Parasolarians'
Top Picks of 2004
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ROY
Parasol Mail Order buyer, Inventor of Emo, Tidy Office
Award Winner |
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1.
Dungen "Ta Det Lugnt" (Subliminal
Sounds)
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2.
Jose
Gonzalez "Stay In The Shade" (Imperial)
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3. Frank
Lenz "Slaughter Conquest" (Velvet Blue
Music)
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4.
Richard
Swift "Collection Vol. 1" (Leftwing)
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5.
Styrofoam "Nothing's
Lost" (Morr Music)
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6.
Fennesz "Venice" (Touch)
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7.
Ron
Sexsmith "Retriever" (Nettwerk) |
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8.
Paik "Satin Black" (Strange
Attractors Audio House)
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9.
Panda
Bear "Young Prayer" (Paw Tracks)
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10.
Minus
Story "The Captain Is Dead, Let the Drum
Corpse Dance" (Jagjaguwar) |
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ANGIE
Direct Retail Sales, Parasol Mail Order
maven, solo artist and singersongwriter |
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1.
Rilo
Kiley "More Adventurous" (Brute/Beaute)
My fave of the year…I love love love this cd… ”Jenny
can you hear me??? Can you feel me near you??” |
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2.
Tegan & Sarah "So Jealous" (Sanctuary)
I love this cd so much it’s been in my car cd
player foreva. Roy got in my car the other day, and
asked me if I had the “Tegan & Sarah cd player” installed! |
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3.
Fiery
Furnaces "Blueberry Boat" (Rough Trade)
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any weirder…these
kids are musical geniuses… |
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4.
Gina
Villalobos "Rock N’ Roll
Pony" (Kick Music)
…
what path would my life have taken without this one????...the
soundtrack to my 2004… |
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5.
Trembling
Blue Stars – Seven Autumn Flowers CD
(Bar/None)
Since it’s out in the UK…and Beth sent
me an advanced copy…I can pick it, right?? Brilliant!!!!
Angie + Beth & Bobby |
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6.
O'Connor,
Nora "Til The Dawn" (Bloodshot)
I must have listened to the first song “My Backyard” 3050
times when this cd came out!! |
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7.
Modest
Mouse "Good News for People Who Love Bad
News" (Epic)
…
this cd makes me want to dance AND cry… |
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8.
Garrison
Starr "Airstreams & Satellites" (Vanguard)
I’ve worn this one out…Garrison has the
voice of a choir of angels…a little bit country…a
little bit rock n’ roll…. |
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9.
Neko
Case "Tigers Have Spoken" (Anti)
Ok…I just got it…but I know already…it
will be one of the most listened to in my collection… |
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10.
Thirdimension "Permanent Holiday" (A
Hidden Agenda Record)
I have absolutely fallin’ in love with this record…at
first I thought it just rocked…but the lyrics…ahh…brilliant!!
A highlight…”Machine Guns for the weak
and disabled…alcohol for everyone else…” |
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LISA
Knitting queen, restocked employee, rediscovering
music since October 2004 |
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1. Soundtrack
of Our Lives "Origin: Vol.
One" (WMI) |
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2.
Dungen "Ta Det Lugnt" (Subliminal
Sounds)
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3. Union
Carbide Productions "Remastered To Be Recycled" (MNW) |
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4.
Thirdimension "Permanent Holiday" (A
Hidden Agenda Record) |
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5. Arcade
Fire "Funeral" (Merge) |
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6.
U2 "How
To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" (Interscope) |
| NOT
AVAIL |
7.
Shrek 2 "Party Mix" (from the DVD+bonus CD set) |
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JIM
Distribution, import buyer, Centaur drummer, Scandinavian
Music Obsessive |
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1. Thirdimension
"Permanent Holiday" (Hidden Agenda)
A dazzling second album and my favorite of the year.
Biased? Yup. Patting ourselves on the back a little and
proud we got to put this out? Hell yes. To think these
gentlemen endured getting their first album (the awesome
Protect
Us From What We Want) getting more-or-less shelved
by Warner Sweden upon release back in 1998 and then six
years later produce this life-affirming new album, an
incandescent gem…without missing a beat…as
if they'd never been away. Astounding. |
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2. The
Chrysler "Failures And Sparks" (Flora & Fauna)
This crosses over in so many myriad ways: exquisite fractured
pop, heartwarming bonfire Americana, intimate acoustic
folk. One the best albums in recent memory, and a close
second to Thirdimension. Bad news: we've only got about
2 copies left. Good news: likely to be released here early
next year in expanded form. Check out their new single
"Blue
Gold" too.
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3. Leopold
"Dreaming Is For Anyone" (Take One More Take)
A perfect "Parasol" style pop album. Lush piano-driven
arrangements, melancholy lyrical moods, spectacular songs,
compellong Nordic understatement... Pretty sure (checking
my notes again) that this is one
of the
most
beautiful
albums of the century. Yep. New album coming soon. |
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4.
Hip
Whips "Self-Titled" (Dubious/Brass
Button)
The first of a handful of guitar-less bands in my awesome
column this year... The Hip Whips employ a soul-drenched
chameleon voice (think Jagger, Van Morrison, and Stevie
Winwood), a huge
Hammond organ and a crack rhythm section… A late-sixties
throwback of the highest order.
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5.
Eskju
Divine " Darkness All Around EP"
(Imperial Recordings)
Usually I keep EPs and full-length albums separated,
but this EP is so woven with sonic wonderment that
it has
become
an album-like feast to our ears. Dramatic, bombastic,
anthemic keyboard-driven art-pop. No guitars. Humongous
arrangements. Four righteous
songs. I can't imagine the upcoming album being better,
seriously, but being just as good would be mindblowing. |
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6.
Peter
Bjorn And John "Falling Out" (Planekonomi)
A smashing guitar pop record, hands down the best of
the genre for me this year. Perhaps it's The Jam influence
that crosses over bigtime for me. Pretty damn brilliant
any way you slice it. |
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7.
Elope
"The No Name Album" (Gravitation)
My infatuation with 60s and 70s recording values and
that era's nuancing is fully enabled by this
ultra-melodic not-so-stoner-rock outfit. More Beatles
that Queens Of
The Stone Age, but you get a bit of both. Like the Hip
Whips a lovely throwback to an age of sturdy songwriting
and exemplary craftsmanship. |
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8. Franke
"Optimismens Han" (Service Records)
Immense echoing dissonant rock from the little band
that could, did, and then disappeared. Filled the gap
between Citizen Bird/Silverbullit albums at very least. |
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9.
Bjorn
Olsson "Self-Titled [the crab]" (Gravitation)
This collection of home demos (third in the four volume
seafood series) is a fantastic voyage into the ethereal
rock-n-roll psyche of Bjorn Olsson, includes apparent early
demos for
what
would become some classic TSOOL songs. "The Lobster" is
coming soon to complete the quadrilogy. |
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10.
The
Soundtrack Of Our Lives "Origin Vol. One" (WMI)
Easily contains 5 of the best rockers of their career,
channeling their Union Carbide Production days if you ask
me. Looking forward to Volume Two and hoping for a bit
more of the band's canny/uncanny trademark psychedelia.
I'm also hoping the U.S. release due in March might have
a bit of bonus material. |
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11.
22-Pistepirkko "Rally of Love" (Bare Bones Business
Oy)
The 17-year
retrospective DCD for this freaky Finnish
synth-pop/guitar-rock/swamp blues trio hooked me, but it
was this 2002 release, their
most recent proper studio album, that totally won me over.
New album will land in 2005 and could change the world
if Rally of Love is any indication.
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12.
David
Fridlund "Amaterusa" (Adrian Recordings)
Debut solo album from David Fridlund, frontman for David & The
Citizens,
with his lady Sara Culler. Not officially
even released, with an eleventh hour December 22nd release
in Sweden. We'll have some early next week and a full write-up
to peruse. If you want a head start check out the truly
charming video for the first single "April & May" right
here. |
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MICHAEL
Publicist, Devil’s Advocate, the BRAINS of the
outfit, and so much more… |
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1. Kevin
Tihista’s Red Terror "Wake
Up Captain" (Parasol)
This is a special record. Kevin leaps above his estimable
creations “Don’t Breathe a Word” and “Judo” with
this subconscious 17 track song-cycle that journeys through
fear, pathos, embarrassment and whimsy, in an orchestrated
pop anti-frenzy. It’s a family curse, apparently… |
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2. Hellacopters "By
the Grace of God" (Liquor & Poker)
Finally a U.S. release for my 2nd favorite album of 2002.
This is the Lynyrd Skynyrd-meets-Thin Lizzy album that
you’ve been waiting for. Best collection, front
to back, of hook-filled ROCK songs in the past 10 years.
Find me one better. |
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3. Divine
Comedy "Absent Friends" (Nettwerk)
Need a late-‘60s Scott Walker fix? I did… |
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4. A.C.
Newman "Slow Wonder" (Matador)
One of the rare records that bridges the “Power” and “Indie” pop
camps. |
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5. Nellie
McKay "Get Away From Me" (Columbia)
What did the sticker on the front of the CD say? Something
about a mix of Eminem and Doris Day, I think. |
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6. Unbunny "Snow Tires" (A
Hidden Agenda Record)
From the very first verse, sung in a Neil Young-like
falsetto, I am absorbed in Jarid Del Deo’s world
of trailer parks and pink lemonade. |
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7. Devendra
Banhart "Nino Rojo" (Young
God)
The second of two Banhart CDs to be released this year,
the style is reminiscent of late-‘60s-UK-blues-folkies.
Nino Rojo makes the cut above Rejoicing in the Hands
for the song “A Ribbon. |
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8.
Starsailor "Silence Is Easy" (Capitol)
Again, Starsailor transcends the Coldplay & Travis
camp to jump in to my Top 10 of the year. C’mon,
play this record. It’s pleasure without the guilt. |
| NOT AVAIL |
9. Feist "Let It Die" (Arts & Crafts)
Leslie Feist, member of Broken Social Scene, breaks out
softly with an album split between originals and covers,
Ron Sexsmith & Bee Gees among them. |
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10. The
Streets "A Grand Don’t Come For
Free" (Atlantic)
Another album could replace this one next week but I
simply like hearing Mike Skinner’s voice. It reminds
me of ‘70s punk poet Patrik Fitzgerald. |
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BILL
Guru off site, catalog and special sales manager, everlasting
comrade |
| NOT
AVAIL |
1.
Mew "Frengers: Not Quite Friends But Not Quite
Strangers" (Epic) |
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2.
Nanook
Of The North "The Taby Tapes" (A
Hidden Agenda Record)
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3.
Kevin
Tihista's Red Terror "Wake
Up Captain" (Parasol) |
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4.
Unbunny "Snow Tires" (A
Hidden Agenda Record) |
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5. The
Like Young "So Serious" (Parasol) |
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6.
The
Soundtrack of Our Lives (TSOOL) "Origin:
Vol. One" (WMI) |
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7.
Crippled
Pilgrims "Down Here: Collected
Recordings (1983-1985)" (Reaction Recordings) |
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8.
U2 "How To Dismantle An Atomic
Bomb" (Interscope) |
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9. The
Lassie Foundation "Face Your Fun" (Northern) |
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10. Sukilove "You Kill Me" (A
Hidden Agenda Record) |
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GEOFF
Fearless Leader
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1. Blackouts "Living
in Blue" (Lucid) |
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2. Crippled
Pilgrims "Down Here" (Reaction) |
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3. Faces "Five
Guys Walk Into a Bar…" (Rhino) |
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4. Kevin
Tihista’s Red Terror "Wake Up Captain" (Parasol) |
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5. Matthew
Sweet "Kimi Ga Suki" (RCAM) |
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6. Reputation "To
Force a Fate" (Lookout) |
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7. The
Soundtrack of Our Lives "Origin: Vol. One" (WMI) |
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8. Sukilove "You
Kill Me" (Hidden Agenda) |
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9. Various "Eccentric
Soul: The Capsoul Label" (Numero) |
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10. Velvet
Crush "Stereo Blues" (Action) |
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SHADIE
Musical commentator, finesse player, voted most dreadlocked
intern of 2004
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1. Xiu
Xiu "Fabulous Muscles" (5 Rue Christine)
Xiu Xiu uses its ferocious intensity to experiment
with noise-rock, thus offering an absorbing and imaginative
alternative. Jamie Stewart’s theatrical renditions
create a deliberately grating and inaccessible sound
with a perturbing dissonance that is masterfully realized. |
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2. Sufjan
Stevens "Seven Swans" (Sounds Familyre)
Sufjan’s recent Chicago date cemented a reputation
as a skilled multi-instrumentalist with an angelic voice.
Seven Swans is reflectively wistful thanks to Stevens’ knack
for tonal manipulation. The indie folkist’s command
of sometimes complex meters is particularly noteworthy. |
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3.
Max
Richter "The Blue Notebooks" (Fat Cat)
The perfect soundtrack to a non-existent film,
this CD utilizes a contemporary classical framework by
referencing
Glass and Nyman. Richter’s beautiful arrangements
are refined but accessible, effectively utilizing extracts
from Kafka and Milosz. |
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4.
Joanna
Newsom "The Milk-Eyed Mender" (Drag
City)
Classically trained harpist Newsom combines her
proficient instrumentation with idiosyncratic vocals. She
defines
her lyrical mosaic of fairy-tales via endearingly infantile
intonation, for a unique neo-folk experience. The standout
is “Peach, Plum, Pear”, with its harpsichord
and children’s choir. |
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5.
Múm "Summer
Make Good" (Fat Cat)
More organic and cinematic than their previous albums,
Summer Make Good is low-key and eerie. The record takes
a stylist prompt from Valtýsdóttir’s
fragile whisperings. The result is a sensual soundscape
that is utterly engrossing. |
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6.
Mirah "C’mon Miracle" (K)
Singer-songwriter Mirah applies a focus that eluded
her previous offerings to fully demonstrate an impressive
vocal
prowess. Her complication of classic indie pop is aided
by diverse and substantive songcraft. Check out closer “Exactly
Where We’re From”, on which you can literally
hear her crack a smile. |
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7.
The
Silver Mountain Reveries "Pretty
Lightning Paw EP" (Constellation)
This
record opens with a triumphant bombast that establishes
the EP’s potential for experimentation. Mt. Zion
is evolving, extending its continua by translating unexpected
sources into the Godspeed idiom. Whilst not sufficiently
representative to convert newcomers, it is a hidden gem
for fans. |
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8.
The
Album Leaf "In A Safe Place" (Sub Pop)
Tristeza guitarist Jimmy LaValle’s most accomplished
efforts as side-project The Album Leaf yet. LaValle traveled
to Iceland to record this picturesque piece full of ethereal
harmony. The heart-breaking “Over The Pond”,
on which Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi guests,
may be the year’s best track. |
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9. Mono "Walking
Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined" (Temporary
Residence) Temporary Residence’s other exemplary post-rock act
herald from Japan. Their energetic third album delves further
into noise-rock, whilst drawing on more traditional influences
for its lush symphonic ambience. Mono headlining a US tour
- when Fly Pan Am cancelled – proved to be one of
the year’s concert highlights so make sure to catch
their return to the Empty Bottle in March. |
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10. Efterklang "Tripper" (Leaf)
Intricately constructed if slightly derivative, Tripper
is the first full-length from this incredibly promising
Danish ten-piece. Efterklang’s light programming,
post-rock influences, pre-modern instrumentation and
minimalist vocals make for a gratifying creation that
takes the road less traveled. |
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| PARASOL
CUSTOMERS' TOP PICKS OF 2004 - COME ON PEOPLE, SEND
'EM IN! |
| See
our top picks for 2003 Maybe
you have some catching up to do? |
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