Musicwhore.org Music and memory

A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.

Back in February, I argued 2002 was an important year in music of the 2000s. 2003 is no slouch in that regard either. The list from that year sees no major changes.

1. Shiina Ringo, Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana
2. ACO, Irony
3. Molotov, Dance and Dense Denso
4. Café Tacuba, Cuatro Caminos
5. ART-SCHOOL, LOVE/HATE
6. Sasagawa Miwa, Jijitsu
7. bloodthirsty butchers, Kouya ni Okeru bloodthirsty butchers
8. Bonnie Pink, Present
9. downy, untitled third album
10. Explosions in the Sky, The Earth Is Not a Cold, Dead Place

Other favorites from the year:

• Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
• Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism
• Bleach, Bleach
• The Postal Service, Give Up
• NUMBER GIRL, Sapporo OMOIDE IN MY HEAD Joutai
• Onitsuka Chihiro, Sugar High
• Original Cast Recording, Avenue Q
• Emmylou Harris, Stumble Into Grace
• NIRGILIS, Tennis
• Rufus Wainwright, Want One
• Hayashi Asuca, Saki
• Caitlin Cary, I’m Staying Out
• The Bad Plus, These Are the Vistas
• DJ Krush, Shinsou ~Message from the Depth~
• Benjamin Gibbard / Andrew Kenny, Home, Vol. 5
• The Wrens, The Meadowlands
• Longwave, The Strangest Things

The only change is switching out Explosions in the Sky for Outkast, and the extended list adds the Wrens and Longwave.

I was working at Waterloo Records in 2003, and legitimate download services hadn’t gotten off the ground yet to stem the tide of rampant file sharing. So I was discovering a lot of great music through word of mouth and on the job.

While I’ve added a number of 2003 titles to my collection in the following years, few have edged their way into this already crowded field.

So I guess I’m pretty set where 2003 is concerned.

Tags: aco, andrew kenny, art-school, benjamin gibbard, bleach, bloodthirsty butchers, bonnie pink, cafe tacuba, caitlyn cary, death cab for cutie, dj krush, downy, emmylou harris, explosions in the sky, favorite edition, hayashi asuca, longwave, molotov, nirgilis, number girl, onitsuka chihiro, outkast, rewind, rufus wainwright, sasagawa miwa, shiina ringo, soundtrack, the bad plus, the postal service, the wrens