Top 35 Songs of 2005: 20-11

This is the continuation of my top 35 songs of 2005 list. For songs 35-21 just scroll down one post. Here’s the songs 20-11, enjoy.

20. Sufjan Stevens – Chicago: Sufjan writes a brilliant song about how being in a big city makes us more susceptible to falling in love and regret. As someone who has felt these things just about every time I step foot in down town Chicago, I happen to particularly like/relate to this song. And so it makes my list.

19. Jason Collett – I’ll Bring the Sun: I first heard this song in the spring of 2004. I was at a Mason Jennings show in Chicago and some drunken cowboy who was somehow related to Broken Social Scene was the opening act. For the most part is his act was extremely forgettable and mildly humorous because he was obviously drunk off his ass. For his final song he played this then unreleased beauty. Since that concert I search high and low to find this song, and now it’s finally come out and I loved it now every bit as much as I did then. Just a great Alt. Country song, check it out.

18. Wolf Parade – Modern World: A song that upon first listen sounds like it should be off A Lonesome Crowded West or The Moon and Antarctica. In all honesty, if I wasn’t so lazy I’m not sure this song would be on here over “Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghost” or “I’ll believe in Anything”(both of these are also Wolf Parade songs in case you didn’t know.). But Instead I’ll just say that this song is still really damn good and has the best Modest Mouse esque harmony and rhythm line I’ve heard.

17. Kanye West(Feat. Adam Levine of Maroon 5) - Heard 'Em Say: This is yet another reason on the growing list of reasons to hate Kanye: He made me love a song that involved the lead singer of Maroon 5. And as good as the lyrics and Kanye’s rapping is on this song, Levine steals the song. In fact I love Levine’s harmony parts in this song, and that really pisses me off. In fact I’m not going to talk about it anymore.

16. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth: Despite the fact that the lyrics are completely indiscernible for the first 10+ times you hear this song, it might be the catchiest song of the year. The guitar rift will stick in your head for days and hearing the song, even after the fact that you’ve discovered that they lyrics are semi-depressing, will put a hop in your step and makes you feel like dancing. And in case you were wondering, the fact that I just referenced Leo Sayer was unintentional.

15. Silver Jews - I'm Getting Back Into Getting Back Into You: This song easily has the best title of the year. It also does the classic Silver Jew’s thing at making you smirk at the cleverness of David Berman’s lyrics and then sing along whole heartedly to the chorus. We* here at Another West Coast Morning tip our hat to you Mr. Berman.

14. Josh Rouse – Sad Eyes: Some people see it as a fault that I have a soft spot for perfectly orchestrated pop music. These people try to convince me that men like Rouse just put out unoriginal, uninspired beautiful music. They seem to think this is some sort of knock on Rouse., but anytime the adjective of beauty is attached to anything with out being sarcastic, I fail to see how that is a knock. And I see no evidence that this song would be better if the drums were louder then the singing or if Rouse screamed into his guitars pick up or if there was a bunch of random sounds added that sort of blended into one another. Truthfully I don’t think any of these things would make this song better. Maybe I just like boring music, you decide.

13. Stereophonics – Dakota: As noted several times in the past** I have an unadulterated love for Brit Rock that even I can’t explain. And while Stereophonics has put out two very disappointing albums since Just Enough Education to Perform, this song is amazing. If you don’t like Brit Rock, stay away form this song, but if you do this is easily the best song out of that genre this year.

12. Sufjan Stevens - Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step Mother!: Sufjan often writes his songs based on short stories that he’s written. Here he gives us a brief history of the state of Illinois from the view of a couple of kids whose step mother made them take a trip to learn about Illinois’s history. This song is equally clever and beautiful, not unlike Sufjan.***

11. Common (Feat. Kanye West) – The Food: If this song did nothing but teach us that slow motion is better then no motion, I would have put it on this list. But seriously, this song is amazing. It, like the rest of the album, vaguely feels like a ‘70’s soul song. And this song especially captures the bluesy almost gothic feel of Chicago. This song could probably double as the vest R&B song I’ve ever heard.

We’ll be back next week with the top 10 Songs of 2005. Get excited.

* I like to think of my self as multidimensional, this also leads be to believe that I’m not the only one writing for this overly pretentious, pedantic and all in all poorly written blog.
** And maybe even in this very post, I don’t know. As shocking as it may seem I rarely proof read anything I post.
*** Yeah I’m probably gay.