Everything old is new again

You know, one of the agonies of making a year-end best-of list is having to disqualify all the albums you were into that year, but that actually came out the previous year ... or longer ago. These little nuggets o' gold were sooooooo 2004 (or 2003, or 2001) for the rest of the world, but you didn't manage to check 'em out, or maybe didn't manage to appreciate them, 'til 2005. Better late than never is what I always say.

So to ease my conscience -- as well as to accurately project what was rocking my music world last year -- I would like to give shout-outs to my best-ofs for 2005 that actually came out before that. In no particular order:

Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
Finally, finally this year I figured out Wilco. Or at least enough to realize that Yankee Hotel Foxtrot actually does live up to its hype. I've always loved "Jesus Etc.," but somehow I failed all these years to realize "Heavy Metal Drummer" and "I'm the Man Who Loves You" and "Reservations" and "Ashes of American Flags" and, well, every other song kicks major ass. Not sure what led to the breakthrough, though of course the ongoing Hickory Wind discussion of Wilco-block and Larry's helpful Wilco 101 course of study helped a bunch. But they say you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. So for a long time I stood on the bank, scritching my head. But in 2005 I drank, and man was it dee-licious.

Rufus Wainwright -- Want Two (2004)
I had this one for a while before I really gave it a decent listen. And on first listen, I was kind of meh. But then I bought Hear Music's "Sweetheart 2005" sampler, which kicked off with a gorgeous cover of "My Funny Valentine" by Rufus. And then a co-worker made me listen to his cover of "Hallelujah," also gorgeous. And I thought, huh, I like his voice so much in these contexts, maybe I outta give that dusty "Want Two" another spin. And so ... it became one with my CD player for several weeks. And it's still on what I would call medium-heavy rotation. I just never get tired of hearing Rufus sing, love how he blends his operatic vocal style with playful lyrics and melodies. This release also has the distinction of being one of the very very few CD/DVD combos where I actually watched the DVD. Glad I did, too, as it was a nifty blend of concert footage with Rufus wandering around San Fransisco and narrating his ramblings. Kinda made me feel like he's a buddy. Maybe I should watch these new-fangled DVD whatchamacallits more often ...

The Rolling Stones in general -- 267 BC to present day
It took a kick in the butt from a co-worker on an entirely different continent to get me enrolled in what I'll call Rolling Stones 101, but I'm now a full-time student. I knew I liked the Stones, just from digging what I'd hear on the radio or on mix CDs or whatever, and I've always answered that all-important question -- Beatles or Stones? -- with Stones. But in 2005 I decided I wanted to learn more about what I was choosing there, so I embarked on study. I'm still very novice, owning only "Forty Licks." But I predict 2006 will see my Stones collection grow. Do I get extra credit toward my degree, do you think, by starting to notice that Mick Jagger, while undoubtedly one ugly mo-fo, is simultaneously extremely sexy? I can't explain it -- it just is. Probably has to do with the same disease that makes me insist Lyle Lovett is the sexiest man alive. But doctor, get away. I don't want no cure! :)