Hey, I just submitted my Pazz & Jop ballot! I haven't sent comments in yet... still tryin' to think of some.

The albums and singles votes you can have; the point distribution is none of your business (but suffice to say I gave the edge to the lesser-knowns).

And I don't apologize for the number of compilations on my list. 2004 was a banner year for archival material. Thai Beat A Go-Go Vol. 1 and Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats were strong top-ten contenders, but would have been even better as EPs featuring just the A-material.

I could do a whole 'nother list of reissues, first issues, more-or-less-first-issues, deluxe editions, single-artist comps, box sets... and Hyped to Death would probably be as prevalent there as Sublime Frequencies is on my P&J list.

With singles, years are murky terrain. There's the release year, there's the year the track makes its impact, and maybe the track doesn't make any impact but the release date is close enough to this year that you can get away with it, and there's the matter of release dates/impact overseas. The "Good Boys" single made the rounds in Europe and Australia in 2003, but it didn't get an official U.S. release until February 9, 2004. Also, we were allowed to vote for album tracks as "singles," but for the most part I stuck with real actual singles (and B-sides), cuz it's the right thing to do, and because pop, dance, and R&B need love too.


Albums
1. Various Artists - Princess Nicotine: Folk and Pop Music of Myanmar (Sublime Frequencies)
2. Morgan Geist - Unclassics: Obscure Electronic Funk & Disco 1978-1985 (Environ)
3. Various Artists - Cambodian Cassette Archives: Khmer Folk & Pop Music Vol. 1 (Sublime Frequencies)
4. Walkmen - Bows and Arrows (Record Collection)
5. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (Sanctuary/Rough Trade)
6. Various Artists - I Remember Syria (Sublime Frequencies)
7. Volga Select - So Young But So Cold: Underground French Music 1977-1983 (Tigersushi)
8. Various Artists - Radio India: The Eternal Dream of Sound (Sublime Frequencies)
9. Tom Dissevelt, Kid Baltan, Henk Badings and Dick Raaijmakers - Popular Electronics: Early Dutch Electronic Music From Philips Research Laboratories 1956-1963 (Basta Music)
10. French Kicks - The Trial of the Century (StarTime International)


Singles
1. Blondie - "Good Boys" (Sony Int’l)
2. Alcazar - "This is the World We Live In" (BMG Int’l)
3. Courtney Love - "Mono" (EMI)
4. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For? (Jacques Lu Cont’s TWD Dub)" (Interscope)
5. Fiery Furnaces - "Sing For Me" (Rough Trade)
6. Hold Steady - "The Swish" (Frenchkiss)
7. Annie - "Come Together" (679)
8. X-1 - "New York is So Cool"
9. Brandy feat. Kanye West - "Talk About Our Love" (Atlantic)
10. Kelis - "Trick Me" (EMI)