  all these things in no true order Find this urlLink here Our Critics Top Albums of 2003 Strokes, Shins and a whole lot of OutKast This year, the diverse blend of hip-hop, funk and soul -- not to mention comedy -- found on OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below dazzled sufficiently to top our annual critics' poll. Andre 3000 and Big Boi's sprawling two-CD set appeared on eight lists, just one more than Chutes Too Narrow, the second release by brainy indie rockers the Shins.
Despite the hype surrounding the two of the biggest "The" bands since the Beatles and the Stones, the Strokes and the White Stripes pulled in fewer votes for their respective 2003 releases (four) than did the latest offerings from grunge godfather Neil Young and long under-appreciated power-pop outfit Fountains of Wayne (both with five). Other favorites ran the gamut from the late, great Johnny Cash, to prolific hip-hop phenom Missy Elliott to newcomers bearing the flags of yesteryear: southern rock (Kings of Leon), prog-rock (the Mars Volta) and folk rock (Damien Rice). Clay and Ruben may demand a recount. Julie Gerstein 1. Her Space Holiday, The Young Machines (Mush Records): A beautifully crafted exercise in breaking up, Marc Bianchi cultivates a sad and lush goodbye. 2. Black Eyes, S/T (Dischord): An all-out percussive explosion, Black Eyes full-length debut is a shock of noisy bliss. 3. Postal Service, Give Up (Sub Pop): Figurine frontman Jimmy Tamborello's guilty emo-fueled pleasure, sure to make the girls swoon. 4. Devon Sproule, Upstate Songs (City Salvage): Perhaps the sweetest and most honest folk-pop album recorded this year, Sproule's vocal and lyrical beauty is unmatched. 5. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Hearts of Oak (Lookout): Includes "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone," a monumental pop achievement, and even better live. 6. The Twin Atlas, Bring Along the Weather (Tappersize): Delicate acoustic folk-pop songs in the perfect pitch.
7. Need New Body, UFO (File 13 Records): Explosive and experimental, Need New Body's sophomore release is a carnival of melody and noise. 8. The Rapture, Echoes (Universal): The new sound of sex, the Rapture's most recent is a sweaty mess of guitars and samples. 9. Slumber Party, Three (Kill Rock Stars): Slumber Party's Three is a mass of melodic and mesmerizing Raincoats-esque rock. 10. The Kills, Keep on Your Mean Side (Sanctuary): The cheeky-named VV and Hotel are much more rollicking and sensual than that other rock and roll duo. Reissue: Sonic Youth, Dirty (DGC): Sonic Youth in its hey day, resonating with noisy ecstasy. 
