Review of 2003 By Nick Quantrill

In the festive tradition of polls, surveys and what have you that all the best magazines and websites carry at this time of the year, you'll have to settle for some things I liked in 2003 and some things I didn't..

1 Gigolo Aunts - Pacific Ocean Blues Technically a 2002 release but criminally only available on import until this year. This is the masterpiece the band has been threatening.

It often takes a band a long time to find their sound and hone it into something worthwhile and the Gigolo Aunts have certainly taken their time! This album is packed full of quality song writing, melodies and hooks. Probably only known to UK audiences through the theme tune to BBC2's 'Game On', anybody who loves pop music should love this.

2 Jesse Malin - The Fine Art Of Self Destruction Forget the eNeMEy led 'emperors new clothes' approach of championing New York bands like The Strokes and their mediocre friends; Jesse Malin is so New York it hurts. Malin spent years playing in, quite frankly, woeful punk bands, before striking out on his own. Recorded in a week with a great band with shades of Springsteen and Young at their best, this oozes rock 'n' roll out of your speakers.

3 Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell Parts 1 & 2 Take your pick, both parts are fantastic, just ignore the album pushed his record company, 'Rock and Roll'. Rejected by his record company for being 'too dark' these records are destined to outlive the woeful officially sanctioned release. It's lazy to dismiss his records as 'country'; these are quality tunes that just happen to have the odd steel guitar on!

4 Joe Strummer - Streetcore Even without the rose tinted glasses on, this is a great album. Without doubt the best material Strummer had since when at his peak with 'London Calling'. Like all his best work this album has so many different styles and sounds. If a Joe Strummer and Johnny Cash duet doesn't move then frankly, you have no heart. continued below