Jeff's Favorite Releases of 2005
These are honestly the releases I found most enjoyable this year. Strangely, there's no cross-over with Jason's list. Thanks to Jason and Rajeev for asking me to contribute. You'll be hearing more from me next year. On with the list:
01. Fiery Furnaces - EPFiery funtime. This record sounds like the way art school feels. It also reminds me of my musical friends
Matt & Kim (they're the cutest rock couple since Glenn Danzig and his girlfriend).
02. The Mars Volta - Frances the MuteThis record got a lot of flack from the blogosphere. It's pretentious, proggy and I bet most bloggers would lump Mars Volta in with System of a Down and Linkin Park. But nah, G. These guys are insanely talented, ambitious, and weird. I'll admit, this record is not nearly as listenable as
Deloused in the Comatorium, and the single almost ruins the whole album...but I'm still amazed by it.
03. Night Rally - Honeypump split 12" (with Clickers)They only have 3 songs on this record, and only 2 of them are good...but hot damn! They sound like a smarter version of
Bloc Party...but with Morrissey's little brother on vocals. Word is they're shopping a full-length now, so watch out 2006!
04. Stephen Malkmus - Face the TruthWhen I first heard Jason play "Pencil Rot", after about 5 seconds, I was all "Dude, who the fuck is this?" and he was like "new Malkmus" and I was like "Holy shit!" ...and it's been stuck in my head ever since. (that and "Shake Yer Dix" by
Peaches...have you heard that??)
05. Fantomas - Suspended AnimationI don't think I'll ever listen to this record straight through, but that doesn't bother me. Mike Patton is a genius of
Zappa stature. His chirp/bang/boing/rzzz collages of sound make me bleed internally (in a good way). If the new
Animal Collective record sounds like children who are high on pot and mushrooms, this record sounds like a group of kids doing crystal meth with a grizzly bear.
06. Dead Meadow - FeathersI hadn't heard these guys until 2005, but I loves me some stoner rock. Slow and low. The guitarist is pretty spectacular in concert too. I've never seen so many long-haired hipsters in my life.
07. Need New Body - Where's Black Ben?Need New Body were my favorite band for a while. Totally fun/kooky/noisy/trashcan spazzcore. I didn't get into this record as much as their last two, but it's still worth checking out. The last track, "Eskimo" is one of their best tracks ever.
08. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me SatanI don't even really like the White Stripes that much, but I think this record is great front to back. Maybe it's because there's more piano and less guitar. I know "Blue Orchid" threw off a lot of people, but I like that too.
09. Make a Rising - Rip Through the Hawk Black NightMembers of the
New Planet Collective in Philadelphia, these guys seem like they're joking and serious simultaneously. Their songs go from quirky to solemn to intense, often in a stop/start manner. Lots of cool instruments...electric violin, trumpet, tympani, synths, etc. I saw them at a loft party in Brooklyn and they were actually reading from sheet music.
10. Fiery Furnaces - Rehearsing My ChoirSeems like nobody liked this record but me... Yeah, it's weird, with those damned annoying voices and distracting production. But, it's still rad. And the lyrics are strictly for geniuses.
: Hella, the Apes, Animal Collective, DMBQ, Tunnel of Love, Sufjan Stevens, M.I.A.
Major label bands I used to love who made bad records this year: Nine Inch Nails (awful...), Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Beck (not awful...but not up to par)
posted by Jeff @ 8:58 PM
LINK
|
