The Top 10 albums of 2004 [Archive]

Betty

12-10-2004, 03:34 PM

I have absolutely zero licence to make a best of 2004 list seeing there are way too many releases I haven't heard... but some good ones I've picked up are:

Mission of Burma - On Off On
Social Distortion - Sex Love and Rock 'n' Roll
The Golden Dogs - Everything in 3 Parts (a more local band, but very good release... getting some airplay on the video shows.)
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Shake the Sheets

I've heard some other good releases but couldn't rank them in the best of...

Americana

12-10-2004, 03:44 PM

in your opinion only

Betty

12-10-2004, 03:45 PM

in your opinion only

Obviously. Sous-entendu, my friend.

Tired_Of_You

12-10-2004, 03:47 PM

Social Distortion - Sex Love and Rock 'n' Roll

It's a really good album. Have you seen them live? ( I think they came where you live a couple of months ago). I heard they will play in Montreal in February. :)

Betty

12-10-2004, 03:53 PM

Yeah, I saw them in Toronto with Tiger Army and the Explosion. What a good show, cause Tiger Army rocks too.

It was really, really good. One of the best shows I'm seen. Mike Ness is such a sexy musician. I'd highly recommend seeing them.

Floyd the Barber

12-10-2004, 03:57 PM

Finding good albums that came out this year is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Course, it's like that every year, but 2004 had so much bad pop/rap/R&B/MTV-fag rock that it blows my mind. Do you realize we had to put up with Yellowcard, Hoobastank, Usher, Ashlee Simpson, Hillary Duff, Lindsay "My Boobs Aren't Real" Lohan, Terror Squad, Nickelhack, Linkin Park, Li'l Jon and his East Side Fags, Britney Spears, and countless other talentless hacks in one year. God. Rock is on life support. If it weren't for Green Day's splendid new album, Velvet Revolver's kick-ass debut, some good Offspring singles, Slipknot's Vol. 3, and Korn's Greatest Hits, I would've written this year off as a total waste.

But the best album's from this year (not enough to make 10) were

Green Day - American Idiot
Slipknot - Vol. 3
Korn - Greatest Hits Vol. 1
Velvet Revolver - Contraband

Vera

12-10-2004, 04:02 PM

Rock is not on life support. A big bunch of great albums get released each year.

You just need to widen your horizons, look beyond the mainstream, get into new bands. Just because Usher wins a million Billboard awards and sells a billion records and Lindsay Lohan records an album, it doesn't mean that the genre of rock is in some terrible decay or something.

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 04:05 PM

The ratio of pop-to-rock has always been the same. Jesus christ it's called pop music because it's constantly popular. But no sir, each there is a new and completely unrelated crisis due to an abundance of pop than compared with last year, or ten years ago.

Betty

12-10-2004, 04:14 PM

I would argue that there was a lot of good popular music in the 70's/early 80's though. And the mainstream rock scene around 93/94/95 was better than it is now.

Well said Vera. I have heard a bunch of good rock releases recently (not 2004, but 2002/2003 ish) and it makes me excited.

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 04:17 PM

Yes, but I'm talking about science here betty!

actually I have no idea. I'm making a point that pop has always existed, and that rock fans (at least the ones with penis-issues) have always felt persecuted.

Betty

12-10-2004, 04:22 PM

No, no, that's true. I'm just saying it probably is worse now than it has been at certain times. Which is not to say that there isn't good music, just that it isn't mainstream.

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 04:32 PM

oh let's face it, rock doesn't get most popular unless pop is already incredibly popular. (as in both rising) Sort of a action-reaction thing one could suppose. But rock fans have always felt persecuted, at least since punk, and probably before.

Betty

12-10-2004, 04:35 PM

But some music can be considered both rock and pop?

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 04:38 PM

I'd assume so. You shouldn't ask me, I suck so much at genres it's almost terrifying.

Vera

12-10-2004, 04:40 PM

Poprock and Coke.

Then again, there's popular poprock and not-so-popular poprock.

What exactly are you guys arguing over?

BREAK

12-10-2004, 04:54 PM

1. Clair De Lune - Marionettes
2. Fear Before The March Of Flames - Art Damage
3. These Arms Are Snakes -Oxeneers or The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home
4. Q And Not U - Power
5. Converge - You Fail Me
6. Planes Mistaken For Stars - Up In Them Guts
7. The Blood Brothers - Crimes
8. Codeseven - Dancing Echoes/Dead Sounds
9. Mission Of Burma - OnOffOn
10. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge

Also, I just bought new albums by Mastodon, Nick Cave, & Black Eyes, so this list will probably change a bit in the next few days.

Betty

12-10-2004, 04:54 PM

I'm not trying to argue dammit! Just throwing ideas out.

But yeah... the whole "pop" genre as in poppy sounding vs "popular" as in mainstream throws me. I like to use it as the sound, personally. And just use "mainstream" instead of "pop/popular".

Also, the same could apply for the term indie. Is it an "indie" genre/sound or is it simply "indie" independent?

I'm terrible at classifications too.

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 04:57 PM

I'm terrible at classifications too.
For some reason, there's always a little 'yay' inside me when we have something in common.

Betty

12-10-2004, 05:08 PM

Hahaha... I like that. Politics is just one of those taboo subjects that it's really dangerous to talk about if people disagree. Another is religion. Although, we might have similar views on that...

Sometimes I just argue for the sake of arguing...for example, the sources thing. You're terribly easy to pick on for some reason...

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 05:10 PM

True, one of my best friends is conservative. We never discuss politics, unless it's on a subject we both know we agree on.

I'm an atheist, I assume that that is what you assumed I was. you?

Betty

12-10-2004, 05:18 PM

I edited that last one.

But I would say I'm agnostic. Not so much the "I believe in god, just don't follow religion type" (which doesn't really seem to follow the definition) but more the "I don't DENY the existence of a higher power because I don't know". However, in that, I live my life more as an atheist (ie really don't think a god will have any effect on me and I don't care).

(I'd like to say that it seems that if somebody claims to be atheist and denies the existence of god, it sorta seems just as bad as somebody claiming there is one, because there's no proof either way).

Also, I figure if there is some high power, then there's no point in believing in (or caring about) it until I have reason to (ie something I believe to be evidence for it).

My parents are catholic and they have a bunch of really good miracle stories. They're pretty freaky, really.

This is totally a digression on the topic!

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 05:22 PM

Yes but this topic would've digressed eventually, it was elitist from the start. We're just making it elitist in a slightly different way.

Generally I argue with you often, sometimes just for the sake of arguing. But it's not personal, I loathe your politics. Then I regret starting these things because you must be the world's fastest typer to be able to cover one subject so thoroughly in a single post.

As far as agnosticism goes. I find it to be a backwards logic. To steal from the Simpsons. It's like saying, "I have this rock, I use it to ward off tigers. Ever since I've had it, I've never seen a tiger near me."An agnostic would say "I can't prove it's not true, and I can't prove it's true either."

I was raised in a presbyterian home. Went to church every weekend. Ironically here I am an atheist. The only thing I got out of church was a liking for folk music. (We sang a lot of "the Lord of the Dance" which eventually became the way I discovered The Dubliners.)

Betty

12-10-2004, 05:29 PM

Those two examples don't seem to match up.

*trying to wrap my head around it*

Okay I give up. I don't see how it's backwards. I really DON'T know. And I don't believe it to be something we can know for sure. Maybe it just comes down to that. I don't think it's something a person can know. And I am generally very scientific in my way of thinking, and I like to maintain that everything has an explanation, but humans may not necessarily be able to grasp that explanation, possibly not now, possibly not ever.

The rock example seems to apply more to you. "I don't believe in god, I have never witnessed a god, therefore my not believing is correct".

??

wheelchairman

12-10-2004, 05:38 PM

Master of Puppets

12-10-2004, 05:55 PM

including greatest hits(they take a hit down my list cuz they arent new material)

1. Velvet Revolver-Contraband
2.tie: Green Day-American Idiot, U2-How to Dismantl an Atomic Bomb
3.Pearl Jam-Rearviewmirror greatest hits
4.Danzig-Circle of Snakes
5. Guns n Roses-Greatest Hits
6.Pearl Jam-Live at Benaroya Hall
7. Incubus-A Crow Left of the Murder
8. Soil-Redefine
9. Lostprophets-Start Something
10.A Perfect Circle-Thirteenth Step

yea i sorta ran out of ideas for the last couple

Betty

12-10-2004, 06:39 PM

It's my justification for that all things will be explained with science one day. Like today we can explain that, rocks in fact, do not ward off tigers, the coincidence lies in that I have not been near tigers.

So because science has not been able to explain some things does not mean that it won't be able to further on. I don't need an icon carved into a coconut to worship, to be sure of these things.

So I guess my faith lies in the progress and development of science.

I am so confused about where we disagree here. Cause couldn't a "god" be explained with science eventually? I don't see why not? The progress of science is exactly what I believe in. And whether there is a god that can be explained by science or not does not mean I have to worship anything either, hence why I don't deny it, yet don't worship anything.

Also, the tricky thing about having faith in science... is that you must always be aware that everything we know is simply a theory and nothing is PROVEN, it is simply not disproved. However, you still have to have a certain faith in the theories we do have. Like, to take a basic theory like if you drop something it'll fall cause of gravity, sure, maybe one day it won't fall because of something we haven't explained through science yet. I will trust that it won't happen, but I will allow for that possibility that it could. Which is the same with god I guess. So based on what we know, I guess I would "trust" there is no god, but I would not deny that there could be one, based on something that has yet to be explained.

Everytime I give an explanation I think "this is perfect, how could he disagree?" Actually, mostly I'm still not understanding what you're disagreeing with. And see, we still argue about something that we pretty much fundamentally agree on. The details always get you.

pie.

12-10-2004, 06:46 PM

this thread is sorta bias towards rock culture (not that thats a bad thing)

wheelchairman

12-11-2004, 03:50 AM

I am so confused about where we disagree here. Cause couldn't a "god" be explained with science eventually? I don't see why not? The progress of science is exactly what I believe in. And whether there is a god that can be explained by science or not does not mean I have to worship anything either, hence why I don't deny it, yet don't worship anything.

Also, the tricky thing about having faith in science... is that you must always be aware that everything we know is simply a theory and nothing is PROVEN, it is simply not disproved. However, you still have to have a certain faith in the theories we do have. Like, to take a basic theory like if you drop something it'll fall cause of gravity, sure, maybe one day it won't fall because of something we haven't explained through science yet. I will trust that it won't happen, but I will allow for that possibility that it could. Which is the same with god I guess. So based on what we know, I guess I would "trust" there is no god, but I would not deny that there could be one, based on something that has yet to be explained.

Everytime I give an explanation I think "this is perfect, how could he disagree?" Actually, mostly I'm still not understanding what you're disagreeing with. And see, we still argue about something that we pretty much fundamentally agree on. The details always get you.

hmm yeah I actually agree with this post. I think we disagree because that's the only way we know how to talk to each other. Jesus christ we're like an old Irish couple.

Chris

12-11-2004, 06:09 PM

I can't really stretch to a top 10 as I tend to be buying older releases and playing a game of catch up (or just prefer it) but still;

1. Sonic Boom Six - Sounds To Consume
2. Epoxies - S/T
3. No Comply - With Windmills Turning Wrong Directions
4. The Start - Initiation
5. Howards Alias - The Answer Is Never
6. Five Knuckle - Balance

Betty

12-11-2004, 10:58 PM

I like that Start album too, but didn't put it top 10.

greencows12

12-11-2004, 11:10 PM

the backstreet boys
avril lavinge
ashlee simpson
the beastie boys
98 degrees
the beach boys
new found glory
the men with no testicles
fuck pie

selfrighteoussuicide

12-12-2004, 10:54 AM

in no particular order:

Lest we forget - marilyn manson
american idiot - green day
start something - lostprophets
contraband - velvet revolver
greatest hits - guns n roses
reise reise - rammstein
s/t - afi
a crow left of the murder - incubus
how to dismantle a nuclear bomb - u2
with the lights out (boxed set) - nirvana

Unnatural Disaster

12-12-2004, 01:36 PM

I'm not sure about the albums that have come out this year, but I would say these are pretty good:

Green Day - American Idiot
Velvet Revolver - Contraband
Social Distortion - Sex, Love, and Rock and Roll
U2 - How to Dismantle a Nuclear Bomb
Nirvana - With The Lights Out (Box Set)
Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits)

SicN Twisted

12-12-2004, 05:29 PM

Most of your lists suck. Everything I've heard on Break's list fits into my top 30, though.

And what's with the politics taboo? It's the other way around for me, I only enjoy talking about politics with people I stringently disagree with. My views are so radical, that most people fit into this category in someway or another. I can't occasionally stumble upon someone mindlessly agreeing with me, and it's annoying.

Betty

12-12-2004, 06:26 PM

Screw you, my list of 4 is good.

Also, I really enjoy debating politics, obviously. But it has to be with people who at least know what they're talking about. Also, the reason it's taboo is because some people are way too sensitive about it, and if they're like, part of your everyday life (e.g. classmate, housemate, co-worker) you don't really want to get on their bad side if they're too sensitive about arguments, so then you just avoid the issue.

Also, I tried to answer your book topic (only reply!) but it's on like, the 4th page or something now.

nieh

12-12-2004, 06:57 PM

you know, out of all the cd's I bought this year, I don't think that many of them were even from this year. The only ones I can think of that came out this year are Blood Brothers - Crimes, Minus the Bear - They Make Beer Commercials like This EP, and Pinback - Summer in Abbadon or whatever it was called. They're good, the Blood Brothers one I can't listen to as often as the others though.

Betty

12-12-2004, 08:14 PM

I listened to that Penelope song that everybody raved about in that one thread. It was good.

nieh

12-12-2004, 08:20 PM

yeah, it's a good song. It's from one of their older albums though, Blue Screen Life.

Betty

12-12-2004, 08:23 PM

Am I wrong or are Pinback/Blood Brothers very very opposite?

nieh

12-12-2004, 08:29 PM

they're very very opposite...but I like them both. Oddly enough, they're the only two bands I've ever heard that use "baritone guitars". I didn't even know such a thing existed until Pinback though...maybe there's others that have them and I just don't know it.

(edit note: they only play the baritone guitars in like 1-2 songs, that's not all they use)

BREAK

12-12-2004, 09:26 PM

Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus DEFINITELY belongs in my top 10 somewhere. I have no clue where I'd put it though. Also, I still haven't heard the new albums by Isis, Karate, Misery Signals, Neurosis, or Circle Takes The Square(maybe it's because I don't do downloading). And time is running out on me fast! FUCK!

SicN Twisted

12-12-2004, 11:08 PM

the new Isis is incredle, the new Neurosis is mediocre, but I haven't heard any of the rest.

BREAK

12-28-2004, 01:55 AM

BUMP. Revamped list, bigger/badder than ever....bah!

1. Clair De Lune - Marionettes
2. Misery Signals - Of Malice & The Magnum Heart
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus
4. Q And Not U - Power
5. Converge - You Fail Me
6. Planes Mistaken For Stars - Up In Them Guts
7. The Blood Brothers - Crimes
8. Fear Before The March Of Flames - Art Damage
9. Mastodon - Leviathan
10. These Arms Are Snakes -Oxeneers or The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home
11. Codeseven - Dancing Echoes/Dead Sounds
12. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge
13. Black Eyes - Cough