Ten Top Albums of 2003

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We’ve looked back 40 years (10 Albums of 1983 That Still Stand Out) and 30 years (1993: The Best Albums Through a 30-Year Lense). Before this year runs out, let’s remember the music scene from 20 years ago. Here are some musical headlines from 2003:

• Norah Jones won six Grammy Awards.
• A fire engulfed the Station nightclub in Rhode Island while the band Great White played, killing 100 people and injuring 160.
• Apple opened the iTunes Music store.
• Robert Palmer, best known for the song “Addicted to Love and its accompanying video, died at 54 from a heart attack.
• The Dixie Chicks unleashed a firestorm of controversy by saying they were ashamed that the president was from Texas.
• The Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined the Coachella Music Festival.
• “Get Rich or Die Tryin” by 50 Cent was the best-selling song.

Some good albums in 2003, but no real standout(s) for me. Thus, the following top 10 is in no particular order.

– Love and Distortion by Stratford 4/The Strangest Things by Longwave: Both of these bands had promising outlooks when they opened their second albums with good tracks, “Where the Ocean Meets the Eye” and “Wake Me When It’s Over,” respectively. But overall, both were hampered by mediocre vocals and a rather derivative sound. The nice cascading guitars could only take them so far. The Stratford 4 was never heard from again while Longwave released a couple more LPs before taking a 10-year hiatus from which they never recovered.

– Streetcore by Joe Strummer (and the Mescaleros): Streetcore was completed and released after Joe Strummer’s death in December 2022 from a heart attack at 50 years old. No one could have imagined that it would be the last new music we’d ever hear from him. As it turned out, it’s quite a fine effort to be remembered by. It’s amped up folk music with sincere forays into rock, dub reggae, and blues with a heartfelt cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” The prophetic last song is a cover of Bobby Charles’ “Before I Grow Too Old.” There’s a pause and Strummer vocal clip at the end, “Ok, that’s a take.”

– Earthquake Glue by Guided by Voices: Guided by Voices and the prolific songwriter Robert Pollard were featured here previously (Ten Songs That Leave You Wanting More). Earthquake Glue is another collection of short songs that are effortlessly both raw and catchy. Echoes of Roger Daltrey and Peter Gabriel are inherent served on a lo-fi platter with surreal lyrics.

– Ghosts of the Great Highway by Sun Kil Moon: Mark Kozelek carried on the sleepy folk of his Red House Painters with this debut of Sun Kil Moon. “Carry Me Ohio” may be the highlight, but the album is really one cozy blanket. Monotonous yet comforting. It’s also the only album ever with three songs about deceased boxers.

– Chain Gang of Love by The Raveonettes: The Danish duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo call their first album “whiplash rock n’ roll.” It’s a fitting description. A retro 1950s-’60s vibe with distorted guitars, two-part harmonies, and a little noise. This is a fun record.

– Reality by David Bowie: A late career highlight for Bowie getting your attention immediately with “New Killer Star,” a shifting 9-11 rumble, “see the great white scar over Battery Park.” The next song uplifts the Modern Lovers’ “Pablo Picasso” into a flamenco rave. “Try Some, Buy Some” is another cover (George Harrison), while the rest of the album is reminiscent of the prior record, Heathen. Cool album cover.

– Strays by Jane’s Addiction: Jane’s Addiction reunited for Strays and broke up again right after. So, it may display the uncertainty of the band at the time. It doesn’t contain the eccentric flourishes of the first two albums, but there’s no doubt that they still rock. The snarky “Just Because” (“If I was you, I’d better watch out”) is full of attitude. “Superhero” rips along in a frenzy reminding us of why it was the ideal theme song for the crew of Entourage.

– Fever to Tell by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs: This debut album introduced the larger audience to the art-rock racket of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Fever to Tell lacks structure and is ridden with anxiety. Amidst the chaos, the tender love song “Maps” rears its lovely melody. Released as the third single, the song catapulted the band’s sales and exposure. (For more on the early YYYs, check out my previous post Meet Me in the Bathroom Review: The NY Rock Scene of the Early Aughts.)

– Elephant by The White Stripes: The White Stripes reached their pinnacle with their fourth album. It ignites with the riff of “Seven Nation Army” foretelling its stadium anthem status. Jack White’s guitar roars and agitates throughout. A few quiet acoustic numbers offer a respite. “The Hardest Button to Button” and Burt Bacharach’s “I Don’t Know What to Do with Myself” are other notable tunes.

– Hail to the Thief by Radiohead: After the ambient experimentation of Kid A and Amnesiac, Radiohead’s sixth album exudes a more conventional song structure. I say more, because Radiohead doesn’t do conventional. It’s still a challenging, surprising rock-electronic musical blend. The lyrics – fairy tales embedded in veiled political themes – provide more thought-provoking contrast. “There There” and “2+2=5” exemplify the emotional dimensions of Hail to the Thief.

Also from 2003, Boomslang by Johnny Marr and the Healers (the solo debut of the Smiths’ guitarist) and Take Them On, On Your Own by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (the second album from the hard rockin’ San Francisco band named after Marlon Brando’s motorcycle club in The Wild One.

Trivia: Where did Radiohead get their name from?

Here’s “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (still their biggest hit and not representative of Fever to Tell).

Trivia Answer: The Talking Heads’ song, “Radio Head,” off their 1986 album, True Stories.