30 Couch-Jumping Jams From 2005!

Yesterday, I discussed My Favorite Albums Of 2005. Today, I acknowledge thirty songs from 2005 albums that I don't think I need to own, though I didn't go back and see how they aged. If I eventually discover I like Da Glamorest Life more than Lullabies To Paralyze now, I'll be sure to report back.

I organized this playlist by album release date, and damn, if it didn't flow fine! YouTube links are provided below, in case you prefer to support tech companies that put AI in your search results and monetize bootlegs.

“DISC ONE”: albums from January-May 2005

1. M83, “Don’t Save Us From Flames” (Before The Dawn Heals Us)
   Anthony Gonzalez’ first, most apocalyptic explosion of John Hughes phantasmagoria, sonically predicting Stranger Things a decade beforehand. The coda conflates My Bloody Valentine’s “What You Want” and Sonic Youth’s “Schizophrenia,” but at a level of bombast Trans Siberian Orchestra fans could appreciate. Where’s the damn hits compilation already? 
2. And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, “Worlds Apart” (Worlds Apart)
   Pitchfork 10.0s who failed to bring rock back in 2002, AYKUBTTOD's shockingly literal jingle about American ills guaranteed obscurantist young scribes of the era would recoil in embarrassment (see Travis Morrison, Liz Phair, Northern State). Me, I have albums by all the acts in this blurb, and give the stage-trashing Austinites points for going hard on Interscope, before going home and self-releasing albums. 
3. Bright Eyes, “Take It Easy (Love Nothing)” (Digital Ash In A Digital Urn)
   I guess it’s been 20 years since Bright Eyes’ 2005 "acoustic" album dissipated my enthusiasm for Conor Oberst’s quivering verbosity (my changing more than he did probably being the issue). But I always dug this collaboration with Jimmy Tamborello from the Postal Service, off the “electronic” album.
4. Ben Lee, “Catch My Disease” (Awake Is The New Sleep)
   Speaking of precocious singer-songwriters with crazy networking skills…this adorable group dance around the xylophone was Lee’s biggest hit after ten years in the game! And he wasn’t even 30. 
5. 50 Cent, “Just A Lil Bit” (The Massacre)
   I chose this as my token Scott Storch production instead of Fat Joe’s “Get It Poppin”, because 50 Cent was a profoundly important artist in 2005 that all critics were compelled to give serious thought. Poptimists leaned towards “Candy Shop,” enthusiasts of thug poetry dug “The Ski Mask Way,” but I always liked this ersatz Arabian naughtiness best. 

6. Billy Idol, “Scream” (Devil’s Playground)
   The only song on the playlist I’ll admit is “so bad it’s good.” The music is transparently “Rebel Yell” redux with less keyboard, and the vocal is Ian Astbury with allergies. The lyrics make “Love Removal Machine” look like Langston Hughes (“You are the one, you are a tease/ you love my demon seed”). But with Keith Forsey back in the producer chair, this seeming nadir of London-to-LA metal burlesque shows no performance anxiety. I’m still in awe.
7. Vitalic, “Poney Part 1” (OK Cowboy)
   I don’t remember what Isolee sounded like, and I still need to find out. However, I've never forgotten this bit of electro-instrumental enthusiasm.
8. Rob Thomas, “This Is How A Heart Breaks” (…Something To Be)
   I could have included a single from Beck’s Guero, but this skittering techno-soul blast from the majordomo of Matchbox 20 is arguably a more daring attempt at something similar. 
9. Martha Wainwright, “Factory” (Martha Wainwright)
   A lovely waltz from Loudon’s eldest daughter. I’d feel weird centering the familial association if these guys weren’t constantly doing it themselves.
10. Eels, “Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)” (Blinking Lights And Other Revelations)
    A raspy singer-songwriter who asks you to call him “E” generally isn’t someone I keep tabs on. But he could crush a novelty number about emotional extremity now and then.

11. The Hold Steady, “Multitude Of Casualties” (Separation Sunday)
    I’m no Catholic, and my fantasies of the demimonde sound more like Girls Against Boys than the E Street Band, so The Hold Steady was already diminishing returns for me compared to Craig Finn’s previous band Lifter Puller. But they stole a riff from Sugar Ray for this one. Mad respect.
12. Nine Inch Nails, “Only” (With Teeth)
    Celebrating twenty years of saying “it’s like INXS, if Michael Hutchence was an angry potty-mouth who’d spend a whole verse whimpering about a scab.”
13. Gorillaz, “DARE” (Demon Days)
    Damon Albarn’s often at his best when he’s an unapologetically glib dilettante, so yes, I love when he turned legendary British street poet Shaun Ryder into a disco sound affect.
14. Natalie, “Goin Crazy” (Natalie)
    This rap-ballad, vulnerable despite the sudden rushes of rhyme, doesn’t feature Lil Jon. But it always made me picture Lil Jon slow-dancing. Fun fact: Natalie went on to manage the Houston Rockets’ dancers!
15. Sleater-Kinney, “Rollercoaster” (The Woods)
    ICYMMHT (In case you missed my hot take)

Sleater-Kinney, pt. 1: Anthony’s Album Guide

When is an album guide shockingly irreverent despite rapturous praise for two LPs, and only one rated below a 7? When it’s an album guide for Sleater-Kinney!

Anthony Is WritingAnthony Cougar Miccio

“DISC TWO”: albums from June-November 2005

1. Black Eyed Peas, “Pump It” (Monkey Business)
   I’ve long fantasized about slipping this into the opening credits of Pulp Fiction at a repertoire showing, just to see who notices.
2. Coldplay, “Fix You” (X&Y)
   To quote myself while pondering alt-rock radio last month: "I won’t bother sharing what sociocultural event made the song a tearjerker for the rest of my life, as you probably have your own. And if you don’t? Good for you. You and your lack of candlelight vigils."
3. Backstreet Boys, “Incomplete” (Never Gone)
   In which the reunited Boys cling to each other, screaming in desperation, struggling not to be consumed by heartbreak, as well as the reality-ripping koan that opens the song: “empty spaces fill me up with holes.” What the fuck?
4. Kelly Osbourne, “I Can’t Wait” (Sleeping In The Nothing)
   While the studio-punk of 2003’s Shut Up! is superior to 2005’s synth-pop project with Linda Perry, and the opening single about Nostradamus is tainted by its shameless, uncredited Visage lift, the album still had some chewy fun on it. Like this song!
5. The Spinto Band, “Oh Mandy” (Nice And Nicely Done)
   A cute, young Delaware combo that played my hometown in Central PA a lot, this song getting in a Sears ad and almost making the UK Top 40. It sounds like David Byrne and Peter Buck collaborating in the mandolin era. Their singer helped engineer the last War On Drugs album! Ah, memories.

6. Foo Fighters, “Best Of You” (In Your Honor)
   You see, it could mean giving someone your best, or someone getting the better of you. And Dave is conflicted about risking the latter, when he knows love requires the former! That’s why he’s screaming!
7. Ying Yang Twins, “Live Again (featuring Adam Levine)” (United State Of Atlanta)
   I said some very, very, glib, ill-advised things about the Ying Yang Twins back then. But I was paying attention, while most critics totally missed this Maroon 5 collaboration, released after “Wait (The Whisper Song),” which acknowledges the emotional struggles and interior lives of strippers with remarkable empathy. I'm not kidding. Seriously. It's a lot.
8. Crazy Frog, “Axel F” (Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits)
   Twenty years later, and I swear it gets better every time I hear it. I assumed it was a top 10 single for me in 2005, and I only put it at #30. Underrated. 5 and a half billion views can't be wrong. Ding-ding.
9. Rihanna, “Pon De Replay” (Music From The Sun)
   Whatever happened to her? I think she’s Smurfette? Got into essential oils? Weird.
10. David Banner, “Ain’t Got Nothing (featuring Magic & Lil Boosie)” (Certified)
    Yes, they could have been more tactful about it. But I appreciate the novelty of their economic candor.

11. The Bloodhound Gang, “Pennsylvania” (Hefty Fine)
    Yes, they could have been more tactful about it. But I have so many stories from 2005 that involve Wawa's.
12. Franz Ferdinand, “Do You Want To” (You Could Have It So Much Better)
    Apparently, they crowed so hard on this song, they got groin injuries. How else can you explain their refusal to crow so memorably again?
13. Broken Social Scene, “7/4 (Shoreline)” (Broken Social Scene)
    Canadian indie orchestral jam of the year, with its novel time signature right there in the title. Yes, I’ve tapped the beat out for my kid. 
14. Trina feat. Mannie Fresh, “Da Club” (Da Glamorest Life)
    A happier tale of club life than Adam & the Twins offered. It felt right to provide a counterpoint.
15. Lindsay Lohan, “Who Loves You” (A Little More Personal (Raw))
    It was either this saucy nugget or something from the Veronicas album. Would you believe I’m not an Ashlee Simpson fan? Maybe I don’t like my mall-pop so Dylanesque. 

2005! I think I'm done discussing it for a while. If you beg to differ, send your pleas to anthonyisright at gmail dot com.