Shopping List

The eagerly awaited Top 10 of 2004, says I (with a few additions for some Christmas spice).

The links are only for the top 10 (do the rest of the work yourself, man).

TOP 10 (numbers indicate Village Voice-style point system)
Wilco – A Ghost is Born 15
Doug Gillard – Salamander 12
Guided By Voices – Half Smiles of the Decomposed 10
Robyn Hitchcock – Spooked 9
Preston School of Industry – Monsoon 9
Damnwells – Bastards of the Beat 9
Matthew Sweet – Kimi Ga Suki 9
Interpol – Antics 9
Sloan – Action Pact 9
Velvet Crush – Stereo Blues 9


THREE REALLY GOOD RECORDS THAT WERE TOUGHEST TO LEAVE OFF THE LIST
Bigger Lovers - This Affair Never Happened...And Here are Eleven Songs About It
Tommy Stinson – Village Gorilla Head
Hives – Tyrannosaurus Hives


OTHERS
Old 97’s – Drag it Up
Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
The Church – Forget Yourself
Perfect – Once, Twice, Three Times a Maybe
Tommy Keene – Drowning
Morrissey – You Are the Quarry
Moviola – East of Eager


BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Paul Westerberg – Folker (though I do like some of it)


SHOWS
I'm drawing a blank on some of the early-year shows, but here are a few I saw:

Guided By Voices/Tommy Keene, Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia
Guided By Voices/Tommy Keene, 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Sloan, Metro, Chicago
Preston School of Industry, Schuba’s, Chicago
Robyn Hitchcock, Schuba's, Chicago
The Church, House of Blues, Chicago
Moviola, Double Door, Chicago
Tommy Stinson, Double Door, Chicago
Matthew Sweet/Velvet Crush, Park West, Chicago
Wilco, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago
Scott Miller and the Commonwealth, Schuba’s, Chicago
Bigger Lovers, Double Door, Chicago
Fountains of Wayne, Rockin’ De Mayo, Chicago


I'll be away from the blog for a little while--the nation weeps--due to holiday travel. Best to you and yours.