Best of 2005

It only took six weeks to get out but here it is :


Beck "e-pro" Best album of the year. I cannot think of anyone who wouldn't like it. A rocker to start with.

Spoon "I summon you" I discovered these guys a few years back on launch.com ("recommend"). When this album came out, it met critical praise. I cannot tell you what I like about it (or by reading the critics). But there is something weird and wonderful, yet simple and honest. I'll keep listening until I figure it out. Or get bored.

...And you will know us by the trail of the dead "Ode to Isis" best band name of the year. The first couple tracks on this album are great. It reminds me of what alternative music used to sound like, old Cure or something.

Louis XIV "Louis XIV" Pronounced "Louey x-iv" These guys are passed off as a one note band but I think this band is more talented than people give them credit for.

22-20's "22 days" straight stevie ray blues

White Stripes "My doorbell" Liz's pick and their crossover into the nick set

Kanye West "Gold Digger" Kanye's gotta be man of the year. 20 grammy nominees and almost as many albums produced and it's all pretty good. Plus his own hit album a nd choosing one song was tough.

Gwen Stefani "Hollaback Girl" Ever since Toni Basel, I cann't resist a cheerleading song.

Hot Hot Heat "Middle of nowhere" consistently inconsistent. Not as good as first album but still a great pop single true 80's style

fountains of Wayne "I'll do the driving" I love everything these guys write. Witty and great hooks. A song he wrote after an argument with his wife (Pat Duff's favorite)

Dresden Dolls "Good day" If you're a little weird, you'll love this album. In concert, anyone will love them. Get the album just to hear the line "I see a red jeep and I want to paint it black."

Ryan Adams (& cardinals) "Life is beautiful" This guys put out three albums (four cd's) in 05. He probably could have put out one sublime cd instead but went the Prince route. However, the two cd set "cold roses" finally reaches his roots rock potential.

the Eels "losing streak" the most portentous double cd of the year (see comments on selectivity above). However, we cut Ad Frank to add this. The songs are consistently well written and the vocals are fantastically gruff and dour the whole way through. But not hopeless as this track attests.

Frank Black "Atom in my heart" one part Ryan Adams one part new Eels add Dylan to fill sprinkle in Pixies and Nashville to taste. Finally a solo album he can be proud of. This is more Dylan and Country than Pixies. It's about the break up of his marriage so rings emotionally true. Picking one song was impossible.

Coldplay "talk" they tried for the great third album but forgot what made the second album so good. Never the less, some good songs.

Magnetic Fields "I don't really love you anymore" one of my top album of the year. Picking one song almost impossible

the Game "Hate it or love it" top ten album in sales (how did that happen?) damn good rap album, at least for the first half. You can either go with the Kanye track or 50 Cent. This one is the latter.

Doves "black and White town" a Liz pick all in all a disappointing album but this is a stand out track. It's like an 80's Paul Weller/The Style Council lost track.

New Order "krafty" I could listen to these guys anytime anywhere. While not as good as the old stuff, consistently catchy.

Franz Ferdinand "You could have it so much better" an inconsistent second album. First song is strong but fades quickly. However, at the end they start experimenting with songs and move beyond the 80's redux. This is one of the gold cuts. Or some of you might be thinking the same thing about this compilation.

Nine Inch Nails "Only" It had to be here. 2005 marks Trent's return to form. Many good tracks to choose from. Great Maddy story. In the radio version, the blank out the "f-k"s. So me and Maddy are driving in the car to a birthday. Song comes on. chorus "there is no f-ing you." "Papa, I know the real words to this song." A thousand thoughts go through my head about where my little girl is learning things. "Yeah Papa. The real words are 'it's not suppose to be you - it's suppose to be me.'" If I wasn't so relieved that she was still so innocent, I would laughed out loud.

NIN/Queens of the Stone Age "Insane Medicated Hand 1.0" by Party Ben http://www.partyben.com/ Bram sent me a mash up of the Beatles and NIN but I thought this was more appropriate give they toured together. It takes NIN as the vocals and obliterates the dance track-ness by adding in two QOTSA songs : Medication and "everyone knows you are insane." Party Ben is one of my favorite mash up artists. Check out his web site for some other interesting mixes (like Snoop Zepphlin).

Near Misses :

Billy Corgan "to love somebody" yes, a Bee Gees cover. cover of the year but a bad sign when the best song on your premier is a cover song.

Martha Wainwright "when the day is short" Love this album. She's like the reincarnation of Kirsty MacColl despite the famous name/relations. Song just not strong enough.

Mark Knopfler "Boom, like that" Just doing his thing but really a song from 2004.

Fatboy Slim "wonderful tonight" 14:57, 14:58...

Ben Folds "Gracie" It took me a long time to decide I liked this album. It's Ben Folds but not new ground. After listening for a while, I decided I like it. This song is about his little girl so it's special to me, but not enough to make the cut.

Z-trip "Breakfast Club" rap about cartoons..."If you can't relate to this song, you're taking this she*t too seriously. It's f-ing hip hop"

Dwight Yoakam anything from "Blame the Vain" again quality but no new ground

eels anything from "Blinking Lights" although "Whatever happened to Soybomb" was a tough call


Rolling Stones "Rough Justice" Best Stones album in 25+ years. Still best concert.

REM "Leaving New York" Best REM album in 10+ years

Audioslave - rocking album but lacking soul

Doves "black and white town" Liz pick

Weezer "Beverly Hills" Liz pick - now on Disney channel

DJ Zebra - "Comecloser" Bram's pick mash up of NIN closer and "Come together" I think songs from the 60's don't qualify for "best of 2005" even under my liberal standards

Clem Snide "End of Love" funniest song of the year but may be too novelty

Seu Jou "Life Acquatic" Portuguese versions of David Bowie

Gorillaz "Feel Good Inc" Feels good for an Outkast rip off

G Love "Astronaut" Love this guy

M Ward "Transistor Radio" lo fi masterpiece

Kate Bush "Aerial" ***** songs but too damn long but highly recommend

Ad Frank - hardest cut of all. A Boston Morrissey (the funny one, not the whiny one)

B Side list
When Bruce Springsteen put out "Tracks," he noted that the decision to add or leave a song on an album were a bit arbitrary. I've tried to put the best songs on the "Best of" but there were many songs just a notch below or were too raw or too explicit or too this or that. I didn't want to leave them off. In many ways, this disk "flows" better. The tracks :

(1) the Game "Intro to the Documentary"
(2) Franz Ferdinand "The Fallen"
(3) Sound Hog "Crazy Dick" (Beyonce, Led Zep)
(4) Z-trip "Breakfast Club"
(5) the Game "Dreams"
(6) Kanye West "Diamonds from Sierra" think 007
(7) Spoon "I turn my camera on"
(8) Kaiser Chiefs "I predict a riot"
(9) Weezer "Beverly Hills"
(10) Rolling Stones "Rough Justice"
(11) Dwight Yaokam "Three Good Reasons"
(12) Ward M "Four hours in Washington"
(13) Martha Wainwright "When the day is short"
(14) Magnetic Fields "I thought you were my boyfriend"
(15) REM "Leavng New York"
(16) Hot Hot Heat "No jokes - fact"
(17) Clem Snide "The end of Love"
(18) Ad Frank "Unspeakable"
(19) MIA "one for the head"
(20) Louis XIV "Finding Out True Love is blind"
(21) Beck "Black Tamborine"
(22) DJ Zebra "Comecloser" (NIN, Beatles Bram's suggestion)