oh what a lovely sound, oh how it shakes the ground
Best Songs of 2005
in no particular order
Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" - the strings, the bell tones, his voice, the chorus, the lyrics "all things go...all things go..." it's like one of the best songs ever EVER on one of the best albums ever. for best effect, use during the falling of autumn leaves.
Imogen Heap -"Hide and Seek" - that vocoder makes this song surreal. but at some point in the twisting melody line that never repeats itself you get the feeling that her altered voice sounds more human than anything. and i love that drawn out biting voice in which she screams and whispers about lost love. it's so much great.
José González - "Crosses" - i was sorta introduced to him by mark with his cover of the knife's "heartbeats." He's reminds me of nick drake sometimes. i love his voice so much. his cover of kylie minogue's "hand on your heart" is great too. this song is like the good kinda peaceful that doesn't make you nervous or bored.
Aqualung - "Brighter Than Sunshine" - Thanks to Mark, I was able to fall in love with it before it was overplayed. Matt Hales' sincere voice and perfect melodies make this song awesome.
Emiliana Torrini - "Heartstopper" - She's got such a beautiful voice. This is the perfect kind of song for her. I like the stream-of-consciousness style lyrics as she sings about her day with failing love and coffee.
Tracy Grammer - "Hey Ho" - I like its allusions and criticism of modern american culture in such a sing-song kind of way. If not for the lyrics, one would think this was a kid's song. Somehow, it's such a fun song despite the fact that the lyrics aren't lighthearted. And it's in a minor key. So of course it's good.
Thao Nguyen - "Hills" - When I first heard this song, her slured voice, her accent, something about it made me think it was in a different language until the chorus. It's all very much in English and it's got some great lyrics when you understand them! "I'm a superhero, I will swing you away, we will tap the heals of our bare feet, to our hearts we swagger and sway."
Sambassadeur - "Between the Lines" - This song reminds me of so many other bands that it sounds kind of unoriginal but super wonderful at the same time. Maybe it has the best of several different bands. Maybe not. I still love the hand claps, soft harmonized echoed vocals, intricate song structure, and pure feeling of fall it has. "so i close my eyes, and focus on whatever is in my mind, and i try to find the sign, but i never learned to read between the lines."
Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone" - starts with a simple guitar line. then add drums. then add building tension in Ms. Clarkson's voice. and then...and then...BUT SINCE YOU BEEN GOOOOOOOOONE!!!!... see, how could you not love it so much.
Lou Barlow - "Home" - The drum machine in the background of the whole song always reminds me of a train. barlow is old...he was like one of the originals who brought about the whole lo-fi appeal. he was emotionally moaning indie-rock tunes into a recorder back before conor oberst ever thought about writing a song. this song will always remind me of driving around newport news on those rainy march nights.
Emilie Simon - "To the Dancers in the Rain" - It is kinda difficult to pick a song that I like of hers above all her other songs but this one starts with a simple music box kind of bell tone melody line which becomes a backdrop for her whispery voice as she sings "if my words are not that clear, i know my heart is understanding..." in her lovely french accent. it's so beautiful. mark introduced me to her as well.
Final Fantasy - "This Is The Dream Of Win And Regine" - Owen Pallett sings. and he plays the violin. and he does both in the most wonderful way in all his songs. this one was picked because of the great lyrics, great violin playing, and marvelous melody line. also, the use of brass instruments coupled with wonderful violin playing makes any song a winner.
Eisley - "Marvelous Things" - This song is like a good dream. I feel like i'm in a ridiculous, fantastical dream whenever i listen to it. and they have pretty pretty voices. also, again, songs in minor keys = love.
Stars - "Ageless Beauty (The Most Serene Republic Remix)" - one time, there was this almost pretty song by this band called "stars." the problem with stars is they overproduced the damn thing to the point where the vocals weren't even beautiful enough to save it. then, along comes most serene republic. msr throws away all that synthesized, over-produced shit. then they are like okay, amy millan, let's try this again. this time she sings and you can hear it. msr adds in twangy guitars and piano. now it's like the best song ever. "So loosen your heart, Underestimated, Undefeated in this love, We will always be a light." it's like a celebration of beauty and love. thank you most serene republic!
Andrew Bird - "Skin is, My" - I love andrew bird so much. i need his album as well. I only have two songs by him and the other one is just as incredible as this one. the plucked guitar bell tones at the beginning and end of this song, the poetic way he sings about his skin, the way the song breaks and changes in the middle, the guitar, the voice, the melody...it's just a fantastic song.
Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc." - I like everything about this. I like the muffled vocals, the way Damon Albarn sings "uh-uh" in the bass melody line. the way he sings throughout the song. the way the song breaks away to the fuzzy, guitar strumming chorus line "love forever, love is free, turn forever, you and me, windmill windmill for the land, is everybody in" the "ha ha haha haaa's" of de la soul's rapping. it's pretty much the most fun that could ever happen in a song.
Missy Higgins - "Scar" - I saw the music video of this first. she was such a cute, short haired aussie banging on her piano, singing about being left with a scar that i had to get this song. it's fun. sounds kinda live the way dave matthews does...but she doesn't suck like they do. This was one of the best songs to sing along with during the summer.
The Cloud Room - "Hey Now Now" - i like hearing this song while i'm driving. it makes me nod my head in the most dramatic of ways. the lyrics are nothing great but it has such a compelling beat that i love to hear it sooooo much.
Feist - "Mushaboom" - she's got one of the best voices there is. this is the first song of hers i heard and i still think it's her best (although i've felt that way about almost all her other songs at some point too). her music is so fantastic that i really cannot get enough of her. i wish i had an extra $80 to get a copy of that other cd of hers that's hard to get.
Fiona Apple - "Tymps (The Sick In The Head Song)" - I think her new album is her best. I actually really like "window" a lot (the first one, not the newly produced one) but this is the song I always want to play. it's so catchy! and the way she sings "Those boon times went bust, My feet of clay, they dried to dust, The red isnt the red we painted, Its just...rust." This is also one of the few songs that was produced better on the official cd release.
Bright Eyes - "I Believe in Symmetry" - He's one of my favorites still and this is maybe his best song on his two new cds. although...my opinion on that changes every day. for now, this is the one that i love the most. maybe because it sounds so much more like his older stuff. maybe because of the echo-y sounds at the end where he sings "You get to the next on down the line" over and over with heavy strings in the background. and again, i love those strings! his lyrics are perfectly angsty and the melody is great too.td>
runners up:
Of Montreal - "Oslo In The Summertime"
Martha Wainwright - "This Life"
Antony & the Johnsons - "Hope There's Someone"
Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On"
Supergrass - "St. Petersburg"
Ben Folds - "Landed"
Emilie Simon - "Lise"
Fiona Apple - "Window"
The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree"
in no particular order
Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" - the strings, the bell tones, his voice, the chorus, the lyrics "all things go...all things go..." it's like one of the best songs ever EVER on one of the best albums ever. for best effect, use during the falling of autumn leaves.
Imogen Heap -"Hide and Seek" - that vocoder makes this song surreal. but at some point in the twisting melody line that never repeats itself you get the feeling that her altered voice sounds more human than anything. and i love that drawn out biting voice in which she screams and whispers about lost love. it's so much great.
José González - "Crosses" - i was sorta introduced to him by mark with his cover of the knife's "heartbeats." He's reminds me of nick drake sometimes. i love his voice so much. his cover of kylie minogue's "hand on your heart" is great too. this song is like the good kinda peaceful that doesn't make you nervous or bored.
Aqualung - "Brighter Than Sunshine" - Thanks to Mark, I was able to fall in love with it before it was overplayed. Matt Hales' sincere voice and perfect melodies make this song awesome.
Emiliana Torrini - "Heartstopper" - She's got such a beautiful voice. This is the perfect kind of song for her. I like the stream-of-consciousness style lyrics as she sings about her day with failing love and coffee.
Tracy Grammer - "Hey Ho" - I like its allusions and criticism of modern american culture in such a sing-song kind of way. If not for the lyrics, one would think this was a kid's song. Somehow, it's such a fun song despite the fact that the lyrics aren't lighthearted. And it's in a minor key. So of course it's good.
Thao Nguyen - "Hills" - When I first heard this song, her slured voice, her accent, something about it made me think it was in a different language until the chorus. It's all very much in English and it's got some great lyrics when you understand them! "I'm a superhero, I will swing you away, we will tap the heals of our bare feet, to our hearts we swagger and sway."
Sambassadeur - "Between the Lines" - This song reminds me of so many other bands that it sounds kind of unoriginal but super wonderful at the same time. Maybe it has the best of several different bands. Maybe not. I still love the hand claps, soft harmonized echoed vocals, intricate song structure, and pure feeling of fall it has. "so i close my eyes, and focus on whatever is in my mind, and i try to find the sign, but i never learned to read between the lines."
Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone" - starts with a simple guitar line. then add drums. then add building tension in Ms. Clarkson's voice. and then...and then...BUT SINCE YOU BEEN GOOOOOOOOONE!!!!... see, how could you not love it so much.
Lou Barlow - "Home" - The drum machine in the background of the whole song always reminds me of a train. barlow is old...he was like one of the originals who brought about the whole lo-fi appeal. he was emotionally moaning indie-rock tunes into a recorder back before conor oberst ever thought about writing a song. this song will always remind me of driving around newport news on those rainy march nights.
Emilie Simon - "To the Dancers in the Rain" - It is kinda difficult to pick a song that I like of hers above all her other songs but this one starts with a simple music box kind of bell tone melody line which becomes a backdrop for her whispery voice as she sings "if my words are not that clear, i know my heart is understanding..." in her lovely french accent. it's so beautiful. mark introduced me to her as well.
Final Fantasy - "This Is The Dream Of Win And Regine" - Owen Pallett sings. and he plays the violin. and he does both in the most wonderful way in all his songs. this one was picked because of the great lyrics, great violin playing, and marvelous melody line. also, the use of brass instruments coupled with wonderful violin playing makes any song a winner.
Eisley - "Marvelous Things" - This song is like a good dream. I feel like i'm in a ridiculous, fantastical dream whenever i listen to it. and they have pretty pretty voices. also, again, songs in minor keys = love.
Stars - "Ageless Beauty (The Most Serene Republic Remix)" - one time, there was this almost pretty song by this band called "stars." the problem with stars is they overproduced the damn thing to the point where the vocals weren't even beautiful enough to save it. then, along comes most serene republic. msr throws away all that synthesized, over-produced shit. then they are like okay, amy millan, let's try this again. this time she sings and you can hear it. msr adds in twangy guitars and piano. now it's like the best song ever. "So loosen your heart, Underestimated, Undefeated in this love, We will always be a light." it's like a celebration of beauty and love. thank you most serene republic!
Andrew Bird - "Skin is, My" - I love andrew bird so much. i need his album as well. I only have two songs by him and the other one is just as incredible as this one. the plucked guitar bell tones at the beginning and end of this song, the poetic way he sings about his skin, the way the song breaks and changes in the middle, the guitar, the voice, the melody...it's just a fantastic song.
Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc." - I like everything about this. I like the muffled vocals, the way Damon Albarn sings "uh-uh" in the bass melody line. the way he sings throughout the song. the way the song breaks away to the fuzzy, guitar strumming chorus line "love forever, love is free, turn forever, you and me, windmill windmill for the land, is everybody in" the "ha ha haha haaa's" of de la soul's rapping. it's pretty much the most fun that could ever happen in a song.
Missy Higgins - "Scar" - I saw the music video of this first. she was such a cute, short haired aussie banging on her piano, singing about being left with a scar that i had to get this song. it's fun. sounds kinda live the way dave matthews does...but she doesn't suck like they do. This was one of the best songs to sing along with during the summer.
The Cloud Room - "Hey Now Now" - i like hearing this song while i'm driving. it makes me nod my head in the most dramatic of ways. the lyrics are nothing great but it has such a compelling beat that i love to hear it sooooo much.
Feist - "Mushaboom" - she's got one of the best voices there is. this is the first song of hers i heard and i still think it's her best (although i've felt that way about almost all her other songs at some point too). her music is so fantastic that i really cannot get enough of her. i wish i had an extra $80 to get a copy of that other cd of hers that's hard to get.
Fiona Apple - "Tymps (The Sick In The Head Song)" - I think her new album is her best. I actually really like "window" a lot (the first one, not the newly produced one) but this is the song I always want to play. it's so catchy! and the way she sings "Those boon times went bust, My feet of clay, they dried to dust, The red isnt the red we painted, Its just...rust." This is also one of the few songs that was produced better on the official cd release.
Bright Eyes - "I Believe in Symmetry" - He's one of my favorites still and this is maybe his best song on his two new cds. although...my opinion on that changes every day. for now, this is the one that i love the most. maybe because it sounds so much more like his older stuff. maybe because of the echo-y sounds at the end where he sings "You get to the next on down the line" over and over with heavy strings in the background. and again, i love those strings! his lyrics are perfectly angsty and the melody is great too.td>
runners up:
Of Montreal - "Oslo In The Summertime"
Martha Wainwright - "This Life"
Antony & the Johnsons - "Hope There's Someone"
Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On"
Supergrass - "St. Petersburg"
Ben Folds - "Landed"
Emilie Simon - "Lise"
Fiona Apple - "Window"
The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree"