The Upstate Life

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

TUL's Top 20 Albums of 2005, Because You Really Care! (Part 2 of 2)

As promised, here are The Upstate Life's Top Ten Albums of 2005. Due to the minor significance of the Hanukkah holiday and the upcoming New Year, TUL will be going on vacation through the rest of '05. Posting will resume on Tuesday, January 3rd, or whenever I so please. C'mon now, this shit is a lot of work!

10) Hollertronix - Vol. 2 12": Diplo and Low Budget have some fun with this mash-up EP, dropping TV On The Radio over Afrika Bambaataa, Snoop Dogg over The Cure, and Three 6 Mafia over Tanya Stephens (think "Stay Fly" with a reggae twist). However, TUL's personal favorite has got to be "Tippin Toxic", which if you haven't figured out, is Mike Jones' "Still Tippin" over the beats of Britney Spears' "Toxic." If anything, it makes the H-Town rap more fan-friendly at your next house party.

9) LCD Soundsystem - S/T: James Murphy isn't your typical run of the mill hipster. In fact, he's a 30-something stout dude who loves the cowbell, but yet, he's still much cooler than you'll ever be. If you can accept that, then you'll have no problem hitting the dance floor to "Tribulations." I have to admit that hearing "Daft Punk is Playing at My House" on the OC earlier this year was just a tad surreal IMHO.

8) Bloc Party - Silent Alarm: 2005 couldn't have been a better year for the British quartet. The former Franz Ferdinand openers managed to headline their own US tour, not once, but two times this year while promoting their critically acclaimed full-length debut Silent Alarm. The band possesses more depth than you'd expect but still manage to maintain their indie rock cred through the album's 14 blistering songs.

7) The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike: Start with some guitars, throw in some crazy drum loops, sample some 70's TV theme songs, and add a dash of cheerleader vocals (yes, I said cheerleaders), then compile all of it into one lo-fi environment and, voila, you've got yourselves one of the year's most distinctive, catchiest records. Don't believe me? Scroll to "Huddle Formation" on your iPod and drop those pom-poms like they're hot.

6) Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die: One of this year's most bizarre yet infectious records. This Australian outfit manages to expand their world of sound tenfold after following their so-so debut Fingers Crossed. The four-part medley of the title track wraps this band up in a nutshell, a peculiar but damn tasty one at that.

5) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - S/T: Sure, they suck live, but the 11 tracks (we won't count the horrible opening song) that comprise this Brooklyn band's self-released, self-titled debut made up one of the best albums we've heard in 2005. If you haven't seen them yet, be sure to skip their performance on Conan that was on a few weeks back. There really isn't a better opportunity for a horrible first impression.

4) Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary: After impressing me with their haunting melodies and unique arrangements when they opened for Modest Mouse back in '04, I eagerly anticipated the Canadian group's first LP. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Though the versions of songs that appear on the album are a little tamer than their earlier 2003/2004 EP counterparts, Apologies to the Queen Mary still proves to be an excellent album and a great debut for a band who certainly looks to have a bright future down the road.

3) Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better: Am I the only one that thinks Franz's second album outshines their first? There's a lot more depth, both lyrically and musically, on the Scottish rockers sophomore release. While their debut was laden with single-rich dance-rock material, You Could Have It So Much Better sounds much better taken as a whole than its predecessor. The tempo and key changes found in songs such as "This Boy" and "I'm Your Villain" are further proof that Franz Ferdinand should be taken more seriously than being featured on a PSP commercial.

2) Brendan Benson - Alternative to Love: Hands down one of the best singer/songwriter releases 2005 has brought us. Benson fills this album with so much catchy pop and exceptional writing you wonder how he's been flying under the radar for so very long. Personally, I believe Alternative to Love to be his best album to date. Also, I'm honestly perplexed how gems like "Spit It Out", "Cold Hands Warm Heart", and the title track all appear on the same record. How does he do it?

1) The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema: Believe it or not, this was first album I've heard by this Canadian ensemble, but evidently it's their best work yet. The power pop Carl Newman and company create is simply exhilarating. The catchy hooks and incredible harmonizing between Newman and female vocalist Neko Case make Twin Cinema this year's Smile, but better.

Posted by Brett at 3:56 PM |