Ben Ward

In advance of the best of 2005

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2006 is just 23 days away, which means that all around the country thousands of people, big and small, are preparing for an onslaught of annual reviews.

Shortlists are being drawn up, and I suspect the new Agenzia office space has settled on roughly 50% ‘Music Yearly’ drafts, 45% client work and 5% Arctic Monkey aura.

I’ll be focusing on music, mostly because I can’t for life of me remember any of the films I’ve seen this year (apart from Star Wars, which was ace). For album of the year, iTunes is sitting primed with a shortlist of 15 from which to choose. To whet the appetite I thought I’d share the pool I’ll be picking from.

There you go. So, World, what’s on your shortlist?

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  1. Jo

    I find it fascinating that you’re my closest neighbour on www.last.fm, and yet I don’t like even one of your choices!
    My personal album of the year is easy to choose, since I mostly listen to “old” music, and that’s James Blunt – Back to Bedlam.

  2. IBBoard

    Album of the year? That’d imply that I bought a modern album this year! The only album I can remember buying was Muse’s Absolution (down in good old Bracknell!), but that’s not new, it’s a 2003 album.

    Other than that I’m drawing a complete blank on any albums I’ve bought. I know I’ve bought more DVDs, and at least one computer game, but the DVDs were films that are, I think, a year or more old and the game was actually just an expansion pack.

    Hey ho, time to leave the ‘trendy people’ stuff alone and go back to the things I know, like QI on BBC2! :D

  4. Colly

    45% client work at Agenzia? You’re having a laugh, Ben.

    5%, more like…

    My “Yearly” will be published on 31st December, and will also NOT feature the awful Killers. Why does everyone like them so much. Truly awful.

    Editors on as I type. If fortune favours the brave…

  5. Ben

    I was going to be more sarcastic about how much work you may not be doing, but most communications I’ve have from you lately have featured a reference to being snowed under.

    I do have The Killers album but got tired of it. I remember at the time thinking that the second half just fell flat. Putting the atrocious ‘Smile like you mean it’ out as a single puts a nail in it too; I at least found the first few singles alright for a time.

    Editors are looking like dead certs for my list. Do you reckon it’s still necessary to include “Yes I know they sound rather like every other band, but…” disclaimer? Or do people just imply that now?

    The thing I’m really finding is that I’m surrounded by some fabulous pieces of music (the aforementioned Zoom! and Cabin Fever on ‘Love Kraft’ for example), but I’m struggling to pick out great, complete albums. This could easily turn into a compilation album.

    I’ve had my ‘2005’ SmartPlaylist on shuffle all afternoon. Just had a couple from Eels ‘Blinking Lights and Other Revelations’ (which is another that I’ve given no time but feels like it’s coming good). And lo! As I type I get Lights by Editors. I’ll end this ramble on that coincidence.

  6. Colly

    RE Editors: “Do you reckon it's still necessary to include ‘Yes I know they sound rather like every other band, but…’ disclaimer?”

    Yes.

    I have already written my list – did it two weeks ago. Just waiting to see if anything changes before the 31st. Note that “Zoom” is on my “Best Tracks” list at the moment.

    I will NOT be featuring Killers, Bloc party, Les Ferdinand or Hard Fi – either don’t like or have gone off those bands. I’m very fickle.

    Anyone heard the new Girls Aloud album (I’m being serious here). It got 5/5 in both The Observer and Guardian, and 9/10 in NME. I always loved “Sound Of The Underground”. Apparently this new album is their Sargeant pepper…

    I think I just showed myself up, didn’t I?

  7. Ben

    You did show yourself up, but don’t worry, very few people really visit here (well, the number seems to be rising, but at least you didn’t say it on your blog).

    I haven’t heard their album, though the freeview music channels have had ‘Sounds of the Underground’ on one of the ‘Every Christmas Number 1 since Hell Thawed Out’ slots. I fear that if I comment Jo may never let me live it down, but to hell with it: Yes, ‘Sounds of the Underground’ is a bit of a tune.

    There was another a recent one that was fantastically catchy as well (I don’t know the name though, honestly). That said, the Christmas single does nothing for me.

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