manditory 'best of 2003' thread

stephanie · Post by **stephanie** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 9:02 am

Hi!

An identical thread has already been started on the Barsuk board, I'm trying to keep my mind off the fact that I just flew across the country on Thanksgiving only to be dumped like a little bitch, and we all know that the InterWeb is an easy, wonderful way to shove yr opinion down the throat of the masses, so:
BEST RECORDS OF 2003. GO.
Expound on the best songs of the year, if you're feeling frisky. If this thread exists elsewhere and the cold medicine and tear-soaked eyes have blinded me to it, please feel free to deliver me a swift kick in the binary head.

I have a top 25 for both, but I'll spare you the latter and say that the best song of the year is probably "Young Liars" by TV on the Radio. Goddamn, I said: goddamn.
Here's the big 2-5 insofar as albums go, listed alphabetically because I'm a procrastinating bastard and usually can't wrap the actual top 10 until spring of the following year.

· Arab Strap | Monday at the Hug & Pint
· Azure Ray | Hold on Love
· Beulah | Yoko
· the Bloodthirsty Lovers | the Bloodthirsty Lovers
· Cass McCombs | A
· Crooked Fingers | Red Devil Dawn
· Death Cab for Cutie | Transatlanticism
· the Decemberists | Castaways & Cutouts
· Dirty Three | She Has No Strings Apollo
· Firewater | the Man on the Burning Tightrope
· Fountains of Wayne | Welcome Interstate Managers
· Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter | Reckless Burning
· the Long Winters | When I Pretend to Fall
· Nada Surf | Let Go (debate about the actual release date of this record here)
· the New Pornographers | Electric Version
· Okkervil River | Down the River of Golden Dreams
· the Pernice Brothers | Yours, Mine & Ours
· the Postal Service | Give Up
· the Shins | Chutes Too Narrow
· Skating Club | Bugs & Flowers
· Songs: Ohia | Magnolia Electric Company
· Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks | Pig Lib
· Ted Leo/Pharmacists | Hearts of Oak
· the Twilight Singers | Blackberry Belle
· the Wrens | the Meadowlands

Out on a limb, my #1 record of 2003 (contrary to what folks've been saying, it's probably my favourite year for music in as long as I can remember) is the Twilight Singers' Blackberry Belle, an incredible dark horse entry that made its triumphant showing known when I witnessed the glory that is Greg Dulli play his heart (and those songs!) the holy living fuck out on two consecutive nights in Chicago (and, later, one in Austin!). Before that, Transatlanticism was having it out with Hearts of Oak and Yoko.

Word.

the hutch · Post by **the hutch** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 12:45 pm

nice list, but some glaring absences:

Centro-matic's Love You Just The Same
South San Gabriel's Welcome Convalescence
Sun Kil Moon's Ghosts of the Great Highway
Consonant's Love and Affliction
My Morning Jacket's It Still Moves (yeah, it's hyped i know)[/i]

sean · Post by **sean** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 3:41 pm

this is the list i submitted to threeimaginarygirls.com.

> NAME and TITLE
Sean Nelson, American

(Disclaimer: I hope you will forgive the inherent biases on this list.
Also, they're not really in order of preference, just in order of
memory.)
> 10. TIE (because they're basically the same band): Centro-Matic, "Love You Just the Same", AND South San Gabriel, "Welcome, Convalescence"
> 9. Cass McCombs, "A"
> 8. Outkast, "The Love Below"
> 7. Anna Oxygen, "All Your Faded Things"
> 6. The Thermals, "More Parts Per Million"
> 5. Death Cab for Cutie, "Transatlanticism"
> 4. Slo-Mo Rabbit Kick, "Bass Monster Lives in the Bass Forest"
> 3. The Capillaries, "Overnight Lows and Daylight Savings"
> 2. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, "Pig Lib"
> 1. Nada Surf, "Let Go"

LoveSickJerk · Post by **LoveSickJerk** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 4:15 pm

I can't give a decent top 10, im so far behind in my listening, but i will throw out 2 of the most disappointing cds of 2003:
-Barenaked Ladies-Everything to Everyone
-British Sea Power-The Decline Of British Sea Power

trashcan_afterthought · Tue Dec 09, 2003 6:27 pm

1. outkast-speakerboxxx/the love below
2. deerhoof-apple o
3. the long winters-when i pretend to fall
4. beatles-let it be naked (does this count?)
5. kill bill soundtrack (best driving music ever)
6. rufus wainwright-want one

thats all i have. not the best, but my favs

hovering · Post by **hovering** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 8:47 pm

i signed up just to tell stephanie to buy centro-matic's: <i>love you just the same</i>. hurrah! i am lame. the end.

defrocked · Post by **defrocked** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 9:51 pm

Ted Leo - Hearts of Oak
Decemberists - Her Majesty
White Stripes - Elephant (disappointing, but still better than a lot)
Strokes - Room on Fire
Beulah - Yoko

Have yet to buy DCFC

omphale · Post by **omphale** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 7:56 am

my list is boringly similar to what's already been posted but i will join the chorus to say: anyone who hasn't yet heard Love You Just The Same and Welcome Convalescence: YOU ARE REALLY MISSING OUT ON SOME GORGEOUS AURAL.

confidential to stephanie: especially if you're feeling heartbroken, will johnson's really got what it takes.

the hutch · Post by **the hutch** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 8:40 am

yeah, if only will didn't have a GF...

so if'n y'all are gonna put the White Stripes on the list, then once again i make my case for The Black Keys' thickfreakness, a two-piece that blows the stripes away.

heather · Post by **heather** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 4:12 pm

hurray for slomo!

1. death cab 'transatlanticism'
2. the long winters 'when i pretend to fall'
3. her space holiday 'the young machines'
4. postal service 'give up'
5. beulah 'yoko'
6. microphones 'mount eerie'
7. nada surf 'let go'
8. junior senior 'd-d-don't stop the beat'
9. ugly duckling 'taste the secret'
10. enon 'high society'

i am making a seperate listing for the local goodness. this includes things that i bought this year that may have been released earlier than 2003.

1. slomo rabbit kick 'bass monster...'
2. wonderful 'god bless our pad'
3. the decemberists 'her majesty'
4. karl blau 'clothes your i's' [the exception, released in 2001..still one of my favorite albums from this last year.]
5. united state of electronica

meg · Post by **meg** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 4:16 pm

trashcan_afterthought wrote: 5. kill bill soundtrack (best driving music ever)

Seriously? Because I spent the first three minutes of the film ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED by "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)." I'm afraid listening to it while driving would force the wheel in the direction of the nearest ditch. And while I certainly enjoyed all the ass-kickings that would follow, nothing quite matched that bit for heart-pound factor. I've read that Peter Webber, the director of Girl With a Pearl Earring is proud of himself for forcing his audiences to stare at the painting for a minute and a half. I'm not a Tarantino junkie, but I do admire and appreciate his ability to make a body stare at a song for its duration.

Dez · Post by **Dez** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:10 am

The Long Winters ain't the only ones who made a killer album. So here are some sounds from the other side of The Great Divide:

1. Mull Historical Society - Us (great singer/songwriter DIY tunes from the Isle of Mull)
2. Jagga Jazzist - The Stix (you've never heard anything like this Norwegian 10 piece big band)
3. Spinvis - Nieuwegein Aan Zee (It's in Dutch, you'll get a free DVD, it's on the great Excelsior label, he can't sing, check also his debut from 2002)

And what to think of all this great music from the past when we were not even born:

1. James Carr - You Got My Mind Messed Up ('67)
The definition of a great soulsinger
2. The Beach Boys - Smile ('67)
Finally got my hands on the bootleg!
3. Bob Dylan - Live 1975
What can I say? It's Bob Dylan. And a rockin' band too.

the hutch · Post by **the hutch** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:12 am

well, SOME of us were born then.

i wanna add Kathleen Edwards' Failer to the list. tasty alt-country from canada.

eric! · Post by **eric!** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:38 pm

- the wrens - the meadowlands (limited edition) (oh yeah)
- the russian futurists - let's get ready to crumble (holy pop batman)
- the shins - chutes too narrow
- explosions in the sky - the earth is not a cold dead place (delicious)
- sloan - action pact (rawk)
- the long winters - when i pretend to fall
- the decemberists - her majesty (how hilarious is colin? and how happy was he with the sky church screen?)
- new wet kojak - this is the glamorous
- guided by voices - earthquake glue
- the flaming lips - yoshimi

finis.

heather · Post by **heather** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 4:58 pm

how could i have forgotten about SLOAN?

LoveSickJerk · Post by **LoveSickJerk** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 5:25 pm

I don't know, but it seems similar to everyone forgetting the ravonettes...

eric! · Post by **eric!** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 6:37 pm

or everyone just plain not knowing about the russian futurists.

(shit! i forgot about death in vegas!)

Dez · Post by **Dez** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 12:51 am

no pic wrote:i wanna add Kathleen Edwards' Failer to the list. tasty alt-country from canada.

Kathleen played here in Utrecht a few months ago. She blew me away with a gently rockin' show.

LikeAFox · Post by **LikeAFox** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 11:46 am

I think "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" was released in 2002. Otherwise, it would have been on this list.

15. Exploding Hearts - "Guitar Romantic"
14. Clearlake - "Cedars"
13. Death Cab for Cutie - "Transatlanticism"
12. Pretty Girls Make Graves - "The New Romance"
11. The White Stripes - "Elephant"
10. Interpol - "Turn on the Bright Lights"
9. The Shins - "Chutes Too Narrow"
8. Radiohead - "Hail to the Thief"
7. The Dears - "No Cities Left"
6. Manitoba - "Up in Flames"
5. Outkast - "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below"
4. Beulah - "Yoko"
3. The Microphones - "Mt. Eerie"
2. The Decemberists - "Her Majesty, The Decemberists"
1. The Books - "The Lemon of Pink"

HONORABLES:
The Minders - "The Future's Always Perfect"
Nada Surf - "Let Go"
Junior Senior - D-D-Don't Stop the Beat"
Ted Leo - "Heart of Oak"
Postal Service - "Give Up"

I tried.

Post by **Liesbeth** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:35 am

My record list usually consists of cds and records that I got to know this year, which doesn't always mean they came out in 2003. But considering how much I played those older ones, they're allowed on my list anyway.

1. The Long Winters - When I pretend to fall
2. Centro-matic - Love you just the same
3. The Long Winters - The worst you can do is harm (2002)
4. Brendan Benson - Lapalco (2001)
5. Paper Moon - The lost parade ep (2002)
6. South San Gabriel - Welcome, convalescence
7. Fountains of Wayne - Welcome interstate managers
8. Autumn K Dial - Wanted (2000)
9. Jon Auer & Ken Stringfellow - Private sides (for the 'A-side')
....Ken Stringfellow - Down like me 7" (2001) (for the B-side Airscape)

I always compile a list of fave gigs as well. However, this years' list is kinda screwed up, having seen The Long Winters 6 times and South San Gabriel thrice...

1. Paper Moon, at our wedding
2. The Long Winters/South San Gabriel, Paradiso Amsterdam (November)
3. R.E.M. - HMH Amsterdam
4. Brendan Benson, Ekko Utrecht
5. The Long Winters/Sandusky, Ekko Utrecht
6. Centro-matic/Orange Black, Ekko Utrecht
7. The Long Winters/South San Gabriel, Rotown Rotterdam (August)
8. Ford's Imaginary Inferno, Wellerlowlands Wellerlooi
9. Walker Diver, Wally's Roosendaal
10. very special mention: The Gasoline Brothers, DB's Utrecht: what was meant to be a one-off performance after three rehearsals and a lot of talk about outfits, names and other band trivia. Scary thing is, besides fun it was remarkably good. So they got through to the second round of the band competition. Yeehah.