h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Top 5 of 2004 (not 'arf!)

Posted Dec 22, 2004

Well it’s that time of year when I look back on all the CDs I’ve bought over the last year and decide that current music’s not all that bad after all and, as has become customary, I put together a list of my favourites and tell people about them. Three debuts in the top five this year, and another two in the also rans is a good indication of things to come for 2005.

1 : Marillion - Marbles

Marillion released an album this year, so barring any heinous mistakes it was probably always going to occupy this spot despite hefty competition from some less obvious corners. Marbles sprawls across 2 CDs, and features both the band's longest ever and shortest ever compositions, but its hour-and-forty minutes seem to pass in the length of time some albums take to get started. Kicking off with 'The Invisible Man', Marbles gives us quite possibly Steve Hogarth's most heartfelt vocal performance ever (hear it live before you die), before wasting no time whatsoever in getting you on the rollercoaster, via the ludicrously emotional ‘Fantastic Place’, peaking with the epic 'Ocean Cloud' before winding down through the two (count them) top 20 hits, and the beautiful finale 'Neverland'. The band's best work for years.

2 : Blackfield - Blackfield

From a monster epic double album to a record without a single track reaching five minutes, and in total leaving plenty of room on one side of a C90. Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson in full self restraint mode teams up with Israeli star Aviv Geffen to become Blackfield. A melancholic work even it’s cheeriest moments, Blackfield the album is lushly produced and played and performed with balls and heart – this to me is ‘The Bends’ re-made ten years later.

3 : Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters

And then from the sublime to the ridiculous. New York's Scissor Sisters brought us the most unlikely cover version ever in the form of a 70's disco kitsch version of Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb' - a song which is basically a guitar solo with a couple of verses performed entirely without one. But boy does it work, and that's from someone with a huge love of the original track.

The album rolls on, with influences torn from all over - it's like Captain Fantastic era Elton John and The Bee Gees in a bar brawl in Queens with Bernie Taupin and John Travolta holding the coats. 'Filthy Gorgeous' is an absolute hoot, but there's always space for a glam-rock opera in the shape of 'The Return To Oz'. Very probably a one-album wonder, but if you’re only going to have one, at least make it a good ‘un.

4 : Tom Baxter - Feather and Stone

Speaking of influences, never has the influence of Jeff Buckley been so prominent than in 2004. Perhaps the 10th anniversary of 'Grace' has re-awoken interest in his classic (and only!) album. It's nice to remember what a male singer songwriter could be before David Gray and Travis came along to bore us all to tears.

Tom Baxter sounds like he's spent many an hour with Mr Buckley's work, and he's been learning well. Indeed, in places it sounds like the spirit of Buckley has come back from the depths of the Mississippi river to kick the ass of Mr Gray, Mr Healy and the raft of powerless wimps that have taken his place. On the gentler pieces, Baxter tears the heartstrings to breaking point, and when he gets going (most notably on 'Don't Let Go') you have no choice but to go along with him. Sterling stuff, to remain in circulation well into 2005.

5 : The Black Seeds - On The Sun

But I couldn't have a 2004 list without an influence from New Zealand, where I was lucky enough to stumble upon this Wellington based combo which I have only been able to define for the purposes of the iProg as dodgy-kiwi-dub-funk-ska. This is music which you can't help but smile to - it turns the rainiest day into a beach laze in Jamaica. The horns are real enough, but the constant dub-reggae beat is cranked up a notch with electronic burbles and clicks making it all feel extremely contemporary and not at all cheesy.



The also rans (in no particular order) :

Lostprophets - Start Something : Quality and consistency from the Welsh rockers. This is what Feeder wake up in a cold sweat dreaming about.

Air - Talkie Walkie : Our French chums find rock and assimilate it into their wonderfully quirky analogue synth landscapes seamlessly.

Keane - Hopes and Fears : I said it a year ago when I saw them live, and I'll say it again - by God that kid can sing.

Abram Wilson - Jazz Warrior : Following on from label mate and 2003 top 5 artist Soweto Kinch, Abram Wilson delivers an overly long but always varied and interesting debut ranging from a sublime cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Golden Lady' to the out-and-out hip-hop infused nu-jazz of the title track. Nice. Real nice.

Jim White - Drill a Hole in that Substrate and Tell Me What You See : Intricately built and truly lyrically weird Americana with superb gutsy delivery. Chuck in guest appearances from the likes of Aimee Mann and I’m in. Unsettlingly compelling is the only way I can describe this. But VERY good……

Happy listening!

Neil

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Latest reply: Dec 22, 2004

purplemonkeydishwasher

Posted Dec 13, 2004

Discuss.
Use both sides of paper if necessary.

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Purplemonkeydishwasher

Posted Dec 13, 2004

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Latest reply: Dec 13, 2004

You KNOW it's quality prog rock when....

Posted Dec 10, 2004

There's a 36 minute track spread across sides 5 and 6 of a triple record set

- proud owner of the new deluxe 3LP version of Porcupine Tree's masterpiece 'The Sky Moves Sideways'

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Latest reply: Dec 10, 2004

Cool

Posted Nov 22, 2004

I appear to have inherited a 'Post Reporter' thingy. Smashing.

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Latest reply: Nov 22, 2004