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Top 10 of 2004Top 10 of 2004: Aubin's PicksAubin's Picks (2004)staff picks Reviewer Rating: 5
2004: A year in 365 words I don't have any quotable observation about 2004, it came and it went, though not without a little fanfare. Politically, the US Presidential Election had us nervously flipping channels, and the Iraq war continues unabated despite the Administration's best claims otherwise. There were some great books, like Phillip Roth's The Plot Against America and some lousy TV like the abysmal season so far of the West Wing, and the similar plummet of South Park from inspired satire to weak straw man jokes. The dead horse of pop-metalcore/emocore reached an ever greater strata of popularity, the true innovators of this genre, and every genre were still in full force. Aggressive music took many steps forward with inspired recordings from Pig Destroyer, Dillinger Escape Plan and Planes Mistaken for Stars and pop-punk saw great releases from the likes of Green Day. But besides all the great new records this year, 2004 was an especially great year for classic records, with many of them finally recieving the kind of lush treatment they always deserved. While some labels went a little overboard by reissuing records less than a year old, others produced beautifully packaged and definitive versions of recordings like London Calling, Dear You and Weezer's Blue album. Punknews.org went into it's fifth year and while we saw the departure of long-time friend and co-conspirator, Scott Heisel, our newest editor, Brian Shultz has more than capably filled his ample shoes (figuratively of course, Scott is a big guy.) We also launched our new version of the site, which besides being an incredibly nerve-wracking experience for me, was a great way to respond to your suggestions and comments about the old site. And while it's certainly been an eventful and exciting year, it has unfortunately been also punctuated by tragedy, for another year, we lost too many people. One particularly sad loss was that of John Peel who remains the most important DJ since the dawn of radio, and I doubt any broadcaster will ever come close to matching his legacy. Progressive music has lost its greatest advocate and biggest fan. We'll miss you John. Anyway, without any further ado, here is my list, as always in no particular order. Top Albums of 2004Pig Destroyer: Terrifyer
Relapse
Astounding complex, powerful and violent. The record that could very well bring grindcore into the mainstream. Well, maybe not
the mainstream, but probably Hot Topic.
Dillinger Escape Plan: Miss Machine
Relapse
While not as bleeding edge as Calculating Infinity, a record which saw
the hardcore math-metal pioneers achieving new levels of melody and accessibility while doing their part to revitalize heavy music. Again.
Isis: Panopticon
Ipecac
The masters of athmospheric, narrative metal return with another alternately explosive and delicately beautiful release.
Green Day: American Idiot
Reprise
A band so consistently creative, catchy and plain fun that it's sometimes hard to imagine how they manage to succeed at it
year after year. Another successful reinvention of their sound, and a rock opera which is neither indulgent nor annoying.
Descendents: Cool to Be You
Fat Wreck Chords
Hardcore for the skinny, glasses wearing geek inside you. I'll say what I said in the original review:
“the Descendents don't need to change the world of music with Cool to Be You. They already did in 1981.”
Snow Patrol: Final Straw
A&M
Strong melodic indie rock made ever more special by insightful lyrical musings that demonstrate one of the few
nuanced views of relationships in emotional music.
Planes Mistaken for Stars: Up in Them Guts
No Idea
Another dirty, ugly and beautiful classic from a band that is finally starting to get the attention it deserves.
Muse: Absolution
Warner
Yes, vocalist Matthew Bellamy sounds a lot like Thom Yorke, but besides that, the Radiohead comparisons are undeserved.
Baroque instrumentation and Sabbath-esque riffing combine beautifully to make a record that is energetic and prententiously lush, but
in the best possible way.
Rise Against: Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Geffen
While it didn't grab me as quickly as Revolutions Per Minute, over time, the impact and passion of the record grew on me.
A truly impassioned and exciting record from a band which has gone from obscurity to one of the most loved hardcore/punk bands
around in a handful of years.
Mono: Walking Cloud & Deep Red Sky Flag Fluttered And The Sun Shined
Temporary Residence
The heir apparent of noise rock like Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, but infused with a classical sensibility
allowing effortless segues between gentle melancholy and crushing feedback. Achingly beautiful and unforgettable.
Brian Wilson: Smile Mastodon: Leviathan Bad Religion: The Empire Strikes First Arcade Fire: Funeral Menomena: I Am the Fun Blame Monster Flat Earth Society: Isms Champion: Promises Kept Cult of Luna: Salvation Nasum: Shift The Secret: Luce Best EPs/Splits Alkaline Trio/One Man Army: BYO Split Series Volume
BYO
The best material from both the Trio, and One Man Army in years. It's a shame that it turned out to be One Man Army's swan song.
Meshuggah: I
Fractured Transmitter
A veritable “greatest hits” of the band compressed into a single twenty-one minute track. Effectively combining all
of their incarnations, from their first great record Destroy Erase Improve, through the polyrhythmic grandeur of
Chaosphere with the esoteric range of Nothing.
The Casket Lottery: Smoke and Mirrors
Second Nature
After a series of unconventional and interesting post-rock releases, the Casket Lottery released arguably their strongest
and most refined offering to date with Smoke and Mirrors. Unfortunately, all signs point to the fact that it is likely
their last as well.
Gatsbys American Dream - In The Land Of Lost Monsters
LLR
Talented, creative and thoroughly unique. I've heard the band spent one and a half months recording their full length compared to the
five days spent on the EP and I can't wait to hear what they'll do with all that time.
Taken: Between Two Unseens
Goodfellow
Another band that broke up too soon, melodic, heavy hardcore and strained vocals. It's hard to explain what makes them different
from the glut of bands playing this kind of music, but dig them up, give them a listen and you'll see.
The Clash: London Calling
Sony
In a year which had a surprisingly high number of quality reissues from major acts like Weezer, to obscure but brilliant ones like
Coalesce, one stood far above the rest, the painstakingly thorough reissue of the London Calling which includes both the
remastered original, a bonus disc of demo tracks and odds and ends, and a interesting and compelling DVD presentation of the recording
of the classic record. No fan of punk rock should miss this one.
To paraphrase that dark wordsmith, Jerry Seinfeld: Well, the new year is merely symbolic of how another year's gone by and how little we've grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a better self will emerge, with each flicker of the candles on the cake we know it's not to be. That for the rest of our sad, wretched, pathetic lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably. Happy New Year? No such thing. That cautionary statement aside, at least 2005 will have some great new music with new releases expected from many bands like Alkaline Trio, Meshuggah, Gatsbys American Dream, Paint it Black, Chixdiggit, Thrice, Propagandhi (!), The Esoteric, Comeback Kid, No Use for a Name, Millencolin, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Weezer and many others. So despite the ominious quote, the new year just may be a good one. As for me, I'll still be here, hope you'll be here too. Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
Very good choices with Green Day and Muse and the Alkaline Trio... they all kick ass!!!! This score is for all the Top Ten lists that have been posted with virtually nothing from non-major or major punk labels. Wake up people! There's more to punk than old bands and the Warped Tour! This is to most of the top 20 lists: Fuck this technical crap making the top albums of the year. Anyone remember when punk rock meant punk? Whats the point of doing top 10s when out of all those top 10 and 20 lists, not a single person had the New Belevdere "Fast Forward Eats the Tape" on it. This album would be every spot on my top 10 its that good. Also, surprised to see that the new Jello, MegaDeth, SNFU, and Social Distortion didnt get more recognition... all better albums then the Green Day one, although I liked it too, plus these guys are like twice the age of most groups these days. jandek released 4 records this year, played live for the first time, and was a general awesome guy. "How It Goes" is mediocre at best. The Mad Caddies pee all over Big D and his stupid table. i disagree with all of these lists. My top 10: In no specific order, turd-wads.... "Since you had a "non-punk" category, why didn't you stick Green Day and lostprophets in there?!" Since you had a "non-punk" category, why didn't you stick Green Day and lostprophets in there?! Since I'm sure you're all dying to read my list.... fuck world trade doesn't seem to be in anyone's top 10 or 20 list.... that's pretty weird, i thought leftover crack had an impact this year. anyone? 10. The Littlest Man Band - Better Book Ends aubin: guess i missed the "paraphrase" part. woops. Come on, dude. Don't bring that absolutepunk.net shit into the conversation. You know what's going to start. (sorry guys, my list is too awesome to be contained within one post) ** The Best Albums of 2004: ** Did everyone on this site just forget about SNFU's new album after it came out. There was a lot of press for it before it came out, then it wasn't even reviewed or mentioned. This album is top notch, probably their best in the past 15 years, since if you swear, youll catch no fish. Maybe I'm biased because i live in Edmonton and get to see them 3 or 4 times a year when they are playing together, but I think their new album at least deserved an honorable mention. Social D and the descendents comeback albums both got lots of attention, so what about SNFU i ask? This isn't directed totally at Aubin, but all of the people who made lists. I am sorry that My Chemical Romance's Three Cheeres for Sweet Revenge didn't make it on. It was my personal favorite and I thought it should have been in the top 20 of your lists. musical-monkey: That's right, I changed it (paraphrased) since it seemed like it could work for a new years statement too. Where the fuck is Strung OUT? they have to be somewhere on here that cd fucking rules the seinfeld quote is wrong, it's about birthdays not new years. good list though Chinatown, i think i can quite safely say no-one cares what you think. only things ive seen so far from these reviews that i like are green day, ted leo, and the OMA/alk3 split. i hardly liked much of anything that came out this year. the ghost mice full length and the defiance ohio/ghost mice split were both great. and althought its not new material, the operation: cliff clavin discography just came out, thats on my list Nice review of the year...a little mention of the tsunami would've been good, but I know you probably had this done a week ago. NYE Resolution: I really need to check out Isis, Circle Takes the Square and Death from Above 1979 Why hate jesse for having good ecclectic taste? Jason Tate's taste is just rehash after rehash. Good job, Jesse. why cant someone with good taste do jesse's mixtape idea? I didn't expect "I" to make anyone else's mixtape, nice. Why does Chinatown have so much freetime? Anyways, I'm glad to see that no one drooled over the pavement reissue. I just got it and uhh i really didn't need close to 40 bonus tracks. anyways, thanks punknews for the info and reviews and happy new year. I'm off to get krunked (the word of the year for sure). |
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"Anyone remember when punk rock meant punk? "
no and i'm 24. what are you like 30? cuz i really dont' remember it ever being much better than this. maybe a little.
paul