Top Ten Favorite Albums of 2004 (mid-year)
 

As the half year mark quickly arrives, I was curious to know what all you consider your favorite 2004 albums of the year are. I'd rather not have you list re-issues, but if you feel so compelled I am not going to stop you.

1. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender
2. Allison Moorer - The Duel
3. The Magnetic Fields - i
4. Auf der Maur - Auf der Maur
5. Nellie McKay - Get Away From Me
6. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
7. They Might Be Giants - Indestructable Object (EP)
8. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin
9. Tortoise- It is All Around You

Also bought and liked Jem - Finally Woken, Wilco - A Ghost is Born, Julianna Hatfield - In Exile Deo and PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her but can't decide who'll get the 10th spot. Waiting next for TMBG's - Spine to be released on 7/13.

EDIT: Also, biggest dissapointment so far: David Cross - It's Not Funny

1) Iced Earth : The Glorious Burdon

2) Exodus : Tempo Of The Damned

3) Damage Plan : New Found Power

4) Beyond The Embrace: Insect Song

5) Drowning Pool: Desensitized

6) Brides Of Destruction : Here Come The Brides

7) Black Label Society : Hangover Music vol VI

8) Velvet Revolver: Contraband

9) Aerosmith: Honkin On Bobo

10) Tesla : Into The Now

Haven't bought too much this year, but here's my top 10 so far:



Camera Obscura - “Underachievers Please Try Harder”

Concretes, the - ST

Electrelane - “The Power Out”

Magnetic Fields - “i”

Mirah - “C'Mon Miracle”

Mountain Goats - “We Shall All Be Healed”

New Year, the - “The End is Near”

Pedro the Lion - “Achilles Heel”

Royal City - “Little Heart's Ease”

Very Most - “Make the Case for Me”

In no particular order, my top 5

Helix - Rockin' In My Outer Space
Black Label Society - Hangover Music Vol.VI
Brides Of Destruction - Here Come The Brides
Aerosmith - Honkin On Bobo
Tesla - Into The Now

The year has been rather slack, imo, but here's a tentative list. (Some of these have yet to be released and one is questionable.)

1. Animal Collective, Sung Tongs
2. Kno, White Albulum
3. Fiery Furnaces, Blueberry Boat
4. Devendra Banhart, Rejoicing in the Hands
5. Joanna Newsom, The Milk-Eyed Mender
6. TV on the Radio, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
7. Faun Fables, Family Album
8. Sonic Youth, Sonic Nurse
9. Madvillian, Madvilliany
10. Tortoise, It's All Around You

The only records I've really dug this year: Alicia Keys, Big & Rich, dios, Electrelane, and Montgomery Gentry. It's been pretty slow so far.

I think the only 2 release I have bought this year were Sonic Nurse and The Cure's Join The Dots. I liked both of those quite a bit.

The only CD's that I have actually bought and liked were from

- The Delays
- The Killers
- Hope of the States
- Keane
- Franz Ferdinand
- Ash 'Meltdown'

so far, 2004 has been a very lacklustre bland year in terms of music.

Deerhoof: Milkman!!!

The only 2004 CDs I've purchased have been:

Franz Ferdinand: s/t
Wilco: A Ghost Is Born
They Might Be Giants: Indestructible Object EP

I tend to be about 6 months slow in picking up newer stuff as I wait for critical consensus to settle, so I don't expect to even listen to 10 2004 albums I like in 2004. Still, the above three albums are all pretty good.

There isn't a lot coming up that I'm eager to here, though (TMBG, Spoon, Old 97s, possible U2 and Dixie Chicks). Good year to go through the back catalogs, I guess.

I've also heard Mindy Smith's "One Moment More," which is OK.

Most (or all) of the stuff I bought was released last year but they still count as 2004s for me.

1. A Perfect Circle: 13th Step
2. Billy Talent: Billy Talent
3.Kanye West:College Dropout
4. Thrice: Artist in the Ambulance
5. Smile Empty Soul: SES
6. Jet: Get Born
7. Yellowcard: Yellowcard
8. Usher: Confessions
This has been the worst year for rap ever thus far.

I've actually only bought 10 or so albums this year so far.

Beastie Boys - To the 5 Boroughs
Auf Der Maur - Auf Der Maur
Rooney - Rooney
Phantom Planet - Phantom Planet
Echobelly - Gravity Pulls
Morrissey - You Are the Quarry
Snow Patrol - Final Straw
Norah Jones - Feels Like Home
The Vines - Winning Days
Von Bondies - Pawn Shoppe Heart

1. Sultans - Shipwrecked

The rest:

Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First
Reverend Horton Heat - Revival
Tarbox Ramblers - A Fix Back East

Only albums I could include here are...

Bright Eyes - One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels
Wilco - A Ghost is Born
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
Rachel Goswell - Waves are Universal
Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days

I didn't realize until I opened this thread that I haven't bought very much music that came out in 2004. Makes sense, considering most of my favorite bands put out new albums last year and most of this year has just been really lackluster. As a result, I've spent most of the year listening to older music like Bob Marley, Miles Davis (and lots of other jazz), The Who, The Beatles, and many others.

But out of the few 2004 albums I have bought this year, I've enjoyed the following:

Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First
Midtown - Forget What You Know
Muse - Absolution
Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News

That's about all that stand out to me. I'm pretty sure they were all released this year. If not, I at least bought them this year.

Firehouse - Prime Time

Velvet Revolver - Contraband

Brides Of Destruction - Here Come The Brides

Scorpions - Unbreakable

Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin...

Waiting for Van Halens new best of cd with the 3 new tracks and rush's new covers album...

That's it...

I got a promo of this today and it's damn good! I like how "New Friend" comes off as VU's "Sunday Morning" plus horns. And how Victoria Bergsman is totally disaffected but not boring at all in this Mazzy Star-cum-"Swedish Pop Collective" (which sounds so boring but it isn't and that's what make it special) kinda way. And the orchestral flourishes are kinda Love-ish in that they're present-but-not-overbearing (take heed Belle and Sebastian!). Sorry that I'm rambling, it's just got me all excited!

Incubus- A Crow Left of the Murder
Bad Religion- The Empire Strikes First
Velvet Revolver- Contraband

That's all I've bought as far as 2004 releases go.

I can beat that, Incubus is the only one I have bought so far :D

Agreed on all points.

I also tracked down their first album (boyoubetterunow), which I'd certainly recommend if you're into the new one. The new one is definitely more polished and complete as an album, though.

1. Saosin - Translating the Name
2. Alexisonfire - Watch out
3. Dead Poetic- New Medicines
4. Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache
5. Underoath- They're only chasing Saftey
6. God Forbid - Gone Forever

- The Delays
- The Killers
- Hope of the States
- Keane
- Franz Ferdinand
had to copy GILES in total agreement

also
Morrissey "Quarry"
Beastie Boys "5 Boroughs"
Dead Prez "Revolutionary But Gangsta"
Rachael Yamagata "Happenstance"
The Walkmen album
Von Bondies
Sultans "Shipwrecked"
Magnetic Fields "i" -- just saw them live (hilarious, strange, but nice)

Franz Ferdinand

Morrissey - You Are the Quarry

Muse - Absolution

#1 The Corrs - Borrowed Heaven

Jet - Get Born
Shakira - Live & Off the Record
Lenny Kravitz - Baptism
The Vines - Winning Days

These are the only records I've bought this year. The Corrs record is near perfect. The Jet record is fantastic. Shakira's is great plus it comes with a wonderful concert dvd. I was dissappointed with Kravitz and The Vines.

I don't buy music much anymore. I pretty much listen to what I already have. Most of the new records I buy are from artists I've listened to for a number of years.