Let's keep it simple and get this out of the way before everyone else does. I didn't hear much more than twenty albums this year so only the truly worthy survive. I think I'll actually write something about the top singles and
Smile (have about a page in the tank already) a little later, but finals week is approaching so maybe not. Brian Wilson, The Streets, Kanye West, and Junior Boys are going to be the hip critics' picks this year. All of them are quite good (especially the first), so I will not complain.
Boring Standard 2004 Album List With No Rock Albums Because Every Rock Album I Heard This Year Did Nothing For Me (Kings Of Leon Suck) But That's Ok Because Pure Pop ALBUMS Were Actually Good For Once Although Wait I Guess You Could Kind Of Classify Smile As A Rock Album Though That's Kind Of Missing The Point Anyway Buy All These Albums Because The Quality Control Filter I Used Is Insanely Strict And These Are All Wonderful
1. Brian Wilson -
Smile (You haven't lived until you've seen Brian Wilson scurry around on stage live. "Surf's Up" made me cry.)
2. Ghostface Killah -
The Pretty Toney Album (I haven't heard a hip-hop album as consistently great as this since
Kaleidoscope.)
3. Annie -
Anniemal (Everything about this album is adorable. Fuzzy little animal power cheers are the shit.)
4. Girls Aloud -
What Will The Neighbours Say? (*sigh* You know those four tracks that hadn't yet leaked a few weeks ago? They let me down a bit. There are still five killer singles on here. "Grafitti My Soul" is the best non-single of the year.)
5. The Streets -
A Grand Don't Come For Free (Affecting.)
And because I can...
2004 Tracks That Really Pissed Me Off
1. William Shatner - "Common People" (Ok, this is totally reactionary, but...Is this really how you want "Common People", an utterly transcendent, unimpeachable pop epic, to be remembered? As a piss take? Look, I know you guys like Ben Folds, but seriously, come on! This song is a travesty. Many people over here have never heard the greatness that is "Common People" and the more attention THIS, this monstrosity garners, the closer it comes to becoming the definitive version on this side of the Atlantic. And who is that jackass who "sings" besides Shatner?
(channeling Murdock) People need to realize!)
2. Amy Winehouse - "Fuck Me Pumps"
3. Usher - "Confessions Part II"
4. Usher - "Burn" (Burn in hell Usher.)
