I Hate Top 10 Lists - A Compendium of Things That I Remember From 2005
In general, or as I’ve become more, *cough* sage, I’ve come to find Top 10s very arbitrary and in a way superficial - I mean don’t you think the qualification of art is rather shallow?
This is a bit of a familiar rant to some, but art (movies, music, books, etc.) isn’t made inside the constraints of a 12-month vacuum. Release dates are arbitrary, random and or monetarily pre-meditated all of which have nothing to with ranking them numerically.
That said, and with the knowledge of being aware of my dislike for measuring oranges against apples, here’s a list of things I enjoyed an awful lot (or in some cases didn’t enjoy) in 2005, most of it in no particular order.
Books
The Rock Snob Dictionary – Possibly the best music book ever as it simultaneously celebrates and satirizes music geek elitism. Any self-loathing hipster will appreciate this book (or at least, you should).
My favorite example of the Rock Snob Dictionary:
Stockhausen, Karlheinz. Avant-garde German composer and early electronic-music enthusiast whose sound collages and forays into musique concrète have impressed pop disciples ranging from the Beatles (whose “Revolution 9” was a very Stockhausian piece of art gibberish) to Jim O’Rourke. Already given to making extraordinarily pretentious, Sprockets-like pronouncements—being an avant-garde German composer and all—Stockhausen forfeited all civilian goodwill when he publicly declared the 9/11 terrorist attacks to be "the greatest work of art imaginable for the whole cosmos."
A Movie Snob Dictionary is forthcoming in 2006 and I for one am tremendously excited. I basically wish I wrote these books.
OK, that’s it for books; I read classics only because I’m a glutton for punishment. Reading Tolstoy in 2005 doesn’t count right? Dickens is fucking killing me, man.
Movies: Films I Enjoyed More Than Most or Distinctive Enough To Leave An Impression
Me, You & Everyone We Know – I think the biggest criticism I’ve heard against this film is that it’s too pretentious and arty and that’s precisely why I like it. People struggle with intimacy, kids get sexual way before they should to amazingly inappropriate yet side-splitting effect (some scatological hilarity), people light their hands on fire for no apparent reason, people fumble through life and it’s basically just a unique, capricious and quirky take on suburban dysfunction and intersecting lives. It also has a superbly bittersweet soundtrack by the guy who wrote the Donnie Darko score that really underscores some of the touching moments.
))<>(( forever.
The Squid and the Whale – It’s about a divorced family living in Brooklyn in the ‘80s. It has a 10-year-old drinking beer, smearing his ejaculate on library books, a dysfunctional marriage with equally self-involved parents, a tennis teacher that says “brother” waaaaay more often than he should and my all-time favorite Lou Reed song (“Waltzing Matlida”) in it, so it really can’t go wrong.
Thumbsucker – not perfect, but underrated. Video director Mike Mills’ debut feature-film and it has some great music by Elliott Smith and the Polyphonic Spree in it. People will notice the debut of the main kid, Lou Pucci in a few years and Vince Vaughn and Keanu Reeve’s small parts are really masterfully written and acted.
Goodnight and Good Luck – a little preachy, sometimes like eating your vegetables and Murrow was kinda the O’Reilly of his day (only for the right team), but still enjoyable.
Head-On (thanks for the recommendation Lora)
Broken Flowers – The Ethiopian jazz played in this movie is fucking excellent. Bill Murray doesn’t play “Bill Murray” for once and an assured director like Jarmusch keeps the film’s outcome wisely ambiguous.
Grizzly Man
Last Days – By no means perfect, and at times frustrating, but its dream-like nature lingers and it resonates after it’s over.
The History of Violence – again, frustrating, but the unique hand of Cronenberg leaves an impression.
Munich – Holy shit, this was fantastic. Emotionally draining and exhausting though. Any few quibbles i have with Spielberg’s peccadillos are easily overlooked by the super strong script. The movie moves like a shark and is riveting. I’m pretty surprised considering he hasn’t made a completely solid film since Schindler’s List or moments of Saving Private Ryan.
Movies I Haven’t Seen Yet, That Could Likely Enter This List
The New World – Terrance Malick
Jarhead – Sam Mendes
Matchpoint – Woody Allen (was ok, no Crimes and Misdemeanors)
Music: Records I Enjoyed More Than Most
Wolf Parade – Apologies To The Queen Mary (Wolf Parade trashed the room they stayed in on the ocean liner the Queen Mary during their All Tomorrow’s Parties appearance hence the name). It’s art-rocky-tastic.
Various Artists - Girl Group Sounds Lost And Found (One Kiss Can Lead To Another)
A four-disc girl group compilation set by rhino. Enough said, who doesn’t like Girl Groups? (though it’s more obscure than your average set)
M.I.A. – Arular
Like all political soundclash’s that came before it (Public Enemy’s Yo Bum Rush the Show, the Clash’s London Calling) or non-polemical ones (Beck’s Odelay, Tricky’s Maxinquaye), it’s an exciting mish-mash (mash-up?) of styles that’s exciting and unique.
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois – Even Newsweek has heard about him. Gee, this must make him uncool and I should probably sell the record.
Records I Enjoyed, But More On An Cerebral/Musically Adventurous Level
Outhud - Let Us Never Speak of It Again – Reminds me of Strafe (“Set it off”) Salt-N-Pepa and dance music of the ’80s.
Broadcast - Tender Buttons – some amazing dirty lo-fi electronic numbers that are incredibly catchy and danceable.
Ada - Blondie
Jamie Lidell - Multiply
Debut Records Not Perfect But Very Auspicious
Mylo- Destroy Rock & Roll
Giant Drag – Hearts & Unicorns
Other Records I Enjoyed
Crooken Fingers - Dignity And Shame – Really goddamn sad in places (though some of it is up-tempo and driving though autumnal and bittersweet still). A few tracks are like punch you in the stomach and keel over in a puddle of rain, stay there and weep, sad.
Antony & the Johnstons - I Am A Bird – Incredibly vulnerable and haunting piano torch songs sung by a transexual in drag (can you be a transexual in drag or are by being in drag does that make you transexual, i should probably figure that out before i offend Hedwig).
Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (better than most british dance-punk cause it’s much more than simply that)
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Various Artists - Squid & the Whale Soundtrack
Stars - Set Yourself on Fire
Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities Made of Ashes (acoustic covers of Modest Mouse songs done by Mark Kozelek from Red House Painters that really bring out the dirge in some of the misleadingly uptempo MM songs)
Album That Makes Me Want To Punch The British (and or, Just People) In the Face
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Growers Not Show-ers
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (the Elizondo version)
Best Record I Got In 2005 that Actually Came Out Late 2004
The Organ - Grab That Gun (so fucking good, so criminally underrated! The most genuine ‘80s-like band I have heard. Deborah Harry meets the Cure, the Smiths with a smidge of Stereolab? Highly recommended).
* i might update this entry if i’ve omitted something, but i think this is a pretty good overview.
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