Shut Up And Listen 250

Well, another year, another huge amount of money spent on CDs. Normally, when I do this column, I rank the music according to five categories: top five Canadian albums of 2005, top five non-Canadian albums of 2005, top five Canadian albums released prior to 2005 but I got in 2005, top five non-Canadian albums released prior to 2005 but I got in 2005, and classics (stuff released at least twenty-five years ago). And I planned to do that this year, except I ran into a problem where ninety-five per cent of what I bought this year was either brand new, fell into the classics category, or was a greatest hits package. So, those categories about albums bought prior to 2005 but I got in 2005 were . . . well, empty (although, the Canadian one theoretically could have been filled with Neil Young albums that were released less than twenty-five years ago--actually, when thinking about this column, I released Neil Young could have been in the two Canadian categories plus the classics one). So, I'm just going to go through some of the highlights of this year in alphabetical order. No ranks, just me telling you the twenty-five bands or artists that I were important to me this year in alphabetical order.

Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker, Cold Roses (with The Cardinals), Jacksonville City Nights (with The Cardinals), 29
I find it funny that through the coincidence of the alphabet, the two musicians who dominated 2005 for me appear at the beginning and the end of the list. We'll begin with Ryan Adams. He released three new albums this year, one of which was a double-album. And they're all fantastic. Some may tell you different, but they are fools and should be shot on sight.

But, before we get to the new, I'll talk about Heartbreaker a little bit. It was Adams' first solo album and I got it used in September. I didn't care for it much the first time I heard it. But, it's grown on me. "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, It To Be High)" jumped up the most played songs chart at work. "Come Pick Me Up" is somehow depressing as hell and not. Most of the songs are a little slower, but it works. Not my favourite Adams album, but good.

Then there's Cold Roses, the first album Adams released this year with The Cardinals, it's the double-album and it's my favourite album of the year. Did it have to be a double-album? Fucking yes it did. None of the songs could be cut. They are all necessary and great. I've never listened to The Grateful Dead, so I can't comment on this being like their music, but I do know I really like it. My favourite song is probably "Beautiful Sorta." No one else I've played it for laughs at the opening despite the fact that I almost always do. Plus it has the line "I feel alright when I think about you," which summed up where I was at the time I heard it.

At the end of September, I got Jacksonville City Nights, the second album of the year, also with The Cardinals. It's a country album, but I like it. Its existence made me check the country section of any awards list and notice it didn't get nominated. That's bullshit. "The End" has one of those typical Adams lines where he goes "The waitress tries to give me chance, but I say `No, that's alright, you keep it'" in a space that would normally have half those words. See, people accuse Adams often of being a lazy writer when it comes to lyrics, but I find his stuff is just more real. It's natural. He says it the way it feels or how you'd say it. And it works a lot. Like in "Wish You Were Here" off of lloR N kcoR with the line "It's totally fucked up, I'm totally fucked up, I wish you were here." That's some "lazy" as shit stuff, but it just fits. Cold Roses and this album are full of stuff like that.

I just got 29 yesterday in the mail. I've listened to it a few times, but it's the least accessible of the albums he released this year. It's the longest (well, Cold Roses is, but this one is longer than either of the discs there) and contains only nine songs. Each song averages five and a half minutes in length. Most of them are slower and more methodical. I've heard it described as more like Love Is Hell and Heartbreaker, but those were more accessible. This is an attempt at higher art, I think. I like it. I definitely like Cold Roses more, but this is good. I still need to give it a listen where it's just me and the lyrics booklet.

I hope 2006 will see Adams release a few more albums. I wish more artists would release two or three albums a year. There's this bullshit idea that that would make it so a bunch of half-finished albums are released, but that's retarded. Look at when the best rock albums of all time were released: The Beatles and Stones didn't take three years to do an album, they just fucking did it. Besides, it's not like a lot of bands are actually spending all of that time on their albums. They're just touring so goddamn fucking much that they can't record anything new. Or their labels won't release it until the timing is right. That's why Sam Roberts hasn't had a new album out yet. He told me that when I interviewed him and said that Adams is making everyone else look bad. Hell, I know he has at least one album's worth of material with the 18 songs he recorded for Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown. Hopefully we'll see those this year along with some more stuff. More music, dammit!

The Beatles: The Beatles, Abbey Road, 1
I finally broke down and got into The Beatles. What I've learned is that their albums are fucking expensive and overpriced. That seems really dickish. I mean, with The Beatles you know you're going to sell a huge amount of CDs, so you make the single-disc albums cost twenty-two bucks and the double-disc ones cost thirty-five? Fucking douchebags!

I started out with 1 and found that I knew a lot of the songs. The ones I didn't know blew me away. Then I got Abbey Road, because some of the albums were on sale and I just picked which one I got at random. It was good stuff. Then . . . then, I got "The White Album" used for twenty bucks. Hell of a lot cheaper than thirty-five. Now, it isn't perfect, but it blew me away in parts, too.

What I like the most about The Beatles and a lot of other classic rock stuff is the sense of fun. Sure, you have those serious, fucking awesome songs, but then you also have those two minute ones that are just playing around for fun. Could a modern artist release an album with a song like "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" on it without getting ripped to shreds? Nope. Damn shame, too.

David Bowie: The Best Of Bowie
I like a lot of songs on this album, but I don't think I'll ever buy an actual David Bowie album. I really have no ambition to. I don't know why, but I don't. I like these songs, but that's about it. Actually, I like two thirds of these songs. There's a bunch at the end that I don't really dig. The best part about this album, though, was hearing "Ziggy Stardust" for the first time. I love that song. On my iTunes at the paper, it was the most played song for a long while (it's currently number three behind "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles and "Magnolia Mountain" by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals). It's a solid best of album and one I'll stick in from time to time, but I think this is where my experience with Bowie ends.

Derek And The Dominos: Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs
I bought this album on a Friday. It was in April, between the time classes ended and exams began for me. I had to go to campus to photocopy some articles for a take home exam and I was also trying to make up for something I did to piss off this girl I was seeing. After I did my photocopying, I bought us some subs and went to her place. It was good day. We ate and talked and all of that for an hour, maybe two. I couldn't stay long as she had to study, but that was the first time we kissed and I remember how fucking great I felt walking to catch a bus downtown so I could buy comics. I had a best of Eric Clapton album on my discman, so after I bought comics, I went in a Sunrise Records to see if there was anything worth buying. I walked out with Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, because it seemed like the perfect album to buy that day. I can't listen to the album really without thinking of Jenn, which kind of sucks.

Actually, it's not that bad. I more associate it with her through the idea of associating it with her. Otherwise, I just hear some great fucking music. I only knew two songs going into it ("Bell Bottom Blues" and "Layla"), but now they aren't even my favourites (okay, "Layla" actually is). I fell in love with pretty much every song on the album and have listened to it a lot despite Jenn. It does act as a warning: never buy a really fucking fantastic album right after kissing a girl for the first time, because then you run the risk of forever associating that really fucking fantastic album with her, which would actually be cool if it worked out, but what are the odds of that?

The Eagles: Hotel California
Love the title track, love "Life In The Fast Lane," love "Wasted Time," but not really a fan of the rest of the album. Maybe I didn't give it a big enough chance, but it didn't thrill me. Did listen to the first four songs a lot. Hell, listened to the first one a shitload. "Hotel California" always reminds me of Mr. McDonald, a teacher I had in high school. He taught my grade 12 religion class, which focused on world religions. I remember he played the beginning of "Hotel California" one day to make a point. He did stuff like that a lot. He didn't teach in a conventional manner and you could tell he loved it. That was his last year of teaching, too. He died a couple of years ago. Damn shame, because he was one of the best teachers I ever had.

Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have It So Much Better
The first three songs on this album have got to comprise one of the best openings to any album I've ever heard. I can't think of an album that begins as strongly. The rest of the album is alright, but those three songs (along with the title track near the end) make the album as far as I'm concerned. The only real weakness of the album are the last two songs: they're totally unnecessary and don't feel like they belong. The album should end with the title track. It feels like it should, but it doesn't.

As well, I've decided that "Do You Want To?" should be the song every club plays right before closing. It is now the last song of the night. I mean, listen to the lyrics: it's the perfect closing time hook-up song. You just point at that special someone, point up (as if to the music) and then at yourself. No words are needed between you. Oh, it would be so fucking cool.

Matthew Good: In A Coma: 1995-2005
The first of three best of type things released by Canadian artists this year. This one came with three discs: a CD that's the best of, a CD that has three EPs (two rare ones and a new one called Rooms that's an acoustic album of some songs) and a DVD with videos and shit (and commentaries for the videos). A solid package.

Matt Good is one of those artists you either love or hate. Personally, I love the music and hear the guy is a bit of an asshole. I'm fine with that. I've read interviews with him and I can see why people would think that. When the chance to interview him for the paper came up, I didn't even try to get it (it never actually happened). I like to keep him and the music separate.

The best of disc contains all of his singles, except for those from The Audio Of Being, the last album The Matthew Good Band ever released. No surprise that those songs weren't included, really. Rooms is a pretty interesting piece of work, but suffers in spots where some songs just don't work the way he does them. "Hello Time Bomb" isn't meant to be done that damn slow! It sounds like shit that way! The best song on it is the acoustic version of "North American For Life," which is just terrifying. A fucking heavy song that scares the shit out of me. One of the best songs of the year.

Hot Hot Heat: Elevator
I liked Make Up The Breakdown better. Something about Elevator just doesn't work for me. I don't know what, but it doesn't. I like the songs, but they just don't grab me. Dunno why. Most people seem to disagree with me, though. Maybe I was just expecting more. Dunno.

Danko Jones: The Magical World Of Rock
Okay, this isn't a music album, it's a spoken word, but if you love music, if you love rock music, you have to get this spoken word album. In between tours with the band that shares his name, Jones did some spoken word shows and we get the best stuff here. It's basically an hour or so of him talking about music and it's funny as hell. It begins in the abstract, just talking about the love of music. Shit like dumping a girl because she has the wrong albums or spending money on reissues of stuff you already have just because there's a new picture inside. Then it becomes more specific with a trio of stories where Jones tells you how he met his heroes and probably made a fool of himself once or twice. I'm not big on listening to albums that are spoken word, but I've listened to this twice since I got it. Once in the Gazette offices to review it and once because, shit, it's just good. Hell, the fact that I got it at the paper for review and listened to it beyond what was needed for reviewing says it all. I've given four-star (out of five) reviews to CDs that I didn't listen to again.

The Kills: No Wow
Speaking of CDs I reviewed for the paper . . . this is another rare one that I've listened to a lot after reviewing. The second of five albums on this list that I got at the paper and reviewed (a couple other albums I reviewed are on the list, but I bought them myself and then did a review just because). I don't know why I grabbed this album. It didn't even come in a case. It's an advance copy that's in a shitty envelope. But, it's a fucking great album. It's very basic with a guy and girl duo. Just some solid rock songs. One of my favourite parts of this album is the fact that the same line is used over a couple of songs. Not a new technique, but it's a fun one. Gives you the feeling that the album is meant to be enjoyed as a whole.

John Lennon: Working Class Hero
I haven't listened to the second disc yet. I'm not done with the first one. I just can't believe how good some of these songs are. I think the four that have gotten me the most are: "Watching The Wheels," "Jealous Guy," "Working Class Hero" and "Oh Yoko."

"Watching The Wheels" appeals to me on that level where I can lie in bed, staring into space and consider that working on a story. The line "People say I'm lazy, dreaming my life away," just seems to sum up my experience with my family and others when it comes to writing. I'd spend summers working on stories and shit while all of my peers were out working at some shitty fucking jobs. Sure, an element of laziness was in there, but it was always more than that. I could never explain it right and if I came close, it was just written off as a lame excuse.

I know "Jealous Guy" will someday be the song that explains exactly why a relationship failed with a girl. I just know it.

"Working Class Hero" is just so fucking honest in its attack on the hypocrisy of the world. The line "They hate you if you're clever and despise a fool" again hits me close to home. I was always a bright kid and for a time, that works for you. Eventually, people get resentful and annoyed. But you can't be an idiot either. You have to be mediocre and can't strive for me or else it's like you think you're better than everyone else. It's bullshit is what it is.

And "Oh Yoko" is just a song that I love because I can't stand all of those people who blame Yoko for breaking up The Beatles. Fuck you. For one thing, it was more than that and that's obvious. For another, so what? I'd consider a woman you love to be more important than some band. Even The Beatles.

Maybe sometime this year, I'll get to that second disc.

Moby: Hotel
The other album I associate with Jenn, except the association runs a bit deeper here. That could be because it's not as good as Layla or because I haven't really listened to it that much since I bought it. It's a good album, I reviewed it for the paper after buying it. It's not like Moby's previous work, it's actually more like if Moby wrote all of the music, played all of the instruments and sang all of the songs . . . which he did. There are a few really great songs on here, a bunch of alright songs and a few stinkers. I got the limited edition version, which comes with a bonus disc of ambient music, and I tried to give it a listen, but it just isn't my thing. I do hope Moby sticks with this style of music, though.

Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation: Mighty Rearranger
My mom is angry at Robert Plant. See, he did a show here in London back in September and about a month or so before the show, I sent his management a request for an interview. I knew it was a long shot, but what the hell, eh? I'm an A&E editor, so I had some legitimacy in requesting such a thing. It was the most polite e-mail I've ever sent; very respectful and also clear that I didn't want to discuss Led Zeppelin. And I didn't. There are books full of everything you need to know about Led Zeppelin. (Actually, I had two questions in mind about Zeppelin: did Plant have a signature song the same way the other members did? (Page had "Dazed And Confused," Bonham had "Moby Dick" and Jones had "No Quarter") And were there any plans for more live material? Mostly because I want a live album or two post-Houses Of The Holy.) I would much rather discuss his recent work, which I rather enjoy. But, I never got a response back. My mom was far more upset about than I was. I just shrugged it off, while she would go on rants about how he should remember what it's like to be a nobody and not be an arrogant prick and shit like that. I found it rather amusing.

The album itself is a pretty good piece of work. It was also the first indication that 2005 was the year where the classic rockers struck back. The first single, "Shine It All Around" is a decent song and reminds me, kind of, of Live. My favourite song on the album is "Tin Pan Valley," a slower, darker song that seems to critique what Plant could have been: some former star forever riding his former success. In some ways, I think that's what he's done, but he's also done his own thing. Sometimes it's worked out and sometimes it hasn't. This time, it did.

The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed, Jump Back: The Best Of The Rolling Stones, A Bigger Bang
Holy shit, A Bigger Bang is a fucking good album. "Rain Fall Down" and "Streets Of Love" sounded like classics the first time I heard them. "Rough Justice" has a "Brown Sugar" vibe to it. The Stones are motherfucking back at the top, bitches. This album showed up at the paper and I grabbed it up right away after hearing that it was a solid album. Along with Robert Plant, Paul McCartney and Neil Young, the Stones were part of the older rockers who kicked ass this year like they haven't since their prime decades ago (except for Neil Young, who has rocked on-and-off since his prime). Although, I haven't heard McCartney's album, but all of the buzz surrounding it was positive. I just find it interesting that four rock legends released albums this year that were all hailed as their best works since the seventies basically (again, Neil Young excepted because he's managed to continually kick ass). I must say, though, that if there was ever a good time for Jagger or Richards to keel over and die, now would be it. Better to go out after releasing a great fucking album, eh?

The best of album, I bought with the Bowie one just because it was two for twenty-five dollars and nothing else looked that good. The album is worthless except for "Angie" and "Beast Of Burden." Although, because I like "Angie" so much, I could never date a girl named Angie. Then if we broke up, that song would be ruined. Ruined forever! Better to date girls with weird names that never show up in song titles.

I got Let It Bleed one day while at a book store. Saw it, shrugged, thought "I wanna buy something" and got it. It's a good album. Has "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Nothing in there to make me obsessively listen to it, but it's a really good CD.

Rush: The Spirit Of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987
Like Bowie's best of, this is the only stuff by Rush I have any ambition to listen to. I like some of it, don't like other parts. "Tom Sawyer" got played a lot, especially when I was playing "Space Invaders" online.

Sloan: A Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005
Sloan is another band that I like, but won't buy anything beyond the best of disc. Did listen to this pretty much straight for a few days after buying it. What I love the most about it is the DVD that comes with it. I love the age we live in, because DVDs with best of discs is becoming the standard. Releasing a best of disc? Through in a DVD with all of your videos and some other bonus shit! Fuck yeah! Especially because Sloan has done a few good videos. All kind of interesting.

The music itself is good. It's funny that Sloan was once called the Canadian Nirvana by American music press that had their heads up their asses. I also like how the writing chores are shared throughout the group with each member doing an equal amount of work. This is one of those bands that isn't that well-known outside of Canada, but if you haven't heard them, try getting this best of collection.

Supertramp: Crime Of The Century, Breakfast In America
Who doesn't love Supertramp? The Man, that's who!

How doesn't Supertramp get more respect? I wrote a column for the paper asking that very question. It was either that or why sitcoms are the premier art form to come out the US. Yazer didn't believe I could write a column that centred around that question and arguing that Supertramp was more subversive than The Sex Pistols. They are, okay? It's not that subversive when outcast teens are your target audience, because they're already outside of the mainstream. It's subversive when you're actually being heard by the people you're railing against. That's subversive. And Supertramp was all about how the adult world is about killing individuality and hope and creativity. Except they also stuck some good music to that message.

Actually, for Christmas, my mom got me a DVD that's a critical look at three of the band's albums: Crime Of The Century, Crisis? What Crisis? and Even In The Quietest Moments. Over half of the disc is devoted to a song-by-song analysis of Crime Of The Century, arguably the band's best album. I used to think Breakfast In America was, but I'd go with Crime Of The Century now. While Breakfast has my favourite Supertramp song, "The Logical Song," Crime works better as a whole. There are no bad songs on it like there are on Breakfast.

So, pick up a copy of Crime Of The Century, bitches. Pick that shit up and marvel at some mid-seventies prog-/pop-rock that kicks fucking ass and then tell me why the fuck this band isn't on a few more best of all time lists.

Tangiers: The Family Myth
This is Tangiers third album in three years. I even got to interview one of the members of the band. It was an interview that I called because I've been a fan of theirs since their first album Hot New Spirits came out. And I can say, without question, it was the dorkiest, most fannish interview I've ever done. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I geeked out a couple of times. I asked a few questions that showed that I know way too much about the band (and it isn't even that much, but when it's a smaller band . . .). Yazer and I were going to go to their show, but school got in the way and we couldn't. I did get Yazer into them, though. The day I did the interview, I made him listen to my Tangiers playlist that's on my iTunes at the office.

I also got the new album through the paper. I happened to be in on a Friday (which is rare since the A&E section is done Sunday through Wednesday) and it was amongst a few other albums that just came in for review. Shit, I love the perks of the job. The new album is slower and more thoughtful than the previous ones. You could tell the band was moving in this direction and it works. I have a feeling, though, that this one will be looked upon as a transition album between their second one and their fourth one.

The Tragically Hip: Hipeponymous
A four-disc box-set: two CDs, two DVDs. The CDs are full of songs chosen by the fans. That's how you know it's a best of set: when the fans fucking tell you what they love. This is a fantastic package. The Hip have, what, ten studio albums out plus a live one. I think if there is a modern Canadian band that warrants a box-set, it's the Tragically Hip.

Besides being a great package full of fantastic music, this was the official marking of me being old. A few years ago, I decided that a person is old when a band they grew up listening to releases a box-set. Not one of b-sides and rarities, but one full of their studio stuff that everyone knows and loves. A best of collection doesn't cut it, it has to be a box-set and now it's happened. The Hip have made me old. It seemed like as good a marker as anything at the time.

My only real complaint about this is that all of the songs included are the studio versions. I wish for one or two, they'd used the live version off of Live Between Us. I think that would have worked. The Barenaked Ladies did that on their best of disc with "Brian Wilson" and "What A Good Boy." I rather like that.

The DVDs have a concert, all of the videos, a discography, a documentary and some other little videos. There's also a 48-page book, but it doesn't tell you much.

The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground, Loaded, VU
The band's first album was the first album I bought this year. It was the first day back from Christmas holidays and I had an afternoon to kill between classes. The paper was closed and I had to go and buy a ticket for a K-os concert, so I went to the mall. I got my ticket and looked around. Ended up buying The Velvet Underground & Nico just because (along with the newest Spin). I'd heard almost all of the songs before on this greatest hits disc I have. But, it was a good day. I got The Velvet Underground and VU from a friend for my birthday. I bought Loaded in the summer when I got Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis.

I still don't understand why this band isn't played on the radio more. The music is fantastic and it isn't that radical in hindsight. Why don't I hear "Heroin" on the local classic rock station? Huh? Why? Fucked up world, people. Fucked up.

Weezer: Make Believe
This album isn't that good, actually. It sounds good, but it doesn't have much else to it. I was listening to it a week or two back and it did nothing for me. I knew the songs, but there was nothing there. Maybe I'll give it another go sometime down the road. For now, it just isn't worth my time. It's on the list because I felt that needed to be said.

The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan, Walking With A Ghost
I saw them live with Yazer September in Toronto. That was a great day. I was sick and wasn't sure if I was going to go. Didn't really feel like going to a concert when I had to blow my nose every five seconds. People called me a wimp. So I took some medication and went for it. During the trip, we got soaked with rain, discussed politics on the bus, got lost, shared a cab with two strange women, almost got hit by the same cab, ditched the girls, showed up just in time for the Stripes, saw the show, couldn't find our way to where we were going, took a streetcar, and parted ways. I went home that night, he stayed in Toronto. I got home at three am or so and it was a good day.

The new album is a good album. Fuck what anyone else says. I've had friends tell me it sucks and they are wrong. They're just wrong. Okay, "The Nurse" is a shitty song, but the rest is good. "The Denial Twist"? Fucking awesome! "My Doorbell"? Yes! "Take, Take, Take"? Great! "Blue Orchid"? Fan-fucking-tastic! It's a great album.

And then Walking With A Ghost I got because it has the excellent title track plus four live tracks. One of the few EPs I've bothered to get. Definitely a great buy to go with Get Behind Me Satan.

The Who: The Who Sell Out, Tommy, Who's Next
I love Who's Next and Tommy, but can't really get into The Who Sell Out. Dunno why. I mean, it's obvious why I like the first two, but not so much why The Who Sell Out doesn't appeal to me. I can't explain it. The songs are pretty good. The ads are funny. The whole thing is good. Maybe it's the fact that I've got the extended edition they released on CD. Maybe I'd like the album just if it were the album. I don't know.

The Who is a band whose entire output I plan to get at some point. I mean, the band just made good music. I'm actually amazed at how much I like Tommy. I didn't think I'd like it that much. I got it for Christmas and gave it a listen and was blown away. I mean, it's a concept album and it's a damn good one. I can't believe it. I really can't.

You Say Party! We Say Die!: Hit The Floor!
I grabbed this at the paper one day just because of the band's name. It is a great fucking name. The album rocks, too. Kind of like rock techno, but better than that sounds. I only wish they'd come to London this year. I wrote a review of this, so I don't have much more to say.

Neil Young: Neil Young, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (with Crazy Horse), After The Gold Rush, Harvest, Tonight's The Night, On The Beach, American Stars `N Bars, Decade, Comes A Time, Rust Never Sleeps (with Crazy Horse), Live Rust (with Crazy Horse), Freedom, Ragged Glory (with Crazy Horse), Harvest Moon, Unplugged, Road Rock Vol. 1, Greatest Hits, Prairie Wind
I saved Neil Young for last. I mean, he comes at the end of the list because it's alphabetical, but I saved him for the last when it comes to writing. I didn't write this in order. I came up with the list and then just did it in whatever order I felt like. Actually, I just finished the Ryan Adams entry before starting this one. I've got Neil Young's Greatest Hits on and I'm ready to go.

The first Young album I bought was his greatest hits. Got it on a whim during break week in February. I knew a few songs and listened to the album a bit before setting it aside. It looked like it would end up like Bowie or Rush, but then I ordered a few albums from Columbia House (buy one, get three free). I got After The Gold Rush, Harvest and Decade in one shipment (along with the Rush CD). Now, I like After The Gold Rush better than Harvest. I know Harvest is generally seen as the better album, but I disagree. Just personal taste, I guess.

With those albums, I became obsessed and began the hunt for more Young. As you can see, I got a good chunk of his stuff. I printed out a list of all of his albums and have been buying them up. I've got most of the "big ones." The ones that people know and generally think are really good. Of course, that means that the stuff I've yet to get isn't that great. It's the stuff people kind of shrug at. I've got a few of those in here (American Stars `N Bars and Neil Young).

I don't know what I can even say about Neil Young. Right now "Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)" is playing and it's just a damn good song. What the fuck am I supposed to say?

One thing I really like is how on Tonight's The Night, Rust Never Sleeps and Freedom, he bookended the album with the same song basically. It works well with the acoustic beginning and electric end. I wish a few modern people would pick that up.

I tend to think of Ryan Adams as the modern Neil Young. Not because their music sounds similar or anything, just in productivity and attitude. I see a similarity there. Especially if Adams keeps using The Cardinals on and off over his career the way Young has used Crazy Horse. I don't like calling certain people the modern whoever, but I just see it with Adams and Young.

I can't believe how good Prairie Wind is. I have a friend who doesn't like it, but he also isn't a big fan of the albums Adams released this year, so he's obviously out of his mind. I think my favourite song off of Prairie Wind is "When God Made Me." I heard it live a couple of times before the album came out (Live 8 and the Katrina relief thing) and I really liked it then. Loved it on the album. It works really well.

The entire album is sentimental and sweet and you don't see that much. Hell, the way we reject older musicians, it's hard to. You don't get a lot of older guys anymore who can look back on their life like that. Damn shame.

The hardest album to find was Tonight's The Night. I looked everywhere for it and was so happy when the used CD thing at school had it. I bought it instantly and listened to it that day. That was funny, because I was meeting a girl that night for the first time. We were introduced online through a mutual friend and had gotten along pretty well online, so we were meeting up. Listened to that album on the bus ride there and then back home. My mood matched that of the album much more on the way back. Oh lord, what a depressing time getting home that night. Shit, she could read this too. I don't think I ever told her that. Heh.

"Harvest Moon" is on and this song always reminds me of this one Monday at school in March. I had a seminar class at 9 am on Mondays and on that Monday, we only had a ten minute class, because one of the guys in the class had died the previous Friday. After getting out of class, I went and sat in Centre Spot in the UCC (a cafeteria kind of) and had the greatest hits album on and thought about it. What bothered me the most was I couldn't remember who the guy was. I had looked around the class that day and didn't really notice anyone missing. And that fucking sucks, you know? To not be remembered like that. And this song was playing on repeat (because I stuck it on repeat for some reason).

"Down By The River" is on now and it's a title (and plot, kind of) I stole for what became my first published comic story.

I don't really have much else to say. I could probably say more as Young's music was a big part of my life this year, but I won't.

And that's the music of 2005. Here's hoping 2006 will be as good.