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Posted 10:00am pst, Saturday, January 1, 2005

New Year = New Look, Top Ten Albums

Happy New Year.

So here we are again. The third redesign in as many years. Familiarity breeds contempt and so on and so forth. Kept the general layout the same, but redesigned the masthead and changed the background image.

Added subject headers, a few new links and removed a couple of dead ones. I also added a "Recent Reads" area in the upper righthand column for recent interesting sites I've stumbled onto.

Time for my obligatory Top Ten lists. The film list will have to wait until I get a bit more time to catch up on the backlogue of supposedly worthy films. But here's the first list, top ten albums. I should mention, while I provided links to purchase these albums at Amazon, most are available at the iTunes Music Store as well.

Disappointments:

Rufus Wainwright - Want Two
A good album, but not a great one. Anything less than greatness is a failure coming from this genius. Rufus's worst, which is still pretty darn good. So buy it anyway.

The Blue Nile - High
We waited 9 years for this?

Badly Drawn Boy - One Plus One Is One
Rufus disease. A solid album from an artist I expect greatness from.

Honorable Mentions:

Brian Wilson - Smile
At last!

Sam Phillips - A Boot and a Shoe
Thank God for Sam Phillips. Every two years, we're fortunate to get a new album. She grows with each release and takes us along for the ride.

The Beautiful South - Golddiggas, Headnodders & Pholk Songs
A brilliant collection of cover versions. And their selections run the gamut: the Ramones, Rufus Wainwright, ELO, Blue Oyster Cult(!). They bring gravitas to Travolta and John's Grease classic, "You're the One That I Want". Import only at this time.

Top Ten Albums 2004:

10. Green Day - American Idiot
Shame on POD, Sum 41 and Good Charlotte... the original is back and they remind us how much you suck ass.

9. The Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia
They've ditched the beach vibe for horns and expose the artifice of life in L.A. Amazing, considering they're from Scotland.

8. Rogue Wave - Out of the Shadow
Heir to the Shins. Originally released independently, this got a proper release this year.

7. Glenn Tilbrook - Transatlantic Ping Pong
If you can't have Squeeze back, you can at least get Glenn.

6. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
Not as good as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but then again, is that even possible?

5. The Finn Brothers - Everyone Is Here
Another solid power pop album.

4. David Holmes - Ocean's 12
When a score can make a movie better, you know it's done it's job.

3. Jon Brion - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I was playing this in the office when the woman in the next space said the soundtrack made her want to cry. I had the same reaction. A great score from a great film.

2. Ed Harcourt - Strangers
I was standing in line for a show at the Fillmore about three years ago. Someone asked who I was waiting in line for. When I replied, "Neil Finn", the person told me I should have said "Ed Harcourt", who was opening. I'm starting to agree with her. Just another great pop album from Harcourt. Currently only available as an import, but scheduled to be released domestically in February.

1. Jon Brion - I Heart Huckabees
While we wait for a full album of songs from Brion, we have to make due with this disc. Five new Brion songs along with a sprightly, shimmering score. See #3 & 4.

RECENT READS
Captain Kirk!

ON MY IPOD
Ed Harcourt - Strangers
The Beautiful South - Golddiggas, Headnodders & Pholk Songs

2005
1.1.05

2004
12.26.04
12.12.04
11.28.04
11.3.04b
11.3.04a
11.1.04
10.31.04
10.10.04
10.8.04
10.7.04
9.30.04
9.14.04
9.5.04
8.13.04
8.6.04
8.5.04
7.26.04
7.18.04
7.12.04
7.4.04
6.29.04
5.13.04
5.9.04
5.4.04
4.24.04
4.18.04
4.11.04
3.29.04
3.22.04
3.17.04
3.14.04
3.1.04
2.16.04
1.23.04
1.1.04

2003
12.24.03
12.14.03
12.12.03
11.16.03
10.15.03
10.12.03
10.7.03
10.5.03
9.28.03
9.18.03
9.7.03
9.2.03
8.21.03
8.20.03
8.10.03
7.6.03
6.4.03
4.14.03
3.17.03
2/16/03
1/20/03

2002
12.24.02
12.10.02
11.16.02
10.30.02
10.13.02
10.4.02
9.18.02
9.14.02
9.11.02
9.4.02
8.27.02
8.25.02
8.13.02
8.8.02
8.7.02, 9pm
8.7.02, 8pm
8.6.02
7.25.02
7.22.02

OLDER
Pulp Fiction
9-11-01

KEYWORDS: Ron Lim, Ron W. Lim, blog, art direction, advertising, photographs, illustration, Spider-man, Amazing Fantasy #15, comics