After getting a proper dose of Hollencomium you are probably itching for another fix of original, unfamiliar music. We are going to fast-forward from our nostalgic review from last week and look at four great singles from 2005. The singles will be in four distinct categories: hip-hop, rock, experimental, and pop.

Artist: DangerDoom Ft. Cee-Lo
Album: The Mouse and the Mask
Song: Benzie Box

DangerDoom, collaboration between DJ Danger Mouse and MF Doom, released The Mouse and the Mask in October 2005. You’ve all heard of DJ Danger Mouse from last weeks review, but MF Doom is probably unknown to most casual music listeners. His lyrical style is witty, sarcastic, eccentric, and smooth. He constantly references movies and comic books while also criticizing mainstream rap, claiming “Rap these days is like a pain up in the neck / Cornier, and phonier than a play fight”. To go along with all of this Danger Mouse samples from Cartoon Networks’ Adult Swim characters, that adds a comical side to the album. Watch for the group to step out into the mainstream rap spotlight, giving it a muchneeded shot of talent.

Catchiness: 8
Originality: 7
Personality: 7

Artist: Thunderbirds Are Now!
Album: Justamustache
Song: Eat This City
Genre: Indie Rock

The ! in Thunderbirds Are Now! is not just for effect, it almost defines their music. Every song is upbeat and has an f-you attitude to it. The lyrics are nothing too spectacular in the songs, but definitely hold their own and sometimes come out of nowhere. In “Eat This City” the group explains the evil aspects of living in a big city, yelling “The devil - he wears a sports coat”, over a captivating guitar riff and bass line. While the Detroit rockers put out an album that makes it very hard to dislike individual songs, their style does not change from song to song, which has resulted in an almost too consistent album. While detracting somewhat from their overall attractiveness, the album remains thoroughly enjoyable.

Catchiness: 8
Originality: 6
Personality: 8.5

Artist: Animal Collective
Album: Feels
Song: The Purple Bottle
Genre: Experimental/Indie Rock

If The Animal Collective ave one thing going for them in this life, it is a sound they can call their own. There are a few bands that can truthfully say that no one sounds like them and usually this lasts a very short amount of time. The Beach Boys and The Beatles were both revolutionary sounds of their age, and now they are imitated more than one blonde, curly-haired kid with a lazy drawl [–Then other people might get it, but I still don’t see how it has to do with the Animal Collective.] Their voices are usually the main instruments in their songs, complimented by tribal-like drums and highly synthesized guitars. The rhythmic guitar and deep drums set up the vocals, which are all over the place, but also perfectly placed [I like this]. Feels, unlike Animal Collective’s previous albums, has a more listener-friendly aspect to it. This makes a perfect grey blend on the weird vs.  normal spectrum.

Catchiness: 6
Originality: 9.5
Personality: 9

Artist: The Russian Futurists
Album: Our Thickness
Song: These Seven Notes
Genre: Indie Pop

This song was stuck in my head on repeat for hours on end with no apparent cure for this ailment. The usual tricks of listening to the song again or listening to another catchy song to replace this one were no help. The song is just too damn catchy. The Russian Futurists, which is actually just one guy despite the plural name, have every element of the basic pop song, but with a sugar-doused twist. As a lyricist he is leaps and bounds past the artists who pay for their lyrics (see Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, etc.), his catchy compositions have a flair that no other artist can claim, and his voice is not stamped with the approval of American Idol. Other songs that may be of interest on Our Thickness include “Hurtin’ For Certain” and “Paul Simon”.

Catchiness: 9.5
Originality: 7
Personality: 8.3

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