December 2003

2003: A Musical Odyssey

There was a lot of good music out this year. Unfortunately, most of the best music that I listened to this year came out at the end of last year. So as I went about compiling a best-of list for the year's end, I was left thinking, damn! I'm going to write about the best things I've listened to, who cares when it was released. And, as an added bonus, I am including at least one reason why you, too, should make it your purpose to listen to these things, because you will love them so much that you will instantly explode. Now, obey my afro.

Ten albums to make you drool with cool-kid joy. In no particular order.

1. Broken Social Scene, You Forgot it in People: Beautiful, loud, quiet, sometimes almost too sweet, then bombarding your ears with guitars we should all play along with. Or drive fast listening to. You should all own this album anyway, because since its release last October, this album has generated tremendously good buzz. I spent all last winter telling people, you have to hear this band, they will blow your mind. And they will, whether you are a Belle & Sebastian freak or a Discord junkie.

2. The Postal Service, Give Up: The album made by sending tapes cross-country. Simply one of the most pleasant albums of the year. Buy this one for "We Will Become Silhouettes." Or for "Such Great Heights." Or for "Sleeping In." Or just because it will be such a sweet relief to listen to an album that doesn't require you to use the skip button, ever. Though you might want to go back and listen to some of the songs over, and over, and over again. See our review here.

3. Iron and Wine, The Sea & the Rhythm: Actually, anything by Iron & Wine will make you happy, in the same way that Nick Drake will make you happy, in that oh-so-soothing, but secretly disturbing way. Porch music. Buy it, see what I mean.

4. The VaGiants, Short and Hard: Just because you haven't heard of it, and because it is crazy good music.

5. Radiohead, Hail to Thief: Well, duh. Stupid geniuses.

6. Röyksopp, Melody AM: If you don't have this yet, you live in a world of pain and horror and I want nothing to do with you. I have been addicted to this album for over a year now, and it still sounds fresh.

7. Sondre Lerche, Faces Down: Hooray for Scandinavians. I love them and their beeeyoutiful music. I can't keep this disc out of my car. Listen to it twice, you'll be hooked too.

8. The Walkmen, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone: Fantastic disc from many former members of Jonathan Fire Eater. "We've Been Had" is brilliant, but it comes halfway through the album, by which time you will already gotten stuck on "Revenge Wears No Wristwatch." See our review here.

9. Swayzak, Dirty Dancing. So much to like. Music for robots and driving and dancing and doin' it.

10. The Notwist, Neon Golden. Godzilla disagrees, but I have tits, so I win. Not unlike many of the bands on this list, the Notwist play glitchy, almost dancy music. I was unimpressed the first few times I listened (last year, around this season, on an import cd). I left it alone for a few weeks, went back to it, and couldn't stop listening. (Note: Godzilla thinks this is decent enough music, but also fairly bereft of excitement. Good, but dull. Though not too tediously precious, which helps. -Ed)

Five songs that work like crack on your brain, the really really good crack. None of these are on the albums mentioned above. The albums they are on range from excellent to ok. All worth your money. Again, no real order. Also, this list could have been much longer.

1. Manitoba, "Jacknuggeted." Again, over, again, over.

2. Elefant, "Tonight Let's Dance." Don't like faux-glam or Bowie? Stay away. Like cheesy indie-dance? You will want to hear this.

3. Single Frame, "Post Daydream Forecast Endeavorr." You know that dropping feeling in your stomach, when the fantasy you have constructed turns out to be nothing more than that, just a figment of your twisted mind? This song knows it too. But it feels so good to let it out in such a rockin' way.

4. Malosi, "Mighty." Sneaks into your brain when you least expect it. Jazz, bassy, and so chill. Also check out this guy's song, "Toomuchtoosoon." Sooo good.

5. Prefuse 73, "The End of Biters - International." I would have put this album on my top ten, but it's far too uneven. This, the second track, is one of the high points. See our review here.

Top five overplayed dance songs that I am compelled to shake my booty to, every time I hear them:

1. Miss Dynamite, "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee"

2. Panjabi MC, "Mundian To Bach Ke" (and all its variations and remixes).

3. Sean Paul, "Get Busy." I can't help it.

4. Eminem, "Without Me." Sang this repeatedly in a bar in Greece. In several bars in Greece. Over and over.

5. Las Ketchup, "Asereje." Still extremely popular, though it's been around for a while. Every time I hear this, I get excited - partly because I realized one day that the chorus of this song is nothing more than the opening text of "Rapper's Delight." A whole new level of coolness.

As an end note, the two best shows I have seen this year: Sigur Rós at the 9:30 Club. Anyone who can shut up a bunch of loudmouth DC hipsters for an hour and a half is on the level of a deity. (Especially if one of those loudmouths is Godzilla, though he's more of a jerk than a hipster. -Ed)

And Innate's show at Ben Mo last week. I am biased, but I was amazed, and if any of you get the chance to catch him, I highly recommend it. Sheer energy, positive message. Good stuff.

Note: Smartypants is our newest contributor as well as Godzilla's girlfriend. Pray for her soul. Also, everything she says is purple.