2003 had a couple releases I was looking forward to.  But for the most part, just like every other year, nothing much catches my ear.  Here are my top three albums.  I can’t even come up with a top five cause I didn’t like a whole lot and I don’t want to put in soundtracks on my list.   

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3.  Alkaline Trio - “Good Mourning”

This album was good compared to other releases, but for me it was kind of a disappointment.  I liked the move to more minor key songs, that’s been a long time coming.  It lacked a super-killer song and the production was squashed.  You might be wondering how an album I had problems with is number three of the year, but that’s just how picky I am.  It’s still a decent album. 

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2.  AFI – “Sing the Sorrow”

This album had some really creative tracks.  It had diversity.  There’s only one main thing wrong with the album, too bad it affects the entire album.  It’s the guitar tone.  It’s like seeing a scary vampire, but you find out that the vampire has plastic teeth.  It’s still a good album. 

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And my top album of the year is…

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1.  Vroom – “Rosebud”
 

Finally a rock album that does more. 

 

The album tells a story.  It’s not yet another album of ten or so unrelated songs.  The album is a unified work of art.  I really can’t say that about any other rock album.  But of course, being artistic doesn’t count for anything if the songs suck.  At first when I heard these songs, I still wanted their previous album, “Throws Like a Girl”, so I was a little disappointed.  But then I heard the songs in context, in the story, and realized that why would I want more of the same, even though the same would still be good?  “Rosebud” really grew on me.  After a few listens I realized how amazing it really was. 

 

Of course no album is perfect.  I would have arranged some of the songs differently and it would be nice to have big time production – but then again, if they didn’t record it themselves, the songs wouldn’t have been as half as creative (so that point is a give or take). 

The songs are haunting and catchy at the same time.  The story is enthralling.  The lyrics are simply brilliant.  And of course there’s Jon Johnson’s vocals.  He seriously is my favorite vocalist.  His voice is undeniable.  It is useless to resist it.  This album is great.

 

“Rosebud” was the bright light in an otherwise cloudy year for music for me.