I'm preparing a much longer version for another site, so I'm gonna make this shorter. But, what are all your favorite albums of 2004? I was kinda disappointed with the heavy scene this year, but there were some solid albums in 2004.

In no particular order:




Death from above 1979 - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine

Noise rock has been done before, but noise rock with an actual hook is becoming rare. These guys rock my socks. If you think it's impossible to kick ass with just a bass guitar, a set of drums, and a voice, prepare to be proven wrong.


Madvillain - Madvillainy

I hadn't been at all familiar with producer Madlib until I heard this album. I'm extremely glad I found it; he puts down some of the most original beats I've ever heard. Definitely the best underground hip-hop disc of the year, hands-down.


The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free

I honestly expected the sophomore slump from Mike Skinner. His debut was so unique and widely acclaimed that I didn't think he could do it again, which I usually fear about all artists with great debuts. However, he made me feel like a dumbass, because this album is just as good, and has some of the damn catchiest garage beats I've ever heard in my life. It's not that groundbreaking as a concept album, but as an album in general, it owns.


The Arcade Fire - Funeral

The indie rock scene is full of pretention, which is why I try not to get sucked into it. The Arcade Fire is not only an indie rock album, but it's an indie rock album from French Canadia; that's like, pretention with a side of pretention. Even so, I picked it up on a recommendation, and I could easily call this the best album of 2004 without feeling like a liar. The husband-and-wife songwriting duo have put together an album around a string of recent deaths in the family, and despite the rather "duh" album title, they made one of the most moving, haunting albums I've ever heard.


Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

Popular music needed something: fun. Not just fun, but fun encapsulated in a shell of musical ability and aural refreshment. True, this kind of rock music is running rampant in the early 2000s, what with bands like the strokes affecting modern hairstyles just as much as they affect the airwaves. Franz Ferdinand adds something completely new to the mix, in my opinion, and I can't deny the fact that I'd gladly spin these Brits' latest offering anytime.


Eagles of Death Metal - Peace, Love, Death Metal

Speaking of fun: Eagles of Death Metal. This is more the "I don't give a fuck" kind of fun, though; they know what they want to do, and they do it. Namely, they play insanely fun rock music, and laugh as you try to resist the urge to dance like a retard. When you see them live, everybody is moving, and there is no moshing. People are actually dancing 80s style; it's great. I'd call them the jokesters of stoner rock, in a nutshell. For those of you who haven't heard of them: Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age is the drummer, and their singer/songwriter is looooongtime friends with Josh. So, the two bands are tied together nicely.


The Melvins & Lustmord - Pigs of the Roman Empire

Welp, I love the Melvins and I love Lustmord, so when I found out that they did an album together this year, I creamed my pants. Who the hell would've thought? You've got a legendary rock band celebrating their 20th year in existence, and one of the most incredible dark ambient / dark electronic artists in the world, and they somehow decide that it'd be cool if they cut an album together. Well, uh... yeah. It is pretty cool. Being from the Melvins, it's obviously weird as hell, but it's that kind of weird that sucks you in until it's finished. Very atmospheric, and very sludgy. The title track checks in at just under 22 and a half minutes, and the time flies by. Rokken.


The Cure - The Cure

I thought this album was going to suck. I found out that Ross Robinson produced it, and that worried me even more. I listened to the album, and I felt as satisfied as I did when I first heard Wish twelve years ago. This album kicks ass, and since most of you are whiny shitheads who thinks the Cure has something to do with Gothdom, I'm sure you've heard it by now. Robinson has definitely given it a heavier edge - which is to be expected from a metal producer - and it sounds great. With Bloodflowers, I thought the Cure had suffered some kind of stroke; they were lifeless. Somebody woke them up, though. This wins my "Pleasant Surprise of the Year" award.


The Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine

I've listened to this album about 20,000 times this year, so I don't even want to review it... I already know how good it is, and I don't need to convince anyone. These guys are ridiculously talented musicians (Chris Pennie and Danny Carey need to have a drum-off), and they reinforce the fact that ridiculously talented musicians can play ridiculously heavy and insane music. DEP is the definition of "acquired taste": some peoples' eardrums simply could not handle their debut LP, Calculating Infinity. I found it at my university bookstore (dunno why they had it), and even I couldn't handle it for a while. However, I later figured out that it was a work of genius, and with their sophomore album, they don't disappoint. They do a better job of writing complete pieces this time, as opposed to their old method of stringing countless jazz riffs and hardcore fills and stuff together. The jazz influence is still there, and the hardcore is as loud as ever. I love this one.