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Mngwa

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Andrew Franey

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The Shangs

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Alex Cuba

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Tri Nguyen

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Defend The Rhino

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Talltale

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Kiwi Jr.

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Plaster

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Hyness

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Black Suit Devil

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Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

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The Pack A.D.

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Chad VanGaalen

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Potengowski Anna Friederike

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Todd Rundgren

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Old 97's

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Needles//Pins

!earshot year-end picks 2005

Andrew Lee
Andrew Lee
Adam Fox

My name's Andrew Lee (AKA Theodore Twostep), my show is Ctrl_Alt_Dance on CFRC101.9FM Kingston, Ontario (Thursdays 8-10pm).  I like to touch myself in the control room when everyone is looking through the glass.

Top 3 records of the year
Numero uno:  LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem – (DFA)
Best...hooks...ever.  paying homage to daft punk, one of the former-kings-of-alt-house-turned-pitchfork-refuse, by saying they played at their house was very classy of them.  Also, James Murphy et al put on the most sweat-inducing show that i went to this year (opera house/toronto/may).

Numero two: Final Fantasy - has a good home – (Blocks recording Club)
I first heard CN Tower Belongs to the Dead in a student film and lumped it into "lap top electronica" that wasn't very interesting.  When i finally picked it up, i was astounded at how beautiful the arrangements were.  And when I saw Owen Pallett live, I was blown away by the sheer awesomeness of his one-man-band act, totally flipping my opinion.  Any boy who can loop his riffs like that and layer them so flawlessly on stage is A-OK with me.

Numero tres:  Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - ? - ?
Without any distinguishable lyrics, this album was still the catchiest thing since sliced bread.  even their horribly unlively-live show (toronto/horseshoe tavern) didn't detract from the album's beautiful songs. Some of the songs are dancey as hell.

Most under-rated record of the year
We Are Wolves - non-stop je te plie en deux – (Fat Possum)
Paradoxically, the most accessible experimental shout/synth punk album in recent memory.  I can't remember another attempt at the use of screeches and random wave patterns being so catchy and able to engrain itself into my brain.  The way these boys use noise to make me get up and pretend to hit  a synthetic snare drum is un-fucking-believable.
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