The Year that Pop Broke

It’s only 12 short months ago when I was writing an introductory piece on The Thrills for last year’s annual, and now yer man from round the corner’s band are conquering the world. Begrudgers say what you like, but I’m immensely proud.
I bestow my personal album of the year crown to King Jack and Queen Meg for the masterpiece that was Elephant. Thanks to Jack’s run with a airbag, we were denied the gig of the year. However, I’ll forever cherish memories of Low in North London’s beautiful Union Chapel on Valentine’s Day, Radiohead’s two night stand in the Olympia, R.E.M. mesmerising Marlay Park, The Flaming Lips’ sun-drenched life-affirming live spectacle on the Witnness main stage, Super Furry Animals kicking out the kooky jams in Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick, Mogwai and Interpol in the Village, Damien Dempsey at the Dun Laoghaire Festival of World Cultures, The Thrills wowing Liverpool, London, Cardiff and Witnness and just seconds before the final whistle, The Strokes playing an absolutely stonking blinder in Belfast.
Alongside the Southside five, the local heroes of the year include the aforementioned Damo, a man unafraid of confronting the ills of 21st century Ireland, and Limerick’s Woodstar, who produced a great debut in Life Sparks and have an even better one in them if what I’ve heard so far is anything to go by. It was heartening to observe an album top ten chart that consistently featured the likes of The White Stripes, The Thrills, The Frames, Paddy Casey, Josh Ritter, David Kitt, The Darkness, The Strokes, R.E.M. and Justin Timberlake. Damien Rice’s music leaves me completely cold, but respect still due. Of course, it was very sad to see the passing of the great Mr. Johnny Cash, the extraordinary Nina Simone and the tragically premature death of Elliott Smith.
2004? Who knows? Here’s to more fun times, top tunes and hopefully Michael Moore’s prediction will come true and George W. Bush will be voted out of office next November. It was absolutely terrifying that an illegal and immoral war was waged, completely blanking the United Nations and international will. Happy Christmas and hopefully, war will be over if we want it.