New Favorite Albums of 2003 list

[mvd]

It just keeps changing as I get more 2003 albums. And I still want the Wrens' album at least. Not in order:

Thea Gilmore - Avalanche
Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music
Cindy Alexander - Smash
Fountains Of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers
Patty Loveless - On Your Way Home
New Pornographers - Electric Version
Bangles - Doll Revolution
Michelle Branch - Hotel Paper
Plumb - Beautiful Lumps Of Coal
Shins - Chutes Too Narrow

Highest honorable mentions:

Radiohead - Hail To The Thief
Barenaked Ladies - Everything For Everyone
Zwan - Mary Star Of The Sea
Terri Clark - Pain To Kill
Dido - Life For Rent
Edie Brickell - Volcano
Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears
Cat Power - You Are Free
Guster - Keep It Together
Annie Lennox - Bare

Have any other lists changed?

[Eumenides]

1. British Sea Power

Decline of British Sea Power.

Constantines -- Shine A Light

Those are my two faves of the past year.

[Stevendsmith]

2. I keep hearing good things about British Sea Power

Gotta check 'em out.

Hey, I hit 500 posts!

[name not needed]

3. iron maiden - dance of death

[Kenneth ken]

4. mine changed

I can add The Bangles - Doll Revolution to it. I think I'm still under 10 total 2003 releases that I bought, so I have room to add without dropping:

Dar Williams - Beauty of the Rain
Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears
Jeff Beck - Jeff
EmmyLou Harris - Stumble Into Grace

did Tower of Power - The Oakland Zone come out in 2003? That would go on my list.

So my "top Ten" has 5 or 6 entries.

[mvd]

5. Glad to see another person loved the Bangles' CD

Although it's a hair below their 80s work because they got away from power pop a bit, it still shows they have it.

Dar's album is one that's very good, too - lots of competition this year.

[Kenneth ken]

6. I don't know about "loved"

you'll note I only have 5 or 6 on my list. There was plenty of room for The Bangles. :)

I might have bought it because it was on your last list. I sort of knew it was out, but didn't know if it was good, bad or indifferent.

I like it; but I've only listened a couple times, so I'm still finding riffs I didn't catch before, lines that intrigue, etc.

I'm starting to think Dar is heir to the throne of Joni Mitchell.

[mvd]

7. Dar is amazing

I think The Green World and albums before are better, but Beauty Of The Rain deserves some kind of honorable mention. What's her best from before The Green World? I've heard from those albums but still have to buy one.

[Kenneth ken]

8. I'm a bad person to ask

I have a hard time comparing things.

The Green World is her 4th.

I really like The Honesty Room because it was her 1st, and introduced me to her. Mortal City was the 2nd, and I like it a bit less than her 1st. End of the Summer is her 3rd, and maybe the best of the three.

In trying to answer your question, I would have to say, to me, she just keeps getting stronger; so that is why I would put End as the best of the 3.

It's why I link her to Joni; if I listen to early Joni, I can hear some of the jazz that comes later; she was never just a guitar strummer-folkie. But later, there is more instrumentation, so the jazz is more obvious.

Same sort of thing with Dar; her music seems to have more complexity from one release to the next, both musically and lyrically.

[mvd]

9. Thanks

I'm a big enough fan that I want all her albums, so I'll just work backwards then. :hi:

[quinnox]

10. One I have on my CD buy list...

It is from 2002 but I heard a track from it and was blown away. An instrumental with piano, reminded me of George Winston (new age) a bit.

It is called 'Seeking The Light Within' by Eric McCarl

[LynneSin]

11. Where is Damian Rice "O"

I love that album, should be in your top 5

[mvd]

12. I've heard about it

I haven't gotten a good enough listen to judge, though.

[dolo amber]

13. M83 - Dead Seas. Red Cities and Lost Ghosts

TV on the Radio - Young Liars ep
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On, On Your Own
Guided by Voices - Earthquake Glue
Explosions in the Sky - The earth is not a cold dead place

Plus about a million techno tunes, albums and mixes that no one cares about but me. :P

My list hasn't changed much, but I can't pass up an opportunity to blab about music. :D

Thanks! :hi: