2005 in Music

One of my favorite things is picking up new music, strapping on a pair of headphones and giving it a few listens. A couple of weeks ago, our good friend Andy Eberhardy asked me what I thought the best album of the year was. I could only come up with a few titles on the spot. Since then I’ve given it more thought.

…but before I go into my 2005 favorite music list, i’ve got to tell you something. I was at Best Buy yesterday finishing my Christmas shopping. They had the entire line of iPods on display. Man, Oh, Man, I just got-ta, got-ta get me one of those nano iPods! I’m pretty confident that it would improve my quality of life by a good 100%.

Anyway, here’s a list of songs that I’d like to put on my new iPod nano, My favorite songs of 2005:

  • Cold Wind - Arcade Fire
  • Beverly Hills - Weezer
  • I’m From Further North Than You - Wedding Present
  • I Turn My Camera On - Spoon
  • Sister Jack - Spoon
  • Love In A Trashcan - The Raveonettes
  • Use It - The New Pornographers
  • I Predict A Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
  • Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
  • You’re Beautiful - James Blunt
  • feel good inc. - gorillaz
  • Marching Bands of Manhattan - Death Cab For Cutie
  • The One I Love - David Gray
  • Fix You - Coldplay
  • The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
  • Galvanize - Chemical Brothers
  • This Modern Love - Bloc Party
  • Banquet - Bloc Party
  • Landed - Ben Folds
  • Earthquake Weather - Beck

Best Albums:

  • Live In Slow Motion - David Gray

I can’t imagine that Gray will ever make another album that i’ll enjoy more than White Ladder, but this is a very solid disc and is much better than 2002’s A New Day At Midnight.

  • demon days - gorillaz

The first single, feel good inc., is the inescapable song of the year. I’ve heard it a thousand times this year, but i’m still not tired of it. Between his production of this disc and work on the Dangerdoom disc, Danger Mouse deserves recognition as one of 2005’s music MVPs. Speaking of Danger Mouse, If you like this gorillaz disc, get your hands on his Grey Album. He mixes Jay-Z’s Black Album and the Beatles’ White Album. The result is pretty cool.

  • Twin Cinema - The New Pornographers

What a fantastic pop album! It’s one of the most addictive listens of the year. I think we can all agree that Neko Case has a really sexy voice.

  • Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - self titled

Looking for a newer, hipper version of the Talking Heads? Here it is.

  • Back To Bedlam - James Blunt

After his recent performance on Saturday Night Live, I talked with Internet Super Genius Bryan Buchs about Blunt. Buchs said that he saw him on SNL, he didn’t care for the music and that Blunt (who sang looking directly into the camera for the duration of the song) creeped him out. I saw him on SNL too and have to slightly agree with the “creppy” thing. The music though, is fantastic. If you like Damien Rice, you’ll like this a lot.

  • Gimme Fiction - Spoon

It seems like every now and then I’ll bring a CD over to the Codys and accidentally leave it there. I’ll politely ask for it back, then wait for months and months until they’re good and ready to give it back to me. It took over ten months for my to get my Fountains of Wayne disc back. We’re up to six months on this one. Dan, can I have my Spoon CD back, please?

  • Push The Button - Chemical Brothers

Seeing them last March, touring in support of this was a great experience. If you ever have the chance to see them live, I’d highly recommend it. This disc is their best since 1999’s Surrender.

Best Concerts:

  • The Chemical Brothers - Carling Academy Brixton
  • The Killers - Lollapalooza
  • Weezer/Pixies - Summerfest
  • The Raveonettes - Mad Planet
  • Moby - La Cigale
  • Interpol - New City YMCA
  • Keane - The Rave

My Biggest Music Disappointment of 2005:

Don’t Believe The Truth - Oasis

I’m one of the faithful waiting for another great album and I’m starting to feel like Linus in the pumpkin patch. Their last album, Heathen Chemistry wasn’t half bad. That disc had two of the band’s best post-Morning Glory tracks on it, Little By Little and Stop Crying Your Heart Out. It seemed like they were getting back on the right track, maybe this new disc would be the one I’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately, Don’t Believe The Truth is as dull as dull can be. You can place it along side of Standing on the Shoulders of Giants as Oasis Cds better suited to be used as beverage coasters.

Posted by chuck at December 11, 2005 4:55 PM