Top 15 out of 20 Songs of 2005 (Part 3)

If you've read Part 1 or Part 2, you know what the deal is. Enough jibber jabber. Let's get on with it.

• The Spinto Band "Oh Mandy" (mp3)
  
  
  I can say with absolute zero sarcasm that I love Barry Manilow's "Mandy" (and not just because Can't Hardly Wait is one of my Top 10 movies of all time). However, if I were dating a girl named Mandy, I'd hesitate to put the song on any mix CD I'd burn for her since, oh I don't know, that would be cheesy and predictable.
  
  I would have no such reservation about "Oh Mandy". This song makes me want to meet a girl named Mandy just so I can put the song on and dance with her. Rifuckingdiculously catchy.


• Spoon "I Turn My Camera On" (mp3)
  
  
  There's a certain 70's feel to this track, what with the discoesque drumbeat, bassline that wouldn't be out of place on Songs in the Key of Life and falsetto vocal. Yet, the end result is a great pop song that is decidedly 21st Century.


• Stars "Ageless Beauty" (mp3)
  
  
  You know how some songs, you know from hearing the first couple of notes that you love it? This is one of those songs for me. If I were making a movie about my life, I'd use this for my "happy moments" montage. Or my death scene. I want a happy death scene.


• Kanye West "Hey Mama"
  
  
  I've already written in detail about this track so I'll keep it short. They lyrics are Hallmark cheesy, 2Pac already made the definitive mama song while Kanye has another decent mom tribute with "Roses". But this one stands out because it's the perfect marriage of the soul heavy Kanye and the Jon Brion tink-a-tink.


• The White Stripes "My Doorbell" (mp3)
  
  
  There just isn't enough piano in today's music. In fun pop songs, anyway.

Now that I've throughly destroyed both my indie and hip hop creds, a few thoughts:

I wish there were more hip hop in there but 2005 is the Year of Houston and I just don't dig hip hop that can be described as crunk, dirty south, chopped or screwed. I'd probably get into the Houston scene more if I sipped syrup or owned a red car. Now, if this was 1995, I imagine 18 of my 20 would be New York hip hop.

That said, I haven't listend to Blackalicious or Little Brother enough and I might put one or two of their tracks up at the end of the year. Dangerdoom's going to warrant some consideration too and I need to listen to more Ghostface.

Out of early October releases, I see a Fiona Apple song making the final 20.

More music that could make the list include Wolf Parade, Ryan Adams (whose Jacksonville City Nights is a better country album than anything coming out of Nashville all year), Broken Social Scene, Ponys and Jaymay. I can't remember if Jenny Lewis is putting out her solo album this year or next, but I like what I've heard so far - like her Rilo Kiley stuff but heavier on the alt-country-ish.

Songs that missed the cut include Ben Folds "Landed" (the album's slowly growing on me), Green Day "Wake Me Up When September Ends", We Are Scientists "Nobody Move", Sia "Breathe Me" (more for zeitgeist value than anything else), Sufjan Stevens "The Lord God Bird", Death Cab For Cutie "Marching Bands of Manhattan", Beck "Black Tambourine", and Seu Jorge "Tive Razão". I'm also not ashamed to admit I really, really like Coldplay's "Fix You" and Gwen's "Hollaback Girl". M.I.A., I'm pretty much over.

Yes, you are correct, Clap Yeah did not make the list. I like them okay. I just couldn't think of a song that stood out.