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.

I'm with you on Franz Ferdinand and The Cure. I'm also voting for Auf Der Maur's debut album, which made my year louder.

this year started out real slow and looked to be descending into music hell, but eventually some classic albums came along:

bjork - medulla

tom waits - real gone

the libertines - the libertines

nick cave & the bad seeds - abattoir blues/the lyre of orpheus

kasabian - kasabian

ian brown - solarized


and a special mention to helmet for being the one and only band to get me rocking this year, i salute their awesome effort.

didnt buy much this year...i only have one for the list

U2- how to dismantel an automic bomb

but then again they are my fave band

i figured they were, because that album sucks

Razorlight - Up All Night.
Biffy Clyro - Infinity Land.
Coheed And Cambria - In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth 3.
Morrissey - You Are The Quarry.
Ash - Meltdown.
The Prodigy - Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned.
The Killers - Hot Fuss.
Velvet Revolver - Contraband.
Dangermouse - The Grey Album.
Slipknot - The Subliminal Verses: vol 3.
Auf Der Maur - Auf Der Maur.
There are a couple more but i can't think right now.
All in all i think it's been a good year for music.I've bought more new albums this year than i have in a while.

hey anti....when you only got enough cash to buy one album... one has a tendancy to wait for thier fave band

I know, i know; i was just being a quasi-jerk. I'm a gigundous fan of U2's pre-Zooropa music.

But the album still did suck, unfortunately.

Well, I thought there were some fucking awesome albums in 04...and some pathetic ones *cough*Metallica*cough*

I particularly liked...

Mastadon - Leviathan
Susperia - Unlimited
Devils Whorehouse - Revelation Unorthodox
Vader - The Beast
God Forbid - Gone Forever

There are more, but those are the ones that come to mind the most, wasnt expecting to like a band like "Devils Whorehouse" (Side project of Marduk...kinda like the Misfits) but the album is great, go figure.

Later!

Melissa Auf Der Maur's debut solo album was great.
I like the Killers' Hot Fuss because it has obvious roots in New Wave.
I like Velvet Revolver because I'm an STP fan and I love Scott Weiland and I'm glad he's got his edge back after the shit STP put out on their last album.



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I think i only bought three albums that were released in 2004. But all of them are worth mentioning:

Iced earth - the glorious burden

Its three songs, the "Gettysburg (186" trilogy, that make the album really special. Its written by jon schaffer alone and tells the story of the battle of gettysburg, divided in three pieces, one for each day. the guitar-, bass-,drum- and orchestra work is as stunning as the vocal performance and creates a very unique and intense mood. with this epic schaffer made history in heavy metal.

Into eternity - burried in oblivion

i discovered this band with their actual album, buried in oblivion. they use a lot of death metal riffs and death metal vocals, which leads to a heavy sound but is enriched by GREAT melodies, progressive parts and clean vocals. I know little albums that paint such a colorful picture in my mind.

The haunted - rEVOLVEr

Unfortunately there are two songs on this cd that dont deserve to be described as unbelievable. that prevents revolver from being a classic. Nonetheless peter dolving is one of the most aggressive and skilfull singers in extreme metal - most of his vocal lines are simply genius, and Anders Björler and Jensen write the most deadly trash metal nowadays: songs like "no compromise", "99" or "who will decide" will be unchallanged for goddamn long!

*Assemblage 23 - Storm
*Clan of Xymox - Best of
*Cruxshadows - Fortress in Flames (great remix cd)
*The Faint - Wet from Birth - not typically what I listen to, but a great Cd nonetheless.

You aren't goth or rivet or anything, are you? ... Nah.

My favorites from this year...

Join the Dots: B-Sides And Rarities 1978-2001 - The Cure
Velvet Revolver - Contraband
Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs
The Cure - The Cure
Pressure Chief - Cake

My list is complete:

Death from Above 1979 - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Mastodon - Leviathan
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine
The Melvins & Lustmord - Pigs of the Roman Empire
The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free
Franz Ferdinand - s/t

Holy fuck me, I didn't think of it, but I forgot to mention:

Monster Magnet - "Monolithic Baby"

The album was raw and fresh and utterly grooving.

Good list, but I have no idea why everyone is sucking The Arcade Fire's cock. Maybe I'm just not smart enough for the religion major lyrics or I just don't "get" it or something. That album just meant absolutely nothing to me the 2 times I struggled to listen through it.

Anyways, my list, in addition to the stuff you listed minus Franz and The Arcade Fire (And maybe Madvilliany, it was very good but not up to the ridiculous expectations I had for it. Pulled a Halo 2, if you will.)

William Shatner - Has Been
Rocket From The Crypt - Circa Now! +4
Haiku D'etat - Coup De Theatre
Whatever the name of that one TV On The Radio album is.

I sucked the Arcade Fire's cock because I think the album is badass. I know a lot of people who share your sentiment, though; I'd never heard anything quite like it, and it hit me in the right spot (not the balls). It wasn't my fav of the year, but it was up there.

And yes, the TV on the Radio album is a damn good one.

Numma numma should be in there... By Ozone... Your fault Ryan....

Seriously though... I dun know any music from this year....

Gimme some links so I can see, yer gits!