One of the first things I did when I started weblogging was post my favourite albums of 2000. A year later I repeated the process for 2001. Last Christmas came and went and, bored with the entire concept of end-of-year lists, I decided not to compile one. Now it’s close to the middle of the following year, so it’s entirely appropriate that (with typically obtuse blogjam reasoning) I should finally reveal the details of last year’s favourites.

Johnny Cash - When The Man Comes Around
Whilst never quite attaining the heights of the previous “Solitary Man,” this album proves once again that any floundering career can be resuscitated by a truly sympathetic and inspired A&R policy. This is a man, after all, whose most notable recording of the 1980’s was a b-side entitled “Chicken In Black” in which our hero (a chicken) swaps his heart with that of a criminal and goes on to commit a series of armed robberies.

---

Cody Chestnutt - The Headphone Masterpiece
Now belatedly getting a UK release on One Little Indian, this is a strange record. Frequently and deeply mysoginistic, it features plenty of off-key singing and lots of half-finished songs. When Cody does get it right, however, as on ‘Serve This Royalty’ or ‘The World Is Coming To My Party,’ it’s quite easy to believe you’re listening to a new Marvin Gaye or Prince, instead of what the album’s worst moments remind you of - a tone-deaf Terence Trent D’Arby soundalike with attention deficit disorder.

---

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Jeff Tweedy is a genius. He gets dropped by Reprise, a Warner Brothers label and, after a fierce bidding war, elects to sign to Nonsuch, another Warners label. Next, he uses samples from The Conet Project - a four CD set of coded short-wave radio communications. I’ve wanted this record for years, but find it difficult to justify spending 45 quid for what amounts to little more than several hours of white noise with words spoken over the top. So Wilco will have to do.

---

Yat-Kha - Aldyn Dashka
Scenario one: Western pop icon discovers World music. Records album featuring ‘native’ musicians. Resultant album is an ethnically patronising, artistically bankrupt shambles. Than you, Mr Albarn. Scenario two: World music artists grow to love Western rock. Record album featuring own band. Resultant album is breathtakingly original and quite, quite beautiful. Thank you, Yat-Kha. The best band I saw live in 2002.

---

Che Fu - Navigator
In truth, this album came out originally in 2001, but Columbia in the UK finally deemed it worthy of release last year so I’ve included it here. The CD naturally sank without a trace after the record company then spent exactly 15 pence marketing the thing, which is truly a shame, as Che is a superstar in his native New Zealand and probably the most original male R&B singer in The World.

---

The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee
John Darnielle has been recording albums for some time as The Mountain Goats, producing bitter, hugely literary modern folk. His albums have always been adorned by beautifully individual lo-fi artwork, where is why it’s such a pity to see his debut UK release wrapped in yet another apallingly generic here-we-go-again 4AD/Vaughan Oliver/23 Envelope design. Great album, utterly shite sleeve.

---

Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
I’ll admit I resisted the Chili Peppers for years. Too Hollywood, too contrived, too flashy. This album changed all that, and somehow evokes California better than even Brian Wilson or Steely Dan did. The strangest thing? I’m still absolutely convinced that most of the lyrics of Anthony Kiedis amount to little more than brilliantly rhyming gibberish - I defy anyone to listen to the lyrics to a typical verse and provide me with a convincing explanation as to its meaning.

---

Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
Yeah yeah, I know, very predictable, every critic likes them. This doesn’t alter the fact that The Flaming Lips are producing the most uplifting, near-celestial rock music around. Their inclusion in my list was confirmed when I saw them live, where they were surrounded by gigantic glitter balls and dressed as giant teddy bears. No-one should be able to get away with such a thing, yet they succeeded in making it appear completely normal.

---

Cracker - Forever
Fact: Camper Van Beethoven are/were one of the greatest bands ever. Fact 2: Singer David Lowery’s subsequent outfit, Cracker, have never quite scaled those heights. Fact 3: Cracker still produce good, solid, radio-friendly American rock (such a thing can be worthwhile, honest) of a standard that others rarely come close to. Why UK record companies insist on spending small fortunes marketing the like of the Dave Matthews Band and Creed, truly hapless, hopeless outfits, and ignore talents like Lowery’s, one of the wittiest, most consistant songwriters around, is a constant source of bewilderment. Proof that middle-of-the-road isn’t the worst place to be.

---

Various Artists - Rough Trade Rock And Roll 1
I wish I’d been asked to compile this album, although the truth of the matter is that I probably couldn’t have done a better job. This double CD sums up the kind of stuff I was listening to in the late 1980s and most of the 90s, with artists like The Saints, Electric Eels, Rocket From The Tombs, MC5, The Stooges, Pere Ubu and Pussy Galore, then throws in a few more modern acts I wasn’t aware of like STP and The Detroit Cobras. A truly great compilation, and vital for anyone with a passing interest in current artists like The White Stripes, The Hives or The Strokes. Personally though, I’d have put a Radio Birdman track in there somewhere…

And so here endeth the lesson. Honourable mentions go out to releases by Cassetteboy, Negativland, Sonic Youth, Blackalicious and lots of others I probably forgot. Please drop by in October 2004 for my best of 2003 list.