Top 10s for 2005: Popsicle
Popsicle is run by Spinguy and Luke. We have such different taste in music that we decided to split the top ten list in two, so here it is, in no particular order...
Spinguy's picks:
01. Labrador - Instamatic Lovelife
This is a hands down no brainer for Scandinavian number one of the year. Everything we love about pop music from the past 40 years was distilled down into this album and made new again. What's more, he made that difficult feat seem effortless. A milestone.
02. Dive - Unfortunately Dead
I think this is the most brilliant new band about today and I cannot wait for the full length. Possessing the dark, jerky (yet poppy) flavour of Joy Division with a pained and unique vocal reminiscent of Johnny Rotten, who couldn't love this, besides Luke that is....
03. Acid House Kings - Sing Along With...
Again, despite having so much music under their belt already this band delivered another timeless classic. They appear to be the well that has no bottom, and God bless them for it as they are an all time indie treasure.
04. Girlfriend - Blue Sky Love Scene
The choices are starting to get crowded here but this set itself apart with some brilliant UK styled guitar work and genuinely classic songs. Yeah, it's been done, but rarely this good.
05. Charade - Best Is Yet To Come
From the ashes of the Shermans comes this debut which managed to be sugary without being sweet, and adult without losing it's ties to youth. On top of that it was full of classic pop tunes.
Honourable mentions:
Husky Rescue - Country Falls
Tiger Baby - Lost In You
Handsome Train - This Engine Should Do EP
Luke's picks:
01. Magnet - The Tourniquet
When I heard that SoCal pop maestro Jason Falkner was co-producing and playing all over the newest Magnet CD I almost peed my pants. It was like two of my favourite musical worlds colliding, and it didn't disappoint. The former Libido frontman goes from strength to strength on his third album, and as was the case with his last album, it's really not like anything he's done before. Where will this intrepid Norwegian go next? Be sure to check out Libido drummer Brighton Gay's London-based band Costar too.
02. A-ha - Analogue
Living in North America for the last 12 years (where these guys are considered 80's one-hit wonders despite releasing classic albums for 20 years) I had come to think of A-ha as something of a guilty pleasure that no one would understand. I was vindicated last night as I stood among 15,000 crazed fans at Wembley where they proceeded to blow everyone away. They were so good that we're going down to Brighton to see them again on Saturday. Oh, and the new album is killer from start to finish. Guitarist Paul Waaktaar's side-project Savoy also released their superb self-titled fifth album this year which I recommend in equal measure.
03. The Perishers - Let There Be Morning
I was just coming down off a period of extended over-exposure to their debut "From Nothing To One" when the follow-up was released. Granted, this was actually a couple of years ago, but I believe most of us outside Sweden count this as a 2005 release and it's a testament to the strength of this album that I am still playing it all the time going into 2006. If lilting melancholic balladeering is your thing, this album is for you. Ola Klüft has a beautiful voice and writes amazing songs...simple as that.
04. The Mopeds - Fortissimo
It's been four years since their last album and "Fortissimo" is a great return to form for this Malmö trio. They are studio wizards and this album is brimming with frenetic high energy power pop that bursts from the speakers from start to finish. My only complaint was the Pink Moon-esque running time of the CD. I would have thought that four years would turn up more than 32 minutes of album-worthy material!
05. Kate Bush - Aerial
OK OK, it's far from Scandinavian, but "Aerial" has been on daily rotation on my ipod since the day it was released and I can't imagine writing a 'best of year' list without it. I find more depth and substance to it with every listen. A rare and beautiful work of art.
Honourable mentions:
The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
Ane Brun - A Temporary Dive
Jay Jay Johanson - Rush
"Riot On An Empty Street" by Kings Of Convenience is one of those unusual albums that we both loved this year but it doesn't appear on either of our lists for reasons that are too petty and insignificant to go into!
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Popsicle is a Scandinavian pop mailorder based in Canada that specializes in hard-to-find out-of-print titles and signed new releases.
www.indiespinzone.com/popsicle.html