BEST OF 2004 -MUSIC

Christmas is here folks, and I find myself with a little extra time on my hands, so, without further ado (adiu?...adoo?), here's the Sneaky Cheetah's Best of 2004 Music Post!

WARNING: I can only review albums I've purchased or was given, so in 2004 that comes to 19. Not exactly a sweeping sample of the music industry, but more then most people buy!

2004 was the year of The Greatest Hits Album. Or, as they shall be known forever more as, GRITS (GReatest hITS....get it?!?). All my favorite bands of the 90's are now over 10 years old and their contracts are running out, so out come the GRITS! I picked up GRITS from Pearl Jam, Live, 311, Everclear and Hootie & the Blowfish. But I'm most proud of my Def Leppard Best Of, released only in England and Japan, which I managed to get my meaty paws on. I've still gotta pick up GRITS from Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Korn, Creed and Sheryl Crow. These shall not be graded (unless you beg me to) because then I would be judging an artists whole body of work, not just this years.

So.....on to the NEW ALBUMS OF 2004!!!! or...the top ten non-grits albums of 2004 that I bought (I only got 10!)


10. Scissor Sisters - C- - Really only one great song (Take Your Mama Out) and an ...interesting cover of Comfortably Numb. The rest is gay dance/rock poo.

9. LIT - C - Uninspired work here from one of my favorites. As much as I want to, I just can't get into it. Nothing memorable, no hit singles, these songs would be waaaay in the back end of their previous two albums. NOTE: Allmusic.com rates this album at 4.5 stars (Lit's best) and 1999's A Place in the Sun and 2001's Atomic at 2 and 3 stars, respectively. Whose sausage are they smoking?!?!?

8. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin - C+ - Doesn't sound as fresh as her debut album. She's working with new producers and they're not clicking to strongly. It's repetitive and boring at times. Does have a few hits on it (Don't Tell Me, My Happy Ending, Nobody's Home), hence the "+".

7. Velvet Revolver - Contraband - B- - When most of Guns 'N' Roses (Slash, Duff and Matt) decided to get Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland as their singer in this band (along with some other dude on rhythm guitar, (couldn't they convince Izzy?)), I shit. I kid you not, I literally took a shit. Then I listened and it made me want to shit again. Nothing here is as good as any G 'N' R or STP, but Fall to Pieces comes really close. other highlights are Slither and Set me Free. It rocks alright, but you won't remember anything else here.

6. Jimmy Eat World - Futures - B- - See my full review here.

5. U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - B+ - See my full review here.

4. Collective Soul - Youth - A- - See my full review here.

3. Breaking Benjamin - We Are Not Alone - A - Hands down the best band to emerge in the last few years. They broke in a big way with 2002's Saturate, probably that year's best album (in the humble opinion of the SC!). We Are Not Alone picks up right where they left off. This album rocks hard. They combine great riffs with heavy energy, but their strength is in the chorus. Songwriter, Singer and Guitarist Ben Burnly writes incredible choruses. They are Huge! and Memorable! and he sings them with a kinda funny enunciation, which makes them even catchier! So Cold is their best song to date. Other highlights are Firefly and Forget It (both co-written with Billy Corgan, another Sneaky Cheetah Fave!) and Follow. But the album is great from start to finish.

2. Green Day - American Idiot - A+ - See my full review here.

1. Cheetah Sneaks - This is Where We Get Off - A+ - Ok. So call me bias. I still think this is the greatest music put out this year. From the driving rock of Girl Next Door to the alt-country of For You. The majestic riffage of Illumination to the unclassifiable fun of Honeydew. Plus a cover of Suspicious Minds!?!? C'mon! This album will knock your socks off. Ask anyone who's heard it. I listen to it more then anything else I own. If you want a copy, just ask ol' Uncle Cheetah. He'll hook you up. Maybe one day I'll write the story of this album, but that day shall not be today. (Look how long this post is already!)


Well, there it is folks. Let me know what you think and if you have any other good albums. Or GRITS! Stay tuned for the best films of '04, coming soon to a Sneaky Cheetah blog near you!