!earshot year-end picks 2005

Pat McKenna

Pat McKenna of Voices In Your Head on Victoria’s CFUV. New to the game but a lifelong player, in it for the fame not the acclaim.

My Top 3 records of the year

Arcade Fire – Funeral – (Merge)
A brilliant album and even more so in an environment of formulaic, predictable music. No wonder they’ve been adopted by the whole world.

Wolf Parade - Apologies to Queen Mary – (Sub Pop)
Yet another example of Canada's disproportionately large share of the world's musical talent. Whether you credit them to Victoria, Montreal or Isaac Brock, it’s a phenomenally listenable album, front to back, back to front and over and over and over...

Sufjan Stevens – Illinois – (Asthmatic Kitty)
Breathtakingly beautiful, even when he sings about psychopathic murderers. A brilliant epic album with an even more epic (perhaps less brilliant) ambition for future albums of the state-to-state series.

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm – (Vice)
For a group so young, this is an amazingly well-developed, textured sound. Irresistible, intriguing and incredible. The next generation of Brits look to continue the talent of their native land.

Caribou – Milk of Human Kindness – (Domino)
No change of name or scene can hold this man back. Dan Snaith is a genius, simple.

Jens Lekman – Oh, You’re So Silent Jens – (Secretly Canadian)
Jens is a natural songwriter and storyteller who has made an album that wraps itself around you like a warm blanket of nostalgia and happy hum-alongs. If only this label’s namesake was accurate!

Most under-rated record of the year

Datarock - Datarock, Datarock – (Young Aspiring Professionals)
Sure there were other catchy, poppy, gay albums that weren't worthy of the hype, this wasn't one of them. This is an album to sing and dance to all night without the taint of over-analysis that most music nerds are prone to.

Most over-rated record of the year

The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema – (Mint)
Yes, this was good, so were Mass Romantic and Electric Version. Why pour on the praise now when all they've done is release a third copy of the same sound? Granted, a third good album, but the same album. Where was the acclaim then?

Best local release

a) Immaculate Machine - Ones and Zeros – (Mint)
Opening for The New Pornographers no doubt gave them the exposure they deserve but their next tour better see them headlining. Well crafted songs, great lyrics, amazingly intricate sound from a small three piece. Local to Victoria, typically Canadian, globally important.

b) Vincat - I Like Their Older Stuff Better - (Independent)
Local kids from Victoria, and I do mean kids. Hard to book because they conflict with liquor licenses, hard to ignore because they are just so good. Most bands never get this creative with their sound or lyrics, these kids have in their first step, and I can't wait to see what direction they head.

Best personal campus/community radio moment or experience of the year.
Changing time slots is never ideal, but meeting fellow djs is always refreshing. Even more appreciated is getting my good friend to co-host. If only we had double the time to bitch and banter.

Record you are most anticipating for 2005
The Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. ’06 is going to be great!