MTV2 Presents: Shortlist 2004 Nominees features songs from each of the competition's ten Shortlist finalists, plus a handful of tracks from the Longlist of nominees. This year's list is admirably diverse, ranging from Ghostface's Pretty Toney album (represented here by the fun "Save Me Dear") to Wilco's A Ghost Is Born and Loretta Lynn's stellar Van Lear Rose, even if it features a surprising amount of music from already-established acts such as Air. TV on the Radio's aching "Staring at the Sun," Nellie McKay's "David," and the fierce, alien garage of Dizzee Rascal's "Fix Up Look Sharp" reflect some of the newer music chosen by the Shortlist's panelists (who included Robert Smith, the Dixie Chicks, and Jim Jarmusch in 2004). The Streets make a return to the list after 2003's nomination for Original Pirate Material (and for which they probably should've won) with A Grand Don't Come for Free, as represented here by "Dry Your Eyes." "Michael," the most daring track on Franz Ferdinand's massively popular self-titled debut, is another highlight, even though Franz Ferdinand surpassed the Shortlist's "less than 500,000 copies sold" rule shortly after it was nominated. Some of the Longlist inclusions are more unusual than many of the Shortlist picks, although Ryan Adams' "Hotel Chelsea Nights" sounds like a kissing cousin to Wilco's "Hell Is Chrome" and MUSE's soaring "Time Is Running Out" once again explains why they share so many fans with Radiohead, Coldplay, and U2. Café Tacuba's "Eres" is a somewhat strange pick for this collection, considering that there are plenty of other tracks on Cuatro Caminos that capture the album's freewheeling creativity. Secret Machines' "Nowhere" is also a welcome reminder of how strong their Now Here Is Nowhere is. Still, it's too bad that the collection didn't take the opportunity to reflect some of the Longlist's more interesting artists, like Blanche, Blonde Redhead, the Fiery Furnaces, Electrelane, or Bebel Gilberto. Without a doubt, MTV2 Presents: Shortlist 2004 Nominees features some of the year's best music, and actually works pretty well as a sampler of such; it's just that it doesn't feel quite as adventurous or exciting as it could. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide