Predictions? Confident assertations of support? What do you think will be the best album of this year?

My vote, thus far, is going to the self-titled debut album by Scissor Sisters. Fantastic stuff.

A little early for this, Komrade, but I'm game for a bit of fine tune discussion.

Toss-up between Air's 'Talkie Walkie' and Divine Comedy's 'Absent Friends' as to which has placed the bigger grin on my face. There's mere millimetres in it, folks.

There's a lot of goodness to come, though. After hearing 'Assessment', I am moist with anticipation of Beta Band's newie. Plus, next week I get to sample remixes from SFA, b-sides and oddness from Radiohead, and hopefully a Bright Eyes collabration album.

Can't... wait...

Have you heard the Scissor Sisters, then? I was wondering what you'd think of them.

I'm not really up to speed on pop culture but my sister told me about them and I thought they were rather groovy. I'll have to listen to the album some time.

Just found out Modest Mouse have a new album, downloading it now and I'm sure that'll be very high on my list of favourite albums for this year. Oh, and I haven't heard the Divine Comedy's new album yet but it should be darn good. I put a lot of faith into him as well as anything Inky says (the walkin' talkin' encyclopaedia of good musical taste is never wrong).

Franz Ferdinand looks like a big contender.

Ich heisse Superfantastisch!
Ich trinke Schampus und Lachsfisch!

So far I'd have to say Scarling's debut Sweet Heart Dealer.

But the real battle-axe of an album this year might end up being Rhapsody's new album

"Supported by appearances by more than a dozen international guest soloists and the entire Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra from the Czech Republic, a 50 piece choir as well as Christopher Lee - the grand seigneur of film and one of the most filmed actors in history, the "Dark Secret" as well as the yet untitled album will set the world of Symphonic Metal on fire."

Sounds very promising plus they are releasing a "mini-album" soon before the big one

look here for more...

Haven't listened to it much yet but impressions of new modest mouse album = teh suck.

Oooh, good point. We may have to raze some villages in celebration of that album.

Not heard as much as I'd like to. I've often been tempted to jam it on at work, but the blokes in charge can be a little sneering towards new music - or at least very hard to please. I'll find a quiet day, and give them the chance they deserve.

Alanity - if you like older DC (stuff like 'Promenade' or 'Casanova'), then you'll love 'Absent Friends'. Hannon's voice is just so fruity - like a silver bucket full of plums.

Mutilation - Franz Ferdinand I didn't like at first, but boy howdy are they growing on me. Also the new Von Bondies offering - a few storming numbers there.

Ooh, that's a reminder, I need to get my mitts on the Franz Ferdinand album. That's some addictive stuff.

lucky i spotted this thread, eh commie? backing you up (as always), i reckon the SS album roxors. schway funk rock and a bit of the old dancy tunes i thought i hated until i heard this album. but unfortuantely, my vote has to go for snow patrol. i just cant stop listening to the damn thing, and whilst jet have a sorta catchy sound, they seem to have just tried too hard to cover too many fields of music at once. the strokes room on fire was a huge let down (33 minutes long), and 12 memories by travis is just way too poppy for my tastes. and yes, i have bought all these albums for myself in the last few weeks... my poor noggin is in pain from all the new music... not to mention my poor stereo...

Guys if you like Franz Ferdinand rather than buying their album why don't you trace their roots back a bit and buy some better music?

Why not do both?

Because one is far superior to the other, therefore, in the broader sense of expanding musical horizons its more time economical to pursue the older stuff. Eventually it maybe good to come back to FF though, but there is alot of other stuff first.

But yeah, I'm being pretty forensic in this approach to listening to music

Aren't SOAD and NIN meant to be releasing albums this year? I'm pretty sure that NIN are.

All right, O ye who walks in the harsh light of musical superiority while we stumble in the darkness of mediocrity, exactly who of Franz Ferdinand's forebears would you recommend to us?

When was The Yeah Yeah Yeah's album released? It is a good one anyway.

And this is the best albumof 2004, not the best album by the "roots" of Franz Ferdinand

And those lines I mentioned I think me something like

"I am called Superfantastic
I eat salmon and something else"

Can someone help me?

Best Album of 2004? simple: Cirlce Takes The Square - As The Roots Undo

Wire are pretty cool

Care to elaborate on "pretty cool"?

Yes - specifically, have they released or will they release an album in 2004, and in what way did Franz Ferdinand evolve from them?

Art school punk, Komrade - the music scene is awash with the tunes of post-punk bands, both great and naff, that may or may not have influenced FF.

Wire are pretty great - 'I Am The Fly' and 'Dot Dash' I like plenty - but they are in no way identical to FF. Plus, they haven't released anything this year, and, to the best of my knowledge, they don't have any releases planned.

So? FF's album is a good 2004 release. None of Wire's albums are.

Solution? Buy the FF album, and Wire's 'Pink Flag', and let no more be said of it.

Now, more ontopic, a couple of days ago I noticed that Dame PJ of Harvey will be releasing a new long-player this year, as will The Artist Still Known As Morrissey. I await with intrigued ears.

No album for 2004, but if you recall that was'nt quite the point. Franz Ferdinand did'nt evolve from them, otherwise why would I preach that it would be better to listen to FF's roots and influences. More precisely, they influenced Franz Ferdinand, I would'nt say they evolved from them as the connection is not that strong and the word evolve suggests that FF would be better, with which I personally disagree.

Anyway, Wire's later work is reminiscent of FF's music but more importantly it's their approach to music as a whole, not separate instances of simmilarity.



I Was just answering someones question, I had no intention of talking about Wire in the first place and by no means did I say that they were identical or their only influence, I was just citing and example. Also Pink Flag is not really the era I mean I was thinking more "A Bell Is A Cup... Until It Is Struck".



That was this year? A challenger to Rhapsody then perhaps. That album certainly is extremely origional. Slowed down voice samples and the sound of people walking over shattered glass before shouting an existential rant against guitars that sound like more shattered glass? Gets my vote.

i revoke my earlier statement on the poor live ability of Franzy boys. I was present in the Queen Margaret Union last nite for their gig. Its right round the corner from where they live (Byers Road, west end glasgow, so there was no tour bus or anything, which amused my simple little mind). I wasnt actually at the concert, but the ventilation system of the place is just the "big hole right up through the wall" thing in all those fancy sixties schools that are abound in this damn country, and thusly i was able to listen in on the whole thing. from what i heard they were nowhere near as paltry as their NME performance, which was nice and all. so hooray for the local boys!

The temptation to bore the buttocks off people with this is very great. Who am I to resist?

Beta Band - 'Heroes To Zeros'

Best album of the year thus far.

There's many months to go yet, but it's in with a good shout for a top five placing at least. Bleedin' marvellous.

Gonna get lynched for this, but I'm going to keep whoring this album until someone listens to me:

"Underneath" by Hanson

Seriously. It really is awesome. But, what else would you expect from people who have been writing and harmonizing together since pre-pubescence?

It isn't out yet, but the preview tracks are amazing, and from previous releases I know it will be an amazing release.

"Once" from Nightwish

And, Missy, it is your taste and like in music, not another's, so there is no reason to be ashamed, paranoid, or having a fear of being lynched for YOUR taste and opinion in music.

Lynches Missy but good.



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Mhmm, someone told me about this, apparently its still the Nightwish we all know and love but a bit heavier

*goes to find out release date and track down a copy of his very own*

WHAt?! that cd is so good!!!!! you must be hard of hearing or something..

Bump! Gee, I'm all about the bumping this morning.

I had high hopes for The Cure, but I bought it recently and really can't like it. Now I'm just going to go back to my fantasy that they broke up after Bloodflowers...

Not great, is it? Disappointed, I was.

Also not great is the new Polyphonic Spree album, with songs such as 'It's The Sun Mk. 2', 'Hey Look! The Sun!', 'Whoop Sunny Sun', 'F@ck Me, It's The Sun!', and 'Is That The Sun In Your Pocket (Or Are You Pleased To See Me?)'. Fun at first, but ultimately samey.

Debut album by The Open shows promise, and the new Bees offering is quite tasty (though the singles are the best things on it - can't beat 'Wash In The Rain' for sheer hands-in-the-air joy). I'm sticking with Beta Band for now, thanks.

Best albums of 2004 were, for me:

Sikth - The Trees are Dead and Dried Out, Wait for Something Wild
- Just wonderfully diverse and interesting and fun.

AFI - Sing the Sorrow
- Suits every mood.

Wasn't SikTh last year? Correct me if I'm wrong...

New contender for the best of 2004 throne would be Modest Mouse with their simply wonderful 'Good News For People Who Love Bad News'. About time they got a proper release in this country. I've been simply unable to stop listening to it since I bought it, and now my girlfriend and co-workers are sick of hearing me bang on about them.

My faith in music has been restored. Rejoice!

They both were. That was me, in a moment of insanity. Or maybe even drunken-ness. Who knows, eh?

yup, modest mouse is at the top of my playlist currently. along with the streets 'a grand don't come for free' - not The Best Album, but amusing all the same.

"Piss Me Off" - The Libertines

One word: |>\/\/|\|Z()|2555><o|21!!!!!!111110|\|3

I must be a musical philistine as I like pretty much none of what's been recommended. FF are boring in my opinion but then post punk has never really been my thing.

The Scissor Sisters I agree with: they are funky and funny

Ed recommends Maroon 5's album. Apparently I'd really like it too. If I can prise it out of his hands and get to listen to it

Wtf is this post-punk you speak of? You mean after they stopped having good punk bands like The Clash and Sex Pistols?

I don't know Mutilation! Ask Inky!

Damn musical terminology. I always called the likes of Bauhaus "post-punk" - it seemed to me a catch-all term for bands whose roots were firmly grounded in punk but who couldn't actually be categorised as such, which in my opinion would include Franz Ferdinand.



That so, InKy? I'd been considering buying that, being as the only MM album I have is The Moon And Antarctica, but I'd heard from my official Modest Mouse correspondent (Alan) that it was a bit of a disappointment. Others have spoken differently, though, and now hearing it from you I'm near convinced.

Be wary, dear Komrade. I know near-enough chuff all about Modest Mouse. However, I can spot a great album when I hear one, and 'Good News...' ticks a lot of the right boxes.

As for post-punk, it is a meaningless catch-all term, just as Commie says. In fact, he described it perfectly well.

On the subject of meaningless terms, 'math rock' is how one is supposed to describe Dillinger Escape Plan. I'm buggered if I know what it means, but I do know that their new album, 'Miss Machine', is very good indeed.

I, however, couldn't spot a good album if I had a super charged spotting device with a good album autoaim hack. It takes me ages to end up liking a lot of my favourite albums... :/ Oddly enough The Moon and Antarctica was one of the ones that I loved straight away.

Listen to InKy!
Think about it, when I first heard Mew I couldn't get into it...

Maybe I should give Good News for people who love Bad News another listen.

I only found out about Miss Machine yesterday, how long's it been out? Gave it a listen and it was fun, but they really do need a more talented vocalist to go with the music, I'd love them to do another album/ep with Teh Almighty Patton. [edit: changed my mind after a proper listen, vocals are uber fun, like the rest of album]

Math rock's an odd term. I can kinda see how it fits DEP but it's been used to describe Slint of all bands...

My vote defitinitely goes to Aerosmit's "Honkin on Bobo." It's Aerosmith's return o their old bluesy stuff... awesome.

It's not been out long, really. Just over a month, tops. So not long at all after the date of your post. I've not been around much lately, have I?...

The album isn't a patch on the 'Irony Is A Dead Scene' EP they did with Patton, but some of the tracks still impressed me mightily.

On a recommendation tip, I have two that, whilst not exactly contenders for the Best Of 2004 crown, are certainly worth a listen for the right-minded person. Firstly, those who love low-key, jangly, cute indie-pop, Aberfeldy's 'Forever Young' is worth a shout. Cuter than a basket of kittens, and top-to-toe with catchy tunes. For the darker soul, the Mark Lanegan Band's 'Bubblegum' is a top bit of Tom Waits-esque mithering, with some quality guests that, almost inevitably, include Josh Homme and P J Harvey. Come to think of it, has there been a single major alterna-rock album released this year that hasn't featured la Harvey in one way or another?

ATTENTION COMMIE!!!

Best album of the year slot now belongs to Nick Cave and his wonderful double-album 'Lyre Of Orpheus/Abbatoir Blues'. Nice to see that, whilst the other big hitters of miserablism have let us down of late, the Cavemeister can still pull some truly breathtaking tunes out of the bag.

I can't recommend this album enough. It blew me away on first listen, and it's only been getting better since. BUY IT, DAMN YOU!

Way ahead of you, InKy - the mother bought it yesterday. I shall soon steal it from her and give it a listen. I'm going to go see him in November

My band played the RELEASE music fest with them at the start of August this year. They're really nice.

My vote is torn between The Rasmus' debut album and Maroon 5's Song's about Jane.

I'm really really really loving the new Green Day album. I seriously think it's the best work they've done.

I never thought I'd be saying such things about them - I've always enjoyed Green Day but never expected such things from 'em. Probably one of the most enjoyable things I've heard all year.

On a downer note, it sounds like their last album. It leaves you with this sad withdrawl (i.e - at the end of 'Homecoming'), like it's a finale. Most upsetting.