WILCO “A GHOST IS BORN ” (Nonesuch)

What we said... not a lot actually. It’s not our fault when record labels don’t send us review copies and then by the time we all buy it it’s too late to review!! It just reminds us of how small we really are (as a website or in the philosophical sense - you choose.) Still, it’s a cracking album, some say more leftfield than its controversial predecessor, some say more accessible, but regardless showing more of Jeff Tweedy’s recurring knack for writing songs that never sound over-produced or laboured (even at 10 mins long as some are here) but still inject enough originality into the country rock/pop genre for it to be distinctive and striking. A predictable album of the year maybe, but only because Tweedy and the band are so predictably exceptional.

2. Richmond Fontaine “Post to Wire” (El Cortez) What we said: “Post to Wire truly benefits from listening to in one sitting, with minimum distractions. If it has taken them ten years to deliver this record then it was worth the wait.”

3. Tom Waits “Real Gone” (Anti) What we said: “Just because Real Gone contains some of his most direct social commentary to date, Waits has by no means “sobered up” He’s still got it.”

4. Nels Andrews “Sunday Shoes” (Little Kiss) What we said: “Stunning debut of dreamers tales and desert longing from Albuquerque songwriter... Andrews has crafted ten elegantly sparse, subtlely ethereal and ferociously intelligent songs.”



5. Drive By Truckers “Dirty South” (New West) What we said: Nothing, but Amazon said: “While previous Southern rock bands have celebrated certain regional mythologies, this quintet revels in the towering glory of small, gritty realities.”

6. Justin Rutledge “No Never Alone” (Shady Lane) What we said: “Amazing debut from Canadian who seems to have slipped in through the Alt Country back door. I know that organic production values are ‘in’ these days, but I doubt I have ever heard it pulled off so well.”



7. American Music Club “Love Songs for Patriots” (Cooking Vinyl) What we said: “For the uninitiated, there is an inherent difficulty finding comparisons for this band. This is the new barometer folks, the measure by which all Americana will now be judged.”

8. Bonnie Prince Billy “Sings Greatest Palace Music” (Domino) What we said: “It's about as light years away as you could get from his most recent recording but still manages to feel as integral and important - a feat for someone with a single identity, let alone three.”



9. Will Johnson “Vultures Await” (Munich) What we said: “Getting to the top and admiring not just how you got there and how beautiful it is, but also what an achievement it is.”

10. Quiet Loner “Secret Ruler of the World” (Circus 65) What we said: “Maybe it’s being so familiar with half the songs already, maybe it’s Hill’s warm intensity, maybe it’s just a cracking album - On this evidence, the UK americana scene has never felt so healthy.”

11. Sufjan Stevens “Seven Swans” (Rough Trade) Again, not something we reviewed but the very reliable Pitchfork said of the record: “A gifted musician to begin with, Sufjan invites not our religious conversions, but our innate human compassion.”

12. Redlands Palomino Co. “By The Time You Hear This... We’ll Be Gone” (Laughing Outlaw) What we said: “Conviction, Love and Credibility are three qualities so sadly lacking in so much British country influenced music, and yet here is a London based Anglo-Welsh band with a deep knowledge of folk, country, blues and 60’s rock.”

13. Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter “Oh, My Girl” (Fargo) What we said: “If it was a photograph it would be Robert Mitchum walking away down a drying street at two in the morning (black and white of course). It is, quite simply, wonderful.”



14. Steve Earle “The Revolution Starts Now” (Artemis) It’s shameful indeed that we didn’t review this probably because we were all too busy enjoying it - Amazon said: “Putting paid to the theory that country music is the home of all things right wing, Earle has put together an album that acts as a musical equivalent of Fahrenheit 9/11.”

15. Paul Westerberg “Folker” (Vagrant) What we said: “There is a joyous feeling of celebration that you might expect from a veteran going through a creative and critical resurrection.”



16. Modest Mouse “Good News for People Who Love Bad News” (Epic) Another one we didn’t catch, but Amazon said: “The prevailing mood is that Modest Mouse has pulled off something extraordinary here: a well-rounded, lovable record that doesn't sound anything like David Gray.”

17. Camper Van Beethoven “New Roman Times” (Cooking Vinyl) What we said: “Ultimately it contains everything you could possibly want from an album, excellent performances, wry lyrics and a grandiose theme.”




18. Hayden “Elk Lake Serenade” (Loose) What we said: “Canadian singer songwriter comes up with a beautiful collection of haunting and understated songs.”

19. Giant Sand “It’s All Over the Map” (Thrill Jockey) What we said: “These songs have the feeling of being recorded on the fly like a journal rather than a collection of short stories - the maverick outsider spirit still strong in the man after some 30+ records - lets hope it remains so.”


20. Dolorean “Violence in the Snowy Fields” (Yep Roc) What we said: “This, their third album, is a fine collection of well-crafted songs with a lush production, no lofi here.”

21. Alison Krauss and Union Station “Lonely Runs Both Ways” (Rounder)

22. Elliott Smith “From a Basement on the Hill” (Domino)

23. Chris Stamey “Travels in the South” (Yep Roc)

24. Obi “Diceman Lopez” (Cooking Vinyl)

25. Laura Veirs “Carbon Glacier” (Bella Union)

26. Franz Ferdinand “Franz Ferdinand” (Domino)

27. Bill Mallonee “Dear Life” (Fundamental)

28. Arcade Fire “Funeral” (Rough Trade)

29. Andrew Morgan “Misadventures in Radiology” (Broken Horse)

30. Stuart Rosh and the Geniuses “Accept No Imitations” (Winged Flight)

31. Shearwater “Winged Life” (Fargo)

32. Saucy Monkey “Turbulence” (Olivoil)

33. Gabriel Minnikin “Hard Feelings” (Independent)

34. Matthew Sweet “Kimi Ga Suki” (Racm)

35. Mark Olson “Political Manifest” (Glitterhouse)

36. Ladybug Transistor “Ladybug Transistor” (Track and Field)

37. Joanna Newsom “The Milk Eyed Mender” (Drag City)

38. Rod Picot “The Girl from Arkansas” (The Orchard)

39. Nellie McKay “Get Away from Me” (Columbia)

40. Loomer “Love is a Dull Instrument” (Independent)

41. Dan Wylie “Ramshackle Beauty” (Measured)

42. Chasing Dorotea “Chasing Dorotea” (Stereo Test Kits)

43. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings “BARK” (True North)

44. Marah “20,000 Streets Under the Sky” (Munich)

45. Anna McCue “Roll” (Cooking Vinyl)

46. Unbunny “Snow Tires” (Hidden Agenda)

47. Grand Drive “The Lights in This Town are Too Many to Count” (Gravity)

48. The Sadies “Favourite Colours” (Yep Roc)

49. Midlake “Bamnan and Slivercork” (Bella Union)

50. Al Phoenix “I’ve Been Gone: Letter One” (Glitterhouse)

Editor’s Review of 2004

After the horror of armchair generals grinning from ear to ear over what they perceived to be a successful and highly lucrative war in 2003, there was a feeling that things really could only get better in 2004 - we didn’t bargain of course on President Bush winning quite so resounding a fresh election victory and mandate (despite the authenticity of the result growing ever more questionable) and Iraq descending into quite such a quagmire that it now finds itself in. The people responsible will face their own just deserts we can only hope in years to come, but at least we can console ourselves in the meantime with 2004 having been one of the better years for americana and the arts in general.

On television in the UK, Peep Show proved that Channel Four comedy was alive and kicking, and along with Shameless, gave you a good reason for staying in for at least two nights in the week - or at least setting the video/Tivo. The third series of Smallville was as ridiculous and electrifyingly exciting as you’d expect, while the third series of Six Feet Under was the exact opposite, perhaps even a little dissapointing.

Cinema in 2004 was absolutely cracking, with perhaps one of the finest music related films ever made kickstarting the year, A Mighty Wind beginning where Spinal Tap left off and every bit as essential. Other highlights included the highly stylised The Dreamers, the disturbingly open ended Capturing the Friedmans and of course the excellent Fahrenheit 9/11 which was only as polemic as it needed to be, and on the basis of Kerry’s record vote (save Bush’s of course) almost did the trick.

A huge thank you to all the writers who’ve contributed to the site during the past 12 months - it goes without saying the site wouldn’t exist without them - and particularly to Barry for keeping things afloat during my escapades to America. Thank you to you too, whether you visit the site regularly, subscribe to the compilation albums or have donated a small amount of money - it’s all very much appreciated. And because I can’t help myself finally, here’s my own personal top ten albums of 2004. All the best for the New Year.

1. Obi “Diceman Lopez” (Cooking Vinyl)
2. Mark Olson and the Creekdippers “Political Manifest” (Glitterhouse)
3. Bonnie Prince Billy “Sings Greatest Palace Music” (Domino)
4. Daniel Wylie “Ramshackle Beauty” (Measured)
5. Unbunny “Snow Tires” (Hidden Agenda)
6. Quiet Loner “Secret Ruler of the World” (Circus 65)
7. Sodastream “Minor Revival” (Fortuna Pop)
8. Midlake “Bamnan and Silvercork” (Bella Union)
9. Gabriel Minnikin “Hard Feelings” (Independent)
10. The Sadies “Favourite Colours” (Yep Roc)