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The Best of 2005: Come On! Feel the Redemptive Everglow of Room Noises!Dec 31 '05 (Updated Dec 31 '06) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line 2005 was a rough year. Here's some of the music that made it a little brighter for this particular critic.
OK, so time is ticking and there's ain't much of it before the ball drops and we kiss 2005 goodbye, so let's get down to it. Here's a tribute to the music that made one hell of a rocky year a little easier to manage, some of it serving as a way to blow of steam on stressful days, some of it serving as a lovely soundtrack for newlyweds in love, and some of it prodding me to move on to a better, healthier version of myself - and also a tribute to some of the music that sucked and that accomplished none of these things, too. TOP 10 (and 1/2) ALBUMS OF 2005: 1. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel the Illinoise! I'm not normally one to side with the really tough critics who work for publications like Pitchfork Media, but surprisingly, they ended up having the same #1 album as I did this year. Take a look at metacritic.com's most favorably reviewed records of the year, and you'll notice this one at or near the top, too. How could this happen to an extremely busy prog-folk record featuring 22 tracks of random ruminations on a Midwestern state that the songwriter has never even lived in? Throw in the fact that said songwriter is fairly open about his Christian beliefs, and it's just damn near impossible that such an ambitious project would be so well-received. But that's the world of Sufjan Stevens, whose string, banjo, trumpet, and bell-laden mini-symphonies about the Land of Lincoln never cease to surprise, captivate, and reveal new layers throughout the second entry in his ridiculously ambitious 50 States project. Man, I can't wait to see what he does with Oregon! Song Highlights: "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders", "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Our Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhh!", "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" 2. Eisley - Room Noises OK, so they got slagged for being young, dreamy Sixpence None the Richer soundalikes. To that, I'll suggest that (a) A girl can't help the sound of her voice, (b) There are multiple girls singing lead for this band, (c) I miss Sixpence and don't mind hearing another band starting off with Sixpence as a strong influence, and (d) Eisley had come up with a more consistently delicious set of songs than Sixpence ever did on a single album. No doubt, Sixpence is a classic band and I don't want to claim so early on that Eisley is better - Sixpence had a little more depth, for one. But Eisley is a young group of mostly siblings that play wonderfully off of each other, come up with intricately pleasurable melodies, and fill their songs to the brim with childlike (but not childish) imagination. Room Noises is an aural storybook just begging to be opened so that its pop-up characters can come out and play. Song Highlights: "Marvelous Things", "Plenty of Paper", "Memories" 3. Mae - The Everglow Speaking of storybooks, here's an interesting concept album of sorts posed as if it were a children's audiobook. Cheesy theme, perhaps, but it's backed up by some seriously solid modern rock music that hints at and toys with enough themes to make you think there's really a continuing tale of two lovers being told here. The music flows so smoothly and effortlessly from slamming rockers to heartfelt, wistful ballads, with plenty of piano and vocal harmony to go around. Mae might not be the most distinctive-sounding band out there (the influences of bands like Jimmy Eat World are pretty clear), but they've come up with a better record end-to-end than several of the bands that have influenced them, which makes The Everglow one of those albums that I just can't stop listening to. Song Highlights: "Painless", "Breakdown", "Someone Else's Arms" 4. Jars of Clay - Redemption Songs This record took the better part of a year to inch its way up into the higher reaches of my Top 10 list - I was pretty hard on it due to the compromise the band had to make to appease their record label with an awful version of "It Is Well with My Soul". Looking past the one decision that they couldn't control, this is a truly sublime album of hymns, both popular and obscure, that greatly overshadows most CCM records released lately under the "worship" banner. It's probably their most subtle work, one that takes a lot of time to appreciate (even if If I Left the Zoo was much quirkier and Who We Are Instead was more low-key when taken song-for-song). Listen carefully and you'll discover new life breathed into old texts, and maybe even discover a song or two that would work as a standard in your own church's services. Song Highlights: "Thou Lovely Source of True Delight", "God Will Lift Up Your Head", "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand" 5. Nickel Creek - Why Should the Fire Die? When every trip through this young trio's latest collection of colorful folk songs sends me on a mental trip back to a Hawaiian honeymoon (that's when I bought the album), and when I know that these songs were largely responsible for the best concert I've ever attended, it's hard not to rate the album high based on sheer nostalgia. But that's not all that Fire has going for it - it continues the trend of new experimentation with a classic lineup of bluegrass instruments that the band began on This Side, and focuses it into a rich and somewhat dark collection of songs and instrumental snippets mostly revolving around the deterioration of romantic relationships. It's a time-worn topic, sure, but they tackle it with a flair for irony, role-playing, and of course massive heaps of instrumental talent. Song Highlights: "Doubting Thomas", "Best of Luck", "Scotch & Chocolate" 6. Dream Theater - Octavarium If the over-the-top antics of the prog-metal outfit that time forgot haven't impressed you yet, there's probably no need to let their latest disc attempt to change your mind. Even for existing fans, this one was a tough pill to swallow with its de-emphasis on the crazy guitar antics of John Petrucci and a few sections that were almost too indulgently mainstream for the band's own good. Nevertheless, Octavarium is a well-thought-out song cycle that explores the phases of a struggle to break free from a pending psychological meltdown. I enjoy how their instrumental work continues to work in unexpected modern rock influences while still holding fast to their progressive roots. And when it all culminates in the 24-minute monster of a title song at the end of the deceptively short track listing, it's hard not to admit that they've come up with something pretty brilliant, as indulgent and even silly as it might sound at times. Song Highlights: "Panic Attack", "Octavarium", "These Walls" 7. Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal Little has changed between the band's debut, Blueprints for the Black Market, and this album. Maybe there's a little boundary-pushing in terms of overall hardness. Maybe there's a surprising soft song that actually works really well. Maybe there are more ridiculously amusing song titles this time around. In any event, it weren't broke, and Anberlin didn't fix it, and when the result is another batch of hard-hitting, 80's-informed modern rock tracks that manage to sound smooth and chunky all at once, I can't complain about silly things like a lack of total self-reinvention on the band's part, now can I? Song Highlights: "The Feel Good Drag", "(The Symphony of) Blasé", "Paperthin Hymn" 8. Switchfoot - Nothing Is Sound Probably the most overhyped release of the year, at least as far as the CCM market was concerned. But that doesn't mean that it's not a good album. On the contrary, Switchfoot opens this sucker up with 5 of the best tracks they've ever written. The rest backs off a little bit from there, and perhaps their favorite theme of "everything material is meaningless" is beginning to wear a little thin, but the fact remains that musically speaking, this is their strongest-sounding record yet, and it's not afraid to explore the more downtrodden and seemingly hopeless phases of the life of a believer, at a time when much of the Christian audience was perhaps expecting more definitive preachiness or something. I prefer honest experience as a means of sharing faith, personally, and Switchfoot's approach here fits that preference quite well. I'm not sure how long their mainstream popularity will last, but as long as they continue to make solid, quirky power pop music, I know I'll be a fan. (Regarding the frustrating side issue of copy protection that I griped about when reviewing this album, I'll note that their record label has done the right thing by recalling and reissuing the album.) Song Highlights: "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine", "Lonely Nation", "Stars" 8 1/2. Plumb - Chaotic Resolve I wasn't sure if this one should count, since I managed to get my hands on a pre-release of it shortly before its release was pushed way back to next February, so I've cheated by creating an extra slot in my list for an especially Honorable Mention. I thought this would merely be another attempt on Tiffany Lee's part to score some more harmless radio hits, and after listening two pedestrian love songs and one well-meaning but clichéd Christian radio single, I was pretty convinced that my hunch was right. Then she surprised me with a left turn into some darker territory, with some of her meatiest music to date to sweeten the deal. It's not a return to the trip-hop-isms of her debut, but the unflinching spirit of that record, as it dealt honestly with topics like abuse and depression, shines through quite well in this album's strong midsection. Even when she breaks for a lighter dance tune, it's some surprisingly solid stuff. Song Highlights: "Motion", "Good Behavior", "Cut" 9. Olivia the Band - Olivia the Band Hawaii nostalgia strikes again. It's not just my mental pictures of the happy Hawaiian island that this pop/punk band hails from that cause me to love their work, though - it's the spirited attitude that shines through, offering a bit of color and variation to what otherwise might be a bland, routine affair. Certainly that's a nicer way of saying that the band was signed to a major label and they got a bit of gloss to make them more radio-ready, but then again, there are more ragged sections that allow a bit of angst to shine through... basically it's a balancing act. This isn't a particularly deep record, but thus far the band's following in the footsteps of bands like Relient K that use pop/punk as a base but can also see beyond the trappings and typical attitudes of the genre. Olivia the Band is just plain infectious in a non-guilty-pleasure sort of way. Especially on rainy winter days like today, this CD a perfect way to brighten to mood and mentally transport myself back to the sunny northern shore of Oahu. Song Highlights: "Kill the Grey", "Shut It Out", "Saturday" 10. David Crowder Band - A Collision Another record that got a lot of critical acclaim in Christian circles; this was one that I had a lot of anticipation for, but felt mildly disappointed with due to how the album seemed to be awkwardly pieced together. Moving past that, and also disregarding the awkward interview needlessly placed at the end of the record, there are some absolutely sublime expressions of worship on this record, going beyond the happy-go-lucky slogans that are common to contemporary worship and really striving to depict an intellectual interaction between man and God. The songs are divided into four separate movements to help facilitate this process of moving beyond simple praise songs into a time of reflection, repentance, and deeper discovery. And it really helps that the various instrumental talents within the band are finally allowed to shine, even if they're utilized to create a bit of a hodgepodge collection at times. It's a great artistic leap for Crowder and Co. - now they just need to figure out how to take that growth and streamline it into an album that retains the diversity while also rediscovering the sense of cohesion that they had on Illuminate. Song Highlights: "Do Not Move", "Be Lifted or Hope Rising", "Our Happy Home" HONORABLE MENTIONS: So many albums, so little time. I had way too much stuff to absorb this year, and the following albums, while not quite Top 10 material, were notably different enough from the norm to pique my curiosity in a positive way: John Reuben - The Boy Vs. the Cynic Over the Rhine - Drunkard's Prayer Sigur Ros - Takk... Thrice - Vheissu Kevin Max - The Imposter EP'S AND ALL THAT JAZZ: I never consider EP's as eligible entries for my lists, simply because I want first and foremost to give credit to the artists who put together solid album-length collections of songs, but I will say that the following mini albums put out this year do deserve your attention: Iron & Wine - Woman King EP David Crowder Band - Sunsets & Sushi: Experiments in Spectral Deconstruction Iron & Wine / Calexico - In the Reins EP The Fiery Furnaces - EP Relient K - Apathetic EP 2004 HOLDOVERS: There was quite a bit from last year that I didn't get around to listening to in time to put it on last year's list. While my Top 10 from last year remains unchanged, here are some albums that would likely have cracked the Top 20 for 2004: He Is Legend - I Am Hollywood Joseph Arthur - Our Shadows Will Remain Green Day - American Idiot The Killers - Hot Fuss Mat Kearney - Bullet DISHONORABLE MENTIONS: 2005 has definitely had its share of clunkers, and as usual, the majority of these have made the list as a result of press mailings from well-meaning record labels (I've spared them the agony of full reviews in some cases), or just my own morbid curiosity when trolling Soulseek and Zpoc for new stuff to download. 1. FFH - Voice from Home I was tempted to put this at #1 instead of Kutless, since I'd honestly rather hear Jon Micah's droll moaning than Jeromy Diebler's nasal, perky cliche-spouting any day, so I had it at #2 for a while, but then I changed my mind after actually reviewing it and put at #1 again. Just one listen through this insipid "vocal" group's latest album was torture enough - they sound so thin and uninspired here that it makes last year's irritating Still the Cross a thrilling work of pop innovation by comparison. I hear little in the way of strong harmonies between these four members - there's not much that's interesting to listen to it all, given their insistence on making every song sound as bland and geriatric as they possibly can. And when Jeromy's wife Jennifer Diebler takes center stage to tell us we don't have to wear designer clothes for God to love us? Icing on the rotten cake, right there. I admire the intent behind this album, I really do. They wanted to do a "reverse worship" sort of thing and write a bunch of songs from the perspective of God, telling us how He feels about His children. Hey, that's a great idea, but not when it's reduced to mushy, lovey-dovey junior high prose and didactic sermonizing. With this album, FFH manages to bring new meaning to the term "God awful". 2. Kutless - Strong Tower As far as routine, modern rock karaoke versions of popular praise choruses go, I suppose this project isn't terrible. It's listenable if you turn your brain off - probably the least irritating Kutless record so far due to the lack of Jon Micah Sumrall's wretched screaming. However, it's still the band's worst album because they have nary a pretense of energetic rocking here, and they're so methodical about the way they play these songs that it sucks the life out of nearly every single one. What's most troubling is the very notion that we even need a "worship album" from a band that has shown no ability to approach their faith imaginatively during their three-year tenure thus far. The very fact that this album exists is an insult to the concept of worship music. 3. Josh Bates - Perfect Day Curly blonde-haired preacher's kid from Kentucky, who purports to have some country and bluegrass influence, ends up having his personality thoroughly obscured by way of bland pop/rock arrangements and embarrassing textbook CCM lyrics. Another nameless face singing workmanlike songs that will be long forgotten within about a year. 4. Krystal Meyers - Krystal Meyers CCM's latest youth group-targeted "it" girl aiming to cash in on the popularity of obnoxious mainstream acts like Avril Lavigne, and supposedly non-conformist Christian groups like BarlowGirl and Superchic[k]. There's a good song or two in here somewhere, once you get past all the whining. I'm not sure how they thought they could get away with using a cookie-cutter trend-follower to preach a message of "Anticonformity". 5. Various Artists - Come Let Us Adore Him: A Christmas Worship Experience This one gets a low grade simply for being an extension of a dull series that its creators promised us was over. It's time to let City on a Hill die, guys, not revive it with a collection of half-baked and half-performed Christmas songs. 6. Dave Matthews Band - Stand Up A band that I've always enjoyed on their previous outings managed to seriously disappoint me by taking a major turn for the worst on their latest effort. I used to thing Dave's squeaky and sometimes gravelly voice, his band's rhythmic meanderings, and even some of his hormonal rants were kind of cute and amusing. And when he dug deep, they came up with some powerful stuff. On this record, what sounds at first like experimentation that I just need to take the time to get used to rapidly reveals itself to be desperate flailing in an attempt to win back fans they lost a few years ago with the whole Everyday debacle. This is one colossal train wreck of an album from a once fascinating band. 7. Casting Crowns - Lifesong More didactic, vaguely folk-inflected pop sermons from a group seemingly intent on preaching to youth with a decidedly Adult Contemporary approach. I just don't get why the CCM industry is so hyped about these guys (though I've heard they're much more interesting in concert - time to translate that to a CD, guys!) 8. Jaci Velasquez - Beauty Has Grace OK, Jaci, let's get something straight. I can appreciate a pop singer trying to experiment and be quirky instead of just churning out typical AC ballads. Good for you for recruiting producer Martin Terefe and going for more of an organic sound. The thing is, making a lot of mistakes and leaving them there, and letting limp, underproduced instrumentation run rampant while you squawk out insipid lyrics in the hopes in a warts-and-all approach to making pop music does not equal instant indie cred. Maybe the lesson learned here is that some glossy pop singers were simply meant to be glossy pop singers. I'm not hearing much beauty, nor grace, in this awkward collection of semi-tunes. 9. Scott Stapp - The Great Divide If you could get past the fact that it was mostly a Creed redux with some slight variations in sound on a couple tracks, this album actually sounds pretty good. That is, until Stapp opens his mouth and starts to p!ss and moan about how broken he is and how everyone wants to bring him down. Hey Scott, I appreciate your recent honesty about being a Christian and all, and I really do want you to do well in your solo career and your personal growth, but if you want to be taken seriously, how about less self-righteousness and less full-blast shredding of the old vocal chords, okay? And oh, while you're at it, maybe fewer people would hate you if you wouldn't get smashed and start bar fights with other bands whose work you supposedly admire. I'm just sayin'. 10. Lifehouse - Lifehouse This isn't a terrible album if listened to superficially, but I expect much more from Lifehouse than just being mildly pleasant. As All Music Guide put it, they're now a rock band who doesn't rock. Dull melodies and repetitive lyrics about searching for some vague whatever and hoping some girl will still like you don't even come close to reliving the greatness of so many of their earlier songs. Probably my biggest disappointment of the year, in terms of albums that I actually expected to be really good. Other, slightly less severe disasters/disappointments from 2005 include the following: Audio Adrenaline - Until My Heart Caves In Various Artists - Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia ZOEgirl - Room to Breathe The Juliana Theory - Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat Bethany Dillon - Imagination Corrinne May - Safe in a Crazy World Chris Rice - Amusing BEST SONGS OF 2005: OK, so I started to make a Top 50 list, and I realized that I had 100 candidates. These songs were all great enough that I figured I might as well just enumerate all 100 of them. As is usually the case, several where released in 2004, but I either noticed them for the first time or came to appreciate them much more this year. 1. Sufjan Stevens, "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders" (from Come On! Feel the Illinoise!) 2. Eisley, "Marvelous Things" (from Room Noises) 3. Jars of Clay, "Thou Lovely Source of True Delight" (from Redemption Songs) 4. Nickel Creek, "Doubting Thomas" (from Why Should the Fire Die?) 5. David Crowder Band, "Do Not Move" (from A Collision) 6. The Fiery Furnaces, "Here Comes the Summer" (from EP) 7. Eisley, "Plenty of Paper" (from Room Noises) 8. Sufjan Stevens, "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Our Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhh!" (from Come On! Feel the Illinoise!) 9. Sufjan Stevens, "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" (from Come On! Feel the Illinoise!) 10. Mae, "Painless" (from The Everglow) 11. Caedmon's Call, "Wings of the Morning" (from Share the Well) 12. Relient K, "Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet" (from Mmhmm) 13. Sufjan Stevens, "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts" (from Come On! Feel the Illinoise!) 14. Switchfoot, "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" (from Nothing Is Sound) 15. Anberlin, "The Feel Good Drag" (from Never Take Friendship Personal) 16. The Killers, "Somebody Told Me" (from Hot Fuss) 17. Sufjan Stevens, "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" (from Come On! Feel the Illinoise!) 18. Joy Williams, "Beautiful Redemption" (from Genesis) 19. Switchfoot, "Stars" (from Nothing Is Sound) 20. Coldplay, "Fix You" (from X&Y) 21. Plumb, "Motion" (from Chaotic Resolve) 22. Shaun Groves, "What's Wrong with This World" (from White Flag) 23. Kevin Max, "Jumpstart Your Electric Heart!" (from The Imposter) 24. Switchfoot, "Lonely Nation" (from Nothing Is Sound) 25. Nickel Creek, "Best of Luck" (from Why Should the Fire Die?) 26. Eisley, "Memories" (from Room Noises) 27. Starfield, "Over My Head" (from Starfield) 28. The Juliana Theory, "Leave Like a Ghost (Drive Away)" (from Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat) 29. The Killers, "All These Things that I've Done" (from Hot Fuss) 30. Rob Thomas, "I Am an Illusion" (from Something to Be) 31. Relient K, "High of 75" (from Mmhmm) 32. U2, "A Man and a Woman" (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) 33. Over the Rhine, "Firefly" (from Drunkard's Prayer) 34. Chris Rice, "When Did You Fall?" (from Amusing) 35. Kevin Max, "Platform" (from The Imposter) 36. Dream Theater, "Panic Attack" (from Octavarium) 37. U2, "City of Blinding Lights" (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) 38. Dream Theater, "Octavarium" (from Octavarium) 39. He Is Legend, "Dinner with a Gypsy" (from I Am Hollywood) 40. Anberlin, "(The Symphony of) Blasé" (from Never Take Friendship Personal) 41. Olivia the Band feat. Josh Kemble, "Kill the Grey" (from Olivia the Band) 42. Mae, "Breakdown" (from The Everglow) 43. Olivia the Band, "Shut It Out" (from Olivia the Band) 44. John Reuben, "Cooperate" (from The Boy Vs. the Cynic) 45. David Crowder Band, "Be Lifted or Hope Rising" (from A Collision) 46. Olivia the Band, "Saturday" (from Olivia the Band) 47. Corrinne May, "Little Superhero Girl" (from Safe in a Crazy World) 48. U2, "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) 49. The Fiery Furnaces, "My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found" (from Blueberry Boat) 50. He Is Legend, "The Seduction" (from I Am Hollywood) 51. U2, "All Because of You" (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) 52. Caedmon's Call, "The Roses" (from Share the Well) 53. John Reuben, "Follow Your Leader" (from The Boy Vs. the Cynic) 54. Plumb, "Cut" (from Chaotic Resolve) 55. Alanis Morissette, "Perfect" (from Jagged Little Pill Acoustic) 56. Mae, "Anything" (from The Everglow) 57. Joseph Arthur, "Wasted" (from Our Shadows Will Remain) 58. Rob Thomas, "All that I Am" (from Something to Be) 59. Iron & Wine, "Woman King" (from Woman King EP) 60. Sanctus Real, "Everything About You" (from Fight the Tide) 61. Kevin Max, "Sanctuary" (from The Imposter) 62. Mae, "Someone Else's Arms" (from The Everglow) 63. Chris Tomlin, "Indescribable" (from Arriving) 64. Switchfoot, "Happy Is a Yuppy Word" (from Nothing Is Sound) 65. Joseph Arthur, "Puppets" (from Our Shadows Will Remain) 66. He Is Legend, "China White" (from I Am Hollywood) 67. Iron & Wine, "Grey Stables" (from Woman King EP) 68. Green Day, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" (from American Idiot) 69. Plumb, "Good Behavior" (from Chaotic Resolve) 70. Third Day, "I Can Feel It" (from Wherever You Are) 71. Lifehouse, "Blind" (from Lifehouse) 72. Green Day, "Holiday" (from American Idiot) 73. Nickel Creek, "Scotch & Chocolate" (from Why Should the Fire Die?) 74. Anberlin, "Paperthin Hymn" (from Never Take Friendship Personal) 75. Coldplay, "White Shadows" (from X&Y) 76. The Fiery Furnaces, "Tropical Ice-Land" (from EP) 77. The Corrs, "Time Enough for Tears" (from Borrowed Heaven) 78. Dream Theater, "These Walls" (from Octavarium) 79. David Crowder Band, "Turkish Delight" (from Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia) 80. Olivia the Band, "Heaven" (from Olivia the Band) 81. Jars of Clay, "God Will Lift Up Your Head" (from Redemption Songs) 82. Eisley, "Just Like We Do" (from Room Noises) 83. Joy Williams, "I'm in Love with You" (from Genesis) 84. Jason Mraz, "Life Is Wonderful" (from Mr. A-Z) 85. Andrew Bird, "Skin Is, My" (from The Mysterious Production of Eggs) 86. Mae, "Cover Me" (from The Everglow) 87. Switchfoot, "Easier than Love" (from Nothing Is Sound) 88. Andrew Bird, "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" (from The Mysterious Production of Eggs) 89. Sigur Rós, "Sé Lest" (from Takk...) 90. David Crowder Band, "Our Happy Home" (from A Collision) 91. Over the Rhine, "Born" (from Drunkard's Prayer) 92. Coldplay, "Square One" (from X&Y) 93. Caedmon's Call, "Dalit Hymn" (from Share the Well) 94. David Crowder Band, "Secret Ambition" (from Ultimate Music Makeover: The Songs of Michael W. Smith) 95. Caedmon's Call, "Volcanoland" (from Share the Well) 96. Falling Up, "Contact" (from Dawn Escapes) 97. Rebecca St. James feat. BarlowGirl, "Forgive Me" (from If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something) 98. Jason Mraz, "Song for a Friend" (from Mr. A-Z) 99. Falling Up, "Fearless" (from Dawn Escapes) 100. Shaun Groves, "Heaven Hang On" (from White Flag) BEST CONCERTS OF 2005: I didn't get around to reviewing most of the concert I attended this year, and there was a bit of a dry spell due to getting married this summer and the various budget crises that came with it, but I will say that the ones I did go to were generally pretty sweet, including the #1 concert of the year, which is actually now the #1 concert I've attended in my life thus far. 1. Nickel Creek w/ Andrew Bird - Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, CA - 12.17.05 A nearly flawless show from some of the best acoustic proteges working in pop music today - the bluegrass-inspired wunderkinds of Nickel Creek, and the quirky, voilin/xylophone/guitar playing, whistling, and looping antics of Andrew Bird. The amount of raw talent and quirky personality displayed that night was just 10 kinds of ridiculous. 2. Mute Math w/ Mat Kearney - The Viper Room, Hollywood, CA - 06.01.05 It's hard to beat Mute Math when you want a synthesis of high-energy rock music and savvy electronica. They're extremely hyperactive on stage, putting on a passionate performance that easily engulfs an audience in its noisy aura. Mat Kearney pulled a gusty move as their opener, rapping and singing with his Chris Martin-esque voice to a lone guitar or piano. 3. Over the Rhine w/ Kim Taylor - Knitting Factory, Hollywood, CA - 04.30.05 Over the Rhine has the market cornered on stark, acoustic beauty, with a little bit of jazz influence thrown in on the side. They're the sleepiest band you'll ever hoot and holler about in a live setting, and while their latest record may be best appreciated with a little wine in the comforts of your own home, in concert they go a little better with some good, strong coffee, just so that you don't zone out to their dreamy ballads and miss the remainder of the show. Kim Taylor, despite fighting a cold, delivered an interesting solo set and was admirable for sticking around to do backing vocals for OtR. 4. Jars of Clay w/ Tyrone Wells and Small Boat Sinking - Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA - 04.09.05 11th time's the charm (why yes, I am that obsessed) for a band that's my favorite on CD, but who has been a bit hit-and-miss in a live setting over the years. For their sole West Coast appearance this spring, they stripped the arrangements back to just guitars and keyboards, no drums and bass whatsoever, just the four core members of the band. These more delicate takes on their new hymns record and some of their classic material came across as something so wonderfully pure that I found myself wishing they'd never tried to do the rock concert thing a good 8 or 9 of the other times I'd see them. 5. Olivia the Band w/ Pennylane and various local hardcore bands - Haleiwa, HI - 01.21.05 Not necessarily one of the year's best concerts, but I had to mention it because I learned a lot at my first out-of-state concert since seeing the Dave Matthews Band in Vegas back in 2001. For starters, I found out that Hawaii has its share of local Christian screamo bands. Who knew? I also learned that a great number of the Christian youth on Oahu are into said bands. Finally, I learned that while flip-flops are recommended footwear when out and about in Hawaii, one should never wear them to a rock concert, assuming one expected to survive the night with one's toes intact. After the torture of dodging several dancing/moshing teenagers and trying to keep our eardrums intact through the unintelligible sets of the screamo bands, we were treated to an intriguingly diverse set from the promising local band Pennylane, and then of course the group we'd been waiting for, Olivia the Band, who was loud enough to have our ears ringing for hours after the show, but who put on the most unabashedly fun performance of any that we experienced together this year. Just for the experience of attending a concert in Hawaii alone, this one will always be remembered. Honorable mentions go to Something Like Silas, whom I was fortunate enough to catch playing sublime worship sets twice this year, and The Elms, who have apparently revitalized their career, if the new material played at a February Viper Room show is any indication. I'm looking forward to 2006 releases from both bands. MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2006: This is a pretty random list, but here's who I'm really looking forward to new music from in the new year: 1. Iona - The Circling Hour 2. Sufjan Stevens - Oregon 3. Mute Math - Mute Math 4. Future of Forestry - Future of Forestry EP 5. Evanescence - The Open Door 6. Luna Halo - Crush and Burn 7. Sleeping at Last - Keep No Score 8. Plumb - Chaotic Resolve (the official release!) 9. The Elms - The Chess Hotel 10. Cindy Morgan - Postcards 11. Tool - 10,000 Days 12. Linkin Park 13. Olivia the Band - Back to Friends Where Summer Never Ends EP 14. Radiohead 15. Weird Al Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood 16. The Corrs - Home And that's it for 2005! It's been exhausting year, and hopefully I'll be able to keep up with the influx of new music a little better in 2006. See y'all in January, where I'll try in vain to catch up on some of my leftover stuff from 2005 that warrants full reviews. Happy New Year, y'all!  |
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by kiwifella
by George_Chabot
![Revelation [Digipak] by Journey Reviews](http://di1.shopping.com/images/pi/73/9c/e0/2046466476-100x100-0-0.jpg?p=p14.a09f887191fd284e0a5f&a=2&c=1&l=8071320&t=120604121416&r=1)
