2005 Also-rans

Here's something I meant to post a long time ago (like, January) that I just stumbled upon after the blog I was working on got swept away by some weird alien keyboard function that I couldn't turn off. My Bad. Enjoy, and check out some of this stuff, would ya?


I hate to leave great records off of my top ten, but some of the greatest records of the year I still didn't get to listen to as much as they deserve. So here are another five albums that I thought were good, even if they got minimal spins at my house.

Sufjan Stevens- Illinois (As "Smartsy" as "Artsy" gets)
Matt Pond PA-Several Arrows Later
Cyro Baptista-Beat (Cover of Led Zep's Immigrant Song-phenomenal)
The New Pornographers- Twin Cinema
Wolf Parade- Apologies to the Queen Marry

Also Recommend:
Iron & Wine: Woman King EP
Iron & Wine & Calexico
Lucero
Old School Freight Train-Run,
Julie Lee-Stillhouse Road
Amy Rigby-"Little Fugitive"
Marty Stuart-Badlands & Soul's Chapel
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver-Dig a Little Deeper
The Frank & Joe Show-66 2/3
Bettye LaVette- I've Got My Own Hell To Raise

Songwriters to check out:
Ray Wylie Hubbard- Clever, introspective, and downright hilarious at times. The best damn "Country Lounge" singer ever.

Hayes Carl- Protge of Ray Wylie Hubbard, just as clever with a young-yet-weathered voice.

Vic Chesnutt- Paraplegic brooder draws you in, makes you think.

Ben Taylor- JT's son finally accepts his father's influence.

Jamie Hartford -Also in the shadow of his father, Jamie steps out and polishes up some of his daddy John's best work.

David Childers & The Modern Don Juans- Surf-a-Indie!!!

Jimmie Dale Gilmore -Cut a historical collection of old country tunes his daddy loved.

Tim O'Brien Duel releases ("Cornbread Nation" & "Fiddler's Green") by this old-time music historian.


Good songs:

"Gold Digga" Kanye West - Actually, I'd rather recommend the live version of Ray's "I Got a Woman" that Kanye sampled and Jamie Foxx sang, but it's a bit freshened up here.

"Hollaback Girl" - Gwen Stefani. . . I mean, the refrain says it all, this shit IS bananas.

"Since U Been Gone" Kelly Clarkson - Don't hate. From the introduction to the final chords, this is pop perfection. She's had a lot to prove, but I think she's sticking around.

"Every Day's A Holiday with You" Esthero (w/ Julian Lennon) - Great song attached to a weak album. It's worth $.99, but not $14.99.

"Superstition" Old School Freight Train - The world didn't need another cover of Superstition, until this.

"When the President Talks to God" Bright Eyes Scathing presidential review shows that Conor's approval rating for the prez is definitely below 40%.

"You Gotta Dig a Little Deeper" Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - In my mind, bluegrass music doesn't get any better than this, especially in 2005.

"Cold Day in the Sun"- Foo Fighters - David Grohl will forever be trying to recreate "Everlong" and this is probably as close as he'll ever get.

"Get Rich off Christ Dyin'" David Spade Not a song, just a quote I thought was hilarious on David Spade's year-end-review show.

Current Listening-Jon Randall "Walking Among the Living"