Dan Washburn's Shanghai Diaries: This is when I force my taste in music on you

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This is when I force my taste in music on you

It’s already been a great year for music … and it’s still July. The following are my five contributions to the Shanghaiist The Best Music of 2005 (so far) list. Other albums on the Shanghaiist list that I highly recommend are I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes, Face The Truth by Stephen Malkmus, Gimme Fiction by Spoon and Illinois by Sujan Stevens. After these five blurbs, I’ll list some other albums that are on my personal Best of 2005 (so far) list. Why should you care about any of this? That is a very good question.

The Mysterious Production Of Eggs by Andrew Bird

I was somewhat — no, very — surprised to like an album by a former Squirrel Nut Zipper, but I’ve always had a thing for professional whistlers.

Buy | Reviews | Official site | “A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left” | Stream the entire album

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Shhhh. Hear that? If you are quiet, you can hear the buzz surrounding this Brooklyn band from any spot on Earth. Arcade Fire for 2005.

The Sunlandic Twins by of Montreal

“We’ll have bizarre celebrations,” sings Kevin Barnes, and that’s exactly what this album is. This is what happens when indie psych-pop boys play with computers.

Buy | Reviews | Official site | “So Begins Our Alabee”

Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River

No new Wilco album this year? Not to worry. This Austin band offers homespun tunes and stories … and some of the year’s weirdest album art.

Buy | Reviews | Official site | “For Real” | “Black”

Apologies To The Queen Mary by Wolf Parade

This album “officially” doesn’t get released until late September, but jump on this Montreal band’s bandwagon now. Partially produced by Isaac Brock, and it shows.

Buy | Reviews | Official site | “You Are A Runner And I Am My Father’s Son”

Other 2005 albums I would recommend:

Artist — Title
Aqueduct — I Sold Gold
Black Mountain — Black Mountain
The Capitol Years — Let Them Drink
Caribou — The Milk Of Human Kindness
Clem Snide — End Of Love
The Decemberists — Picaresque
Iron & Wine — Woman King
The Kills — No Wow
M. Ward — Transistor Radio
The Mountain Goats — The Sunset Tree
Sleater-Kinney — The Woods
Superwolf — Superwolf

07.30.2005, 6:30 PM · Music

4 Comments

On Aug 6, 2005 2:41 PM, EM said:

Seriously, I am going through indie record shop withdraw here. Is there ANY place with even slight indie music options in Shanghai? Any live music venues?? They should make patches for gig withdraw.
On Sep 2, 2005 5:42 PM, electioneered said:

wooooo, we all read pitchfork!
On Sep 2, 2005 5:46 PM, 復旦大學留學生 said:

woo! we all read pitchfork, and are better people for it!
On Jan 19, 2006 2:55 PM, aaron said:

pitchfork is a reference, not a bible. Its worthwhile making your own judgements once in awhile… besides, pitchfork has this problem with confusing obscurity with talent