Mr Red Penguin's MP3 Heaven.

Friday, December 30, 2005


Mr Red Penguin's Top 20 Albums of 2005



Man of few words today. Most of the comments about why I like the albums can be found in the blurb on the corresponding singles.

One thing I did notice though - my favourite album of 2004 was probably Keane's Hopes and Fears. If it came out in 2005, I would put it somewhere around no 15 on the list below - so was this a fantastic year for albums? Was 2004 a very poor year? Or did I just go nuts and choose a bit of a fruity one?

1. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm1: Bloc Party
Silent Alarm





2. Robocop Kraus - They Think They Are The Robocop Kraus2: Robocop Kraus
They Think They Are The Robocop Kraus





3. Others - The Others3: Others
The Others





4. Rulers Of The Planet - In 30 Minutes We Destroy The Earth4: Rulers Of The Planet
In 30 Minutes We Destroy The Earth





5. Kate Bush - Aerial5: Kate Bush
Aerial





6. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment6: Kaiser Chiefs
Employment





7. Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger7: Maximo Park
A Certain Trigger





8. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock 'n' Roll8: Art Brut
Bang Bang Rock 'n' Roll





9. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better With9: Franz Ferdinand
You Could Have It So Much Better With





10. Frank and Walters - Souvenirs10: Frank and Walters
Souvenirs





11. British Sea Power - Open Season11: British Sea Power
Open Season





12. Madness - The Dangermen Sessions Vol 112: Madness
The Dangermen Sessions Vol 1





13. Aberdeen City - The Freezing Atlantic13: Aberdeen City
The Freezing Atlantic





14. Chris T-T - 9 Red Songs14: Chris T-T
9 Red Songs





15. Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity15: Cardigans
Super Extra Gravity





16. Bravery - Bravery16: Bravery
Bravery





17. Dead 60s - Dead 60s17: Dead 60s
Dead 60s





18. VHS Or Beta - Night On Fire18: VHS Or Beta
Night On Fire





19. Gorillaz - Demon Days19: Gorillaz
Demon Days





20. Coldplay - X & Y20: Coldplay
X & Y






posted by Paul at 3:56 pm
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Tuesday, December 27, 2005


Mr Red Penguin's Top 100 Singles of 2005



Don't you just love this time of year? All those "best of" best ofs and all those people saying "I hate end of year charts"? Well I certainly don't, I've been sorting this one out for about SIX WEEKS now and I think I've finally come up with some final positions. Coming before the end of the year, my top 10 gigs, my top 10 albums, and my picks for 2006, and that last one gives me a chance to whack up some MP3s too!

Comments welcome!

1. Mystery Jets - You Can't Fool Me Dennis1: Mystery Jets
You Can't Fool Me Dennis


Knock me in a cocked hat, you always played with a straight bat? Seeing the Mystery Jets in a venue as small as Chinnery's in Southend was a delight - great stage presence, excellent musicianship and Henry Harrison, 20 years older than everyone else in the band and looking like the live arena is his natural home. Weird and wonderful. Oh and their manager, Milo, is a Sultans of Ping fan too!


2. Bloc Party - Banquet2: Bloc Party
Banquet


Proof that you don't need a great singer AND great music AND great lyrics to make a classic - because, like most Bloc Party songs, I really don't know what the hell he's going on about.


3. Maximo Park - Apply Some Pressure3: Maximo Park
Apply Some Pressure


This is the great pop song of 2005. Singable, shoutable, hookladen, good enough to reach the top 20 on two separate occasions this year, which may not be an impressive statistic for such a good song but have you seen the charts these days …?


4. Robocop Kraus - Small Houses Odd Cars4: Robocop Kraus
Small Houses Odd Cars


Hard to say why I like the songs on this Nuremburg outfit's 4th album quite so much. Franz Ferdinand is the obvious comparison but they've been around a good 4 or 5 years longer and unusually for Germans, deliver it with much more humour. Apologies for stereotype mode being left on there but just because they're German I don't want you to think they sound like Kraftwerk! This song is the best for my money out of a very good bunch.


5. Futureheads - Hounds Of Love5: Futureheads
Hounds Of Love


Despite coming out on an album in July 2004, NME made it their "track" of the year (I still prefer "single", even if it wasn't one, see no.4!) It's a brilliant version alright, a very different version of an excellent song which adds nothing or takes nothing away from the original's brilliance. It got the young people rightly interested in KB again too.


6. Others - Lackey6: Others
Lackey


I know a lot of people hate the Others, they have a rather too-honest-for-his-own-good spokesperson in the drug-loving The-Man-hating Dominic Masters and the simplicity of their lyrics does leave them open as a pretty easy target. But the gigs are great - can you name a similar band whose fans love them quite so much? - the music is an interesting blend of Cure/80s goth mixed with punk rock guitars, Dominic is a very nice bloke (having met him three times) who talks endlessly about football and the ways that record companies work, and I can't think of a bad thing to say about a song which could have been written by any sixthformer but still comes out sounding great.


7. Young Knives - The Decision7: Young Knives
The Decision


I was a difficult child, I was abstract and wild … I'm the Prince of Wales, and if all else fails, I am the Prince of Wales, I am your monarch, your supreme monarch! The horses in the New Forest are running in their Sunday best … oh come on, do I really need to tell you how BRILLIANT this song is? Can't you see the clues? Can you visualise the video - with the singer's head being cooked in a pot? Every time I hear this song end I expect to hear the words "You're listening to BBC Radio 4" in perfect BBC English. Sums up English eccentricity like no other song has done for years.


8. Rakes - Retreat8: Rakes
Retreat


Hard call again to decide which one was the best of the bunch from this band but I think the marching beat of the song sums up the endless cycle of nothingness perfectly. Although I still prefer the video for 22 Grand Job.


9. MJ Hibbett and the Validators - Never Going Back To Aldi's9: MJ Hibbett and the Validators
Never Going Back To Aldi's


Released for the first time on the BRILLIANT Artists Without Success Christmas compilation - not actually setting a few personal scores in public, the dislike of Aldi is merely down to his increased social status - Waitrose beckons for MJ. A bit of a musical oddity in that he gets a lot of airplay on BBC 6 Music - and Brentwood's only alternative, Phoenix FM - but not much elsewhere. If you get a chance, read his website … just like his single, it is GRATE.


10. Kate Bush - Mrs Bartolozzi10: Kate Bush
Mrs Bartolozzi


The Bush we don't all hate is back. I found King of the Mountain a bit odd for a single release, but at no. 4 it was still her highest charting "hit" in 20 years, and her third-biggest ever. Some of the album has some bewildering lows, but there are also some amazing highs like this song - one piano, one still beautiful voice, one set of highly odd lyrics - and like a number of other tracks on the album, among the best things she's ever done - and that's no mean feat.


11. Data Panik - Cubis11: Data Panik
Cubis


Data Panik are the reformed and enlarged Bis, currently releasing songs themselves on their own website, and gigging from time to time, mainly in and around Glasgow but I was fortunate to catch them in London in the summer. They played a set of around 7 songs, all new stuff, all sounding as good as anything that Bis ever did, and this is the best of the lot - half punk, half electronic, all great shouty singalong.


12. Kaiser Chiefs - Modern Way12: Kaiser Chiefs
Modern Way


While I've moaned elsewhere about the overplaying of Employment - one of the year's top selling albums, incredibly - this song, with its brilliant tennis ball thing going on in the video, is the most atmospheric and intelligent on their Modern Life Is Rubbish ripoff of an album. Can someone please shoot the singer though!


13. Rulers Of The Planet - Backbencher13: Rulers Of The Planet
Backbencher


The last of three songs from my favourite debut album of the year - more mid-tempo and reminiscent of Therapy? in their prime.


14. Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)14: Arcade Fire
Rebellion (Lies)


The highlight of that album everyone is talking and raving about - while this is a fantastic song, I found the whole CD a bit patchy. But if ever I wanted to get dressed up in some kind of American revolutionary gear (it's probably some ironic Canadian statement, isn't it) and walk down the street banging a drum, this is the song I'd do it to.


15. We Are Scientists - Great Escape15: We Are Scientists
Great Escape


Extra points for "that dance" in the video - enough said!


16. ¡Forward, Russia! - Thirteen16: ¡Forward, Russia!
Thirteen


When I interviewed them earlier this year I asked them what their political agenda was - not in a "are you filthy commies" sort of way, but because I was genuinely interested. Oh we don't really have one, they said, which makes me wonder how many other non-political bands would put the word "politburo" in their lyrics as this one does? The midi version of this song is still the best ringtone I've ever had on my phone.


17. Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Heading For A Breakdown17: Soundtrack Of Our Lives
Heading For A Breakdown


Never had a lot of time for the Swedish psychadelic rockers until this year - this song, complete with hilarious manic freak-out video, is a brilliant pop/rock outing.


18. Madness - I Chase the Devil AKA Ironshirt18: Madness
I Chase the Devil AKA Ironshirt


A cover of the Max Romeo song, more recognisable to most as the main tune and refrain from the Prodigy's "Out Of Space". This is a quality ska song though, musically very tight and bodes well for more Madness original material due out in 2006.


19. Gorillaz - Dare19: Gorillaz
Dare


First time I heard this song - I didn't realise it was Gorillaz, I thought it was some peculiar fantastic no-sales sad electroclash outfit. Not knowing what it was, I never thought I'd hear it again ... until the next day, when XFM playlisted it. That a fat bloated corporation like D Albarn plc can come up with something so fresh and original after all these years is considerably irritating!


20. Aberdeen City - God Is Going To Get Sick Of Me20: Aberdeen City
God Is Going To Get Sick Of Me


I've read the lyrics and I still don't know why God is going to get sick of him, but I haven't played this song quite enough times to be sick of it myself.


21. Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To?21: Franz Ferdinand
Do You Want To?


Franz-by-numbers debut single from the stupidly titled second album which got better with each and every play, until you actually realised that it was quite a clever song really.


22. Beauty Shop - Monster22: Beauty Shop
Monster


I think technically it was out in the US last year but it came out for the first time in the UK in September so I am cheating and putting it in as it's the best slab of Americana I've heard in a long time.


23. Test-Icicles - Circle Square Triangle23: Test-Icicles
Circle Square Triangle


The Millwall of the indie scene in the UK right now - everyone hates them, but they clearly don't care. This is a brilliant spiky and angular (TM - copyright words of the moment 2005) song and I'm just glad not to have seen the farces of their live shows which have been less than impressive!


24. Rakes - 22 Grand Job24: Rakes
22 Grand Job


Every time this video comes on the telly I remind everyone that you shouldn't knock office life as my office is *exactly* like this video. I think everyone is secretly overawed and jealous at the same time, but they don't let on.


25. British Sea Power - It Ended On An Oily Stage25: British Sea Power
It Ended On An Oily Stage


I managed to catch the album launch show for Open Season back in April and I think this is still the standout track, maybe because of their insistance of correct English - not many bands would bother to include the word "whilst" when "while" or something more vulgar would do!


26. Cardigans - I Need Some Fine Wine, And You, You Need To Be Nicer26: Cardigans
I Need Some Fine Wine, And You, You Need To Be Nicer


An unassuming but beautiful song, a return to form from their career lowpoint of Gran Turismo (only in my humble opinion of course), plus you get to hear Nina Persson bark out orders, what more do you want in a song?


27. Komakino - Say Something27: Komakino
Say Something


I know it was really trendy for "young person band websites" to love this lot (especially since one of them put them out on their own record label) but to me this song has early indies 90 all over it. It could be a B side from Mega City 4, or Thousand Yard Stare, or even early Marion, and that's why I love it!


28. Franz Ferdinand - This Boy28: Franz Ferdinand
This Boy


The best part of the song is the "beep-beep" in between each line of the verses. I don't think the song would be in my top 100 without it … it's just a work of genius! Actually the rest of the song is pretty good too.


29. Others - William29: Others
William


Bah bah bah-bah-bah bah bah, Bah bah bah-bah-bah bah bah, Bah bah bah-bah-bah bah bah! Now I don't actually mind singing this one because I can relate to the lyrics quite well.


30. Art Brut - Emily Kane30: Art Brut
Emily Kane


10 years, 9 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes, 5 seconds .. great lyrics about unrequited and, let's face it, just a bit scarey love.


31. Kooks - Sofa Song31: Kooks
Sofa Song


Great performance at Cambridge supporting the Subways, this band was one of two top 40 singles in the UK this year, reaching 28 in October.


32. Arcade Fire - Power Out32: Arcade Fire
Power Out


One of two highlights from the Canadian weirdos this year - when the rhythm section's this good, you don't care what the rest of the song is trying to do. (If you're like me, that is).


33. Bloc Party - The Pioneers33: Bloc Party
The Pioneers


The song with the weird animated "hmm, not quite finished, we'll make it up as we go along" storyboard of a video.


34. Data Panik - Sense Not Sense34: Data Panik
Sense Not Sense


Possibly the best B side I've bought since I stopped buying singles! A very different affair to the A side of Cubis - found elsewhere in this chart - a slower moody driving synth-laden outing.


35. Jegsy Dodd and the Original Sinners - Grumpy Old Men35: Jegsy Dodd and the Original Sinners
Grumpy Old Men


Have to confess that I've been a bit of an ignoramus and didn't really know or appreciate this lot until the end of the year when it hit no.1 on OneMusic's Festive 50. However it seems that amazingly no other radio station is giving it the time of day - just the second biggest one in the UK then. Profane, perhaps a little predictable but it's the right accent for the right material and you wonder why no one else thought of it before.


36. Chris T-T - A Plague On Both Your Houses36: Chris T-T
A Plague On Both Your Houses


Most of the stuff I tend to listen to is either upbeat or meaningless; I'd pretty much grown out of "message" songs. This one, however, is the standout from the mini-album "9 Red Songs" - quite a sad little number about the Iraqi war, but a haunting song all the same. Chris T-T continues to go from strength to strength and is often cited as the new Billy Bragg (a bit unfair, his voice isn't quite so harsh). Wonder when he'll be going fishing in his 4x4?


37. El Presidente - Rocket37: El Presidente
Rocket


Surprise package at the Wireless festival this year - I caught them in the XFM tent and they were fantastic. Whether they sold enough for the majors to give them a second bash is anyone's guess though.


38. Chalets - Sexy Mistake38: Chalets
Sexy Mistake


I believe it came out in Ireland last year as a double A side with Theme from Chalets, but yes I am cheating again, as it's on the debut album released in the UK this year.


39. We Are Scientists - Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt39: We Are Scientists
Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt


Debut single from WAS, released in July, and a refreshing change from a lot of the guitar stuff coming out of the states (and the English stuff that copies it).


40. Foo Fighters - DOA40: Foo Fighters
DOA


I don't have many out-and-out non-indie-weirdness straight down the line rock songs, but the Foo Fighters always seem to come up with at least one song evey album which I find myself subconsciously tapping my foot to from start to finish. Obviously I don't headbang or do air guitar or anything undignified like that.


41. Starsailor - In The Crossfire41: Starsailor
In The Crossfire


"Comeback" single which I'm not ashamed to admit I quite like! Didn't quite make the top 20 although they are massive megastars in France at the moment (true!) which I'm sure is some small comfort to them.


42. Rulers Of The Planet - Nandrolone42: Rulers Of The Planet
Nandrolone


100 mile per hour adrenaline fuelled rock at its best.


43. Nine Black Alps - Just Friends43: Nine Black Alps
Just Friends


I know they get pigeonholed as all sorts of things (new Manchester grunge?) but there's something very very late 70s punk about the guitars on this song.


44. Futureheads - Area44: Futureheads
Area


Sunderland's XTC tribute band with a taster from the second album, hopefully due out soon.


45. Be Your Own Pet - Fire Department45: Be Your Own Pet
Fire Department


Shouty teenage American punk (not to be confused with rubbish American punk like Blink 182). Released in July and reached no 59 in the UK.


46. Robocop Kraus - After Laughter Comes Tears46: Robocop Kraus
After Laughter Comes Tears


Definitely not to be confused with the song of almost the same name by the Wu Tang Clan.


47. Dead 60s - The Last Resort47: Dead 60s
The Last Resort


The band's highest charting single, reaching 24 in April.


48. Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc48: Gorillaz
Feel Good Inc


Hard to believe such a good song is so low in my chart - shows what a good year it's been. Still hoping to hear some new Blur with Graham Coxon though, but I don’t think it's going to happen soon!


49. Maximo Park - Going Missing49: Maximo Park
Going Missing


The band's third top 20 hit this year, released in the summer and a bit less frenetic than their other releases.


50. Coldplay - Talk50: Coldplay
Talk


It's taken me a long time to get into X&Y the same way I got into Parachutes and to be honest I don't think I'm going to give it the time when there's too many good albums around elsewhere! This is still a good song though even though it was nicked from Kraftwerk.


51. Rulers of the Planet - Jesus Freak51: Rulers of the Planet
Jesus Freak


One of three high enery rock songs in my chart this year from the debut album from Cork rock band Rulers of the Planet.


52. Abdoujaparov - Ultra Cool52: Abdoujaparov
Ultra Cool


Self-released punk rock EP from Carter USM's Fruitbat, and sounding like he's having as much fun as he ever did.


53. Charlotte Hatherley - Bastardo53: Charlotte Hatherley
Bastardo


Breezy poppy funny song about the git that stole her guitar, and I think the "O" on the end of Bastardo just makes it funnier, can anyone explain why this is?


54. Idlewild - Love Steals Us From Loneliness54: Idlewild
Love Steals Us From Loneliness


Seems like a long time ago now (March I think) but this song was their fourth UK top 20 hit.


55. Art Brut - Good Weekend55: Art Brut
Good Weekend


The elusive outfit's "feelgood" song, released in October to lower-chart acclaim.


56. Robocop Kraus - You Don't Have To Shout56: Robocop Kraus
You Don't Have To Shout


A bizarre but nevertheless highly enjoyable pop/synth song about Matthias Rust's flight into the USSR in the 80s.


57. Jacksonswarehouse - Hotel By The Sea57: Jacksonswarehouse
Hotel By The Sea


Newly signed to the very small and indie SX Records (Essex, geddit?), Jacksonswarehouse are a band from Basildon who sound nothing like Depeche Mode or Yazoo. And why should they .. they're one of a bunch of indie/guitar driven bands from the area gigging non stop who might make inroads in 2006. The name itself is an in-joke, taken from a shop where everyone in Basildon used to buy their school uniform, causing much hilarity within the town and much puzzlement from outside. Drownedinsound say … "Jacksonswarehouse sound like Gomez and the Doves covering Nirvana songs in a loft owned by Andy Warhol". Well of course they don't. Andy Warhol's fucking loft indeed.


58. Long Blondes - Separated By Motorways58: Long Blondes
Separated By Motorways


And the music press had the nerve to run Elastica out of town. The best bit about this song is the specific mentioning of the A14 and the A1 as the "motorways" doing the separating, which frankly demonstrates a horrific lack of knowledge of the Highway Code.


59. ¡Forward, Russia! - Nine59: ¡Forward, Russia!
Nine


Another mix of unintelligible singing, odd lyrics, more-than-one-bridge, random changes of direction and fantastic guitar work. Definitely more to come from this lot in 2006, and they gig non stop, so not hard to catch them somewhere near you soon.


60. Duke Spirit - Lion Rip60: Duke Spirit
Lion Rip


Their highest charting song, reaching no 25 in February - hopefully more to come from this lot in 2006.


61. Nine Black Alps - Shot Down61: Nine Black Alps
Shot Down


Their first single and highest charting one to date, reaching no 25 in March.


62. Arctic Monkeys - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor62: Arctic Monkeys
I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor


It's just Oasis with a Yorkshire accent, isn't it?


63. Sons and Daughters - Taste The Last Girl63: Sons and Daughters
Taste The Last Girl


Scottish countrified electric boogie - great live band too. It's easy to lose yourself in this song; even the bit that sounds like Message In A Bottle.


64. Hybrasil - God Bless The Devil64: Hybrasil
God Bless The Devil


Another track from the We Got Music EP discussing that age-old biblical problem - a musician trying to work out if guitars or synthesizers are going to send him to hell quicker (at least that's the take I've got on it).


65. Bravery - An Honest Mistake65: Bravery
An Honest Mistake


Every now and then a band who are clearly overhyped and over-made-up actually come up with a half-decent song. And I am being a bit unfair really, I saw the Bravery in New York this year in a venue much smaller than one they would grace in the UK, and they put in a great live show, even in front of a decidedly "too cool for school" bunch of posers which made up that crowd.


66. Days Of Worth - Ladies And Gentlemen66: Days Of Worth
Ladies And Gentlemen


Don't go for a lot of that "emo" but this was a good song from a genuinely nice bunch of guys. Last saw them in August at the often-mentioned TMF in Essex, the band have since split - and the website removed by "the man" they were so often railing against; quite sad to see he had the last laugh!


67. Aberdeen City - Sixty Lives67: Aberdeen City
Sixty Lives


One of two records in my top 100 courtesy to the band's strategy of emailing bloggers such as myself. Very much an early-Radiohead sort of feel - hopefully the hard work they've clearly put in publicising some rather excellent music will translate into record sales and gigs in 2006.


68. Supergrass - Low C68: Supergrass
Low C


One of their lowest charting songs but still good to hear them again. The whole album, Road to Rouen, is lazily atmospheric with a feel that they're looking back on better times, which perhaps adds just a bit more poignancy to this song.


69. Bloc Party - Two More Years69: Bloc Party
Two More Years


By comparison to their other stuff, a bit of a dull outing at first play, but like all BP songs this one has crawled under my skin the more I've heard it.


70. LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing At My House70: LCD Soundsystem
Daft Punk Is Playing At My House


One of the genuinely enjoyable characters in dance music at the moment - seeing him at the Leeds Festival last year was a very enjoyable experience too.


71. Kaiser Chiefs - Every Day I Love You Less And Less71: Kaiser Chiefs
Every Day I Love You Less And Less


Probably would have been higher if everyone (including me) hadn't overplayed this album so much this year.


72. Babyshambles - Fuck Forever72: Babyshambles
Fuck Forever


Yes, he is a twat of the highest order, and his live performances are shambolic, and I hate his love/hate relationship with the tabloids, especially the Mirror, which I wouldn't wipe my arse on normally, and I really hate those stupid hats that everyone wears, this is not Only Fools and Horses. And if I didn't put this song in my top 100 (I do actually like it) I couldn't get that off my chest, could I?


73. A - Rush Song73: A
Rush Song


Not as good as previous offerings from the Sting-soundalike skate-rock outfit (eh?) but made up for with an incendiary live show back in April at my favourite venue, the Metro Club in London.


74. Dead 60s - Ghostfaced Killer74: Dead 60s
Ghostfaced Killer


What can you say about the Dead 60s that hasn't been said before .. other than that I tipped them last year!


75. Gorillaz - Dirty Harry75: Gorillaz
Dirty Harry


First heard this song in January when it came out as a white label, and I wasn't overly impressed with it. Funny how a few hundred extra plays can change your opinion.


76. VHS Or Beta - Nightwaves76: VHS Or Beta
Nightwaves


One of the "tighest" bands I've seen this year when I saw them play a sold out show at 93 Feet East in London's Brick Lane (mmm, nice curry that night too). I can't help thinking that they are the 21st century Shakatak repackaged and resold to the young indie crowd, but their album "Night On Fire" is still worth more than a couple of listens. The song I've chosen isn't the title track, released as a single, but the mid-album instrumental.


77. Editors - Bullets77: Editors
Bullets


I don't usually gorge myself on Joy Division and the bands influenced by them but Editors (not "The Editors") were an exception as this was a highly likeable tune. Good performance on "Later with" this year too.


78. Frank and Walters - You Asked Me78: Frank and Walters
You Asked Me


One of my favourite bands from the 90s as highlighted many times on this webiste. This is the single release from their B-sides and rarities compilation "Souvenirs" which came out in the autumn on FIFA Records, and to be honest it's not one of my favourites. The album has been shortlisted as one of five for best album on the Irish equivalent of the Brit awards - an astonishing achievement for a band 10 years outside their prime, but then it is a good album!


79. Thrills - Irish Keep Gate Crashing79: Thrills
Irish Keep Gate Crashing


More of where they left off in 2003/4, pleasant enough but not exactly world changing.


80. Clor - Love & Pain80: Clor
Love & Pain


A lot of people's favourite of the year - voted no 1 by Playlouder.com. Good song but come on, have you seen *my* top ten .. How can you compare! The video still freaks me out, not least because it seems to have been put together using the very latest state of the art equipment that 1980 has to offer.


81. Hot Hot Heat - Goodnight Goodnight81: Hot Hot Heat
Goodnight Goodnight


Didn't hit the heights of No Not Now, one of my favourites of the whole century, but not a bad offering.


82. Bloc Party - So Here We Are82: Bloc Party
So Here We Are


The Bloc Party song I tried hard not to like, but there you go, couldn't ignore it completely no matter how hard I tried.


83. Beck - E-Pro83: Beck
E-Pro


I can't listen to any of his stuff any more without thinking of his head in a jar playing a harmonica and touring America in the year 3000 - thanks Futurama!


84. Nizlopi - JCB Song84: Nizlopi
JCB Song


Oh come on, it's not *that* bad, is it. Just wait for everyone to leave them room, and say it out loud.


85. Burningpilot - You Can't Kid A Kidder85: Burningpilot
You Can't Kid A Kidder


One of the less-well-known tracks released by the ultra-cool-in-2005 Transgressive label. Toby and Tim, who run the label, are two nice guys and don't deserve the highs and lows of the fickle public, so here's hoping the label prospers even more next year!


86. Maximo Park - Graffiti86: Maximo Park
Graffiti


A hammond-fuelled indier version of the theme from Weekend World (I can't be the only person to remember that one).


87. Hybrasil - We Got Music87: Hybrasil
We Got Music


A new band from Ireland - this single reached the Irish top 50 in the summer. Bit of a groovy Kasabian/Mondays style with synths. Debut album hopefully out in 2006 and definitely one to check out.


88. Elbow - Forget Myself88: Elbow
Forget Myself


Not the usual kind of stuff I listen to but Elbow come out with a killer song just once in a while, and in 2005 it was this song's turn.


89. Doves - Black And White Town89: Doves
Black And White Town


Similar to, but not quite as dramatic as There Goes The Fear, but a good record all the same.


90. Subways - No Goodbyes90: Subways
No Goodbyes


A bit different from the other efforts that came from this band this year. If I could put them higher because they are really nice people (having had free rein to roam around backstage at one of their gigs this year, I can confirm this) then I would.


91. Chemical Brothers - Galvanize91: Chemical Brothers
Galvanize


A fantastic start - energy bursting out of the first few bars - then by the end you're looking at your watch wondering how many times that refrain's been played. Like all Chemical Brothers songs really.


92. Madness - Shame And Scandal92: Madness
Shame And Scandal


One of two Madness covers in my top 100, this one being a new version of an old Lord Tanamo song, although it could be a follow up to Embarrassment. I was lucky enough to see Madness at the (hot and sweaty) Scala in London in the summer - definitely beats seeing them in Finsbury Park or a hige forest. Released in the summer and made no 38 in the UK.


93. Duke Spirit - Cuts Across The Land93: Duke Spirit
Cuts Across The Land


Noteworthy for an excellent performance at Essex's TMF festival in the summer.


94. Stereophonics - Dakota94: Stereophonics
Dakota


Stereophonics in good song shocker! It's not Handbags and Gladrags by any means, and an equally-shocked British public reacted by accidently sending it to no 1 in the singles charts back in March.


95. Jose Gonzalez - Hand On Your Heart95: Jose Gonzalez
Hand On Your Heart


He's in some advert or other now isn't he? And he's Swedish, something not instantly recognisable from the name. And this is an Americana cover of the Kylie song. And it's all as good as it sounds. From August's Stay In The Shade EP.


96. 65daysofstatic - Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here96: 65daysofstatic
Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here


I know a lot of people "get" this band, and I quite like the pointless meandering of the music, but I haven't fully got it yet. And let's face it, I may never do so!


97. Soulwax - NY Excuse97: Soulwax
NY Excuse


Released in June, around the time of the Wireless festival, and the record sleeve is as headache-inducing as the backdrop was on the stage that day. Note if they have one next year: don't get your hopes up at seeing all the bands if you're not a (certain mobile phone company) customer.


98. Feeder - Shatter98: Feeder
Shatter


It's not quite Buck Rogers or Just A Day but at least they've speeded things up a bit again.


99. Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls99: Manic Street Preachers
Empty Souls


The lowest selling no.2 record in the UK ever, trivia fans. It sold just 12,573 in its first week of release in January.


100. Boxer Rebellion - All You Do Is Talk100: Boxer Rebellion
All You Do Is Talk


Just about passable for a bit of emo I suppose. What a damp squib of a way to end the chart!



posted by Paul at 10:10 am
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