Living in the day

Living In The Day's Top 100 Songs of 2004

2006-02-02T00:16:00.000-08:00

TOP 100 Songs of 2004

01. Kanye West – Slo Jamz Kanye West – Best artist of the year. 10 Grammys. Jamie Foxx – One of the most talented people in the world today. Academy Award to bode.

02. Radiohead – 2+2=5 Following up my number one single of 2003 in There, There. Radiohead never seems to dissapoint.

03. John Vanderslice – Coming and Going On Easy Terms One of the Best artists around the Northwest. Also one of the most honest songwriters around today.

04. Wilco – Hell Is Chrome This is why Wilco is the best band in America right now. They came out with possibly the album of the year. One of the most unique guitar solos of the year.

05. Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You When I first heard the song I was blown away by it’s simplistic yet resonate chord changes. They leave an imprint in one. Keys has stabilized herself as a musician, not an entertainer.

06. Outkast – Hey Yea How big was the influence of hip hop in culture this year. In politics Hip Hop culture reigned supreme. Outkast was the spark for this cultural revolution.

07. U2 – Miracle Drug Returning from what I felt was possibly the best album of the decade they return with How Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. This song belongs on the last one.

08. Xiu Xui – I Luv The Valley OH How About this year being the year of the anthems? This song makes a statement.

09. Elliott Smith – King’s Crossing One of the best songs of the year. Smith is relived in his last CD From A Basement On A Hill.

10. The Black Keys – 10 AM Automatic Speaking of blaring anthems that make statements. How about the Black Keys? The reemergence of true young musicians in Black Keys and Helio Sequence.

11. AC Newman – Miracle Drug From New Pornographers what could one expect from an artist who decides to record a solo record? AC Newman blew up that reputation for artists going solo from their bands. Newman was named one of Canada's 20 biggest celebrities by MuchMusic.

12. Kanye West – Family Business I still say that this was the anthem of the summer this last year. Kanye became the most successful out of any artist in America this year. "Who knew that life would move this fast..." Kanye shows off the lyrics theme that he should of done on College Dropout instead of using songs such as "The New Workout Plan".

13. Wilco – Wishful Thinking Once again, where would 2004 be without Wilco? Jeff Tweedy had a hell of a busy year, whether it be checking in to rehab or making the best rock album of 2004. What does time have in mind for Tweedy now? Wishful thinking easily blends all of Wilco's previous YFH and ST into one song (reminiscent of Jars...).

14. U2 - Yahweh Yes, this album just came out, but it might be among U2's best albums. Beside's "Vertigo" this album is among the best albums of the year. U2's SNL performance solidified their claim as one of the best bands of all time. Yahweh shows influences from Joshua Tree and some of their earlier albums. This song will be huge in 2005.

15. Nerd - Maybe Fact: Nerd's sophomore effort became a huge flop. Myth: Every song on the album is bad. On the contrary, "Maybe" and "Chariots of Fire" may be some of Nerd's best musical efforts. The producing is slick and tight as is all of Pharrells production. This song could of been a top 10 song, however, Pharrells new "Ice Cream" put a dent on his image until his latest song "Drop It Like It's Hot" saved him.

16. Modest Mouse – Ocean Breathes Salty The Flaming Lips ruined what could of been a great album. Modest Mouse nearly had a perfect direction, towards and edgier poppier sound displayed on "Alone Down There". Yet Brock decided to go the opposite direction to a complete pop/Flaming Lips sound. This song most accurately displays this theory.

17. Rogue Wave – Endless Shovel One of the best songs of the year. AC Newman named Rogue Wave as one of his favorite bands. People have given them influences towards The Shins. But this band is clearly unique. Expect a nice sophomore effort in the next two years. Rogue wave is a cutting edge single.

18. Ted Leo – Me And Mia "As I was walking through a life one morning, the sun was out..." Possibly the best intro track to any album of the year. Look at this way: U2's Vertigo vs. Ted Leo's Me and Mia. Again Ted Leo broke the reputation of flops after great albums with one of the best albums of 2004.

19. Talib Kweli – Ghetto Show Talib Kweli tells it how it is. Among the most cutting edge lyricists in America along with Nas and Common, Kweli's album has received mixed reviews. But what separates the critics reviews on the positive sign is this song. The final song on the album which completely blows the album up.

20. Common Sense/Kanye West - The Food Possibly the best collaborative effort of 2004. Matching one of the best producers with one of the best lyricists. The collaboratory effort proved positive on the Dave Chappelle Show.

21. Wilco - Theologians What more could be said about Wilco's impact on 2004? Rolling Stone covers, #1 record, one of the best live bands. The solo capture's Neil Young's sound with a unique sound of Tweedy's own.

22. Nada Surf – Blonde On Blonde Sure the album was released in late 2003, but Nada Surf sparked a radio hit with Blonde On Blonde. One of the hardest working bands in the Northwest compiled this hit on KEXP in early 2004. Listen to this song in the rain.

23. Outkast – Roses "Bitch": One of the most popular words of 2004 because of this song. Probably the best music video of the year as well. Outkasts impact on culture was astonishing.

24. Mojave 3 – Starlight No 1 This song may not have the radio airplay but it clearly has cutting edge songwriting, integrity and honesty. Great production as well.

25. Norah Jones – Sunrise Sophomore effort, no worries. Grammy uprising for Norah Jones sparked 2004.

26. Jon Brion – Knock Yourself Out
27. Jay Z – Dirt Off Your Shoulders28. The Arcade Fire – Wake Up
29. The Futureheads – Hounds Of Love
30. The Walkmen – The Rat
31. U2 – City Of Blinding Lights
32. Sufjan Stevens – To Be Alone With You
33. Postal Service – Such Great Heights
34. Jay Z – Dirt Off Your Shoulders
35. The Wrens – Happy
36. The Strokes – What Ever Happened?
37. Ambulance Ltd. - Primitave
38. Citizen Cope – Bullet And A Target
39. Ted Leo - Walking To Do
40. The Helio Sequence – Let It Fall Apart
41. The Darkness – I Believe In A Thing Called Love
42. Her Space Holiday – Sleepy California
43. Frou Frou – Let Go
44. Menomena – E Is Stable
45. Death Cab For Cutie – Title and Registration
46. Aveo – Newton and Gallileo
47. The Helio Sequence – Everyone Knows Everyone
48. The Strokes – Meet Me In The Bathroom
49. Pedro The Lion – Bands With Managers
50. Aqualung – Easier To Lie
51. Madvillain – All Caps
52. Nas – Thiefs Theme
53. Radiohead – Sail To The Moon
54. TV On The Radio – Staring At The Sun
55. The Futureheads – Decent Days And Decent Nights
56. Jay Z – December 4th
57. Rogue Wave – Kicking The Heart Out
58. Kanye West – Through The Wire
59. Elliott Smith – Shooting Star
60. The Libertines – What Katie Did?
61. Jay Z – 99 Problems
62. Menomena – E Is Stable
63. Jay Z – My First Song
64. David Kilgour – Everybody’s On A Ride
65. Kanye West – We Don’t Dare
66. Postal Service – District Sleeps Alone Tonight
67. Wilco - Atleast That's What You Said68. Secret Machines – Nowhere Again
69. Air – Cherry Blossom Girl
70. Modest Mouse – Float On
71. AC Newman – On The Table
72. Minus The Bear – I’m Totally Not Down
73. Aveo – Ackward At The Knees
74. Basement Jaxx – Good Luck
75. Viva Voce – Alive With Pleasure
76. The Bad Plus – 1979 Semi-Finalist
77. Sufjan Stevens – Size Too Small
78. Nerd – Chariots Of Fire
79. Kanye West – Never Let Me Down
80. Outkast – I Like The Way You Move
81. The Roots – Star82. Sonic Youth – Pattern Recognition
83. The Thrills – Whatever Happened To Corey Haim
84. Sufjan Stevens - Kill
85. The Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
86. Doves – Hit The Ground Running
87. Sufjan Stevens – The Dress Looks Nice On You
88. Menomena - The Late Great Libido
89. Modest Mouse – Black Cadillacs
90. Outkast – Happy Valentine’s Day91. Aqualung – Good Times Gonna Come
92. The Helio Sequence – Don’t Look Away
93. John Vanderslice – White Plains
94. Athlete - El Salvador
95. The Strokes – The End Has No End
96. The 88 - How Good It Can Be
97. Blink 182 - Always
98. Nas - American Way
99. Jay Z - Encore
100.AC Newman - Drink To Me

Living In The Day is now a Daily Blog!

2006-02-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

As of February 1, 2006 "Living In The Day" is now a daily blog!

The name is derived from Elliott Smith, a hero of mine.

2005-12-18T16:19:00.000-08:00

The 150 best songs for 2005. I started this list last year after I revealed my top 150 songs for 2004.

150 - Doves - Sky Starts Falling

149 - Polyphonic Spree - Move Away and Shine

148 - Tegan And Sara - I Bet It Stung

147 - Oranger - Crones

146 - Architecture in Helsinki - Wishbone

145 - Wolf Parade - Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts

144 - Gorillaz - El Manana

143 - Brendan Benson - Gold Into Straw

142 - Ryan Adams - Cherry Lane

141 - The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno

140 - Moby - Homeward Angel

139 - Beck - Missing

138 - MIA - Amazon

137 - Sufjan Stevens - The Man of Metropolis

136 - The New Pornographers - Streets Of Fire

135 - Kanye West - Hey Mama

134 - Damian Marley - The Master Has Come Back

133 - Akon - Ghetto

132 - Tegan and Sara - I Won't BE Left

131 - Sam Prekop - C + F

130 - M83 - Teen Angst

129 - Doves - Snowden

128 - AZ - Never Change

127 - The Decemberists - From My Own True Love

126 - Feist -Piste 4

125 - Damien Jurado - Lion Tamer

124 - Point Juncture, WA - Cardboard Box

123 - The Fiery Furnaces - Here Comes the Summer

122 - Blackalicious - Supreme People

121 - Nine Inch Nails - Right Where It Belongs

120 - Archer Prewitt - Way Of The Sun

119 - The National - Cold Fever Girl

118 - Kanye West - We Major

117 - Ray Lamontague - Trouble

116 - Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear

115 - Death Cab For Cutie - Stable Song

114 - Coldplay - Speed Of Sound

113 - The New Pornographers - These Are The Fables

112 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Upon This Tidal Wave Of Young Blood

111 - Sufjan Stevens - Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois

110 - Stephen Malkmus - It Kills

109 - Dandy Warhols - All The Money Or The Simple Life

108 - Plan B - No Good

Watch the Video of the newest British Rap artist.

107 - Animal Collective - Banshee Beat

106 - Danger Doom - Old School

105 - Beck - Earthquake Weather

104 - Blue Scholars - The Ave

103 - Matisyahu - King Without A Crown

102 - Akon - Trouble

101 - Death Cab For Cutie - Crooken Teeth

100 - Ryan Adams - If I Am A Stranger

99 - The Decemberists - Eli, The Barrowboy

98 - Broken Social Scene - 7/4 (Shoreline)

97 - The Mars Volta - The Widow

96 - MIA - Bucky Done Gun

95 - The National - Mr. November

94 - Death Cab For Cutie - Your Heart Is An Empty Room

93 - Brendan Benson - Cold Hands Warm Heart

92 - John Vanderslice - Trance Manual

91 - Wolf Parade - We Built Another World

90 - Dandy Warhols - Everyone Is Totally Insane

89 - Sleater-Kinney - What's Mine Is Yours

88 - John Vanderslice - Plymouth Rock

87 - Remedee - Money Roll

86 - Common - Go

85 - Nine Inch Nails - Every Day Is Exactly the Same

84 - Rogue Wave - You

83 - The New Pornographers - Use It

82 - Hood - The Negatives

81 - Of Montreal - The Party's Crashing Us

80 - Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love

79 - The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

78 - Tegan and Sara - Take Me Anywhere

77 - M83 - Don't Save Us From the Flames

76 - Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

75 - Grafh - How We Livin

Grafh is set to become Huge in 2006 with his debut album Autografh.

74 - Kanye West - Touch the Sky

73 - Bright Eyes - When the President Talks to God

Gutsy?

72 - Gang Gang Dance - Egowar

One of the best albums of 2005.

71 - The White Stripes - The Denial Twist

70 - Imogen Heap - Goodnight and Go

69 - The Game - Higher

68 - Arcade Fire - No Cars Go

67 - Brendan Benson - What I'm Looking For

66 - Kanye West - Gone

65 - Imogen Heap - Lbittersweet

64 - Of Montreal - Requiem for o.m.m.2

63 - Kanye West (ft. John Mayer) - Bettersweet

62 - Robyn - Be Mine

Kelly Clarkson? Haha, you have to be kidding me. Way too much respect has been payed to "Since U Been Gone". How great, Ted Leo and other bands have done covers of it. Get overself Hipsters.

61 - Sleater-Kinney - The Fox

Sleater-Kinney went a new direction and nailed it.

60 - Stars - Ageless Beauty

59 - Akon - Locke'd Up

58 - Young Jeezy - Go Crazy (Remix)

57 - Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds

This album is one of the best of 2005.

56 - Ryan Adams - Tonight

55 - Broken Social Scene - Ibi Dreams of Pavement

54 - Tegan and Sara - Walking With A Ghost

One of the best mainstream singles of 2005. This is a song deserving of recognition, not Kelly Clarkson.

53 - Death Cab For Cutie - What Sarah Said

52 - Ray LaMontagne - Hold You In My Arms

51 - Devendra Banhart - Heard Somebody Say

50 - Rogue Wave - Publish My Love

49 - Kanye West - Gold Digger

48 - Bloc Party - Banquet

I regret that this song isn't higher, but "Like Eating Glass" is my pick over "Banquet".

47 - Architecture in Helsinki - Maybe You Can Owe Me

46 - Common - BE

45 - Blue Scholars - Life & Debt

Say hello to Seattle's Rap duo.

44 - Nada Surf - Always Love

43 - The New Pornographers - Three or Four

42 - Bright Eyes - Easy/Lucky/Free

41 - Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands of Manhattan

40 - Kanye West (Ft. Adam Levine) - Heard 'Em Say

Adam Levine proved his versatility.

39 - The Decemberists - The Engine Driver

38 - Stephen Malkmus - Freeze The Saints

Another top album of 2005.

37 - MF Doom/RZA - Biochemical Equation

36 - AZ - The Come Up

35 - Okkervil River - For Real

34 - Natasha Bedingfield - These Words

Best mainstream single of the summer?

33 - Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day

32 - Arcade Fire - Cold Wind

31 - The National -All The Wine

30 - Common - The Corner

A standout track from the best Rap album of the year.

29 - The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

Top 10 Album for 2005.

28 - Brendan Benson - Alternative To Love

27 - Andrew Bird - A Nervous Tic Motion of the head to the left

26 - Antony and the Johnstons - Fistful of Love

THE TOP 25

25 - Wolf Parade - Shine A Light

24 - Death Cab For Cutie - Soul Meets Body

23 - P.Money/Akon - Keep On Calling

22 - Dr. Dog - The World May Never Know

21 - Nada Surf - Do It Again

20 - The Game - Hate It Or Love It

19 - Bloc Party - Like Eating Glass

18 - Damien Marley - Welcome To Jamrock

17 - Spoon - The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine

16 - Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

15 - John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage

14 - White Stripes - My Doorbell

13 - Rogue Wave - 10:1

12 - Okkervil River - The Latest Toughs

11 - The New Pornographers - The Bleeding Heart Show

10 - Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)

Not a better live band in 2005. This song could have easily of been my number 1.

Quote: "People try and hide the nightunderneath the covers."

9 - Feist - Mushaboom

Amazing vocals. Feist has been featured on many people's Best of 2005 lists which has been rather surprising considering the low acclaim she has received throughout 2005 for a breakthrough album.

Quote: "Watching the fire as we grow old "

8 - Young Jeezy (ft. Akon) - Soul Survivor

Akon hasn't gotten anywhere near the credit he deserves for 2005. Akon put out one of the best albums of 2005. Besides being on many blog's "most annoying song" lists of 2005 for "Lonely", critics have been very silent. This turned out to be one of the best anthems of 2005 and Akon sealed the deal.

Quote: "First they, give us the work then they throw us in jail"

7 - Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead

It is hard to pick the best song on "Set Yourself on Fire" because they are all good for the most part.

Quote: "God that was strange to see you again. Introduced by a friend of a friend"

6 - The Decemberists - 16 Military Wives

One of the best records of 2005. Deal with Capitol Records. 2005 couldn't have been any better for the Decemberists.

Quote: "Cause America can, and America can't say no. And America does, if America says it's so"

5 - MIA - Sunshowers

Let's wait on MIA's next album to declare them the best thing in music of 2005. The opening line sets the tone for the entire song and album. The way that words flow from Maya Arulpragasam's mouth is shocking.

Quote: "I bongo with my lingo. And beat it like a wing yo"

4 - Imogen Heap - Hide Seek

You're lying if you were to say that the first time you heard about this song did not have any reference to the last episode of the OC's second season. Amazing vocals.

Quote: "Hmm, what'd you say, mmm, that you only meant well? Well, of course you did." - Best part of the entire song.

3 - Kanye West (ft. Jay-Z) - Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)

How can you possibly beat College Dropout? Add Jon Brion. Add guys like Common, Nas and The Game. Address the Sierra Leone diamond conflict. Add a Shirley Bassey sample. Have the "ego" to criticize the US government. Solid sophomore effort for Kanye. Although this might not be a top 5 rap release of 2005 it was pure genius. Two thumbs up for Brion.

Quote: "wassup wit you a Jay man, are ya'll okay man?'[Jay-Z]Yep!" - Jay-Z's back.

2 - Common - The Food

It was the Dave Chapelle Show that gave hints at how big Common's BE would become. Watch the performance here.

Quote: "You love to hear the story, again and againAbout these young brothers, from the City of Wind"

1 - Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out To Get Us

Like him or not, Sufjan ruled 2005. The quality topped Michigan and Swans, how can he keep this up state after state? 2:31 is when this song becomes magical.

Quote: "We were in love, we were in love Palisades palisades palisades I can wait, I can wait"