Some of my faves for the year with some quick off the cuff comments. Sorry 
for the quantity and so-so readability.

Nic Armstrong-The Greatest White Liar (RIYL: Early Stones, Them, etc.)
Bobby Bare Jr-From the End of Your Leash (smart-ass roots rock with equal 
doses of humor and bleakness)
The Black Keys-Rubber Factory (An ass-kicker, somewhat samey, but great 
nonetheless)
Bronco Bullfrog-Oak Apple Day
Elvis Costello-The Delivery Man (I love this-best in a long while-ROOTSY!)
A.J. Croce- Adrian James Croce (Rootsy pop, his best album IMO)
Eugene Edwards -My Favorite Revolution (Best meat ‘n’ potatoes power pop of 
04)
The Figgs-Palais (another great album from a great band-2CD set!)
Goodbye Girl Friday-Silver or Gold (RIYL: fluid ounces, Ben Folds, Crowded 
House)
Grand Drive–The Lights In This Town Are Too Many To Count (another album of 
excellent Cosmic Americana or whatever you want to call it)
The Happiness Factor-Avoid Danger (Nourallah brothers, Power Pop excellence)
Cliff Hillis-Better Living Through Compression (not much variation from 
1st-a good thing)
The Honeydogs-10,000 Years (ltd avail in 03, official rel in 04—may be my 
fave of yr)
The Insomniacs-Switched On! (The do one thing and they do it 
well-Mod/Garage/Power Pop)
Reid Jamieson -The Unavoidable Truth (RIYL: Josh Rouse, Stephen Duffy)
Bill Janovitz and Crown Victoria-Fireworks On TV (another pleasant surprise, 
not for its quality, but for its direction. Very rock and not so alt-country 
or chamber pop)
Jellybricks-Power This (their best album IMO)
Legendary Shackshakers-Believe (RIYL: Jason & the Scorchers)
Tift Merritt-Tambourine (Rootsy, Soulful, even better than her excellent 
debut)
The Minus 5-The Minus 5 in Rock (not unlike most of their earlier stuff, but 
this and Down with Wilco have elevated them in my mind)
A.C. Newman– Slow Wonder
The Pills-A Fistfull of Pills (A garage pop/power pop gem. After the promise 
of their early releases, they deliver big time.)
Chris Richards- Mystery Spot (a straight-ahead power pop tour de force, 
former Pantookas/Phenomenal Cats guy)
Chris Richards- Tumblers & Grit (a different Chris Richards—this is pure 
unadulterated al country. Very sweet in a Gram Parsons way)
Edward Rogers -Sunday Fables
The Rosenbergs-Department Store Girl
The Sadies-Favourite Colours
The Saving Graces-Outside Guiding Lights (jangy power pop, RIYL: Gin 
Blossoms, REM)
Sloan-Action Pact
The Soundtrack of Our Lives-Origin Vol. 1 (My current fave—more straight 
ahead rock than previous albums, but just as outstanding—“Wheels Of Boredom” 
is one of my fave songs in a long time)
Frank Lee Sprague –Merseybeat (title says it all. Guilt-free fun-fest!)
Stateside-Phonograph (RIYL: Rolling Stones, for example)
The Steepwater Band-Dharmakaya (RIYL: Tarbox Ramblers, No Miss Allstars, 
Black Keys)
Stratocruiser-Suburban Contemporary (meat ‘n’ potatoes power pop)
Matthew Sweet -Living Things (Kimi and LT are low key mini-masterpieces in 
the vein of Paul Westerberg’s recent efforts)
The Telepathic Butterflies-Songs from a Second Wave
The Thrills-Let's Bottle Bohemia (I was alittle skecptical about this, but 
it absolutely delivers. Better than the first IMO. I love it)
Trashcan Sinatras-Weightlifting (this is a one listen rating. I like it so 
much after one listen, I had to include it. As good as most anything they’ve 
done)
Velvet Crush-Stereo Blues (anything by VC will probably end up on a list I 
put together)
Butch Walker –Letters (surprise of the year. Didn’t like his Marv 3 stuff, 
but what a pleasant discovery)
Waterloo-In the Light of Day (a continuation of their previous album. Very 
“Undertow Collective-ish”)
Geraint Watkins-Dial "W" for Watkins (Yep Roc, Nick Lowe affiliations. Very 
rootsy and eclectic)
The Waxwings-Let's Make Our Descent (A return to form after their previous 
yawner.)
The Well Wishers-Twenty-Four Seven (POWER pop, through and through. 
Excellent!)
Paul Weller-Studio 150 (like Disc 3 of his rarities collection, these are 
understated and well-chosen covers. Not groundbreaking but very enjoyable)
Paul Westerberg-Folker (he is on a roll!)
Wilco-A Ghost is Born (Along, with YHF, this has grown very slowly on me. 
I’m a believer now!)
Brian Wilson-Smile (much, much better than I expected. No, it’s not quite 
Pet Sounds and yes it does get goofy sometimes, but it works)
Daniel Wylie -Ramshackle Beauty (Although Cosmic Roughriders are soldiering 
on quite fine without him, this appropriately titled album is one of 04’s 
top albums overall)
Martin Zellar & the Hardways-They Even Use the Hooves... (Odds & Ends 
1991-2003) (a fun 2CD collection by an underrated artist)

Mark