With a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout in hand

I celebrate the end of a year and the beginning of another. Of course I toast with sparkling organic apple juice. Hope you have a grand '05.

What a year for music. Seriously wonderful tunes last year. If anyone tells you that there wasn't much good music out there-- they have been listening to commerical radio stations. I had a hard time picking out albums and I was shocked at the amount of money I had invested in '04 music. It was in deed a very good year. Here is my list from bottom to top.

A Girl Called Eddy
Jem-- Finally Woken
Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama-- There Will Be Light
Carina Round-- The Disconnection
The Mountain Goats-- We Shall Be Healed
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The Hives-- Tyrannosaurus Hives
American Music Club-- Love Songs For Patriots
Madeleine Peyroux-- Careless Love
Keane -- Hopes and Fears
Jesse Sykes-- Oh mY Girl
The Cure
Steve Earle-- The Revolution Starts... Now
The Dears--No Cities Left
Joesph Arthur-- Our Shadows Will Remain
Gomez-- Split The Difference
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Grant Lee Phillips-- Virgina Creeper
Blanche-- If We Can't Trust The Doctors
Twilight Singers-- She Loves You
Iron and Wine-- Our Endless Numbered Days
Elvis Costello-- The Delivery Man
Morrissey--You Are The Quarry
The Killers--Hot Fuss
Sufjan Stevens-- Seven Swans
Tegan and Sara-- So Jealous
AC Newman-- The Slow Wonder
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Black Keys--Rubber Factory
TV on the Radio-- Desperate Youth, Blook Thirsty Babes
PJ Harvey-- Uh Huh Her
Eleni Mandell-- Afternoon
Paul Westerberg-- Folker
Ted Leo-- Shake the Streets
Magnetic Fields-- i
Air-- Talkie Walkie
Arcade Fire-- Funeral
Ray LaMontagne
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Drive By Truckers-- The Dirty South
Johnny Dowd-- Cemetry Shoes
Luna--Rendezvous
Guided By Voices-- Half Smiles of the Decomposed
Beta Band--Heroes to Zeroes
Green Day-- American Idiot
Earlimart-- Treble and Tremble
Sonic Youth-- Sonic Nurse
Citizen Cope-- The Clarence Greenwood Recordings
David Byrne--Grown Backwards
Franz Ferdinand
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Rilo Kiley-- More Adventrous
U2--How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Elliott Smith-- From A Basement on the Hill
Mark Lanegan-- Bubblegum
Loretta Lynn-- Van Lear Rose
The Secret Machines-- Now is Nowhere
Wilco-- A Ghost is Born
Modest Mouse-- Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Tom Waits-- Real Gone
Snow Patrol-- Final Straw

I told you it was a very good year. I might come back a change a few but this is my list right now( if you want to view my 2003 list here it is). We can agree to disagree-- just let me know and please feel free to forward your list. If you look at KEXP's top 90 or so you will notice quite a similar list. Well that is why I love them and stream the station almost anytime I am at the computer. Here is the top of 2004 from KEXP. and Paste Magazine.

Enjoy your hangover and football. Looking forward to 2005 and more great music.

I just saw Sideways. Go see it. As a Beer Geek I could relate. Great movie. Also just got Coupling from Netflix. Amazing except for the laugh track. Get rid of that and you have pure magic. (When do you take your socks off?) If you don't have it in your queue do so now. It's Friends (minus coffee shop replace with Pub and brew) meets Seinfeld meets Sex in the City with a British accent. Thanks to Pezman for the heads up. Yes I know I am very far behind on this one but give a musichead a break. I am but one man. I do indeed need help so please pass on any and all info to make me a better human being. Thanks in advance.

Peace Off
Bro