2005 brought us much, faithful reader. We had a million hurricanes, we saw Saddam on CourtTV, we bashed Bush 2 tha Extreme, we paid for gas with our blood, sweat and tears, and we continued killing a bunch of people in the name of democracy. Okay, so none of these things were particularly good, but on the bright side, there was some great music released this year. And yeah, we know there’s still a month left, but for now, here’s the best:
5) New Pornographers – Twin Cinema: Those damn Canadians! This time it’s pop-rock veteran A.C. Newman bringing together his team of Northern megastars (including Neko Case and Dan Bejar) to record the composite’s third, and finest, major release. Incessantly catchy, clad with tinkling piano riffs and gorgeous vocal harmonies, Twin Cinema is an exploration of what’s right about pop music.
4) Mindless Self Indulgence- You’ll Rebel To Anything: MSI is what Green Day would be if they dropped 10 sheets of blotter acid, were good musicians, and ate urinal cakes on a regular basis. Let’s face it folks, punk rock is dead, so it’s time to get out of denial, move on and embrace the future. This spastic, short, but very intense follow-up the their debut, Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy, is a hyperactive, extremely heavy trip through the twisted minds of Little Jimmy Urine and crew as they show what punk should have turned into. Look out for their incredible cover of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.”
3) Gorillaz – Demon Days: The second release from everyone’s favorite cartoon group cemented it for us; Damon Albarn has earned his place next to Paul McCartney, Thom Yorke and Jimmy Page as British rock royalty. Continuing to release Blur albums, Albarn also finds the time to produce the most creative super-band of the new millennium. Recruiting the likes of De La Soul, DJ Danger Mouse and Madvillian, Demon Days is another successful fusion of rock, electronica and hip-hop. “Feel Good Inc.” is perhaps the strongest single released this year.
2) Edan – Beauty and the Beat: Suck eggs Kanye—this is the best hip-hop album of the year. While Edan surely won’t clean up at the Grammy’s, he doesn’t have to do Pepsi commercials or bash George Bush on live television to earn his cred. The Boston-based rapper’s sophomore effort combines the oddly distinctive genres of psychedelica and 80’s-esqu hip-hop. For those that are fans of clever word manipulation and vocal imagery rather than overproduced beats, this album is must-have.
1) General Patton vs. The X-ecutioners- Self-Titled: Turn-tables and vocals combine like never before as Roc Raida, Rob Swift, and Total Eclipse--the master scratchers known as the X-ecutioners--teamed up with the enigmatic, musical mastermind, Mike Patton for a blaring collaboration that was released in near obscurity early this year. The beats are heavy, the X-Men spin with the swiftness, and Patton hoots, howls, growls, belches and croons his way through 23 unforgettable tracks. If you haven’t heard this shit and consider yourself a music fan, go buy this album immediately.
Worth Mentioning:
Caribou – The Milk of Human Kindness
Stephen Malkmus – Face the Truth
The Decemberists – Picaresque
Spoon – Gimme Fiction
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois
The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Wilco – Kicking Television: Live in Chicago
Most Overrated Album: Coldplay X&Y: Evan and I were really excited to bash the hell out of Green Day’s American Idiot until we realized it was released at the end of 2004. We wondered if it had really been that long since we drove that nail into our collective skulls. However, we decided that Coldplay will definitely suffice. Evan states, “If I hear the phrase “big, bold and beautiful,” or anything like it describing this album again, I think I’ll vomit down the front of my shirt.” I wholeheartedly agree. The word best used here is ‘self-indulgent.’ Coldplay is a poor man’s U2 (and U2 is a poor man’s Clash). Doesn’t anybody remember that heaping piece of musical shit called “Yellow”?! This album is no better. It’s a complete re-hash of A Rush of Blood to the Head. Superhunk or not, Chris Martin’s well is dry. There’s no doubt in our minds that there is some kind of Coldplay song-making machine in Chris’s big, huge, rich basement.
