AltWeeklies Wire
Critics of Varied Tastes Choose Year's Best Musicnew
Seattle Weekly offers "best of 2004" lists for everyone from metalheads to classical music aficionados.
Seattle Weekly |
Music Writers |
01-03-2005 |
Reviews
The Best of 2004new
There were many great releases this year. The Tucson Weekly music critics pick their favorites.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong, Annie Holub, Curtis McCrary and Stephen Seigel |
12-30-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Various Artists, Various Albums
Best Music of 2004new
With gift certificates and returns in tow, you may may be wondering what good music from 2004 you may have missed out on. After many hours of music listening we give you our picks for the best music of 2004........
Jackson Free Press |
Herman Snell and Alex Slawson |
12-30-2004 |
Reviews
Conscious Reviewnew
Review of Julie Dexter's new album Conscious
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Carlton Hargro |
12-30-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Julie Dexter, Conscious
Five Experts' Top 5 CD Picks for 2004new
The critics choose works by seasoned artists like Prince and Brian Wilson as well as the sophomore release of a startling young band, Perpetual Groove.
Mountain Xpress |
Melanie McGee, Kevin Cassels, DJ Jah Seh, Ele Ellis and Stuart Gaines |
12-29-2004 |
Music
Westword's Favorite National CDs for 2004new
After sifting through more crap than a Roto-Rooter guy, Westword's music staff submits these suck-free national releases as reason not to stick a shank in your speakers.
From the Political to the Personalnew
Politics and music mixed this year in a way that reviewer Matt Ashare hasn't seen since he bought Let Them Eat Jellybeans (Alternative Tentacles) during the Reagan presidency and sang along to "Jesus Entering from the Rear." And against his better judgment, it made him care about the world beyond his iPod headphones in a way that he hasn’t in some time.
Boston Phoenix |
Matt Ashare |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Music 2004
2004's music was about everything but singers and songs.
A True Entertainment Bargainnew
Chicks on Speed kick out dizzy cheers and brittle beats, crafting a propulsive, surprisingly funky blend of '80s-flavored electropunk and experimental glitchcore. Also reviewed is Kimya Dawson's Hidden Vagenda.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: 99 Cents, Chicks on Speed
The Latest from Hip-Hop's Sad Sisyphusnew
Only Eminem can make the subject of his own creative stagnation remotely interesting, although it's not always interesting enough. It helps that he's got Dr. Dre, whose grim and elegant string snippets invest even the weakest tracks with an apocalyptic gravitas.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Viva the Male Divanew
Drawing on the same smorgasbord of influences displayed on his magisterial debut -- show tunes, opera, cabaret, folk, jazz, SoCal pop, and art song -- Wainwright now seems more confident in exploring each genre's extreme, no longer compelled to disguise his highbrow proclivities with sticky hooks and sing-along choruses.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-29-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Rufus Wainwright, Want Two
Polemics with a Chirpy Venomnew
Despite its superficial gloss, This Island's not a radical departure for Le Tigre. Anyone susceptible to the band's trademark sound -- a cheerful cacophony of Casio chirps, guitar buzz, and handclaps -- can't help but dig it. Also reviewed is Lil Jon's Crunk Juice.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
12-28-2004 |
Reviews
Tags: Le Tigre, This Island
Simple Pleasuresnew
The year's best CDs demonstrated craft and brains, whether it's the immaculate, melodic pop of Ron Sexsmith's Revolver or Van Hunt's nuanced take on love and lust. With the war and election as a cultural backdrop, warmth and intelligence were far more personally useful than jagged, new wave by Franz Ferdinand and the like.
Americana Pie: Best Roots Music of 2004new
Sales-wise, at least, Nashville got its groove back in 2004. Cause to celebrate is the fact that the city has managed to anoint a couple of new stars.
Miami New Times |
John Nova Lomax |
12-28-2004 |
Music
Rating the Year's Hits With Mom and Dadnew
A reviewer plays this year's most popular music to her classical-music-oriented parents, who find Usher's Yeah! pleasant and Ashlee Simpson's Pieces of Me uninteresting.
Dallas Observer |
Sarah Hepola |
12-27-2004 |
Reviews
