It seems as though 2004 had a little something for every listener. Whether you favored the street-savvy old-school flash of the Beastie Boys' latest or spent hours crying yourself to sleep to Morrissey's newest slab of weepy alternative musings, 2004 left music fans with a wide variety of alternatives to choose from. The following list gives a sample of the diverse sounds the past year bestowed upon listeners, where legends such as Brian Wilson and the Velvet Underground shared the limelight with newcomers such as The Streets. So cheers to the year in music 2004, and to hopefully more of the same to come in 2005.
1. Brian Wilson – Smile
Beach Boys fans around the world knew they were in for something good with the release of Smile, Brian Wilson's first album in six years. Rehashed from pieces of an abandoned Beach Boys record, Smile is a glorious return to form from one of the true visionaries of pop music songwriting. The album may be rooted in 1967, but the music hasn't aged a bit.
2. Beastie Boys – To the 5 Boroughs
The Beastie Boys have never made much of a career out of taking themselves seriously. But with To the 5 Boroughs, the Beasties put all laughing aside and go straight for the jugular. The record is quite the departure from the grandiose experimentation that characterized the bulk of their 1990s output, preferring old-school hip hop lyrics layered over stripped-down beats. The result is not only one of the year's best releases, but also one of it's most important.
3. Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse
When Sonic Youth released its groundbreaking double album Daydream Nation back in 1988, there was no telling where the band would go from there. But 16 years later, Sonic Youth still stands as one of the most dauntingly innovative bands in rock history. Sonic Nurse shows that while the band has made redefining rock 'n' roll's boundaries its trademark, it still never ceases to surprise and amaze listeners with its brash art-rock style.
4. Modest Mouse – Good News For People Who Love Bad News
Kind of a safe one, I know. Still there's little room for arguing that Modest Mouse hasn't deserved the acclaim its latest effort has brought. The band hit the skids for a bit following frontman Isaac Brock's various run-ins with the law. In spite of it all, the band managed to release a record that stands as its most accomplished to date, cementing its current standing as indie rock's crossover golden boys.
5. Velvet Underground — Live at Max's Kansas City (Deluxe Edition)
Legend holds that this record accounts for Lou Reed's last two shows with the Velvets, and the mystery surrounding such a claim alone warrants giving the record a listen. The album stands as a bittersweet documentation of a legendary band coming to the end of its road. The sound quality is somewhat muddled and murky, but when you're talking about the Velvet Underground would you have it any other way?
6. Morrissey — You Are the Quarry
No artist has managed to turn bitching and moaning into a subtle art form quite like Morrissey, and after seven years between releases, it's funny how much you come to miss it. In a scene where rock music is dominated by overly elaborate macho bravado and thuggish posturing, Quarry scores one for the nice guys. As usual, the Mozzer wears his heart firmly on his sleeve and leaves it completely open for pain and bruising.
7. Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards — Viking
With the Bastards' rollicking self-titled 2000 debut, Lars Frederiksen proved there was fun to be had outside of Rancid's Clash-like punk rock leanings. Viking alternates between hard-driving, mile-a-minute battle cries and more traditional rough and tumble rock 'n' roll influences. Frederiksen may be the walking personification of the punk-rock spirit, but Viking does wonders toward exposing the gifted songwriter behind the hardcore image.
8. The Streets — A Grand Don't Come For Free
Mike Skinner might seem like your typical English bloke upon first glance, but beneath the pale, dopey-eyed exterior lies a lyrical boy wonder with the beats to back it up. Working under the alias The Streets, Skinner spits out 11 tracks of hip hop, rock and electronica that push the limits of the genre's conventions into new arenas.
9. Joey Cape/Tony Sly — Acoustic
Joey Cape and Tony Sly may front two of the most bankable punk bands around — Lagwagon and No Use For a Name, respectively — but with the aptly titled Acoustic, the two unplug their amps without sacrificing any of the intensity. The album finds each filing six of their band's best songs down to their barest elements, offering slowed down versions of souped up Cali-punk classics.
10. Medeski, Martin & Wood — End of the World Party (Just in Case)
New York's finest freewheeling jazz aficionados look to the future with Party, a record that meshes the trio's penchant for interpretive jazz with high-tech synthesizers and sampling. It's a little of the old school combined with the new, allowing for an ambitious groove record destined to keep listeners on their toes.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Dec. 9 2004.