Top40: The Best of 2004

31. Jadakiss
Kiss of Death
(from USA)
Jadakiss is a strange lyricist. People blamed him in the past for not really getting deep with his lyrics like Styles was able to do. So now Jada does get deeper, but he does it a little too much on 'Kiss of Death'. After the intro and the crappy "What You So Mad At?" we arrive at "Shine". This song is the first alright song on the album. Snoop and DJ Quick guest star on this one over a funky beat. "Bring You Down" is next, but it is a weak song.
"Time's Up" is luckily the song that follows. This is one of the great songs on the album, featuring Nate Dogg on the hook. "Why" is next and luckily is another great song. Jada asks why all these things in the world today are happening.
Next comes "U Make Me Wanna" a very poppy song featuring Mariah Carey. After that comes "Hot Sauce To Go". We don't know why people hate this song. While it isn't the best, it is better than a few songs on this album. "Real Hip-Hop" follows with Jada rhyming with Lox member Sheek Louch over an old school beat. And now we come to my personal favorite, "Shoot Outs". This song has the best beat on the whole album and is overall the best song in my opinion.
Jada and Styles do their infamous rhyme trade about battling enemies. "Still Feel Me" follows with good verses but a weak beat. "By Your Side" follows which is an okay song, but is skippable. "Gettin It In" comes next and features Kanye giving the beat and a guest verse. The song is cooly made and both rappers give great verses. "Air It Out" is just boring and not worth much. "Welcome To D-Block" is a cool song featuring Eminem and The Lox.
Em produces the beat and is on the chorus and one verse. Everyone drops cool verses so it is listenable. The title track follows. While it's not one of my favorites, but it is listenable. "I'm Goin Back" ends the album on a good point luckily. Jada basically goes back in time and makes things right.

32. Todd Rundgren
Liars
(From USA)

Truth be told, in a world of dumbed-down popular music, Todd has never sounded better, and LIARS is a one-man work of pure pop genius. In the fourteen songs on this concept cd, Todd confronts the truth about such things as relationships ("Happy Anniversary," "Flaw"), popular music ("Soul Brother"), the struggle to be wise ("Truth," "Sweet," "Stood Up"), confusing money with God ("Mammon"), living in the future ("Future," "Afterlife") or the past ("Past") rather than living the present ("Living"), and our vain notions of God ("God Said"). "The fact is," Todd says in his liner notes, "we are terrified of the truth."
Todd's lyrics are intelligent, clever, and insightful; and his lessons in LIARS teach us that, when it comes to relationships, "men are stupid, women are evil" ("Happy Anniversary"), that it's "better to be humble than to have a big hat size" ("Stood Up"), that although a woman may be a perfect 10 and a "mad love maker," her dishonesty can be "a real deal breaker" ("Flaw"), and that if God were to answer our prayers, he would say, "you're praying to yourself," "you're worshipping yourself," "so get over yourself" ("God Said"). Todd's singing is soulful and passionate and his instrumentation is multitextured and filled with catchy, electronic hooks.
Listening to the last track on the cd, "Liar," makes me dance like my pants are on fire! In his liner notes, Todd says his Apple computer "kills fascists."
We say listening to LIARS on your cd/ Apple Ipod players really brings Todd's search for truth to life.

33. Morrissey
You Are the Quarry
(From UK)

It's 20 years on, and Morrissey is still the thinking man's singer/songwriter. "You are the Quarry," released on the newly resuscitated Attack Records label, is a collection of gems. From the self-depreciating "I have Forgiven Jesus" and the anthemic first single "Irish Blood, English Heart," to the lacerating wit of "The World is Full of Crashing Bores" and violent romanticism of "The First of the Gang to Die," Morrissey is in top form.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve, his soothing voice has never sounded more natural. And the music is rife with emotion; pure sonic genius. The lads are spot on!
The sound of the album is a cross between "Kill Uncle" and "Vaxhaul and I". I have not heard "southpaw grammer", but I think I am going to pick that up. "you are the quarry" is a beautiful album.
Considering we've waited over 7 years for another Morrissey album, this release may seem a bit of a letdown for some, as Morrissey teeters between the Morrissey of old (Vauxhal and I) and his Maladjusted/Southpaw Grammar period. He is back to save the world from the rnb/pop and Reality TV stupidity. Morrissey has said that this is arguably the best album he's ever made. After having it on "ever-play" since its release a few days ago, I must say that Morrissey is absolutely right.
A wonderful blend of his obligatory down-trodden hymns and political hazings coupled with some pop-ish gems such as "Firsts of the Gang to Die" and "IBEH" make this one of the greatest albums of the past decade.
Always blazing his own path, Morrissey's songwriting collaboration with Alain Whyte has proved to be a match made in heaven - while Johnny Marr is wonderful in his own regard, he must be writhing with jealousy! Seven years is a long time, but this album makes the wait well worth it.

34. Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
(From USA)

A first impression - derived from the opening track 'Laura' - is that Scissor Sisters are typically sassy New Yorkers with a preciously high opinion of themselves, and to some extent this is true. 'Laura' is funky, provocative disco-cabaret rock, indirectly descended from the music of Kurt Weill - arcane, grotesque, shadowy, satiric - both in words and sound but there is much more too.
Its plea for love closes with a line, which manages to be cruel, funny and desperately sad - "this will be the last time that I do your hair." From the pounding piano that opens the album to the melancholy tinklings that see it out, this is a record that is deeply in love, with music and with life. If the former fact can be a problem - when the band fall into pastiche of the seventies sounds they so clearly adore - the second fact redeems it utterly.
Scissor Sisters show repeatedly that they can mimic almost any sound, but they never merely imitate; instead they use other referents as panels on which they paint their own sound pictures, producing in this album a magnificent polyptych. These songs are strikingly visual - ironic in view of (You Can't See) Tits On The Radio.
In their take on Pink Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb' they sound like the Bee Gees recording a disco track, with a harrowing on-hold noise in the background. There is also the "ah hah, ah hah, ah hah" send up of the all-girl band - more comprehensively essayed in the relentless Spice Girls monotone in Tits On The Radio. This layering of improbabilities - especially given the haunting text of the song - is the aural equivalent of a Roy Liechtenstein, which makes you wonder just how detached from reality it is possible to get.
The disco numbers are less loveable, and less accomplished. As well as the threadbare joke of "Comfortably Numb", there is the frankly ugly "Tits On The Radio". It's plodding bass and shrill falsettos are not only amateurish but, shockingly for Scissor Sisters, remarkably uncatchy.
'Filthy/gorgeous' is far superior, with its propulsive rhythm and playful melodies suggesting the Bee Gees with brains and sex appeal.
It's unlikely there'll be a more beautiful or tender song written this year. They may come from a gay, glam rock background and they may come across as outrageous, but Scissor Sisters demand to be taken seriously. When they sound introspective, it may take a little time to discern that they are strafing with pinpoint precision some institution or custom or cultural value - or, more likely, more than one.

35. Five For Fighting
The Battle For Everything
(From USA)

Five for Fighting is back with its third album, The Battle for Everything, hot on the heels of 2001's smash "Superman (It's Not Easy)."
Some critics compare John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting is Ondrasik's alias) to a hip, modern day Elton John, and this is one great compliment for Ondrasik and one heck of a dis to Elton. A hipper Marc Cohen or Bruce Hornsby is probably more accurate, and Ondrasik must know so because he tries too hard to convince listeners otherwise.
This is one of 2004s albums, which you have not been able to put down once you started to listen. To experience the magic of John just listen to "Maybe I" and you will get the idea why we are singing praises about him. John's vocals are unique, his melodies superb and his arrangements brings you back to the good 70's style where substance (and not the number of swear words) counts.
On "Disneyland" you can see what a musical genius can do to one of the world's most well knowned icons. John intersperse his lyrics well with the music and you feel like you are riding a musical "tea cup ride" as you listen along to this song.
"Dying" and "If God made you" might sound a tad religious but don't be misled by the titles as John does not preach but he does deliver to you some of the most articulate and impassioned tunes ever.
More good songs are lined up in this album. "The Devil in the Wishing Well" is so well orchestrated you have to appreciate this song at its best CD quality. "Nobody" and "100 years" again attest to the ability of John to swing a melody any way he likes it - and they still sound good!
This is the "Superman" we have been missing all this time and we are glad that Five for Fighting fills the void in our present musically handicapped world.
Oh, by the way, If you are living at UK, you have not hear Five For Fighting, until now. Maybe the time has arrived to relocate yourself or to discover music from other countries on the internet!
A great album from a great composer: this is the Pop/Rock Soundtrack we love to hear on the radio!

36. Matt Bianco
Matt's Mood
(From UK)

It's good to hear quality music once again! Old bands which is rounding up their old members usually spells trouble for all involved. But when you're Mark Reilly and your old mates are Danny White and Basia Trzetrzelewska, it's a freaking great idea, and Matt's Mood demonstrates the monster talents of all!
It's a fantastic amalgam of pop, jazz, swing, Latin, retro, lounge, spy, in both English and Polish, thrown into a great spin. It won't freak out any fans of either the '86-'03 Matt Bianco or of Basia's solo work, but at the same time MB changes up the game by going more retro on many tracks, and it works well for them.
You can hear snippets of stuff reminding you of anything from Brazil '66 to Manhattan Transfer to soundtracks from swinging movies like Pink Panther, Mission Impossible or the James Bond series-and all done with love, not with cheap irony. These three tried twenty years ago on the 'Whose Side Are You On' album and while that was quite good, Matt's Mood fulfills the promise that the first album didn't quite deliver.
Basia sounds as if ten years had never passed, and it could be argued that these songs are among her best vocal work to date. She seems to be having a great deal of fun too, particularly on La Luna, and tracks like 'Say The Words' are beautifully done. At the same time charmingly retro and freshly current, and both emotive and just plain fun to listen to, Matt's Mood is a fantastic album.
Do yourself a favour and pick this one up now - even on import, it's a bargain. Highly recommended!

37. Vangelis, Alexander
Soundtrack
(From Greece)

Oliver Stone's "Alexander" is a sweeping and exciting historical epic filled with emotionally-charged performances, breathtaking battles, and lush locations. Oscar-winning composer Vangelis ("Chariots of Fire") has created a mesmerizing orchestral score that not only compliments the movie beautifully, but is also great to listen to on CD!
The music captures both the epic grandeur and the emotional feelings of Stone's epic film. The standout pieces are: "Young Alexander," "Titans," "Across the Mountains," "Eternal Alexander," and "Roxane's Veil." The last is a well-written piece featuring Vanessa-Mae's soulful violin playing.
This score is perfect, great fun to listen to, to dance to, relax to... you name it! If you liked (or in our case, loved most immensely) the scores to such films as "Gladiator", "The Passion of the Christ" or "Troy" (which isn't a personal favourite, but is still good and in a similar style) we strongly recommend buying this soundtrack, even if you absolutely hated the film.
We like to think of it as simply beautiful story music by Vangelis, a musical genius, rather than just the soundtrack to "Alexander"

38. Gretchen Wilson
Here For The Party
(From USA)

You don't have to be a country fan to like Gretchen Wilson - in fact, it really helps if you are not. If you like the generic, not actually country sounds of Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Montgomery Gentry, this will suit you to at. If you, like most actual country fans, have retreated from the mainstream to artists like Kasey Chambers, Mandy Barnett and Chris Knight probably you won't like this album.
A huge surprise hit, "Here For The Party" may be one of the biggest artistic shots in the arm that commercial country has gotten in the last five years or so. Sidestepping the bland, overproduced soul-pop diva shtick of Shania Twain and Martina McBride, Ohio-based Gretchen Wilson bursts forth with a raunchy, raucous, guitar-heavy novelty song, "Here For The Party," with riffs worthy of Southern rock revivalists like Montgomery Gentry and Travis Tritt, a tune which lets us all know she can hold her own with the boys, and probably even drink half of 'em under the table.
The album Here For The Party exploded onto the Billboard Country and Top 200 Charts, the critically-acclaimed disc has already surpassed sales in excess of 1,000,000 copies sold earning it a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Here For The Party set the record for being the first album from a debut artist to debut at No 1 on Billboard's Country Music Chart and No 2 on the trade magazine's Top 200 Chart with over 226,900 units sold in the first week. Her "Redneck Woman" anthem became the fastest song to reach No 1 on the country chart in the history of music trade Radio & Records.
In addition, the song debuted as the No 1 download on walmart.com, and it remained in the top spot for four consecutive weeks. If you love country or are just looking for some fast paced up-beat songs, this CD is great. It has to do all the older famous Country Gals proud.

39. Beastie Boys
To The 5 Boroughs
(From USA)

The fans have been waiting six years. For those of us late 20-somethings who grew up with a "License To Ill" tape permanently in bedded in our tape players, this album is sure to bring on some feelings of nostalgia with it's old-school flavor. I was naturally excited about this new album especially after hearing the first single "Ch-Check It Out."
If you want something that cures what ails you or something that will clear your head, then this is the CD for you. With all the stuff going on in the news everyday, "To the 5 Boroughs" is exactly what the doctor ordered. I was getting a little tired and bored with my current CD rotation, but now it's alive again thanks to the Beastie Boys.
Their sound is so unique and addictive. One listen and you'll never want to put it down. It's just pure ecstasy. Girls, If you haven't discovered the Beastie Boys, you just don't know what you're missing. If you're lonely, want to party, but don't want to hit the club, just pop "To the 5 Boroughs" into the CD player and the fantasy begins.
"To the 5 Boroughs" proves that they were always the real thing. They haven't lost any of the qualities that made them so popular when they first debuted. I think they've actually gotten better. Some recording artists decline with age, but the Beastie Boys seem to have their own personal fountain of youth. You can't tell by listening alone that their first attempt was in 1986. They sound more mature, but they keep the entire flavor that has made them so unique and distinct.
"Licensed to Ill" will always be a classic, but their new release is more polished and you can see how much they've really grown as artists. You will not be disappointed!

40. TV on the Radio
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
(From USA)

What a year 2004 has become! There been a slew of groups and albums that have made me drool like a bulldog in heat, sending clear signals that despite the woeful state of the industry the independent scene is actually growing stronger: 'Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes' is one fine example.
TVOTR consists of Tunde Odebimpe, Dave Andrew Sitek and Kyp Malone. The first two are a graphic designer and the producer of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs (the album features their guitarist, Nick Zinner on one of the tracks) respectively. The latter is a new addition.
Preliminaries dispensed with, lets get to ... THE MUSIC!!!! If you can picture Captain Beefheartian do wop, Pere Ubu poly-rythms and a couple of beats chucked in you are close. Yet very, very far. Take the first track 'The Wrong Way': it starts off with a saxophone skronking away, then lurches into a crunchy keyboard motif which dominates the song. The feeling is akin to someone hitting you in the face with some horsemeat (I say this in the best possible way).
'Staring at the Sun' has these slow beats but has a melody to kill for. It is also worth mentioning that the band also focuses on vocals. 'Ambulance' uses barber quartet voices. We mean where are you going to find a band that does this?!!
Or what about the primal howl in 'King Eternal', which actually drowns out the wall of guitars? We could go on about the myriad of sounds which you will discover when listening to this album; a guitar noise here, a keyboard squiggle there, the odd yelp which wriggles in between the whole album.
There are still so many charms to be discovered even after many listens: play it over and over and the rewards will be great. This is by far the BEST DEBUT of 2004.

The best of the best for 2004 without music frontiers:

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