Ani MollerConsequences Will Never Be The Same!

Plans – Death Cab For Cutie

I’ve known of Death Cab For Cutie for a few years now, but have never really listened to them/him because I have always been rather anti-indie/emo music. I’ve always associated that genre of music with a scene full of retarded fuckweasels who love themselves and black hair dye too much. Despite this, I wanted to give the new album a listen because I’d heard it was good. And it is.

For me, the greatest parts of this album are the lyrics (beautiful, sweet, sincere) and the mix of guitar and piano. His voice is different enough to make you listen to the lyrics, but not annoyingly whiney enough to make you kill yourself. I find that there is enough variety in the album to be the sort that you can listen to over and over and still appreciate. This album renewed my love for guitar music.

Favourite tracks: I Will Follow You Into The Dark, What Sarah Said

The Campfire Headphase – Boards of Canada

I’d heard Twoism a few years ago, and although I thought it was very good it was one of those albums that I related with a person I no longer ever want to think about and I ended up getting rid of it. When The Campfire Headphase came out, quite a few people I know said it was a great album and I should listen to it. And it turns out that it’s one of my favourites of the whole year, and is one of the albums out of this selection that I play the most.

The Boards of Canada have melodic and sometimes ambient tendencies. Other times, it is more upbeat but downhearted. And although this is an electronic album it has a very analogue feel to it. I like the contrasts. You may need to get rip-roaringly stoned to appreciate its full effect.

This is one of the few albums in my collection that I would describe as beautiful. When I listen to The Campfire Headphase, suddenly everything around me seems vibrant and beautiful, and everything has a reason to be appreciated. The only other albums in my collection that do this to me are the Solaris and Friday Night Lights – both brilliant movie soundtracks but sadly neither released in 2005 and thus not on this list even though I listen to them all the time.

Favourite tracks: Peacock Tail, Hey Saturday Sun

Illinois – Sufjan Stevens

In what seems to be a recurring theme on this list, I had never heard of Sufjan Stevens and was given this album by a friend. It has some country undertones so I find it surprising that it’s on my list seeing how I’ve always said I hated anything vaguely country. Well, it ain’t Kenny Chesney.

Illinois is one of those albums that seems to be fresh each time I listen to it. It’s very poetic and lyrically amazing. It’s extremely instrumental with wonderful banjo playing, piano, and trumpets. I love trumpets, but can’t believe I now love the banjo. I guess I got over the fear I harboured after watching Deliverance. This album sounds like a soundtrack, in that each song put together seems to tell a bigger story. It also feels very mid-Western, and I can almost imagine lying on my back in a wheat field watching the clouds when I listen to it.

I have a feeling Sufjan Stevens may become one of those cult musicians who will be appreciated for many, many years to come.

Favourite tracks: Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Highland Illinois, Casimir Pulaski Day

Confessions On A Dancefloor – Madonna

Now, this is kind of embarrassing. Madonna, right? She’s old! A has been! An old hag desperate for the lime light (and $$$) again! But truth be told, this album is pretty bloody awesome.

I don’t listen to pop music that often, or at least, this sort of “popular music”, but I was interested in Madonna’s comeback. I caught the world premiere of the video for “Hung Up” on television a few months back when I was in England. As soon as the song came on, I was humming along in my head. The song is great, and although her monstrous racehorse thighs scare the beejesus out of me, the video is pretty decent too. Aside from her dancing. OMGLOL! The dancing Asian guy with the fish makes up for it though. So, after I watched the video on television, I found myself humming the song the second I stopped thinking about anything important (this is also probably a metaphor for the popularity of pop music). I couldn’t stop myself.

The reason this album is in my top 10 is because it contains surprisingly little filler for a pop record. I know it’s all very uncool to like Madonna (okay, I don’t like her) but her album is great.

Favourite tracks: Hung Up, Get Together

The Rescue – Explosions In The Sky

I had heard of Explosions In The Sky back when I was living in Texas because my poser indie rocker friends liked them, so I specifically didn’t listen to them or ever seen them live even though they are from west Texas and I’m sure I probably missed about 50 concerts while I was living there. I have to say, I’m a bit guttered because I heard them for the first time once I’d left and moved to Manchester, also about one week after I found out they’d played a gig in Manchester, Engerland. Bummed.

Although I hadn’t seen the movie, I’d heard a while back that Friday Night Lights had an awesome soundtrack, so I gave it a listen. Because I think Explosions In The Sky rock hard but not in a hard rocking kind of way, I decided to expand my music collection with another album of theirs. This was it and unsurprisingly, it is also rather swell.

I think perhaps because I heard the Friday Night Lights soundtrack first, which is obviously a soundtrack to a movie and seems to tell a story with the songs, The Rescue also feels a bit like a soundtrack to a story. I like that a lot.

And although in theory Explosions In The Sky should be wanky indie/emo music, it’s actually beautiful melodic soundscape-esque music made with real instruments like guitars and no vocals. From now on I will fondly know them as Small Quiet Guitar Sounds In An Empty Room With A Skinny Guy Who Has Dark Hair And Wears Badges.

Favourite tracks: Day Four, Day Eight

Speak For Yourself – Imogen Heap

My wonderful friend Jo recommended Imogen Heap to me. I’d never heard of her or her former band, Frou Frou. I assumed it was lame girlpower mopey music, and I was wrong.

The best way I can describe Speak For Yourself is a mix of emotive vocals, electronica, with a bit of pop/rock thrown in the mix. It really is quite an odd combination with vaguely Tori Amos-esque vocals with electronic beats, piano, plucked violins, and electric guitar. I think that’s why I find it so interesting. Still Frou Frou is better, and listening to Imogen Heap is like listening to new wave Ani di Franco and thus it might make you gay until you get married to a man and alienate all your lesbian fans.

Favourite tracks: Headlock, Daylight Robbery

Separate Ways – Teddy Thompson

I really don’t know anything about Teddy Thompson.

I happened to be watching Jools Holland late one night watching boring performers perform boring songs. They panned to a guy standing by himself with just a guitar, who proceeded to play in such a way that I couldn’t stop watching and listening. I couldn’t get over the fact that it was just him and guitar – it sounded so full and finished. I bought his album as soon as it was released.

It’s an odd, mostly acoustic, psuedo-country style album – a genre I’m not a huge fan of, although strangely I like this album. I think if I’d heard the album before seeing him play live, I might not have bought it. If you ever get the chance to see him live, I would recommend it. Just make sure you bring a placard that reads “GUITAR ONLY SONGS PLEASE”.

Favourite tracks: Shine So Bright, Everybody Move It

Are You Ready For More: The Go! Team Australian Tour EP – The Go! Team

I really don’t know how to describe The Go! Team. It’s some sort of quirky mash-up music with non-singing but singing and instruments and a beat. I really don’t know. It’s confusing. But it’s damn catchy!

I usually listen to it when I’m in a crazy mood, or want to be in a crazy mood. It just does that to you. I would hazard a guess that I have listened to this EP 90% of the time while walking to work on a morning that I didn’t feel like going to work. Which is actually all of the time so it is surprising that I haven’t listened to it 365 times already.

Favourite tracks: Bottle Rocket, Hold Yr Terror Close

Wilderness – Archer Prewitt

Until recently, I’d never heard anyone talk about Archer Prewitt. My boyfriend happened to randomly download this album from eMusic and happened to play it when I was noticing the music and I happened to fall in love with it.

The style is rather similar to Teddy Thompson (in fact, without Archer Prewitt I probably wouldn’t have an appreciation for Teddy Thompson) – it has a country feel to it with some harmonica, acoustic and slide guitar. But it mixes this with violin, xylophone, and piano. And he has a wonderfully whispery voice that complements it and brings it all together. He also sounds hot, which he may or may not be.

Favourite tracks: O Ky, Go Away

Herbstlaub – Marsen Jules

Herbstlaub is one of those “background” albums. It’s the perfect music to listen to when you don’t really want to listen to music, but do. If that makes any sense.

I don’t really listen to ambient music, and if I didn’t have a good friend who make a great ambient album back in 1999 I probably wouldn’t even have an appreciation for it.

Hesbstlaub has some interesting sounds and can sometimes be a bit discordant in places, but it makes up for it with use of my favourite magical instrument – the harp. However, it isn’t really the sort of music you want to listen to when you feel like breaking glass and slicing open your wrists. Or maybe it is.

Favourite tracks: Aile G’aigle, Tous Les Coeurs Des Cette Terre