As of this second, here is my top 5, specifically excluding DJ mixes:
#1: The Go! Team, Thunder, Lightning, Strike
In general, Pitchfork pisses me off. However, when they favorably reviewed this album -- after URB had just listed it in the "being played around the office" hot list the month before -- it was enough for me to give it a shot. It ends up being the most fun album I've bought this year.
#2: Ulrich Schnauss, A Strangely Isolated Place
Absolutely gorgeously layered atmospheric music...the soft fuzzy cloud on the flipside of M83's beautiful noise. It's my favorite "airplane" album for zoning out and getting work done, and also my favorite music to play while writing.
#3: Jay-Z + DJ Danger Mouse, The Grey Album
The fact that NO ONE has listed this yet makes me think that people have forgotten that it came out this year. I normally HATE Jay-Z, but this reconstruction of
The Black Album using nothing but Beatles samples is frickin' BRILLIANT. I've played it a lot, and STILL not gotten sick of it.
#4: Morrissey, You Are The Quarry
What can you say? It's one of his best solo albums ever, and it's SO welcome to have his literary, wry style on the musical landscape as a counterpoint to all the angry guitar crap flying around these days.
#5: Bent, Ariels
The Everlasting Blink was one of my favorite eclectic (mostly) downtempo albums of 2003, and the follow-up album is even stronger. This is import-only in the US at the moment, but it was worth every penny I payed for it.
Honorable mention:
Sasha, Involver -- Sasha reconstructed all of the included tracks...kind of a hybrid between an artist album and a mix. It would be one of my favorite mixes ever, but the last couple of songs are a real disappointment after the first eight brilliant tracks.
Air, Talkie Walkie -- outstanding record, and a huge rebound from the confusing and ice-cold
10,000 Hz Legend.
Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand -- a ton of fun, and a strong debut...but for some reason, I stopped playing it towards the end of the year.
Rjd2, Since We Last Spoke -- slept-on album that pushed the boundaries of expectations, still solid...except for the embarrassing track that Rjd2 sings on. Yikes.
Phoenix, Alphabetical -- charming, timeless rock.
Way Out West, Don't Look Now -- moodier, less explosive than the outstanding
Intensify, but still compelling.
Aya, Strange Flower -- Naked Music fans take note...the beats on this record were produced by Jay Denis (aka Blue Six)!
Best mix CDs of the year:
Ben Watt, Buzzin' Fly Volume 1 -- outstanding deep house debut mix from the ex-Lazy Dog proprietor on his new label...and the centerpiece is an outstanding new track from Watt himself!
The Thievery Corporation, The Outernational Sound -- finally a worthy, world-hopping follow-up to
Jet Sounds. I've played this one a TON since buying it.
Ovum: The Fall Collection -- the first Ovum mix in years done by Josh Wink himself...'nuff said!
DJ Nu-Mark, Hands On -- eclectic and funky mix by Jurassic 5's DJ, backyard BBQ not included.
The Avalanches, When I Met You -- import-only and probably illegal, this mix is completely nuts, mixing Daft Punk into Hall & Oates into Fatboy Slim into The Beatles into Jurassic 5 at one point. Mash-up heaven!
Erland Øye, DJ Kicks -- interesting concept where Øye sings original or cover lyrics over the top of some choice cuts...fails in some places, but where it works, it SHINES.
