BANDS:

Punk & Ska
80's New Wave/
Post-Punk/
College Bands
90's & Beyond
Virginia, North
Carolina, & DC

Best Albums of 2003 (as voted on by staff)				Staff Picks for Best  Mid-Atlantic Releases of 2003 (in alphabetical order)
1		The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow [Sub Pop] Buy This Album			A New Dawn Fades: Sounds Pressed into Texture [Cherub] (Richmond, VA) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
2		Radiohead:  Hail to the Thief [Capitol] Buy This Album			A Problem of Alarming Dimensions: H-Hov-Hover [8088] (Chapel Hill, NC) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
3		Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever to Tell [Interscope] Buy This Album			Black Eyes: Black Eyes [Dischord] (Washington, D.C.) Buy This Album
4		The Black Keys: Thickfreakness  [Fat Possum] Buy This Album			Complex Radio (Various Artists): Charlotte-Area Music Compilation [Andrew Webster] (Charlotte, NC) Buy This Album
5		Broken Social Scene:  You Forgot It in People [Arts & Crafts] Buy This Album			Compulation Vol I (Various Artists): Songs from NC [Pox World Empire] (Durham, NC) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
6 (tie)		My Morning Jacket: It Still Moves [ATO/RCA] Buy This Album			Denali: The Instinct [Jade Tree] (Richmond, VA) Buy This Album
6 (tie)		Outkast: Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below [La Face] Buy This Album			The Fatales: Harajuku Hip EP [self-released] (Blacksburg, VA) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
6 (tie)		The Kills:  Keep on Your Mean Side [Rough Trade] Buy This Album			Flume: Note to Self [Bittersweet] (Washington, D.C.) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
9		TV on the Radio: Young Liars [Touch & Go] Buy This Album			Goner: How Good We Had It [Bifocal Media] (Raleigh, NC) Buy This Album
10		The White Stripes: Elephant [V2] Buy This Album			The Jackson Hives: Cafe Racer [Orphan] (Wilmington, NC) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
11		Mars Volta: De-Loused in the    Comatorium [Universal] Buy This Album			Masked Superstar: Beautified for Sound [Vaunted] (Washington, D.C.) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
12		Grandpaboy: Dead Man Shake [Fat Possum] Buy This Album			Leah Morgan: Zero Dollars Spent [self-released] (Washington, D.C.) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
13		The Thermals: More Parts Per Million [Sub Pop] Buy This Album			Rarae Avis: Rarae Avis [Yellow Dog] (Blacksburg, VA) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
14 (tie)		Grandaddy: Sumday [V2] Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review			The Rosebuds: The Rosebuds Make Out [Merge] (Raleigh, NC) Buy This Album
14 (tie)		Menomena: I Am The Fun Blame Monster [Muuuhahaha!] Buy This Album			Rick Spreitzer: Meanderthal [self-released] (Charlotte, NC) Buy This Album Read LOTD's Review
Placement was based on ranking by each staff member times the number of votes the album received.				Staff members submitted between one and three votes for their favorite VA, NC, and DC releases of 2003.

INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS' LISTS:

CATHERINE NICHOLAS
#1:  The Long Winters: When I Pretend to Fall [Barsuk]
Each song is its own little production, resulting in a near-perfect pop album...
Read the rest of Catherine's list...

NESSIM HALIOUA
#1:  The Thermals: More Parts Per Million [Sub Pop]
If you don't know about this band, we're not friends anymore...
Read the rest of Nessim's list...

JUSTIN RUDE
#1:  The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow [Sub Pop]
Read the rest of Justin's list...

LOUIS MILLER
#1:  Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever to Tell [Interscope]
There are some down moments, but when Karen O hits it, the whole band shines...
Read the rest of Louis's list...

NICK DOYLE
#1:  Guster - Keep It Together [WB]
Theyve built up their sound and completely changed from the wussy... college band they were...
Read the rest of Nick's list...

ALEX BAIA
#1:  Katatonia - Viva Emptiness [Peaceville/Snapper]
Crushing and awesomely dark, this album has more dynamics than you can shake a stick at...
Read the rest of Alex's list...

BRENNA KRAUSE
#1:  The Black Keys: Thickfreakness [Black Possum]
No bass - all fuzzy, ear-piercing feedback, and is that guy who is singing really white?
Read the rest of Brenna's list...

JAKE CANSADO
#1:  Various Artists: Complex Radio: Charlotte Area Music Compilation [Andrew Webster]
8 CDs of music from Charlotte, NC.  For fifteen bucks, this isnt just a box set, its a fucking gift...
Read the rest of Jake's list...

DANNY ROWE
#1:  Arab Strap: Monday at the Hug and Pint [Matador]
Somehow these Scots sum up everything... into one four-minute song with a catchy club beat that makes every stereo I own quake for mercy...
Read the rest of Danny's list...

BART BEALMEAR
#1:  My Morning Jacket: It Still Moves [Dreamworks]
For those long afternoons when one is hung over, but one still wants to rock...
Read the rest of Bart's list...

KEVIN MILLER
#1:  Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham - L'Avventura [Jet Set]
Read the rest of Kevin's list...

CHAZ MARTENSTEIN
#1:  The Starvations: Get Well Soon [Gold Standard Laboratories]
I picked this album up on a whim, and I am completely surprised and pleased...
Read the rest of Chaz's list...

JONATHAN NOVAK
#1:  Broken Social Scene: You Forgot It In People [Arts & Crafts]
From start to finish, it is the most eclectic, complicated, layered, profound album I've ever owned...
Read the rest of Jonathan's list...

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