Hear ye, hear ye, it's that time of the year when the Shtikman
dictates your taste in music. Generally speaking, 2003 hasn't
been an entirely uplifting year – Johnny Cash passed
away, Elliott Smith died tragically, Berwick Street is no
longer just a bus ride away, Maroon 5 released 'Harder To
Breath'. On the B-side, there was City Of God, Public
Enemy at Kentish Town, Massive Attack at Brixton Academy,
'Hey Ya!', the cute girl who works at this bar in KL. Okay,
so that last one has got nothing to do with music, but neither
does Maroon 5.
It took me a while before I finally settled on the top 20
for 2003. Some albums aren't necessarily critically acclaimed
but I liked them anyway (e.g. Lisa Germano, Dwele, Sun Kil
Moon). Some albums are apparently critically acclaimed but
are just overhyped in my authoritative opinion (e.g. Manitoba,
Prefuse 73, Notwist, M83). Some albums, I would've liked to
include in my list but I have no idea what they sound like
(Do Make Say Think, Dizzee Rascal, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists).
One album would've easily made it into my list but the damn
thing isn't officially released yet (here's looking at you,
Madvillain).
I started off writing a short blurb for every album but I
gave up halfway through. One, cos I just don't have enough
time to do it for all twenty albums. Two, if I restricted
my write-ups to just the top 10 (which I initially thought
of doing) it wouldn't be fair to those at the bottom half.
Three, cos when you're actually writing for a living, you
kinda think to yourself, "Damn, I ain't getting paid
for this!" Okay, I know that's wrong; writing is supposed
to be passion anyway. But, well, back to factors one and two
then. I just don't have the time.
Nevertheless, I'm gonna try and do a brief rundown on the
highlights. Four Tet is first on the list cos the album's
just gorgeous. Songs like 'Slow Jam' and 'My Angel Rocks Back
& Forth' are perfectly crafted musical gems which I find
myself listening to over and over again, never once losing
that feeling when I first heard them. Folky guitars, twinkling
keys, glitchy samples, sparse beats and rubber toy squeaks
makes Rounds one of the most endearing albums of
2003.
In second place is Death Cab For Cutie's Transatlanticism.
I made sure the first song I listened to on New Years Day
was 'The New Year' which happens to be the first song on the
CD as well. Which is fitting not only cos it's called as such,
but also because of Ben Gibbard's opening line – "So
this is the new year/And I don't feel any different."
The songs on this album run the entire emotional spectrum
from the uplifting ('The Sound Of Settling' with its hand
claps and feet stomps) to the poignant ("You touch her
skin and then you think/That she is beautiful but she don't
mean a thing to me" on 'Tiny Vessels'). Gibbard's wordplay
is one of the few examples of excellent songwriting that I
actually pay attention to, which is saying a lot for a person
who rarely listens to lyrics. It also helps to have them printed
in the album booklet.
Outkast. Yes, these are the only dudes around that make commercial
radio bearable. I don't know about you, but The Love Below
was my favourite. There's not much about 'Hey Ya' that hasn't
been said already. 'Spread' still cracks me up every time
I listen to it, especially that part in the middle where there's
the sound of a car speeding home, two people running upstairs
to their room, dropping their keys, unzipping and culminating
with Andre 3000 going, "Oooh!" 'She Lives In My
Lap' would make a great next single.
I'd love to say more but if I keep delaying this blog entry
(as it is, it's already taken me one whole week just to get
to this part) I'll probably be posting my list next year.
Just quickly:
The day Radiohead releases an album which doesn't make it
into any music year-end list is the day that ... well, let's
just accept the fact that it's never gonna happen
The hype around Broken Social Scene was well-deserved
DM & Jemini gives hip-hop hope for the future
At the rate he works, Madlib could easily have a top 10
album every month
The next saddest thing to Johnny Cash's 'Hurt' this year
is Cat Power
Dwele's debut album continues to remind me why R&B and
soul music will always be my first loves
The Mars Volta rocks
If Madvillain had been released earlier, it would've
easily kicked King Geedorah's ass.
Alright, enough yapping already, here's what 2003 sounded
like to me:
1. Four Tet - Rounds
2. Death Cab For Cutie – Transatlanticism
3. Sun Kil Moon – Ghosts Of The
Great Highway
4. Jan Jelinek – La Nouvelle Pauvreté
5. Outkast – Speakerboxx/The Love
Below
6. Radiohead – Hail To The Thief
7. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot
It In People
8. Missy Elliott – This Is Not
A Test
9. DM & Jemini – Ghetto Pop
Life
10. Madlib – Shades Of Blue
11. Cat Power – You Are Free
12. Dwele – Subject
13. Murs – The End Of The Beginning
14. David Byrne – Lead Us Not Into
Temptation
15. Yo La Tengo – Summer Sun
16. The Mars Volta – De-loused
In The Comatorium
17. Jaylib – Champion Sound
18. King Geedorah – Take Me To
Your Leader
19. Lisa Germano – Lullaby For
Liquid Pig
20. Rachel's – System/Layers
