Best Music of 2004
by Adrian Hanft, (15 comments)
Is it too late for a best of 2004 list? Here are the ten best albums of 2004 with links to album reviews from Sound Design, the music review section of Be A Design Group.
1. The Black Keys, Rubber Factory
2. Cake, Pressure Chief
3. Rogue Wave, Out of the Shadow
4. Iron & Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days
5. Elliott Smith, From a Basement on a Hill
6. Modest Mouse, Good News for People Who Love Bad News
7. Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans
8. Wilco, A Ghost is Born
9. Delgados, Universal Audio
10. The Killers, Hot Fuss
"Best of" lists are fun because they always stir up some controversy. Feel free to correct my list and point out what I overlooked.
Be A Design Group tries to feature an album every week on Sound Design. In 2004 we hope to have an even broader selection of featured music with the recent addition of Eric Larson and Tim McMahan as Sound Design authors.
Comments (15)
kadavy said:
The best album of the year is Funeral by The Arcade Fire. As played-out as The Hives have been, Tyrannosaurus Hives is incredible and is a very close second. Maybe those two deserve a three-way tie for first, shared with Room on Fire by The Strokes. Beep Beep’s Business Casual is the sleeper-hit. The Faint’s Wet From Birth was also good. Jimmy Eat World’s Futures is worthy of note.
I concur on The Killers, and I’ll give Modest Mouse the nod too.
This is going to piss off alot of people: sorry, but CAKE SUCKS!
Posted on February 6, 2005
Adrian said:
You probably aren’t the only person that thinks that about Cake. I can’t remember seeing that album on any other best of 2004 lists. Oh well, I like them. Good call on The Strokes. You got my curiosity worked up about Beep Beep. I will have to check that out…
Posted on February 6, 2005
kadavy said:
It seems like everyone, especially designers (or maybe that’s because I know so many designers) love Cake. I heard the lead singer interviewed on NPR yesterday. I have never heard so much dead air and “uhm…..” in my life. I enjoyed hearing his thoughts behind “Rock and Roll Lifestyle,” though. That song has a nice concept.
I almost forgot about The Strokes. It feels like I was born loving that album, rather than it having come out in ‘04.
Posted on February 6, 2005
Bennett said:
I’m with Adrian all the way with Cake. I have every Cake album and as long as they keep recording I will keep listening. Their music is like their album covers, consistent and clever but always original. They also make me laugh consistently.
Posted on February 6, 2005
Nate Voss said:
Okay, first I have to say that ‘to each his own’ and everyone has different musical tastes. So I’ll respect everyone’s choices until someone goes Music Snob on me and then it’s on.
Glad to see The Killers made your list. I’ve just recently gotten down on that album. Unique, badass, dancey, rock - love it love it. They’re definitely in my Top Ten. So here it is, in no order whatsoever.
The Killers - Hot Fuss: For reasons above. John Mayer - As/Is Collection: I’ve heard you’re automatically an asshole if you like John Mayer, but I’m not 19 anymore so bite me. This iTunes exclusive set of abbreviated live shows is great if you dig life tracks. Lots of unreleased songs and a greater emphasis on blues. The energy in these is all great. U2 - How to Dismantle… : Obligitory U2 on the list. 2/3 of a great album. Garden State Soundtrack: Want to calm down and mellow the F out? Dang if this isn’t the best mood-setting angst CD in a while. I don’t even own it. Beastie Boys - The 5 Boroughs: Good rap again? How long has it been? I think since 1996. Great effort.
These all hit in 2004, right? Props to the Kill Bill Vol. 1 Soundtrackas well. Not on the list because it was blatently released in ought-three.
Posted on February 7, 2005
Bennett said:
For me, David Byrne’s Grown Backwards is in my top ten for the year. I’ve been told that I’m not old enough to listen to his music, but I’m loving this album. Ridicule me all you want. Hopefully listening to a little Franz will balance it all out. That is another one I might put on my top ten. I’m not sure how it will age, but I’m liking it for now. I keep trying to find what everyone loves so much about Wilco. I can’t say that I hate it, but I just don’t love it. Maybe I will give it another couple of tries. I would have to say that I liked Air’s Moon Safari and Jem’s debut album. I know I am going to catch some flack for the Jem pick.
Posted on February 7, 2005
Adrian said:
I am enjoying the David Byrne album but I haven’t come to a conclusion on it yet. It is definitely quirky good. The lyrics crack me up constantly…
You probably mean Air’s, Talkie Walkie since Moon Safari has been out for a while. Definitely good, but I prefered Moon Safari.
The Killers inched out Franz Ferdinand on my list.
Jem is number 69 on Amazon’s Top 100 Albums of 2004. I don’t know if that is good or bad. I secretly like it…
I don’t have the Garden State Soundtrack, but that’s a great collection of songs. I have tried to give John Mayer a chance, it just doesn’t do anything for me. No snobbery, just honesty…
Posted on February 7, 2005
Bennett said:
I think I do like Talkie Walkie a little better than Moon Safari, but iTunes says they were both released in 2004. Anyway I like to listen to Air when I need some relaxing music.
Posted on February 7, 2005
Jake Stutzman said:
What would really be great is if you posted a mix of your favs off of those albums. I have some of them, but I’d love to get a taste of the others.
Posted on February 7, 2005
THINKMULE said:
Dude…where are the Yeah yeah yeahs…the eagles of Death metal, arcade fire, Deerhoof and the coachwhips??????
iron and wine rules…
Posted on February 8, 2005
Adrian said:
I have looked into a good way to post a mix of music on Sound Design. I am looking at SoundBlox. Maybe there is a better way. The other thing I was thinking about was having a page for each of us where we could post a list of the albums on our iPods like on squidfingers. Does that interest anybody else?
Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Arcade Fire were good. Deerhoof was, ummm, interesting. Maybe you can write a review of Eagles of Death Metal and the Coachwhips. I haven’t heard too much about them.
Posted on February 8, 2005
Travis said:
I’ll second Iron & Wine and Arcade Fire … I’ll also put in a vote for A.C. Newman and replace The Killers with Franz Ferdinand.
The new Beck album looks to be shaping up as a favorite of 2005 but we’ll have to wait and see.
Posted on February 8, 2005
kadavy said:
“I keep trying to find what everyone loves so much about Wilco.”
Same here. Other than their refusal to bend over for the major record labels, I just don’t get it. Not that it’s bad. They’re just no Spoon.
Posted on February 9, 2005
Chris Cagle said:
I’ve posted my own Top 10 list, from which I’d here recommend a couple of bands overlooked last year: the Contrast fell short of the necessary indie cred to get by, but they had some terrific guitar-pop hooks, and the Comas’ album is a top-rate indie rock venture from start to finish.
Posted on February 11, 2005
Adrian said:
Chris, good call on the Comas. That was a fun album.
Other honorable mentions not yet mentioned would be:
Blonde Redhead, Misery is a Butterfly
Unicorns, Who Will Cut Our Hair When We Are Gone
The Go! Team, Thunder Lightning Strike
The Thrills, Let’s Bottle Bohemia
Interpol, Antics
Posted on February 11, 2005