It had taken me four tries to get to see Ben Harper in concert, but while i was there, it felt like this was the one I was meant to be at.

         Damian Marley opened. He was basically what I expected. It was entertaining live, but I, personally, would never buy his album. I think their were no less than four Bob Marley samples/covers during his set, five if you count the duet with Ben Harper of "Get Up, Stand Up".

         This concert rocked my soul. Ben is an amazing presence on stage without talking much. He occasionally sheepishly let a thank you escape from his lips at a volume barely above a whisper, but when he smiled at the crowd or turned the mic to the crowd, ususally to let them applaud his bandmates, they were eating out of the palm of his hand. Ben had about twenty guitars up on stage, about six of which i think he actually used. Damn can that man wail on the slide guitar! I've always said that Ben's emotive voice, was one of the main attractions for me and he used it in full force Thursday night. I actually felt inner anguish on "Please Bleed" and eventually teared up during "Waiting On An Angel"; which was apparently the first ever full band version of that song. I also noticed how much better some of the recent studio releases sounded live. Suddenly, they made more sense.

         My friend Randy and I left that concert high, and it was more of a natural one than a contact one. We can't wait to go see him again.

         In my mind, the Audio Bullys make the perfect music for a night out at the Winchester (if it actually existed). The electronica style backdrop for their smooth british-tinged hip-hop simply makes for a great late-night groove. I love "Shot you Down" which is a remixed version of Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". They are not for everyone, however. Phantomvamp says they make her want to punch someone in the face. I even realize that I probably like them a bit more than I can actually justify. If you don't like hip-hop or dance music, you should probably stay away. If you do, and like the british aural aesthetic, you should give them a try.

         During the first track of the first listen of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, I was apprehensive. What is this carnival shouting that sounds like Jack White? What followed ended up being very David Byrne-esque. If you could patent a voice this album is lawsuit worthy at times, it sounds so similar to Byrne. This is a good pop album, and a solid debut. If you like the Talking Heads, give this a spin. If you don't like the Talking Heads, pass on this one.

         I apologize for the lack of updates to this community. Unfortunately, I don't see the problem getting better in the near future. If you know me personally, you know that I am in the process of buying a house. This not only takes up the time I usually used to write the reviews, but it will continue to take up the time with fixing up said house, and the money I used to buy the subject matter. As an attempt to not put the site on complete hiatus, I will be posting a series of short reviews (about a paragraph in length). I also encourage others to contribute or even take control of this community (as long as I can still have a hand in it).

         This, here, is a fantastic album. It almost made my top albums of the year, but probably got beat out by Shivaree, partly because I listened to them at the same time, partly because I listened to them both so close to the end of the year. I stand by my ranking thus far, but just because it wasn't in the top ten doesn't mean it isn't still a great album

         This is my first experience with Andrew Bird. I have to say I'm quite impressed and curious about his previous releases, although most reviews I read prior to listening to it said this was his best so far.

         When I sit and analyze it, this is an odd little album. Mr. Bird uses a vast assortment of instrumentation, most of which are played by him. He uses all of these instruments in odd ways and in peculiar combinations. However the music never sounds that odd, nor forced. Furthermore, the album's cohesiveness never suffers due to experimentation. Vocally, Andrew sometimes reminds me of Jack Johnson, but then sometimes his songs in general remind me of Rufus Wainwright. The mix of singer-songwriter lyrics and odd instrumentation led me to use it as a transition between Damien Rice and Tom Waits in my car's cd changer. A musical menage a trois I am quite happy with.

         If you haven't yet heard Andrew Bird, give him a listen. I'm definitely happy with my purchase.

         I subscribe to Paste Magazine, a magazine I highly recommend. Anyway, they have at least a dvd or cd included with every magazine (though so far, i've gotten both with every magazine). The cd is a typical mix cd, but the dvd is every ADD kid's wet dream. It's basically a random mix of short films, trailers, reviews, and music videos. Shivaree's "I Close My Eyes" was one of those videos on my last issue, which compelled me to rush out and buy this cd. The result is that it ended up on my best of 2005 list.

         Damn, do I love this album! Why? Well Ambrosia Parsley's voice sounds even more delicious than the foods that make up her name (could that possibly be birth-given?). She reminds me of Gwen Stefani when Gwen sings slow songs. The music, while hard to describe, is gorgeous. There are so many different genre's elements layered within these songs, it is hard to pick out all of them. It does have an overall laid-back jazzy-cool, which makes it feel like trip-hop at times, which ends up one of those catch-all genres. The band also falls into the trip-hop cliché in that it is made up of a seductive lead singer in the spotlight with two guys in the background layering all of the music together.

         If you dig lots of different kinds of music, get this cd. If you dig trip-hop, get this cd. If you dig stuff you'd expect to hear in a bond movie (even if you don't like bond movies themselves), get this cd. I can't recommend this any higher. It is perfect to start out listening to Shivaree with, as I had not heard any prior to this. Apparently it was released on my birthday last year, if I had known who they were it would have made a great birthday gift, but either way it is a truly a gem.

         As I stated last year, I am neither so pretentious as to think I have the be all, end all taste in music, nor to think I have heard all the good music there was in 2005. There are were some albums I heard in 2005 from 2004 that may have ended up on last years review, like albums from the Faint, Cake, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. So, these are my picks from what I heard in 2005 (in no particular order).

My 10 favorite albums:

Beck - Guero (review)
        Guero is a brilliant album. It is somewhat difficult to explain why, but judging by how long it stayed in my record player, I can easily say this one of my favorite records of the year.  (Interscope/Universal Music)

Gorillaz - Demon Days (review)
        This is not the Gorillaz album of four years ago. It's better! Danger Mouse rocked my socks.  (Virgin/EMI)

Ok Go - Oh No (review)
        Where as their debut was sugary sweet pop fun, OK Go's sophomore effort is harder, edgier, and more grown-up, though their hilarious dance numbers may not reflect it. I can't imagine anyone being too disappointed with this album.  (Capitol Records)

Shivaree - Who's Got Trouble? (review pending)
        Imagine Portishead scoring a Bond movie with a slow-singing Gwen Stefani on vocals. This album might sound kind of like that.  (Zoë/Rounder)

Kathleen Edwards - Back to Me (review)
        Simply the best lyrics I heard all year.  (Zoë/Rounder)

Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman (review)
        Ben put out one awesome and heart-felt album here.  (Epic/Sony BMG)

Thievery Corporation - The Cosmic Game (review)
        When listening to The Cosmic Game you will feel like you are traveling around the world. Bossa nova, dub, toasting, rock, and West-Asian influences are all mixed together to create one cool trip.  (ESL Music)

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Naturally (review)
        Soul the way it was meant to be made. Awesome vocals to boot.  (Daptone Records)

Amos Lee - Amos Lee (review)
        An impressive debut that bonds soul to folk.  (Blue Note/EMI)

Morcheeba - The Antidote (review)
        I love the new singer and I love the sound they've adapted on this album. So happy it was finally released in the states.  (Echo/Chrysalis)

My favorite import albums:

        These would have been in my top albums of the year, but since they weren't released in the states I've separated them.

Goldfrapp - Supernature (review)
        Electronic music the way it should be.  (Mute Records)

Yann Tiersen - Les Retrouvailles (no review)
        Beautiful as always.  (Virgin/EMI France)

Honorable Mention for Previously Recorded Material:

Fountains of Wayne - Out of State Plates (no review)
        Flat-out good power-pop.  (Virgin/EMI)

My 5 favorite songs (not on one of the previous albums):

Daft Punk "Make Love"
Laura Viers "Galaxies"
Alana Davis "Nice Time"
Emiliana Torrini "Heartstopper"
Kate Earl "Officer"

         The Flaming Lips are an eccentric group. At times, their experimentation can be so odd it sounds quite awful to most, but when they are on the mark, they are genius.

         This is somewhat of a themed album. It illustrates a story of a girl named Yoshimi battling these evil pink robots bent on destroying humanity. What the result ends up being is a pop masterpiece that gets better and better with each listen. I sing along to almost every song and I grin with mischievous delight as Yoshimi screams towards the end of the battle. After the battle, most of the songs are about loss and regret, yet still beautiful.

         I recommend this album if you haven't already heard it. Sometimes, it's hard to believe this is the same band that made "She Don't Use Jelly". Definitely an essential album of mine.

         This album has been getting a lot of hype, so I decided to give it a try. I found a copy for $1.50 on Amazon Marketplace, which comes to $4.00 when adding the $2.50 shipping, so why not? Well, if I had paid any more for this, I'd be disappointed.

         U2’s Bono called Abdel the "most important Jamaican artist since Marley." This is more a statement of how big-mouthed and clueless Bono is, than anything about Mr. Wright. Time will tell, but I predict this album will be completely forgotten within a couple of months.

         So, what does it sound like? Well, think less Marley and more Eagle-eye Cherry. About the only things Marley and Wright have in common is that they are Jamaican and make music with a political message. Basically this album is easy on the ears pop with a variety of Jamaican influences, but those influences don't stop it from being ultimately bland and mostly unremarkable. It feels like Jamaican music for people who don't know or like world music. There are no stand-out songs, Wright didn't impress me with talent, and the album doesn't even keep my ears' attention while I was working.

         I don't recommend this album. I may be a bit harsher on the album than it deserves, because it isn't really that bad. It is wildly overrated, though, and someone has to balance out the snow job.

         Ever since Lucinda Williams has gotten some respect, there have been a number of women to come out with a similar sound. I have heard a few of them, and I'm sure there are a few I haven't. Of the ones I have heard, Kathleen Edwards is both the one that sounds the most like Lucinda and the best.

         Many times during Back to Me, I'd swear I was listening to Lucinda's newest album. Lyrically that's something. The lyrics are real, emotive, and concise. The instrumentation is all very good, as Kathleen has gotten some talented musicians working with her on this album.

         When it comes to vocals, Lucinda Williams has always been one notch above John Hiatt and Bob Dylan, in that she has excellent songs, but merely adequate vocal skills. Basically, the perfect material to cover. Voice wise, I get the feeling Kathleen is holding back. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think Kathleen could deliver so much better. Her technique has improved since Failer but there are hints that she has a much fuller voice and probably a better range somewhere in there. There are a few songs on this album where Kathleen creates her own sound, but too often her vocals still sound like a Lucinda impersonation.

         I guess if you are going to emulate someone, do it well. Kathleen sure has done that. If you like Lucinda, as I do, or roots rock, give this album a listen.