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2004 Ended 139 Days Ago?
For the past few years, I've been marking the end of each calendar year by writing a "year summary," an encapsulated recap of the major events/lessons of the previous 12 months. The summary usually contained a section devoted specifically to superlatives: Favorite Album, Favorite Movie, Favorite Concert, and on and on...
2004 was indeed a tumultuous year - anyone who knows me is aware that some VERY major transitions happened last year...I'm essentially a different man living an entirely different life - but I never managed to compile an entire year summary (2005 has been tumultuous in itself, so time is scarce these days). It seems moot to revisit the year five months after the fact, but what I HAVE managed to write is some of the musical superlatives. I figured I could, at the very least, share with my bastion of loyal readers some of the records and concerts that mattered to me in 2004.
I was thinking that maybe I'd get a maid...
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Beastie Boys - "To the Five Boroughs"
Fun, poignant, and utterly listenable, this record couldn't have entered my library at a better time. It was summer, I was 25, living in Manhattan, and newly aware of how alive I was. How could I not love an album purported to be a "love letter to New York" by one of my lifelong favorite bands? Much like SubArachnoid Space's "Also Rising" was the soundtrack to my first six months in New York, "To the Five Boroughs" will forever be stamped "Summer 2004."
RUNNERS-UP:
Woven Hand - "Consider the Birds"
This one snuck in under the radar at the very end of the year, but it's a perfect endcap to David Eugene Edwards' musical relevance to my overall life in 2004. "Birds" is a lush, spooky reminder of why Edwards is the most memorable musician/frontman in my recent memory.
*Check out Ben Hill's review of this record at:
http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews.php?page=W&a=1&rt=cd&rf=WovenHand%20ConsidertheBirds%20110204.
Yes, that's the longest link in the history of the internet.
DJ Dangermouse - "The Grey Album"
All the controversy surrounding this album faded predictably fast, and what's left is just a fantastic collection of songs. Unfortunately, it helped spawn industry-sanctioned mash-up dreck, like LP/JZ, but that doesn't detract from how enjoyable an album it is.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Kanye West's debut "The College Dropout" is a brilliant, wonderfully-made 50-minute record saddled with 25 minutes of self-indulgent baggage. It's undoubtedly worth visiting, but keep your finger on the button and be prepared to scan through the filler... Earthride made their debut (to ME) in 2004 at a Khyber show with Shal. That night I wisely purchased "Taming of the Demons," a highly advisable listen, indeed... Ween turned in the excellent "Quebec" this year, further solidifying them as one of the most purely enjoyable bands in my listening library... In September, Zack introduced me to DJ A2Z, a Hawaiian spinner whose self-released "Love for the Art" became lodged in my stereo for weeks on end. This record can only be defined as infectious.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR, BUT NOT FROM THE YEAR:
Neil Young - "Harvest" (1972)
Besides being my favorite amongst Young's catalog (or rather, what I have heard of it), this album played a major role in my life over 2004. It's sad, quirky, and unpredictable, and builds to a powerfully understated conclusion. "A Man Needs A Maid" is my standout track...If you've never heard that song, go remedy that right now. I'm not kidding...do it this very second.
CONCERTS OF THE YEAR, TOP 5:
1. Sixteen Horsepower - 4/10/04, the Warsaw
My first time seeing them since Ben and I illegally drank beer at the Trocadero's Balcony bar in summer 1998, this show fell on the eve of Easter Sunday. Just past the stroke of midnight David Eugene Edwards looked at his watch, then jubilantly announced "it's Easter!" He said it proudly and genuinely, without a trace of irony. The show was everything it should have been, and I felt so happy and fulfilled standing there letting the music wash over me.
2. Acid Mother's Temple/SubArachnoid Space - 5/23/04, NorthSix
This show was my introduction to AMT, aside from having heard one song on tape years prior. Obviously, the vitality of their existence is on stage rather than on record. Nicely warmed up by SAS, AMT created an impenetrable atmosphere and a wall of noise that was purely hypnotic. I found myself closing my eyes for large portions of the show, basking in the sound and being reminded of why life is wonderful.
3. Neil Young - 3/20/04, Radio City Music Hall
The majority of the show was devoted to Neil's (then) latest project, his "Greendale" epic. It was like attending a high school play put on by one of rock's most iconic figures, which made it enjoyable and intimate despite the gargantuan venue. After the initial set, Neil and Crazy Horse highlighted many of their classics. My only complaint that I wasn't as familiar with said classics, which I am in the process of rectifying.
4. Earthride - 10/2/04, Trash
I saw Earthride on June 26th at the Khyber, opening for three other bands. It's rare that an opening band becomes the focal point of a night of music, but they had a hold of me from first note to last. There are many factors that could explain it, but I'd rather not question it...they just ruled. So seeing them headline months later, more familiar with their music, was ideal.
5. Kaki King - 9/28/04, the Knitting Factory Tap Bar
There's just something about the combination of seeing a cute girl kick ass on guitar, in an intimate setting, on your birthday.
*************
2004 was indeed a tumultuous year - anyone who knows me is aware that some VERY major transitions happened last year...I'm essentially a different man living an entirely different life - but I never managed to compile an entire year summary (2005 has been tumultuous in itself, so time is scarce these days). It seems moot to revisit the year five months after the fact, but what I HAVE managed to write is some of the musical superlatives. I figured I could, at the very least, share with my bastion of loyal readers some of the records and concerts that mattered to me in 2004.
I was thinking that maybe I'd get a maid...
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Beastie Boys - "To the Five Boroughs"
Fun, poignant, and utterly listenable, this record couldn't have entered my library at a better time. It was summer, I was 25, living in Manhattan, and newly aware of how alive I was. How could I not love an album purported to be a "love letter to New York" by one of my lifelong favorite bands? Much like SubArachnoid Space's "Also Rising" was the soundtrack to my first six months in New York, "To the Five Boroughs" will forever be stamped "Summer 2004."
RUNNERS-UP:
Woven Hand - "Consider the Birds"
This one snuck in under the radar at the very end of the year, but it's a perfect endcap to David Eugene Edwards' musical relevance to my overall life in 2004. "Birds" is a lush, spooky reminder of why Edwards is the most memorable musician/frontman in my recent memory.
*Check out Ben Hill's review of this record at:
http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews.php?page=W&a=1&rt=cd&rf=WovenHand%20ConsidertheBirds%20110204.
Yes, that's the longest link in the history of the internet.
DJ Dangermouse - "The Grey Album"
All the controversy surrounding this album faded predictably fast, and what's left is just a fantastic collection of songs. Unfortunately, it helped spawn industry-sanctioned mash-up dreck, like LP/JZ, but that doesn't detract from how enjoyable an album it is.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Kanye West's debut "The College Dropout" is a brilliant, wonderfully-made 50-minute record saddled with 25 minutes of self-indulgent baggage. It's undoubtedly worth visiting, but keep your finger on the button and be prepared to scan through the filler... Earthride made their debut (to ME) in 2004 at a Khyber show with Shal. That night I wisely purchased "Taming of the Demons," a highly advisable listen, indeed... Ween turned in the excellent "Quebec" this year, further solidifying them as one of the most purely enjoyable bands in my listening library... In September, Zack introduced me to DJ A2Z, a Hawaiian spinner whose self-released "Love for the Art" became lodged in my stereo for weeks on end. This record can only be defined as infectious.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR, BUT NOT FROM THE YEAR:
Neil Young - "Harvest" (1972)
Besides being my favorite amongst Young's catalog (or rather, what I have heard of it), this album played a major role in my life over 2004. It's sad, quirky, and unpredictable, and builds to a powerfully understated conclusion. "A Man Needs A Maid" is my standout track...If you've never heard that song, go remedy that right now. I'm not kidding...do it this very second.
CONCERTS OF THE YEAR, TOP 5:
1. Sixteen Horsepower - 4/10/04, the Warsaw
My first time seeing them since Ben and I illegally drank beer at the Trocadero's Balcony bar in summer 1998, this show fell on the eve of Easter Sunday. Just past the stroke of midnight David Eugene Edwards looked at his watch, then jubilantly announced "it's Easter!" He said it proudly and genuinely, without a trace of irony. The show was everything it should have been, and I felt so happy and fulfilled standing there letting the music wash over me.
2. Acid Mother's Temple/SubArachnoid Space - 5/23/04, NorthSix
This show was my introduction to AMT, aside from having heard one song on tape years prior. Obviously, the vitality of their existence is on stage rather than on record. Nicely warmed up by SAS, AMT created an impenetrable atmosphere and a wall of noise that was purely hypnotic. I found myself closing my eyes for large portions of the show, basking in the sound and being reminded of why life is wonderful.
3. Neil Young - 3/20/04, Radio City Music Hall
The majority of the show was devoted to Neil's (then) latest project, his "Greendale" epic. It was like attending a high school play put on by one of rock's most iconic figures, which made it enjoyable and intimate despite the gargantuan venue. After the initial set, Neil and Crazy Horse highlighted many of their classics. My only complaint that I wasn't as familiar with said classics, which I am in the process of rectifying.
4. Earthride - 10/2/04, Trash
I saw Earthride on June 26th at the Khyber, opening for three other bands. It's rare that an opening band becomes the focal point of a night of music, but they had a hold of me from first note to last. There are many factors that could explain it, but I'd rather not question it...they just ruled. So seeing them headline months later, more familiar with their music, was ideal.
5. Kaki King - 9/28/04, the Knitting Factory Tap Bar
There's just something about the combination of seeing a cute girl kick ass on guitar, in an intimate setting, on your birthday.
*************
posted by JMP at 1:24 PM
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