The 411 Music Top Five 11.03.09: Top 5 Favorite Songs From 2005

Posted by Ben Czajkowski on 11.03.2009

This week, the 411Music Writers continue to count down their Top 5 songs from each year of the decade. We're up to 2005, and we talk about everything from Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco's “Touch The Sky” to Kanye West's “Diamonds from Sierra Leone (remix)" with Jay-Z, Arcade Fire's “Wake Up” to Disturbed's "Stricken", and Opeth's “Ghost of Perdition” to Foo Fighters's “Friend of A Friend”.

Lucas Wesley

I unfortunately forgot about last week and posted part of my list in the comments section. Someone asked who I was and why I thought anyone would read my list. My response is that I hope your reading it right now, intrigued. 2005 was not a good year for singles.

Honorable mentions:

Oasis - "The Importance of Being Idle," Paul McCartney - "Jenny Wren," Paul McCartney - "Fine Line," Common - "Be," the entirety of Boris' Pink, Harvey Danger - "Little Round Mirrors," Jamie Lidell - "Multiply," Ben Folds - "Jesusland," the entirety of Seu Jorge's The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions, Beck - "Hell Yes"

5. Stevie Wonder – "If Your Love Cannot Be Moved".

The artistic decline of Stevie Wonder is a really sad story. From being one of the world's most prodigious talents to being one of the best artists of the 70s, Stevie couldn't be stopped. Then he just called to say he loved you, and damn it, that's all it took. Every album since has, in some ways, been trying to be a comeback album. A Time 2 Love comes as close as any, even if it is too long. But still, it has a few songs that are just wonderful, classic Stevie, with emotion (usually, though not in this case, elation) and power that only Stevie can evoke. This is the best on that album for reasons rhythm related.

 

4. Moby – "Lift Me Up".

I have an embarrassing confession. I like Moby. Like, still. Even after Play and everything. A lot of people rank Hotel as one of the worst albums released by a once critically respected artist. I don't really understand why that is. I think it has a bunch of great pop rock songs. Sure, some are annoying as all hell, but then there's tracks like this one that are just awesome fist pumping rock that maintains enough poppiness not to get annoying. I love it and I can't hide it any more.

 

3. Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco – "Touch The Sky".

Late Registration is an album where I could pick almost any of the songs for my top five, ten, whatever, and people would probably be in agreement with me. I'm picking this one because it's the only one that makes me unabashedly happy. There are others that make me dance and make me smile and make me rock out and what have you, but this one is the happy one. Lupe brings it just as much as Kanye does throughout the album and it all leads up to one lovely track.

 

2. Ringo Starr – "Fading In Fading Out".

Ringo Starr's solo career, "they" say, is the worst in music. How daft "they" are. Perhaps Ringo made a few albums in the middle that were bad; I'll give them that. But since he hooked up with the Roundheads in the early 90s, at the very least all of his albums have consistently been reliable on a few great songs. Ringo jokes that the albums are produced by one or two people, and then overproduced by himself and Mark Hudson. I see what he's saying, but frankly, I call it the greatest overproduction of all time. No other musician manages to have so much going on and have it all sound good. Choose Choose Love!

 

1. Jens Lekman – "I Don't Know If She's Worth 900 kr.".

An interesting curiosity, I imagine of all the songs featured on my "top fives" throughout our "best of the decade" series, this is the one that the least people know. Perhaps you know Jens, as I mention him from time to time in columns, and his albums have received a fair amount of acclaim. However, this was from a live only EP (now available on his web site), which I somehow imagine even bigger fans aren't going to be aware of. It's really, really good, though. It's quiet and mildly underproduced to great effect, with the female "doo doo doo" vocals at the beginning evoking the best of girl group (my favorite genre) while at the same time shattering the overproduction emblematic of the genre, offering only handclaps and a quiet guitar instead of a wall of sound. Then Jens comes in and gives his usual great, catchy song. It's one of those songs that obviously could never be a hit, but if you really think about it, there's no reason why not. And the title, man...for whatever reason I just love it. I'm pretty sure krona is the best name currency can have.

 

Michael James

Honorable Mentions: 

The Game- "Hate It or Love It (feat. 50 Cent)"; Fall Out Boy- "Sugar, We're Goin' Down"; The White Stripes- "The Denial Twist"; The Subways- "Rock & Roll Queen"; Chris Brown- "Run It (remix)(feat. Juelz Santana)"; Busta Rhymes- "Touch It"

5. Akon- "Soul Survivor (Reggae remix)(feat. Vybez Kartel, Sizzla & Shabba Ranks)".

While this is a remix of a song off of Young Jeezy's first album, it would be inaccurate to call it a Jeezy song, since he actually doesn't appear on it except for a few ad-libs.  This song gets me amped from the first time Vybez Kartel jumps on the track.  Akon hooks hadn't become totally played out yet, and any song that brings Shabba Ranks back into the mix deserves some props.

 

4. Kanye West- "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (remix)(feat. Jay-Z)":

It takes a production genius like Kanye to flip a sample from a stale Bond anthem into a hip-hop banger.  As the lead single off of West's second album, Late Registration, "Sierra Leone" sheds some light on the plague of African blood diamonds.  While Jay-Z's verse doesn't match Kanye's conscious content, it's still tight as hell.

 

3. Keyshia Cole- "Love".

A girl I used to know couldn't stand this song because of how Cole's voice cracks on the chorus.  For me, it's actually what cements this song as a classic R&B cut, as the awkward notes give the chorus a pleasing air of vulnerability.  There's something to be said for a straight up love song in the era where R&B has become more obsessed with lust.

 

2. Bright Eyes- "Lua". 

Bright Eyes released two albums in '05, the acoustic I'm Wide Awake It's Morning and the electric Digital Ash in a Digital World.  "Lua," from Wide Awake, may be one of the simplest songs in the Bright Eyes' catalog.  Conor Oberst strums an acoustic guitar and evokes the lovely loneliness of walking alone through the quiet city streets and the fleeting companionship that can result.  Oberst and Gillian Welch also did a stunning duet of "Lua" on this year's Dark Was the Night compilation.

 

1. Beanie Sigel- "Feel It In the Air".

The haunting saxophone and the resonating sample of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" of Heavy D's production give this track an epic feel.  Beanie Mack is one of the most underrated lyricists in the game, and this track is no different as he spits with a palpable paranoia:

"I hear this voice in tha back of my mind/ like mack tighten up ya circle/before they hurt you/ read they body language/ 85% communication non-verbal/85% swear they know you/ 10% you know they soft/ man tha other 5… time'll show you/just know you/then pull they strings, you the puppet master/Fuck them other bastards/Man, watch who you puffin' after/play ya cards, go against all odds/Shoot for the moon if you miss, you still amongst those stars." 

True that.

 

Paul Schofield

5. Babyshambles – "Albion".

Proof that when Pete Doherty isn't on the crack and shagging Kate Moss (I know which one I'd rather be on) that he is capable of writing something amazing. Doherty had been banging on about Albion for a while, and this was worth the wait. Unfortunately the rest of the album was absolute tripe, but his more recent adventures have been much better. Please stay clean, Pete.

 

4. Living Things – "I Owe".

A song that came out of nowhere to lodge itself firmly into my playlist. I was hooked from the opening riff, and it kicks on like a mule that's just eaten a shitload of chocolate raisins. Overtly political, but more importantly a lot of fun, it's as addictive as any drug. Living Things are the best band you have never heard of, and I fully recommend you check them out. Like, right now. Well, after you have read this column, then go.

 

3. Arctic Monkeys – "I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor".

Why hello global superstardom! Having heard the buzz and a few bootlegged mp3s, I was intrigued to see their first video. "Don't believe the hype" said Alex Turner, but after this it was impossible not to. An absolute riot from start to finish, it proved to be their launch pad into the record books, and for them to possibly be the most important British band of the decade. So what did robots dance like in 1984?

 

2. Athlete – "Wires".

Excuse me for being an absolute softie. Any song about a premature baby is going to strike a chord, and this one certainly does. It's beautiful, poignant, and it somehow involves you in the song by making you care about what happens to its subject. Emotionally jarring.

 

1. Arcade Fire – "Wake Up".

Quite simply one of my favorite songs ever. The moment I heard this, I had to stop what I was doing and just marvel at its genius. A song that seems to grow and swell and a chorus that needs no words; just a sheer exhalation of hope. Arcade Fire are just the shit, and this hard to top for this decade. What pleased me more was that this song was used as the music to the trailer for Where The Wild Things Are. Instant win.

 

Ben Czajkowski

I hurt my wrist tonight, so it makes it difficult to type. Here was the skeleton of my list that I pumped out over the weekend:

5. System of a Down - "B.Y.O.B.".

 

4. Roadrunner United - "The End".

 

3. Disturbed - "Stricken".

 

2. Mudvayne- "Happy?".

 

1. Coheed and Cambria - "Welcome Home".

 

Dan Haggerty

5. Candlemass – "Black Dwarf".

Everyone keeps talking about how Candlemass is back and if Lowe measures, but in 2005 they already made their comeback with one of the top albums of their catalog.  Doom riffs piled into epic song craft, judiciously wrapped around traditional and thrash axes, carried by the mad monk's soaring vocals.  "Black Dwarf" is hands down one the best metal songs of the new decade and "Born in a Tank" and "Witches" school a whole generation of metal opera pretenders on how to do it right and still be bad ass.

4. Kreator – "Enemy Of God".

Death metal is too aggressive?  Black metal too angry at religion?  Bah… these guys got nothing on the German thrashers.  This is, pound for pound, a brutal assault on the senses that is less musical statement and more like pulling someone's limb off before beating them senseless with it.  A tight pocket between thrash and the coming death, melody sacrificed for bloody hooks stretched with riffs from the bottom of a mass grave.  Hey, if you're going to go there, then this is the way you do it.

3. Bolt Thrower – "Those Once Loyal".

What can I say? it's Bolt Thrower.  Their combination of no nonsense death metal has such an honest classic metal principle behind every song you just can't help but stand up and salute the band.  You can feel the thrash and early influences that give rise to the blast of axe fury, hear the melody despite the speed, and believe the artistry that gives rise to the damage.  In a just world, this band would be filling arenas.

2. Opeth – "Ghost of Perdition".

A dark tapestry of death metal, melodic death metal, traditional metal, rock, progressive meanderings within a complicated vision, gloomy journeys down forgotten hallways, and haunted dreams; his thing goes from clean to growls on a dime in the most perfect display of writing imaginable, and it works for the songs!  That is amazing onto itself.  A signature song and album and I wouldn't be surprised if future groups named themselves after the title or a few tracks. 

1. Nile – "Annihilation of the Wicked".

Nile built a reputation built on tight performances, technical knowhow, great ambience, and of course subject matter that is historically if uniquely accurate.  Then "Annihilation of the Wicked" came down the pike and ripped people's faces off.  Technical masterwork music that races at the speed of eternity, lightning progressive work nailed for its chops and death metal so brutal you felt the weight of all those souls whose hearts carried more guilt then the dreaded feather could bear.  If you got the reference, then no explanation is necessary. 

 

Paul Hollingsworth

Honorable Mentions:

Ciara - "Oh", Missy Elliott - "Lose Control", Shakira - "Don't Bother"

5. The New Pornographers – "Sing Me Spanish Techno".

The Canadian Beatles? Maybe not quite yet, but this song off of the Twin Cinema album is full of Beatle-esque harmonies and melodies. Lots of bands have tried to recapture (often note for note) the Fab Four, but very few hit the mark. The Pornographers don't try to out-Beatle the Beatles as much as they try (and often succeed) in evoking the feel and space of a Beatles-type song.

 

4. Amerie - "1 Thing".

Amerie's big hit positioned her as a new voice in R&B, but she faded away almost as quickly as she arrived. She's back now with a new album, which I hope has at least one song which is as addictive and joyous as this one. Modern R&B needs more songs like this, which evoke Stax and Motown while still sounding modern and contemporary.

 

3. My Morning Jacket – "Wordless Chorus".

My Morning Jacket is one of the best bands of the decade, and this opening track from the Z album might be the catchiest piece of pop they've ever recorded. It's one of those songs that sticks to your ribs after only a few listens, but not in the annoying can't-get-it-out-of-your-head way. I'm also convinced that Jim James is somehow a test tube baby created from equal parts of Johnny Cash, George Harrison and Prince.

 

2. Foo Fighters – "Friend of A Friend".

Dave Grohl long resisted a quick cash-in song about Kurt Cobain and instead dusted off this song from 1990 and crafted one of the most moving songs in recent music history. Occasionally, Grohl shows just how much talent he has, and in doing so, frustrates me to no end. "Best of You" is a catchy tune, no doubt, but it can't hold a candle to this.

 

1. The White Stripes – "Blue Orchid".

Jack White can take the simplest of guitar riffs, the most basic of drum lines and the barest bones of a lyric and create magical songs like this seemingly whenever he wants. It's downright humbling how much talent and musical genius the man possesses. Other Stripes songs might have been bigger hits or more universally praised by critics, but this song demonstrates, in a Ramones-like song length, just how far above other musicians White truly stands.

 

The Final Word

As always, the last thoughts come from you, the reader. We're merely unpaid monkeys with typewriters and Wikipedia. Here's what you need to do: List your Top Five for this week's topic on the comment section using the following format: 5. Artist - "Song from 2005": Why you picked it. 4. Artist - "Song from 2005": Why you picked it. 3. Artist - "Song from 2005": Why you picked it. 2. Artist - "Song from 2005": Why you picked it. 1. Artist - "Song from 2005": Why you picked it.