OK, it's almost March - what is your favorite release of 2004 so far?

I think I'd actually agree with this! However I have yet to hear any 2004 album more than once this year, which is when I start realizing what I really like or not.

(However, if she does release "But Julian, I'm A Little Bit Older Than You" as a single, we have a new best single of all time)

Tanakh - "Dieu Deuil"
The opening track is the least affecting on the album, an unfortunate opener, but "Exegesis," "Instrumental," "The Lord is in This Place... How Dreadful is This Place" & "Lady Eucharist" are all wonderful. They're a Montreal band (on alien8) that's relocated to Italy. I'd sort of describe them as a middle-eastern influenced Dirty Three fronted by a more cynical and world-weary Damien Rice type with a huge chip on his shoulder regarding Christianity (it's amusing, when I was first thinking of how to describe them, Dirty Three came immediately to mind, especially on the instrumental tracks, and I thought I could say it's like Dirty Three with a more conventional drummer, then I looked at the credits and discovered it actually was Dirty Three's Jim White playing the drums).

Department of Eagles - "The Whitey on the Moon UK LP"
They used to call themselves Whitey on the Moon UK, to explain the album title. Somewhere between Clue to Kalo and The Postal Service, this is laptop-beat-laden indie pop with a fantastic sense of humor.

Savath & Savalas - "Apropa't"
folky, spanish (& Catalan) nighttime music. marvelous.

cLOUDDEAD - "Ten"
Depending on my mood and the particular track, this can sound like the coolest thing I've ever heard, or the most annoying fucking shit I've ever heard. Just about what you'd expect, I'm sure. the first 2 tracks are stellar.

p:ano - "The Den"
p:ano call themselves "chamber pop." Really mellow indie music with random instruments popping in and out like saw, organ, dulcimer, French horn, woodblocks, treated piano, and wind-up music box.

Petracovich - "Blue Cotton Skin"
Not quite trip-hop, but with a definite Portishead influence, this is a beautiful album with great songs.

Dani Siciliano - "Likes..."
this reminds me quite a bit of Juana Molina's "Segundo" from last year, but it's frankly not as good. it's still quite pleasant, though, and worth a listen, if only for the surprising cover of Nirvana's "Come as You Are."

crap:
Jason Collett - "Motor Motel Love Songs"
not a trace of Broken Social Scene can be heard on this album. not a bad thing in itself, but Collett can't make up his mind as to whether he wants to be Jay Farrar, Ryan Adams, or a member of Wilco. and it's all ultimately boring.

Firewater - "Songs We Should Have Written"
but you didn't. should be titled "Songs We Never Should Have Tried to Play"

Lisa Gerrard/Patrick Cassidy - "Immortal Memory"
the worst imaginable combination of Gerrard's world music predilections and her soundtrack work. this is new age dreck for 4AD fans whose taste grew old along with them.

Courtney Love - "America's Sweetheart"
I repeat: I honestly didn't think music could be this bad, this generic, this grating, this useless.

John Vanderslice - "Cellar Door"
his singing never bugged me before, but god, does it ever on this album. and the songs are just shite. unfortunate.

90 Day Men - "Panda Park"
i was looking forward to this since hearing the lead single, "Too Late or Too Dead" last fall. i'll keep listening to the single and it's 2 intriguing, if lackluster, b-sides. the rest of Panda Park is at best dull ("Sequel"), at worst horrifically bad ("Silver and Snow").

Nellie McKay - "Get Away from Me"
i can't stand this. it annoys every cell in my body. and then we got an interview disc and i could hear what an idiot she is on top of it all. utter crap.

Minus 5 - "In Rock"
we all have Peter Buck and Jeff Tweedy to thank for the continued existence of this absolutely pointless endeavor. it sure must be nice to have friends in high places.

Thavius Beck - "Decomposition"
not everything Mush releases can be great. this is annoying.

Voodoo Child - "Baby Monkey"
retire Moby. please, for the children's sake, hang it up.

Franz Ferdinand, The Hiss, Liars, Walkmen
more of the same, and it all sucks.

I sense Alex in NYC's anger taking shape on the horizon, like thunderclouds.

Haven't started keeping track of singles yet.

(oh, and if you wanna consider Dizzee 2004 because of the U.S. release date, it's an easy #1)

Disappointed.

Only his second studio album, after years and years of home and live recordings, and it seems John Darnielle has run out of steam. Which is startling, since it seemed he had enough steam to last a few lifetimes. There are some gems on the last half of the album, but the first 7 tracks or so sound like rewrites of the less thrilling tracks from 2002's "Tallahassee." None of which means this is bad music. Pitchfork's Will Bowers is dead on when he says "We Shall All Be Healed is like an ugly, hollow sports victory for a team anticipated to blow away the opposition."

Will Bowers. I dig that guy.

Er? I mean, these days I really find the distinction between 'home' and 'studio' recordings awfully strange.

Dame Dash Presents The Warriors 4
Dangermouse Presents The Grey Album
I Am Robot And Proud, Grace Days*
I Remember Syria
The Dead C, The Damned*
The Homosexuals, Astral Glamour**
Twista, Kamikaze
The Walkmen, Bows & Arrows
Kanye West, The College Dropout
Brian Wilson, smilelive22004.mp3

* Late 2003 releases.
** I don't actually have it yet of course, but there's a two-CD Homosexuals set floating around on SlSk, and I think it's grand.

I Hated, Hated, Hated These Albums:

Xiu Xiu, Fabulous Muscles
Trans Am, Liberation

junior boys - last exit
arthur russell - calling out of context and the world of arthur russell
cee-lo - cee-lo green is the soul machine
air - talkie walkie
v/a - lord of the decks: fellowship of the mic vol. 2
remarc - unreleased dubs: 94-96
david banner - mta 2: baptised in dirty water*
dj dangermouse - the gray album

singles

lcd soundsystem - "yeah (stupid mix)"
vybz kartel - "visa"; "picture me and you"
alicia keys - "you don't know my name"
j-kwon - "tipsy"
cee-lo feat. timbaland - "i'll be around"*
ying yang twinz - "salt shaker"*
janet jackson - "love me for a little while"
britney spears - "toxic"
ruff sqwad - "raw 2 the core"
wiley - "wot do u call it?"
clouddead - "dead dogs two (boards of canada mix)"
belle & sebastian - "i'm a cuckoo (avalanches mix)"
christina millian feat. fabolous - "dip it low"
sharkie major and someone else i am forgetting - "ghetto"
skepta feat. dee & jme - "serious thugs" (aka "thuggish ruggish")
beta band - "assessment"
m. mayer - "x"
memphis bleek feat. jay-z - "murda murda"
that david banner/lil flip song i just heard on the radio that i didnt catch the name of

*late 2003 releases

Ada - Lovelace
David Banner - Crank It Up
CNN - Yes Sir
G-Unit - Poppin' Them Thangs
Ghostface Killah - Run
Graziano Avitabile - Lass Mich Los
Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder
Jinadu - Turning the Tides (Jimpster Remix)
Maik Loewen - Apparat
LCD Soundsystem - Yeah
Lucien-N-Luciano - Alain Brito
Midnight Mike - Necro Dance
The Orb - Masterblaster
Gavin Russom & Delia Gonzalez - El Monte
Sten - Untitled
T.I. - Rubber Band Man
Obie Trice - The Setup
Twista - Slow Jamz
Wiley - What Do You Call It?
Young Gunz - No Better Love

Singles: Usher, JC Chasez, Phoenix, E-40, Ruff Sqwad

Nothing spectacular, though.

Tell me what you like about this. The songs I heard were kind of overtly sloppy and tongue-in-cheek. Not so listenable, even though the reviews had me excited...

Most anticipated: Magnetic Fields, Mission of Burma, The New Year

Fair enough. Then I pick the Avey Tare side of the Grubbs/Avey Tare split instead.

after that: Gingersol, Kanye, Twista, Joyce & Banda Maluca, Garrison Starr, Rasputina, Anne McCue

Indeed. I'm terribly shocked and am writing an angry letter this instant.

Still not yet, definitely high on the hit list.

Aluminum Group, Einstürzende Neubauten, Van Hunt, Emma Bunton, Poster Children, The Shocking Pinks, and Kaada are all quite sturdy contenders, though.

ps. you have no idea how much glee i feel being the first jerk to make that kinda joke on this thread.

singles:
1. "dip it low"
2. "you don't know my name" (+ the greogry isaacs mashup)
3. "yeah"
4. "thank you"
5. "salt shaker"
6. "toxic"
7. "crank it up"
8. "tipsy"
9. "chauffeur" (the fitness)
10. "don't stop" (tussle)
(still haven't heard "assessment" or the wiley single)

haven't bought many albums, but Emma Bunton's Free Me fourthed.

Ned prefers a format which will allow him to inject it directly into his brain. More jaded listener, stronger kick required.

People who like Xiu Xiu have cooties.

Seriously, how am I to respond to a charge like that?

doesn't this mean your life resembles a character in Dawn Of The Dead. THEY'RE ALL AROUND YOU.

i was just checking the peacefrog site and it looks like there's a kenny larkin lp in the pipeline, too. has anyone heard the promo yet?

Devendra Banhart - excellent
Modest Mouse - probably their best
Bonnie Billy - very good
Probot - much better than average
Kanye West - outstanding
Avey / Grubbs split - half amazing (guess which half)

new Destroyer oughta be here any day, still psyched up for The Streets and Moz

Honourable mentions: Tropical Iceland by Fiery Furnaces, Arthur Russell (does this count?), Ultravisitor by Squarepusher, Yeah, collection of rare Papa M/Aerial M stuff (also, does this count?), Toxic by Britney, Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand, Mister Mental by 80's MBLD, Slow by Kylie, Feeling This by Blink 182.

It's been a low-key 2004 so far, not bought much new stuff but bought tonnes and tonnes of old stuff.

albums

Courtney Love, America's Sweetheart
Emma, Free Me
Electrelane, The Power Out
Scissor Sisters, Scissor Sisters
Dani Siciliano, Likes
Blonde Redhead, Misery Is A Butterfly

singles

Kelis, "Milkshake"
Courtney Love, "Mono"
Basement Jaxx ft. Lisa Kekaula, "Good Luck"
Britney Spears, "Toxic"
Emma, "I'll Be There"
Will Young, "Your Game"

Arthur Russel - The World of Arthur Russel never heard (t)his stuff, it's (after one listen) a pleasant surprise. people really danced to this in the 80s? [hard to imagine considering my experience with music/dancing in some rural dutch disco at that time...]

Air - Talkie Walkie

downloaded stuff I've enjoyed:
Liars - They were wrong so we drowned
The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows
DJ Dangermouse - The Grey Album
Modest Mouse - Good news for people who love bad news

oh and Faun Fables too

Single, reworked (very well, more up beat) version of an album track. Not sure when it's out, soon if not already I think.

lookin' forward to getting the new Faun Fables.

mine, in no real order yet:

air - talkie walkie
sarah harmer - all of our names
superpitcher - here comes love
lucien-n-luciano - blind behaviour
sufjan stevens - seven swans
bark psychosis - codename dustsucker
madvillain - madvillainy
kanye west - college dropout

Lotta love for:
Lali Puna
Iron & Wine
Ghost
Faun Fables
Bark Psychosis
Goodbye, Babylon box
Sublime Frequencies series

Surprised that I like them this much at all:
Electrelane
Walkmen

Blink 182 - "Feeling this"
Black Devil Disco Club
Tear the club up thugs - "Crazyndalazdayz"
Scissor Sisters - "Scissor Sisters"

Still hanging for the new ClouDDead and Bark Psychosis, I'd also like to hear the new Modest Mouse album. I've got the Electrelane album here too - seemed a lil bland, but after seeing all the props on here it may be worth checking out.

"Toxic" for single.

Special shout out to 'America's Sweetheart'. What's the deal with Kirstie Alley, ie. is she involved in Scientology?

Franz Ferdinand
The Monolith
Porest
Stereolab
The Walkmen
Sufjan Stevens
OCS
Casual Dots

The Bad:

Department of Eagles (there are no words)
The Microphones (but I should've known - it's a live Microphones record, for Pete's sake)
PSOI
The Special Goodness

...and there's a lot of stuff in between those two poles. Tortoise record isn't really bad, just ultra boring. Mirah record doesn't do much for me yet.

I'm almost certainly sure that's 2003, strongo....

no:
courtney love (can someone please explain to me why an album that sounds like a rejected pretty boy floyd demo, crap sound quality and all, is supposed to be worth another chance? this doesn't even have a 'rock and roll (is gonna set the night on fire)'
all night radio (yawn)
josh todd

yes-singles:
janet jackson, 'love me for a little while'
telefon tel aviv, 'my week beats your year'
phantom planet, 'big brat'

1 kanye west: the college dropout (12 votes)
2 air: talkie walkie (11)
3 ghost: hypnotic underworld (10)
4 stereolab: margerine eclipse (7)
5= arthur russell: the world of arthur russell (6)
5= dani siciliano: likes (6)
5= scissor sisters: scissor sisters (6)
8= arthur russell: calling out of context (5)
8= devendra banhart: rejoicing in the hands (5)
8= oneida: secret wars (5)
8= the walkmen: bows & arrows (5)
12= bonnie prince billy: sings palace music (4)
12= courtney love: america's sweetheart (4)
12= junior boys: last exit (4)
12= probot: probot (4)

Were the lyrics written by Klymaxx? (That's not a complaint!) What's up with all the Klymaxx references here lately? (And neither is that!)

Kanye West - College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella)
Denali - The Instinct (Jade Tree)
Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (Blue Note)
Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner (XL / Matador) *
Franz Ferdinand - s/t (Domino)
Elbow - Cast of Thousands (V2 / BMG) *

In the "I dunno..." pile:

Coral - Magic & Medicine *
All Night Radio - Spirit Stereo Frequency

Right about now (singles / song type things): *

Dizzee Rascal - "Fix Up, Look Sharp"
Kanye West (f/ Twista, Jaimee Foxx, AND Aisha Tyler) - "Slow Jamz"
Dina Rae - "And?"
Norah Jones - "Sunrise"
Obie Trice (f/ Nate Dogg) - "The Set Up"
Britney Spears - "Toxic"
Sleepy Brown (f / OutKast) - "I Can't Wait"
Usher (f/ Lil Jon & Ludacris) - "Yeah"
J-Kwon - "Tipsy"
DMX - "Get It On the Floor"
Ying Yang Twins - "Salt Shaker"
Tony Touch (w/ Sean Paul) - "Ay Ay Ay"
Westside Connection (f/ Nate Dogg) - "Gangsta Nation"

* = yeah, I know

WHA'th'GAH! YOU BAG OF TEPID SHIT!

Alrighty, well, whatever.

I'm going with Probot and Franz Ferdinand.

Good to know. I loved the last one. I understand why Manu Chao gets all the press, but Garcia deserves some love too.

by the way spittle you have interesting taste in music.

I have no doubt that I'm going to love the new Cee-Lo and the new Bad Plus in the next couple weeks, and I'm looking forward to that Telefon Tel Aviv despite having heard mixed responses.

Now that pick I do second heartily.
I haven't heard lots of 'o4 recordings, to be frank, but amidst those few that I've listened to so far, 'Salute Your Soul' really sticks out.

Beyond that, I've also liked Danger Mouse, Oneida, Squarepusher, Royce da 5'9", JC Chasez, and Modest Mouse. The new Murs and Madvillain are also nice, despite the annoying promo shit.

Yeah, it's a strange record - can't get it out of my head, it all seems very deliberate and sneaky but comes across as being shy and lo-fi. Did like it though. I think.

want to hear: ghost, deerhoof, remarc, anthony rother's "magic diner"

singles: bollywood freaks, young gunz, chingy, nick cannon, britney, beyonce, lcd soundsystem (no surprises here)

from last year: three six mafia - "da unbreakables", animal collective

Singles

1. 80's matchbox b-line disaster - Mr Mental
2. The Zutons - Pressure Point
3. Stellastar* - My Coco

Worst album of the year, so far: TV on the Radio.

They're still around? I'm amazed!

And I keep forgetting Oneida, which I admittedly liked a lot when I first got a copy of it about six months or so ago, but I assume there must be some reason why I keep keep forgetting it. And the Peelers, Wolverine, Kwisp, Johnny Vicious, Orphaned Land, Kill Me Tomorrow, and/or Cheval De Frise may well be better than Old Bombs or somebody else above, I guess, but now I'm just starting to obsessive-compulsively confuse myself again, and as usual I have lots of work I'm procrastinating from doing. I really need to go cold turkey from this shit somehow (or from making posts about it, at least).

The Red Thread - Tension Pins
eh.

Lanterna - Highways
it troubles me how easily they transition from sublime to elevator music and back again. i felt this way about their previous two albums as well. another couple and they might have enough good material to fill a CD-R.

Deerhoof - Milk Man
i'm getting a little tired of them, to be honest. is this 5 albums in 4 years?

Rasputina - Frustration Plantation
i'm getting tired of them too. the noises are all swell. i love the instrumentation, i love their voices. i don't like the affectation and most of the lyrics. and do we need spoken word bits with no resolution or point about white frontier girls enslaved by wild indians? i get the impression they think they're incredibly funny or clever or something. there are some quite good songs here though.

Shearwater - Winged Life
i'm startled they've managed to sound so different without drastically altering anything. nowhere near as folky as the first 2 albums, a bit like an early-80's new wave band without a drummer who only do ballads. suits me fine.

Son of the Velvet Rat - By My Side
lost somewhere between Spokane and Smog, with a little bhp tossed in every now and again. i like.

haha yeah! I'm writing this up for the Voice so I don't want to get to into it, but the album is nowhere as great as the single (as far as his "ho wop" concept goes, he's consistent about the ho and sadly strays from the wop - and don't ask me about his mentor Legendary Rapper Milk Dee) and I'm pissed they sent me a clean promo copy.

Cee Lo was disappointing.

Pas/Cal will soon rule the world.

anyway, more good stuff:

dj olive - bodega
ghostface killah - hidden dars ii
black devil disco club
memphis bleek - "just blaze, free, and bleek" (gee, i wonder who produced this. triggering all sorts of weird rap nerd reflexes with that scratching.)

(plus is that DJ Olive = We's DJ Olive's long awaited solo record?)

madvillain - madvillainy
wiley
junior boys - last exit
cut copy - bright like neon love
hell - ny muscle

I also like Air and the Mekons and (if he still counts) Luomo -- what a nice, poppy record. Looking forward to the Hold Steady and Cee-Lo.

erlend oye - dj kicks (depends on how big a tolerance you have for him singing over the tracks, but it's got "so weit noch nie", the rapture's "i need your love", villalobo's "dexter", "2 after 909", and a couple other good-great tracks. shame about the avenue d inclusion, though.)

tiefscwharz - "ghost track (blackstrobe mix)" (thanx to ronan...mmmmm...more bleep'n'bass revival plz)

that hold steady guy's voice makes me want to spork my eyes out.

Singles
1. Britney- Toxic
2. Alicia Keys- You Don't Know My Name (reggae version)
3. Franz Ferdinand- Take Me Out

Hypo: Random Veneziano

Something within the universe of:
Tear the club up thugs - "Crazyndalazdayz"

And I say, was this reissued or is yours old? Reginald and I split this from Best Buy nearly four years ago but since then it's been destroyed. I'd love to get it again for some of its songs. Anyone know anything?

damn, i love music.

I like how these threads always bring names that are new to me out of the woodwork.

Albums:
Well, I've only bought one album that was released in late '03/early '04, that RADIO JAVA collection. I like that, especially the hard rock and disco pop parts. I'm curious about the Moroccan Sublime Frequencies comp, and the Rough Guide to African Rap and the new Oneida. I'm psyched about upcoming releases from the Animal Collective and Black Dice!

gang gang dance LP

villalobos mix of monobox

i don't have the black dice yet (somehow) but i bet i'll dig it based on last show's tropicalisms and bjorn's going all m. deebank on people's asses

double-palm fronds

But here's a singles list, in approx. order:

Stereolab – ‘Rose, My Rocket-Brain! (Rose, le cerveau électronique de ma fusée!)’
Beenie Man feat. Ms Thing – ‘Dude’
G-Unit feat. Joe – ‘Wanna Get To Know You’
Brandy – ‘Turn It Up’
Kanye West – ‘Through the Wire’
Zero 7 – ‘Home’
Kelis – 'Milkshake'
Belle and Sebastian – ‘I’m A Cuckoo (by The Avalanches)’
Britney Spears – ‘Toxic’
Basement Jaxx feat. Lisa Kekaula – ‘Good Luck’
Scissor Sisters – ‘Comfortably Numb’
Joss Stone – ‘Fell In Love With A Boy’
Emma – ‘I'll Be There’
Beyonce – ‘Me Myself & I (Panjabi MC "Eastern Delight" mix)’
Busted – ‘Air Hostess’

There's a lot of records by big favorites of mine coming out later this year, plus lots and lots of things I can't hope to anticipate, so I'm just being patient. It's only two months into the year, no worries.

Like I can see the idea or spark behind each song, and it feels like the nailed every fucking one.

Oh, and the Martina McBride song that Chuck mentions upthread is grebt!

Less than spectacular but still enjoyed:
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Sings Greatest Palace Music
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
the Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed
Will Oldham - Seafarer's Music

Have been disappointed by:
Blonde Redhead - Misery is a Butterfly

Really surprised that I actually enjoyed:
Modest Mouse - Good News for...

Can't wait for:
Magnetic Fields - i

Only two things I really love (and maybe not the TV on the Radio). Especially enjoy Electrelane and Tortoise, as well.

Caramel Jack - Low Story
The Coral - Nightfreak & The Sons Of Becker
Lambchop - Aw C'Mon / No, You C'Mon
The Liars - They Wre Wrong, So We Drowned
The Von Bondies - Pawn Shoppe Heart

raiders of the lost arp - 4
max richter - the ai blue notebooks
squarepusher - ultravisitor
ai - station
department of eagles - whitey on the moon

Favourite 04 albums are cLOUDDEAD and Dani Siciliano.

Singles- 'Milkshake' and the Blink 182(!) one.

Daedelus, "Of Snowdonia"
The Necks, Drive-By
Big Tymers, Big Money Heavyweight

jason forrest - the unrelenting songs of the 1979 post disco crash

2 stereolab - margerine eclipse
instant easy listening classic with the original vu+neu! sound plus some added electronics

3 lambchop - awcmon/noyoucmon
very consistent. hardly a bad song. nice instrumentals which could be from western film scores. a little too sugary violins. live they are better.

4 liars - they were wrong so we drowned
only new ny band doing something interesting with the post-punk heritage

Oh and the relatively new Oxia record, 24 Heures, on Goodlife is the best dance artist album I've heard in some time, if you're into your techno or whatever.

Singles/songs

Tiefschwarz-Ghostrack (Blackstrobe Remix)

Zoot Woman-Taken It All (Le Knight Club Remix)

Oxia-Reflexion

Alan Braxe/Fred Falke-Rubicon

LCD Soundsystem-Yeah (Stupid Mix)

Kylie-Slow (Chemical Brothers Mix)

Scissor Sisters-Comfortably Numb (and the Paper Faces remix too)

Nitzer Ebb-Murderous (Phil Kieran Mix)

Black Devil-Follow Me

Probably a few more I'm forgetting. 04 is already a better year for dance than 03.

Also enjoying the new (yes) Blue Orchids album, 'Mystic Bud'.

the streets - a grand don't come free
wiley - treddin on thin ice
junior boys - last exit
erlend oye - dj kicks
les savy fav - inches
arthur russell - the world of arthur russell/arthur russell - calling out of context
dj/rupture vs. muttamusik - shotgun wedding vol. 1: the bidoun sessions
the beta band - heroes to zeroes
air - talkie walkie
animal collective - sung tongs

singles

lcd soundsystem - "yeah (crass mix)"
britney spears - "toxic"
ying yang twinz - "salt shaker"
mya feat. chingy - "fallen (zone 4 remix)"
mia - "galang"
j-kwon - "tipsy"
david banner feat. twista and busta rhymes - "like a pimp (remix)"
alicia keys - "you don't know my name"
memphis bleek feat. freeway - "just blaze, bleek, and free"
usher feat. lil jon and ludacris - "yeah"

lali puna - cooking the books
elfpower - walking with the beggar boys
him - and love said no
auf der maur - s/t

singles:

Christina Milian - Dip It Low
The last Blue one

Usher - Yeah!
Mario Winans - I Don't Wanna Know
Graziano Avitabile - Lass Mich Los
Jersey Devil Social Club - Homage at 121 bpm
Daniel Wang & Carlos Hernandez - Echo by Midnight
Jay-Z - Dirt off Your Shoulder
David Banner - Crank It Up
Justus Koehncke - Timecode
Jinadu - Turning the Tides (Jimpster Remix)
Trillville - Neva Eva

The singles scene has been pretty fucking amazing for only four months.

Britney Spears - "Toxic"
Ying Yang Twins - "Salt Shaker"
Missy Elliott - "I'm Really Hot" (I actually think this is her best single ever)
John Mayer - "Clarity"
Usher - "Burn"
Mario Winans feat. Enya & P. Diddy - "I Don't Wanna Know"
J-Kwon - "Tipsy"
Liz Phair - "Extraordinary"
Basement Jaxx feat. JC Chasez - "Plug It In (Radio Edit)"
Modest Mouse - "Float On"

Nothing else that I've heard, I mean.

Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans
The Necks, Drive-By
The Walkmen, Bows & Arrows
Kanye West, The College Dropout
DJ Koze, All People Is My Friends
I Remember Syria
Twista, Kamikaze
Big Tymers, Big Money Heavy Weight
The Magnetic Fields, i
Janet Jackson, Damita Jo

Singles (real actual ones)

T.I., "Rubber Band Man"
Janet Jackson, "Love Me for a Little While"
Twista, "Overnight Celebrity"
J-Kwon, "Tipsy"
Christina Milian, "Dip It Low"
DJ Casper, "Cha Cha Slide"
Belle & Sebastian, "I'm A Cuckoo (Avalanches Remix)"
Cee-Lo Green feat. Timbaland, "I'll Be Around"
The Divine Comedy, "Come Home Billy Bird"
Sleepy Brown featuring OutKast, "I Can't Wait"

Bootlegs: Brian Wilson's live Smile; March 3rd Femme Fatale Extra Set

Rediscoveries: The Homosexuals; The Band (Please, someone -- make "Up On Crippled Crunk" a reality); Gas

Unless you're a nerd and you listen to college radio, that is.

Singles (unreal non-actual ones)

Animal Collective, "Who Could Win a Rabbit?"
The Magnetic Fields, "It's Only Time"
Iron & Wine, "Sodom, South Georgia"
The Walkmen, "My Old Man"
DJ Koze, "Gekloppel B2"
Cam'ron, "Shut The Fuck Up"
United State of Electronica, "IT IS ON!"
DJ Danger Mouse, "99 Problems"
Daedelus, "Something Bells"
Beenie Man ft. Ms. Thing, "Dude" seguing into Sean Paul, "Like Glue" off of Dancehall Nice Again 2004: Reggae y Reggaeton
So So Def Feat. Ludacris, "Freestyle" (the one off of the new DJ Envy mixtape)

I am so buying the Wilco album now (which I probably should anyway since I really enjoy their last three).

I have heard of this college radio.

Anyway, I did really like that Scissors Sisters song Ally shared along the other day, so that ranks up there.

I also think the Electrelane album is really, really good.

Courtney Love- Mono
Caparezza- Fuori Dal Tunnel
Belle and Sebastian- I'm A Cuckoo
Adam Green- Jessica
Boogie Pimps- Somebody To Love
Vinyl Dialect- Ouch
Mr Complex ft Biz Markie- Strange Glue
Westside Connection- Gangsta Nation
Master P ft Lil Jon- Act A Fool
Cypress Hill- What's Your Number?

ALBUMS:

Tom Hamilton- The Trip
Courtney Love- America's Sweetheart
Various Artists- "Under The Influence: Paul Heaton"
Phi Life Cypher- Higher Forces
Mystro- MusicMystro

And, guys, I also need your assistance.

WHO IS THE ASSHOLE WHO DARED USE A PITCHSHIFTED VERSION OF LENNY WILLIAMS' CLASSIC "CAUSE I LOVE YOU" AS A BEAT FOR THEIR TERRIBLE RAP SONG?

No, I'm not against sampling that song, but THE END RESULT WAS TERRIBLE AND I MUST KILL WHOEVER DID IT!

(x-post)

singles:
usher - yeah
lcd soundsystem - yeah
david banner - crank it up
von bondies - cmon cmon
air - cherry blossom girl
franz ferdinand - take me out
ludacris - stand up

The Streets
Bark Psychosis
The Necks
The Beta Band
Embrace

Not heard Wiley yet but will pick it up today. Looking forward (not half) to the Orbital. As for singles, I'm with Ned - I no longer know what is and what isn't, what's this year and what's a hangover from last year. Most annoying. Only not.

There are quite a few good singles but I couldn't think of many off the top of my head.

that's it so far

: - ?

Disappointed by Beta Band, Lil Flip, and Felix, though some of the tracks on the latter are my favorite so far this year.

Want to hear Junior Boys and the new Areal Bis neublahblah thing.

Also...is there going to be a new Petey Pablo record anytime soon?

albums
Big & Rich *Horse of a Different Color*
Loretta Lynn *Van Lear Rose*
Montgomery Gentry *You Do Your Thing*
Warren Brothers, *Well-Deserved Obscurity*
Will to Power, *Spirit Warrior*
15.60.75 (aka the Numbers Band), *Jimmy Bell's Still in Town*

singles
Big and Rich "Wild West Show,"
Sara Evans "Perfect"
J-Kwon "Tipsy"
R. Kelly, "Happy People"
Last Days of May "The First 7 Billion Miles"
Courtney Love, "Mono"
Loretta Lynn featuring Jack White "Portland, Oregon"
Montgomery Gentry "If You Ever Stop Loving Me"
Red Swan "What Really Happened at Rose Lake"
Julie Roberts "Break Down Here"
Subterranean Masquerade "Observation Through Metamorphosis"
Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman"

and, yeah, I like that Liars record, too, but then again I have been known to be a contrarian jerk.

just missed - Ben Kweller, Magnetic Fields, Oneida, Nellie McKay, The Ponys, Murs

Just listened to Loretta Lynn all the way through for the first time today - she'll definitely be top 5, just not sure exactly where.

and the new Kinski (utterly
terrible, soooo boring).

Strictly speaking it's Herzog rather than Kinski, and as such is I think a lurvly diversion.

I'm still listening to and really enjoying Twista, the new Tortoise, and the Lil' Stooges Brass Band.

Christina Milian- Dip It low
411- On my Knees
Gemma Fox- Girlfriend
Maroon 5- This love

Singles:
Britney Spears - Toxic

Yeah...I'm gay. :(

My least favorite salsa release was last Wednesday, about 45 minutes after that Nachos Grande at the Taco Time in the southside mall.

Really looking forward to Trojan's Dub-Triptych in June which compiles Lee "Scratch" Perry's Revolution Dub, Cloak & Dagger, and Blackboard Jungle Dub on 2 CD's.

Bersuit Vergabarat La Argentinidad Al Palo
Allison Moorer The Duel
Pepito Everything Changes
Gomez Split the Difference
Tanya Stephens Gangsta Blues
Cee-Lo Cee-Lo Green...Is the Soul Machine
Twista Kamikaze
Gretchen Wilson Here for the Party
Dani Siciliano Likes...
State of Bengal vs. Paban Das Baul Tana Tani

(but this all will change:
Bersuit's volume 2, new El
Gran Silencio)

for that I say 'thanks'
for that I also say 'fuck y'all'
I am of two minds

J-Kwon is the fucking worst.

http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/global/david/dwe002/dwe002g/dwe00238g33.gif

Nu-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu-ilm

I was wondering if you meant that things were more or less pop than before.

Begs2Differ, I will ask you here, since you are more likely to see it here: have you heard the new Los Amigos Invisibles? Apparently it has some (slightly unconventional) salsa songs on it (without giving up the other type of stuff they were doing before). I haven't bought their past CDs, but I might by this one.

Actually, has anyone heard the new Los Amigos Invisibles?

I'll still go with Sung Tongs. However, my new concensus is that I'm more excited by a few tracks than a few albums.

i guess the new concensus is no concensus at all.

c'mon man this is the age of mp3s. i have no idea what anything's called anymore!!

I keep forgetting to start that "The Love Below: Most Underrated Album In The History Of ILX?" thread.

My List of Albums I've Heard & Enjoyed (Which Really Don't Mean Shit, As My Critical Faculties Have Gone The Way of My Basketball Skills and Slim Waistline), Newly Dominated By The Sound of Guitars & Corniness, By Pablo Smegma:

Mountain Goats - _We Shall All Be Healed_
Thermals -_Fucking A_
Kanye West - _College Dropout_
Mission of Burma - _ONoffON_ (ha! I finally get the title!)
Eagles of Death Metal - _Peace, Love, & Death Metal_
Nellie McKay - _Get Away From Me_
Denali - _The Instinct_
Norah Jones - _Feels Like Home_
Elbow - _Cast of Thousands_
Streets - _A Grand Don't Come For Free_
Dresden Dolls - s/t
The Hold Steady - _...Almost Killed Me_
Ghostface Killah - _Pretty Toney_

And The List of Singles To Go With It, Since I Was Forced To Listen To The Radio In My Car When My Car CD Player Decided to Take a Schvitz For 2 Months:

- Christina Milian (f/ Fabolous) - "Dip It Low"
- Britney Spears - "Toxic"
- Nina Sky - "Move Your Body"
- Mr. Vegas - "Pull Up"
- the Mr. Vegas / Elephant Man / Lil' Jon-aided dood coolie dance riddim remix
- the coolie dance riddim on a stale cracker with anchovies & some ground-up cicadas
- Jadakiss - "Kiss of Death"
- Tony Banks - "On Fire"
- Twista (f/ you know who) - "Overnight Celebrity"
- Brandy (f/ you know who) - "Talk About Our Love"
- Usher - "Confessions (Part II)"
- all the other songs from earlier in the year I can't be bothered to recall

I was gonna buy
it from Amazon but I
went Bersuit instead

(a) being totally broke
(b) not having a cd burner
(c) not being able to download anything
(d) being abroad with no friends who could copy me music

i want to cry.

kanye, usher, burma, wiley, hold steady, flip, mountain goats, dresden dolls, royce, hold steady, ghostface, great hopes for ma$e and cam and the rest of the dipset. dunno why i haven't checked the new blink yet. also some strong singles waiting for albums -- nina sky, sasha.

looking forward also/just out haven't checked -- lloyd banks, mobb deep, r kelly, taleb, bone crusher, jadakiss

singles-wise: joe ft. g-unit, the dfa remix of n.e.r.d., the mobb deep track, r kelly (obviously), nina sky (obviously)

am i the ONLY person on ILM who's really really into the yung wun / dmx / david banner / flip track?

Otherwise it's probably The Liars - They Were Wrong, So We Drowned.

Eagerly awaiting the new Mission Of Burma (I obviously don't "get" the title David.... can someone explain?!?)

not the first song with
southern college "Drumline" horns
but perhaps the best

And, slock1, that's what it told me it was doing. It just came back to me last week wearing a bunch of luggage stickers.

(I admit that I didn't even know his name before ILM, as far as I remember.)

01 The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free
02 Junior Boys - Last Exit
03 Wiley - Treddin On Thin Ice
04 Infinite Livez - Bush Meat
05 Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz - We Run The South
06 V/A - Offshore Presents Troubled Waters Mixed By Clever
07 Petey Pablo - Still Writing In My Diary: 2nd Entry
08 V/A - Ragga Ragga Ragga 2004
09 Air - Talkie Walkie
10 Bark Psychosis - Codename: Dustsucker

11 Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color
12 Dynamite MC - World of Dynamite
13 Snow Patrol - Final Straw
14 DJ/rupture vs. Mutamassik - Shotgun Wedding Vol. 1 - The Bidoun Sessions
15 Ghostface - Pretty Toney Album
16 Les Savy Fav - Inches
17 J.U.F. - Gogol Bordello Vs. Tamir Muskat
18 TV On The Radio - Young Liars
19 Lloyd Banks - The Hunger For More
20 The Beta Band - Heroes To Zeros

21 Arthur Russell - Calling Out of Context
22 Magnetic Fields - i
23 Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green Is The Soul Machine
24 DJ Target - Aim High Music Presents Vol. 1
25 Le Dust Sucker - Le Dust Sucker
26 V/A - Lord Of the Decks: Fellowship of the Mic Vol. 2
27 Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
28 Akufen - Fabric 17
29 DJ Smallz - Southern Smoke X Hosted By Bubba Sparxxx
30 Superpitcher - Here Comes Love

31 Madvillain - Madvillainy
32 Sonic Youth - Nurse
33 Phoenix - Alphabetical
34 David Banner - MTA 2: Baptised In Dirty Water Screwed & Chopped
35 V/A - Grime
36 Matthew Dear - Backstroke
37 Nucleus & Paradox - The Esoteric Funk LP
38 Beenie Man - Back To Basics
39 V/A - Kompakt 100
40 Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose

SINGLES

01 LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah (Crass Mix)"
02 Britney Spears - "Toxic"
03 Ying Yang Twinz - "Salt Shaker"
04 MIA - "Galang"
05 Memphis Bleek - "Just Blaze, Free, & Bleek"
06 Mya - "Fallen (Zone 4 Remix)"
07 The Streets feat. Kano, Donae'o, Lady Sovereign, and Tinchy Strider - "Fit But You Know It (Remix)"
08 Elephant Man feat. Twista & Youngbloodz - "Jook Gyal (Remix)"
09 Snow Patrol - "Spittin Games"
10 Usher feat. Ludacris & Lil Jon - "Yeah"

16 years later, I still rep hard for the Casual Dots album. Seems like a few years after, this sweet-n-skronky indie started flourishing with the likes of Grass Widow and Trash Kit and the Upset the Rhythm label etc, but this never surfaced again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm7Uu5joxXc