Top Five for 2005

I've copied and pasted my records of the year from mails sent to a mailing list I'm on.
Lugs the music review site I set up for Audiogon (see top of music section here) has been on a holding pattern this year but here's my views-they are angled for that mailing list so some of the comments are related to what others have said about the music.

It's in two sections.

It was a decent year for new music I thought with the trend continuing that artists made shorter albums, a good thing imho. In the interests of debate I've listed the countdown to my top ten, quite a few releases some Flies had in their ten and also some releases which I consider worth checking out. As Sharon pointed out it's a bit crazy to rate music this way but its part of the fun; quite a few towards the bottom of this list could have on another day made it into my top ten.

BECK-GUERO; Hispanic flashes but ultimately Beck by numbers, of course his numbers are Quantum Mechanics and there is no doubting the superb talent and construction. Sea Change showed his human side but the robot is back. Broken Drum is great though.

SUSUMO YOKOTA-SYMBOL- a large part of the history of Classical Music is sliced and reconstructed into something both new and familiar. A hit and miss affair.

RYAN ADAMS-JCN-Weakest of his trilogy and his most country but a few tracks are pure gold.

COLDPLAY-X&Y-I have to laugh the opening middle eight recalls Rush circa'82 and yet Flies and critics alike love this band. Hypocrisy alert. Second point is, a lot of this music is actually very good. Third point Chris Martin is easily the worst lyricist ever to become rock's bright new hero, his lyrics are so bad they are funny-surely worth a thread of its own.

VAN DER GRAFF GENERATOR-PRESENT-Lacks the colour and scope of their early work and seems a tad too restrained as if Hammil has been to Progaholics. It has flashes of their eccentric charm.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-DEVILS AND DUST-Four great songs but sadly Bruce seems muddled lyrically (the title track is so clumsy, Reno such an obvious bore and others sub-par) and a little lost musically. Production irritates too.

EDITORS-THE BLACK ROOM-yup you can spot the influences a mile off but it has charm, lacks the overall variety to really nail it.

THE NATIONAL-ALLIGATOR-Decent record with some wonderful moments but I don't hear the lyrical and musical brilliance (the drummer needs shot) that many do. A tad overrated imho.

SUSUMO YOKOTA/ROTHKO-DISTANT SOUNDS OF SUMMER-Nice Electronica which suffers in parts from an inability to keep a mood but beautiful moments all the same.

BRIAN ENO-ANOTHER DAY ON EARTH-Electro-pop I suppose as Eno sounds strangely 80's on his first vocal album for ages. More than the sum of its parts, an enjoyable listen with excellent instrumentation as you would expect.

MARK EITZEL-CANDY ASS-One of his better experiments but does ultimately falls between two stools. A couple of classic songs and some good Electronica.

HAROLD BUDD-LA BELLE VISTA-Solo improvised piano from Lanois vaults-few things are better in life than a glass of red wine and Budd on the stereo. Lovely.

10. MARS VOLTA-FRANCES THE MUTE-stuff the concept and crap cover and marvel at the music; Zep, Miles Davis, Genesis et al smashed together in outrageously effective fashion. If it were shorter (triple vinyl!)it'd be higher up.

9. ROBERT PLANT-MIGHTY REARRANGER-The idea of an aging Rock "God" with muso tendencies could easily have went horribly wrong but old Percy nails a nice fusion of what he's good at and what he likes. He's been trying to do this his whole solo career-well done old guy.

8. RYAN ADAMS-COLD ROSES-Yes it needs edited but enough gems to sparkle as always. One day a fair amount of Adams dissenters will listen back and say "shit, we were wrong".

7. RYAN ADAMS-29-His least generic album of the year. Full of downbeat visions and haunted melodies that don't seem to go anywhere they should. His most personal lyrically and musically and continues to impress on each play. Not quite flawless but Elizabeth...could be my favourite song of the moment.

6. ARCADE FIRE-FUNERAL-Girvan it was released here this year therefore it's in. Controversial to some but enough kooky sparks and originality to satisfy. There's still something missing to my ears though.

5. NINE HORSES-SNOW BORNE SORROW-Another one that is still growing.Sylvian is in immaculate voice and the album has enough quality to escape the cliché that is dark lyrics fused with super smooth music, very impressive.

4. KATE BUSH-AERIAL-yes it is full of eccentric whimsy about artist turned housewife. Kate has managed to sound contemporary without damaging the core of her music. Its best moments are effortlessly brilliant and dreamy.

3. BOARDS OF CANADA-THE CAMPFIRE HEADPHASE-Their best record by a mile, consistently strong and musical.

2. SUFJAN STEVENS-ILLINOISE-It's already been said, the boy is something of a genius.

1. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM-LCD SOUNDSYSTEM-middle age and populist musical tastes means that you always need something with an edge and energy to keep up your credibility and of course this record both endorses and debunks that theory. The peaks of this crush most attempts at relevant energetic music and the influences fuse nicely.Kraftwerk, Can, The Beatles, PIL and Talking Heads haunt the grooves of this. Cool.

Henryhk I don't think it's passion with Arcade Fire it's more to do with then capturing their sound in the studio.

I saw them live on TV and there was a whole other dimension,and I know people who have seen them live think they are the real deal.