The one thing I look forward to come year-end is the chance to look back on all the media I’ve seen and heard over the past year, and make a nice fat list talking about all of them. Take note that these are personal favorites, which may or may not agree with your own sensibilities.
Favorite Albums
- A.C. Newman’s The Slow Wonder
The New Pornographers’ frontman makes one heck of a solo effort. Not for folks who aren’t very familiar with current indie rock, but still a very noteworthy achievement. - Jimmy Eat World’s Futures
This band has been around since before emo was even a recognized label, and have outlasted both the genre’s pioneers and many of its less able offspring. I can’t stress enough how good a collection this is, or how rich the JEW sound has become with each new release. Hands-down the best emo release of this year. - Sahara Hotnights’ Kiss and Tell
Third time’s the charm for these Swedish garage rockers. Puts similar efforts from bands like The Donnas and The Distillers to shame, imho. - Alexisonfire’s Watch Out
One hell of a second album from the most raucous band this side of At the Drive-In. Some reviewers have called this collection punk’s saving grace and whether or not you believe that, these guys have to be heard to be believed. - Interpol’s Antics
Great followup to one of the best debut albums ever. Interpol stretches its arms out wide in this collection, showing fans that they haven’t lost their touch, while at the same time, hinting at bigger things to come. I guess the most important difference between this Antics and Turn On the Bright Lights is in the lyrics more than anything else. With that in mind, Interpol made a conscious effort to limit the noise and distortion this time around, to give more focus to Paul Bank’s uniquely droning vocals. - They Might Be Giants’ The Spine
Fantastic power pop from one of the most distinct sounds in the industry. TMBG’s swan song collection isn’t the best work they’ve ever produced, but it’s a great look back at the various styles that they’ve used (or, in some cases, pioneered) throughout their two-decade-long career. - Walking Concert’s Run To Be Born
The vocalist of emo stalwarts Quicksand and Rival Schools redefines the sound he’s been developing for the past 10 years. It’s about as drastic a change as Saves The Day’s label-twisting turnaround last year, and it’s definitely surprising for someone expecting “Travel By Telephone, circa 2004.” - Iron & Wine’s Our Endless Numbered Days
The King of Quiet has never sounded as forlorn, as meditative or as passionately lucid as on his latest collection. The album is consistently listenable throughout its 12 tracks, making it nearly impossible to pick out which cuts are best. The Grammy-nominated song, “Naked as We Came,” is a good place to start though.
Favorite Songs
- Jimmy Eat World’s “Kill”
It was a tough call deciding which Futures track was better (the title track and 23 are both fantastic too), but eventually I decided to go with the track that sounded most unlike anything they’d ever done before. Lyrically, “Kill” is your average love-and-longing type of song, but musically it’s absolutely gorgeous. - The Veils’ “Tide That Left and Never Came Back”
Great garage-rock-esque single from the New Zealand-based Veils. Shades of The Strokes and Elefant abound, as well as a touch of Teenage Fan Club or maybe even Big Star. Ultimately, I felt that their debut album had too many inconsistencies, which perhaps made Tide seem even more superior than it already was. - They Might Be Giant’s “Experimental Film”
All the signature quirkiness in the world cannot disguise the fact this is one of the cutest power pop songs of 2004. - Snow Patrol’s “Chocolate”
Between “How to be Dead,” “Run” and this track, Snow Patrol’s third full-length was close to being one of the finest releases of the year, but a bunch of weak songs towards the latter half of the album (and some really weird lyrics here and there) marred an otherwise decent collection. “Chocolate” is probably their finest work though. - The Velvet Teen’s “A Captive Audience”
These guys are what I imagine Radiohead to have sounded like had they gone with classical instruments instead of electronica on OK Computer or Kid A. With a voice like the late Jeff Buckley and a conspicuous lack of guitars on any of the tracks in their Elysium album, The Velvet Teen has been floating around on the fringes of indie for over two years. Maybe 2005 will finally see them getting some of the recognition they so rightly deserve. - Delays’ “Wanderlust”
From the Delays’ debut album Faded Seaside Glamour. I’ve heard these guys being compared with The Cocteau Twins, or Siouxsie and the Banshees, and for the most part, I tend to agree. They have a serious lean towards pop songs though, which is what makes this track (and a few of its brothers on Faded) so fun to listen to.