Soundtrack to My Life: 2004

I'm a wee bit overdue on the 2004 wrap-up. Here's the list of musical experiences that made my year:

A new Mascott album! I worried that recording would somehow alter the quality of these gorgeous songs, but this production, full and luscious, does them justice.

The Wrens. How did I make it this far without hearing them before? No matter. If the world seeks a concept album about post-college fucking up and crappy jobs and relationships gone sour and record labels screwing you over, then this is it. Except it's not a concept album, and it manages to be raw and honest without whining, emo-style. I would call it perfect. "Hopeless" makes me cry if I think about it too long.

Talib Kweli and Kanye West, for anti-bling anthems. Talib gives us "I Try" ("I have trouble tryin' to write some shit/To bang in the club through the night/When people suffer tonight/Lord knows I try"); oh yeah, and did I mention MJB sings on this track? Kanye offers "All Fall Down," calling bullshit on our affluenza obsession: "We buy our way out of jail, but we can't buy freedom/We'll buy a lot of clothes when we don't really need 'em/Things we buy to cover up what's inside/'Cause they make us hate ourself and love they wealth." Sweeter still, they both manage to combine beats with a message.

I didn't do any prep work before seeing Joanna Newsom, and I think it's better that way, because I got the best kind of musical surprise: not expecting to be amazed, but being totally and completely so. She's a girl with a harp, but if you haven't heard her, that's all I'm telling you.

My very most favoritest song ever, "Caring is Creepy" (which I put on all mixes and first experienced way back when) gets a full-on moment in Garden State, which gives the Shins all sorts of love. Yay Shins!

I will save you the Arcade Fire blathering that I tend to do, and just point you to a post from Brian. He's better at these sorts of things.

"Drop It Like It's Hot," another Snoop/Pharrell production, is a supremely weird song. Tongue clicks and clacks? That weird "Snoooooop" sound? But the best part is the sparse black-and-white video, where Pharrell does his whole "Who me? A big star? No way!" schtick, and it's supercharming if not totally untrue. When you get a gig designing sunglasses for Louis Vuitton, I'd say you're doing a-okay.

We met Jack, our new radio station. He's corporate, yes, but he plays Toto and Elvis Costello, so we overlook such things.

I saw Sonic Youth twice. What more do I need?