23995: Hermantin (News)Top music of 2004: Boston Herald critics offer their favorite CD (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>


Top music of 2004: Boston Herald critics offer their favorite CDs
By Boston Herald
Sunday, December 26, 2004

Ask the Herald's music critics to name their 10 favorite CDs of 2004 -- and
their one least-favorite -- and you get a lot of diversity and little
agreement.

     Our most-cited CD this year is by Kanye West, whom Grammy voters
recently awarded 10 nominations, more than any other artist. West didn't
impress because he started a trend, but because he separated himself from
the pack and challenged the hip-hop status quo. In that way, he exemplifies
our critics' preference for artists whose music distinguishes itself by
standing out in a musical landscape otherwise dominated by cookie-cutter
rappers, "American Idol" wannabes and suburban punks.

     Readers perusing our year-end CD lists looking for trends or the trendy
will come away disappointed. You won't find many obvious choices. You won't
find a single mention of highly publicized new releases by U2 or Gwen
Stefani, to name just two. But what we hope you will find are some of the
most intriguing and entertaining CDs of the year.


     Bob Young:


     4. Buyu Ambroise, "Blues in Red" (Justin Time). Reedman stirs up a
potent Haitian jazz mix.

  ........