The best of 2003

[Nevermortal 0]

Albums:

 

1. AFI - Sing the Sorrow

2. Strapping Young Lad - SYL

3. The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Hate, Dominate, Congregate, Eliminate

4. The Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium

5. Zyklon - Aeon

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

I fail to see how Andrew WK is not a genius, he's genuine, he writes infinitely better melody lines than any other mainstream artist, The Wolf shows more variation than most of the albums I've heard all year, and because of his marketed image people dismiss it as all sounding the same. I've never understood it. I'm not saying this is the case with you, but I think people's attention spans have been diminished by listening to such unchallenging music all the time, so that when something comes along you actually have to listen to to appreciate fully, they don't buy it. But then that's people. People are gay.

Oh I realize he doesn't sound the same in every song, the man's voice just brings me a great deal of pain and his lyrics are just too over the top cheesy for me. My excess dislike just comes for him via the fact that he's on TV everywhere despite never really doing anything. I mean I don't care about mainstream success, but if you're gonna be forced down my throat on every channel ever, I'd prefer if you could at least fall back on the "Well I have a platinum album!" thing, Andrew doesn't even have a gold record and he just keeps showing up. Then again, I just suppose that means he has a good marketing team behind him, they do their job. He's just gotten to Korn levels of annoyance with me is all.

[ZGangsta 0]

My favorite alnum of the year was Zeppelin's How the West Was Won.

That album rocked more than anything I've heard in a long time. It completley disproved the whole "Led Zeppelin was a bad live band" and "Jimmy Page is an overrated guitarist" crap. As well, it showcased how awesome Bonham was live.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

B. Brian's top 5 albums of 2003:

 

5.Speakerboxxx/The Love Below- OutKast

4.Life is Killing Me- Type O Negative

3.Liz Phair- Liz Phair

2.Elephant- The White Stripes

1.The Blessed Hellride- Black Label Society

 

Best shows I've seen this year:

 

Flogging Molly at the Dublin Irish Festival- Dublin, Ohio

B.B. King at the Capitol Music Hall- Wheeling, West Virginia

[Guest frowned]

In no particular order:

 

Muse - Absolution

Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium

Dizzee Rascal - Boy in da Corner

 

but yeah, haven't bought that many "new" albums this year, been more on an 80's kinda vibe. Wasn't really into either Radiohead's or the Darkness's offerings. I saw the Darkness about a year or so ago and they are amazing live, there was about 25 people at the gig and the lead guitarist gets on the roadie's shoulders and walks around the audience playing perfect lead behind his head... frigging amazing... album was ok - but I wasn't expecting anything mindblowing.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

Fair enough Mindless, it's just that I don't agree that his marketing team is good. I think he'd have a hell of a lot bigger fanbase if he'd stayed relatively underground, to be honest.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

1. The Decemberists--Her Majesty, the Decemberists

2. The Delgados--Hate

3. The Blood Brothers--Burn, Piano Island, Burn

4. Lyrics Born--Later That Day

5. Constantines--Shine a Light

[Kinetic 0]

Christ, is Wire still releasing albums? I haven't liked anything they've done since Chairs Missing. Some critically acclaimed post-punk bands don't know when to quit.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Christ, is Wire still releasing albums?  I haven't liked anything they've done since Chairs Missing.  Some critically acclaimed post-punk bands don't know when to quit.

The new stuff I've heard is alright. It recalls their late 70s work, but still sounds fresh.

 

EDIT: Just yesterday, I decided that Pink Flag is my favorite punk album ever.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

1. The Decemberists--Her Majesty, the Decemberists

2. The Delgados--Hate

3. The Blood Brothers--Burn, Piano Island, Burn

4. Lyrics Born--Later That Day

5. Constantines--Shine a Light

16. The New Pornographers--Electric Version

17. Loose Fur--s/t

18. Pernice Brothers--Yours, Mine & Ours

19. The Flying Luttenbachers--Systems Emerge from Complete Disorder

20. Dump--A Grown-ass Man

 

I'll post 6-15 whenever the mood strikes.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Wow it's hard to believe that "Sing the Sorrow" by AFI was 2003...it seems like I've had that CD for longer than that.

 

I'll go with:

 

Sing the Sorrow by AFI

Blessed Hellride by BLS

Elephant by White Stripes

Strays by Jane's Addiction

 

Worst:

St. Anger by Metallica

Results May Vary by Limp Bizkit

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

Christ, is Wire still releasing albums?  I haven't liked anything they've done since Chairs Missing.  Some critically acclaimed post-punk bands don't know when to quit.

The new stuff I've heard is alright. It recalls their late 70s work, but still sounds fresh.

 

EDIT: Just yesterday, I decided that Pink Flag is my favorite punk album ever.

It's certainly high in ours. After Go 2, of course.

 

Send is great at times, ie 99.9 and You can't leave now which show how effortlessly they create such great soundscapes.

Edited December 15, 2003 by The Saturnsmarks4lives

[Guest Blas]

The Project Hate - Hate, Dominate, Congregate, Eliminate

Awesome swedish death metal with great atmosphere. Definitely TPH's greatest work ever.

 

2 Ton Predator - Demon Dealer

Awesome band, very proud to be hosting their site. Fast, heavy, groove thrash.

 

Entombed - Inferno

Some people hated this album but I love it, Entombed was one of the first death metal band I've ever heard so they've still got a place in my heart. A little like Morning Star but I think its much better, I'd still rather see them try and pull another Clandestine or Left Hand Path.

 

Vital Remains - Dechristianize

Holy shit this album came out of nowhere and simply destroyed. Very good death metal, this album has hardly left my CD player.

 

Genocide Superstars - Superstar Destroyer

Swedish punk-metal, punkcore whatever the fuck it is, its fast and awesome.

 

Vader - Blood MCD

Vader rules, their cover of Thin Lizzy - Angel of Death rules, this MCD rules.

 

Zyklon - Aeon

I never heard much Zyklon before this, I really like it, dont know why so many bash them.

 

Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride

Metal for the masses! Definitely my favorite BLS album, much better than that shitastic album 1919.

 

Iron Maiden - Dance of Death

Stupid, stupid album cover. But the music on it (If you're a Maiden fan) more than makes up for that hideous art. Montsegur and Paschendale are definite classics.

 

Naglfar - Sheol

Aside from Dark Funeral and Immortal and blackend death bands, I'm not much a Black Metal fan. But this album fucken rules, I should really get into more BM.

 

Artimus Pyledriver - Self Titled (Burning North)

Very cool band, heavy ass southern rock. This album is still not yet released but it was made in 03 so I guess it counts. You just want to open up a pack of PBR and shoot something while listening to these guys.

 

Good year.

[5_moves_of_doom 0]

My favorite alnum of the year was Zeppelin's How the West Was Won.

That album rocked more than anything I've heard in a long time. It completley disproved the whole "Led Zeppelin was a bad live band" and "Jimmy Page is an overrated guitarist" crap. As well, it showcased how awesome Bonham was live.

When did this "Led Zeppelin was a bad live band" argument ever exist? Because of The Song Remains the Same, or what? If so, I'd have to disagree anyway, as the movie and the album really aren't as bad to me as they are to some people.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

The Song Remains the Same, I'd imainge, is where it came from. It's really not a good live alum. How the West was Won, on the other hand, *IS* a great live album. Paige is still overrated, up there with Pete Towshend as the wrost lead men ever.

[Guest Peter_Griffin]

I'm doing a top 5 due to complications in a top 10.

 

1. Muse - Absolution : They have basically made themselves one of the biggest rock bands in the UK, and I have to say that every song on the album impressed me, and this album is MUCH better than 'Showbiz'. Songs like 'Butterflies and Hurricanes' and 'Stockholm Syndrome' left me with no other option, 'Absolution' is my album of the year for 2003.

 

2. Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death : Definately a close shot all the way, and I have been torn between these two since I bought 'Absolution'. I feel that this is the best album Maiden have ever produced. 'Paschendale' is by far my favourite Maiden song of all time, and 'No More Lies'. 'Journeyman' and 'Dance of Death' also make this album a MUST for Maiden fans.

 

3. The Darkness - Permission to Land : I didn't find a single bad song on this album, so I am happy to place them this highly in my top 3. It reminds me of Queen, with a lot of joking around in there as well. Some harmless fun, and some GREAT songs like 'Love Is Only A Feeling' and 'Friday Night'.

 

4. The Strokes - Room On Fire : Certainly as good as, if not BETTER than 'Is This It'. Songs like 'Reptilia' and 'I Can't Win' are definately keepers while '12:51', 'Automatic Stop' and 'What Ever Happened' sound like classic Strokes. Another album without a bad song to soil it's name.

 

5. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief : Certainly not as good as they HAVE been in the past, but this album is an amazing album. Songs like 'There There' and 'Sit Down Stand Up' have had me listening ever since I bought it.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I've been meaning to ask about "The Darkness"

 

I heard that one song "I believe in a thing called Love" or whatever it's called and I was like...Queen?? Naw it can't be.

 

Catchy tune.

[Guest Peter_Griffin]

I've been meaning to ask about "The Darkness"

 

I heard that one song "I believe in a thing called Love" or whatever it's called and I was like...Queen?? Naw it can't be.

 

Catchy tune.

I should have mentioned the Queen-esqe solos rather than just compare them to Queen. There IS better than I Believe In a Thing Called Love.