best of music in 2004

November 26, 2004 8:38 AM

Every year I put together a 'best of' comp' to hand out to holiday guests. This year I'm drawing a blank. Fiery Furnaces- sure, Wolf Eyes- Maybe. Mirah, again, this year? I'm having a hard time finding the anthems of 2004. Maybe today's songwriters got too swept up in the election to write a classic 'head-nodder'? Maybe I just got to caught up in the election to listen? Can you help? What's your best pick of the year?
posted by ifoughttheapemen to media & arts (26 comments total)

i like every song on The Arcade Fire's album. Rilo Kiley's "Portions for Foxes" is another favorite from 2004, though I wouldn't recommend the album as a whole. A cut from Wilco's latest might work too. . .
posted by katie at 8:59 AM on November 26, 2004

I do really like the Arcade Fire record... Definitely a good song or two on the last Elliott Smith. Franz Ferdinand is an easy pick. Anything off Smile if you're so inclined. The new Bjork is pretty interesting. Interpol's Antics... Animal Collective, Mission of Burma, Les Savy Fav, Iron & Wine, Xiu Xiu, Air... That's all I got off the top of my head for stuff I really liked this year...
posted by drpynchon at 8:59 AM on November 26, 2004

Ah, yes, Animal Collective! Thanks for the reminder. I'll be sure to check out the Arcade Fire record. After I posted this I remembered Diesel Truckers. That's gotta be on the mix.
posted by ifoughttheapemen at 9:24 AM on November 26, 2004

My 2004 mix this year is Dungen's "Festival" repeated 14 times.
posted by neustile at 9:35 AM on November 26, 2004

They're not "head-nodders", but the new Hem is nice, and Sigur Ros's first album, Von, was released for the first time stateside. Something from either of these might be serve as a postcoital coda to the climactic orgasm (so to speak) of the headboppinest penultimate song.
posted by notsnot at 10:13 AM on November 26, 2004

Along with Arcade Fire
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
William Shatner - That's me trying ( no, really)
Velvet Teen - A Special Gift to You
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
Keane - Somewhere Only We Know
Iron and Wine's version of the Postal Service's "Some Great Heights"
posted by FreezBoy at 10:35 AM on November 26, 2004

how about some hip hop, smart guy?
posted by rxrfrx at 10:52 AM on November 26, 2004

Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 11:28 AM on November 26, 2004

There is no denying that Hey Ya was the song of the year.
posted by digifox at 11:47 AM on November 26, 2004

Animal Collective's "Who Could Win a Rabbit" convinced me to like Animal Collective.

Wale Oyejide's CD was the best new hip-hop release of the year, IMHO.

And Bad Religion's new CD this year was KILLER, their best in years.

Does Brian Wilson's Smile count?

Also, the new Gwen Stefani single is a total guilty pleasure. Or maybe not that guilty. I don't even know anymore.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:58 AM on November 26, 2004

By the song of the year, I mean the song of last year. Goddammit.

In other news, this is why I love the internet.
posted by digifox at 12:03 PM on November 26, 2004

What are you talking about? So many great songs released this year. Here are my favorite songs from my favorite albums that were released in 2004.

"Wake Up" by the Arcade Fire. (the best opening to any mix CD)
"Wake Up, Little Sparrow" by Devendra Banhart
"Book of Right On" by Joanna Newsom
"Jacqueline" from Franz Ferdinand
"Huffman Prarie Flying Field" from Guided By Voices last ever album (which is great and you should go buy it).
"Muzzle of Bees" from the new Wilco
"Pretty (Ugly Before)" from Elliott Smith
"Accordion" from Madvillian
"What You Waiting For?" from Gwen Steffani (the rest of the album sucks, but this songs kills).
"Chewing Gum" by Annie
"First of the Gang to Die" from the new Morrissey
"The Rat" from the Walkmen
"Every Moment" from the Rogue Wave
"Drink to Me Babe, Then" from AC Newman
"Romantic Rights" from Death From Above 1979
"Home by Saturday" by Hayden
"Your Cover's Blown" from Belle and Sebastian
"The Angel's Share" from Ted Leo and thePharmacists

...to name a few
posted by Quartermass at 1:04 PM on November 26, 2004

"Over and Over Again" by Nelly and Tim McGraw is very catchy and has to be the first country/hip-hop collaboration.
posted by Frank Grimes at 2:15 PM on November 26, 2004

Well, dammit, most of the semi-anthemic stuff I've been listening to was released in late 2003 (like "I Was Born a Unicorn" by the Unicorns). Hmm, the boyfriend and I have been listening to "Drop it Like it's Hot" a whole lot (by Snoop D-O-you-know-who, of course). Andre 3000 and Kelis's "Millionaire" is pretty good, although that may've been '03 as well. "I Love You 'Cause I Have To" and "Godhopping", both by Dogs Die in Hot Cars, are also definite head-nodders, and definitely 2004.
posted by fricative at 2:24 PM on November 26, 2004

Is this a compilation to show indie rock you are or are you looking for music that people who don't read Pitchfork will like?
posted by monkeyman at 2:56 PM on November 26, 2004

Is this a compilation to show indie rock you are or are you looking for music that people who don't read Pitchfork will like?

ZING!!
posted by Quartermass at 3:09 PM on November 26, 2004

"Me and Mia" - Ted Leo
"Non-photo blue" - Pinback
"Palmcorder Yajna" - Mountain Goats
posted by kickingtheground at 4:12 PM on November 26, 2004

Monkeyman - Surprise - people who actively seek out information about new music (such as Pitchfork) will actually know about a greater variety of new music than people who don't! Some of that music you may not have heard on Top 40 Radio! That must mean they are just talking about unlistenable shit that sucks so much the band couldn't even get a major label contract, just to try to make some point about how cool they are.
posted by Gortuk at 7:35 PM on November 26, 2004

Holy C-wrap,
I just checked out the Death from above track! Solid! Again, I think my mind has been in limbo, because I also forgot about the AC Newman record and the Ted Leo record. Its triggering more remembrances like the Slats latest and the Gang Gang Dance record and the reissue of the Conet Project recordings. Thanks for shaking me out of my altered state.
posted by ifoughttheapemen at 7:43 PM on November 26, 2004

I searched for "Your Cover's Blown" by Belle and Sebastian on iTunes and was asked, "Did you mean Your Lover Blows?"
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:10 PM on November 26, 2004

Wilco - "A Ghost is Born"
Air - "Talkie Walkie"
Tears for Fears - "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending"
posted by fingers_of_fire at 10:01 PM on November 26, 2004

Dizzee Rascal - Stand Up Tall
Britney Spears - Toxic
Streets - Fit But You Know It
Usher - Yeah

digifox: heh
posted by donth at 10:36 PM on November 26, 2004

Gortuk, it was a legitimate question although snottily phrased. You are being elitist by assuming I listen to top 40 because I snipe on the insular world of indie rock. Apeman mentioned Wolf Eyes and Fiery Furnaces as reference points and I've listened to both bands. They are hardly head nodding music and both are an acquired taste. Quartermass covered most of the bands I would've recommended that have some cross-over appeal. Seriously, do you really go to parties where people are hanging out listening to Wolf Eyes? Aren't these kinds of bands making music knowing that few will listen? As a last shot, do you think that music is somehow better because few people will ever hear it?

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra "Who Is This America Dem speak Of?"
Ike Reilly Assassination "The Boat Song"
Bunch of songs From The Golden Virgins "Songs of Praise" are good
Mark Lanegan "Like Little Willie John"
Kanye West cuts from "College Dropout"
posted by monkeyman at 12:50 AM on November 27, 2004

True enough monkeyman. (Although, I would argue that a few of the Fiery Furnaces' songs can get your feet a tapping.) I always try to interject some of the bands that shake things up a bit and have pushed the boundaries of where music is going. But they are the easy picks that do indeed make for a rough spot in a good mix.

I'm just not finding the 'Hey Yeah', for this year. I long for the perfect pop styling of Third Eye Blind at their best or first hearing Kylie Menoque's 'Love at first sight', or something as crossover huge as the White Stripes' Elephant or Flaming Lips' Yoshimi... and cry when I feel that no rocker has done in years what Boston did with their first album, you know?
posted by ifoughttheapemen at 7:12 AM on November 27, 2004

Then check out the Annie record "Anniemal." It is f'n good pop music. Also, I think the Gwen single fits your bill. Love love love that song.
posted by Quartermass at 7:21 AM on November 27, 2004

I'm working on my 2004 mix right now, though I expect it to be about four or five discs long. Absolutely agreed about Annie, some of the best pop this year. "Toxic" is indispensable too. Things I haven't heard suggested yet:
-The Futureheads, "Decent Days And Nights"
-Anything by Scissor Sisters (eleven perfect singles, one album)
-Anything from the new Nick Cave (best of his career?)
-Elvis Costello, "Monkey To Man"
-Pixies, "Bam Thwok!"
-Kylie Minogue, "I Believe In You" (her new single, not available in the US yet)
-Girls Aloud, "The Show" or "Love Machine" (pop!)
-Snow Patrol, "Run" (weepy wave-the-lighters anthem)
-Ruslana, "Wild Dances" (Eurovision winner. It's like Andrew WK galloping across the steppes of snow-covered Russia on a thoroughbred stallion. Plus: Funny accent! Unmissable.)
-Anything by M.I.A. (Her best song, "Galang," was first issued in 2003, but it was reissued again this year so you can cheat and qualify it if you want.)
posted by logovisual at 9:36 AM on November 27, 2004