Best Album of 2004?

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alexvilagosh

War Child
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Is it anyones year #1 yet?

I'd have to say it might be, but it isn't yet. The Streets, Brian Wilson, Elliott Smith and Modest Mouse have released better albums this year, though I'm hoping this album grows. It isn't bad by any means, and I wouldn't say that I'm disappointed with it at all, I just don't have the same feeling about it as I did when I first got most of U2 albums, and albums by a number of other bands.
 
The Modest Mouse one would be close.....but MM's album wasn't that great compared to their previous albums.....my favorite this year is Around the Sun by R.E.M...it took a while to grown on me, but I don't think the new U2 album is as consistently strong as that one is. Granted, "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own", for example, blows anything on that album out of the water though.
 
It's #1 on Alan Light's list. He is sort of a critic who isn't afraid to like mainstream stuff. Whereas on most year end lists a lot of critics will throw some obscurity on there just to make it seem like they are in on something that the public isn't.

And Brian Wilson's album could have been him playing a didgeradoo for 45 mintues and the critics would lap it up. Sure, it might be good, if not great, but it's sort of the 'critical darling' right now.

It's probably going to get the same recognition that U2's other albums have gotten. They'll make the top 10 of Spin and Rolling Stone while the other rags that like to play pretentious won't mention it. Even JT and AB didn't make some critical lists. Not because of the music itself, but because of the band making the music, too mainstream, not distanced enough from the 'mainstream' or whatever. I hate pretentious indie hacks.
 
U2DMfan said:


And Brian Wilson's album could have been him playing a didgeradoo for 45 mintues and the critics would lap it up. Sure, it might be good, if not great, but it's sort of the 'critical darling' right now.

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He released two albums this year.....the first was a solo album that earned mediocre reviews.....then he released the finally completed Smile....so I wouldn't say that the critics would've liked anything he put out.

The album is definitely one of the year's best.....it's growing on me more with another listen...I don't think it is THE best of the year, but it definitely has a lot of 2004's best songs.
 
Of course it's the best album of 2004. It's the best album since the bloody Joshua Tree. Most music's total crap. There's a reason I mainly listen to U2.
 
BigMacPhisto said:


He released two albums this year.....the first was a solo album that earned mediocre reviews.....then he released the finally completed Smile....so I wouldn't say that the critics would've liked anything he put out.

The album is definitely one of the year's best.....it's growing on me more with another listen...I don't think it is THE best of the year, but it definitely has a lot of 2004's best songs.
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I meant SMiLE mind, I always forget about his more 'solo' album I guess you could call it.

I also agree with you on that second point. There are some great songs on the new album: Miracle Drug is awsome.

I would however disagree about Modest Mouse, but I can see where you are coming from. Good News... is very different from their previous stuff, so it is just a matter of taste I guess.
 
Are you people seroius? 2004?!?
If you're comparing this album with JT and AB, saying it's a masterpiece than it has to be one of the best albums of the decade (remember OK Computer)!! Don't even mention Franz Ferdinand or Modest Mouse, or even REM... (which is not very well recieved by the critics...)
 
i feel ive heard cobl before its amazing, oots is the beatles, vertigo, aboy and lpoe well rock and with that little extra bit of time it could have been the best album ever............. but it's in the top 30...............
 
Oh, hell yes. This is U2's best work since 1991. Nothing else on the market today can even COMPARE to the brilliance of HTDAAB.
 
best album of 2004?

for me, best album since 2000.

because it blows away my other favs, like coldplay's 2nd album and radiohead's last 2.
 
TheFlyOnTheWall said:
Are you people seroius? 2004?!?
If you're comparing this album with JT and AB, saying it's a masterpiece than it has to be one of the best albums of the decade (remember OK Computer)!! Don't even mention Franz Ferdinand or Modest Mouse, or even REM... (which is not very well recieved by the critics...)
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Daj idi že enkrat poslušat, drugač bom dal tak naglas, da boš do Hrvatske vse slišal:evil:
 
I think before you talk "best of 2004" you better give it at least a month of steady listening. The excitement of a new album can make it better than it is for a while. Listen to it, enjoy it, but don't think about "best" for a month or two.
 
indra said:
I think before you talk "best of 2004" you better give it at least a month of steady listening. The excitement of a new album can make it better than it is for a while. Listen to it, enjoy it, but don't think about "best" for a month or two.
Click to expand...

I think I can safely say the best of 2004. This has been the only album this year that I could consider giving an 'A', and I do consider some albums 'A+' so I am not heaping the highest praise on it. My other favs for the year have been 'A-' (Interpol, Wilco, Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse). I think it is the best album just because the competition is not high enough this year (no Radiohead, maybe next year).
 
Interpol's Antics has thus far been my favorite album this year, second place would be Brian Wilson's Smile. I guess I'll have to listen to this new U2 for a while and sit with it and digest it, and see how it sounds after a month, when the newness of it has worn off.
 
Well, I like U2's albums better than everyone elses, so it's my favorote of 2004 by default. Not only is it my favorite album of 204 though, it's one of my favorite albums ever by far.

Wheather it's technically the best album doesn't really matter much to me. But I do think this is the best of 2004. I don't think any other band has released an album without one weak track on it and so many single quality songs in 2004. We've got over half the album easily that's single quality, I don't know of any other band who have released an album that good this year!!!

We've got:

Vertigo
Miracle Drug
Sometimes
Love and Peace
Blinding Lights
ABOY
Species
Yaweh

All standouts tracks. And the ones I left out are still GOOD. But that's 8 out of 11 songs I'd say are single quality. That's amazing!
 
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Too early to say IMO, especially when we're all fans of the band as it can distort how you view their work in relation to other stuff.

But its a promising start as far as first few listens go.

There's been some fantastic stuff out this year though, especially from new bands like Kasabian. The Graham Coxon CD is superb, as is the Brian Wilson one, Green Day, Kings of Leon etc etc

Ask this again at the end of the year.
 
So far I would say this is not only my favorite album of this year, but it is probably the best album I have heard since OK Computer, probably better than that even.
 
I'll enjoy it, a lot, there is a very special relationship between myself and U2 music, but being objective, for me best album of 2004 is Wilco's A Ghost Is Born...

thinking that I'm leaving a side my 2 favorite bands: U2 and Interpol
 
OK, full day of absorbtion and some thoughts...

1st, it's ok to download and open your presents early as long as you appreciate them. I knew I was getting a mini-bike when I was 13, but I knew it was a stretch for my old man to get it for me. My appreciation for what he did was not displaced by appreciating it early. As a Dad, that appreciation grows every day.

I appreciate the concern that we are hurting the pockets of others and if t was a realistic one, i'd be concerned too. There is not one person that won't be buying this cd/album/dvd that is viewing this site. I will be getting all three and every single and will attend at least 2 shows.

2nd Yes, it is IMO the best of not only 2004, perhaps this decade.
I'm not sure if it will pass my feelings about ATYCLB...ask me in a year. Current list as a Fan since 1980:
1. ATYCLB
2. AB
3. HTDAAB
4. War
ATYCLB is special musically, but for many ...spiritually. I can't imagine a piece of art more suitable for the time the world was going through. From NY, to Walk On to Peace on Earth...never mind that the album cover and artwork was all about Air travel~

3. Fav song, SYCMIOYO...so far. ABOY is really fun and Vertigo is already in the top 25...for me~ I also like AMAAW, was Ali the girl next door do you suppose...I love when there is a "brown eyed girl" reference.
More thoughts to come...
 
One of the best of the decade

This album is so good it's like Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. The entire album is good from beginning to end. It's my second fav U2 album.

I listen to lots of British Bands mainly because they remind of me of what U2 can do, except U2 still is that extra notch better.

Chris Martin WILL definately have to worry about how their new album will fare in competition.

Those Rolling Stone bastards are trying to come out with a tour to take the limelight from U2, but do they have an album from even their hay days that compares to U2's best? No. Of course not.

I can see Mick Jagger and Bono in old age and in wheelchairs racing each other in the bar just like that movie Intermission! :)
 
There were lost of really, really good albums released this year, if you are willing to dig beyond the dreck played on most radio stations. I can't stop listening to the Franz Ferdinand album, Elvis Costello released one of his best records in a long time, and right now I'm listening to "Genius Loves Company" by Ray Charles (duets with a bunch of other musical geniuses like Van Morrison, completed shortly before Ray died.) I'll probably end up putting HTDAAB on top of my list at the end of the year, but I don't think someone is necessarily crazy if they don't.
 
Is it the best of all time?

Hey I downloaded late Saturday night cause I'm a fan and the album Rocks! but I'm still going to buy the album
I listened to the album several times and I have to say it is amazing. I'm starting to beleive when U2 said this may be there best album yet. That is way too early to say but I am really getting into the songs. It feels like I'm back in the JT days and it's only 4 days into this album. It's like a drug, I can't get enough of it. I like all 11 tracks even Vertigo sounds better and I can see why they put that one out as there first single. But another one which is becoming my favourite is "City of blinding light" Its reminscent of "where the street have no name" The way it build ups is incredible, and Edge is at is best, I love it and it definately doesn't hurt that it is the longest song on the album, I think 5:31. Alot of Songs are reminscent of JT and older stuff. I can see why Bono said this is very much Edges album as you can pretty well hear him in every song. He is just amazing and I have been waiting since AB for Edges masterfull return. Then theres "sometimes u can't make it on your own" If you have children or someone you really care about it you will definately feel this one. "Because of you" also rocks as Edge really struts it. Then there is "Original of the species" which again u can feel the the music and the words. I think I could go on and on. I recommend you buy the album as soon it come out! Hopefully there release it earlier so everyone can get.
And in the world today with all the crap , this album makes you feel there is still hope for us yet. The HTDAAB is the perfect name for this album. U2 rules! They by far are the greatest Rock band to walk the earth!
 
If this doesnt win album of the year at the Grammys 2 years from now nothing will.
 
I think if U2 is your favorite band, you might be biased too negatively or positively against the new album to declare it a best of CD of 2004. Thats just my opinion. I'm just realizing this now in terms of my own opinions of U2. :(

Otherwisw, I wouldn't know where to declare it on my Top 10 list b/c I haven't been listening to a lot of what came out in 2004. My list would get skewed b/c I've been buying albums that came out in 2003 and oldies such as Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Clapton, etc.,
 
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