Jueves 22 Dic 2005, 12:31

So yesterday's chart was supposed to end at 26, but I didn't notice it until today. I'll just fix it to make it nice and even. Play along ok? :)

Also, I have to get two things off my chest.First,Green Day. Last year I had Green Day's American Idiot as one of my "best-off" albums of all time. As soon as I heard Boulevard, I predicted it was going to be a huge hit. This year? I absolutely despise the record. It lost all it's replay value after a few months. I barely even pick it up,and I'm considering dropping it from my cd case(official death in my book when that happens). And that is something that never happens when I love a record. The over-exposure killed them. They went from being the saviors of the "old guard" to the hated poster boys of modern rock in less than six months. All I know is they better drop the political act soon and get back to the "Warning" days before they lose their loyal fan-base. Unless they think they can survive with the "Fuse" crowd from now one….

Second, James Blunt. That song "You're Beautiful", where have I heard it before? Oh thats right, IN EVERY SINGLE LOVE SONG THAT HAS EVER BEEN WRITTEN IN THE HISOTRY OF MUSIC. What gives????? Why's he getting praised for a song that's been done a million times!??!

Ok on with the songs…

25.The Hand That Feeds
Get off your ass and dance!! And groove to that kick-ass keyboard solo. Seriously, a keyboard solo on a hard rock song? Where's Dave Mustaine when you need him to kick some serious keyboard player ass? Jethro Tull might be making a comeback soon.

I really really like that keyboard solo.
Nine Inch Nails

24.Twin Cinema
I want do the go-go dance after I listen to this one. The 60's are the real 00's. Cuz really,who wants to sound all modern and stuff,and make a record like Neil Young's Trans?
The New Pornographers

23.Dance Dance
People will hate me because I picked this song, and ranked it above the New Pornographers. Again, it's one of those hate the band but love the catchy fucking single. The lyrics are pretty good and an inventive way to say the same thing other bands have done many many times.
Fall Out Boy

22.Happy Home
I always look foward to the last track of a Garbage album. Because everytime they give me something that leaves me shocked and asking for more. Milk, You Look So Fine, So Like A Rose, they're all wonderful tracks that add a proper period to an album, and leave you salivating for the next. Same thing here, only for another reason. I wanted more to compensate for the mediocre crap I heard earlier. Oh well, works great for Mix cd's though.
Garbage

21.Helicopter
A shot to the chest! I fell in love with the rhythm section of this band, and with most of the record. I just sounds so tight and well rehearsed. Sorta like how I would want my band to sound like. We're kinda hoping for a miracle here…
Bloc Party

20.En Direccion Contraria
Like sitting at a small bar having a drink, smoke in hand watching smooth musicians weave patterns of joy around you ears. That fucking good. Natalia Lafourcade also has a solo record, and it mostly sounds like this. Nice fresa music that makes for a good evening mood.
Natalia y la Forquetina

19.Right Where it Belongs
I'm a sucker for a good ballad. Anything that makes you choke up. I don't know. All these sad songs on the year end best of. This was actually my moodiest year in terms of stuff happening around me. And it shows in the music. Spent plenty of pensive nights with this Bowie-esque ballad lulling me to sleep.

18.Little Sister
YOU GOTTA HAVE MORE COWBELL BABY!!!! Honestly the more cowbell you put into your song, the better it becomes, and the bigger hit it becomes. And you make money. Yes ladies and gentlemen, you too can become a millionare with the simeple purchase of a plastic cowbell. Ohhh and that whole deal…what's it called….ummmmm songwriting talent. Yeah that's it.

PS. The bass on this track is killer!
Queens of the Stone Age

17.Compliments
Again with the depressing album closers. -sigh- The ambiance is second to none though. And again, sucker for delayed guitars…

16.Helena
More loopholes! Yay!! 2005's best video as far as I'm concerned. The slightly light-hearted take on death in the video contrasts to the deep mourning of the song added a new wind to it. There's so many ways you can distort a guitar, but here they made it sound at least a little more interesting and pleasing. Big plus to the vocals as well.
My Chemical Romance

15.Let's Call It Love
This is the sound of someone making love to their guitar. And it last eleven minutes too, I just noticed that now. That stretch from 2:53 to 3:50 is the best 57 seconds of rock and roll I've heard in a long time. Hooray for guitar masturbation and 11 minute guitar solos.
Sleater-Kinney

14.Black Devil Car
Holy Crap! that's alot of muscle for a Jamiroquai. And is that distortion I hear? The wild card off "Dynamite" ends up being my favorite. You can just envision the blacklight neon kaleidoscope surrounding the band. The end is just pure gold too. The drum solo? Not so much. But still classic.
Jamiroquai

13.L'Via L'Viaquez
So many things to say about this song. The lyrics? Horrible, but cool to see a spanish language song on american tv,even if it a little broken in parts. The video? A joy to my eyes. The slow tempo salsa time? Incredible, and I don't even like salsa. The Puerto Rico Coqui at the end of the song? God that was beautiful. It's like I'm back at my grandmothers house, 5 years old, Coqui helping me off to sleep with their sweet sounds. John Frusciante? Fucking awesome. This band? Incredible!
The Mars Volta

12.Nth Degree
First time I saw these guys was on Subterranean and I fell in love with them. I then hear this song on Sirius and couldn't get it off my head. Perfectly disposable, from the music, down to the lyrics. Which makes for a perfect party or anthem song.
Morningwood

11.My Doorbell
I had to get educated on what a Marimba was. And it's not in this song right? At least I can't hear it. I'm pretty sure thats a piano. And at long last Meg White 's drumming is totally indistinguishable from that of a 3 year old toddler. God bless!!
The White Stripes

And now for the top 10 songs of 2005!!

10.Only
Dance off!!! There's just something about this song. The driving beat, the half-spoken half-sung lyrics referencing past NIN songs. The screaming chorus. The swearing chorus. That hooked up beat. the chainsaw guitars. It's perfect.

9.Goldigger
Aside from Jayme Foxx still thinking he's Ray Charles, this song is pure brilliance. The delivery is top notch, and the lyrics are not only hilarious but the work of a genius. The video is also a piece of art. This was destined to become the token hip-hop song for those who despise hip-hop, hence its presence on this countdown.
Kanye West

8.Ever (Foreign Flag)
I always liked Chino at his most quiet and introspective. Pink Maggit and Change Acoustic were golden. This song,even with it's short running time is just like that. The gentle strumming of the guitars, the booming bass on the chorus, and Chino singing,not screaming. It's a lullabye.
Team Sleep

7.Chicago
I never really thought much of Sufjan before listening to this song besides his odd first name. I was blown away. Somehow the heartbreak and the heavy mood of the song got to me, but the silver lining at the end made a connection. This song is almost like an experience from beyond. Something I can't quite describe here.
Sufjan Stevens

6.Girl
8 bit intros are all the rage now. I liked my NES waaaayy before it was cool to like the NES again. Nintendo fan boy forever!!!! It's cool to hear a grown up Beck sing this song, then think this was the same man who once told us to get crazy with the Cheez Whiz. Actually I think that last sentece applies more to "Sea Change" but still, he's done alot of growing up since then. I applaud you Beck. +5 for the acoustic guitar solo.
Beck

5.Since U Been Gone
I will not lie. I love this song, even in all it's
"Maps" ripoff-age. Well I had a moderate liking of it when it came out. It wasn't until the VMA's that made me a total fan. After sitting through a horrible bloated sho, she totally redeems with a powerful performance. WITH PASSION! Yeah, she was screaming a bunch and the vocals got lost a bit, but it had PASSION! Something no other artist had on that show. 100% into the song, and for that she deserves many kudos. So here you go, Kudos to you Kelly.
Kelly Clarkson

4.Like Eating Glass
THE perfect song for a rainy day. And we had plenty of those this fall in Puerto Rico. The fast pace of the song, the lyrics, the voice. I could go on all day. Awesome opener, great statement.

3.Not About Love (Jon Brion Version)
The first time I heard the leaked tracks from Jon Brion's version of Extraordinary Machine, I was taken back with their beauty. I thought he had peaked with "When The Pawn" because of the consistency of those songs, but these blew those out of the water. The orchestration is nothing short of perfection. shame on you Mike Elizondo. But keep Zack Galifianakis.
Fiona Apple

2.No
This is the Shakira I love. The soft spanish guitar, the power of her vocals. Forget the hip shaking, forget all the sexuality. This is an artist, soul bared for all to see. Why she doesn't do this kind of music more often is beside me. But i'll treasure this piece. Her best song to date.
Shakira

1.Cassandra Gemini
Yup…the 31 minute song ends up being the best song of 2005. Just for the balls to put out a song longer that some people's full records(Rev. Run I'm looking at you). This song has probably been called every word in the dictionary, and you either love it or hate it. If you hate it, discard it and put Shakira as the #1 song then.

All the movememnts work well,and it doesn't really feel like you're wasting a half hour of your life listening to it. The song flows well, and the quick movements early set a good pace so that you follow the song after the first 10 minutes. The orchestral bits also make for good flourishes before it morphs into a mess of noises and guitar bleeps and endless vocal overdubs. Every musician gets a chance to shine, and one has to tip hat to Juan Alderete and Jon Theodore for keeping everything under control, even as the first 15 minutes pass and white noise and random sounds begin to take over for the second half.

After 20 minutes,the song then takes a quiet turn into jam band noodling and drugged out guitar tricks. Jason Freese the master at sax adds to the mood as well. Everything gets delayed,overdubbed and the suddenly, you're back from the dream state into the orginal song structure that was introduced around minute #7, back to the original chorus,and ending with the segment that started the record.

The song is my 2005 reduced to thirty minutes.

So thats it. Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and I'll see you in January 2006. My usual activities and the chart analysis will take a break until then.

Adios 2005.