Support NeoGAF

[Dilbert]

In no particular order, here are URB's picks for the ten best albums of 2004:

Matthew Dear, Leave Luck To Heaven
Bought it because of the massive hype, but wasn't all that impressed. His off-tune vocals are goddamn annoying, and most of the tracks are too glitchy to establish a consistent groove.

De La Soul, The Grind Date
Didn't buy it...haven't been in much of a hip-hop mood lately.

Diplo, Florida
Previewed this disc because of the comparisons to DJ Shadow...sadly, this is nowhere near as good. I think people are throwing around "just like Endtroducing...!" type accolades far too easily these days.

DJ/rupture, Special Gunpowder
Haven't heard it.

Interpol, Antics
Previewed it and have heard several songs from it on the radio. I'm absolutely underwhelmed and have not bought it. In retrospect, Turn On The Bright Lights was probably overrated.

Luomo, The Present Lover
The only record in the top ten that I would agree is brilliant. If you like lush, ambient house, this is a must-buy.

Madvillian, Madvillainy
I bought this album based on the MF Doom and Madlib hype on this board, and I do NOT understand what the deal is. Everything I've heard from Madlib has underwhelmed me, and although Doom has some lyrical skills, this album was dark and uninteresting.

Murs, Murs 3:16 The 9th Edition
I bought (and enjoyed) Murs' first album, but never picked this one up.

TV On The Radio, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
Biggest disappointment of the year. I have no idea how these guys conned anyone into giving them the Shortlist prize, but this album is overrated by a factor of about one million.

Kanye West, College Dropout
Not interested, based on the tracks I've heard.

In short, I am wickedly disappointed in their list. They reviewed a lot of stuff this year that deserved to be on this list ahead of the craptacular nine they selected: The Go! Team, Ulrich Schnauss, Air, and M83 (they reviewed the US release) come to mind immediately.

Your thoughts?

 

[Ill Saint]

Diplo album was great. His work with M.I.A aqually so, and I prefered Piracy Funds Terrorism vol. 1 simply because she's fantastic on that one.

Luomo's album was top-notch, but when you've got Moritz Van Oswald at the mixer you know it's gonna be killer. A big fan of his stuff as Vladislav Delay also. Quality.

Madvillainy, I can't stop playing it. It's not gonna win any innovation awards, but for me it just clicks so well. It's got an almost punk vibe to the vignettes... the way the flow and shift so perfectly. Might be a slow burner for you -jinx-.

DJ /rupture is class. Consistantly excellent funked out beat roughness. Always worth listening to that mans work.

The rest are not so interesting to me.

 

[Jim Bowie]

I definitely don't agree with the Murs selection. I previewed the album from some friends, and I can't say that I found a single good track. They had the typical Murs-ish beat (usually less than par, on this record though), but really unispired lyrics. Even the single was really annoying (bad video, too).

 

[Property of Jumpship]

Interpol's new CD definately deserves to be there. Screw the haters. Just as good, if not better in its own unique way, than Turn on Your Bright Lights.

What about Modest Mouse? Maybe the wrong magazine for that group? But yet they put in Interpol.....Hmm...

 

[Dilbert]

What about Modest Mouse? Maybe the wrong magazine for that group? But yet they put in Interpol.....Hmm...

URB is themed around "urban alternative culture," and the music is mostly hip-hop and electronic music of all varieties. They also review certain "post-rock" and "dance punk" albums, but those are considerably more rare.

 

[Property of Jumpship]

URB is themed around "urban alternative culture," and the music is mostly hip-hop and electronic music of all varieties. They also review certain "post-rock" and "dance punk" albums, but those are considerably more rare.

But Interpol doesnt really fall into that imo. Oh well.

 

[teepo]

about time diplo's album got some respect. then again all the hype pitchforkmedia is giving mia is already giving him a lot of it. rightfuly too.

he put out a pretty good mix this year too in d.c. he sucks really badly on the decks though...

 

[Trakball]

he sucks really badly on the decks though...

no he doesn't - and if he did when you saw him, then believe me, it was an off-night for him.

 

[iced lightning]

Diplo's Florida is quite good if you ask me.

 

[mattiewheels]

Interpol's new CD definately deserves to be there. Screw the haters. Just as good, if not better in its own unique way, than Turn on Your Bright Lights.

I can only appreciate it in its own light, if I completely ignore the first album. Seems that way with everyone I know who worshipped TOTBL. They just don't like the new one. However, it does do things really well.

And I would've thought they'd honor Modest Mouse too. Seems like their demographic, and their album a) broke them mainstream, and b) was actually really great.