghost Is Born (switched with FF)
07 Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
08 A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder (new, fantastic)
09 Clinic- Winchester Cathedral (new, fantastic)
10 Architecture in Helsinki - Fingers Crossed (this is really good, Buck! I didn't even realize until I saw it on your list when you made this thread and decided to take another look).

The other ten, in alphabetical order, are Animal Collective, Deathprod, DJ Signify, PJ Harvey, Mum, Of Montreal, the Skygreen Leopards, Squarepusher, the Streets, the Walkmen.

I still can't get into Sonic Nurse. There hasn't been that much talk here about it. If somebody wants to, make a topic!

I'm also not liking the Junior Boys' Last Exit as much as I feel like I should. Stuff like "Birthday" is amazing, but the first two tracks are definitely not.

The new Charalambides and Pan Sonic seem like I'm going to love them, but I haven't listened to them more than once (in the case of the latter, more than 1/4th of it )