Favorite Music of 2005

2005 Favorite 10 Album Releases (in order)

1. Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die
Australia : Pop : Bar None

2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
USA : Singer/Songwriter : Asthmatic Kitty

3. Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs
USA : Singer/Songwriter : Righteous Babe

4. The Rosebuds - Birds Make Good Neighbors
USA : Pop : Merge

5. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us
France : Electronica/Shoegaze : Mute

6. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
UK : Post-Punk : Atlantic/Wichita/V2

7. Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins
USA : Pop : Polyvinyl

8. Mice Parade - Bem Vinda Vontade
UK : Post-Rock : Bubble Core/Fat Cat

9. The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
UK : Pop : Capitol/Heavenly

10. Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites
Denmark : Pop : Sony/BMG

Other much liked albums:
Sigur Ros, The National, Antony & The Johnsons, Fischerspooner, Vitalic, Mountain Goats, Menomena, Bright Eyes

Favorite 3 Concert Performances:
1. The Dears @ Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ (March)
2. M.I.A. @ Coachella Music Festival - Palm Springs, Ca (May)
3. Arcade Fire @ Coachella Music Festival - Palm Springs, Ca (May)

Favorite Cover: Take Ecstasy with Me - Magnetic Fields covered by !!!

Favorite Remix: It's Not the Worst I've Looked - Two Lone Swordsmen remixed by Lali Puna

Favorite Lyrical Verse: Banking on a Myth - Andrew Bird
"Deals in commodities of the abstract sort
Buys them in bulk but then he sells it short
Talent, genius, love, even signs of affection
He floods the market, there's no price protection"

Favorite Song: Hope There's Someone - Antony and The Johnsons

Notable Icelandic Quotes

19oct05

@ Airport as Kh & MA were about to miss their flight (then not miss, then miss, then not miss...)

"Wanna just go to another country (like Sweden)?"

-M

20oct05

"I have no integrity"

-Anonymous

21oct05

@ Endless line to see Architecture in Helsinki

"Pass me my viking suit!"

-M

"Have there ever been any deaths associated with crowds at this music festival?"

-K

"No, but there were 2 flying monkeys last year."
-Heavycoat #3

22oct05

@ Krua Thai Restaurant

"... Yes, it does look like you go to the gym, you are very fit"

-K

"Yes, I am fat, I recently had a baby"
-Restaurant owner very matter of factly

"No no, FIT not FAT!"

-K

@ Endless line to see Zoot Woman, Clap Your Hands, Ratatat, ...

"We're running out of liquid courage."

-M holding empty Stella bottle

Regarding Icelandic tapwater

"They said it's the purest water you can drink."

-K
"Yeah, they said a lot of things."

-M

@ Kaffibarin ~3am

"You're holding all the cards!"

"You're holding all the cards!"

-Anonymous Icelandic hipster

"Stop saying that, what do I do?"

-K

23oct05

@ Hotel Klopp ~11am

"It's an earring, right?"

-K

24oct05

@ Geysir ~1pm

"I think those girls are British"

-K

"I'm gonna say something in a British accent, see if they turn around"

"A big boo for Man United!"

-M

"How many photo do you need of this thing!"

-Anonymous frustrated young British girl

"Ok, now let's go and get 8 types of Salmon."

-K

25oct05

@ Sirkus ~12:42am

"Our only hope now is to walk up, order a drink between the two of them in English, and pray."

-K

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Top 5 Bands We are Glad to Have Missed

1. Cynic Guru

2. Hjalmar

3. Dr. Disco Shrimp

4. Ske

5. Dr. Mister and Mr. Handsome

Top 5 Bands We Came to See but Couldn't

1. Architecture in Helsinki

2. Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah

3. Zoot Woman

4. Ratatat

5. Jeff Who?

10 Things I Learned in Iceland

1. The shattering of glass is a popular ritual practiced by many angered Icelandic men outside Reykjavik's 3 bars on weekend nights.
2. When accepting dried flavorless aquatic snacks from flea-market merchants who are hairdressers don't get meat from the tough posterior side of the fish.
3. The rules of the kitchen are the same as the the rules of geysirs, if something is steaming it's likely too hot to stick your hand in.
4. If you're hungry on a weekday night eat before midnight unless there is curry flavored ramen on your person.
5. Pizza King is really good pizza!
6. During Iceland's annual woman's day parade it's best as a man not to point to signs and chuckle because the language looks funny.
7. Icelandic beers Viking, Egils, and Thule all secretly come from the exact same pilsner recipe.
8. Elves, trolls and other related creatures are not real.
9. Tonar, one of Iceland's record labels/musik stores/coffee shops enjoys giving strangely informed recommendations of experimental electronica bands that are signed to their record label over complimentary strong coffee. Please note: they are not aware of the band "Boards of Canada."
10. Brennivan (aka Black Death) is a cumin flavored schnapps that costs $70/bottle in town liquor stores but $15 in the airport.