That really is my favorite album of the year!

My two cents

Best albums:
Franz Ferdinand- s/t
British Sea Power-Decline of
Morrissey- You are the Quarry
Joe Strummer- Streetcore
Strokes- Room on Fire

Honorable Mention-
Firewater- Songs we should have written
Elbow- Cast of thousands
Outkast- Love Below/Speakerboxx
Magnetic fields- I

Not bad, but...-
Buzzcocks- s/t
Edwyn Collins- Dr Syntax

Slightly Disappointing:
Blondie-Curse of
Belle and Sebastian- Dear Catastrophe Wautress

Best reissues, live albums, etc:
Dead Kennedys- Live at the Deaf Club 1979
Steve Earle- Just an American Boy
The Cure- Join the Dots
Del McCoury Band- High, Lonesome and Blue
Soft Cell- Live
Morrissey-Under the Influence comp

Cult album:
Unknown Hinson- The Future is Unknown

Lesser known, but I'll plug them anyway:
The Plot to Blow up the Eiffel Tower- Dissertation Honey
David Davis and the Warrior River Boys- s/t
Human Aftertaste-Eat Our Meat

It's a bit early for all this isn't it? If you can wait 7 years for 'You Are The Quarry' you can wait another few months before you hail it Album of the Year.

1.Streets-A Grand Don't Come For Free
2.Dizzee Rascal-Boy In Da Corner
3.Willie Mason-Guitar Pick N' Slumber Party
4.Morrissey-You Are The Quarry
5.OutKast-Love Below/Speakerboxxx

'...Quarry' is my outright favourite too, but I'd also like an honourable mention to go to 'Songs To Save Your Life'. I know it was a freebie and so maybe not strictly eligible, but I love it.

Morrissey
The Cure
Franz Ferdinand
The Hives
The Libertines
Modest Mouse

Morrissey-Quarry
Lyrics Born-Later That Day
Xiu Xiu-Fabulous Muscles
B&S-Dear Catastrophe Waitress
MC Chris-Eating's Not Cheating
Gift of Gab-Fourth Dimensional Rocket Ships
cLOUDDEAD-Ten

Top 8

8. The Stills - Logic Will Break your Heart
7. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
6. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
5. The Strokes - Room on Fire
4. The Killers - Hot Fuss
3. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlaticism
2. My Favorite - The Happiest Days of Our Lives
1. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry

And the what the hell happened award goes to The Cure - The Cure.

ejcmp

Sufjan Stevens "Seven Swans"
The Fiery Furncaes "Gallowsbird's Bark"
The Shins "Chutes Too Narrow"
Belle & Sebastian "Dear Catastrophe Waitress"
Broadcast "HaHa Sound"
The Decemberists "Her Majesty"
The Unicorns "Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?"
Wilco "A Ghost is Born"
Destroyer "Your Blues"
Air "Talkie Walkie"
The Walkmen "Bows + Arrows"

1. You Are The Quarry - Morrissey
  2. The Libertines - The Libertines
  3. Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle & Sebastian
  4. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
  5. Hot Fuss - The Killers
  6. Room On Fire - The Strokes
  7. Hopes And Fears - Keane
  8. Final Straw - Snow Patrol
  9. Over The Counter Culture - The Ordinary Boys
10. Up All Night - The Futureheads

considering this is the Morrissey Solo website, I wonder which album is gonna win!
John

belle and sebastian and the postal service.

1, Morrissey - You Are The Quarry, not as good as Vauxhall and I or Viva Hate, but it's a solid album and better than the pish that's out today.

2, Tindersticks - Waiting For The Moon, not sure whether this counts in this year's list, but as far as I know it was released in June last year. My Oblivion is incredible!

3, Muse - Absolution, Brilliant album that is like a heavy sounding Bends (Radiohead).

4, Killing Joke (self titled) - Lots of heavy guitars, tom toms and that crazy voice!

5, Well ... that sums up what I think of other artists at the moment.

Aberfeldy - 'Young Forever (Rough Trade)

1) Madvillain: Madvillainy
2) Viktor Vaughn: Vaudeville Villain
3) Gomez - Split the Difference
4) The Real Tuesday Weld - I, Lucifer
5) April March - Triggers

m.l. gore's ounterfiet2" razed in black's "damaged" and oh I suppose i'll throw in You Are The Quarry, Morrissey.

1)Morrissey You Ate The Curry
2)tieMagnetic Fields I / Snow Patrol Final Straw
3)Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
4)The Fall 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong
5The Streets A Grand Don't Come For Free
6)PJ Harvey Uh Huh Her
7)Sonic Youth Sonic Nurse
8)Air Talkie Walkie
9)The Killers Hot Fuss
10)Blonde Redhead Misery Is A Butterfly

Upcoming releases:

1)Manic Street Preachers TBD
2)The Libertines The Libertines

Snow Patrol - Final Straw
Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight
Ryan Adams - RocknRoll/Love is Hell
Killers - Hot Fuss
Paul Westerberg - Come Feel Me Tremble
Morrissey - You Are the Quarry

I'm sure there are so many I forgot to mention...

you are the Quarry-Morrissey
the Runaway found- the Veils
Franz Ferdinand-Franz Ferdinand

[and the new Libertines album-the Libertines]
['cause all/most of the songs on the album
they've played live past year, and were availble via
Pete's Babyshambles site and 'piss me off'bootleg]

*sonic youth sonic nurse*-quarry does not deal with the universal emotional and human matters that were the only reason morrissey appealed to me in the first place-it is unemotional and doesn't says nothing to me about my life-but then again his music deals with the pains of living in a mansion now as opposed to what i might be able to relate to-the youthful angst of young morrissey.

Skinny Puppy - The Greater Wrong of the Right
Squarepusher - Ultravisitor
Prince - Musicology
Throbbing Gristle - TG:NOW

"You Are The Quarry" doesn't quite make it... the singles are good, but on the whole I don't like it as much as "Vauxhall..." or "Viva Hate".

01 morrissey - you are the quarry
02 pj harvey - uh huh her
03 belle & sebastian - dear catastrophe waitress
04 blur - think tank (may '03 release, but noteworthy)
05 air - talkie walkie
06 the rapture - echoes
07 the shins - chutes too narrow
08 the creatures - hai!

Boring list? Yeah, well, I'm getting old.

belle and sebastian - dear catastrophe waitress / books ep
the shins - chutes too narrow
pas/cal - oh honey, we're ridiculous ep
morrissey - you are the quarry
radio dept - lesser matters
sufjan stevens - greetings from michigan...
camera obscura - underacheivers please try harder
stereolab - margerine eclipse
broadcast - haha sound
the futureheads - s/t
of montreal - satanic panic in the attic
the unicorns - who will cut our hair when we're gone
the books - the lemon of pink
sonic youth - sonic nurse
wilco - a ghost is born
april march - triggers
etc etc...

Best Albums in the last year:

Morrissey - You Are The Quarry
Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell (1&2)
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophy Waitress
Chumabawamba - Un
Keane - Hopes & Fears
The Charlatans - Up At The Lake
The Hives - Tyranosauraus Hives
Travis - 12 Memories

I do not know whether BRCM abd The Stokes were released in the second half of 2003, they would be included if they are.

Best Compilations:

Pixes - Wave Of Muliation
Supergrass - Supergrass is 10
Manic Street Preachers - Lipstick Traces

Biggest Disappoinment:

The Beautiful South - Gaze

Looking Forward:

The Libertines - The Libertines (tba, 8/2004)
Manic Street Preachers (tba, 9/2004)

I vote for Muse - Absolution. Just unbelievable.

Worth a mention: Melissa auf der Maur - self-titled. Soulfly - Prophecy.

In no particular order:

The Cure - The Cure
Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse
L'arc en Ciel - Smile
Rufus Wainwright - Want One
Babasonicos - Infame
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
Cafe Tacvba - 4 Caminos
B & S - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Phoenix - Alphabetical
Morrissey - YATQ

Looking forward to Bjork and Fiona Apple.

Right, here goes.

NEW ALBUMS (TOP 5)

1. Diamanda Galas, 'La Serpenta Canta'
2. John Cale, 'Hobosapiens'
3. Franz Ferdinand, 'Franz Ferdinand'
4. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, 'Streetcore'
5. Loretta Lynn, 'Van Lear Rose'.

REISSUES/COMPILATIONS

1. Tindersticks, 'Tindersticks II'
2. The Fall, '50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong'
3. The Undertones, 'Teenage Kicks:Best Of'
4. Dexys Midnight Runners, 'Let's Make This Precious: Best Of'
5. Gene Clark, 'No Other'.

That's just off the top of my head - there's loads I haven't yet heard but will here (money - lack of - currently prevents this!!) and it will change as I get to hear more stuff.

1. Morrissey - You Are The Quarry
2. PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her
3. Franz Ferdinand - s/t
4. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
5. The Killers - Hot Fuss

1) Morrissey - You Are The Quarry
2) Divine Comedy - Absent Friends
3) Franz Ferdinand - S/T
4) Keane - Hopes and Fears
5) Ash - Meltdown

Reissues/live/best ofs
1) Supergrass - Is 10
2) Red Hot Chili Peppers - Live In Hyde Park
3) Weezer - The Blue Album

Upcoming releases
1) Manic Street Preachers

My favourite albums are "You are the Quarry", The Cure,Muse, The Killers and I know it's a singles collection but the just released The Associates "Singles" is absolutly stunning.

Love love loooove Franz's self titled album - can't wait for future releases. Others include YATQ (of course), The Postal Service, Interpol.. need to buy the Killers and Keane yet. Looking forward to Erasure's new one.

architecture in helsinki - fingers crossed
magnetic fields - i
pan sonic - kesto

very little else that has come out has been that memorable for me.

i don't think i've bought enough in the last year to qualify in writing a list, but i can truly say that this is the first time that i've had blase feelings about albums some of my faves have put out: namely belle and sebastian and rufus wainwright. maybe it's impossible to top "if you're feeling sinister" and "poses" respectively, but i went to the record store last month when i was looking for TFOTG and saw that b&s had a new EP out, and i kinda pondered it and decided i just wouldn't bother if i couldn't find the single i was actually looking for. i dunno. it seemed like more effort than what it was worth to stand in line with it when i really didn't have in my hands what i was looking for.

as for morrissey's album, who can't deny that it has some great musical moments? even right now, i still am surprised by "jesus" and "camden".

Morrissey
Bang Gang
The Zutons
The Hives
Longview

Morrissey - You Are The Quarry
The Cure - Self Titled
The Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy
Muse - Absolution
Radio 4 - Gotham
Franz Ferdinand - Self Titled
Prince - Musicology
The Stills - Logic Will Break Your Heart
Graham Coxon - Happiness In Magazines
The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
Cut Copy - Bright Like Neon Love
Elbow - Cast Of Thousands (my name is in the booklet)
Billy Bragg- Must I Paint You A Picture
Phish - Undermind
Dear Leader - The Good Times Are Killing Me

Morrissey
The Cure
Elefant
Franz ferdinand
Cardigans (its a new sound)
and a carry over from last year....MOGWAI

1.y.a.t.q-morrissey
2.get born-jet
3.i cant stop-al green
4.true love-toots & maytals
5.runaway found-the veils

Here's a few......

Morrissey - "You Are The Quarry"
Mojave 3 - "Spoon & Rafter"
The Hidden Cameras - "Mississauga Goddam"
The Concretes - "The Concretes"
Elbow - "Cast Of Thousands"
The Polyphonic Spree - "Together Were Heavy"
and er Blazin' Squad - "Now Or Never"

Look out for the new album by The Trash Can Sinatras - "Weightlifting", out in the US & Canada August 31st & the UK in October.
It'll be a contender for the album of any year, you heard it here first remember.

Cheers all
Kes de moaner xxxx

[Some albums, like Muse and Cardigans, may seem a little late to folks in the UK or elsewhere, due to a delayed US release]

1. The Cardigans – Long Gone Before Daylight
2. Morrissey – You Are The Quarry
3. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
4. Faye Wong - To Love
5. Muse - Absolution
6. King Adora – Who Do You Love?
7. The Cure – The Cure
8. The Roots - The Tipping Point
9. Ash - Meltdown
10. Brandy - Afrodisiac

Stereolab - Instant O in the Universe
Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse
Zero 7 - Simple Things Remixes
Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
Wilco - A Ghost is Born
They Might Be Giants - The Spine

morrissey yatq
coldplay live 2003
the cure join the dots
the cure the cure
elefant sunshine makes
the stills logic
the shins chutes too narrow
stellastar* stellastar*
the fever red bedroom
franz ferdinand franz ferdinand
the rapture echoes
and lots more

This year ...

The Loves: LOVE
The Brunettes: Mars Loves Venus
Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand
The Veils: The Runaway Found
Delays: Faded Seaside Glamour
Morrissey: You Are The Quarry
Edmund Cake: Downtown Puff
Razorlight: Up All Night
The Libertines: The Libertines
Kings Of Convenience: Riot On An Empty Street
Phoenix: Alphabetical
The A.M.: The A.M.

Last year ...

Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
British Sea Power - The Decline Of British Sea Power
Stephen Duffy & The Lilac Time - Keep Going
The Go-Betweens - Bright Yellow, Bright Orange
The Lucksmiths - Naturaliste
Pernice Brothers - Yours, Mine & Ours
Josh Rouse - 1972
The Tokey Tones - Caterpillar
The Tokey Tones - Butterfly

1. Morrissey - M,YATQ

2. The Finn Brothers - Everyone Is Here (releases in Aug.; bros. are now touring to support it)

3. The Stills - Logic Will Break Your Heart

4. Jamie Cullum - Twentysomething

Most of my favs of the last 12 months are already listed - YATQ of course, Stills, Strokes, PJ Harvey, Mars Volta, Loretta Lynn. A couple others I don't think were mentioned:

Ween - Quebec (think it came out after June of '03?)
Ron Sexsmith - Retriever

looking forward to: Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum.

Most everyone's list is great. I really like The Cure's new album (I'm seeing them in three days!!!!!!!!), as well as the latest from The Postal Service, PJ, Ryan Adams, Franz, and Muse. Lately I've been listening to The Mars Volta and Coheed & Cambria, which are some progressive rock bands that add new flavor to the "emo" genre. Other than what I've mentioned, and of course besides Morrissey's contribution, there really hasn't been much going on in the music world. I'm looking forward to the new U2 disc, but I'm sure I'm one of the very, very few on here who is. ;)

This list only applies to albums I've heard in 2004; I tend to obsessively make lists of this sort, and I like to confine them to the calendar year.

1. Kate Jacobs: You Call That Dark
2. Diamanda Galas: La Serpenta Canta
3. Morrissey: You Are The Quarry
4. Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days
5. Patti Smith: trampin'
6. The Elected: Me First
7. Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose
8. Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me
9. The Von Bondies: Pawn Shoppe Heart
10. Califone: Heron King Blues

Muse: Absolution (as always, brilliant!)
The Cure
Franz Ferdinand
David Bowie: Reality
Kill Bill soundtracks
Adom: Idiot Savant
Morrissey: you are the quarry
The Raveonettes: chain gang of love

You Are The Quarry and Antics by Interpol are the only albums to come out this year that I was/ am really excited about. Logic Will Break Your Heart by The Stills and Franz Ferdinand by some band that I can't quite remember their name, were both ok albums, but still seemed to come up a little short. I think Antics will most likely be the best album of 2004.

Echobelly - Gravity Pulls

--evan