Triple Trouble
One year. 273 songs. 22 hours of 2004's best music.
For 2003's Year in Music issue, I began putting together my year-end CD-R MP3 playlist in late November and limited myself to 101 songs—about seven and a half hours' worth of music, enough for six audio CDs. This year, I started keeping track in March, and included as much as I wanted. As a result, the 2004 edition is three times as large as last year's, filling three MP3 CD-Rs and 15 audio CDs (17 if you include the bonus tracks). Each paragraph below represents a single disc's worth of material, which is how I assembled them.
As before, a few caveats apply. These are not "ranked" lists—they're playlists meant for listening. I limited myself to one song per primary credited artist, though there are exceptions—hip-hop's bread and butter is the guest spot, which means a lots of rappers appear more than once. Jay-Z is on here five times as a result of Black Album remix mania—in all but one case, the remixer got the artist credit, which I honored; Kanye West and Common's "Better Than Yours" (a mixtape freestyle over Kelis' "Milkshake") fudged its way in as a collaboration-not-artist-plus-guest.
All of which makes what follows a little unfair, strictly speaking. Lousy albums with one good song automatically gain parity with great CDs I had to struggle to choose only one track from. And I missed and/or overlooked plenty; feel free to send your lists care of the Weekly. But, hey—life is unfair. It's also a lot of fun—and to my ears, so is what follows.
DISC ONE
The Hold Steady: "Positive Jam" (Frenchkiss). - iTunes
Rilo Kiley: "Portions for Foxes" (Brute/Beaute). - iTunes
The Walkmen: "The Rat" (Record Collection). - iTunes
Portobella: "Covered in Punk" (Island, U.K.).
United State of Electronica: "IT IS ON!" (Mannheim).
J.O.Y.: "Sunplus" (DFA).
Britney Spears: "Toxic" (Jive). - iTunes
Ricardo e Esquisito: "Mulher Coca Cola"/MC Mascote: "Bate La Palme De Mao"/Paty: "Cavalo De Pau" (Essay, Austria).
Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris: "Yeah!" (LaFace). - iTunes
Brandy ft. Kanye West: "Talk About Our Love" (Atlantic). - iTunes
Alicia Keys: "You Don't Know My Name/Will You Ever Know It (Reggae Mix)" (VP).
Devin the Dude: "Briarpatch" (Rap-a-Lot).
M.I.A.: "Galang" (XL). - iTunes
Kanye West: "We Don't Care" (Roc-a-Fella). - iTunes
Mya ft. Chingy: "Fallin' (Zone 4 Remix)" (Interscope).
Gretchen Wilson: "Redneck Woman" (Epic). - iTunes
Big & Rich: "Kick My Ass" (Warner Bros. Nashville). - iTunes
Nada Surf: "Au Fond Du Reve Dore" (Hear Music).
The Magnetic Fields: "It's Only Time" (Nonesuch). - iTunes
Team America: "America, F**k Yeah" (Atlantic). - iTunes
Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra: "Indictment" (Ropeadope).
Youssou N'Dour: "Touba—Daru Salaam" (Nonesuch). - iTunes
Burnt Sugar: "Funky Rich Medina" (Trugroid).
Justus Kohncke: "Weiche Zaune (The Modernist Remix)" (Kompakt).
Junior Boys: "More Than Real" (Domino).
Maximus Dan: "Soca Train" (Honest Jon's).
Cecile: "Hot Like We" (Greensleeves).
Vybz Kartel: "Buddy Nuh Done" (Greensleeves).
Lady Sovereign: "Ch Ching (Cheque 1, 2)" (Casual, U.K.).
cry.on.my.console: "Superlangalang!" (MP3).
The Helio Sequence: "Repeater" (Sub Pop). - iTunes
Camera Obscura: "Let Me Go Home" (Merge). - iTunes
The Streets: "Could Well Be In" (Vice). - iTunes
The Mountain Goats: "Your Belgian Things" (4AD).
Fiona Apple: "Extraordinary Machine" (MP3).
Keren Ann: "Sailor & Widow" (Blue Note). - iTunes
Twista: "Overnight Celebrity" (Atlantic). - iTunes
Beastie Boys/DJ Green Lantern: "Triple Trouble (Green Mix)" (djgreenlantern.com).
Ghostface ft. Jacki-O: "Tooken Back" (Def Jam). - iTunes
Alchemist ft. Illa Ghee, Nina Sky & Prodigy: "Hold You Down" (Koch).
Madvillain: "Rhinestone Cowboy" (Stones Throw).
Sleepy Brown ft. OutKast: "I Can't Wait" (Interscope). - iTunes
Air: "Run" (Astralwerks). - iTunes
Stereolab: "Margerine Melodie" (Elektra). - iTunes
Ricardo Villalobos: "Hello Halo" (Perlon).
Jay-Z vs. Radiohead: "99 Anthems" (MP3).
PJ Harvey: "Who the Fuck?" (Island). - iTunes
The Thermals: "Keep Time" (Sub Pop). - iTunes
Go Home Productions: "Rock With Addiction (Awww)" (MP3).
The Roots: "Web" (Geffen). - iTunes
J-Kwon: "Tipsy" (So So Def). - iTunes
Crime Mob: "Stilettos (Pumps)" (Warner Bros.). - iTunes
MarkOne: "Interference" (Rephlex).
Davinche ft. Essentials: "Get Over It" (Paperchase).
DJ Gama ft. Jookie Mundo: "Wonky (Vocal Mix)" (Slimting).
Wiley: "Pies" (XL). - iTunes
James T. Cotton: "Press Your Body" (Ghostly International). - iTunes
Cesar Mariano & Cia: "Futebol de Bar (Heavy Usker Mix)" (Ether).
Todd Edwards and Filthy Rich ft. Damon Trueitt: "Stormy Day (Dubstrumental)" (i!).
LCD Soundsystem: "Yeah! (Stupid Version)" (DFA).
Shakedown: "Love Game (313 Dub)" (Panorama).
Pixeltan: "Get Up/Say What (DFA Remix)" (DFA).
DKD: "Future Rage" (Bitasweet).
Beenie Man ft. Ms. Thing: "Dude (Remix)" (VP).
Richie Feelings: "Dancin Class" (Greensleeves).
Elephant Man ft. Twista, Youngbloodz & Kiprich: "Jook Gal (Wine Wine) (Head Gawn Version)" (VP).
Bounty Killer: "Hey Yallow" (Greensleeves).
Kid606: "Slammin' Ragga Bootleg Track" (Tigerbeat6).
Dungen: "Det Du Tänker Idag Är Du I Morgon" (Subliminal Sounds).
Matthew Shipp: "Ion" (Thirsty Ear). - iTunes
Nellie McKay: "David" (Sony). - iTunes
Phoenix: "Holdin' on Together" (Astralwerks). - iTunes
Van Hunt: "Dust" (Virgin). - iTunes
The Fiery Furnaces: "Chris Michaels" (Rough Trade). - iTunes
Belle & Sebastian: "I'm a Cuckoo ( . . . by the Avalanches)" (Rough Trade).
The Meat Purveyors: "How Can I Be So Thirsty Today" (Bloodshot). - iTunes
Carolyn Mark and the New Best Friends: "Bigger Bed" (Mint).
Jon Langford: "Hard Times" (Bloodshot). - iTunes
Old 97's: "Friends Forever" (New West). - iTunes
Mary Lou Lord: "Cold Kilburn Rain" (Rubric). - iTunes
Luna: "Malibu Love Nest" (Jetset). - iTunes
Tom Waits: "Hoist That Rag" (Anti-). - iTunes
DJ Lt. Dan: "Dirt off Your Shoulder/Come Clean" (MP3).
Brother Ali: "Bad Ma Fucka" (Rhymesayers).
Lloyd Banks: "On Fire" (G Unit/Interscope). - iTunes
Jadakiss ft. Styles P, Common, Nas & Anthony Hamilton: "Why (Remix)" (Ruff Ryders).
Memphis Bleek: "Just Blaze, Free & Bleek" (Def Jam). - iTunes
Christina Milian ft. Fabolous: "Dip It Low (Remix)" (Island). - iTunes
Nicole Wray: "If I Was Your Girlfriend" (Def Jam). - iTunes
Ciara ft. Petey Pablo: "Goodies" (LaFace). - iTunes
Kanye West & Common: "Better Than Yours" (mixtape).
N*E*R*D ft. Common, Mos Def, De La Soul & Q-Tip: "She Wants to Move (Native Tongues Remix)" (Virgin). .
Brian Wilson: "Our Prayer/Gee" (Nonesuch). - iTunes
Danger Mouse: "December 4th" (MP3).
Prince: "What Do U Want Me 2 Do" (NPG/Columbia). - iTunes
The Eaton Canyon Royal Ensemble: "When Doves Cry" (Vitamin).
Arto Lindsay: "Kamo (Dark Stripe)" (Righteous Babe).
Mylab: "Pop Client" (Terminus). - iTunes
The Trio: "Dao Forms" (Splasc[H]).
The Bad Plus: "Layin' a Strip for the Higher-Self State Line" (Columbia). - iTunes
Heiruspecs: "32 Months" (Razor & Tie). - iTunes
Daedelus: "Something Bells" (Plug Research). - iTunes
Lullatone: "Bushman's Samba" (Audio Dregs).
Rainstick Orchestra: "Waltz for a Little Bird" (Ninja Tune). - iTunes
Squarepusher: "Iambic 9 Poetry" (Warp).
Liquid Liquid: "Bellhead" (DFA).
Matthew Dear: "And in the Night" (Ghostly International). - iTunes
Thomas Brinkmann: "3 St. 2 Shinjuku" (Max.Ernst).
DISC TWO
Black Leotard Front: "Casual Friday" (DFA).
Franz Ferdinand: "Take Me Out (Daft Punk Remix)" (Sony).
Modest Mouse: "The View" (Epic). - iTunes
Ted Leo + the Pharmacists: "Little Dawn" (Lookout!).
Dykehouse: "Lost Holiday" (Ghostly International).
Moonbabies: "Summer Kids Go" (Hidden Agenda). - iTunes
Snow Patrol: "Spitting Games" (A&M). - iTunes
Clinic: "Falstaff" (Domino).
Butchies: "Your Love" (Yep Roc). - iTunes
Caetano Veloso: "Love for Sale" (Nonesuch). - iTunes
Mouse on Mars: "Send Me Shivers" (Thrill Jockey). - iTunes
Ben Watt ft. Sanada Maitreya: "A Stronger Man" (Astralwerks).
Roy Davis Jr.: "My Soul Is Electric" (Ubiquity). - iTunes
Swayzak: "My House" (!K7). - iTunes
IQU: "Loving You" (Sonic Boom). - iTunes
Ada: "Maps" (Areal).
R. Kelly: "Love Signals" (Jive). - iTunes
MC Scott D: "December 4th (Pushaman Mix)" (MP3).
Ozomatli: "Believe" (Concord). - iTunes
Boredoms: "Seadrum" (WEA Japan).
Isis: "Backlit" (Ipecac).
Coachwhips: "Evil Son" (Narnack).
Dizzee Rascal: "Stand up Tall" (XL). - iTunes
Plasticman: "The Music" (Rephlex).
More Fire Crew: "Torch" (white label).
Jon E. Cash/Black Ops: "Bang Bang Bang" (white label).
Target ft. Dogzee & Syer: "S.T.D.'s" (Aim High).
Chingy ft. Ludacris & Snoop Dogg: "Holidae Inn (Remix)" (Capitol). - iTunes
So So Def ft. Ludacris: "Freestyle" (mixtape)..
Pastor Troy: "Ridin' Big" (Universal). - iTunes
Federation ft. E-40: "Hyphy" (Virgin). - iTunes
Masta Killa: "Digi Warfare" (Nature Sounds). - iTunes
Luke Vibert: "Homewerk" (Planet Mu).
Prodigy: "Memphis Bells" (Maverick). - iTunes
Michael Mayer: "Amabile" (Kompakt).
Rachel Stevens: "Some Girls" (Polydor).
Kylie Minogue: "Slow (Chemical Brothers Remix)" (Capitol).
Local H: "Toxic" (localh.com).
Janet: "Just a Little While" (Virgin). - iTunes
RJD2: "Exotic Talk" (Definitive Jux). - iTunes
Carina Round: "Shoot" (Capitol). - iTunes
The Fever: "Ladyfingers" (Kemado).
The Hives: "Walk Idiot Walk" (Interscope). - iTunes
The Catch: "After Party (Fire! Fire! Fire!)" (thecatchmusic.com).
Courtney Love: "Mono" (Virgin). - iTunes
Rocket From the Tombs: "Never Gonna Kill Myself Again" (Smog Veil). - iTunes
Sonic Youth: "I Love You Golden Blue" (DGC). - iTunes
Drive-By Truckers: "Puttin' People on the Moon" (New West). - iTunes
Blood Brothers: "Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck" (V2). - iTunes
The Futureheads: "Decent Days and Nights" (Sire). - iTunes
Les Savy Fav: "Hold on to Your Genre" (Frenchkiss).
The Ponys: "Let's Kill Ourselves" (In the Red). - iTunes
Bowling for Soup: "1985" (Jive). - iTunes
The Lashes: "Ex-Mas (Young in Love)" (Lookout!). - iTunes
Gore Gore Girls: "Casino" (Get Hip).
VV and Hotel: "Restaurant Blouse" (MP3). - iTunes
Destiny's Child: "Lose My Breath" (Sony). - iTunes
Blaque: "I'm Good" (Elektra). - iTunes
Nina Sky: "Move Ya Body" (Universal). - iTunes
Assassin: "Girls Gone Wild" (Greensleeves).
Tanya Stephens: "Pop It Off" (Greensleeves).
Lady Saw: "Strip Tease" (VP).
Diplo: "Favela on Blast [excerpt]" (Hollertronix).
Petey Pablo: "Boys Bathroom" (Jive). - iTunes
Lil Wayne ft. Mannie Fresh: "Go DJ" (Cash Money). - iTunes
Big Tymers: "U Are Not a Pimp" (Universal). - iTunes
Terror Squad ft. Ma$e, Eminem & Lil Jon: "Lean Back (Remix)" (Universal).
Theodore Unit ft. Ghostface: "Guerilla Hood" (Navarre).
MF Doom ft. Count Bass D: "Potholderz" (Rhymesayers). .
Prince Po ft. Jemini & Cairo: "Fall Back" (Lex).
Vast Aire ft. MF Doom: "Da Supafriendz" (Chocolate Industries).
Kardinal Offishall and Solitair: "Lucifer" (MP3).
Guerilla Black ft. Beenie Man: "Compton" (Virgin). - iTunes
Nas: "Nazareth Savage" (Columbia). - iTunes
Akon ft. Styles P: "Locked Up" (Universal). - iTunes
Pete Rock ft. Black Ice: "Truth Is" (BBE). - iTunes
Northern State: "Last Night" (Columbia). - iTunes
Young Gunz: "Friday Night" (Roc-a-Fella). - iTunes
Keyshia Cole ft. Eve: "Never" (Interscope). - iTunes
Kerrier District: "Disclix" (Rephlex).
Alan Braxe & Fred Falke: "Rubicon (Original Version)" (Roulé).
Revl9n: "Walking Machine" (C.B.H.).
Robag Wruhme: "Mensua" (Musik Krause).
Flo Dan: "That's Me" (Deuce).
No Lay: "Unorthadox Daughter" (679).
D Double E & JME: "Serious Thugs" (Meridian).
Kano: "P's and Q's" (679).
Footsie & D Double E: "War Wid" (Braindead).
Terrah Danjah: "Juggling" (After Shock).
Donae'o: "People Don't Know" (Social Circles).
Ears: "Happy Dayz" (679).
Durty Doogz: "Back to School" (white label).
Slaughter Mob: "Creeky Door" (Rephlex).
Freq Nasty ft. Rodney P: "Come Let Me Know" (Skint).
Lil Flip: "Game Over (Flip)" (Sony). - iTunes
Young Buck ft. 50 Cent: "Let Me In" (G Unit). - iTunes
T.I.: "ASAP" (Atlantic). - iTunes
Mike Jones: "Good Times Freestyle" (mixtape).
Trick Daddy ft. Lil Jon & Twista: "Let's Go" (Atlantic). - iTunes
G Unit: "Eye for Eye" (Shady).
Estelle: "1980" (V2).
Max Richter: "Horizon Variations" (Fatcat).
Gorge Trio: "A Comedy in Sun" (Skin Graft).
Ill Ease: "The Skank" (XL). - iTunes
Jonathan Richman: "Cosi Veloce" (Sanctuary). - iTunes
DJ Olive: "Crossunder" (theAgriculture). - iTunes
The Platinum Orchestra: "Fix My Sink" (Trax).
Lusine: "The Stop" (Ghostly International). - iTunes
Superpitcher: "Tomorrow (Kaito Remix)" (Kompakt).
DISC THREE
Neko Case: "If You Knew" (Bloodshot). - iTunes
The Flatlanders: "Back to My Old Molehill" (New West). - iTunes
Terri Clark: "Girls Lie Too" (Mercury Nashville). - iTunes
Toby Keith: "Stays in Mexico" (Dreamworks Nashville). - iTunes
Gary Allan: "Nothing on But the Radio" (MCA Nashville). - iTunes
Wilco: "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" (Nonesuch). - iTunes
The Ex: "Prism Song" (Touch & Go). - iTunes
Kiiiiiii: "Brown Girl in the Ring" (Waikiki, Japan).
Deerhoof: "Rainbow Silhouette of the Milky Man" (Kill Rock Stars). - iTunes
Pixies: "Bam Thwok" (iTunes). - iTunes
Bloc Party: "The Answer" (Dim Mak).
Turing Machine: "Bleach It Black" (V2). - iTunes
Pan Sonic: "Mayhem II" (Mute).
Wasteland: "In Your Sleep" (Transparent).
Lhasa: "My Name" (Nettwerk). - iTunes
Cee-Lo Green: "I Am Selling Soul" (Arista).
L.L. Cool J: "Headsprung" (Def Jam). - iTunes
Tone-Tone ft. Kidd: "I Ain't Playin' Witcha" (New Skool). .
De La Soul ft. Ghostface: "He Comes" (Sanctuary Urban). - iTunes
Viktor Vaughn ft. Kool Keith: "Doper Skiller" (Insomniac).
The Gift of Gab ft. Vursatyl: "Way of the Light" (Quannum). - iTunes
Ludacris: "The Potion" (Def Jam South). - iTunes
The Game, Kanye West & Ludacris: "The Whole City Behind Us" (Boost Mobile).
Raphael Saadiq: "Live Without You" (Pookie). - iTunes
Tego Calderon: "Cerca de Mi Neighborhood" (RCA International).
Local 12: "Candela Collection Track 1" (MP3).
Bugz in the Attic: "Booty (La La)" (V2, U.K.).
Cut Copy: "Saturdays" (Modular). - iTunes
Rhythm King and Her Friends: "Copie-Moi Je Veux Voyager" (Kitty-Yo).
The Soft Pink Truth: "Do They Owe Us a Living?" (Tigerbeat6). - iTunes
MC Narstie: "Top Boy" (white label).
Ruff Sqwad: "Misty Cold" (white label).
Roll Deep: "Let It Out" (679).
The Juan MacLean: "I Robot" (DFA).
Lawrence: "Spark" (Ghostly International). .
Komeda: "Dead" (Minty Fresh). - iTunes
Kasabian: "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)" (RCA, U.K.).
The Fontaine Toups: "Who Told You" (Teenbeat). - iTunes
Gram Rabbit: "Dirty Horse" (Stinky). - iTunes
The Angel Brothers and Satnan Singh with Ian McMillan: "Captain Beefheart & Mr. Neal" (Wrasse).
Comets on Fire: "Pussy Foot the Duke" (Sub Pop). - iTunes
Broken Social Scene: "Backyards" (Arts & Crafts). - iTunes
Saicobab: "Death Valley '69" (Narnack).
Triola: "Unland" (Kompakt).
To Rococo Rot: "Miss You" (Domino).
Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom: "Rise (DFA Remix)" (DFA).
Lansing-Dreiden: "I.C.U." (Kemado). - iTunes
Jacques Lu Cont with Cecile and General Degree: "Na Na Na Na" (V2, U.K.).
Annie: "Me Plus One" (679).
Javine: "Don't Walk Away" (Innocent).
Fat Marley: "Xin" (Wrasse).
Philip Jeck: "Wipe" (Touch).
BONUS TRACKS:
Scharpling & Wurster: "Mother 13" (Stereolaffs).
John Adams: On the Transmigration of Souls, New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel, cond. (Nonesuch).
Strictly Kev: "Raiding the 20th Century: A History of the Cutup" (MP3).
The Necks: "Drive-By" (Recommended).
