Prefixmag Staff Picks: Part 2

By:

Prefix
Magazine

December 11, 2004

	Kate Collier Staff Writer



		The Hidden Cameras Mississauga Goddam (Rough Trade) Oct. 12, 2004 This record is pretty much the whole package --pretty, dirty, infectious, manic, heartbreaking -- all without taking itself too seriously.
		Björk Medulla (Elektra) Aug. 31, 2004 Medulla proves Björk can get away with anything -- even recording an album (mostly) without instruments. You may need to be in a particular frame of mind to enjoy to this album --it's not something to listen to on your morning commute -- but it is undoubtedly the most beautiful one released this year.
		PJ Harvey Uh Huh Her (Island) June 8, 2004 On Uh Huh Her, the bluster of Harvey's earliest recordings mingles with the more polished elegance of her later work, reminding us that she can devastate us any way she wants to.
		The Hives Tyrannosaurus Hives (Interscope) June 20, 2004 No, their shtick is not wearing thin; the Hives release a relentlessly fun, smart-ass record and successfully avoid becoming annoying.
		Tracy + the Plastics Culture for Pigeon (Troubleman Unlimited) May 18, 2004 With the CD/DVD package Culture for Pigeon, Tracy + the Plastics mastermind Wynne Greenwood shows that she's unwilling to slide by on the cleverness of her performance art. These 11 tracks stand up just fine without their video counterparts.

	Kevin Dolak Staff Writer



		Honorable Mentions: Asobi Seksu: Asobi Seksu (Friendly Fire) May 18, 2004 Blonde Redhead: Misery is a Butterfly (4AD/Beggars) March 23, 2004 Guided by Voices: Half Smiles of the Decomposed (Matador) Aug. 24, 2004 The Hidden Cameras: Mississauga Goddam (Rough Trade) Oct. 12, 2004 Interpol: Antics (Matador) Sept. 28, 2004 Magnetic Fields: I (Nonesuch) May 4, 2004 Mirah: C'mon Miracle (K) May 4, 2004 William Shatner: Has Been (Shout! Factory) Oct. 5, 2004 The Walkmen: Bows and Arrows (Record Collection) Feb. 3, 2004
	10	Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Like Bad News (Epic) April 6, 2004 Good news: Your favorite band has managed to cross over to the mainstream without compromising its scruples or tweaking its sound. Bad news: The asshole meathead factor will make you never want to see the band's live show again.
	9	Les Savy Fav Inches (French Kiss) Oct. 2, 2004 The "Godfathers of the Brooklyn Sound" have finally completed their career-spanning art project. The chronological progression of these tracks reveals one of the smartest punk bands around today. I think it might get them into RISD.
	8	The Thermals Fuckin' A (Sub Pop) May 18, 2004 Thrashing lo-fi punk noise started to seem passé until Fuckin' A became this summer's refreshing blast, reminding us that noise and anger are still important even if we don't hang out on Astor Place. Hutch Harris's frustration is rooted in the same anger of so many indie classics.
	7	Bloc Party Bloc Party EP (Dim Mak) Sept. 14, 2004 On the strength of a mere five-song EP, this U.K. four-piece came out of nowhere to tell the U.S. dance-punk revival to blow it out their collective ass. Where other imitators are bringing their quiz on Wire and Gang of Four home for their parents to sign, Bloc Party is getting straight A's.
	6	Morrissey You Are the Quarry (Attack) May 18, 2004 Not since his defining Vauxhall and I has the Mozzer been so sublimely indignant ("Irish Blood, English Heart"), catchy ("First of the Gang to Die"), honest ("I Like You") and deadpan ("The World is Full of Crashing Bores"). It's enough to make you wish it doesn't have to be another seven years for another round.
	5	Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat (Rough Trade/Sanctuary) July 13, 2004 I like to imagine Matt and Elanor Friedberger's songwriting process as a re-enactment of backseat fights they had on family road trips as children. "Let's go this way!" "No, this way!" They shift about eight times before the song ends, but each way was the right way.
	4	Frog Eyes The Folded Palm (Absolutely Kosher) Sept. 14, 2004 The silver lining of four more years of Republican treachery might be the lack of funding for public health care. So Carey Mercer will not be getting his pills and will continue making these complex, schizophrenic records. Oh wait, he's Canadian. Fuck.
	3	Xiu Xiu Fabulous Muscles (5 Rue Christine) Feb. 17, 2004 Though Jamie Stewart scares the shit out of himself, he is relentless in doing so to his fans. Here he outdoes himself, combining Nintendo rhythms with piercing wails, his signature falsetto with his signature clank-clank percussion, into a brilliant and surprising pop record, putting his demons on a skillet.
	2	Arcade Fire Funeral (Merge) Sept. 14, 2004 Stark themes of loss, love and growing up coupled with hope and rapture are on the one record that everyone agrees is epic. I'm pretty confident this will change a lot of people's lives. Not to mention revive the Talking Heads. These kids know.
	1	Brian Wilson Smile (Nonesuch) Sept. 28, 2004 After years of debating, false compilations and bogus downloads of Wilson's shattered masterpiece, he has finally released it for the masses, and it's further ahead than anything that rips it off these days. Congratulations are due to America's finest songwriter.

	Lawrence Lanahan Staff Writer



		A.C. Newman The Slow Wonder (Matador) June 8, 2004
		Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw) March 23, 2004
		Brian Wilson Smile (Nonesuch) Sept. 28, 2004
		Wilco A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch) June 22, 2004
		Morrissey You Are The Quarry (Attack) May 18, 2004
		Brad Mehldau Live In Tokyo (Nonesuch) Sept. 14, 2004

	Matt Gasteier Staff Writer



	15	Kanye West The College Dropout (Roc-a-Fella) Feb. 10, 2004 Take away the stupid anti-college rants and the last fifteen to twenty minutes and this is a pretty damn good hip-hop record. Grab the better version of "All Falls Down," with the actual Lauryn Hill sample and Kanye running out of breath, from your local file-sharing service.
	14	Max Richter The Blue Notebooks (FatCat) March 23, 2004 I don't buy much classical, but this is one of those rare discs I'll keep in my rotation because it evokes a mood similar to the best of my down-tempo collection: contemplative, cinematic, natural. Peter Kruder with more traditional training.
	13	The Libertines The Libertines (Rough Trade) Aug. 30, 2004 "Can't Stand Me Now" alone makes this a worthy album, but there are plenty of great songs to go around. Sure, there are throwaway songs where there were none on Up the Bracket, but a half-brilliant album is still pretty good, you fucking pessimist.
	12	Ghostface The Pretty Toney Album (Def Jam) April 20, 2004 Yeah, that's Ghostface rapping over a whole song, verse and all. Yeah, that's Ghostface on the worst cover in recent memory. Yeah, that's Ghostface, making his fourth straight must-own record.
	11	Cee-Lo Cee-Lo Green is the Soul Machine (Arista) March 2, 2004 Man, Electric Circus is the worst album ever. The neo-soul/hip-hop combos have been just awful, but this is excellent. Someone please make Cee-Lo a star.
	10	Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand (Domino) March 9, 2004 Is every song this good? Who are these people? How can this record be as good as everyone says it is?
	9	Air Talkie Walkie (Astralwerks) Feb. 17, 2004 Run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run.
	8	Savath and Savalas Apropa't (Warp) Jan. 27, 2004 This record just gets inside your body and becomes part of you. Each time I listen to it I hear new things, but I'm not really experiencing it as much as absorbing it. It's becoming a dream in my head, and I am unsure if it even really exists.
	7	Brian Wilson Smile (Nonesuch) Sept. 28, 2004 Has there ever been a more satisfying record? Everyone was worried, no one thought it could be good, and then it came out. Fuck you for doubting.
	6	The Walkmen Bows and Arrows (Record Collection) Feb. 3, 2004 Alternately beautiful and explosive, a journey through nature and civilization. Everything rock 'n' roll was meant to be, once it stopped being silly dance music.
	5	Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw) March 23, 2004 MF Doom and Madlib have been wandering around the solar system searching for each other. Quasimoto was hot, and Viktor Vaughn is top notch, but when they combine they form like Voltron.
	4	Björk Medulla (Elektra) Aug. 31, 2004 Bjork continues her unprecedented streak by continually morphing her sound and challenging notions of what defines her as an artist. It's a completely inaccessible work, but give it a chance and be swept away.
	3	Nas Street's Disciple (Sony Urban Music/Columbia) Nov. 30, 2004 The best commercial hip-hop record since Stankonia. The best double-album in hip-hop history. Just another Nas classic.
	2	Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose (Interscope) April 27, 2004 Loretta Lynn has made better songs, but she has never made a better album than this collaboration with Jack White. Quite simply, this is a perfect record. If you don't like this, I hate you.
	1	The Streets A Grand Don't Come For Free (Vice/Atlantic) May 18, 2004 In a year of concept records, Mike Skinner gave us his masterpiece by passing it off as just another day. The best concept hip-hop album ever made.

	Michael Pollock Staff Writer



	15	The Walkmen Bows and Arrows (Record Collection) Feb. 3, 2004 Hazy power-rock in the vein of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
	14	Alchemist 1st infantry (Koch) June 29, 2004 Al slings golden-nugget beats at lyrical Goliaths including Game, D-Block, Stat Quo.
	13	Dizzee Rascal Showtime (XL) Sept. 14, 2004 After Jigga left the throne open, who'd a thought Dizzee's head-spinning raps and loopy rhythms would make him a contender to wear the crown?
	12	Ride the Blinds Ride the Blinds (Orchard) June 22, 2004 White-boy soul by way of San Francisco. Keep an eye out in '05 ...
	11	Pete Rock Soul Survivor II (Rapster) Aug. 3, 2004 Slept-on indie release from the original funk soul brother.
	10	Dangermouse The Grey Album (Bootleg) February 2004 Remember when you used to play two tapes at once on your boom box and it made that messy, off-beat noise? Yeah, well, somebody found a way to make it sound good.
	9	Wilco A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch) June 22, 2004 So you hoisted Yankee Hotel Foxtrot onto every friend you have and even a few complete strangers. What next? This, an insular, post-genre collage of electronic experimentation and organic reliability.
	8	The Roots The Tipping Point (Geffen) July 13, 2004 The Roots finally made an album you could digest in one sitting, but what's really interesting is the menu: soul, jazz, crunk, electro, reggae, old-school hip-hop -- all within just ten songs.
	7	Ron Sexsmith Retriever (Nettwerk) April 6, 2004 A beautiful set of jangly pop songs by the man who reinvented jangly pop songs. You've got to be one heartless bastard not to give it a chance.
	6	TV on the Radio Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (Touch and Go) March 9, 2004 So what if the dudes in TV on the Radio look like those art history majors your older brother started hanging out with after he left for New York University? Desperate is wild, unpredictable and strangely hypnotic.
	5	Kanye West The College Dropout (Roc-a-Fella) Feb. 10, 2004 Okay, producers can rap. They can even hold their own against dudes like Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Common. But who knew they could do a whole album without mentioning guns or crack? Better yet, who knew anyone could rap about Jesus and low self-esteem and not sound like a pussy?
	4	Interpol Antics (Matador) Sept. 28, 2004 [Note to anyone still worshipping at the shrine that is Turn on the Bright Lights]: Interpol has not only made a second record, but it's equally correction, better -- than the debut. It's full of hope, confidence, and new direction. You may change your CD player now. And get into the fuckin' sun already.
	3	Ryan Adams Love Is Hell (Lost Highway) May 4, 2004 Cocky, moody, derivative: Three words usually attached to Ryan Adams's wannabe-rock star ego also sum up Love Is Hell, the melding of his two previous EPs with the addition of the jaw-droppingly tender "Anybody Wanna Take Me Home?" You can also add "brilliant" to that list. (Check out Jay Riggio's hilarious review.)
	2	The Streets A Grand Don't Come For Free (Vice/Atlantic) May 18, 2004 It's safe to say we wouldn't have missed Mike Skinner too much had he disappeared after his debut two years ago. There was promise in "It's Too Late," but nothing prepared us for the cerebral approach of Grand and its break-up anthem, "Dry Your Eyes." Funny, now we can't imagine another year without him.
	1	Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand (Domino) March 9, 2004 Bowie, Blondie and Gang of Four held their 25-year reunion in '04, and Franz Ferdinand was the house band, taking requests as the booze and memories flowed. It's about as obvious a choice for record of the year as last year's Elephant, but just try to find someone who doesn't like all eleven songs this debut offered up, including the homoerotic "Michael." The best part: Their next album will sound nothing like it.




	Mike Dougherty Staff Writer



	15	Travis Morrison Travistan (Barsuk) Sept. 28, 2004 If people would just start ignoring the fact that Travis Morrison used to be in one of the greatest bands in the universe, they'd probably take his solo stuff a little more lightly. Travistan is surely no Dismemberment Plan album, but taken alone it's a truly interesting album about presidents and whales or something. Just let the man work, people.
	14	The Beta Band Heroes to Zeros (Astralwerks) May 4, 2004 This year saw the tragic split of the Beta Band, proof that rock critics alone don't buy enough records to put food on a band's table. This album may be one of their less consistent, but everything to like about the band is more than represented: the quirky experimentation, the strangely profound yet goofy lyrics, the dog barks. All in all, a fitting last stand for such a great band.
	13	Rjd2 Since We Last Spoke (Definitive Jux) May 18, 2004 On his follow-up to Deadringer, Rj isn't content with just flaunting his talent as a brilliant deejay; he has to go and show that he can write kick-ass songs, too. Everything from emo to tacky '80s rock is here, and he can curiously pull it off better than anyone in these actual genres.
	12	Modest Mouse Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic) April 6, 2004 Modest Mouse's latest is arguably their best, and not just because they weathered band troubles to make it, got with a reputable producer, and started writing more optimistic songs like the now immortal "Float On." Well, maybe that did have something to do with it.
	11	The Magnetic Fields I (Nonesuch) May 4, 2004 On I, Stephin Merritt masters the art of the "plink." His "no synths" policy had every threat of ruining what essentially created the Fields' sound, but the staccato grace of this album, especially as support to Merritt's smooth tenor, proves that simplicity can so often make the finest pop songs.
	10	Joan of Arc Joan of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain (Polyvinyl) Aug. 24, 2004 After a decidedly mediocre showing from Tortoise earlier this year, the brothers Kinsella snatch up the title of the most creative players in the Chicago post-rock scene with this album. They even make Dick Cheney cool by association.
	9	Kings of Convenience Riot on an Empty Street (Astralwerks) July 27, 2004 Everything you might expect from the acoustic duo that brought you Quiet is the New Loud shows up on their new album: the same graceful harmonies (this time accented by Leslie Feist), the same breadth of songwriting talent, the same soporific mellowness. Plus, on "Homesick," they finally learn to cope with everyone telling them they sound like Simon and Garfunkel.
	8	The Bad Plus Give (Sony) March 9, 2004 Give may just be more of the same frantic jazz that these guys delivered on their debut, These Are the Vistas, but the three members of the Bad Plus are skilled enough composers that they have no problem dealing the same hand twice. They still beat their instruments with a ferocity that no one around can match, and they still kindly give rock fans an excuse to say they "listen to jazz."
	7	Björk Medulla (Elektra) Aug. 31, 2004 Björk has been widely regarded as the most creative vocalist in modern music, so it's no surprise that this album showcases little more than the human mouth. Beats from Mike Patton and Rahzel give the songs a backbone, and Björk and her various choirs do the rest of the work. The result is an atmospheric masterpiece that only someone like Björk could deliver.
	6	TV on the Radio Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (Touch and Go) March 9, 2004 The buzz band that dominated much of the first half of this year, TV on the Radio's first full-length is a high-energy rumble about love, peace and race. Their erratic drum machines and Energizer bass rarely stop for a breath over the course of the entire album, and Tunde Adebimpe's multi-tracked guttural voice rests peacefully atop the mechanical foundation. All this, as if hailing from Williamsburg, Brooklyn didn't make them hip by default.
	5	Wilco A Ghost is Born (Nonesuch) June 22, 2004 This album is a Godsend for those who didn't care for Wilco's past catalog of creaky twang-rock and the semi-psychedelic experimentation on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Ghost is a straight-up rocker with solid songwriting, long guitar solos, and a bare minimum of ambient background noise. It may be polarizing for the band's fans, but this album sees the band wisely trimming the fat from both their sound and their songs.
	4	Regina Spektor Soviet Kitsch (Sire) Aug. 17, 2004 The Russian-bred, Bronx-based singer/pianist is one of the most talented songwriters to surface in recent months. Despite her classical piano training, she plunks out her songs with a graceful simplicity and a cheeky sense of humor that can win over any audience with just one listen. And there's really barely any kitsch to be found.
	3	Emperor X Tectonic Membrane/Thin Strip on an Edgeless Platform (Snowglobe) 2004 Basically just forty minutes of Chad Matheny's bedroom recordings of pawnshop guitars and an arsenal of keyboards, this album is unexpectedly one of the most solid works of lo-fi pop to come out this year (or any other year, for that matter).
	2	John Vanderslice Cellar Door (Barsuk) Jan. 20, 2004 From deep within the bowels of Vanderslice's Tiny Telephone studio, Cellar Door was forged over the course of 2003 and released to kick off '04. He is a fantastic songwriter (cuts like "White Plains" and "My Family Tree" testify to that), but this album mostly continues to showcase Vanderslice as one the most creative producers around. His trademarked "Sloppy Hi-Fi" technique gives Cellar Door a wider sonic range than any other release this year; the album is spattered with subtle string arrangements, swelling brass, bits of electronic noise, and too many other sounds to list. If the album proves anything, it's that Vanderslice is no longer just your average American four-tracker.
	1	The Decemberists The Tain EP (Acuarela Discos) 2004 The Decemberists' five-piece heavy-metal suite may come across as something of a bizarre practical joke, but it may in fact showcase the raw talent of this band more than any of the other releases. Vaguely inspired by an epic poem of Celtic folklore called "Tain Bo Cuailinge," the band channels everyone from Iron Butterfly (Part I) to Ozzy (Part V) in the cycle of this eighteen-minute masterpiece. Of course, the initial appeal is a fish-out-of-water scenario with the typically acoustic-and-accordion-heavy band rocking out with gritty electric guitars on a minor-key riff. But as the song matures and develops its plot, the true level of skill that went into creating it becomes apparent. It's still worth a laugh, but trying not to be moved by the amazing climax is next to impossible.

	Mike Krolak Staff Writer



	12	Jolie Holland Escondida (Anti-) April 27, 2004 Channeling old-school country and blues, Holland alternately charms and haunts, but pleases both ways. And, man, can she sing.
	11	Masta Killa No Said Date (Nature Sounds) June 1, 2004 Probably the most patient member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Masta Killa lays the smack down with trademark Wu beats and a flow that makes every line resonate like a great hook.
	10	Ted Leo and The Pharmacists Shake the Sheets (Lookout!) Oct. 19, 2004 Ahokay. Now I get why everyone raves about Ted Leo: bouncy rhythms, somersaulting guitar lines, and some of the catchiest damn songs you'll ever hear.
	9	Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand (Domino) March 9, 2004 Easily the most ubiquitous indie act of the year. Sure, you're sick of it now, but you were singing along back in May -- and with good reason.
	8	Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw) March 23, 2004 MF Doom and Madlib overcome the handicap of high expectations by simply exceeding them with a fat sack of abstract beats and rhymes.
	7	Adem Homesongs (Domino) July 27, 2004 With a voice reminiscent of Beck, Adem Ilham gracefully bares his soul over ten unassuming yet gut-wrenchingly gorgeous tunes that employ the lack of sound as skillfully as its presence.
	6	Rogue Wave Out Of The Shadow (Sub Pop) July 13, 2004 A juicy slice of California pop drizzled with melancholy and topped with a sense of humor. Yum.
	5	Arcade Fire Funeral (Merge) Sept. 14, 2004 Okay, Canada, we get it. You guys are a lot cooler than we thought. And thanks again for this record: A balls out, heart-on-its-sleeve, controlled rage that's a winner from start to finish.
	4	The One A.M. Radio A Name Writ In Water (Level Plane) April 19, 2004 Hrishikesh Hirway soundtracks your most introspective moments with acoustic guitars, glitchy electronics, and an uncanny sense of peace.
	3	Chad VanGaalen Inifiniheart (Flemish Eye) Feb. 11, 2004 Explorative psych-folk that discovers beauty in new places and sounds while providing a sense of relaxed comfort.
	2	John Vanderslice Cellar Door (Barsuk) Jan. 20, 2004 Vanderslice takes everything you like about pop music, pumps out the sugary filling, replaces it with bottomless creativity, then leaves you begging for more.
	1	The Streets A Grand Don't Come For Free (Vice/Atlantic) May 18, 2004 Mike Skinner fleshes out the trivialities of everyday life with poignant accuracy and reinvents the concept album, proving that music doesn't have to be complicated to be breathtaking.

	Nick Stillman Staff Writer



	10	Matthew Shipp Harmony and Abyss (Thirsty Ear) Sept. 28, 2004 The Shipp-curated Blue Series on the Thirsty Ear label really took a step back this year, but Harmony and Abyss at least proved that Shipp still has gas left in his tank. Although it's frustrating that he seems unwilling to fully embrace the beatbox accompaniment of songs like "Blood to the Brain" and "New ID" to his staggering and beautiful piano playing, the instances when he does it catapult this album to the top of the year's new jazz releases.
	9	Vordul Mega Revolution of the Young Havocs (Nature Sounds) Nov. 2, 2004 The Can Ox hangover finally subsided a bit this year, with solo albums from both Vordul and Vast Aire plus lots of guest appearances. Vordul's silky flow goes down as smoothly as the green he raps so much about. Revolution's depressive themes paint New York City like it so often can be -- black, a city of cold wind and hungry pigeons.
	8	Suicide Attempted: Live at Max's Kansas City 1980 (Sympathy for the Record Industry) March 16, 2004 Keep 'em comin'! As long as there are new Suicide live albums, I'll be buying. This was (and still is) one the best live bands of all time, and albums like Half Alive and the new Attempted capture them when they were tight and tough but still maintained a confrontational and ominously insane aura. Besides, Attempted provides further evidence that Suicide's studio recordings really only comprised a fraction of their arsenal. Kiddies may know them through their newer, inferior material, but their famously demented reputation was formed during performances like this one.
	7	Stereloab Margerine Eclipse (Elektra) Jan. 27, 2004 Heavyweight indie rockers Sonic Youth and Stereolab both released albums this year, and the Lab won so easily they may as well have been holding a tomato ketchup and margerine sandwich in one hand and a copy of Switched on Bach in the other while surfing the NASA channel in their space-age bachelor pad. Combining the Dots and Loops sound with the Switched On-era one, Margerine Eclipse is an elegant fusion of old and new, and a weird reminder that Stereolab has been doing this long enough to actually make that work.
	6	Vast Aire Dirty Magazine mixtape (Bootleg) 2004 In a year that saw four releases by the more magisterial half of Cannibal Ox, Vast's mixtape is definitively the best. His "real" album, Look Mom, No Hands, felt a little too loose (let's just say it -- stoned) to really engage, and the two collections of collaborations and demos are nice to have but ultimately combine a lot of stuff that was available elsewhere. Dirty Mag is Vast at his nasty, insulting and thuggish best, proving that, like King Gheedora does, hip-hop over disco-inflected '70s samples sounds pretty damn good right now.
	5	Devendra Banhart Rejoicing in the Hands (Young God) April 26, 2004 Pop music continued its tiresome 21st-century trend of bandwagon-hopping this year, continuing to ride out neo-garage (enough!), then establishing neo-psych and neo-folk as the new "in things." The first of Banhart's two albums this year is the better one, and the best of both of the newest two neo-genres.
	4	Beans Shock City Maverick (Warp) Oct. 19, 2004 It's the other third of the former Antipop. After a slightly disappointing EP, Beans' second full-length is either just as good or just better than the first, Tomorrow Right Now. Mr. Ballbeam will insult your intelligence and steal your girl's amorous eye so fast you won't even quite catch what he said, but he slows down enough on the deliciously trippy "I'll Melt You" to proclaim a truism: "The link between Suicide, Sun Ra and Bambaataa is Ballbeam."
	3	Airborn Audio Snapshots mixtape (Bootleg) 2004 Yeah, yeah, it's just a mixtape, and Airborn Audio has theoretically existed for more than a year now with no official album. No matter. This brief tour of the matrix that is High Priest and M.Sayyid's psyche will make you need a bib -- you'll be drooling over how they might -- can -- sound, once they emerge from prolonged hibernation in the lab. Antipop Consortium mourners: An era hasn't ended, it's just evolving.
	2	Phil Kline Zippo Songs (Cantaloupe) Jan. 13, 2004 Pick your adjective: haunting, chilling, devastating, overwhelming -- none quite captures the power of Kline's most recent album, which sets to music speeches by comically inarticulate Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as well as poems carved into Zippo lighters by American soldiers in Vietnam. Kline and his band's succinct Steve Reich-ian pop songs are the perfect accompaniment to Theo Bleckmann's hair-raisingly poignant singing, and Zippo Songs should stand as the document of resistance to the Neo-Cons' 21st century attempt to play masters of the universe and a grim reminder of war's tolls on the human psyche.
	1	Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw) March 23, 2004 This collaborative effort between Madlib and MF Doom is yet another paean to stoned life but is far from the generic, weeded-out efforts that characterize so many underground hip-hop records. Madlib's creative sound collages are the ideal backdrop for Doom's witty and bizarre rhymes. On the great "Money Folder," he raps, "Either I get a strike or strike out -- gutter ball." But aside from a strange attempt to croon on "Rainbows," Madvillainy's K's are inconspicuously absent. An album truly appropriate for all moods, and one of the most enduring collabs ever.




	Patrick Coffee Staff Writer



		Fennesz Venice (Touch UK) March 23, 2004 Criticized for veering too close to easy ambience, Venice is Christian Fennesz's most consistent album, and though the pop duet with Japan's David Sylvian sits slightly to the left of self-importance, no one can restructure the sound of six strings quite like Fennesz.
		Arthur Russell The World of Arthur Russell (Soul Jazz) Jan. 26, 2004 This year's biggest uncovered treasure, Arthur Russell's hazy biography is every bit as compelling as his recorded material. Despite excellent remix efforts by late house originator Larry Levan, tracks like the intimate string duo "Keeping Up" prove that Russell was simply processing his own increasingly abstract ideas through a popular model loosely resembling disco.
		Joanna Newsom The Milky-Eyed Mender (Drag City) March 23, 2004 Once the mind adjusts to the initial shock of Newsom's fey poetics and seemingly oblivious vocal lunges, the scope of her lyrical maturity and instrumental prowess begins to appear, and excepting the misplaced "Inflammatory Writ," the album is consistently captivating.
		Animal Collective Sung Tongs (FatCat) June 1, 2004
		Milton Nascimento Maria Maria and Ultimo Trem (Far Out) March 23, 2004
		Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw) March 23, 2004
		Max Richter The Blue Notebooks (FatCat) March 23, 2004
		Devendra Banhart Rejoicing in the Hands (Young God) April 26, 2004
		Björk Medulla (Elektra) Aug. 31, 2004
		James Chance Sax Education (Tiger Style) April 26, 2004

	Rafael Martinez Staff Writer



	10	Mos Def The New Danger (Geffen) Oct. 12, 2004 No album received more mixed reviews this year than The New Danger. Mos Def's first album in five years and the follow-up to the sanctified Black on Both Sides, this year's LP is an ambitious musical grab bag that taps many different genres. Out-of-control expectations nearly killed this album, but once the smoke clears, Mos may finally get the props he deserves for The New Danger.
	9	The Roots The Tipping Point (Geffen) July 13, 2004 After hitting hip-hop with the rock-tinged Phrenology, the Roots flipped the script and aimed the spotlight on Black Thought. With the focus off the band, Thought melts wax, highlighted by his flawless impersonations of Kool G. Rap and Big Daddy Kane on "Boom!." Minus an occasional brick, there ain't no half-stepping along this lyrical road to riches.
	8	Masta Ace A Long Hot Summer (Yosumi/M3) Aug. 3, 2004 Criminally slept on since his days with the Juice Crew, Masta Ace is a decorated hip-hop veteran with more stripes than John Kerry. Billed as his swan song, on Long Hot Summer Ace decided to break us off this one last time with a prequel to his conceptual gem Disposable Arts. The only fitting words left are these: Thanks for the memories, Ace.
	7	Jean Grae This Week (Babygrande) Sept. 21, 2004 Compared to Jean Grae's previous efforts, This Week unveiled something indelibly different in the emcee. This time, she exudes confidence, rhyming with a chip on her shoulder and popping shots at all mean muggers. With an album exclusively produced by 9th Wonder coming right around the corner, Grae may make 2005 as big as she did 2004.
	6	Alchemist 1st Infantry (Koch) June 29, 2004 In between producing hit records for Mobb Deep and Dilated Peoples, Cali super-producer Alchemist cashes in his chips, dropping beats that capture the essence of East Coast hip-hop. Like any elite producer, Alchemist crafted a flawless set of beats tailor-made to accentuate the skills of the featured guest emcees. Banging from the jump until the curtain closes, 1st Infantry is easily one of the best in '04.
	5	Murs/9th Wonder 3:16: The 9th Edition Released only weeks before Madvillainy, 3:16 followed a simple blueprint of 9th Wonder's North Cacalac beats and Murs's blunted Cali vibes. Weighing in at a meager ten tracks, the duo goes for quality over quantity, concocting an album that is reminiscent of another classic LP -- Illmatic.
	4	Ghostface The Pretty Toney Album (Rocafella/Def Jam) April 20, 2004 With the Wu-Tang empire steady declining, Ghostface is the lone member still swinging his scepter with same ferocity as he did in '93. After more than a decade in the game, no one is more passionate and has more fun holding down the stage. Minus one Rza track, the production is handled by a group of relative unknowns whose raw and stripped-down soul production will have you hollering "I love you."
	3	Kanye West College Dropout (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam) Feb. 10, 2004 Even though Kanye's soul-sampling production became the industry flavor of the year, it was his ability to bridge the gap between mainstream and underground hip-hop that raised this album to another level. What other artist would feature Jay-z, Ludacris, Common, Mos Def and Talib Kweli?
	2	Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw) March 23, 2004 Take two of the most prolific artists in hip-hop and a sack of chronic and you get the most complete and blunted album of the year. With production virtuoso Madlib behind the boards and MF Doom's stream of consciousness running amuck, the resulting LP single-handedly resurrected hip-hop from its shallow grave.
	1	Nas Street's Disciple (Sony Urban Music/Columbia) Nov. 30, 2004 Following in the footsteps of Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac and Wu-Tang, Nas's double-disc effort is a lyrical feast with all the fixin's. Mr. Jones represents all sides of hip-hop, getting political on "American Way," setting the streets ablaze with "Nazareth Savage" and throwing an old-school park jam on "Virgo." His best LP since Illmatic may have ended the debate as to who is the greatest of all time.

	Ryan Duffy Staff Writer



		Two Gallants The Throes (Alive) May 18, 2004 Two good-looking young dudes from San Francisco playing music that sounds like it came from two train-wreck-ugly old dudes from Nebraska.
		Nick Cave Abbatoir Blues and The Lyre of Orpheus (Anti-) Oct. 26, 2004 What's weirder about these jams giving me a boner: That Nick Cave is older than my parents or that he's a dude?
		The Streets A Grand Don't Come for Free (Vice/Atlantic) May 18, 2004 I guess in England, rap means really well-thought-out and brilliantly articulated concept records. In America, Nelly blows the collective minds of the hip-hop community by putting out a double-album that spells a new word if you hold them up next to each other.
		Mission of Burma OnOffOn (Matador) May 4, 2004 Really? We could've had this stuff somewhat regularly for the past twenty years? Really? There needs to be a governing body that vetoes or approves band breakups. Mission of Burma would have gotten so denied, and I would've stamped approved eighty-six times on Scott Stapp's face.
		Mastadon Leviathan (Relapse) May 31, 2004 Question: Is metal even a genre anymore? Just like regular fucking metal, not nu or rap or metal-core or whatever? Mastadon: Oh, now it is. Here are some songs about slaying whales, you fags. Enjoy.
		Green Day American Idiot (Reprise) Sept. 21, 2004 The Tommy of our generation. I'm totally serious.
		Xiu Xiu Fabulous Muscles (5 Rue Christine) Feb. 17, 2004 This is how I like my gays -- wierd and skinny and yelling about cum on their lips.
		Hot Snakes Audit in Progress (Swami) Oct. 5, 2004 They use the same exact drum beat for, like, the first half of this record and it's so good that I don't even give a fuck.
		Wrangler Brutes Zulu (Kill Rock Stars) Oct. 12, 2004
		Venomous Concept Retroactive Abortion (Ipecac) June 29, 2004 "Jesus fucking Christ, thank you! This is what we meant, goddamn it. As soon as Canada and Florida got prominently involved, we knew something had gone horribly wrong." Sincerely, Punk Rock.




Best of 2003 Best of 2004 Best of 2005

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The Best Albums of 2004

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