Happy New Year! To kick off the new year, I thought I'd have my own little mini Grammy ceremony celebrating some of my favorite music from 2004. They are a bit over the top, but why not start the new year in a grand way, eh?
Best New Artist: Howie Day. While technically Howie made his first album in 2002, it wasn't until late in 2004 that he was discovered by much of a mainstream audience thanks to his song "Collide" being used on TV and subsequently being picked up by radio. On November 16th, Stop All the World Now (Special Edition) was released, an update to last year's Stop All the World Now which I had purchased early this year. While the original album was brilliant, the Special Edition takes it to another level.
Howie writes all of his own songs (with some collaboration) and plays guitar and the piano. Lyrically, the song are dreamy but grounded, raw but polished, and reveal an emotional plane not usually achieved by artists in the "John Mayer" category (guitar-wielding shaggy-haired 20-something acoustic male artists). Don't believe any of the hype surrounding such artists; Howie Day is a cut above the rest in this category.
For a really royal treat, be sure to also check out his LP The Madrigals featuring a 4 track live acoustic DVD that showcases Howie's one-man-band ability. Using a dizzying array of guitar techniques, foot petals, looping equipment and his voice, Howie can start from silence and build a perfectly timed multi-layer backing of music and voice. It is jaw-dropping and inspiring to watch, and a treat to hear.
Best Album: Darren Hayes, The Tension and the Spark. The former frontrunner of Savage Garden's 2nd solo album is unquestionably one of most coherent but vast albums that I have ever heard. Tension opens subtly with the introspective "Darkness" about personal descent into despair, but by the second track brings out the modern electronic pulse that is more reflective of the album's sound as a whole. While Darren's time in Savage Garden was groundbreaking and formed the foundation for the sound that he has ultimately adopted during his solo career, Tension lives up to its name bringing out the tensions of human emotions using a sound that is familiar but fresh.
The entire album was written by Darren and one collaborator. Much like Elton John and Bernie Taupin, it would be perfectly fine with me if this pair stayed together for the rest of Darren Hayes's career, though Darren is not one to stay with the familiar. I eagerly await to see what next level Darren can move to with his next album. It's just a shame that Tension is not currently scheduled for release in the US, even though the first single, Pop!ular (a tongue-in-cheek mockery of success) was #1 on the ClubFM chart and was, ironically, popular in clubs across the country.
Honestly, I don't care if he's popular or not. Just don't try to take this CD away from me! :)
Speaking of Elton John, at a Q&A with Billboard, Elton John said the following when asked, "Your endorsement has been instrumental in the development of many young artists. How do you retain that enthusiasm?"
The only way I can get it back is by listening to people. I'm the ultimate record fan. I still go out, as you know, and buy records, I'm searching for stuff because I can't o (sic) if I'm going to hear Kings Of Leon or the Darren Hayes album, which is a fantastic album -- a new artist has tried something really adventurous and different from what he's done before, but because it doesn't sound like Savage Garden, "We'll wait for the next one...."
i nominate Kanye West as best new artist and for best album :-)
i know, i know. not your type of music, Kevin. but i've never heard of the stuff you mention. who the hell is Elton John?! :P