A Century of Music

[Unsomnambulist]

Yesterday and today have been getting through my 2004 playlist
In addition to singles/album tracks by Arcade Fire, Franz Ferdinand, Green Day, and The Killers that will come up again on album listens, have heard the pop singles of the year by artists like The Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dog, M.I.A., Gwen Stefani, Eminem, The Streets, Usher, and Ciara
(re: Ciara - I was intrigued in watching the Super Bowl what possibly Ciara and Roger Goodell could be possibly discussing in the luxury box watching the game (Ciara's husband QB Russell Wilson was between them looking like he wanted to escape)

Yes, but how does she feel about being named after boner pills?

Oh sorry, that's Cialis.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Yesterday's 2004 albums:

Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
The Killers - Hot Fuss (2004)
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004)
Green Day - American Idiot (2004)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

And today's 2004 albums:

Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)
Brian Wilson - Smile (2004)
Madvillain - Madvillany (2004)
Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News (2004)

I'm curious what @Ojai Sam (probably our biggest Beach Boys fan) thought when Brian Wilson presented his version of Smile (and also when the Smile Sessions came out as a box set years after that). As one of those mythical unreleased album that was suspected in the 60s to be the best thing ever, was it better to keep the idea of the album in one's head or to get a final product that (while clearly not what it would've been originally) to me is a bit underwhelming. I guess if the original Smile had been released, THAT would have been the forum for "Good Vibration" and "Heroes and Villains" so maybe I'm marking it down a bit unfairly as those songs are known as released in other forums. Still, sometimes the myth is greater that the reality.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (2004)
The Black Keys - Rubber Factory (2004)

Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus is a TREMENDOUS album - I mean, I'm not sure Nick Cave has made a bad album, but I love this one (and am not sure it gets the credit that many earlier albums do)
I actually enjoy a ghost is born more than many other Wilco albums - perhaps because it's more guitar based
Rubber Factory is perhaps the best of the early bluesy Black Keys work. How you feel about Brothers and everything that follows may elevate this to their best album

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

As the years have progressed during this series, I have listened to less albums for each year - back in the 1960s, say, I might spin 20 albums for the year. This year 2004, I'm stopping with 8. Of course, part of this might be a bias for my love of 60s/70s music, but most of it, I assure you, is a combination of longer album formats taking longer to get through and a busier schedule at work - I still want to keep to the one week per year format

This year though I think I hit most of the highpoints even with 11 albums - some incredible albums this year but IMO not as deep a year. I mean, sure, I could break out The Streets or decent but not essential albums by U2, The Libertines, or Morissey, but I think I'll finish the year with an excellent 11 albums and move on (meanwhile, inspired by Smile) I'm spending my Friday afternoon playing a Beach Boys comp

 

[axolotl]

Rubber Factory is perhaps the best of the early bluesy Black Keys work. How you feel about Brothers and everything that follows may elevate this to their best album

Ima gunna treat the two albums as the best of (or, at least penultimate of) each period in the duo's progression.

Just because they never changed basic personnel doesn't mean they don't get the pass that some groups do. I'm looking at you, Meatwood Flac.

I may make further insights available later, or maybe I won't. Happy to touch on this exciting topic.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Because of my sporadic listening (to go along with a sporadic weather-affected work schedule), took 2-3 days to get through my 2005 playlist
Today, was able to tackle some albums of that year:

The Decemberists - Picaresque (2005)
Kanye West - Late Registration (2005)
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise (2005)
The National - Alligator (2005)

I joined the MG in 2009, and there is no doubt that the years right before that formed a kind of musical dead zone where, though I later was exposed to the music of certain years, I'm not sure I developed the love or affinity of some of those years as I would, say, earlier or later years when I was listening to a lot more contemporary music

So it's a challenge when I come to a year like 2005 - it seems on perusing my listening options of this year that it's just not that deep a year but it could just be one of those years which I never developed passion for because of later exposure to the music. I dunno though - I typically have gotten through recent years spinning 10-15 albums. After I get through some undisputed big albums of the year (Kanye, Sufjan, Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem) and add a couple of faves like the Decemberists, I just find it hard to come up with even a list of 10 that I get excited about. I mean Coldplay's X&Y...meh. The National while highly regarded has always left me empty (remembering Shallowgal who adored them back in the day). Fiona Apple or M.I.A. - maybe, some good stuff there. But overall a lot of decent but not tremendous albums by groups who have done better (e.g. White Stripes, Spoon, New Pornographers, Beck entries from the year all come to mind).
Would feel guilty not spinning 10 albums from this week, but not sure I'm gonna. Good thing is 2006 for me at least is a more exciting year.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

@Zeeba Neighba, are you sure you didn't sign-up in 2008? I have my sign-up date recorded as 2/11/2008. 13 years and 7 days.

I think we both came from eMusic.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

@Zeeba Neighba, are you sure you didn't sign-up in 2008? I have my sign-up date recorded as 2/11/2008. 13 years and 7 days.

I think we both came from eMusic.

Nope definite about 2009 - I actually didn't come from eMusic. I was on a Disney vacation with family and was trying to find a site that did an Album Club akin to book clubs and came upon the MG doing the old album club
I joined last.fm soon after and my first last.fm stats were in late May 2009

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday (2005)
Antony & The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now (2005)
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem (2005)

A pretty good day so far continuing with 2005 music - forgot about The Hold Steady and the beautiful, haunting I Am A Bird Now when I was surveying my options yesterday

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

A couple more 2010 albums:

Gorillaz - Demon Days (2005)
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (2005)

I wonder if the reason I don't break out Fiona Apple's fine 2005 offering more often is because the agapanthus flower on the cover reminds me of teeth

 

[axolotl]

I wonder if the reason I don't break out Fiona Apple's fine 2005 offering more often is because the agapanthus flower on the cover reminds me of teeth

Certainly bad orthodontia there.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

A couple more 2010 albums:

Gorillaz - Demon Days (2005)
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (2005)

I wonder if the reason I don't break out Fiona Apple's fine 2005 offering more often is because the agapanthus flower on the cover reminds me of teeth

I always get Fiona confused with Gwyneth Paltrow. Have they ever been photographed in the same room together?

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

^
Fiona's quite the slacker - 5 studio albums in 25 years
Like a lot of 2020 things, I had no realized that she released her 5th album last year, her first in 8 years (!). Gotta remember to check it out (got good reviews)

 

[axolotl]

I always get Fiona confused with Gwyneth Paltrow. Have they ever been photographed in the same room together?

I never would get those two mixed up.

It must be the exploding hoohah candles, whatever that means.

 

[Nickyboy]

I never would get those two mixed up.

It must be the exploding hoohah candles, whatever that means.

You're thinking of salmon.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

 

[axolotl]

^ I hope you'll remember this photo.

Fee-apple doesn't fall far from the Paltree.

Granted, the above is not my best work.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Instead of Gwyneth, Fiona Apple always reminded me of a happier Alanis Morissette (granted a rare thing)

 

[axolotl]

Instead of Gwyneth, Fiona Apple always reminded me of a happier Alanis Morissette (granted a rare thing)

I could imagine that amalgam, Dr. Moreau.