So, 2003 then. Fantastic for gigs, but not so great (with a few noteworthy exceptions) for albums. Here are my picks for the best efforts of the year.
If you'd like to add your suggestions, email Joy at kaytronikaweb@hotmail.com
1) Cat Power - You Are Free
A hauntingly beautiful, fragile, wonderful album. Dave Grohl & Eddie Vedder guest without intruding on Chan Marshall's masterpiece. 'Names' is the one song released this year to bring me to tears.
3) Grandaddy - Sumday
4) The Faint - Danse Macabre
5) Hello Goodbye - Heart Attack
6) Relaxed Muscle - A Heavy Night With Relaxed Muscle
7) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
8) British Sea Power - The Decline of British Sea Power
9) Chicks on Speed - 99¢
10) Kaito - Band Red
>BEST
OF THE REST
Bikin
Atoll - Moratoria, Pink Grease - All Over You,
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief,
Black
Nielson - The Seahorse Boe,
Bourbon
Princess - Black Feather Wings,
The
Kills - Keep on Your Mean Side, Peaches
- Fatherfucker
>BEST
SINGLES
1)
Scout Niblett
- I'll Be a Prince/Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death
There
were three songs that lodged themselves into my brain this year and
wouldn't let go, and this drums 'n' vocals playground chanting slab
of beauty was the most welcome of all.
Sparse
is the new grandiose or something.
2)
British Sea Power - Remember
Me
3)
M.A.S.S.
- Live a Little/Give Me a Break
4)
The Rocks - Everybody
In The Place/I Won't Need You When You're Dead
5)
Bloc Party - The Marshals Are Dead
6)
Relaxed Muscle - Billy Jack
7)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Date With The Night
8)
The Barbs - Massive Crush
9)
Six by Seven - Bochum
(Light up My Life)
10)
Moving Units - EP
Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster - Psychosis Safari, Ladytron - Evil, Grandaddy - Now It's On, Chicks on Speed - We Don't Play Guitars, Ludes - Luckiest Theatre, Carina Round - Into My Blood, Art Brut - Brutlegs, White Stripes - Seven Nation Army, The Kills - Fried My Little Brains, Katastrophy Wife - Liberty Belle
>BEST
GIGS
1) Special Needs - Hammersmith
Working Men's Club
Ballons, umbrellas, Osama Bin Laden impersonators - this gig had everything
& Special Needs were the star turn of the night.
2) M.A.S.S.
- Hackney Ocean
3) Mika Bomb - Upstairs at the
Garage
4) Six by Seven - Highbury
Garage
5) The Delgados - Hammersmith Lyric Theatre
6) Fonda 500 - Truck Fest
7) The Rocks - Paradise Bar
8) Pink Grease - Barfly
9) Edible Five Foot Smiths
- Truck Fest
10) Ludes - Alternative Rock Idol, Paradise
Bar
>BEST
OF THE REST
Moving Units - Buffalo Bar, Grandaddy - Brixton Academy, Electric Eel
Shock - Metro, Kaito - Metro, The Boxer
Rebellion, Tunbridge Wells Forum, Klang
- Buffalo Bar, Black Nielson
- Truck Fest, Neil's Children - Catch 22
2003 According to...
Christian Madden
Best gig - Muse, Nottingham Arena
Best Event - Glastonbury
Best Album - Muse - Absolution, Stellastarr* - s/t
Honourable Mentions - The White Stripes - Elephant,
Electric Soft Parade - The American Adventure
Best Single - Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things
Tom Simmonds
Best Gig: Delgados, Shepherds Bush Empire
Best Album: Tindersticks - Waiting for the Moon
Best Single: British Sea Power - Remember Me
Andrew Hindman
www.ikaracolt.tk, www.thebeatings.tk,
www.klangsite.tk & www.thefutureheads.tk
Best Gigs - Blur - Leeds Festival, Ikara Colt supporting
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fiery Furnaces, Hot Hot Heat & Franz Ferdinand,
The Strokes
Best Singles - Chikinki - Hate TV, Hot Hot Heat - Bandages,
The Strokes - 12:51, Longwave, Wake Me When It's Over, The Futureheads
- First Day
Best Albums - Broadcast - Haha Sound, Fiery Furnaces
- Gallows Bark, The Strokes, Room On Fire, Mogwai - Happy Songs for
Happy People, Buffseeds - Pictureshow
Best Newcomers - The Futureheads, Aidan Smith
Joe Strummer & Elliot Smith, god rest their souls