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January 01, 2006
Best in Music 2005
OK, time for the year-end lists. Here are my lists of the best music from last year.
Best CD's of 2005
1. Devin Davis -- Lonely People of the World, Unite!
This one breaks a virtual 3-way tie at the top by being the most accessible. Straight-ahead 3-minute rock tunes win every time.
Read my review
2. Sufjan Stevens -- Illinois
Every time I hear one of these songs (with the iPod on shuffle), I get more respect for this CD. True musical genius, considering the guy wrote the songs, produced it, and played most of the instruments. This is not straight-ahead rock, but totally rewarding.
Read my review
3. Bright Eyes -- I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Pure songwriting. The focus is on simple melodies and lyrics over acoustic guitar. The few accents (like a solo trumpet or an Emmylou Harris harmony vocal) work perfectly. The album is even better as a whole than the sum of its parts.
4. Joy Zipper -- American Whip
Vocal harmonies, enveloping atmospheric music, downer lyrics over happy music. If you like "shoegazer" music, you'll love it. Even if you don't, you might like this, as it's a little more interesting than the usual shoegazer. Check out the song Alzheimer's, which straddles the line of decency but stays on the right side (and sounds great, too).
5. Stubbs The Zombie -- soundtrack
A video game soundtrack? I guess it's a video game about a zombie from the 50's, so the music is all rock 'n roll songs from the 1950's (Lollipop, Mr. Sandman, Everyday, Earth Angel, etc.) performed by alternative bands of the 2000's. Great concept, very well executed.
Best Concerts of 2005
1. The Decemberists at Henry Fonda 3/21
Great songs, well-played but spontaneous. High energy. With the addition of Petra Hayden to the band, the harmonies were great, and Colin Meloy's voice is unique and interesting (live and in-studio). Good song selection (easy with only 3 albums) and a good crowd.
2. James Brown at House of Blues 11/16
The hardest-working man in show business never lets you down, even at age 72. Just writing that is amazing. The guy doesn't dance as much or even sing as much as he used to, but he can still hit the notes when he tries. And he does still scream, grunt, and perform like he always has. The songs are all-time classics, and he always puts on a killer show.
3. Rolling Stones at Angels Stadium 11/4
More old guys who can still do it. Mick can still sing, and dances around the massive stage like a 20-something. Keith, Ron, and Charlie still play great. (Keith cannot sing, but, hey, he never could, and it's always fun to see him try.) The song selection was a bit 'greatest hits' but the show was a crowd-pleaser and it's always fun to see a huge show with giant moving stage, fireworks and videos, and a large crowd.
4. Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI 8/6-7
Great lineup and perfect weather. Traditional bluegrass like Del McCoury and festival highlight Foghorn Stringband, mixed with modern folk musicians like Ray LaMontagne and Bright Eyes, with a couple classic rockers (Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello) thrown in. A few lows (Pixies, Kaki King) but the highs definitely outnumbered the lows by a lot.
5. Polyphonic Spree at Henry Fonda 2/21
No concert brings more positive energy than the Polyphonic Spree. The number in the band almost approach the number in the crowd, and the energy and controlled chaos they bring is truly a sight to see. And contagious, bringing the always-appreciative crowd to its feet, dancing and singing along.
Posted by JoshHornik at January 1, 2006 05:11 PM