Fun Stuff > BAND
Best of 2005
Spartan Pho3nix:
Kai - that's not what I said.
A year ago, someone asked me to burn them Funeral. So I did. They listened to it, and they didn't like it - they didn't lose any time telling me they didn't like it either.
But then, months later, after it started rotating on commercial radio, I found it on their Ipod and they would voluntarily listen to it. Now - they only found that they liked it after the radio started playing it and other people started likeing it. Sounds like crap to me.
pat101:
--- Quote from: seaweed swimwear ---01. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
One of only a handful of original, quality releases this year. Probably is only in my #1 spot because seeing them live was the equivalent of an hour and a half orgasm.
Best Tracks: Wrong Time Capsule, Spirit Ditties of No Tone, Siriustar
02. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
People find it hard to get past the feminist connotations associated with the name, but The Woods was obviously one of the greatest albums of this decade. Corin really came into her own on this record with respect to her vocals.
Best Tracks: Wilderness, Night Light
03. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
A complete album with no tracks that wallow below the mediocrity line. My first introduction to the band. In the same echelon as my #1 and #2--the last of that particular tier for 2005.
Best Tracks: The Jessica Numbers, Sing Me Spanish Techno
04. The Decemberists - Picaresque
One of my favorite bands fulfills my expectations with their great (although, worst of their discography) 2005 release. Turning away from the intimacy of Castaways and Cutouts and the theatrics of Her Majesty toward a more literary slant.
Best Tracks: We Both Go Down Together, On the Bus Mall
05. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Complex music, neat concept, good (though, sometimes, way too pussy) vocals. Not the critically-lauded juggernaut that it has become, but a solid release.
Best Tracks: The Predatory Wasp, The Seer's Tower
06. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
A quality album that the hype machine wasn't able to swallow up completely. As a fan of Frog Eyes, I was automatically a fan of this release. Some mediocre tracks, but perfect in length for what they set about to accomplish. Doesn't drag at all.
Best Tracks: We Built Another World, I'll Believe In Anything
07. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
Lyric-driven cock rock with unabashedly horrible vocals and music. Not the type of thing that will be most-played in my CD player, but quite enjoyable.
Best Tracks: Cattle & The Creeping Things, Stevie Nix
08. Akron/Family - Akron/Family
Mellow, somewhat dull, album used for background noise.
09. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Fun britpoprock that's easy to dance to.
10. Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
Bullshit noise music that makes my head hurt. I just love the drummer, Brian Chippendale.
11. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
12. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
13. Animal Collective - Feels
14. Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow
15. Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
Honorable Mention:
Wilco - Kicking Television: Live at Chicago
Honorable Mention because it's a live album, obviously. Nels Cline.
Five Most Laughable Attempts at Music in 2005 (#1 being the worst)
5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
There are really only five songs on this CD and none of them have any redeeming qualities.
4. The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
Hahahaha!
3. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
I love what people try to pass off as music nowadays.
2. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
I really only listened to "Soul Meets Body". That song was bad enough for me to stick it here.
1. Metric - Live It Out
Seriously, what the fuck is this shit?
Thoughts on 2005:
Recycled bullshit, mostly. Really horrible year for music. I probably digested another 12-15 "important" albums from this year that were all trash. They didn't deserve to go on my list just so that I could get it up to 20. Granted, I still have a lot to listen to, but I really don't give a shit about any of the albums on my list that are below #6. I used 2005 as the year to catch up on past albums.
--- End quote ---
You're not a happy person are you?
lastclearchance:
--- Quote from: Spartan Pho3nix ---Kai - that's not what I said.
A year ago, someone asked me to burn them Funeral. So I did. They listened to it, and they didn't like it - they didn't lose any time telling me they didn't like it either.
But then, months later, after it started rotating on commercial radio, I found it on their Ipod and they would voluntarily listen to it. Now - they only found that they liked it after the radio started playing it and other people started likeing it. Sounds like crap to me.
--- End quote ---
Sounds like somebody named Spartan Pho3nix believes in normative and ahistorical aesthetic criteria. I'll bet all the music you like now, you liked it the very first time you heard it, right? And you've never changed an opinion on music after hearing it more? And you've never heard something months later and found you had a different opinion?
I doubt this friend is only liking Arcade Fire to conform. It's more like if you played rap music for a stereotypical "old person". The old person wouldn't like it. But if you played stuff that was more and more similar to rap, and "taught" them rap, so to speak (aesthetic criteria, notable details), they would be able to apreciate and maybe even like it.
And to bring it back to 2005 music, Plans isn't a bad record. It's just that Death Cab's sound has evolved in an AAA-friendly direction.
Inlander:
--- Quote from: porkypine ---While I like Illinois, I find it hard to believe that so many people could listen to it all the way through more than a couple of times ;) It's a hellaciously long album!
--- End quote ---
For me, one of the reasons that the album was so good was that I could happily sit and listen to it all the way through despite the length. Most of my C.D.s go for 45 minutes or less; I'm not used to sitting still for over an hour listening to a recording - but with Illinois, for me anyway, it seems like a pleasure rather than a chore.
Oerdin:
NPR's picks.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5054194
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