Best Music of 2005

by Steven Rybicki

Alright, it’s that time of year: have to get these lists out before the rest of those online journalists. Unfortunately, it’s the only way to ensure your authenticity and integrity as a dedicated music connoisseur.

Best Records of 2005

1. Black Sheep Boy and Appendix by Okkervil River
2. The Forgotten Arm by Aimee Mann
3. Wind in the Wires by Patrick Wolf
4. Illinois(e) by Sufjan Stevens
5. Apologies to the Queen by Wolf Parade
6. Alligator by The National
7. I am a Bird Now by Antony and the Johnsons
8. Silent Alarm by Bloc Party
9. Cold Roses by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
10. Picaresque by The Decemberists
11. Arular by M.I.A.
12. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
13. The Woods by Sleater-Kinney
14. Broken Social Scene by Broken Social Scene
15. Woman King by Iron & Wine
16. Separation Sunday by The Hold Steady
17. Gimme Fiction by Spoon
18. Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers
19. Demon Days by Gorillaz
20. Think Differently Music: Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture by Various Artists
21. E.P. by The Fiery Furnaces
22. Z by My Morning Jacket
23. Coles Corner by Richard Hawley
24. X&Y by Coldplay
25. Pick Us Apart by The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up

Best Songs of 2005

1. “Video” by Aimee Mann
2. “Jezebel” by Iron & Wine
3. “This Modern Love” by Bloc Party
4. “The Greatest” by Cat Power
5. “The Engine Driver” by The Decemberists
6. “Casimir Pulaski Day” by Sufjan Stevens
7. “Beautiful Sorta” by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
8. “Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts” by Wolf Parade
9. “Sunshowers” by M.I.A.
10. “Hope There’s Someone” by Antony and the Johnsons
11. “Lion Tamer” by Damien Jurado
12. “Traffic” by Chad VanGaalen
13. “Your Ever Changing Moods” by Summer at Shatter Creek
14. “The Fox” by Sleater-Kinney
15. “Liquid Swords” by GZA and Ras Kass
16. “C C (You Set Fire to Me)” by Tom Vek
17. “Gold Digger” by Kanye West
18. “Just a Lil Bit” by 50 Cent
19. “Your Little Hood Rat Friend” by The Hold Steady
20. “We Both Go Down Together” by The Decemberists
21. “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” by Sufjan Stevens
22. “Window Shopper” by 50 Cent
23. “Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens
24. “For Real” by Okkervil River
25. “Do It Again” by Nada Surf
26. “Walk Away” by Franz Ferdinand
27. “Only” by Nine Inch Nails
28. “it’s all gonna break” by Broken Social Scene
29. “Landlocked Blues” by Bright Eyes
30. “A Toast to the Happy Couple” by The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up
31. “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine” by Spoon
32. “Mr. November” by The National
33. “ibi dreams of pavement (a better day)” by Broken Social Scene
34. Those Ying Yang Twins singles… the Ben Folds cover of Dr. Dre… both are catchy in their own way. The core of the former is just soulless, capitalist, misogynist, exploitive, nasty (etc., insert all those self-righteous adjectives) garbage. In the latter, Mr. Folds adds irony… oh, wow, didn’t Dynamite Hack trip on that whole formula (gangsta rap+white boy pretension=an “irony” riddled muddle of a stunt) seven or eight years ago? I guess Ben was busy crying about "his" abortion.

Of Special Note:

Live @ the Fillmore by Lucinda Williams
No Direction Home by Bob Dylan
Kicking Television by Wilco

You must own the originals, but the live reconfigurations are worth the time and coin.