Yes, I know I've been a bad blogger. Remember what I said though... only semi-regular posts shall find their way on here. I felt inclined to put up one tonight, seeing as how it's very something outside. It's not cold, it's something else. Perhaps the Inuit have a word to describe how frighteningly frigid it is outside. Seriously. I'm pretty sure I saw the Abominable Snowman at Tim Horton's, wrapped in a blanket and sipping a huge coffee.

At any rate, belated happy New Year to you all! I hope 2004 is better than 2003 for everyone. I certainly hope that it turns out better for me. This year, I intend to follow through on no less than four (4) of the following resolutions:

1) Get a real job, paying no less than $30K a year
2) Buy a car, preferably something I don't hate driving
3) Make a very large relationship step
4) Try to enjoy the transition into the "next phase"
5) Put my gym pass to use
6) Win a very large sum of money

But enough of that! Welcome back for my year-end wrap up! On today's agenda, I'm recapping my favorite albums of 2003. Of course this is all opinion-based, so this list is going to look very strange to some of you. So without further adieu...

1. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
Art rock enthusiasts often tout Radiohead as the best band in the world. I'm not sure if I can readily hand over that label just yet, but with each album their credentials grow. Thief was supposed to mark Radiohead's return to rock, a sort of revisiting of The Bends. Imagine my surprise when I heard the album for the first time, only to be treated to more songs akin to their last two outings than the stuff that made them a household name in the mid 90's. What is remarkable about this record is its ability to tell a story and evoke emotion in its listener, even though its lyrics are typically obscure and ambiguous. This is heads and tails my pick for best album of the year.

2. Matthew Good - Avalanche
Canadians know Matt Good's attitude well - he seemingly hates everyone. It was no surprise to me then, when I heard that the Matthew Good Band had broken up. I was saddened to think that Good would fall from the music scene altogether, due to the impossibility of anyone working alongside him for very long. I was also afraid that Avalanche, his announced solo effort, would be shameless in its self-promotion and detrimentally cocky. However, Matt Good proved me wrong. What we got on Avalanche is a much more mature narrative, mixed intelligently with Good's trademark vocals. Gone are the days of Matthew Good's angst-ridden private-school-prep-rock. This is the anti-Nickelback for us Canadians - a meaningful, intelligent, lovingly-crafted album with a musical triumph in each track.

3. I Mother Earth - The Quicksilver Meat Dream
I Mother Earth lives! Well, sort of at least. This could be the last album for awhile, depending on how the record label perceives IME's potential to sell records... but what a way to go out! TQMD sounds like a sonic romp through the mind of a very complicated individual, and what a glorious noise it produces. This stuff is art-rock, plain and simple - with the exception of the radio-friendly Like the Sun. The rest of the album can be likened to prog-rock for the masses. There enough varying guitar licks, tempo changes, and riveting vocals here to make Axl Rose's head explode. When you're done taking in the sounds, there are a host of bizarre lyrics to contemplate over and over. This record can keep you busy for months.

4. Blur - Think Tank
This might be an unpopular choice, indeed. There are two ways to approach this record, and both with different outcomes. The first would be to expect to hear "WOOHOO!" over and over again until your brains leak from your ears from the commercialized pop-punk ambiguity. If you come in like that, you'll be disappointed to no end. The proper way to come into Think Tank would be to expect something akin to Blur's 13 record. The nice thing about this is that it sounds like vintage Blur in all their artsy-brit-pop glory. There are a number of times that they sound vaguely Beatles-esque, but that works in their favour. There is no standout track on this record, but I must rate it so highly due to its ability to hold together so well and create a full album experience. This a great offering by a band who continually strives to please its fans.

5. The Dandy Warhols - Welcome to the Monkey House
Portland's Dandy Warhols hadn't put out a record since 2000's Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia, a fact that ripped at the hearts of Warhols fans worldwide. Though a relatively small group, the Dandys have a very loyal fanbase who were undoubtedly whipped into a rabid frenzy with each delay of Monkey House. The wait was worth it though... 2003's offering is a very solid album. The Dandys keep their trademark retro-pop sound alive in this one, but they opt for a more 80's synthpop sound this time around. That's alright though, this stuff is as catchy as anything I've heard before from these masters of catchy tunes. Though not as strong on a whole as Thirteen Tales, you'd be hard-pressed to find better cynical pseudo-pop.

6. Caesars - 39 Minutes of Bliss (In an Otherwise Meaningless World)
Wow, who would have thought that retro garage rock would come back? A slew of bands are bringing back that vintage 60's surfer/bandstand sound, and Caesars are indeed on that wagon. Immediately, you'll notice the use of that trademark 1960's organ. However, these Swedes are earning praise around the globe for doing it really damn well. Again, this stuff is as catchy as any music from that era. I dare you to not walk around singing Jerk it Out for a few days after your first listen. Indeed, this is 39 minutes of bliss.

7. Idlewild - The Remote Part
I've been tracking Idlewild's progress as a band over this last year and grow continually impressed with their evolution thus far. They started as a harsh, brash Scottish punk group that screamed more often than not. However, The Remote Part picks up where 100 Broken Windows left off and takes it to the next level. What we have here is the kind of band that REM could have been, had Michael Stipe been a little more angry at the world. Roddy Woomble has traded in his screaming pipes in favour of a more melodic, sincere sound which he pulls off extremely well. A few records ago this band wouldn't have departed from its guitar-heavy punk, now we get to close the record with a string arrangement and a half-track of spoken word. This is good, sincere alternative rock for anyone searching for a little feeling in their music.

8. Gary Hughes - The Once and Future King I & II
OK, I admit it - I am a sucker for rock opera and for medieval mythology. That's just what Gary Hughes brings us in this two-disc set: a rock opera based on the Arthurian Legend. It rings of delightfully old-school guitar movements and riveting hair-metalish vocals. The lyrics are lovingly crafted and tell one of the most intriguing and loved tales in history. I understand that this set was three or four years in the making. The quality shines through not only in each song, but as a whole performance as well. This is definitely something to check out if you have a fondness for musicals, vintage metal, or a combination of the two.

9. Finger Eleven - Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven vanished for a long while after their last album, The Greyest of Blue Skies. I thought they had gone for good until I was able to see them live about a year ago and to my surprise heard a new song. One of my favorite Canadian bands are back now, with a mature sound unheard of within their genre of music. Apparently this is getting them some recognition in the US, which they sincerely deserved for their hard work both as Finger Eleven and as The Rainbow Buttmonkeys. This is a treat to listen to, especially if you enjoyed the last album more than Tip.

10. Jane's Addiction - Strays
This addition is a really late one for me... I only picked up the album yesterday. It bumps Pilate's Caught By the Window from the list, but deservingly so. Admittedly, I wasn't into Jane's Addiction when they were last on the scene. I wasn't really old enough to care, one way or another. However, I'm glad they've come back and let me experience their apparent resurgence. I really like this album already, and it's sure to get even better after more listening. Just Because is a standout track, but the record brims with driving guitar riffs and the unique vocal stylings that Addicts have been treated to for years. I also like the variety in the tracks, as it would have been easy to write eleven versions of Just Because and sell tons of records. Good stuff, here.

So that's the end of it. There are a few things that I haven't got to listen to yet that I would have liked to. Perhaps the list would be different if my budget were slightly larger, but that's they way it goes. Take care out there!

- Colin (invincibleironman@hotmail.com)