because it's that time of year, i'd like to post my top 18 records of 2003. (according to my count, i've purchased 18 records during 2003.) one record, travis' 12 memories, did not get enough spins to earn a ranking. (i did listen to the album a few times while sleepless on friday night, and i do think 'quicksand,' the opener, is superior. no opinion on the rest of it.) beulah's yoko will also go unranked, as it was stolen within two weeks and five spins of my acquisition of it. as i recalled, i did enjoy the record quite a bit.

the rest:

16. black rebel motorcycle club - take them on, on your own
15. the pernice brothers - yours, mine and ours
14. the thrills - so much for the city
13. grandaddy - sumday (also a theft, although i'd had it for five months...must not have made an impression)
12. guided by voices - hardcore ufo's box set
11. the joggers - solid guild - super album. super discovery.
10. ted leo and the pharmacists - hearts of oak
9. the shins - chutes too narrow
8. the new pornographers - electric version
7. the wrens - the meadowlands
6. the white stripes - elephant
5. the decemberists - her majesty the decemberists
4. the decemberists - castaways and cutouts - i guess we'll call it a 2003 release, since its first wide release was this year
3. death cab for cutie - transatlanticism
2. the strokes - room on fire
1. guided by voices - earthquake glue

this is the first time since i've listened to the band that their release has been considered my number one of the year. i think earthquake glue is their best record since alien lanes, and the best pollard's released since speak kindly of your volunteer fire department (or maybe since 1996's not in my airforce.). quite an accomplishment.

not on this list, that certainly will be when it gets purchased/is received: the postal service's give up. i also purchased the rapture's echoes on saturday...it is really good, although i'll pass on the opportunity to rank it at the moment.

i'd also like to revisit my 2002 top ten, because i can. in parentheses is my ranking of the record this time last year. (five of my top ten were purchased during the 2003 calendar year. others have moved.)
10. hem - rabbit songs (7)
9. cody chesnuTT - the headphone masterpiece (N/R)
8. ...and you will know us by the trail of dead - source tags and codes (2)
7. blackalicious - blazing arrow (N/R)
6. the mountain goats - tallahassee (N/R)
5. guided by voices - universal truths and cycles (6)
4. the streets - original pirate material (N/R)
3. spoon - kill the moonlight (3)
2. bright eyes - lifted, or, the story is in the soil keep your ear to the ground (N/R)
1. interpol - turn on the bright lights (1)

falling out: brendan benson's lapalco (8/13), the breeders' title tk (5/16), the flaming lips' yoshimi battles the pink robots (9/14), the walkmen's everyone who pretended to like me is gone (4/12) and wilco's yankee hotel foxtrot (10/11)