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| From | Randall J Paske <rpaske@kc.rr.com> |
| Subject | Yet another top 20 |
| Date | Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:18:21 -0800 |
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Here's mine. I had a couple of EPs and a comedy record in my *actual* top
20, but for Audities voting purposes I've made those honorary entries and
added three more albums at the end.
TOP 20 FOR 2005
1. Idlewild - Warnings/Promises
This wasn't the immediate slam-dunk and obvious #1 album that their last
record was. But it continues this band's tradition of excellence. As
their sound softens ever so slightly, they sound increasingly like R.E.M.,
but with little hint of imitation. And they still rock harder than R.E.M.
ever did.
2. The Wedding Present - Take Fountain
David Gedge reclaimed the Wedding Present name after eight years in
Cinerama--but this record could have been released under either name, as
Cinerama had been drifting further into Wedding Present territory with each
album. Like the last Cinerama album, this album combines the best of both
worlds--plenty of that distinctive guitar sound and sweeping cinematic
interludes.
3. Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger
The debut of the year. Maximo Park immediately rivals the Futureheads as
my favorite of the new British bands. I don't know the first thing about
them, but this record has gazillions of improbable hooks. And while a lot
of other new bands sound too close to Gang of Four, XTC, or Joy Division,
Maximo Park don't immediately sound like any one particular artist.
4. The High Strung - Moxie Bravo
This Detroit trio kicked out the power-pop jams better than anyone this
year. A bit of a retro sound here, but highly recommended for fans of
Sloan, the Flashing Lights, Oranger, and Cheap Trick. Turn it up.
5. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Carl Newman continues his hot streak, again with help from Neko Case. The
annoying Dan Bejar contributions threaten to take this down a few notches,
but you can't bring great songs like "Sing Me Spanish Techno" down too far.
(5.5. Scharpling & Wurster - Hippy Justice) *not eligible for Audities poll*
This isn't music--rather, it's a comedy record--but I had to include
it. This two-disc set contains a few highlights from a radio show hosted
by WFMU announcer Tom Scharpling. Superchunk's Jon Wurster regularly calls
in to the show in the guise of hilarious characters like Hippy Johnny, a
profiteering relic of the '60s, and Timmy von Trimble, the world's tiniest
and cutest racist. This and the previous Scharpling & Wurster recordings
are some of the funniest things I've ever encountered.
6. Bettye LaVette - I've Got My Own Hell to Raise
It's quite a story: obscure soul singer makes an album with noted producer
Joe Henry, covering non-R&B songs by women like Fiona Apple, Dolly Parton,
and Aimee Mann. After years of toil in the biz, she finally sees some
success. If the record didn't deliver, it would only be a story. But
LaVette makes all these songs her own, resulting in a gutsy, raw soul
record. And amazingly, the live show is even better.
7. The Epoxies - Stop the Future
Somehow the Epoxies take '80s new-wave influences like Missing Persons and
Kim Wilde and turn them into something better. It's probably because they
seem equally influenced by the zippy punk-pop of the Rezillos and the
retro-future paranoia of Devo. They can also write a killer hook. Great fun.
8. Low - The Great Destroyer
The quiet "slow-core" pioneers amped up their sound to exquisite effect and
delivered one of their best batches of songs. It still sounds like Low,
but with greater dynamics.
9. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
This album has gone up and down in my estimation ever since it was
released. When I listened again to compile this list, it was better than I
was thinking. "Girls Can Tell" (my #2 of 2001) is still the one to beat,
but this has a slinky charm all its own.
10. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Naturally
More consciously retro than Bettye LaVette's album (#6 above), this sounds
like a great lost funk record from the late '60s or early '70s. Sharon
Jones is the female James Brown. The album, while not quite as great as
the debut, is a great slice of R&B the way no one seems to make it
anymore. The live workout was the most fun of any shows I saw in 2005.
(10.5. Airiel - Airiel EP) *not eligible for Audities poll*
High-quality shoegaze for those, like me, who miss the heyday of Ride,
Swervedriver, and Springhouse. Four ace tracks that swirl and twirl but
never lose sight of melody.
11. The High Dials - War of the Wakening Phantoms
A superb blend of '60s-influenced psych-pop and a bit of '90s-influenced
shoegaze. Hooks and melodies galore. I kept getting different songs from
this album stuck in my head.
12. The Pernice Brothers - Discover a Lovelier You
A relative disappointment, but a weak Pernice Brothers album still ranks
pretty high. It sounds as good as any past effort, so I guess it comes
down to the songs, and I didn't find anything as killer as "7:30," "Weaker
Shade of Blue," or "Wait to Stop" here.
13. Alejandro Escovedo String Quartet - Room of Songs
This is a well-recorded live effort from one of Alejandro Escovedo's finest
bands yet. As with most live albums, it's better to be there, but this is
still a strong indication of Escovedo's greatness. A great batch of his
songs is reinvented for the string quartet configuration, to excellent effect.
14. Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift
I prefer "Let Go," but this record is no slouch when it comes to moody,
introspective pop.
15. Portastatic - Bright Ideas
The most fully-realized Portastatic album yet. Portastatic no longer seems
like the low-fi afterthought of Superchunk's Mac McCaughan; many of these
songs could fit right in on a latter-day Superchunk album. Good stuff.
16. The Soviettes - LP III
At their best, the Soviettes come off like something of a femme Buzzcocks.
And that's great with me.
(16.5. Silver Sunshine - A Small Pocket of Pure Spirit EP) *not eligible
for Audities poll*
Excellent psych-pop that's right up the same alley as the High Dials and
RockFour.
17. The Lucksmiths - Warmer Corners
A return to form for this Australian group. Not entirely consistent, but
the best songs are like finely crafted short stories--with gentle, catchy
melodies.
18. Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm
Like the Pernice Brothers record, a relative disappointment from a
much-loved artist--so it still ranks.
19. Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Too long, but some damn fine songs.
20. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
Beats the sophomore slump. My favorite is the uncannily Kinks-like "Fade
Together."
Honorable mention to the others considered for my top 20:
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
British Sea Power - Open Season
Doves - Some Cities
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Origin (Vol. 1)
Randy
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