this is my favorite time of the year to have people claim what the best records were of the year. Let me start:

Arcade Fire "funeral"
Architecture in Helsinki "fingers crossed"
the Unicorns "who will cut our hair when we're gone?"
Saturday Looks Good To Me "every night"
Pants Yell! "songs for siblings"
Hidden Cameras "mississigua goddamn"

any other suggestions?

Let's see here

tbs - seven autumn flowers
language of flowers - songs about you
laurel music - this night and the next
the legends - up against the legends
les ondes martenot - ep
ian broudie - tales told
metric mile - how to beat the SAT
pale sunday - everything starts when you smile
fairways - this is farewell
sprinkle boyish - fine day, good to see you

i'm sure i'm missing some, or some of these were 2003's... but whatever.

tough one, i feel like i've missed a lot of stuff this year.

the new year- the end is near
Q & Not U-Power
Okkervil River-sleep and wake-up songs
Jens lekman-when i said i wanted to be your dog
kings of convenience- riot on an empty street
devendra banhart-nino rojo
sufjan stevens- seven swans
david kilgour-frozen orange
seashells-remains of something sweet
the fairways-this is farewell

i know you'll disagree kyle, but i think "every night" by saturday looks good to me is totally *a-ma-zing*!!!!

i don't actually have my copy yet, but everything i've heard from "ya ya" by david ivar herman dune is soooo good... i'm sure the record will not disappoint...

honourable mention goes to (previously mentioned on here) the legends and jens lekman...

again, it's hard to remember any of the records that came out in the first 6 months of 2004. what am i forgetting that's good...?

oh, well, sufjan stevens' record was really good too, but kyle already mentioned it on his list... anyone that *no one* has yet mentioned on here....?

no one mentioned 'international breeze'?
you guys suck.

yep, that album bores me and i've tried and tried and tried to like that legends album, but apart from a couple of songs i just can't get into it either.

1. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
2. Professor Pez - Let us follow the evil Balloon
3. Arcade Fire - Funeral
4. Khonnor - Handwriting
5. Unknown Joe - My Secret Lookalike

The Decemberists "Billy Liar" e.p.
Men In Fur "Men In Fur"
The Frenchmen "Sorry We Ruined Your Party"
Casper And The Cookies "Oh!"
Le Tigre "This Island"
The Boyish Charms "The Gnu Album"
Pants Yell! "Songs For Siblings"
Shellshag "Shellshag" 5 song e.p.
Happy Happy Birthday To Me Vol.3 comp
Celesteville "Spirit Duplicator"
Little Wings/Justin Clifford Rhody split 12"
Kimya Dawson "Hidden Vagenda"
The Unicorns "Who Will Cut Our Hair"
Half-Handed Cloud "I'm So Sheepy" e.p. (late 2003)

Chris Richards - Mystery Spot CD
The Lolas - Something you oughta know CD
Bill Lloyd - Back to even CD
PAS/CAL - Oh, honey we're ridiculous EP
Sloan - Action Pact(maybe this was released in 2003??)
Iron and Wine - Our endless numbered days

Helen Love - Debbie Loves Joey
Johnny Boy - You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (Daft Punk remix)
Pay TV - Trendy Discotheque
Kylie Minogue - I Believe In You
Plastic Operator - Folder
Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
Streets - Fit But You Know It

-------
http://www.teenanthems.com

i just heard a couple songs from an album that may very well go onto being one of my faves for 2004. the band is called the papercuts, and the album is titled mockingbird....

lovely stuff...

The Fall-The Real New Fall LP (American Version) 2004 - Best Fall release in a decade, it is great.

Antena-camino del sol pretty sure this release was 2004

The Embassy - Wearing Our Pop Art Hearts On Our Sleeves - think that is the name, great single .


Le Futur Pompiste - Your Stories And Your Thoughts

Boyracer - Happenstance

Liberty Ship - Tide

Cessna and The Hepburns both had great albums this year on Radio Khartoum, but no one seemed to notice much. Maybe too early in the year?

The Projects - Lets Get Static

Thermals - Fuckin A

Stars - Set Yourself On FIre

Prefects - Are Amateur Wankers

Human Television - Both EP's were good, but I like the orange one a lot more.

"The Milk-Eyed Mender" - Joanna Newsom
"Poor Aim: Love Songs" - The Blow
"Satanic Panic In The Attic" - Of Montreal
"Sung Tongs" - The Animal Collective
"On Vacation" - The Robot Ate Me
"You Are The Quarry" - Morrissey
"The Tain EP" - The Decemberists
"Nino Rojo" - Devendra Banhart
"Blood On The Wall" - Blood On The Wall
"Our Endless Numbered Days" - Iron & Wine

well... here is what the Shmat thought were some of the best releases that were on CD-R for 2004... sorry matthewasaurus for using the same idea you were thinking of!

1. This Bank Holiday - Home Time Is Safe Time
2. Adam Bianchi - Eleven Demos
3. Art Damaged - Untitled
4. Steven Kattenbraker - Demo
5. Lost On Purpose - Rising Wildfires
6. Morning Spy - Two Horses
7. Pants Yell! - Songs for Siblings
8. The Red Lights - Broken City
9. Shelley Short - Oh' Say Little Dogies, Why?
10. The Boxer Program - Prizefighter

(this list taken from the upcoming Winter shmat zine...)