Hi Everyone,

Here are my lists of favorite albums of 2003.  As is my usual (anal?)
custom, I’ve broken this down into several categories, as I’m just not
comfortable ranking unlike entities on one list…

Contemporary Categories

I. Top 100 Albums (I probably could have gone up to 175, and honestly said I
liked #175):

1. Rooney-Rooney
2. Soundtrack To A Moment-The Effection
3. Welcome Interstate Managers-Fountains Of Wayne
4. The Good Way-The Waking Hours
5. On Top Of Things!-The Chains
6. Doll Revolution-The Bangles
7. Circular Haze-Maple Mars
8. Tiny Volcano-Tiny Volcano
9. Better Than Before-The Singles
10. Closer Still-Soul Engines
11. The Bliss Domestic-Major
12. Kind Of Light-The 88
13. The Wigged Out Sounds Of…Freddy & The Four Gone Conclusions
14. Waking Up Late-Shifter
15. The Syrups-The Syrups
16. From The Attic-Damone
17. Treblemaker-Myracle Brah
18. Listen!-The Playmates
19. The Trouble With Success (Or How You Fit Into The World)-Paula Kelley
20. Incorporated-Splitsville
21. Grape Or Red-Betty Drake
22. Revive-Steadman
23. Royal Academy Of Reality-The Swimming Pool Q’s
24. The Sunshine Imperative-The Boris Flats
25. Busy Day-Jason Byrd
26. The 45s-The 45s
27. The Wild Horse-Chris von Sneidern
28. On 4-The New Constitution
29. The Unstudied Sea-Frank Bango
30. The 3-Dimensional In Popcycle Dream-The Pillbugs
31. Honey In The Chemicals (A Screenplay)-Philip Price
32. Ola Framby-Ola Framby
34. Full Tilt & Swing-Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings
33. About A Bird-Peachfuzz
35. All The Children Sing By…-The Gurus
36. Hand Picked Words-Lynchpin
37. Calling Generation Mojo-The Badge
38. Married Alive-The Mood Elevator
39. Summerman-American Suitcase
40. Nice-Puffy Ami Yumi
41. The Hard Way-Owsley
42. The Hang Ups-The Hang Ups
43. Something Deeper Than These Changes-Stew
44. It Just Is-Steve Roberts
45. And…The Winnerys-The Winnerys
46. These Are The Good Times-The High Strung
47. A Year In Pajamas-Braden Blake
48. Million Dollar Milkshake-Mark Bacino
49. The Set Up-Boss Martians
50. Hotsocky-Hotsocky
51. Sky Meadows-The Pearlfishers
52. Jetpack-Jetpack
53. Spectrum-Baby Grand
54. Family Jewels-The Safes
55. Charmed, I’m Sure-The Charms
56. Volume & Density-Duvall
57. Spil Phector-The Sprags
58. Brilliant-The Flashcubes
59. Last Chance Dance-Trolley
60. Kings Rd Works-Michael Carpenter
61. Farewell-The Dent
62. What Happened To The?-The Jessica Fletchers
63. Stratocruiser-Stratocruiser
64. Secret Identity Crisis-Mr. Encrypto
65. Making Playthings-The Color Bars
66. Celebrity Trash-Saucy Monky
67. Music For Minivans-Pipitone
68. Overdrive-Vibeke Saugestad
69. Universal Blues-The Redwalls
70. The Restoration Of Culture After Genghis Khan-Jupiter Affect
71. Dressy Bessy-Dressy Bessy
72. N.U. Machine-Popgun
73. Earthquake Glue-Guided By Voices
74. Pop Dreams-Jeremy
75. Enjoy Your Life Poolside-Stereo 360
76. Agynst-Agynst
77. Marshmallow-Marshmallow
78. Electric Version-New Pornographers
79. Flash Arrows & The Money Shot-Star Collector
80. The Coming Of Spring-Rachel Gordon
81. Redhead-Bleu
82. Yours, Mine, and Ours-Pernice Brothers
83. Million Dollar Rock-The Millions
84. My Lost City-The Afternoons
85. Easterly-Easterly
86. The Cloudsmen-The Clouds
87. Wireless Days-The Contrast
88. Go Digby-Digby
89. Set For Life-The Villas
90. How The Other Half Lives-The Crybabies
91. Sticky-The Trouble Dolls
92. A Fistfull Of Pills-The Pills
93. Year Of The Rhinos-The Rhinos
94. Saturday Morning Dream-The Oohs
95. Total Entertainment-Pansy Division
96. Peter, Bjorn, and John-Peter, Bjorn, and John
97. Radioactive-AM Radio
98. The White Room Sessions-Frank Barajas
99. Fire Garden-George Usher Group
100. A New Devotion-The High Dials

Swedish Heat by The Blondes would have finished somewhere in the top 10, had
it been eligible.  As it is, you’ll see it on one of my later lists.

II. Top 10 EPs

1. New Tattoo-The Blakes
2. Billionaire Boys Club-Billionaire Boys Club
3. You Must Be Kidding-Big Kid
4. Metarie-Brendan Benson and the Well Fed Boys
5. Dorian Crush-Dorian Crush
6. Practice Room Sessions-Orange Park
7. Long Hard Look-The Mood Elevator
8. Mission Orange-King Radio
9. Feed The Kitty-Kristi Callan
10.  The Electromagnetic-S/T

III. Top 8 Compilations-Single Artists

1. Swedish Heat-The Blondes
2. Earworm-Pugwash
3. All Wrongs Reversed-Marc Carroll
4. Tributes And Rarities-Jeffrey Foskett
5. For Fans Only!-RockFour
6. Home Demo Recordings-Michael Mazzarella
7. The Bart Thurber Sessions-The Decibels
8. Emporium Days: The Harringay Demos 2003-Bronco Bullfrog


IV. Top 10 Compilations-Various Artists

1. International Pop Overthrow, Volume 6
2. New Promo Sampler 2003: Rainbow Quartz
3. Not Lame Supercharged Flashlight Pop
4. Lost Weekend 2003
5. This Is Sparklefest 2003
6. Baypop 2002
7. Shake Yer Pop Boomerang
8. Planet Of The Popboomerang
9. Pupu Platter: A Sampler From My Dining Room
10. The European Poppunk Virus, Volume 2

V. Top 2 Tribute Discs

1. Every Word: A Tribute To Let’s Active
2. Tribute-Smoking Popes

Reissue Categories

I. Top 50 Proper Albums

For this category, only the following albums qualify:

a. those that are on CD for the first time
b. those that had been previously issued, but are now out of print or
difficult to find
c. those in whose current issue has lots of bonus tracks, or some other
unique feature

With the above in mind, while quality may be the major factor in determining
the rankings, other factors such as number and type of bonus tracks, as well
as liner notes, etc…do come into play.

1. This Is Us-Harmony Grass
2. Lost Winter’s Dream-Lisa Mychols
3. Sir Army Suit-Klaatu
4. A Midsummer’s Daydream-Mark Eric
5. What We Did On Our Holidays- Fairport Convention
6. Birthday-The Association
7. Get Happy!!-Elvis Costello and the Attractions
8. All Strung Out-Nino & April
9. Breathlessly Brett-Brett Smiley
10. All Of Us-Nirvana
11. Who’s Next (Deluxe Edition)-The Who
12. A Wishing Well Revisited-The Rooks
13. Let It Be…Naked-The Beatles
14. The Sound Is In You (Remaster)-The Grip Weeds
15. Fairport Convention-Fairport Convention
16. Judee Sill-Judee Sill
17. Heart Food-Judee Sill
18. Kites Are Fun-The Free Design
19. Picturesque Matchstickable Messages-The Status Quo
20. Insight Out-The Association
21. I’m Still In Love With You-Al Green
22. October Country-October County
23. One Mississippi-Brendan Benson
24. Tommy (Deluxe Edition)-The Who
25. Unhalfbricking-Fairport Convention
26. At First Sight Violets Are Blue-The Stems
27. The Story Of Simon Simopath-Nirvana
28. Hums Of The Lovin’ Spoonful-The Lovin’ Spoonful
29. Heaven/Earth-The Free Design
30. Positively-Dumptruck
31. Ressurection-The Aerovons
32. The Marbles-The Marbles
33. Extraction-Gary Wright
34. Blew Mind-The Hard Times
35. The River Is Wide-The Forum
36. Big Plans For Everybody-Let’s Active
37. Everything Playing-The Lovin’ Spoonful
38. The Paisleys-The Paisleys
39. Finders Keepers-Salt Water Taffy
40. Every Dog Has His Day-Let’s Active
41. L.A. Explosion-The Last
42. Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, and Tich-Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, and
Tich
43. Mighty Garvey!-Manfred Mann
44. Re: Zoom-The Knack
45. Beat That!-Purple Hearts
46. Spare Parts-Status Quo
47. Paper Garden-Paper Garden
48. The Gentle Soul-The Gentle Soul
49. Green-Green
50. The Gurus Are Hear!-The Gurus

Rain & Shine by The Canterbury Music Festival, which was reissued by Rev-ola
in 2003 but had been reissued by Air Mail in 2002, would have finished #2
this year, but I had already ranked it #1 last year.

II. Top 3 Two-Fers: Proper Albums

1. Cypress/Afoot-Let’s Active
2. Just As I Am/Still Bill-Bill Withers
3. American Flyer & Spirit Of A Woman-American Flyer

III. Top 50 Compilations, Single Artist

1. Ultimate Collection-Small Faces
2. Silver & Gold-The Lolas
3. Outstanding Performer!-Roy Wood
4. Measure For Measure: The John Carter Anthology 1961-1977
5. Looking Back-West Coast Consortium
6. Do Unto Others-Sandy Salisbury
7. Kaleidoscope-Marmalade
8. Once Upon A Song: Best Of Gladhands-Gladhands
9. The Essential Sly & The Family Stone-Sly & The Family Stone
10. Jack In The Box-The Jackpots
11. 1963-2003: 40th Anniversary Collection-The Searchers
12. Help The Poor-The Poor
13. Time For Action: The Anthology-Secret Affair
14. Please Listen To The Pictures-Kaleidoscope/Fairfield Parlour
15. The Original Recordings 1983-1984-Katrina and the Waves
16. The Story Of Skip Bifferty-Skip Bifferty
17. Untold Rock Stories-The Quick
18. Another Time-Curt Boettcher
19. The Slash Years-Rank and File
20. The Best Of The Five Americans-The Five Americans
21. I’m Alive-Don Fardon
22. Sixty Minute Man-Billy Ward and the Dominoes
23. The L.A. Sessions 1979-1982-Blue
24. Perfect World Radio-Hawks
25. Time Machine (Greatest Hits ’82-’02)-The Windbreakers
26. Anthology 1966-1968-The Allusions
27. Too Late Tomorrow 1992-2002-Phil Angotti & The Idea
28. The Anthology-Small Hours
29. The Lark In The Morning: The Early Years-Steeleye Span
30. The Fabulous Summer Wine-Summer Wine
31. The First Sessions-Warren Zevon
32. Makin’ Time-Rhythm! The Complete Countdown Recordings
33. All Your Dreams…and More: 1981-1984-The Action
34. The BBC Sessions-The Pretty Things
35. Made Easy For Everyone-The Best Of E.S. 1996-2002
36. No Presents For Me (Rare 45s & Unreleased Album)-The Pandemonium
37. The Lilac Years-Blond
38. What A Way To End It All: The Anthology-Deaf School
39. More Today Than Yesterday: The Complete Columbia Recordings-Spiral
Starecase
40. What A State I’m In-The Tremeloes
41. Ace The Face: The Lost 1968 Album…And More!-Ace Kefford
42. Let The Good Times In: The Best Of The Love Generation
43. Pieces-The Millennium
44. The Lion Sleeps Tonight-The Hounds
45. Teenage Neon Jungle-Candy
46. There Goes My Mind-The Mojo Men
47. Smashing Time!-Purple Hearts
48. Many Are The Times-Lee Mallory
49. Retrospective, Rarities, and Instrumentals-The High Llamas
50. Blue Winds Only Know-Dick Campbell

IV. Top 25 Compilations, Various Artists

1. In The Garden: The White Whale Story
2. Fading Yellow Volume 4
3. Fading Yellow Volume 6
4. Fading Yellow Volume 7
5. Glitter From The Litter Bin: 20 Junk Shop Glam Rarities From the 1970s
6. Strawberry Bubblegum: A Collection of Pre-10CC Strawberry Studios
Recordings 1969-1972
7. Nederbeat: Dutch Nuggets 1
8. Nederbeat: Dutch Nuggets 2
9. Super ‘70s: Original Songs Original Artists
10. The Get Easy! Sunshine Pop Collection
11. 94 Baker Street: The Pop-Psych Sounds Of The Apple Era 1967-1969
12. Velvet Tinmine: 20 Junk Shop Glam Ravers
13. Night Time Music: The B.T. Puppy Story
14. Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions
15. The Northern Soul Generation
16. Shake Some Action Vol. 8: UK & Ireland
17. House Of Many Windows: Psychedelic Pstones III
18. Folk Rock and Faithfull: Dream Babies Volume Five
19. The Clarion Call…R&B, Mod and Pop/Psych From Down Under
20. Who Will Buy (These Wonderful Evils)
21. The Mod Revival Generation
22. A Wall Of Soundalikes-Phil’s Spectre
23. Impossible But True-The Kim Fowley Story
24. Fading Yellow Volume 5
25. Zigzag: 20 Junkshop Soft Rock Singles

V. Top 2 Soundtracks

1. Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls
2. The Minx-The Cyrkle

VI. Top 2 Demo Discs

1. Fuzzy Warbles Volume 3
2. Fuzzy Warbles Volume 4

VII: Top 4 Box Sets: Single Artist

1. The Long Road Home 1963-2003: The Hollies
2. The Chrome Collection-The Spinners
3. In 5 Easy Pieces-Scott Walker
4. Chicago-Chicago

VIII: Top 4 Box Sets: Various Artists

1. The Rubble Collection: Volumes 1-20
2. The Rubble Collection: Volumes 1-10
3. No Thanks!: The ‘70s Punk Rebellion
4. Legend Of A Mind: The Underground Anthology

Thank you for indulging me!
--
Lots of Great Pop Rules!!!!!  Here's to an equally bountiful 2004!
Take Care,
David