2005: The Year In Review
It's been a long strange year in the world of music.
January: Continuing the trend in which artists prove they're activists by playing a concert and adding "Relief" to the name, a Tsunami Relief concert was held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on the 22nd, featuring Eric Clapton and a score of bands no one outside of England follows. Halfway around the world, Canada retaliated with a concert of it's own for tsunami relief in Vancouver, proving that in the world of music there's no such thing as too much copycat activism.
February: On the 22nd, pop-punkers Blink 182 stunned the world by declaring themselves on an "indefinite hiatus," but might return in the future. On the same day, Korn guitarist Brian Welch left the band for Christianity. Scientists blame these two freak occurrences on a rip in the space-time continuum, and are still investigating.
March: 50 Cent releases "The Massacre." The album sells 4 million copies in two months, spawns five top-five singles, and successfully drops the American IQ 20 points.
April: Mariah Carey releases "The Emancipation of Mimi," which quickly equals 50 Cent's sales and proves with ultimate finality that as long as a Photo Shop airbrush is nearby, any 40-year-old diva can remain a sex symbol. Women worldwide rejoice.
May: Eric Clapton proved he really will do anything for money, when he joined the original lineup of Cream for a four night stand at London's Royal Albert Hall. For a guaranteed $50 million and 2006's Album of the Year award, he promises he'll record a new album with Cream. I hear the Grammy committee is still actually considering it.
June: A jury officially found Michael Jackson not guilty of child molestation, but in an unusual move, the jury did find him guilty of Grand Hubris for titling his last album "Invincible." In a settlement, he has agreed to give up the King of Pop title and retire to Neverland in shame.
July: The Live 8 concerts proved once and for all that when it comes to activism, the music industry does have the biggest penis, hands down.
August: R. Kelly performed the 12th chapter of his "Trapped In The Closet" epic for an audience of millions at the MTV Video Music Awards. The performance successfully taught Americans to properly laugh again for the first time in years. Kelly says he hopes to continue writing pieces to this musical soap opera, as long as it distracts us from his statutory rape trial.
September: In some really weird news, a rumor spread around the internet that hip-hop artist Ciara used to be a man and had to have a sex change. Web snoop Snopes revealed that the confusion was over an Irish transexual with the same name. And America's IQ dropped another 20 points.
November: Paul McCartney's children begged their father to celebrate his birthday quietly. The pop icon turned 64, and his children were concerned the jokes would be unbearable. As a compromise, McCartney has recalled all recordings of "When I'm 64" for retooling. New title: "When I'm 84."
Only time will tell what craziness 2006 has around the corner. Until that happens, as an end of year bonus I've gone through all of the reviews I've written this year for 72 Hours and my online blog "In My Headphones." Here is my 2005 top ten. Visit www.inmyheadphones.blogspot.com to read any of the reviews you might have missed!
1. Regina Spektor - "Soviet Kitsch"
2. David Crowder Band - "A Collision"
3. The Soul Rebels - "Rebelution"
4. Brandi Carlile - "Brandi Carlile"
5. Ray LaMontagne - "Trouble"
6. Our Lady Peace - "Healthy in Paranoid Times"
7. Ben Folds - "Songs For Silverman"
8. Jamie Cullum - "Catching Tales"
9. The White Stripes - "Get Behind Me Satan"
10. Blue Merle - "Burning in the Sun"
Honorable mention should also go to the Muncie-area bands who made my top 25 this year. The Human Chain's self-titled EP came in at #11, while Everthus The Deadbeats and their album "Nothing, I Want Nothing" was #19. Both are definitely worth your purchase. Muncie music is alive and well, people, so keep listening.
It's been a long strange year in the world of music.
January: Continuing the trend in which artists prove they're activists by playing a concert and adding "Relief" to the name, a Tsunami Relief concert was held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on the 22nd, featuring Eric Clapton and a score of bands no one outside of England follows. Halfway around the world, Canada retaliated with a concert of it's own for tsunami relief in Vancouver, proving that in the world of music there's no such thing as too much copycat activism.
February: On the 22nd, pop-punkers Blink 182 stunned the world by declaring themselves on an "indefinite hiatus," but might return in the future. On the same day, Korn guitarist Brian Welch left the band for Christianity. Scientists blame these two freak occurrences on a rip in the space-time continuum, and are still investigating.
March: 50 Cent releases "The Massacre." The album sells 4 million copies in two months, spawns five top-five singles, and successfully drops the American IQ 20 points.
April: Mariah Carey releases "The Emancipation of Mimi," which quickly equals 50 Cent's sales and proves with ultimate finality that as long as a Photo Shop airbrush is nearby, any 40-year-old diva can remain a sex symbol. Women worldwide rejoice.
May: Eric Clapton proved he really will do anything for money, when he joined the original lineup of Cream for a four night stand at London's Royal Albert Hall. For a guaranteed $50 million and 2006's Album of the Year award, he promises he'll record a new album with Cream. I hear the Grammy committee is still actually considering it.
June: A jury officially found Michael Jackson not guilty of child molestation, but in an unusual move, the jury did find him guilty of Grand Hubris for titling his last album "Invincible." In a settlement, he has agreed to give up the King of Pop title and retire to Neverland in shame.
July: The Live 8 concerts proved once and for all that when it comes to activism, the music industry does have the biggest penis, hands down.
August: R. Kelly performed the 12th chapter of his "Trapped In The Closet" epic for an audience of millions at the MTV Video Music Awards. The performance successfully taught Americans to properly laugh again for the first time in years. Kelly says he hopes to continue writing pieces to this musical soap opera, as long as it distracts us from his statutory rape trial.
September: In some really weird news, a rumor spread around the internet that hip-hop artist Ciara used to be a man and had to have a sex change. Web snoop Snopes revealed that the confusion was over an Irish transexual with the same name. And America's IQ dropped another 20 points.
November: Paul McCartney's children begged their father to celebrate his birthday quietly. The pop icon turned 64, and his children were concerned the jokes would be unbearable. As a compromise, McCartney has recalled all recordings of "When I'm 64" for retooling. New title: "When I'm 84."
Only time will tell what craziness 2006 has around the corner. Until that happens, as an end of year bonus I've gone through all of the reviews I've written this year for 72 Hours and my online blog "In My Headphones." Here is my 2005 top ten. Visit www.inmyheadphones.blogspot.com to read any of the reviews you might have missed!
1. Regina Spektor - "Soviet Kitsch"
2. David Crowder Band - "A Collision"
3. The Soul Rebels - "Rebelution"
4. Brandi Carlile - "Brandi Carlile"
5. Ray LaMontagne - "Trouble"
6. Our Lady Peace - "Healthy in Paranoid Times"
7. Ben Folds - "Songs For Silverman"
8. Jamie Cullum - "Catching Tales"
9. The White Stripes - "Get Behind Me Satan"
10. Blue Merle - "Burning in the Sun"
Honorable mention should also go to the Muncie-area bands who made my top 25 this year. The Human Chain's self-titled EP came in at #11, while Everthus The Deadbeats and their album "Nothing, I Want Nothing" was #19. Both are definitely worth your purchase. Muncie music is alive and well, people, so keep listening.
posted by Jonathan Sanders @ 12:48 PM
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