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 albums of 2004
Ten of the best, in no particular order…
 The FutureheadsThe Futureheads Yelping like dogs on heat from one blast of jaunty guitar pop to the next, this Sunderland quartet deserve their acclaim. It’s hardly varied, but the catchy refrains and punctuated arrangements have a charm that grows.  the futureheads review watch decent days and nights video listen to carnival kids Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand Not much left to be said about the band who’ve made 2004 their own. But no amount of hype in the pages of NME should divert us from the fact that they’ve created a cracking debut. Just ignore the trousers franz ferdinand reviewwatch take me out videolisten to auf asche MadvillainMadvillainy The multi-monikered dream team that is Madlib and MF Doom deliver the best hip-hop album of the year. Full of ingenuity, fun and funk in equal measures. madvillain reviewwatch all caps video The Black KeysRubber Factory Proof that you can get away with revisiting old styles, you just have to be extremely good at it. This fuzzed-out bluesy rock duo from Ohio pick up where the likes of Free and Led Zep left off and, by jiminy, it works a treat. the black keys reviewlisten to 10 am automatic The EarliesThese Were... This Anglo/American partnership use everything from bassoons to drum machines to create their lush cinematic soundscapes. Part Polyphonic Spree, part Flaming Lips, part Boards Of Canada. Delicious. the earlies reviewthe earlies interviewlisten to morning wonder Secret MachinesNow Here Is Nowhere While endless garage rockers daren’t stray past the three-minute threshold, this NYC trio are striding forth into epic rock territory, and making it sound really rather cool. Floyd and Led Zep diehards take note, here’s something new to try. secret machines reviewlisten to nowhere again The Eighties B-Line Matchbox DisasterThe Royal Society Coming on like Addams Family rejects crawling from the swamp, the Brighton four-piece build on the acclaim of their growly debut with this advanced lesson in swaggering horrorbilly. Let ‘em blow out your cobwebs. the eighties matchbox b-line disater reviewlisten to rise of the eagles Joy ZipperAmerican Whip With the original 2003 release delayed by label politics, this slice of skewed boy/girl guitar pop was definitely worth the wait. Produced by My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields, its hooky melodies, tender harmonies and woozy production have an otherworldly quality. joy zipper reviewjoy zipper sessionlisten to christmas song AdemHomesongs One of the leaders of the UK folk renaissance, ex-Fridge member and Four Tet pal Adem Ilhan’s solo debut wraps you up in a sonic duvet. It’s comforting and cosy singer-songwriting, but with just enough edge to keep it interesting. adem interview and sessionadem reviewlisten to adem interview feature TV On The RadioDesperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes This dense, dark and daring debut, once again from New York, is surprising at every turn. One minute it’s menacing synth rock, next minute it’s barbershop. Nobody else sounds like this. tv on the radio reviewlisten to staring at the sun
Alastair Lee
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related info
 useful linkswww.franzferdinand.co.uk stones throw: madvillain www.theblackkeys.com www.theearlies.com www.thesecretmachines.com www.lickingfingers.com www.joyzipper.tv www.dominorecordco.com
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see also
music  music archive Watch music sessions and interviews from 2002 to 2008. books  books and comics archive Author interviews and reviews from 2002 to 2008. |
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