2005 Music in Review

Well, another year down already. Lots of pretty solid music came out in 2005 although 2006 looks to be even better. Here's what I had strong opinions about this year...


Top 20 Albums of 2005:


1. Cage - "“Hell'’s Winter"” - The best album of the year. Cage came out of no where with a very chilling autobiographical account of his life, a big departure from his normal rhymes too outlandish to be true. Some label it as "emo," I just hear amazing production with spot-on flow and great wordplay... not to mention the words basically pour from his heart to the tape. A Classic.

Highlights - "Scenester," "Shoot Frank" and "Hell's Winter"


2. Madonna - "“Confessions on a Dance Floor"” - Madonna followed up the very weak "American Life" with a true dance album that shines from start to finish. The pretentious lyrics that plagued the last release are mostly gone, letting the producers really come to the forefront. The best dance album since Bassment Jaxx' "Kish Kash."

Highlights - "Hung Up," "Issac" and "Push"


3. Edan - "“Beauty and the Beat"” - Sonic overload... which turns out to be a good thing. The most experimental album I've heard since "Madvillainy," Edan's latest pushes the boundaries of convention on every track. Best listened to straight through.

Highlights - "Fumbling Over Words that Rhyme," "Torture Chamber" and "Promised Land"


4. Dangerdoom - "“The Mouse and the Mask" - Doom comes through again. No need to wax poetic about this album, especially since Doom is my favorite MC. If you like Adult Swim, Doom or good rap music, this is right up your alley.

Highlights - "Old School," "Benzie Box" and "A.T.H.F."


5. Little Brother - "“The Minstrel Show"” - 9th Wonder, 9th Wonder, 9th Wonder. That's about the bottom line. This album pissed off a lot of people. Truth hurts sometimes. Terrific major label debut, the R. Kelly mocking gives it bonus points.

Highlights - "Lovin' It," "Beautiful Morning" and "We Got Now"


6. Weezer - "“Make Believe"” - Panned by most critics, this is the best frontman Rivers Cuomo has sounded five albums deep. Most of the songs follow the same formula: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, guitar solo, chorus. But what is wrong with infectious power pop-rock?

Highlights - "We are All on Drugs," "Perfect Situation" and "Haunt You Everyday"


7. Gorillaz - "“Demon Days"” - Novelty act Gorillaz prove they aren't such a novelty with a tremendous second album. The music leans toward a more Brit-pop influence, but the guest stars are enough to bridge the gap. DangerMouse with two albums in the top ten.

Highlights - "DARE," "Dirty Harry" and "Every Planet We Reach is Dead"


8. System of a Down - "““Hypotize" / "Mezmerize"” - A double-album that isn't a double. What makes SOAD so great is that every song has every musical style in it. Hard to decide which album is better.

Highlights - "B.Y.O.B.," "Holy Mountains" and "Lost in Hollywood"


9. Common - "““BE"” - Could have been number one had someone not fucked up the tracklist so bad... A live song in the middle of a rap album? Ooookkkk! Find "The Food" studio version like I did, well worth it.

Highlights - "The Corner," "Testify" and "Chi-City"


10. Beck - "“Guero" / "Guerolito" - One is the new Beck album, the other is said album completely remixed track-for-track. Any way you slice it, there has to be a version of each song you dig big time... in most cases you will love both versions. Both albums are a must have.

Highlights - "E-Pro," "Girl" and "Ghettochip Malfunction (Hell Yes)"


11. Gza/Muggz - "““The Grandmasterz"” - GZA finally has a album that can hold a candle to "Liquid Swords." While he doesn't attack the tracks with the same vigor, the wordplay is still there, and Muggz does a great job recreating that classic old school Wu-sound.

Highlights - "General Principles," "Queen's Gambit" and "All in Together"


12. Queens of the Stone Age - "“Lullabies to Paralyze"” - Another solid album from QOTSA. While the second half is very experimental, the majority is flawless hard rock.

Highlights - "In my Head," "Tangled Up in Plaid" and "Burn the Witch"


13. The Game - "““The Documentary"” - Like him or not, this album had the best mainstream production of any rap album this year. Sure-fire West Coast Gangsta Rap.

Highlights - "How we Do," "Higher" and "Put You on the Game"


14. M.I.A. - "““Arular"” - Rockin' Reggae.... kinda. An impossible album to describe, it touches just about every musical genre known to man. Tough to handle on first listen and definitely an album for the open minded.

Highlights - "Bucky Done Gun," "Galang" and "Pull Up the People"


15. Kanye West - "““Late Registration" - While not as good as his debut, Kanye's latest has five of the best rap songs you might ever hear. A few too many filler tracks, this CD could have been in the top three.

Highlights - "Drive Slow," "We Major" and "Diamonds (Remix)"



16. Fort Minor - "““The Rising Tied"” - The side project from Linkin Park's rapper... executive produced by Hov. 'Nuff said... but seriously. LP knew good rap back when they released their remix album and still know it now. Not too mention the themes touched on during the album are creative. Surprisingly good.

Highlights - "Remember the Name," "Cigarettes" and "Get me Gone"


17. Hot Hot Heat - "““Elevator" - Radio friendly dance rock. It's fun. It's good.

Highlights - "Goodnight, Goodnight," "You Owe me an I.O.U." and "Middle of Nowhere"


18. Quasimoto - "“The Furthur Adventures of Lord Quas"” - The high-pitched alien rapper is back. Madlib whips up another trippy underground rap album to digest. Hopefully "Madvillain 2" has this kind of potential.

Highlights - "Closer," "Fatbacks" and "The Exclusive"


19. Blackalicious - "““The Craft"” - Solid outing from Blackalicious. Mainstream still hasn't shown much love. Someday Gift of Gab will get his due.

Highlights - "Rhythm Sticks," "Supreme People" and "Your Move"


20. Blueprint - "“1988"” - An ode to the Golden Year of Hip-Hop, 1988. Pretty dope album, both lyrically and beatwise. Looking forward to more from Blueprint.

Highlights - "Boombox," "Fresh" and "Big Girls Need Love Too"

Top 20 Singles of the year:

1. Fall Out Boy - "““Sugar, We'’re Goin' Down"” - No one can possibly resist this being stuck in their head.

2. System of a Down - "““B.Y.O.B."” - Best chorus of the year.

3. The Strokes - "““Juicebox" - Not what you would expect from the Strokes.

4. Little Brother - "““Lovin' It"” - 9th at his best.

5. Gorillaz - "““Dare" - I didn't see this coming, even from a group as experimental as the Gorillaz.

6. Damion "‘Jr. Gong" Marley - "““Welcome to Jamrock" - Classic the minute I heard it.

7. Weezer - "““We Are All on Drugs"” - The most rocking song on Weezer's latest.

8. Beck - "““E-Pro" - Tru Beck.

9. Queens of the Stone Age - "““In My Head"” - This song got shitted on by radio. Exactly why radio today has no fuckin' clue.

10. Kanye West - "““Drive Slow"” - A cut above the other "Late" standouts.

11. LCD Soundsystem - "““Daft Punk is Playing at my House"” - Freak Out.

12. Teagan and Sara - "““Walking with a Ghost"” - Awesome song from two lesbos.

13. Ludacris - "“#1 Spot"” - Light years better than "Goldmember," even the video gives you more laughs than the movie.

14. My Chemical Romance - "“Helena"” - I don't know who this kid is, but he knows how to write damn good melodies.

15. 50 Cent - "““Outta Control (Remix)"” - Best song to hear in the club this year.

16. Gwen Stefani - "““Hollaback Girl"” - Loved it from the get go. Best heard performed live with a marching band.

17. Head Automatica - "“Beating Heart Baby" - This album got absolutely no press or play. Everyone else's loss.

18. The Mars Volta - "““The Widow"” - Great stuff and the only song that could be a single on their newest album.

19. The Game - "““How We Do"” - Second best song to hear in the club this year.

20. Fat Joe - "““Safe 2 Say (The Incredible)"” / "“So Much More"” - Take your pick. A hard-edged street banger, or a club anthem you can badly sing along to.


Most disappointing albums of 2005:


1. Coldplay - "X&Y" - I was never a Coldplay fan until I heard some deep cuts from "A Rush of Blood to the Head." That was probably a gift and curse, I expected way more from their follow up. Quiet begining, rising verse, exploding chorus, next song, repeat. Way too formulaic. I expected some ground-breaking material.



2. Fat Joe - "All or Nothing" - Should have been called "Better than Nothing." Most songs that came out prior to the release had you anticipating a great album, what you got was 4 great songs and a pile of radio-geared club garbage. Pun would roll in his grave if he wasn't so fat.


3. Eisley - "Room Noises" - Upon hearing their song "Marvelous Things" I dubed this band the future of music... opps. I don't even like that song on this album, it's mixed totally different. They are still young, there might be room to grow.


4. Dave Matthews Band - "Stand Up" - I'm not a "pure" DMB fan, my favorite album from them is "Everyday." I don't know what this shit is. It's like Dave went down South a wrote an album while drowning in some Texas Tea. It's a copy-protected CD, don't worry, no one is trying.


5. The White Stripes - "Get Behind Me Satan" - It's good... it just isn't "Elephant." In fact, it's just too big a departure from "Elephant" for me to get into it. It sounds like Jack White's work with Loretta Lynn just took over these studio sessions with a few exceptions.


Well, that's about it. Feel free to share some opinions... Here's to a great sounding 2006.