via//chicago

np: "pete standing alone" - boards of canada

2005 album catch-up:
i figured with march already upon us, this would be a good time to put up some comments over some of 2005's albums i've really been diggin'.

Doves - Some Cities
this is a really solid album, better than i was expecting it to be. its a little more "organic" sounding than the previous releases, and "Black and White Town" is a wonderful single.

Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
i'm surprised at the sudden amount of hype this band is getting, namely the 16 page spread in Rolling Stone. even more surprising to is the extreme hatred this band seems to rile up in people. they're nothing more than a rock band folks, they ain't gonna change the world (or revive Southern Rock) - but this new album does have some dirty rawk gems buried in it, namely "Four Kicks" and "Day Old Blues".

Iron & Wine - The Woman King EP
Sam Beam spices up the sound with a full band and - get this! - even an electric guitar. and the verdict it... very fucking solid. i think it comes down to this - whether hushed and intimate or loud and grooving, Mr. Beam can flat-out write engaging tunes. thats really all there is.

Louis XIV - Illegal Tender EP
i feel dirty for liking this so much, but maybe thats the point. "Finding Out True Love is Blind" is the best garage rock song of 2005, but the whole EP is enjoyable as well. it will be interesting to see if the band can carry this kind of solid material over the full-length of thier upcoming LP.

50 Cent - The Massacre
"Candy Shop" sucks, i still can't see how that managed to get to number one, "Magic Stick" wasn't that great the first time around and this version doesn't even have Lil Kim. anyway, the new Fiddy album is not too bad. like most 70 minute plus rap albums it begins to wear a little thin by the end, but there are some definite highlights that are well worth checking out - "Ski Mask Way", "Ryder Music", "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight", "A Baltimore Love Thing", and the super-hot G-Unit posse remix of "Hate It or Love It".

Mogwai - Goverment Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003
this album kicks off with a sweet tribute to John Peel with him introducing one of the many bands he championed over the years, and doesn't let up. it makes for a wonderful trip throughout Mogwai's career as nearly every period is touched upon. but the album's highlight is the jaw-dropping 18 1/2 minute version of "Like Herod". Mogwai fans would be wise to pick this thing up, and i think it'd also make a solid introduction to the newcomer as well.

Dead Meadow - Feathers
the addition of a second guitarist really brings this band's sound to a whole other level. of course, it also helps that they've added more to the mix than just sludgy/Sabbath-y guitar dirges, creating a fuller psychadelic stew this time around.