indiecontextual #17 - we build things high

it was the last and most exciting show of the year! erin's top 25 albums of 2005. just fit in 22 on the show, and there's actually 26 on the list. more just seems to keep finding its way in to the limits i set. but i like abundance, and i really like every one of these albums.

ERIN'S TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2005:

#1. wolf parade: apologies to the queen mary (modern world)
this is the greatest band in the universe. they top all lists of everything. they drink all the beer. they have kindly devoted generous portions of their lives to making music that makes me ecstatic. every sound they make proves boredom wrong. proves silence a sucker.
#2. sufjan stevens: illinois (come on! feel the illinoise!)
this is the sound of life. it's sad, it's pretty, it's in middle america (or somewhere down there) and it's in you, in me, what's the difference. focusing on one place, sufjan has made the sound of everywhere.
#3. animal collective: feels (purple bottle)
i freak out. freak. out.
#4. wintersleep: wintersleep (jaws of life)
this album is like a really good relationship. dynamic and intimate. it rocks and it whispers and its liner notes consist of a storybook about a boy who lost his heart. he lost his heart!
#5. the white stripes: get behind me satan (my doorbell)
jack white bends space and time with his mouth and eats rock and roll with his feet and kicks it all out with his hands. 5th incredible album by prolific and diverse genius and his sweet rockin sister.
#6. why?: elephant eyelash (gemini)
why? why? why? oh, is life difficult, say it in a new way and tell the story, i never expected, the kind of thing never really described quite and then you know you're still alive, and mix some genres in the notebook, i'm hooked.
#7. clap your hands say yeah: clap your hands say yeah (over and over)
dude, the name says it all. do it. it just sounds good. it mumbles jagged like that. there's cynicism, there's lethargy, there's some kind of driving force shouting all the time, all the time and it's worth it.
#8. broken social scene: broken social scene (it's all gonna break)
this was number 2 on my canadian list, but wintersleep beat it out in the final count, because when it comes down to it, broken social scene is so fucking hip and you love the edgy majesty of it all, but it might just flake out on you on a couple tracks where it's just too thinly and coolly sweet to really mean it. wintersleep will never let you down. but, this one can make your hair dance without you. you might not even notice. unreal.
#9. BARR: beyond reinforced jewel case (like, i used to like)
this is shouted to the point in your face, drummed in, self-conscious, world aware, ok. words matter. and that you shout them too.
#10. sunset rubdown: snake's got a leg (i'll believe in anything, you'll believe in anything)
oh! wolf parade side projects make me ecstatic too! sunset rubdown is just like that, kind of dark and slowing down, but getting intense and turning you on, and being weird, in a hot way.
#11. MIA: arular (bingo)
do you have any crazy techno? yes!!! it almost makes me dance, but more makes break words and say something to get someone thinking. when you're using language might well play it. play it.
#12. woody whatever: the great pop (just enough rope for you)
rocks subtle sweet like a beatle in tragic love with the modern world and not coming out of the garage except to be just like you.
#13. lcd soundsystem: lcd soundsystem (disco infiltrator)
this is hot.
#14. bright eyes: digital ash in a digital urn (goldmine gutted)
yes, I like this one better. it's got like low-fi techno through which to hear some sad and honest poetry, this is an intimate thing, this is not always not ever pretty, i like it a little dirty, the speakers, the beating of yr sticks and pen and machines and heart. it's all heart and machines, heart and machines. yes I like it better.
#15. bright eyes: i'm wide awake it's morning (landlocked blues)
okay, it's possibly the most beautiful thing ever, oh the poetry. but if you know the depths, it's so cleaned up, and yeah, honest and heartfelt and simple and like a heart wide open to everyone, like a wedding a little more formal than i always like, even though meaningful so much.
#16. architecture in helsinki: in case we die (frenchy, i'm faking)
people yelling things together and overtures of pop. it's like a party with some nice people, they're so nice.
#17. the most serene republic: underwater cinematographer (relative's eyes)
we should all sing along, i think we are in this band, i feel like i'm in it, but, just in the background. there's alot of layers and sounds to get along with.
#18. beck: guero (hell yes)
hell yes. and all those things he does. this one does alot of moves, maybe the maturing of all those older moves. this one doesn't grab me by the insides like alot of his earlier masterpieces, and much of the above, but it can certainly rock through you and it does follow.
#19. the decemberists: picaresque (16 military wives)
these guys are so dramatic it's not the top of my favourite adjectives, but they rock the pop truly, and get the depths of it. the depths.
#20. chad vangaalen: infiniheart (after the afterlife)
pained whispers with force. nicely too. intensity in the quiet, like it rocks through sleeping headphones.
#21. new pornographers: twin cinema (twin cinema)
pop is never too sweet when it's not produced like candy.
#22. sleater-kinney: the woods (entertain)
sleater-kinney got electrocuted by guitar rock. this can break your speakers, don't argue with them.
#23. the feminists: she could be
i like intense indie pop rock. let's yell and tap our feet, or you could dance.
#24. ok go: oh no
oh a pop record with all the best edges.
#25. deerhoof: the runners four
sometimes it feels like very small fairies are telling it like it is. they know a thing about it. you could learn to make a mistake. and speak a new. i can't do it every day or else i would be more avant garde, i like those pop records more often. but it's significant.
#26. sigur ros: takk. . .
hits and lifts up overtop like flying carpets you can sleep on. exciting new interpretation of relaxation.


#number in order of bestness in my authoritative opinion. artist: album (song played on show)
things it makes me say

indiecontextual #16 - but, it's significant

coming soon, so soon, this week, erin's top 25 albums of 2005. and kristjanne's top 10, or top 15, or top 1000, it was a good year. last week was our week of christmas excitement with lots of discussion about christmas music, but very little actually played. that's how I feel about it. here's what it sounded like:

1. barr--lights out!-------beyond reinforced jewel case
2. barr--like, i used to like-------beyond reinforced jewel case
3. animal collective--winter's love-------sung tongs
4. frog eyes--russian berries, but you're quiet tonight!-------the folded palm*
5. the white stripes--hello, operator-------de stijl
6. the white stripes--candy cane children-------candy cane children
7. sloan--chester the molester-------navy blues*
8. sufjan stevens--c'mon, let's boogie to the elf dance!-------hark! music for christmas, vol.3
9. thrush hermit--the great pacific ocean-------the great pacific ocean*
10. woody whatever--milking christmas-------home for the holidays (check out www.agriculturerecords.com)
11. joel plaskett emergency--true patriot love-------down at the khyber*
12. a.c. newman--drink to me, babe, then-------the slow wonder*
13. marvin gaye--got to give it up, pt. 1-------best of marvin gaye, vol. 2: the seventies
14. you say party! we say die!-------what's the hold up? where's the fire?*
15. fun 100--roger and me-------hit it & quit*
16. the sheds--tank-------the sheds*
17. black mountain--heart of snow-------black mountain*
18. the walkmen--the north pole-------bows and arrows
19. the strokes--fear of sleep-------first impressions of earth
20. the boy least likely to--fur soft as fur-------the best party ever
21. colour book--never get old-------unreleased (see www.colourbook.cjb.net)*
22. bell orchestre--bells play the band-------recording a tape the colour of the light*
23. yann tiersen & shannon wright--dragonfly-------self-titled
24. barr--anthems and all-------beyond reinforced jewel case

artist--song-------album
new this year
prerelease
canadian*

indiecontextual #15 - it's the best that I can do

ERIN'S TOP 5 CANADIAN ALBUMS OF 2005:

#1-wolf parade--apologies to the queen mary (dear sons and daughters of hungry ghosts)
#2-broken social scene--broken social scene (7/4 shoreline)
#3-wintersleep--wintersleep (danse macabre)
#4-the most serene republic--underwater cinematographer (proposition 61)
#5-sunset rubdown--snake's got a leg (snake's got a leg)
#6-chad vangaalen--infiniheart (clinically dead)
#7-new pornographers--twin cinema (the jessica numbers)

MORE GREAT CANADIAN ALBUMS THIS YEAR:

• the feminists--she could be (life in a box)
• black mountain--black mountain (don't run our hearts around)
• metric--live it out (monster hospital)
• fembots--the city (count down our days)
• jason collett--idols of exile (fire)
• bell orchestre--recording a tape the colour of the light (salvatore amato)
• immaculate machine--ones and zeros (broken ship)
• the mark inside--static/crash (carousel)
• hot hot heat--elevator (jingle jangle)
• holy fuck--holy fuck (tone bank jungle)
• joel plaskett--la de da (natural disaster)
• the meligrove band--planets conspire (grasshoppers in honey)
• the remains of brian borcherdt--the remains of brian borcherdt vol. 2 (moments of protest)

TOP 5 OF THE TOP 5 AGAIN:

#5-sunset rubdown--snake's got a leg (the dust you kick up is too fine)

#4-the most serene republic--underwater cinematographer (you're a loose cannon mcarthur, but you get the job done)

#3-wintersleep--wintersleep (lipstick)

#2-broken social scene--broken social scene (windsurfing nation)

#1-wolf parade--apologies to the queen mary (you are a runner and i am my father's son)

artist--album (song played)

indiecontextual #14 -

1. bedhead--unfinished-------what fun life was (1993)
2. bedhead--crushing-------what fun life was (1993)
3. the new year--gasoline-------newness ends ()
4. pavement--conduit for sale-------slanted and enchanted (1992)
5. frog eyes--I like dot dot dot-------the folded palm (2004)*
6. death cab for cutie--title and registration-------transatlantacism (2004)
7. chad vangaalen--sunshine snare hits-------infiniheart*
8. chet--the flattering soul (my trip down a hole)-------kauai ()*
9. fiona apple--window-------extraordinary machine
10. black mountain--druganaut-------black mountain*
11. aretha franklin--chain of fools------- ()
12. feist--when I was a young girl-------let it die (2004)*
13. the decemberists--here I dreamt I was an architect-------castaways and cutouts ()
14. regina spektor--somedays-------soviet kitsch (2004)
15. modest mouse--paper thin walls-------the moon and antarctica (2000)
16. julie doiron--will you still love me in december?-------will you still love me? ()*
17. the decemberists--we both go down together-------picaresque
18. the white stripes--candy cane children-------candy cane children ()
19. broken social scene--ibi dreams of pavement-------broken social scene*
20. wolf parade--we built another world-------apologies to the queen mary*
21. mouse on mars--send me shivers------- ()
22. fiery furnaces--smelling cigarettes-------ep
23. the sheds--fuzzle-------ep*
24. meligrove band--everyone's a winner-------planets conspire*
25. barr--lights out-------beyond the reinforced jewel case
26. bedhead--haywire-------what fun life was (1993)

artist--song-------album (year if not this year, or if it's empty, i don't know off the top of my head and i'm sick of lookin that shit up)
canadian*

indiecontextual #13 - variables lurk in the wine

1. sunset rubdown--the dust you kick up is too fine-------snake's got a leg*
2. sunset rubdown--snake's got a leg-------snake's got a leg*
3. wolf parade--grounds for divorce-------apologies to the queen mary*
4. atlas strategic--chicken shack-------rapture, ye minions (2001)*
5. frog eyes--the fox speak to his wife who is not quite sure-------the bloody hand (2002)*
6. jason collett--fire-------idols of exile*
7. broken social scene--handjobs for the holidays-------broken social scene*
8. julie doiron--tu es malade-------desormais (2001)*
9. the paper cranes--acid washed caskets-------www.newmusiccanada.com*
10. fiona apple--never is a promise-------tidal (1996)
11. immaculate machine--don't leave without us-------ones and zeros*
12. chet--the cold drank my soul away into the day-------the tiger's in the window (2004)*
13. run chico run--ass ravaged beets-------a new peak in lowdownness (2001)*
14. cat power--shaking paper-------you are free (2003)
15. the most serene republic--proposition 61-------underwater cinematographer*
16. you say party we say die!--the gap (between the rich and the poor) slow version------- www.newmusiccanada.com*
17. the strokes--under control-------room on fire (2003)
18. the weakerthans--watermark-------left and leaving (2000)*
19. dustin and garret--donnie d (rough mix)-------www.myspace.com/dustinandgarret*
20. animal collective--who could win a rabbit-------sung tongs (2004)
21. belle and sebastian--nice day for a sulk-------fold your hands child, you walk like a peasant (2000)
22. the remains of brian borcherdt--stars are over rated-------the remains of brian borcherdt vol. 2*
23. the remains of brian borcherdt--gunslinger-------the remains of brian borcherdt vol. 2*
24. neko case--i wish i was the moon tonight-------blacklisted (2002)
25. mongoose--tokyo blade-------museum of modern heart*
26. the feminists--i miss you, come home-------she could be*
27. the meligrove band--isle of yew-------planets conspire*
28. sunset rubdown--stadiums and shrines-------snake's got a leg*

band--song-------album (year if not from this year)
new in the last six months
unreleased
canadian*