The Official Best of 2003 Thread

Suprised they did not make the cut, 'Everything must go' probably my favourite album this year.

OOhh now then:
I've flogged to death the following:
Nelly Furtado - Folklore
Goldfrapp - Black Cherry
Global Underground 25 - Deep Dish

Best sporting moment: Obvious!
Best Tv: West Wing
Best hifi move: Mains spurs (LOL)

This is really, really hard to pick one favorite. It was a great year in music.

Best, any category: Sun Kil Moon- Ghost of the Great Highway (recent purchase, but quickly a fav)

Best, Seattle metro: Pretty Girls Make Graves- The New Romance (a 6/10 the first week, based on the brilliance of their previous release and my expectations, but now a solid 9/10)

Best, greater Pacific NW: M. Ward- Transfiguration of Vincent

Overall, I think it was a tremendous year for folky indie music- M. Ward, Cat Power, Songs: Ohia, Sun Kil Moon, Po' Girl, etc. Each of these artists is a great opportunity for the classic (acoustic) rock crowd to try something new.

Lyric: Any from Drive-By Truckers' "Decoration Day"
TV: Coverage of the Iraqi Information Minister
Sports Event: Tour de France
Sportsman: Lance Armstrong
Biggest disappointment: The lies to justify the war in Iraq
Thread: Need a private CD dealer (cheapo Vietnam or similar)
Poster: Berlin Fritz

Albums of the year
Sixtoo - Antagonist Survival Kit
Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain
Prefuse73 - Extinguished: Outtakes
Hymie's Basement - Hymie's Basement
Nephlim Modulation Systems - Woe To Thee O Land Whose King Is A Child

TV of the year
Peep Show
Little Britain

Album of the Year

Tord Gustavson Trio - Changing Places

Candidate for sacking of the year - Gerard Houllier

Knob of the year - GWB.

Colin Lorenson

Best Feet
Tie- Steve Dempster/Tom Alves

Best Penmanship
Matt Robinson

Best Brinksmanship
Markus Sauer

Best Poetic Justice
Tuan Nguyen/Nait 5i

Best application of Keynesian Economics
Alex B's system

Best Monday Morning BM
Mike Hanson

Best last name
Craig Best

Best at saying "we got the oil" whilst keeping a straight face
Mick Parry

Best audio purchase to come from way out of left field
Alco Koerts/Sonneteer Campion

Best TV moment
Cancelling my cable

Worst tuner moment
Cancelling my cable

Best use of caps lock
tie: PAUL VENEBLES/LEEHYAMS@BTINTERNET

I'm too lazy to come up with a "best of" in multiple categories, plus, I don't believe in the ranking of human endeavors in relation to geo-solar cycles, plus, even if I did there's never one best of anything.

However ...

One album keeps rising to the top, and I feel sufficiently moved to call it the best of 2003 (such as 2003 is) in any genre, as well as the best of her career:

Rickie Lee Jones - The Evening Of My Best Day

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike Sae:
_Best Feet_
Tie- Steve Dempster/Tom Alves

_Best Penmanship_
Matt Robinson

_Best Brinksmanship _
Markus Sauer

_Best Poetic Justice_
Tuan Nguyen/Nait 5i

_Best application of Keynesian Economics_
Alex B's system

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Not that I'm biased, but surely the funniest most erudite and in demand had to be one 'Minky' who, when forcibly ejected from the forum was reinstated amid claims of foul play and 'hunting with the hares and running with the hounds'

And my greatest (or infamous depending on your point of view) must have been the Naim equipment burial post.

Merry Xmas and god bless cos my 250 Mk 2 arrives before the hols.

A late entry- post of the year Tom Alves in:
http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=67019385&f=58019385&m=5671917786&r=2121916886#2121916886

"Be my lover, don't cause me pain, just play me John Coltrane"

quote:

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Originally posted by alexgerrard:
Poster (madder than a bag of irate squirrels) : that homeopath chap

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Surely he was a troll, and therefore not eligible for this award? On the other hand, I wouldn't dream of asking for it back - I value my life!

Best Lp(s):

Calexico-Feast of Wire
Belle & Sebastian-Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Shins-Chutes too Narrow
(I can’t choose)

Best song:

I’m a Cuckoo-Belle & Sebastian

Best beer:

De Dolle Bos Keun

Best Sports Event:

Tour de France

Best TV:

I don’t have one and that’s the best

Best New Poster:

Berlin Fritz

Best Hi-Fi addition:

Linn LP12-ARO-Armageddon

(2nd place goes to SBLs)

Best Auto Drive:

North Cascades Highway
California-Oregon Coast

The Pitchfork Top 50 is out now. They totally copied my list ;-)

Matthew

quote:

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:
I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my soles

Tom

Actively enjoying it all

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I'm glad you didn't say "Our soles", Tom - it might have sounded a bit rude

Mike, thanks

Steve
Black socks rock!

quote:

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:
Definitely not a troll. I wonder what happened to him?

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Well, he did have some knowledge of homeopathy...

On the other hand his dual "Help me prove scientifically that homeopathy works" and "Don't you dare mention science, you *&*&%&$ %$%^£$£!" approach seemed too crazy for someone who was genuinely mentally ill - as did his "I care so much about people that I want to kill all the evil allopathic doctors who are harming them" attitude.

But now you've sown the seeds of doubt. I must admit that even though he swore at me and insulted me when I tried to help him and when I tried to make him aware how offensive his behaviour was I wouldn't have dreamt of writing my satirical short story if I had thought he was sincere but deranged.

[Before anyone thinks they've spotted an inconsistency in the above paragraph, I should mention that at first I did think he was genuine].

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike Sae:
_Best Brinksmanship _
Markus Sauer

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Uhm, thank you ... I think.

My 2003 favourites:

Elbow - Cast of Thousands
Calexico - Feast of Wire
Willard Grant Conspiracy - Regard the End
Thea Gilmore - Avalanche

Led Zeppelin. - The DVD


Those that Disapointed me:

Pat Metheny - One Quiet Night (not what I expected at all)
led Zeppelin - How the west was won. (not a patch on the DVD)

Albums Of the Year: Led Zep – How The west Was Won Jist the best. Goldfrapp - Black Cherry Just the sexiest Mogwai – Happy Music For Happy People Just the happiest Kraftwerk - Tour De France Soundtracks Refreshing return to form, even if it did take far too long to make
New Order – The Peter Saville Show Soundtrack So much better tha that last crap album The White Stripes – Elephant Just rocks!

TV Event of the Year: Wife Swap + State Of Play – a sympathetic portrayal of hacks at last!

Sports Event of the Year: England qualifiying for Euro 2004

Sports Non-Event of the Year: Rugby World Cup Final (didn't see it, was on safari, don't care anyway) + Two horse race for the Premiership becoming a three-horse race

Sportsman of the Year: David Beckham, Tomas Repka (Tie) - with you 100% on that, Matthew. Although I am developing an extremely soft spot for [b] deadly Don Hutchinson

Sporting villains of the Year: Fergie and The Arse - who else?

Biggest Disappointment: Kanoute's form at Spurs since leaving Upton Park ; and, in a non-sporting type way Working on a new magazine launch for 8 months only to be told by the MD that the company no onger wanted to launch that particular title, and so would I mind doing something else?

Biggest Relief Being asked if I would like to work on another new project (only this time it would be launched) rather than being made redundant

Thread of the Year: Homeopathy ; Observer 100 Great Novels

Poster of the Year: Berlin Fritz

Fave forum contributors: Ross Blackman, Berlin Fritz, Tom Alves, Alex Gerrard, Boyho, Rasher, Matthew R and, even though he's been a bit quiet this year, Mick Parry

Most deplorable trend of the year: All kinds of 'orrible bourgeois types penning ill-considerd tracts for the broadsheets about how rugby is a much better game than football; how nice and well-behaved rugby fans are; and about how rugby is not a game for emotionally and sexually repressed toffs but a real people's game etc blah

Kevin

[This message was edited by Kevin-W on MONDAY 22 December 2003 at 15:44.]

Quick look at the Pitchfork top 10. Obviously, like most Brits who don't have time to read reviews other than the Sunday papers and maybe Mojo/Q, I hadn't heard of any of them - apart from Radiohead. This does not bode well, as I personally find Radiohead pompous, boring, depressing and charmless, however inventive they may be (and I've obviously missed the point with them).

Can anyone convince me that the other 9 in that 10 are more worthy of further investigation?

quote:

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Can anyone convince me that the other 9 in that 10 are more worthy of further investigation?

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Chris,
I don't know; Pitchfork is a good source but it's of course not perfectly reliable, and is quite capable of touting duds. When they recommend something I always cross-check it with other reviews (AMG, The Wire, Hip-Hop Infinity, this forum, or one of the countless little review sites you can find by typing an obscure indie band's name into Google). Obviously I try to listen to samples too.

I have all PF's top ten this year except for number 3. 1 and 2 are o.k. but not great. I agree with you that Radiohead was a let-down and shouldn't be on the list. I think 5-10 are all pretty good, but make sure you like glitch-hop before buying Prefuse 73.

IMO, Pitchfork is completely right in saying, in their lead-in to this list, that this year was typified by there being no standouts, but that it nonetheless had lots of very solid albums by new artists in a variety of subgenres. I couldn't really pick a top 10 without it seeming arbitrary, yet at the same time I have a huge number of quality releases from this year that I'm still happily working through.

Eric

Chris

Investigation is the key (the like The Darkness, for instance). For instance, I don't think anyone who has more than a passing interest in electronica could not love the Prefuse 73 or Manitoba albums. However, whilst I've enjoyed The Lemon of Pink, but I couldn't say that it has grabbed me enough to get hyped about it, and my better half thinks it is an awful racket.

quote:

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I couldn't really pick a top 10 without it seeming arbitrary, yet at the same time I have a huge number of quality releases from this year that I'm still happily working through

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Well said.

Chris,

I regularly buy albums reviewed by Pitchfork. I do not like Radiohead, and I think The Rapture is the most overrated thing since velcro.

Not knowing your tastes, I'd still highly recommend Sufjan Stevens, Broken Social Scene, The Shins, and Prefuse 73 from Pitchfork's Top 10. But following Eric's thoughts, I recommend sampling first.

Chris,

Before I have you possibly waste your money, I need some info before I can make a suggestion.

1. How old are you
2. Have you ever heard of the X-ray Specs
3. Have you ever heard of Squirrel Bait
4. Do you prefer beer over wine
5. What make auto do you drive
6. Who do you lean more towards: Mick P. or Mathew R.
7. Who would you rather listen to Led Zeppelin or Diana Krall
8. Are you single or married

I have all of them except for DJ Shadow and find them to be excellent. Some are rather lo-fi recordings though, such as Bee Thousand, and have to be accepted as such.

max (tongue in cheek) speed

Maxspeed,

I think Chris was referring to Best of 2003, not the 90's. But your Q's still apply.

I thought I might be missing something. I have not seen the new list. Dratz. But yes, considering Pitchforks usual leanings, I would think those question would still apply.

maxvonheadinthesand

(to borrow from our interesting friend)