|
|
Post by phil on Jan 1, 2006 8:41:50 GMT -5
4. I Am A Bird Now - Antony & The Johnsons
Astonishing voice and largely unique album.
Sorry for The Johnsons but I can't stand Antony's voice ... !!
|
|
|
|
Post by Weeping_Guitar on Jan 1, 2006 10:57:45 GMT -5
I think I probably only have 10 or 11 albums from this year not counting live albums and catalog releases and re-issues, but I'll throw out my list anyways. I think any of the first 3 albums I could happily place in this first spot of a musical year that maybe didn't produce a bunch of masterpieces, but never dissapointed me.
01. Bruce Springsteen, Devils & Dust
I liked The Rising and enjoy most everything of his I heard, but between the gritty, personal storytelling displayed here and, especially, the 30th Anniversary box set for Born to Run (an essential box set) I became a fan this year.
Favorite tracks: "Long Time Comin", "Leah", "Maria's Bed"
02. The New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
This band is just so infectious you can do nothing but become obsessed. So catchy, so groupy, so wonderous. This group pretty much decoded what has worked for every great rock/pop artist before them and then does it all at once with a little bit of an edge.
Favorite tracks: "The Bleeding Heart Show", "Three or Four", "Sing Me Spanish Techno"
03. The White Stripes, Get Me Behind Me Satan
This is my band of the year. I pretty much had to see/hear everything they did. It's an obsession that I love too much to hide. The Stripes were more than able to pull off this variety show of a record because Jack White's songwriting is so strong - the way he uses wordplay throughout is remarkable. The more you listen to it, the more it becomes quite familiar Stripes territory. Like all of the Stripes work it's a record that doesn't belong in any particular time and place. A kind of "ancient future" that the bands public self exists within. That and I'm still in love with Meg and the adorable nature of this act-I'm sure things that turn others off. I think Jack & Meg would really want to be in the 3 spot.
Favorite tracks: "The Denial Twist", "Forever for Her", "Take, Take, Take"
04. The Raveonettes, Pretty in Black
I'm kind of dissapointed this band seemed to get more attention before they ever had a full album out than after, but as long as they keep making records like they have I really don't care. If their last one was their leather and whips outing, this one is pure 60s Spector girl groups mixed with the Raveonettes noirish tendencies.
Favorite tracks: "Seductress of Bums", "Sleepwalkin'", "Ode to LA"
05.Sigur Ros, Takk
When I'm in the mood for them Sigur Ros is like the greatest thing ever, but that's not all that often. What I like about this album is it seems more universal in when one might feel like listening to it.
Favorite tracks: "Glosoli", "Gong"
06. The Rolling Stones, A Bigger Bang
Who knew they still had this in them? This isn't just a record that everyone can get behind because it simply isn't embarrassing, but really is a great Stones album. It has that riff, that feel, that groove.
Favorite tracks: "Rough Justice", "Infamy", "Laugh I Nearly Died"
07. My Morning Jacket, Z
I just got this one so it could climb higher, but it's one of those albums that a guy can exist within-it surrounds you.
Favorite tracks: "Wordless Chorus", "Dondante"
08. Beck, Guero
I think it speaks volumes for how much I enjoyed the music this year that this album is way down here. I probably just haven't listened to it for a while, but this is kind of a summation of everything Beck has done so far. I guess this is the album one throws on when they don't know what Beck they want to listen to.
Favorite tracks: "E-Pro", "Black Tambourine", "Go It Alone"
09. Coldplay, X & Y
Is to hate Coldplay out of spite? Is it because they are so "decent"? A rock band you can bring home to mother. Yeah, Chris Martin is a bit of a twit at times lyrically, but bless Coldplay for being proud of making a go at these big, melodramatic,sappy, emotional songs. Not quite up to their last record, but it's hard not to want to listen to this one.
Favorite tracks: "Talk", "What If", "Speed of Sound"
10. The Greenhornes, East Grand Blues [EP]
I wish they'd found time to make a full LP because the 5 songs here are uniformly excellent. Even for garage rock they lean heavily on their 60s British blues influences. Still, you'll never find a better Yardbirds cover band ever and they are an excellent live act.
Favorite tracks: "Shelter of Your Arms", "Shine Like the Sun"
|
|
|
|
Post by Galactus on Jan 1, 2006 11:25:33 GMT -5
Foo Fighters is not a college rock/party band? They are and Death Cab and SOAD could probably be consider that too... |
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Drum on Jan 1, 2006 11:36:53 GMT -5
Patten, great to see someone else express the same kind of enthusiasm for Stars. I had them at no. 2 on my 2004 list (the record came out here in October 2004 ). Having lived with the disc for another year, they’d be at no. 1 if if I had to do it now. Abosolutely adore that record! This is genius and Television and XTC etc etc blah blah blah were never anywhere near this consistently great. I know. I was there at the time, wanking. I was there, too, and You Couldn’t Have It Much More Wrong (sorry). Actually, you know, we can agree to disagree about FF – I don't have anything against them really, it’s just that their songs don’t connect for me. Midway through "Do You Want To", for example, my mind will invariably start to wander. Anyway, I actually don’t hear much XTC or Television in FF but I can’t let this stand. Between 1977 and Terry Chambers’ departure at the end of 1982, XTC were almost peerless and to this day they’re intermittently brilliant. This was a band who defied pop convention as a matter of course. They took the melodicism and experimentalism of British 60s pop fused it with the intensity of 70s punk, mixed in a bunch of other other elements (their own natural wit, Partridge’s love of literature and history, Third World rhythms, a conceptual bent...) and produced what was really a new form of art rock. Whatever Franz Ferdinand’s virtues may or may not be, I don’t think they can be credited with creating anything really new. They are followers of a certain tradition, not innovators. --- Phil, I think I Am a Bird Now is brilliant but yeah, I imagine Antony’s voice is the type that people are either going find completely beautiful or completely off-putting. Still making the hard choices on a list for this board. Be back later... |
|
|
|
Post by JesusLooksLikeMe on Jan 1, 2006 14:20:01 GMT -5
Drum, I agree on the innovation point. It's just not that important to me with a band like FF. Innovation is far less important than good songs.
At least we agree on I Am A Bird Now.
|
|
|
|
Post by JesusLooksLikeMe on Jan 1, 2006 14:23:29 GMT -5
Great list Riley.
And Patten, I've now listened to Frances the Mute and my first impression is that, yes, it's genius. I've had these guys in a list for ages with some other proggy stuff I keep meaning to get hold of, like Mogwai and Rush. Maybe Mono too. I should make more effort.
|
|
|
|
Post by Weeping_Guitar on Jan 1, 2006 16:18:21 GMT -5
I was kind of dissapointed with the new FF album. I liked that they seemed to try a few new things, but they really didn't work much for me. I definitely prefer the first album, but the second is certainly alright.
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Jan 1, 2006 21:46:02 GMT -5
Foo Fighters is not a college rock/party band? They are and Death Cab and SOAD could probably be consider that too... Well, whatever. So maybe there was some college / party music. I was wrong. |
|
|
|
Post by NdY on Jan 1, 2006 21:57:00 GMT -5
I'll forgive ya, Scottsy.
|
|
|
|
Post by NdY on Jan 1, 2006 21:57:19 GMT -5
(just don't let it happen again)
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Jan 1, 2006 22:09:55 GMT -5
hahahaha! I will be careful, I promise!
|
|
|
|
Post by riley on Jan 1, 2006 22:12:57 GMT -5
are you two going to make out? I was just going to grab a beer and I don't want to miss it, in case you were.
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Jan 1, 2006 22:21:49 GMT -5
i think it would be unlikely - but i can always go get mrsscottsy online if you want...
|
|
zorndeslammes
Streetcorner Musician
RICKSON BY ARMBAR!!1!!!!1!
Posts: 74
|
Post by zorndeslammes on Jan 1, 2006 22:29:14 GMT -5
Damn, its been awhile since I was last here. Time for my usual flurry of activity for a week, then back to obscurity/ILX/Sherdog/USENET. Yeah, just me, the ex-DeadAndRestless or whatever.
I didn't listen to almost anything new in 2005. I'm serious. I gave up about April when I had enough third rate grime and Sonic Youth cover bands to do me for the year, and apart from the rare step outside, I didn't really touch anything. Its almost easier for me to list albums I hated (eg, the new Cage) than those I liked. Some albums appealed to a subset of humanity I so rarely agree with in terms of musical interest at this stage, that I'll probably never ever listen to them as long as I live (MIA and M83 being at the top of that list), and frankly, for my "specialty genre", I thought metal sucked in 2005. Stuff I did like?
-Kano, Typical Me (EP/Single); IMO, its probably the last thing the short lived regional genre of grime will produce of value. Ps & Qs was as good a song as any of the stalwarts (read, Dizzee, Wiley, Skepta) have produced, maybe even better.
-Lightning Bolt, Hypermagic Mountain; Seriously, if I did a top ten metal and non metal list, this would top both, and its questionable on both accounts. Made everything else with guitars being the chief instrumentation look stupid.
-Young Jeezy, Let's Get It; Thug Motivation 101/Bun-B, Trill/Paul Wall, The People's Champ/Three Six Mafia, Most Known Unknowns; Backpacker Rap sucked this year. It was fucking horrible. This new "emo rap" trend is the worst thing to ever happen to the genre of hip hop. Take away MF Doom, Danger Mouse, and Dalek, and you have an apocalyptic series of crap records. Remember C-Ray Walz's disc? That thing even makes a lousy drink coaster. Vast Aire was a huge disappointment. The Perceptionists barely escape my rage. Mainstream hip hop? Yeah, I could do without the existence of Bobby Valentino, but commercial hip hop stations turned out to be more interesting and varied musically this year (particularly with the reggaeton explosion) than most college programming.
-Konono Nr.1, Congotronics Vol.1; The fucking most important world music album in years, and lightyears more interesting and innovative than anything I've heard come out of the US in awhile. The torch bearers for a movement in Africa with the electronic amplification of tribal dance. Oh, and this album is totally fantastic in every facet.
-Sunn 0))), The Black One; This will be the last drone album I buy, as everyone and their mom has figured out how to play one chord every 5 seconds and make "atmospheric, thinking man's metal". You know when this kind of shit was "thinking man's metal"? WHEN IT WAS A FUCKING ORIGINAL IDEA. There's no thought needed when everyone's recording on analog equipment and buying $5,000 amps because Earth and Khanate did it, and playing real slow because Earth and Khanate did it. Well, except for this, really. This actually showed, you know, a spark of innovation, as black metal was crossed over into drone and you get something new and really creepy. The only other band to figure it out was some act called Grang from Finland, but I think they already broke up, so its time to wait for Kayo Dot, Isis, and the rest of the b-listers to try and sign up whatever black metal guys are laying around. Just as long as, eventually, the guys from Graveland are working with a bunch of art students with jewfros, then perhaps its all worthwhile.
-Daft Punk, Human After All; I hated this album at first. Now I love it. It took me awhile. I'm sorry.
-Crypticus, Dedicated To The Impure; The only straightforward metal album on this short list, its a peer of the Cephalic Carnages and Wormeds that fast becoming the only bands of value in the world metal scene, except its actually better than either.
-Sword Heaven, S/T (CD-R); If not for Lightning Bolt, the best noise rock album of the year, by far.
That's it for now, and probably awhile. See ya folks.
|
|
|
|
Post by NdY on Jan 1, 2006 23:13:24 GMT -5
-Konono Nr.1, Congotronics Vol.1; The fucking most important world music album in years, and lightyears more interesting and innovative than anything I've heard come out of the US in awhile. The torch bearers for a movement in Africa with the electronic amplification of tribal dance. Oh, and this album is totally fantastic in every facet. Ok, fuck that's it. I'm downloading this right now after hearing about it from multiple directions. That it's in Oink's top 20 right now is at the same time intriguing and perplexing. |
|
