RAJEEV'S TOP 10 OF 2004

This was a tough list to assemble, mainly because there was so much music I dug this year. So after my #1, this list goes alphabetical. Check back with me in 3 months and I'm sure I'll want to revise it. But for now, here we go:

The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat. Nothing came close to matching the time this got in my stereo this year. It's weird, sprawling, and sometimes puzzling - yet I found the songs impossibly catchy with hooks lurking in every corner. And after 8 months, I'm still hearing new things. I see why some people hate Blueberry Boat, but it's my #1 and the pack isn't even close.

Air - Talkie Walkie. Though not as intricate as Air's earliest (and strongest) work, these songs are put together beautifully. Every element in a track like "Run" knows its place. Was Nigel Godrich the reason why? Perhaps. Do we mind? Not at all. Usually a January release or Nissan commercial is the kiss of death for these lists - not with Talkie Walkie.

Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour. This album initially felt too slick, so I put it away and lost a good month of listening. Thankfully people kept talking about it, because FSG ended up being one of the strongest debuts I've heard in a while. It's easy to tune out the hype with UK exports, but this is the rare album that didn't get enough of it.

Junior Boys - Last Exit. What makes this album so good is its consistency from start to finish. And though the hooks and the lush production are great, I love blasting Last Exit for its beats. The JB's know their way around their drum machines and for 2004, I think they're as good as synth-pop gets.

The Magnetic Fields - i. While Stephin Merritt may never match the sustained highs of 69 Love Songs, hopefully his future releases won't get overshadowed by it as much as this one. I is just as good as its predecessor, far easier to digest, and it was the focus of two of the year's best shows - but the lyrics alone could get it in.

Midnight Movies - Midnight Movies. I can't help but mention Stereolab and Broadcast every time I talk about this band. But even though they wear their influences openly, Midnight Movies' debut rocks a little harder, has no filler, and frankly is better than anything to come out of either band's camp in quite a while.

Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender. This is a late addition but it seemed half of it was already stuck in my head after one listen. She sounds like a child and plays the harp, which puts her near the Furnaces in the love-it-or-hate-it category. I am firmly in the former.

Of Montreal - Satanic Panic in the Attic. I always saw Of Montreal as one of the weaker links in Elephant 6 until they toned down the cuteness with Satanic Panic, one of the catchiest records of the year. Great harmonies, great melodies, and I literally listened to it every day for almost two months.

Wilco - A Ghost is Born. The drone jam was a mistake, "Wishful Thinking" drags, and "The Late Greats" never fit in, but I absolutely adore the other 75% of this record. While this'll never be considered Wilco's best work, I don't think they've ever been as comfortable with their sound - live, Ghost was the star of the show.

X-Wife - Feeding the Machine. Though I lost a bit of objectivity when I started helping this Portugese band get a start in the US, this record was a lock for my top 10 long before. At their core, these are well-crafted pop songs. The live drum machine beats, vintage synth freakouts, and occassional vocoder are what elevate Feeding the Machine into a record that's yet to disappoint anyone I've played it for.

Honorable Mentions:

- Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans. For getting knocked out of my top 10 by Joanna Newsom two days ago.
- Deerhoof - Milk Man. For kicking my ass live. Twice.
- Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand. For absolutely owning my CD player for a couple months. But I listened to it too much and it hasn't been the same since. Great live show though, and I look forward to their next album.
- John Tejada - Logic Memory Center. For making vocal microhouse work - Matthew Dear, I hope you're taking notes.
- United State of Electronica - United State of Electronica. For missing my list by just two miserable attempts at hip-hop.
- And too many more to mention...

Check back on Monday for a look at the top mixes of the year, as well as the best live shows.