catapult magazine

Music 2004

by The *cino Community

Asterisk Award for Music in 2004: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

by U2

What was the soundtrack of your life in 2004?

D.A.: Indellible Grace AND Johnny Cash, When the Man Comes Around.

J.H.: A Mix CD called The Soundtrack of my Life in 2004, featuring Joseph Arthur, Pinback, Denison Witmer, Trent Dabbs, Adam Weaver, The Album Leaf, Four Tet, Chris Staples, Dolorean, Junetile, Ill Lit, Mum, The Notwist, Sun Kil Moon, and others.

W.B.: U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb or The Return of the King soundtrack or Bruce Springsteen’s The Rising.

W.D.: My record collection…mostly mewithoutYou, Radiohead, Pedro The Lion, Death Cab For Cutie, etc.

K.M.V.: Aimee Mann?s Lost in Space. She creates a tragic and fully human character with each song and the album art is a perfect complement to the gorgeous melancholy. Guess that tells you what kind of mood I was in in 2004.

R.R.: Iron & Wine, both Our Endless Numbered Days and The Creek Drank the Cradle. Sam Beam?s voice floats beautifully over intricately simple guitar parts. Simply amazing.

What was the best concert experience you had last year? What made it so special?

C.N.: The only concert I saw (though it was a doozie) was Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. The music was incredible. Each musician was showcased separately to display their individual talent, but together they were phenomenal. The best part of the show was that it was attended by high school hippy freaks and 70-year-olds. Everybody had fun and it seemed that everybody appreciated what was happening.

W.B.: We went to see a They Might be Giants children’s show. First time I’ve ever seen a mosh pit for five-year-olds. We also went to see a band concert at Calvin Christian Elementary School. Calvin is a school that is making great strides in racial diversity. It was great to see black, white, Asian, and Hispanic faces having a moment of unwarranted pride in music that was definitely still in the development stage.

J.V.: Van Morrison at the Hollywood Bowl—the way that Van Morrison can just take off and play to what he is feeling at the moment and how his accompanying musicians are so in tune to with his creativity and just move into place behind him. A night of pure creativity from an incredible musician.

W.D.: Cornerstone 2004 was amazing as always. Also, the Sparta/Further Seems Forever/Copeland tour was exceptional (especially Copeland’s performance).

K.M.V.: The Paste Music tent/Gallery Stage at Cornerstone 2004. In the course of a few days, we heard old favorites like Over the Rhine and Bill Mallonee and discovered some new great new acts like Aradhna and Madison Greene.

What was the best album released in 2004?

C.V.: Both of these were released in 2001, I think, but: The best album I discovered this year was Jason Harrod’s Living in Skin. He’s such a wonderful songwriter—soulful, gritty yet elegant, and ripe with news of Grace and hidden Joy. Little Lights by Kate Rusby was good too, though a bit more childish and playful.

D.A.: Now That’s What I Call Music 17, wait I mean U2, Atomic Bomb.

A.S.: Antics, by Interpol, maintained the edgy tension of their first album while adding melody, beauty and invention.

W.B.: U2?HTDAAB.

J.V.: The Killers?Hot Fuss.

K.V.: Feels Like Today?Rascal Flatts. The song ?Broken Road? makes me cry every time I hear it. These guys are awesome.

W.D.: Either Ron Sexmith’s Retriever or mewithoutyou’s Catch For Us The Foxes. The former is full of really solid, timeless songs while the latter is terribly exciting and contains outstanding lyrics that encourage me throughout my daily life.

R.R.: U2?s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Guitar-driven, sincere rock ?n? roll from a band that actually takes music?s redemptive role seriously is just what the world needed this year. I haven?t been able to stop playing it since it came out in November.

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Discussion: Music 2004

What would you add to the members? responses? What music stood out for you in 2004?