In Between the 'Fits of Nausea' : the "Best of '05" volume one
the next two posts are going to be list of my 'picks' from this year. it wasnt so hard to figure out what was released from 2005, which was an initial issue, but what releases I felt were good enough to be on a Top Ten list, which then spurred an 'Honorable Mention' category. everyone should do this because it's awesome. when I look back on this, im slightly surprised about everything that ive listened to, but didnt include... and how the whole list is pretty random, but eccentric. i tried to get my favorite from every genre that i generally listen to, and here's what ive come up with:
BEST ALBUMS OF 2005
10. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead~ Worlds Apart [Interscope]:
and yet another awesome band from Texas. hooray for rampant art-rock! "HEY...Fuck you, man!" speaks for itself. There is no ‘filler’ music to be found, every song is good, especially the title track, which has probably the best lyrics on the album, evocative of ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock. Destruction=Seduction.
9. Sons & Daughters~ The Repulsion Box [Domino]:
there were so many 'boys and girls' bands to release great albums this year (The Magic Numbers, The High Dials, etc.), but this was my favourite of them all. Murderous ballads characterized by back and forth bass lines, jagged, twangy guitaring, with a slow, haunting voice. there's even some mandolin in there, and some pieces reminiscent of Johnny Cash. it's Scottish. it's murderous. it's awesome.
8. Art Brut~ Bang, Bang and Rock 'n 'Roll [Fierce Panda]:
over the year, i have developed an inexplicably huge thirst for Brit-rock (Kaiser Chiefs, The High Dials, Doves), here lies another fav from another genre. 80's brit post-punk-ish. satyric lyrics that poke fun at everything are joined with simple, infectious hooks. another 'destruction of everything' album... another addition to the 'nice rock' movement.
7. Sigur Ros~ Takk [Geffen]:
dreamy and delightful. definitely a bedtime cd. my favorite track, "Glosoli", is a perfect representation of the magnificent instrumentation on this album. it has a wet, churning, 'swooshing' with the vibraphone, which blasts off into a crashing and echoing mesh of sound. it's the most beautiful thing you will ever hear. a total must-have.
6. Rah Bras~ Whohm *album cover not availible [Lovitt]:
absolute electricity in physical form. it's addicting. just released last month, Whohm is just the cure for my anticipation after their previous EP and their 2001 release. emocore, power electonica, filled with 'shock-and-awe' synths that will melt your face off. it's a rock opera, Bethel's voice chimes harmonically and whirls over the clashing drama. i wish their cover of Ginuwine's "Pony" was on here. go to http://www.lovitt.com/ right NOW, and check out the track "No Furture". you'll be pummeled into a pulp... then beg for more.
5. Doves~ Some Cities [Capitol]:
if i ever see 'the' placed in front of Doves again, i just may rant, for doing so instantaneously makes them sound more conventional than they ever could be. Doves is a good name for them by the way, a sign of peace and hope, which is exactly what they are about. discussions of corruption, cruelty, and societal issues are found through many selections. i dont think i have ever heard an album so well-kept in overall theme, yet has such truly varying sounds. twinkles and shimmer to strums and harmonica to slight reggae beat, and a tunneling oversoul with a syphonic air. the only thing better than their goal of remedial music is their profound instrumentation. "Snowden" is a slow, hopeful track that is very christmas-y.
4. The Chemical Brothers~ Push The Button [Astralwerks]:
the nifty duo traverses the genre of electronica like no other group, creating this instantaneous hit. Push the Button is totally about self-power, exceeding standards, defying limitations, and learning to GROOOOVE. interesting jams and internalized voices beckon for change and provide inspiration to take the dreams and goals that lie within our selves and to externalize, or “Galvanize,” and make then reality. The aforementioned track is a breakthrough in itself, proposing hip-hop beats indifferent to general electronica, yet have you dancing nevertheless. a constant heartbeat. anyone who stops to take a listen will be mesmerized.
3. Sleater Kinney~ The Woods [Sub Pop]:
within the past couple of years, girl bands and artists have created a horrid stereotype for our ‘kind’, through wailings that suggest dependency on males, sexuality, or on being societal outcasts, which have not been pleasing. perhaps this is why fem-power rock sounds so incredible. it’s more mature and developed insight that such girl bands have been lacking. 2005 was a huge turnaround as artists like Regina Specktor, and frontwomen like Annie Hardy and Carrie Browstein reversed the ‘curse’. The Woods is brutal and anarchic. riff-heavy with tremendous percussion and insistent singing, Sleater Kinney begs to be heard. wildly-talented songwriting, “Entertain” exposes liars/the media/ and ‘factory-made’ bands that browse the topic of Artificiality vs. Authenticity, a very modern and important issue. “Jumpers” is totally my favorite, a chanting letter of loneliness. totally awesome.
2. Beck~ Guero [Geffen]:
i am a huge fan of Beck, and as i anticipated the release of this album, i was slightly posing question marks when oddly enough, even for the master of bizzarro himself, remixes of four of the albums tracks became available online. they set the bar for Guero slightly higher, but the album was not disappointing in the least. Guero is the best of all his albums to date, and he makes a return to the crazy-kool nature he is so-naturally accustomed to. if this album wasn’t up to ‘par’, i’d wonder where his Grammy-winning talent has fallen. Guerolito, the remix cd, will be released December 13th.
+
1. OKKERVIL RIVER + BLACK SHEEP BOY APPENDIX EP [Jagjaguwar]:
HEARTWRENCHING. And yet so glorious. Folk-punk rock, Bright Eyes-esque, minus the bitter humor. and guess what else? theyre from Austin. Dark poetry matched with dark string instruments. The music is totally pounding. The singer cries in “For Real”: “…tonight I thirst for real blood/ for real knives/ for real cries…”, a total stand out track, makes you want to bleed your heart out. The mature lyrics remind me of Leonard cohen, and slight lou reed, specifically Transformer. Total genius that can simply not be expressed. I cannot emphasize how talented this group is, and I am completely saddened by their need for a larger audience, for they are too talented to be overlooked. They are recently on a humongous world tour, and come back to the US to headline with the Wrens. Some may have heard of this group when they toured with the Decemberists. Their entire catalog is worth a good listen, and info can be found at their website: www.jound.com/okkervil/main.html. Jagjaguwar is a very interesting label with other talented artists, and purchase info and mp3s can be found here as well: www.jagjaguwar.com.
Honorable Mentions:
1st-*Jose Gonzalez~ Veneer [Hidden Agenda] Swedish-born Argentine folkie. His debut is one of the most beautiful folk albums this year. “Heartbreaks” and awesome covers.
2nd-*Settlefish~ The Plural of Choir [Deep Elm] Reminiscent of the late At the Drive-In. softer, more mumbly quick lyrics that express bliss not chaos. A chanty, but nice single: “It Was Bliss”.
3rd-*A Band of Bees~ Free the Bees [Astralwerks] One of the best indie rock releases this year. Definite eccentrics with poppy, country-flavored tunes.
4th-*Giant Drag~ Hearts and Unicorns [Kickball] Annie Hardy is fantastic. Surprising songs ironical compared to the title, songs like “Kevin Is Gay” and “YFLMD” (You Fuck Like My Dad), are amazingly vicious, unique, and delicious.
5th-*Royksopp~ The Understanding [Astralwerks] Similar to Telepopmusik, the Norwegian duo maintain the fun element of poppy indie electronic music, yet keep an intimate and love-nutured sound.
BEST ALBUMS OF 2005
10. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead~ Worlds Apart [Interscope]:
and yet another awesome band from Texas. hooray for rampant art-rock! "HEY...Fuck you, man!" speaks for itself. There is no ‘filler’ music to be found, every song is good, especially the title track, which has probably the best lyrics on the album, evocative of ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock. Destruction=Seduction.
9. Sons & Daughters~ The Repulsion Box [Domino]:
there were so many 'boys and girls' bands to release great albums this year (The Magic Numbers, The High Dials, etc.), but this was my favourite of them all. Murderous ballads characterized by back and forth bass lines, jagged, twangy guitaring, with a slow, haunting voice. there's even some mandolin in there, and some pieces reminiscent of Johnny Cash. it's Scottish. it's murderous. it's awesome.
8. Art Brut~ Bang, Bang and Rock 'n 'Roll [Fierce Panda]:
over the year, i have developed an inexplicably huge thirst for Brit-rock (Kaiser Chiefs, The High Dials, Doves), here lies another fav from another genre. 80's brit post-punk-ish. satyric lyrics that poke fun at everything are joined with simple, infectious hooks. another 'destruction of everything' album... another addition to the 'nice rock' movement.
7. Sigur Ros~ Takk [Geffen]:
dreamy and delightful. definitely a bedtime cd. my favorite track, "Glosoli", is a perfect representation of the magnificent instrumentation on this album. it has a wet, churning, 'swooshing' with the vibraphone, which blasts off into a crashing and echoing mesh of sound. it's the most beautiful thing you will ever hear. a total must-have.
6. Rah Bras~ Whohm *album cover not availible [Lovitt]:
absolute electricity in physical form. it's addicting. just released last month, Whohm is just the cure for my anticipation after their previous EP and their 2001 release. emocore, power electonica, filled with 'shock-and-awe' synths that will melt your face off. it's a rock opera, Bethel's voice chimes harmonically and whirls over the clashing drama. i wish their cover of Ginuwine's "Pony" was on here. go to http://www.lovitt.com/ right NOW, and check out the track "No Furture". you'll be pummeled into a pulp... then beg for more.
5. Doves~ Some Cities [Capitol]:
if i ever see 'the' placed in front of Doves again, i just may rant, for doing so instantaneously makes them sound more conventional than they ever could be. Doves is a good name for them by the way, a sign of peace and hope, which is exactly what they are about. discussions of corruption, cruelty, and societal issues are found through many selections. i dont think i have ever heard an album so well-kept in overall theme, yet has such truly varying sounds. twinkles and shimmer to strums and harmonica to slight reggae beat, and a tunneling oversoul with a syphonic air. the only thing better than their goal of remedial music is their profound instrumentation. "Snowden" is a slow, hopeful track that is very christmas-y.
4. The Chemical Brothers~ Push The Button [Astralwerks]:
the nifty duo traverses the genre of electronica like no other group, creating this instantaneous hit. Push the Button is totally about self-power, exceeding standards, defying limitations, and learning to GROOOOVE. interesting jams and internalized voices beckon for change and provide inspiration to take the dreams and goals that lie within our selves and to externalize, or “Galvanize,” and make then reality. The aforementioned track is a breakthrough in itself, proposing hip-hop beats indifferent to general electronica, yet have you dancing nevertheless. a constant heartbeat. anyone who stops to take a listen will be mesmerized.
3. Sleater Kinney~ The Woods [Sub Pop]:
within the past couple of years, girl bands and artists have created a horrid stereotype for our ‘kind’, through wailings that suggest dependency on males, sexuality, or on being societal outcasts, which have not been pleasing. perhaps this is why fem-power rock sounds so incredible. it’s more mature and developed insight that such girl bands have been lacking. 2005 was a huge turnaround as artists like Regina Specktor, and frontwomen like Annie Hardy and Carrie Browstein reversed the ‘curse’. The Woods is brutal and anarchic. riff-heavy with tremendous percussion and insistent singing, Sleater Kinney begs to be heard. wildly-talented songwriting, “Entertain” exposes liars/the media/ and ‘factory-made’ bands that browse the topic of Artificiality vs. Authenticity, a very modern and important issue. “Jumpers” is totally my favorite, a chanting letter of loneliness. totally awesome.
2. Beck~ Guero [Geffen]:
i am a huge fan of Beck, and as i anticipated the release of this album, i was slightly posing question marks when oddly enough, even for the master of bizzarro himself, remixes of four of the albums tracks became available online. they set the bar for Guero slightly higher, but the album was not disappointing in the least. Guero is the best of all his albums to date, and he makes a return to the crazy-kool nature he is so-naturally accustomed to. if this album wasn’t up to ‘par’, i’d wonder where his Grammy-winning talent has fallen. Guerolito, the remix cd, will be released December 13th.
+
1. OKKERVIL RIVER + BLACK SHEEP BOY APPENDIX EP [Jagjaguwar]:
HEARTWRENCHING. And yet so glorious. Folk-punk rock, Bright Eyes-esque, minus the bitter humor. and guess what else? theyre from Austin. Dark poetry matched with dark string instruments. The music is totally pounding. The singer cries in “For Real”: “…tonight I thirst for real blood/ for real knives/ for real cries…”, a total stand out track, makes you want to bleed your heart out. The mature lyrics remind me of Leonard cohen, and slight lou reed, specifically Transformer. Total genius that can simply not be expressed. I cannot emphasize how talented this group is, and I am completely saddened by their need for a larger audience, for they are too talented to be overlooked. They are recently on a humongous world tour, and come back to the US to headline with the Wrens. Some may have heard of this group when they toured with the Decemberists. Their entire catalog is worth a good listen, and info can be found at their website: www.jound.com/okkervil/main.html. Jagjaguwar is a very interesting label with other talented artists, and purchase info and mp3s can be found here as well: www.jagjaguwar.com.
Honorable Mentions:
1st-*Jose Gonzalez~ Veneer [Hidden Agenda] Swedish-born Argentine folkie. His debut is one of the most beautiful folk albums this year. “Heartbreaks” and awesome covers.
2nd-*Settlefish~ The Plural of Choir [Deep Elm] Reminiscent of the late At the Drive-In. softer, more mumbly quick lyrics that express bliss not chaos. A chanty, but nice single: “It Was Bliss”.
3rd-*A Band of Bees~ Free the Bees [Astralwerks] One of the best indie rock releases this year. Definite eccentrics with poppy, country-flavored tunes.
4th-*Giant Drag~ Hearts and Unicorns [Kickball] Annie Hardy is fantastic. Surprising songs ironical compared to the title, songs like “Kevin Is Gay” and “YFLMD” (You Fuck Like My Dad), are amazingly vicious, unique, and delicious.
5th-*Royksopp~ The Understanding [Astralwerks] Similar to Telepopmusik, the Norwegian duo maintain the fun element of poppy indie electronic music, yet keep an intimate and love-nutured sound.