my favorite music of 2003
apart from the top five i can't really rave about 2003, the big exception being the reissues. (given my fondness for the old stuff and given the fact that my music budget, while bloated, is not unlimited, i was pretty conservative with new releases.) chronological classics started up a rhythm and blues offshoot a couple years ago and they are putting out some real gems. if you like joe turner you'll like jimmy witherspoon. good mid-sized band boogie woogie from bull moose jackson. the elly ameling box has some old friends but i would have preferred, say, schoenberg's "gigerlette" to any of the godawful showtunes. there are some excellent smallgroup strayhorn arrangements on the ellington disc. the clean: loopy happy indiepop. it was interesting to hear some of that weird early moles stuff, but what a poor reissue job - esp compared with what flydaddy did with untune the sky just a few years ago. the notes are crap, and wouldn't it have been nice to hear more of the live stuff?
the top 5
belle and sebastian, dear catastrophe waitress
broken social scene, you forgot it in people
cat power, you are free
the fall, country on the click
m ward, transfiguration of vincent
the rest
aspera, oh fantastica
bluebottle kiss, come across
david bowie, reality
califone, quicksand/cradlesnakes
crooked fingers, red devil dawn
deerhoof, apple o
mandible chatter, of foreign lands and people
the mink lungs, i'll take it
my morning jacket, it still moves
the new pornographers, electric version
the oranges band, all around
quasi, hot shit
the rectifiers, wear the weight of the resting sky
the sea and cake, one bedroom
the sleepy jackson, lovers
super furry animals, phantom power
gillian welch, soul journey
yo la tengo, summer sun
eps
and you will know us by the trail of dead, the secret of elena's tomb
machine translations, love on the vine
mid-state orange, summer in disguise
the sea & cake, glass
the sleepy jackson, vampire racecourse
stereolab, instant 0 in the universe
reissues
elly ameling, the artistry of elly ameling
david bowie, aladdin sane
the clean, the clean anthology
elvis costello, get happy!!
elvis costello, trust
duke ellington, 1951 (chronological classics)
the fall, fall in a hole
the fall, words of expectation
wynonie harris, 1950-1952 (chronological classics)
bull moose jackson, 1945-1947 (chronological classics)
jackie mclean, jackie's bag
the moles, on the street/rare and weird
sonic youth, dirty
the stems, mushroom soup
stereolab, abc music
television, marquee moon
television, adventure
jimmy witherspoon, 1947-1948 (chronological classics)
v/a, american splendor soundtrack
v/a, the best of king gospel
v/a, combo vocal groups vol 3
v/a, tales from the australian underground
the festive ones
song of the year: the fall, theme from sparta fc
m ward, helicopter
quasi, good time rock n roll
cat power, he war
broken social scene, kc auto
grandaddy, now it's on
outkast, hey ya!
my morning jacket, magheeta
yo la tengo, little lies
the sleepy jackson, vampire racecourse
the sea & cake, echo in
the sea & cake, sound & vision
chocolate genius, ain't that peculiar
deerhoof, dummy discards a heart
super furry animals, venus & serena
lilys, will my lord be gardening
dizzee rascal, stop dat
