#10: Nothing is Sound - SwitchfootI keep waiting for these guys to sell out, lose their edge and become another sad scar on the landscape of the shallow teeny rock scene. This offering proved my fears to be misguided. In this release the boys stay true to their riffy excellence and don't lost any depth or cleverness in the lyrics. Thank goodness for Christian bands that are still creating good art.
Favorite Track: The Shadow Proves the Sunshine
#9: Knuckle Down - Ani DifrancoWhat can I say, I've always had a special place in my heart for the music of angry women. The first time I heard the title track from this album I was on my way back from Barnes & Noble in
#8: Why Should the Fire Die? - Nickel CreekThe Pop-grass pioneers first caught my attention with their incredible, "This Side," released in 2002. Fans of the band had to wait three years for more of the pickin', fiddlin' and strummin' that made that release so great. In the meantime Chris and Sean were pursuing various solo endeavors and the whole band collaborated with Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket) on a project called "The Mutual Admiration Society. Stupid name, great music. This album is good but different from "This Side," exploring a mutuality in their song writing that had not been present before. You won't find better musicianship than Nickel Creek's outside of the classical realm.
Favorite Track: Doubting Thomas
#7: Picaresque - The DecemberistsListening to The Decemberists is akin to reading a great piece of literature. You are impressed with the artistry, you feel a bit more intelligent after finishing and you are frequently reaching for your dictionary. Not only does Colin Meloy use the word "palinquin," he rhymes it with "elephant Impressive to say the least. The rhyming couplets "parapets/coronets" and "folderol/chaparral" also blew me away...and those are all from the album's first track. The Decemberists concern themselves little with talking about their own lives. The great majority of their songs present fanciful or historical stories that wrap the listener in a world of delightful make-believe. The band defies comparison--you won't hear anything else like this.
Favorite Track: 16 Military Wives
#6: Haughty Melodic - Mike DoughtyFor anyone who loved Soul Coughing in its heyday, Doughty gives you 12 great new reasons to "walk around in circles." As a friend of mine who is new to Doughty commented--"I never get sick of listening to that CD." It's true. There's just something about his gravelly voice and circular chord progressions that keep you coming back time and again. I guess one of the privileges of recording on Dave Matthews' label (ATO Records) is the opportunity to duet with the Satellite king--"Tremendous Brunettes" pairs Mike and Dave--a collaboration I would love to see repeated in the future.
Favorite Track: Busting up a Starbucks
#5: The Mysterious Production of Eggs - Andrew Bird
I just stumbled on this album last week. It quickly catapulted its way into the top ten of 2005. It may have wound up higher on the list if I had gotten hold of it sooner. A succinct description of Andrew Bird? Imagine Jack Johnson, only with talent. Bird's performance proficiency is heightened by a mastery of the loop pedal. Often the only one on stage for performances, Bird makes use of his voice, guitar, vibes, whistling and some of the best violin playing you'll hear. I think he was actually a classical musician in a previous life. Thank goodness he left the dark side--we can all reap the benefits on this album.
Favorite Track: A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
#4: Plans - Death Cab For Cutie
Pardon me while I ooze. I am admittedly "that fan" of Death Cab. You know, that fan who owns all of the bands recordings, including Ben Gibbard’s various side projects (The Postal Service and All-Time Quarterback!), goes to their concerts and dreams about them at night. What can I say—when Ben stops writing great music, I'll stop buying. "Plans" is the major label debut for the boys after they developed a reputation as the darlings of the indie-rock scene in Seattle (and elsewhere). Death Cab is the standard by which all other indie bands should be measured. In some ways this album is the band's best and in others it still lives in the shadow of 2003's "Transatlanticism." Regardless, if you haven't started down the trail with Death Cab, this album provides an excellent opportunity to jump on the band's-wagon.
Favorite Track: Crooked Teeth
#3: A Collision - David Crowder* Band
I've already said plenty about my love for DCB. The short version: They are writing the best music that mainstream Christianity has to offer. Crowder has found a way to hold good theology and good art in a delicate balance that nearly everyone recognizes and appreciates. He's a DJ, he's a worship leader, he's the funniest stage personality out there (and I do mean out there) and he's still humble. There is no good reason to leave this album on the shelf. Buy it now.
Favorite Track: A Beautiful Collision
#2: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning - Bright Eyes
Conor Oberst has always been more of a lyricist than a songwriter, but this album marks a turning point in his development. If you aren't willing to part with your cash simply on my recommendation, you can have a free listen to one of his shows (at the
Favorite Track: Land Locked Blues
#1: Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
If this song doesn't give you the chills, you aren't listening closely enough.
Favorite Track: John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
There it is, friends. I'd love to hear your addendums/subtractions. Lord knows I'm not the only one around these parts with strong opinions about music. Best of luck to everyone in the search for great music in 2006.
