OT: Top 10 CDs/singles of the year
 

I'm working on my list, I'd love to hear what folks here think.

the one I bought:
Mars Volta - DeLoused in the Comatorium

the rest that are very good (and sitting on my computer):
OutKast - Hey Ya (SpeakerBoxx)
Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance
Murphy Lee - What da Hook Gon Be
The White Stripes - Elephant
Foo fighters - Times Like These (acoustic version)
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

others to make 10:
Ying Yang Twins - Get Low/Damn (2)
The Strokes - Room on Fire

EasyMac,

I've picked up the Mars Volta several times and have been tempted by it... but I just can't purchase it for some reason. I've read rave reviews, but for the life of me I can't remember what kind of music it is. Can you give me some comparisons to other bands?

Did you mean Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz and Youngbloodz... not the Yin Yang Twins cuz...

Here Without You from Three Doors Down.. really good song

Linkin park's Meteora is gonna spawn at least 3 top 20 songs.. so that has to be considered..

50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin'

And in the comedy category, I like Ron White - Drink in Public

Joe Strummer and the Mescalaroes - Streetcore

Rancid - Indestructable

Dropkick Murphys - Blackout

Swingin' Utters - Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass, and Bones

NOFX - The War on Errorism

The Skels - Any Porn in a Storm

Dirty Water - S/T EP

Street Dogs - Savin Hill

The Tossers - Purgatory

By no means comprehensive or anything else. Honestly, its way too mainstream. But moving here and being geographically confined means my musical library lagged this year.

:sigh:

Singles that wouldn't leave my head in 2003


The Albums of note in 2K3

I have a friend who has been killing that CD. Those guys are developing quite a following.

A Perfect Circle - 13th Step
Muse - Absolution
White Stripes - Elephant
Johnny Cash - (Can't think of the title)

And I can't think of six other albums to recommend for the year.

G-Unit - Beg For Mercy
Chingy - Jackpot
Jay-Z - The Black Album

Sorry for the late reply, I've been without a computer since X-mas eve.

Anyway, the best I can think of is, imagine the lead singer of Rush (his voice) on top of art-house punk music, There is a lot of stuff going on in many of the songs. The first time I listened to the whole album I wasn't sold on it (I bought it because At-the-Drive-in rock), but when I listened to it again I thought it was great. Best way I can describe it.

My list (subject to change):

01. Cat Power, You Are Free
02. The Mars Volta, De-Loused in the Comatorium
03. Ellen Allien, Berlinette
04. Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, Streetcore
05. Radiohead, Hail to the Thief
06. Supergrass, Life on Other Planets
07. Manitoba, Up in Flames
08. Firewater, The Man on the Burning Tightrope
09. Blur, Think Tank
10. The Rapture, Echoes

Hurt was the cover he did, if you're talkin' about an individual song. The album was The Man Comes Around.

two songs come to mind...

3 Doors Down - When I'm Gone (I think that was this year)
and Beyonce - Crazy in Love...which is like the musical equivelant of crack. I've heard that song a billion times, and I STILL am not tired of it.

others I listened to a lot...
Electric Six - Gay Bar
Liam Lynch - United States of Whatever
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
Nas - Made You Look

If you've ever seen the sock puppet show Sifl and Olly (from around 98-99 on MTV around midnight), Olly saing the song United States of Whatever. Liam Lynch abd Matt Somethingerother created the show and it was awesome. Just thought I'd pass on that info :)

I've seen the death of rock and roll, and I am living proof, no one here can dig a whole and not find the truth
Our surveys say, this is what they want today. Our surveys say what they want is Sugar Ray - Josh Joplin

1. Dashboard Confessional - A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar
More of Christopher Carrabba, in an album where he adds electric guitairs into the mix and does so very successfully. This gives us a new version of Hand Down which is even better than the last. Easily the best album to be released this year.

2. Brave Saint Saturn - The Light of Things I've Hoped For
The side project of Five Iron Frenzy puts out their second fantastic album, and leads us to the conclusion of the mission of the USS Gloria in Daylight.

3. The Ataris - so long, astoria
Some loyal fans bemoaned The Ataris from switching from their Pop Punk past with short catchy songs like San Dimas High School Football Rules and Hey Kid! in producing songs whose length exceded three minutes. Although I love their earlier stuff as well, I think this CD may be their best. Sure, it's not what they used to play, but there's still some great tracks.

4. Everclear - Slow Motion Day Dream
The final release by Everclear has the same classic rock that they've done for years, with some of the slower stuff in there as well.

5. REM - In Time: The Best of REM
Sure, only two of the tracks were new releases, though it's still REM.

6. Ben Folds - Speed Graphic/Sunny 16 EP
Ben Folds is the best main stream song writer of our time. Continues to create great nerd rock in the two EPs he released online.

7. Less Than Jake - Anthem
Another band like The Ataris that changed their style somewhat. Not as drastic a change, as it was pretty much just adding more rock into the ska + rock equation. All in all it's just more outstanding music from the group. The catchiest tune of the year was their The Science of Selling Yourself Short

8. Blink 182 - Blink 182
The third group to come out with a new kind of sound, in what they called their art album. Away from their older tunes such as Dammit, rising above their last two albums which were still good but lacking in comparison to this self titled release and Dude Ranch.

9. Third Eye Blind - Out of the Vein
The best release by Third Eye Blind. Top to bottom the best rock album released this year.

10. The All-American Rejects - The All American Rejects
Best Pop Punk album of the year, with Swing, Swing as the best song of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Dylan Hicks - Alive With Pleasure
Not a new release by any means, but I was finally able to get a copy of it this year, and it is one of the best albums I've ever heard. He is right up there with Ben Folds in the song writing area. Hicks is what you'd get in a combination of Fold, fellow Minnesotan Bob Dylan, and a little bit of Elton John. If you're ever able to pick up a copy when in the Twin Cities I would highly recommend it.

Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970-2002
Left off the list because it was released in late 2002 instead of 2003, but were it released this year it would have earned the top spot. 34 of Elton John's classic songs on two CDs, and for only $9.99

Atom and His Package - Attention, Blah Blah Blah
More Atom as he continues to create the funniest music this world has ever seen.

Top 10 Singles of 2003 (In Band Alphabetical Order):
Basement Jaxx - Lucky Star
Coldplay - The Scientist
Evanescence - Bring Me To Life
Fountains of Wayne - Stacy's Mom
Johnny Cash - Hurt
Linkin Park - Faint
Ludacris - Stand Up
The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love
The Flaming Lips - Fight Test
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

Honorable Mention:
50 Cent - In Da Club
Blue Man Group - White Rabbit
Cold - Stupid Girl
Darude - Music
Deftones - Minerva
DJ Sammy - Boys of Summer
Marilyn Manson - Mobscene
Simple Plan - Addicted
Story of the Year - Until The Day I Die
Three Days Grace - Everything About You

I'd say if you liked this Blink release you'll really like Tom and Travis's side project Boxcar Racer. It's basically this sound (a little harder), but without Mark. He just sounds out of his element with what they are trying to do with this album. I listened to it last night and thought it was good, but Mark's parts just seemed awkward, and better suited for their poppier songs.

Favorite singles of the year:

"Step Into My Office, Baby" - Belle & Sebastian
"Kissing the Lipless" - The Shins
"Hey Ya" - Outkast
"It Ain't Gonna Suck Itself" - Cracker
"The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" and "Such Great Heights" - The Postal Service

I hate these kinds of lists, because I never remember what I bought that actually came out in the current year, and I invariably miss something I should put on my list or include something that was released a year or 3 earlier. Plus, I can never put them in any kind of definitive order.

That said, my favorite song of 2003 is Smoke Baby by Hawksley Workman, probably followed by Beautiful Child by Rufus Wainwright and Two by King's X. I'm not sure I can pick a favorite album. But I'm sure I'd miss a ton a great stuff I enjoyed.

I'm pretty sure the only album I bought this year was the new Radiohead album.

My list was easy to complete.