My Top Ten of 2005

I love music. I mean I really love it. Brad and I have amassed quite a hefty collection and we are always checking out the newest in a range of genres. Therefore I would like to start what I hope will become a tradition.

The Krebs Cycle Choice Cuts
Adam's Top Ten Albums: 2005


#10: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses
Ryan Adams album after the amazing Love is Hell. He's gone country and many of the tracks beautifully highlight his ability create haunting and beautiful pieces. My two favorite tracks are "How Do You Keep Love Alive" and "Let It Ride."





#9: Madonna - Confessions On A Dance Floor
She scared us for a minute when she tried to get intellectual, don a fake British accent, and produce American Life. Madonna has resurrected herself with Confessions. Madge has returned to her true calling of pop music and has even called upon the god of pop music themselves, ABBA, for some help. Every track is listenable and more importantly danceable. My favorite tracks are "Future Lovers" and "Jump" for the reason that both of them feature Madonna speaking like bitch in heat. Oh and if you use iTunes splurge on the deluxe version and get the video with the album and cast your eyes on the hottest 47 year old ass ever!




#8: Gorillaz - Demon Days
If you are a fan of triphop or just hip hop with groovy downbeats you should own this album. The animated band is excellent at mixing all kinds of sounds and beats into each one of their tracks. This album is great to turn up real loud with your headphones and sit back and enjoy the ride. My two favorite tracks are "Dirty Harry" for its groovy synth beat mixed with the children's chorus and "Dare" for its disco beat.




#7: Erasure - Nightbird
How could any good fag worth his weight in cosmopolitans and cockrings not put this on his top ten list for 2005. I was a fan of Erasure when I wasn't even aware of who Erasure was. I was made aware of this album from a post over at Joe.My.God. Erasure has once again produced an album full of tracks that speak to the plight of he gay man and his search for the ideal of love. Some of the tracks require you be in a certain mood to enjoy them but they don't detract from the album overall. My favorite tracks are "No Doubt" for its ethereal sound and "Breathe" for its refreshing sound and message of optimism.




#6: Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
They're back and they rock! Franz Ferdinand pleasantly surprised me with their debut album but this follow up demonstrates that this group has got the staying power. They continue their distinct sound from their first album but also add some new touches to it. My favorite tracks are "Outsiders" for its catchy Beatle-esque sound and "Do You Want To" because its just so Franz Ferdinand!




#5: Louis XIV - The Best Little Secrets are Kept
Think of David Bowie melding with The Sex Pistols and you will arrive at Louis XIV. This a debut album for this band and it is simply amazing for the first time out of the gates. Earlier this year I thought that music, specifically alternative music, was dead. Louis XIV demonstrated that it is alive. The first track immediately draws you into a gritty aura of rock and roll sleeze and narcissism and then you just have to go with it from there. My favorite tracks are "Pledge of Allegiance" for its modern punk sound and "Finding Out True Love Is Blind" for its beat that makes me want to get up and dance.



#4: Beck - Guero
Beck does no wrong in my book. I consume all of his music with ravenous delight. His latest album proved to be especially tasty. This album was inspired by Beck's days as a young white kid growing up in the hispanic ghettos of LA. The album's namesake comes from the term used by the hispanics in the area for white boys. The sounds are unmistakably Beck but have matured beyond the playfulness of the media darling Odelay but aren't as down in the dumps as Sea Change. My favorite tracks are "Earthquake Weather" for its blythe sound and "Hell Yes" for what I would call a chicano hip hop sound.




#3: The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Put this album in your player of choice, turn up the volume, light a fatty joint and go with it. I thought the White Stripes had demonstrated their ability to tame the wild sounds of rock withe Elephant but they have made rock and roll their bitch with Get Behind Me Satan. The entire album was recorded with no digital manipulation and what you hear is the purity of their sound. My favorite tracks are "Blue Orchid" for its angry percussive drive and "My Doorbell" for its bluesy roots.



#2: Depeche Mode - Playing The Angel
Their first album since 2001 Depeche Mode returns to us with its electro-pop synth sounds in true form. Every track on this album sounds just like a track from DM's older works but somehow they've managed to add something more to make it sound contemporary. Its an album that I can have on while at home whilst relaxing and enjoy every track. My favorite tracks are "A Pain That I'm Used To" for the familiar guitar sounds of DM and "Precious" for the contemporary yet classic synth sound of DM. Again if you have iTunes splurge for the bonus video version and you get the bonus track of what I think is the best version of "Waiting For The Night."



#1: Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
This album is perfect. I listen to it all the way through and I love picking songs to hear at a whim. Sufjan comes to us from the midwest and he's on a mission to make an album for each of the fifty United States. The album before this was Michigan and was well received but Illinoise is a triumph. Vocal stylings that are reminiscent of Nick Drake mixed with instrumental arrangements similar to Philip Glass this album is a musical milestone. Each track has unusually long names and is representative of a portion of the history of Illinois. I have difficulty choosing only two favorite tracks and for this album I will have to mention three tracks.

My first favorite is "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!, Pt. I: The World's Columbian Exposition / Pt. II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In a Dream." Words cannot due this track justice all I can say is that I love it. Another favorite is the haunting "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." This track is a beautiful telling of the gruesome serial killer who charmed his neighborhood by dressing up like a clown and luring the young boys to their death to satisfy his repressed homosexual desires. The juxtaposition of the macabre tale to the delicate and heartbreaking music is truly moving. My last favorite track is "Chicago" for its optimistic and Who-esque sound. I also recommend the remix of "Chicago" on the iTunes Store.

Well thats it. These are the albums and songs that have entertained and inspired me through 2005. If you get a chance to try em all out I hope you all enjoy them as much as I have!