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Top Ten of 2003
DECEMBER 2003
110. Various Artists, Rough Trade Shops Rock & Roll (2002)
This comp, like the other recent Rough Trade comps, is a disturbingly easy way to rake in assorted gems from bands that have maintained hipster credibility throughout the years. Despite this, or, actually, because of it, the comp itself conveys absolutely no hipster credibility onto its owner. But do you care when the track listing looks this good? Telling detail: my Mom bought me this through Amazon. Thanks, Mom!
109. Various Artists, East Africa : Witchcraft and Ritual Music (1975, reissued 2002)
Ceremonial music, mostly Kenyan. I picked up this disc for the tracks that showcase the music of healing and purification rituals: there are also recordings of other ceremonies (weddings, funerals, circumcisions) and recordings of experiences which may or may not have a ritual dimension (track 3, for instance, is a "coconut picking song"). I'd be happier if the disc stuck more tightly to its eponymous focus, but this is still an exemplary disc in an exemplary series (the Nonesuch Explorer series, currently undergoing a high-profile reissuing).
108. Earth, Earth 2 (1993)
Canonical album from pioneering "ambient metal" band.
107. Juana Molina, Segundo (2003)
Dreamy, intimate songs sung (in Portugese) over shimmering fields of electronics. Total bliss. Thanks to Hannah.
106. Amon Tobin, Supermodified (2000)
Thanks to Hannah.
NOVEMBER 2003
105. Various Artists, The Silk Road : A Musical Caravan (2002)
2-disc set from Smithsonian Folkways, focusing on music from along Asian trade routes. Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Iran, etc. Thanks to Darren.
104. Vincent Gallo, When (2001)
Maudlin lo-fi songs from notorious scenester. This album will soon be camp, if it is not already. Thanks to Darren.
103. Can, Future Days (1973)
A heady mix of primal chug, funky Miles-Davis-style electric jams, chants, mumbling, noise, water. Thanks to Darren.
102. Disco Inferno, D.I. Go Pop (1994)
No disco, not much pop, but lots of inferno. Comparable to Terminator X or Escape From Noise-era Negativland, not because they sound particularly alike, but because they all use samples as the quickest, dirtiest route to express their apocalyptic cultural visions. Thanks to Darren.
101. Jimmy Giuffre, Free Fall (1963, reissued 1998)
"Difficult" jazz trio (clarinetist Giuffre accompanied by Steve Swallow on bass and Paul Bley on piano). Bley relies heavily on the non-melodic note clusters that unhappily characterize so much "modern" piano playing, but Guiffre is fantastic on clarinet: his playing is hermetic and serene, completely bypassing the usual stock maneuvers of avant-garde reed players. Thanks to Darren.
100. Luigi Archetti & Bo Wiget, Low Tide Digitalis (2001)
Compositions for cello, guitar, and electronic noises. The sort of grand, chilly, cerebral European music that Rune Grammofon excels at finding. Thanks to Darren.
99. Adachi Tomomi Royal Chorus, Yo (2003)
Fucked voice from Japan.
98. Waki, Music For Lazy People (2001)
Drone and ambient pieces. Not particuarly notable, but probably worth the five bucks I paid to rescue it from a used bin.
97. Colleen, Everyone Alive Wants Answers (2003)
Minimal loopscapes; more complex than they initially sound. Mysterious yet fragile; vaguely perfumed.
96. Camper Van Beethoven, Cigarettes and Carrot Juice : The Santa Cruz Years (2002)
Box set of out-of-print Camper Van Beethoven records (plus newly-released live recordings for the completists). Their self-titled record (1986) and Vampire Can Mating Oven (1987), available here, were big parts of the soundtrack of my college years. Thanks to Rich.
95. Neutral Milk Hotel, On Avery Island (1996)
The minor masterpiece that precedes the major masterpiece of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Thanks to Rich.
94. The Books, The Lemon of Pink (2003)
93. Mirah, Advisory Committee (2002)
92. Sunn0))), White 1 (2003)
Although Sunn0))) is one of those bands that loses something in the translation from seeing them live to hearing the disc, this basalt slab of doom-rock is still pretty impressive. Julian Cope provides lyrical rantings that are wyrd with a capital y. Thanks to Chris.
91. Fennesz, Live In Japan (2003)
Great laptop set, reworking material from some of Fennesz's earlier releases into a tangled heap of futurist noise. Listening to this record is like listening to the inner boilings of a beautiful cyborg's brain. Thanks Chris.
90. Cat Power, Moon Pix (1998)
All hail the Matador Mid-Price Classics. Ravishing ballads from Ms. Chan Marshall, with Mick Turner (of the Dirty Three) providing guitar.
OCTOBER 2003
89. The Black Mountain Music Project, Songs From the Black Mountain Music Project (2003)
A sort of scrapbook of a month of collaboration between Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn and Ginger Brooks Takahaski out in rural North Carolina. The month yielded a handful of simple yet startlingly great songs and a smattering of evocative aural leftovers (instrumental snippets, field recordings).
88. Xinli Supreme, Tomorrow Never Comes (2003)
Loud, cryptic, genre-bending music from Japan. Occasionally vomits up some recognizable elements: the harsh repetitive guitar of hardcore punk, the tinny drum machines of bad techno, the druggy ambience of psychedelic doom-rock. But just when you think you've pegged it, the record will do something like veer into spoken word.
87. The Blow, The Concussive Caress (2003)
Hooky yet uneven pop songs, half-finished sketches of same, and wacky studio experiments: in short, another hugely crushworthy yet ultimately imperfect release from the good folks at K Records.
86. Rafael Toral, Electric Babyland (2003)
Gentle dronescapes (Toral calls them "lullabies") assembled from processed music-box samples.
85. The Slumber Party, self-titled
Sort of like Galaxie 500, if Galaxie 500 was four women from Detroit. Doesn't quite live up to the promise that that description would suggest.
84. M Ward, The Transfiguration of Vincent (2003)
A little Tom Waits, a little Nick Drake, and a whole lotta Portland wunderkind.
83. Pelt, Pearls from the River (2003)
Mysterious, hypnotic acoustic drones shot through with bluegrass elements. Delicious.
SEPTEMBER 2003
82. Six Organs of Admittance, You Can Always See the Sun (2003)
EP of four-track psychedelic folk from Ben Chasny, accompanied occasionally by laptop noise from Ian Nagoski's Warm Coursing Blood CD.
81. Various Artists, Runeology (2001)
Disc accompanying The Wire 211, a sampler of acts from Norway's exemplary Rune Grammofon label.
80. Various Artists, Wire Tapper 10 (2003)
Double disc accompanying The Wire 236. Some highlights: Sketch Snow, Colleen, Mice Parade, the David Sylvian / Fennesz collaboration.
79. Matmos, The Civil War (2003)
Colonial folk instruments, antebellum guitar, and the normal Matmos pileup of beats, weird samples, and electronic noise, all combine here to make an album of war music for pacifists and queers. A masterpiece. Thanks db.
78. Various Artists, Improvised Music from Japan (2001)
The scene report to end all scene reports. No individual track in these ten discs is particularly universe-shattering, but collectively they give a sense of a sonic world that could be explored for a lifetime. Thanks db.
77. Califone, Quicksand / Cradlesnakes (2003)
Roots rock with experimental splashes, a sort of indie kin to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
76. John Fahey, Red Cross (2003)
Crushing set of the final recordings made by John Fahey, American great.
75. Johnny Cash, American Recordings (1994-2002)
Sampler of tracks from the four discs in Johnny Cash's exemplary American Recordings series. Thanks to Todd.
74. Tod Dockstader, Eight Electronic Pieces (2003)
Reissue of hard-to-find 1961 release by tape-music pioneer Tod Dockstader.
73. Various artists, Wooden Guitar (2003)
Five long forays into "deltadelica," aka the new psychedelic folk. Contributions from some of the most interesting players of the last decade Jack Rose (of Pelt), Steffen Basho-Junghans, Tetuzi Akiyama, and Sir Richard Bishop (of the Sun City Girls). A standout recording in every respect.
72. Keith Fullerton Whitman, Dartmouth Street Underpass (2003)
First installment in Locust Music's "Met Life" series, wherein various sonic artists provide a field recording and then a piece that uses that field recording as source material. Whitman records interesting reverberations in a Boston-area underpass, and then converts it into a drone piece. Both the field recording and the drone are worth a listen, although neither is essential.
71. Alice Coltrane, Journey Into Satchidananda
AUGUST 2003
70. So, self-titled (2003)
Collaboration between computer-noise abstract expressionist Markus "Oval" Popp and experimental vocalist Eriko "Eri" Toyoda. Sublime sheets of noise.
69. Noxagt, Turning It Down Since 2001 (2003)
Viola-driven death rock instrumentals. From Norway (of course).
68. The Polyphonic Spree, The Beginning Stages of... (2003)
Part cult, part orchestra, the Spree produces pop that somehow manages to sound both epic and vulnerable. An important debut, marred only by the staggeringly dull loop-scape that comprises the album's entire second half.
67. Wilhelm Furtwangler, Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven (Symphonies 3,4,5 & 9)
66. General Strike, Danger in Paradise (1984)
Quasi-exotica / dub / interplanetary jazz record from Brits David Toop and Steve Beresford. Like much of Toop's work, this is compelling and unassuming in equal measure (perhaps by design?).
65. Burkhard Stangl / Dieb13, eh (2002)
64. Mike Adcock / Clive Bell, Sleep It Off (2002)
Improvisational duets, mostly performed on ethnic reed instruments. There are many startling (and occasionally gorgeous) textures to be found here, sidestepping entirely the clatter and skronk that dominates so many improv recordings. Sounds like nothing else out there.
63. John Oswald, Pluderphonics 96/69
Career retrospective from the great John Oswald, father of Plunderphonics. Essential.
62. Guns and Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
Canonical metal album. Features some of the greatest hooks of all time.
61. Judas Priest, Homoerotic Favorites (2003)
Greatest-hits compliation devised by Angela.
60. Animal Collective, Campfire Songs (2003)
Gentle acoustic tribalistic meanderings.
59. David Holland Quartet, Conference of the Birds (1973)
58. Cul De Sac, Death of the Sun (2003)
With this release, avant-rock ensemble Cul De Sac experiments with adding electroacoustic elements. An appealing concept, but they play it perhaps overly safe—the recording is characterized by a lack of risk, and occasionally borders on the tepid.
57. The Blithe Sons, We Walk the Young Earth (2003)
Dreamy, hazy, ambient balladry from the Jewelled Antler Collective.
56. Philip Jeck, Vinyl Coda IV (2000)
A single album-length piece for 9 record players. I listened to this while driving through Wyoming on my summer roadtrip. It's pretty spectacular, especially its first half, although overall it lacks some of the coherence and sense of consistent invention that characterize Jeck's shorter works.
JULY 2003
55. Liz Phair, Exile In Guyville (1993)
Is there an indie-rock canon, and if so, should this album be in it? It sounds a little spottier than it did ten years ago, but it's still a startlingly assured and inventive debut.
54. Guy Klucevsek and Alan Bern, Accordance (2000)
Spirited duets on accordion (with occasional melodica and fortepiano). Thanks to Eric.
53. The White Stripes, Elephant (2003)
52. Gossip, Movement (2003)
JUNE 2003
51. A Medley of Extemporanea (2003)
Mix CD from Fred Coppersmith.
50. The Brother Machine, self-titled
49. Word (2003)
Mix CD from Jonathan Leistiko and Sharon Cichelli.
48. Tujiko Noriko, self-titled (2001)
47. Here To Go (2003)
Mix CD from Dirk Hine.
46. Tim Hecker, Haunt Me (2001)
Computer drones; disintegrated piano and guitar. Melancholy and affecting.
45. Pieces for Human Voice (2003)
A response to my Fucked Voice mix, courtesy of Darren.
44. Vucked Foice (2003)
A response to my Fucked Voice mix, courtesy of Nick.
43. Manitoba, Up In Flames (2003)
42. William Basinski, The River (2002)
41. William Basinski, The Disintegration Loops (2002)
MAY 2003
40. Bright Eyes (sampler)
39. Belle and Sebastian, Fold Your Hands, Child, You Walk Like A Peasant
38. Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist, Danse Manatee (2001)
Pop deconstructed to the point where it barely exists. Highly uneven: sometimes it sounds like they're inventing a fresh new way of making music, other times it just sounds busted.
37. Yoshimi and Yuka, Flower With No Color (2003)
Ambient noodling and field recordings from members of the Boredoms and Cibo Matto. Pretty, although meandering: don't go in expecting structure.
36. Minamo, Beautiful (2003)
35. Anderegg, Anomia (2003)
34. The White Stripes, White Blood Cells (2001)
You will be assimilated. Who knew there were still perfect rock and roll songs left to be written?
33. A.R.E. Weapons, self-titled (2003)
Anthems about taking drugs, fighting, and the value of believing in yourself.
32. Out Hud, Street Dad (2002)
Angular hipster dance rock.
31. Various artists, Ethiopiques Vol. 10
Haunting Ethiopian blues and ballads.
30. The Jam, The Sound of the Jam (2003)
Most recent greatest hits compilation from this quality band.
29. Various artists , Troubleman Sampler (2003)
28. Lightning Bolt, Ride The Skies (2001)
27. Beat Happening, Jamboree (1988)
Lo-fi indie bliss.
26. Philip Jeck, Stoke
25. Alvarius B and Cerberus Shoal, The Vim and Vigor of Alvarius B and Cerberus Shoal
Fleshy, brain-damaged art folk.
24. Thuja, Suns (2002)
Another disc of mysterious pantheistic ambience from those who know it best. Thanks to Chris.
APRIL 2003
23. 19 Things (mix CD from Bonni M)
Highlight: "Punk Rock Girl," by the Dead Milkmen.
22. Brian Eno, Another Green World (1975)
A mix of instrumentals that sound like some kind of futuristic exotica and modest melodies that sound like Eno singing in the shower. Alternately warm and alien.
21. The Shins, Oh, Inverted World (2001)
Pretty weak. Another band that raids the box of 60's pop but that somehow manages to reduce out any element that resembles a hook. Not interesting enough to be experimental, but not pleasing enough to be pop.
20. Once More With Feeling (Buffy soundtrack) (2002)
Nice souvenir of an excellent episode. Thanks to Lorraine.
19. Yo La Tengo, Summer Sun (2003)
Dreamy.
18. Yoko Ono, Plastic Ono Band (1970)
17. TV Pow / Stillupsteya, We Are Everyone In The Room (2001)
16. Tiny Hairs, Subtle Invisible Bodies (2002)
15. Deerhoof, Reville (2002)
MARCH 2003
14. Various artists, April
Surprisingly tepid compliation from Chicago's Boxmedia label.
13. Carol Genetti, The Shattering
Noisy vocal improv recorded at Baltimore's High Zero festival in 2000.
12. Supersilent, Supersilent 6 (2003)
Chilly electronics from Norway's superlative Rune Grammafon label.
11. The Boredoms, Super AE
Awe-inspiring electronic tribal noise.
10. A Band of Bees, Sunshine Hit Me (2003)
Eccentric pop, staking out a terrain somewhere between Brian Wilson and Syd Barrett.
FEBRUARY 2003
9. Throbbing Gristle, First Annual Report
(previously unreleased early experiments; rough and interesting)
8. Bauhaus, The Sky's Gone Out
(nostalgia)
7. Beck, Sea Change
(better than expected)
6. Mirah, You Think It's Like This But It's Really Like This (2000)
(tender, awkward, cutesy, sexy indie-pop songs—utterly enchanting)
5. The Books, Thought For Food (2002)
(pretty acoustic guitar submerged under a universe of offbeat samples = my kind of thing)
4. The Microphones, Mount Eerie (2003)
(genuinely odd concept album about life, death, and the afterlife, featuring a cast of thousands from the K Records stable. Afflicted by bouts of both genius and naievete.)
3. The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs (1999)
(a breakneck tour of pop genres, and deeply emotionally affecting to boot. Essential.)
2. Spires That In The Sunset Rise, self-titled (2003)
(the long-awaited debut CD-R from this gang of Chicago ladies. Like the house band of some Victorian women's sanitarium. Delirious singsong, howls of venereal madness.)
1. Cathy Heard's Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret mix CD (2003)
(from The Normal's "Warm Leatherette" to Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby," and all points inbetween)
JANUARY 2003
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