January is Inventory Reduction Month!

I have had plans for a while now to write one last album review and call it quits for the year 2004 stuff. I was originally going to do 10 because that’s the traditional number for a best of list, but when I tried to compile a list of 10 I never could fill every slot with albums I was truly passionate about. The ones I liked but couldn’t write about have one common trait: I didn’t enjoy them from start to finish. That’s not to say they are bad. It’s just that I’m picky about calling something a great album when I flip from song to song. I was going to write about Smile and then do a small recap of the year in music. Although I do enjoy Smile from start to finish, I don’t think I’m going to write about it. I have enjoyed it and would group it with the ones I’ve written about so far, but I just don’t know what to say about it that I haven’t read elsewhere. I try not to just echo reviews that I have read. There are plenty of people who do that (and they usually earn a living doing it). I will say that I really, really liked Smile and I’m happy it was finally released. So there, consider Brian Wilson’s Smile on my list of great albums for 2004. Now here’s the rest:

Favorite Album Title: In Exile Deo – Juliana Hatfield

Favorite Reissue: The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society

Album I Listened to the Most in 2004: Top of the Tots – The Wiggles

Album So Disappointing It Required the Invention of New Words: Around the Sun – R.E.M.

Favorite Cover Song: "Sam Stone" – Laura Cantrell

Favorite Song I Don't Know the Title of From an Album I Haven't Heard Yet: that song Morrissey played on The Late Show that one night

Most Annoying Lyric of the Year: I love my country so much, man / Like an exasperating friend (from the song "Move On" - Mike Doughty)

My Favorites of 2004:
The Delivery Man - Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Spooked - Robyn Hitchcock
Van Lear Rose - Loretta Lynn
Has Been - William Shatner
The Spine - They Might Be Giants
A Ghost Is Born - Wilco
Smile - Brian Wilson

Honorable Mentions:
Lonely Runs Both Ways – Alison Krauss & Union Station
Hymns of the 49th Parallel – k.d. lang
In Rock – The Minus 5
Good News For People Who Love Bad News – Modest Mouse
A Boot and a Shoe - Sam Phillips
Soft Commands – Ken Stringfellow
Real Gone – Tom Waits