8. Say Hi To Your Mom - Numbers and Mumbles

I heard this guy while at work in the summer when i was listening to an online radio station. There's some really catchy indie pop here, especially: Let's Talk About Space Ships and Hooplas Involving Circus Tricks.

7. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans

I listened to this when it first came out then forgot about it. Not because it was bad but cause i had a bunch of other bands i was listening to. I recently started listening to it again and shit yo this is good. Sufjan can write some sweet jams.

6. Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days

I first heard him when i downloaded a performance of Naked as we Came off of Silence Magazine and was very impressed with the song and performance. This is a solid album, this shit is the shit if you like mellow folk rock.

5. Bright Eyes and Neva Dinova - One Jug of Wine Two Vessels

If this weren't an EP it would be higher on the list. Its a split EP and both bright eyes and neva dinova contribute some tight shit. Spring Cleaning is such an epic song, its also weird cause its one of the 3 bright eyes songs but conor doesn't do main vocals.

4. John Frusciante - The Will to Death

He had a number of releases this year and i started listening to this one. I'm not really a chilli peppers fan but my friend told me about John's solo shit. Its just good song writing, kinda folk at times but more indie rock. If it were up to me he would quit the chilli peppers and focus on his solo stuff cause he's got some tight shit

3. Onelinedrawing - The Volunteers

Solid release from Jonah, We Had a Deal is my favourite song of the summer and reminds me of Far alot more than Onelinedrawing. Superhero is such an epic song. I can't wait till his new band Gratitude releases their first album next year. Its scary how good thats gonna be.

2. Hayden - Elk Lake Serenade

Hayden is my favourite canadian muscian and this album is so fuckin money. Home by Saturday is such a catchy song and My Wife is a cool direction that he might be going in. This is a solid album.

1. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill

It was tough to choose between this and Hayden but in my opinion Elliott Smith is the best songwriter of our generation and this might not be his best album but its still the best thing released in 2004. The complexity and originality of these songs are mindblowing. This album is very sad at the same time as it is beautiful, with lines like "I can't prepare for death anymore than i already have" and "Don't let me get carried away" its pretty apparent that he was falling apart. Fond Farewell is my favourite song off the album. This was suppossed to be a double disc and hopefully the rest of the songs, even though they were unfinished, get leaked eventually. If popular music were only half as sincere about their songs as Elliott Smith was then today's music wouldn't be a fucking joke.