Music of 2005 in Review

1) Bright Eyes- I’m wide awake its morning

It’s hard to say if the band/musicianship or the immaculate lyrics on this record are more important. The way Connor Oberst intertwines love, sex, humanity and war throughout the album while still seeming succinct is simply amazing. In fact, he often does it within the same song,

“We made love on the living room floor,

with the noise in the background of a televised war,

and in the deafening silence I thought I heard someone say,

‘if we’ll walk away, they’ll walk away.”

Do yourself a favor and buy this record!!!

2) Bruce Springsteen- Devils and Dust

Springsteen proves that he is/always has been the best postdylanbeinggood songwriter out there. “Devils and Dust,” “The Hitter” and “Long time Comin’” are all incredible songs. (Also, don’t forget to buy the remastered Born to Run)

3) Ryan Adams-Cold Roses

Adams goes back to a more country sound with better songs that he has written since Demolition. Surprisingly, the best song on the record is called “Life is Beautiful” and he isn’t even being sarcastic.

4) Spoon- Gimme Fiction

This album didn’t click with me at first. When it came out midsummer I bought it, gave it a couple of spins and came to the conclusion that it was typical Pitchfork “this album is so indy its tuneless and therefore awesome” drivel. Then I caught onto “Sister Jack” because of the line:

“I was on the outside always looking in

I was in this dropped D metal band

We called Requiem.”

Dylan lyrics they aren’t but for some reason they resonated within my soul. “Sister Jack” led me to “the Beast and Dragon Adored” which led me to my dirty love affair with spoon. Very similar in sound to post Summerteeth Wilco.

5) Ryan Adams-Jacksonville City Nights

More country than Roses but the songs are perhaps even better (albeit sadder). The country grit of “My Heart is Broken” and “Pa” is hard not to love. The album screams Gram Parsons and the Byrds but like many of their albums, this album lacks urgency and consequently these songs that are almost all great individually seem to lack importance when crammed onto this record. Remember kids if it can’t fit onto one Vinyl record (48 minutes) either make it a true double disk or cut some shit off it.

6) Bloc Party-Silent Alarm

Hear those drums? The storm is coming… “Its so cold in this… house!”

When Block Party was cool I pigeonholed them as just another garage-dance-rock band. Then I actually listened to the record. The drumming is better than the drums on anything that came out this year and the production is subtle layer upon subtle layer upon subtle layer. Its curious that they released a remixed version of this record when the original production already sounds like it has been tinkered as far as it can be tinkered without molesting the integrity of the song. But I guess that’s what all the cool bands are doing these days.

7) Bright Eyes- Digital Ash in a Digital Urn

It takes some serious effort to listen to this record and not think of a coked out Connor Oberst playing these songs with 13 out of rhythm musicians backing him. That being said, “Easy/Lucky/Free” is the best song of the year. Nuclear holocaust never sounded so pretty. From there the album is 50% good songs and 50% eh but the good ones are so good that they carry you through the clunkers. Its just such a shame that Oberst couldn’t find a less pompous way of recreating this record on stage.

8) Decemberists- Picaresque

If you can get past Colin Melloy’s Renaissance Festival delivery it is hard not to get trapped inside his stories. The sympathetic lyrics in “the Bagman’s Gambit” are every bit as compelling as the lyrics in the Ghost of Tom Joad but the delivery feels quirky, hurting its credibility. “The Sporting Life” is as clever as any song you will hear and “Mariners Revenge Song” is “A Quick One” or “Jungleland” only with pirates ‘n’ whales ‘n’ muskets ‘n’ stuuufff.

9) New Pornographers-Twin Cinema

Pure pop goodness. I don’t know if there is a song on this record that doesn’t “Uptown Girl” harmonies in it. When Spanish techno breaks into its orgasm of “hey la’s” you feel kind of dirty for liking it but you can’t help it. Its like eating pure sugar.

10) Ben Folds- Songs for Silverman

To quote Pharrell, “People need to give Ben Folds some more fucking respect.” Songs for Silverman is a good number 10 on any list. It is not for everyone but is certainly good enough to warrant some recognition. On this records Folds clearly is more influenced by politics than he is by where Summer is or his black T-shirt. Sometimes this is a good thing (see “Old Bastard”) and sometimes not (see: “Jesusland”). To his credit Folds has abandoned trying to make lavish one man band studio projects in favor of a line up that finds him accompanied only by a bass player and drummer. The Vinyl version ends with a reminder of where folds has made Folds with a cover of Dr. Dre’s “Bitches ain’t shit” and what he is capable of in the future with the ultra-serious “Prison Food.”

And if 10 records aren’t enough for you, here are a few other good’ens.

Death Cab For Cutie- Plans

Coldplay X&Y

MMJ-Z

Mike Doughty-Haughty Melodic

Hot Hot Heat-Elevator