The official Broken Beaker Top Album of 2005 [ No. 1 - No. 10 ]

1. Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV (UK)



Release Date: July 4th, 2005
Recorded: 2004-2005
Genre: Brit Pop, Indie Rock
Length: 45 min 06 s
Label: Warner Music
Producer(s): Wolsey White, Richard Archer
Country: Staines, West London, England

Track Listing
01.Cash Machine
02.Middle Eastern Holiday
03.Tied Up Too Tight
04.Gotta Reason
05.Hard To Beat
06.Unnecessary Trouble
07.Move On Now
08.Better Do Better
09.Feltham Is Singing Out
10.Living For The Weekend
12.Stars Of CCTV



Band Line Up
Richard Archer: Lead singer and principle songwriter.
Ross Phillips: Guitar and backing vocals.
Kai Stephens: Bass player.
Steve Kemp: Drums.

Chart Position:
No. 6 in UK

Stars of CCTV was also nominated for the 2005 Mecury Music Prize. An album of the year.

There are always some albums that you love at the very first listen and after 10 times listening to it, you let it rot. There are also some albums which doesnt appeal on frst listen and you need to take an effort to listen over and over again to find the hidden gems. And also there are albums that appear to be total crap on any listem. Hard-Fi's Stars of CCTV is those rare album that I find, love at first listen, that truly mind blowing experience. And after the 100th times, it still sounds as fresh. Like The Streets' albums of recent years, Stars Of CCTV is an album that reflects on, with total and beguiling honesty, suburban working class life. It's infused from beginning to end with the bravado of chav attitude ('nobody likes us and we don't care') but whilst they swagger, they're just the right side of cocky.

Lead singer and songwriter (and co-producer) Rich Archer has put together a fantastic collection of songs that cover the universal topics of love, lust, breaking up and being skint, as well as some things that some may not be so familiar with: Middle Eastern Holiday is written from the perspective of a 21 year old serving in the gulf, and Feltham Is Singing Out, about mates who've ended up 'inside'.

Stars of CCTV is hard to generalize into one genre. It's mostly indie, ska rock, a bit of reggae, dance pop, brit pop. Anything you can probably think of is there to find. Their debut single, Hard to Beat doesnt quite do it for me and I think its the weakest link in that album. Other than that, all the songs are equally great, offering different musical experience.

Of the recent crop of new British bands, Hard-Fi are one of the ones that are more likely to make it to the next round; Hard-Fi has successfully and beautifully picked up and paint back Britpop into music scene as where Blur left it.

2. M83 - Before The Dawn Heal Us (FR)



Release Date: 25 January 2005
Recorded: 2004
Genre: Electronic
Length: 59 min 06 s
Label: Gooom, 2005; Mute, 2005
Producer(s): Antoine Gaillet, Jean-Philippe Talaga
Country: Antibes, France

Track Listing:
01.Moonchild - 4:40
02.Don't Save Us From the Flames - 4:17
03.In the Cold I'm Standing - 4:10
04.Farewell / Goodbye - 5:34
05.Fields, Shorelines and Hunters - 2:32
06.* - 2:44
07.I Guess I'm Floating - 2:01
08.Teen Angst - 5:04
09.Can't Stop - 2:22
10.Safe" - 4:55
11.Let Men Burn Stars - 1:59
12.Car Chase Terror! - 3:47
13.Slight Night Shiver - 2:12
14.A Guitar and a Heart - 4:48
15.Lower Your Eyelids to Die With the Sun - 10:41



Band Line Up
Nicholas Fromageau (Left after second album Dead Cities, Read Seas & Lost Ghosts)
Anthony Gonzalez

Album Chronology:
M83 (2001)
Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts (2003)
Before the Dawn Heals Us (2005)

The departure of the former band member Nicholas Fromageau form M83 has made a significant turning point for Before the Dawn Heal Us departing from their musical style in Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. Initial impressions of Before the Dawn Heals Us are bound to be off-putting and confused, and if you’re cynical of this kind of exuberance, they might kill the album on arrival. But given careful attention, is a rather impressive and blissful experience. This album having two distinct theme, anger and passion(love) intervined.

Employing choirs, muscular live drum tracks, huge banks of swirling guitars and interweaving between pure instrumentals and vocal pieces some of this music is Wagnerian in its scope and apocalyptic ambience. The album starts with 'Moonchild,' a simple distorted piano and vocal sample track that was ever-so different to the sounds of the first. "Don't Save us From the Flames" has a thrilling propulsive grace allied to it's banks of keening vocals. "Car Chase Terror" uses actress Kate Moran to narrate a tale of automotive induced horror and is a touch cheesy but there is no denying the power of the gargantuan towering guitars that kick in. A Guitar and a Heart" is easily the best with its powerful guitar riffs but the last track "Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun" is is brining the long journey to an inspirational and incredibly uplifting finale.

Before The Dawn Heal Us is a masterpiece of solo work. Everything in this album is nicely coordinated and offers a true music experience. This album is almost like a grand sountrack waiting for a grand movie. Being released on 25 January 2005, Before the Dawn Heal Us is the perfect album for opening of 2005 music year.

3. The National - Alligator (US)




Release Date: 12 April 2005
Genre: Electronic, post-rock
Length: 49 min 47s
Label: Beggar Banquets Records
Producer(s): Antoine Gaillet, Jean-Philippe Talaga
Country: Brooklyn, New York, USA

Track Listing:
1. Secret Meeting
2. Karen
3. Lit Up
4. Looking For Astronauts
5. Daughters Of The Soho Riots
6. Baby, We'll Be Fine
7. Friend Of Mine
8. Val Jester
9. All The Wine
10. Abel
11. Geese Of Beverly Road, The
12. City Middle
13. Mr. November

Band Line Up
Matt Berninger - vocals
Aaron Dessner - guitar
Bryce Dessner - guitar
Bryan Devendorf - drums
Scott Devendorf - bass

Album Chronology
The National (2001)
Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (2003)
Alligator (2005)

Usually, it's never, or hardly ever Americans came up with a great piece of music like this. The last great American-release that I've listened to was from Sujfan Steven's Illinois (of course that was after Interpol). This New York based five piece have been on the scene, to a greater or lesser degree, since 1999, but theirs has been a gradual ascent (or descent, whichever way you want to look at it) into the music business, picking their way carefully through the pitfalls, rather than the head-first dive of bands like Bloc Party or Arcade Fire. They released their debut 'The National' on their own label four years ago, and followed it up with 'Songs For Dirty Lovers' in 2003. 'Alligator' is their first release on Beggars Banquet, which they recently signed.

There isn't a bad song on this record, the opening track," Secret Meeting" shines by managing to sound like a cross between Roxy Music and the Clash, a kind of rich, moody rock anthem. Secret Meeting is also one of the album's most quotable songs with its central line "I had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain", and "Didn't anybody tell you how to gracefully disappear in a room?" among the eloquent highlights. Softer songs, including the funny "Looking for Astronauts" and the sad, elegiac "Daughters of the SoHo Riots," are be good ballads and probably the best American track yet this year.

The mood of the album is also difficult to easily pinpoint- they play the type of music that evokes images of dimly-lit bars filled with a haze of smoke or that of a chilly rainy days. Whereas before they nailed their `sad songs' colours to the mast- Alligator is a trickier, less-navigated emotional journey. While the majority of the tracks are downbeat and introspective, there is seemingly always sense of hope. 'Alligator' is a record for a long, dark night of the soul; it reflects your darkest emotions, yet carries with it a shred of optimism to which you can cling. At once intelligent, bitter and hopeful, The National skilfully forge a range of influences and instruments into a thing of genuine beauty.'Alligator' has to be one of the most underated release this year and perhaps one of the best band America has to offer.

I really can't recommend this album enough. It's unusual, lovely and mood manipulating. Maybe it's not a good thing huh, woke up with a happy face, and this album will turn you down to a grumpy piece of shit and yet it gives you a sense of hope. What a masterpiece.

4. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (UK)



Release Date: February 14, 2005 (UK) March 22, 2005 (US)
Recorded: by Eliot James at Deltalab Studios, Copenhagen, and Miloco, Hoxton June/July 2004
Genre: Brit Pop, Indie Rock
Length 50 min 35 s
Label: v2 205
Producer(s): Paul Epworth
Country: Essex, England

Track Listing:
01.Like Eating Glass
02.Helicopter
03.Positive Tension
04.Banquet
05.Blue Light
06.She's Hearing Voice
07.This Modern Love
08.Pioneers
09.Price of Gas
10.So Here We Are
11.Luno
12.Plans
13.Compliments

Chart Position:
No. 3 in UK



Band Line Up
Kele Okereke: Voice and Guitar
Russell Lissack: Guitar
Gordon Moakes: Voice and Bass
Matt Tong: Voice and Drums

Silent Alarm was nominated for 2005 Mercury Music Prize: An Album of the year.
Silent Alarm was voted by NME Reades as Album of the Year.

An album the revived Britpop and bring it back to mainstream. Silent Alarm is an essential recored of 2005. Now this is the type of album I was talking about earlier. It doesnt appeal as much upon first listen but it is so dynamic that you need to sit down and take time to absorb what Bloc Party has to offer. This album is a truly successful punk indie album and its certainly on of the top of 2005.

5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (US)



Release Date: July 5, 2005
Recorded: Fall 2004 - Winter 2005
Genre: Folk rock
Length: 74 min 03 sec
Label: Asthmatic Kitty
Producer(s): Sufjan Stevens
Country: Muchigan, USA

Track listing
01 Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL
02 The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience But You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, "I have fought the Big Knives and will continue to fight them until they are off our lands!"
03 Come on! Feel the Illinoise!
-Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition
-Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream
04 John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
05 Jacksonville
06 A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But for Very Good Reasons
07 Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step Mother!
08 One Last "Woo-hoo!" for the Pullman
09 Chicago
10 Casimir Pulaski Day
11 To the Workers of the Rockford River Valley Region, I have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament, and it involves shoe string, a lavender garland, and twelve strong women
12 The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
13 Prairie Fire That Wanders About
14 A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze
15 The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
16 They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From the Dead!! Ahhhhh!
17 Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell
18 In This Temple, as in the Hearts of Man, for Whom He Saved the Earth
19 The Seer's Tower
20 The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders
-Part I: The Great Frontier
-Part II: Come to Me Only With Playthings Now
21 Riffs and Variations on a Single Note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, and the King of Swing, to Name a Few
22 Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I shake the dirt from my sandals as I run

Albums Chronology
2000 - A Sun Came
2001 - Enjoy Your Rabbit
2003 - Michigan
2004 - Seven Swans
2005 - Illinois

If the movie industry have those big summer block buster movie that everyone is waiting for every summer, than this album fits the discription, only that this is an album. Having 22 tracks on this album telling tales and folklore of Chicago this album is an instant epic. Its like those million dollar movies with action packed seqences. This album is packed with good songs that are unforgetable. The second album of Sufjan Steven's masterplan to write an album for every state (First being Michigan), Chicago is a epic even if he did not finish his masterplan during his lifetime.


6. Editors - Tbe Back Room (UK)



Release Date: 25 July 2005
Genre: Indie, post-punk
Length: 43 min 48 sec
Label: Kitchenware Records
Producer(s): Jim Abbiss
Country: Birmingham, England, UK

Track Listing:
01.Lights - 2:31
02.Munich - 3:46
03.Blood - 3:29
04.Fall - 5:06
05.All Sparks - 3:33
06.Camera - 5:02
07.Fingers in the Factories - 4:14
08.Bullets - 3:09
09.Someone Says - 3:13
10.Open Your Arms - 6:00
11.Distance - 3:38

Chart Position:
No. 13 in UK



Band Line Up:
Thomas Smith: lyricist/vocalist/guitarist
Chris Urbanowicz: guitarist
Russell Leetch: bass guitarist
Edward Lay: Drummer

The Back Room is an album of consistently high quality from start to finish. Everything about this record has an element of darkness. Even the monochrome album artwork suggests that this is a band who see the world in varying shades of grey. 'Blood', arguably the best song on the album is dark and hostile, spitting with dismissive bile: "Blood runs through your veins/That's where our similarity ends". This album haunts you whereever you go. It is that great.


7. Dredg - Catch Without Arms (US)



Release Date: June 21, 2005
Genre: Progressive Rock
Length: 51 min 43 s
Label: Interscope Records
Producer(s): dredg, Terry Date
Country: California, USA

Track Listing:
01.Ode To The Sun
02.Bug Eyes
03.Catch Without Arms
04.Not That Simple
05.Zebraskin
06.The Tanbark Is Hot Lava
07.Sang Real
08.Planting Seeds
09.Spitshine
10.Jamais Vú
11.Hung Over On A Tuesday
12.Matroshka (The Ornament)

Band Line Up
Gavin Hayes - Vocals, Slide Guitar
Drew Roulette - Bass, Paintings
Mark Engles - Guitar
Dino Campanella - Drums, Piano

Albums Chronology
2001 Leitmotif
2002 El Cielo
2005 Catch Without Arms

All it takes is a great band to produce an great album. Catch Without Arms is easily a good quality album that awaits a good listerner to listen to it.

8. Doves - Some Cities (UK)



Release Date: February 21, 2005 (UK) March 1, 2005 (US)
Recorded: 2004-2005
Genre: Indie Rock
Length: 46 min 50 sec
Label: Capitol Records
Producer(s): Ben Hiller, Bill Cunliffe, Doves
Country: Manchester, England

Track Listing:
01.Some Cities" (3:22)
02.Black And White Town" (4:15)
03.Almost Forgot Myself" (4:42)
04.Snowden" (4:12)
05.The Storm" (4:52)
06.Walk In Fire" (5:34)
07.One Of These Days" (4:50)
08.Someday Soon" (4:08)
09.Shadows Of Salford" (2:44)
10.Sky Starts Falling" (4:11)
11.Ambition" (4:00)

Chart Position:
No.1 in UK
No 111 in US

Band Line Up
Jimi: Goodwin Vocal, Bass, Guitar
Jez Williams: Guitar
Andy Williams: Drum

Album Chronology
2000 - Lost Souls - #14 - Nominated for 2000 Mercury Music Prize Album of the Year
2002 - The Last Broadcast - #1 Nominated for 2000 Mercury Music Prize Album of the Year
2005 - Some Cities - album; #1

A good UK band that often being take for granted for. Some Cities is a humble release of 2005 that have so much to offer. This album is neither hard core indie or pop. It is somewhere between the two but it is well produced.

9. British Sea Power - Open Season (UK)



Release Date: April 2005
Recorded: 2004
Genre: Indie Rock
Length: 46 min 36 sec
Label: Rough Trade Records
Producer(s): Mads Bjerke
Country: Brighton, UK

Tracklisting
01.It Ended on an Oily Stage - 4.23
02.Be Gone - 2.52
03.How Will I Ever Find My Way Home? - 3.11
04.Like A Honeycomb - 4.31
05.Please Stand Up - 3.07
06.North Hanging Rock - 4.26
07.To Get To Sleep - 3.16
08.Victorian Ice - 3.26
09.Oh Larsen B - 5.30
10.The Land Beyond - 4.01
11.True Adventures - 7.52

Chart Position:
No. 13 in UK



British Sea Power Band Line Up
Yan - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Organ
Hamilton - Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals
Noble - Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Organ
Wood - Drums

Additional Personnel
Abi Fry - viola
Phil Summer - cornet
Axl - miniature Italian greyhound
Graham Sutton - string arrangements and additional programming


Album Chronology
2003 - The Decline of British Sea Power
2005 - Open Season

British Sea Power won the 2004 Time Out London Live Band of the Year award

British Sea Power have crafted a wonderfully melodic (sometimes melancholic) sophomore album. Open Season is mesmerising to the last and it has its own intergrity. All I can do is salute.

10. Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (UK)




Release Date: May 16, 2005
Recorded: 2004-2005
Genre: Indie/Art rock
Length: 39 min 46 s
Label: Warp records
Country: Newcastle, England

Track listing
01."Signal and Sign" (2:25)
02.Apply Some Pressure" (3:19)
03.Graffiti" (3:05)
04.Postcard of a Painting" (2:14)
05.Going Missing" (3:41)
06.I Want You To Stay" (3:44)
07.Limassol" (3:42)
08.The Coast Is Always Changing" (3:19)
09.The Night I Lost My Head" (1:51)
10.Once, A Glimpse" (3:03)
11.Now I'm All Over The Shop" (2:23)
12.Acrobat" (4:42)
13.Kiss You Better" (2:05)

Chart Position:
No.15 in UK



Band Line Up
Paul 'Scooby' Smith - vocals
Duncan Lloyd - guitar
Archis Tiku - bass guitar
Lukas Wooller - keyboard
Tom English - drums

It is impossible to dislike A Certain Trigger. They're definitely no Franz Ferdinand or Bloc Party (yet), but Maximo Park are still a fine second tier band, one who proves they are as good. The only reason that A Certain Trigger is on this spot is that it is a good debut album but not as good. There as still some weak links through out this album. But having said that, they have got more space so span their music styles and improve upon their second release. A sophomore release is always a determinant of a good artist.

The Official Beaker Top 20 Album of 2005 [11 - 20]

11. Röyksopp - The Understanding (EU-NORWAY)



Released: July 12, 2005
Genre: Electronica, Trip Hop
Length: 58 min 40 s
Label: Astralwerks
Contry: Norway

Track Listing:
01.Triumphant (4:20)
02.Only This Moment (3:41)
03.49 Percent (5:11)
04.Sombre Detune (4:52)
05.Follow My Ruin (3:51)
06.Beautiful Day Without You (5:29)
07.What Else Is There? (5:17)
08.Circuit Breaker (5:24)
09.Alpha Male (8:11)
10.Someone Like Me (5:23)
11.Dead to the World (5:20)
12.Tristesse Globale (1:24)

Chart Position:
#13 in UK


12. Armor For Sleep - What To Do When Your Dead (US)



Released: February, 2005
Genre: Emo, Alternative
Length: 43 min 02 sec
Record: label Equal Vision Records
Country: United States of America

Track Listing:
01.Car Underwater (3:48)
02.The Truth About Heaven (3:30)
03.Remember To Feel Real (3:21)
04.Awkward Last Words (3:46)
05.Stay On The Ground (4:30)
06.A Quick Little Flight (2:12)
07.The More You Talk The Less I Hear (4:04)
08.Basement Ghost Singing (4:36)
09.Walking At Night Alone (4:14)
10.I Have Been Right All Along (3:46)
11.The End Of A Fraud (5:11)


13. COLDER - HEAT (FR)



Released: 2005
Genre: Dark Wave, Postpunk
Length: 49 min 17 sec
Record: Output UK
Country: France

Track Listing
1. Wrong Baby
2. Losing Myself
3. Winter's Fields, The
4. To The Music
5. Downtown
6. Tonight
7. On My Mind
8. Your Face
9. Fade Away
10. Burnt Out

14. MEW - And the Glass Handed Kites (DK)



Released: 27 September 2005
Genre: Indie
Length: 53 min 59 sec
Label: Evil Office / A:larm Music
Country: Denmark

Track Listing:
01.Circuitry Of The Wolf - 2:45
02.Chinaberry Tree - 3:33
03.Why Are You Looking Grave? 3:50
04.Fox Cub 1:15
05.Apocalypso - 4:46
06.Special - 3:12
07.The Zookeeper's Boy - 4:43
08.A Dark Design - 3:29
09.Saviours Of Jazz Ballet (Fear Me, December) - 3:18
10.An Envoy To The Open Fields - 3:40
11.Small Ambulance - 1:05
12.The Seething Rain Weeps For You (Uda Pruda - 4:18
13.White Lips Kissed - 6:45
14.Louise Louisa - 7:20


15. Coldplay - X&Y (UK)



Released: June 6, 2005
Recorded: 2004–2005
Genre: Rock, Alternative rock
Length: 62 min 32 s
Label: Parlophone Capitol
Country: England, UK

Track Listing:
01.Square One – (4:47)
02.What If – (4:57)
03.White Shadows – (5:28)
04.Fix You – (4:54)
05.Talk – (5:11)
06.X&Y – (4:34)
07.Speed of Sound – (4:48)
08.A Message – (4:45)
09.Low – (5:32)
10.The Hardest Part – (4:57)
11.Swallowed in the Sea – (3:58)
12.Twisted Logic – (5:01, actual song ends at 4:26)
13.'Til Kingdom Come – (4:12) (hidden track)

Chart Position:
#1 in UK
#1 in US

16. Sigur Rós - Takk... (EU - IS)



Released: September 12, 2005
Recorded: Sundlaugin Studio
Genre: Post-Rock
Length: 65 min 30 s
Label: Geffen (US, Canada), EMI (Elsewhere)
Country: Iceland

Track Listing:
01.Takk... (Thanks...) – 1:57
02.Glósóli (Glowing Sun or Glowing Shoe-sole) – 6:16
03.Hoppípolla (Hopping into Puddles) – 4:28
04.Með blóðnasir (I Have a Nosebleed) – 2:17
05.Sé lest (I See a Train) – 8:40
06.Sæglópur (Lost at Sea) – 7:38
07.Mílanó (Milan) – 10:25
08.Gong (Gong) – 5:33
09.ndvari (Zephyr) – 6:40
10.Svo hljótt (So Quietly) – 7:24
11.Heysátan (Haystack) – 4:09

Chart Position:
#16 in UK
#27 in US
#1 in Iceland


17. The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute (FR)



Released: March 1, 2005
Recorded: 2004
Genre: Progressive rock / Post-hardcore / Post-Rock / Experimental
Length: 1 hr 16 min 57 sec (with title track: 1 hr 31 min 33 sec)
Label: Gold Standard Laboratories/Universal Records
Country: France

Track Listing:
01.Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus (13:02)
02.The Widow (5:50)
03.L' Via L' Viaquez (12:21)
04.Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore (13:08)
05.Cassandra Gemini I (4:45)
06.Cassandra Gemini II (6:40)
07.Cassandra Gemini III (2:25)
08.Cassandra Gemini IV (7:41)
09.Cassandra Gemini V (4:59)
10.Cassandra Gemini VI (3:48)
11.Cassandra Gemini VII (0:48)
12.Cassandra Gemini VIII (0:53)

Chart Position:
#23 in UK
#4 in US


18. Goldfrapp - Supernature (UK)



Released: August 22, 2005 (UK) September 20, 2005 (US)
Genre: Electronica
Length: 43 min 18 s
Label: Mute (UK)
Country: UK

Track Listing:
01.Ooh La La (3:24)
02.Lovely 2 C U (3:25)
03.Ride A White Horse (4:41)
04.You Never Know (3:27)
05.Let It Take You (4:29)
06.Fly Me Away (4:25)
07.Slide In (4:17)
08.Koko (3:23)
09.Satin Chic (3:28)
10.Beautiful (4:50)
11.Time Out From The World (4:47)
12.Number 1 (3:25)

Chart Position:
#2 in UK


19. Copeland - In Motion (US)



Released: March 22, 2005 (US)
Genre: Indie Rock, Emo
Length: 41 minutes 40 seconds
Label: The Militia Group (US)
Country: United States of America

Track listing:
01.No One Really Wins (3:26)
02.Choose The One Who Loves You More (5:01)
03.Pin Your Wings (3:11)
04.Sleep (4:52)
05.Kite (4:04)
06.Don't Slow Down (4:13)
07.Love Is A Fast Song (4:45)
08.You Have My Attention (4:02)
09.You Love To Sing (4:54)
10.Hold Nothing Back (2:56)


20. Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z (US)



Released: July 26, 2005
Genre: Rock
Length: 54 min 25 sec
Record: label Elektra
Country: United States of America

Track listing:


01. Life Is Wonderful
02. Wordplay
03. Geek In The Pink
04. Did You Get My Message?
05. Mr. Curiosity
06. Clockwatching
07. Bella Luna
08. Plane
09. O. Lover (Oppurtunistic Lover)
10. Please Don't Tell Her
11. Forecast
12. Song For A Friend

Chart Position:
#5 in US

PAST YEAR TOP ALBUMS

Least we forget the past year top album since the year I keep track of what I listen to (1998)

2004 Interpol - Antics



Release Date: 27 September 2004

2003 Blur - Think Tank



Release Date: 05 May 2003

2002 Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights



Release Date: 02 August 2002

2001 Radiohead - Amnesiac



Release Date: 28 May 2001

2000 Doves - Lost Souls



Release Date: 03 April 2000

1999 Moby - Play



Release Date: 17 May 1999

1998 Hole - Celebrity Skin



Release Date: 1998

To The Love of God,

...What the fuck is up with all those U2 fans and those trade-me rip-U2-fans-off mother fuckers. Man, it is just so wrong. People are trying to make money in every single possible way and it's just low low low.

New Zealand-ers is sooooooooooo wrong. Wrong and Wrong

Speaking of which.

Sorry this took so long. BTW, here's some questionaires from Rei.


Q.1/ Your best time among design1-6, provide some cool photo(s) in that time if possible…
[D5 Hysteria]
Design 3
Douw was a dick, but lots of freedom. Learnt how to dealt with critics since then, it's not all that scary

Design 5
Mike Davis was cool. He is not the bes tutor experience wise but he is passionate about students design.

Q.2/ Your favorite tutor, and use one word to describe him/her.
Mike Davis: he makes you feels like your worth it? Geez.. that sounds so cheesy. I mean some tutor makes you feel like piece of shit. He doesnt.

Q.3/ the most charming person in the School of Architecture?
the young lady at Archi Library, does that count?

Q.4/ The most dislikeful person in school?
There are many, Ross Collinson, Brian Taggart, Mike Linzey...

Q.5/ The largest presentation work you have ever done in critweek?
Design 5
5 Vertical permatrace sheets, (1.6m x 1m each)

Q.6/ Your favourite place in the studio, in detail.
Level 6, Last bay Level 4 (nice view to harbour)

Q.7/ Your favourite book in the archi. library?
Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture; Charles Jenks, Karl Kropf

Q.7/ Have you ever developed any weird habits/techniques during BAS?
Sleep in the morning (7am - 2pm), work at night (2pm - 6am)
Sleep everywhere, anythime.
Eat a meal a day, 12 am.

Q.8/ anything you found interesting in Gorden Harris (symond st.)?
um, nothing really, gordon harris sucks

Q.9/ The coolest words you have ever heard in the studio?
"It's like a window to your soul".--E.J.

Q.10/ Answer the ultimate question in one sentence please: ‘what is architecture?’
The question is invalid.

Potraits

I love this pic too cuz I manipulated it :P
Now what is Miss Diu doing.



Tommy full of grief
Nigel like to read

Random

I like this photo for some reason.. kinda innocent.

[Music] Story of the Year - In Wake of Determination [2005]

Artist: Story of the Year
Album: In Wake of Determination
Label: Maverick
Release Date: Oct 11, 2005
Release Type: Standard Album (12 tracks + 1 hidden track)
Genres: Emo, Alternative Metal, Punk-Pop

Tracklist:
1. We Don't Care Anymore
2. Take Me Back
3. Our Time Is Now
4. Taste Of Poison
5. Stereo
6. Five Against The World
7. Sleep
8. Meathead
9. March Of The Dead
10. Pay Your Enemy
11. Wake Up Voiceless
12. Is This My Fate? He Asked Them
13. A Silent Murder (Bonus Track)

Read more »

[Music] The National - Alligator [2005]

Artist: The National
Album: Alligator
Label: Beggars Banquet Records
Release Type: Standard Album
Released: April 12, 2005

Read more »

Shithole

So there, I was browsing the web and came across this report:
The Times Higher World University Rankings recently ranked the university of Auckland:

# 52 in the world's top universities (The Times Higher, October 28, 2005)
# 33 in the world top Biomedicine universities ( The Times Higher, October 7, 2005)
# 72 in the world top Science universities (The Times Higher, October 7, 2005)
# 49 in the world top Engineering and Information Technology Universities (The Times Higher, October 7, 2005)
# 25 in the world top Arts and Humanities Universities (The Times Higher, October 7, 2005)
# 65 in the world top Social Sciences Universities (The Times Higher, October 7, 2005)

For further information, see www.thes.co.uk


Anyway, UoA is a shithole.

2005 AAA Design Awards

Photo by FJ

So i'm like...kinda a bit over this award frenzy thing you know and felt kinda awkward to write about me winning and shit like that, but still I am very excited to have won the 2005 AAA CavBrem Design Awards on the night of the 17th Nov. It came to me like a thunder struck on my head. WTF? well I wasnt expecting it to be honest thanks to the fucked up printing and my model which broke on my way to the venue for hand in. But anyway... I dont know. Duh. Im feelin kinda schizophrenic lately, and it's kinda getting worst, I'll talk about this later. Anyway.... here are the winners of this year's CavBrem.


Happy winners
Photo by FJ

Category A - Student:

Joanna Aitken - "Moments of Silence"
Hui-Yen Lim - "Hysteria"
Thom Gilbert - "Hotel Baghdad"
Isabelle Sun - "Library in a Drawer"
Aimee Wiles - "Remembrance and Interior"


Category B - Open:
Julie Wilson & Megan Rule - "Breath(able) City"


Me, my award, and my work.
Photo by FJ

Yeah, so the night was great, the food was delicious, the view was spectacular and getting the award made the night perfect. I think Richard didn't seemed to be happy with me winning but I dont care because he didnt know my work. I guess a lot of people was a bit prejudice to a hardcore presentation or drawings (I am not implaying that my presentation are hard core or anything like that) that they think that it is always going to be the presentation that got them the award of the grade, and that it doesnt have any depth in it other than looking pretty. But I do think that, one need to try to look more into someone else's design brief before judging their design, whether it is good or bad. It is only a fair thing to do I guess. We all have been told that Design is always subjective, and for that fact, no one can remain unbaised towards their own taste. But of course thats understandable because I do that too sometimes. However...nop.. lets stop here before I offend someone else again.

Glad that I won.

Fan, try next year. There will always be a next year.

Thanks to Mike Davis

Moments of Glory.

Ok the title sucks, because I suck in giving a good title but fuck it. It was a glorious night, the night that I am actually proud of myself. Yup, there are really moments when I want the time to freeze, because it's just too good and I am afraid to let it end. There are moments where it could make your life so good that all the sadness and problems just seemed to drain itself away. Then there are moments when I come to realization that good times will eventually end and that I need to step back to reality. Thats really how I felt right now. Two nights ago was the best moments that I had in my life, my mid-November's dream and right now, is the moment when I have to tell myself to step back to the reality.

16th November 2005, it was the Annual School of Architecture Prize Giving Ceremony. I was informed beforehand I will recieve and award so I was expecting something and there really isnt anything to be excited about PLUS I was tired because I didnt sleep the night before. I But anyway, at the prize giving, instead of one, I was given TWO awards. Yay. Awesome.

They were:

Chisolm Memorial Prize; $50 for the most meritorious set of 2 original sketches either in BAS or BArch
and;
Graham Ford Dawson Prize; $750 awarded for best Design 6 result.


Chisolm me, Monier her.
Photos by Alien.

I was totally shocked. It amounted to $800 in total. It was a real shock. I am still trying to absorb everything. I felt my face burn. A finger suddenly touched my shoulder, and turned into a gesture for handshake. It was Mike. I shook it not knowing what to say. "Thanks" I blurted. Then another smack on my shoulder. This time, the hand was black. I only knew one guy with a hand *that* black.

"Congrats bro".

"Thanks" I blurted again


Photo by Alien

It was really hard to explain how I felt that night. It was just too overwhelming. I was nervous, then I was freaked out, then I was surprised, then I was excited. You know times when you have different emotions and different feeling just come rushing to your head and you just dont know which one to respond to first. I was trembling hard out. It was thrilling!


Big thanks to Sarah.
Photo by Alien


I didn't know how many times I have repeated this, that design 6 had been the most struggling semester for me, BUT, at the end, I guess it did paid off. I wouldn't say I deserved the award, and I wouldnt say that I don't deserve the award. I knew I have put all the effort that I could into it and a recognition to my effort meant a lot to me. Everyone put alot of effort to design, so I am lucky that I got the award and truly greatful for it.

Also, of course, CONGRATULATIONS to Fanny too, awarded with Monier Prize, $150 for 3 designs chosen from Year 3 of BAS, together with Sang and Mary.

BTW, here's the award Fan and I created. Drumroll please,

Best Photoshop-ed drawings: Fanny Wu

The drawing with most lines: Nigel Lim

The most boxy award: Winnie Wang

The most Alien-look-alike Architecture: Rei Chen DiuLei :P

Best Copied work: Shall not be announced publically, its not something to be proud of


David got the Vernon Brown Award and Alex got the best over all Year 3 BAS award. Good stuff.


Vernon him.
Photo by Alien


Everyone looked beautiful that night....

and Life was good then....

Saving the best for the last.. 2005 AAA Cav Brem.

Beaker's Frustration.

I've just been really frustrated and angry these few days, and my anger and frustration aren't really all that interesting or eloquent or anything, but it really is pissing me off. First ting first, my iPod seemed to be fucked up. I have no friggin idea what happened to it. Everytime I tried to copy a file from the drive, it gives me an error message, making the matter worst, it drains out the battery. WTF. It's supposed to last for 6 hours at least. And so the AAA is closer, I really can't be fucked now that my original file is corrupted. I dont know what to do I might as well screw myself. I really shouldve start earlier. Procrastination. It's like jacking off. At first, it's really good, but in the end, you're really just screwing yourself. Yah. I procrastinate just as much as anyone. I should've started earlier, found out earlier so I could ask my origial drawings back from the school and now the fucking school has taken my work which means it leaves me no time to ask them back to re-scan and re-photoshop it. Fuck why the hell would I waste my time going to the beach and chill out. fuck I hate myself.

Then today I left my grey jumper in the studio, on the table for like maybe 3 hours and it's gone. Who the fuck would steal some one else's cloth. That is so wrong. And I am friggin cold right now. Fuck. Everyone hates me. I know it. Everyone had to do this to me.


Like this, Kim from Next American Top Supermodel,

Life sucks, and yeah I am an asshole.

So this is it, BAS....

Yeah, so this is it.... I guess. It hit me really hard today, when the last group of people who did Jap Arch handed in their models. Yeah so this is the end on BAS. Part of me are glad that it's over, but another part of me felt kind of ...um empty? It's like I dont know what I will do after BAS, should I come back or should I not..like I said in the previous post, I still dont know what to do.

Looking back at the last 3 years of BAS, it had been the most eventful, most extraodinary journey of my life so far. It's pretty scary come to think of it.

First year, knew nothing of architecture (perhaps still the same now), its a joke really. I didnt know what to do, I didnt know how to draw and hell I didn't even know what 'concept' means. When I talked to Rafik for the first time, he asked "So whats your concept?" and I was like "huh?". Then I literally looked up on Oxford English Dictionary to look up the meaning of the word called 'concept', and yet understanding of it remains unclear. I didn't know how I came to understand the term, I think it was somebody, who clarifies if for me. Then I knew... ah, 'Concept'...."My concept is..", since then it became the word we use almost everyday in architecture school. I remembered, the first design in first year was called "The Environment Instrument". I first proposed a sundial, yeah lame I know... then there goes the million dollar question by Rafik, whats your concept. I said I don't know. Then I changed the design completely. It then became wind chimes. Still I had no concept. I didnt know where the fuck that idea came from, I must have seen it in some mags then. I got a B. Then the second term of first semester, the topic was called " A Writer's Retreat". That, I have a concept. It was called flow. Yeah cliche concept, I know. I did pretty bad in that. I understood the idea of concept but I didn't know I had to 'develope' a concept. I was stuck and by the end of the semester, a week before crit-hand-in, I again, completely changed the design. Last minute shit. Had a, which at that time, I thought it was the-end-of-the-world crit. I remembered clearly, the guest crit, Sean Flanagan said "...Maybe you sould reconsider of coming to this school and study architecture.." That's it, that just does it. I am crap, I thought. And I swear to God, as much as I wanted to shove my fist up his face, I wanted cry more. After the crit, I hid in the toilet for 3 hours just sitting there. I cant remember if I cried, but I knew I was really depressed and upset. People thought I commited suicide. The next day I felt like shit, just everyone who knew what happend had to mention it and comfort me. Fuck it, dont rub it any deeper. I didn't know when, I actually got my ass working, go to the library and actually made an effort to make friends with architecture books, I must have been the break, I did, and I was desperate to get to know architecture better. Come second semester, I was assigned to Richard's group. Welcome to Hell. I was actually quite surprised with the amount of work I produced that semester, and the willingness of me to work hard, like hard hard, despite the heart shattering comment from Sean, I did made an effort to try again. Hey, I'm not a wuss. Working with Richard was a pain in the ass. I had used up two to three butter paper pads at least and made more than 10 models in a day, which he didnt even want to look at, pretty sad. But the crit was good. Another critic-from-hell, Mario Madayag actually severely attacked my work but Richard was nice, he said that I am a "very hardworking student that isnt afraid of mistakes." Indeed I am. I got an A. I was lucky, i thought.

Moving on to second year of BAS, we were given the option to choose to work with the tutor we like, or a particular design topic. After discussing with Rei, we choose to work with Douw Van Zyl. Reason, because we thought that the title of the paper was cool; No_Mad. We had no idea who the fuck Douw was, no idea what No_Mad meant, no idea what the brief required, we picked that paper. Yeah I wasnt all that great. During the whole semested, I only talked to Douw for like maybe 4 to 6 times. The first project was an apartment behind St' Kevin's Arcade. He actually did mention my ability to compose spaces in a very porportional way. I didnt know what porportion had to do with architecture. That semester, Fanny was working with Ross Jenner, and they are doing this proportional stuff which was rather interesting. I had her and Derek to teach me Golden rule. I thought it was magical. Then the secont project was "Your Dreamhouse". It was totally done in viz and is totally random and arbitary like Zaha Hadid. I liked it. I thought I'd do something different from the first one. Douw hated it. Then the third and final project for the semester, was actually "A house for an artist, with 2 wives and i-cant-remember how many kids". I actually enjoyed designing this house because there are a sets of rules that I had to follow, such as the floor area of each space is given, this wall shall not be taller than that wall, the first wive should have separate room such and such. And a theortical idea was to be understood and to be applied to it. Fuck. I randomly choose Peter Eisenman's theory of Decompostition. I had a huge presentation on one long sheet of tracing paper, drawn horizontally, 2 plans, 4 elevations and 4 sections. Did 8 perspective. That was a breakthrough for me. However Doug never saw the design until the hand in day. I guess he was impressed. He said "I see you have been having fun with design", and I said "yeah I have". I hated him at that time. I just thought he was a fucking ignorant arrogant shit who thinks he is mr.-know-it-all. But the fact is, he does know alot a stuff. And this semester, I had another end-of-the-world crit. During that crit, which I am proud to say attracked many spectators, Douw commented on my conceptual drawings as "bullshit". He literally said that word. I was furious. How dare you. I was furious. I wasnt upset or anything this time. I just thought, oh fuck it, I got an A+. First A+. I was on cloud nine. I thought I'd fail from the look of the crit. But I friggin nailed it.

Second Semester, I had Hayden Willy, paper was "Gallery for the National Creative Arts and Industry". I picked this paper simply because of the topic, a gallery. I was eager to design something bigger than a house. And I have always wanted to design a gallery. Its a prefect choice, minus Hayden Willy. Hayden seemed to liked my design from the beginning of the semester, so there wasnt really any huge obstacle. But something happened. This semester was ...awful. I wont mention what happened, it was awful. I guess most people knew what happened. It was something that some people in my group did, and I did something to them, not literally tho, and in the end I was the bad guy. How sad. I was accused of being a racist, even worst, I was called to have a 'conversation' with Prof. Errol. It was awful. But anywaz, I've learnt a precious lesson. Do not temper with people from *that* country. Its pretty hazardous. But anyway, the peak of it, I had to apologize to them, in front of everyone, after I had my crit. Lucky me, Hayden was understanding. He put me to the last to crit. By that time, most people are gone. Save the embarassment. I did got an A+ for this semester though, It was unepected, compared to last semester, my presentation used up only one panel, drawings were not notated, incomplete in many ways, but I guess substance counts hehe. But surprisingly, Clinton and Diane saw my work and complimented it. I was a great feeling. Second year ended just like that, lost some friends, embarassed myself, got 2 A+S, it was satisfying.

Come to third year, D5, I had Mike Linzey and Mike Davis. Topic was Hysteria. It was an interesting semester. I hardly ever spoken to Mike Linzey because he doesnt seemed to care, where as Mike Davis was always so full of passion and enthusiasm. He always had positive feedbacks, everything is great to him, sometimes it made me wonder "really?". Quote Davis, "Just keep doing things even if you dont know what to do." It was really helpful. He is a easy to talk to. Overall a very good tutor, not because he said positive things about my design, but he had his own way of making you keep working, keep making things and most importantly, he cared for his student's design, some tutors just took it for granted like "what was your concept again?" but not with him. In the end, I produced the most work I have in any other semester. I have a lot of things for finals, I have done viz renderings, I have done axonometric, I have done perspective, just basically everything. It was a semester that I tried everything because the tutor lets you do whatever you want, which is great. But the reason why I did that was both tutor didnt like hand drawn stuff so I did my best to make the drawings look spectacular, basically throwing it in their face.Nothing worth mentioning that semester really except I've got the most compliments for my design ever, which I am really happy about. It felt great the people reconizes your work. I got an A+, my work was retianed for JVB.


Second semester, Sarah Treadwell's Antigone and the Foundations of Grief, it was the paper where almost everyone wanted to take. It's also the first time I did not get my first choice. Brian Taggart was my second choice, I was assigned to him. I didnt like it, I talked to Sarah and I got in to her group. You wont be dissapointed by having me. I thought to myself. But sadly, I was disappointed at myself. The semester was a drag. I felt like I've ran out of ideas. My things start to look the same. I didn't want to photoshop the drawings like last semester because I'd just repeating what I did and since I found out that everyone was doing it, I foreited that idea. I do understand a presentation will look so much better, so much eye catching with photoshp, but I just didnt want to do it. It was all hand drawn. I did less work this semester because I didnt want to work, I spent most of my times going to Borders, and the full mid-sem-break at the beach. It felt good. I spent less time at studio and output was little. It was a shame. Sarah was a good tutor. I was glad I did her paper. It was my fourth A+, my work was retained for JVB and I just got the news that I will be given a prize, award or certificate at this year's prize giving ceremony.

A+, In Your Face.

....Just kidding. I am not a snob. So the long awaited design grade was released yesterday. And I got an A+ (yay!).Here,


I wish I hasnt cared so much..

I'm Back

First update after one full month of living in hell,
here's something for starters,




Design is finally over, well not only design, basiclly i'm done for the semester so there are lot of thoughts that I wanted to put out here. here's my work for this semester








The thing is,I dont know what to do next year or the year after. I dont know if i am ready to work, maybe I am but stepping over the threshold always seemed kinda akward. As much as I wanted to finish all five years, I really kinda doubt that if I am able to do it. Perhaps, yeah maybe, if I have the will to hold on and keep going for two more years but it has kinda been a drag this semester (D6). And I definetly do not want to do it for the sake of doing it, which if that is the case, I wouldnt be able to produce any good work, plus it's BArch, which I am not ready to take the risk(grade wise). I dont know why, I didnt expect me,myself would ever lost the niche. Well its not to say that I lost interest in architecture it's just that Im burnt out already. People have been telling me I spent too much time in the studio, which I had to agree, but that's the way it works, for me though if I were to be productive.

Besides that, wow this has been a really eventful semester. Lets forget about the grief of design and workloads, the amount bitching that has been going in the studio was "wow-ly" unbeleieveable. Like I said, design's been a drag, other papers been crap, Id have to find some ways to escape from it. So I bitch and bitch and bitch about people. Thinking about it, there were so many things to bitch about, like who's slut and who's sluttier, those decietful, lowgrade architecture shenanigans, and of course, the king of the crops would be the mr. bitched-about- you know what I'm sayin. It's amazing how this group of people, who are meant to be in studio, working on design, spent hours bitching about other people. Yeah it's a fun thing to do. I dont know about other's but I bitch because I felt insecure, I guess we all are insecure in this superficial reality. Hence we bitch, so people would appear to be more pathetic than us. Maybe, but anyway keeping on track, to be honest, studio time has never been this good before. Maybe it's not just me huh, that's tired of doing design. Definetly not. People like Soo, James, Sajeev actually felt that way too. I guess it was because I have been doing this for 3 years, non stop and kinda get sick of it. The longest break I get is 3 months in between years, and besides that my life basically revolve around studio and design. It is in fact pretty tiring. And another thing is, the system of the school. Well not exactly the system but its just how it is. People always tends to look at the veil instead of making an effort to look whats behind it. In other words, if your presenation is freakin awesome, bang A+ to go. I just thought it is really unfair to do that, when a student put so much effort during the whole semester, only to be graded by the presentation. What the fuck? I guess like Soo said, this is the game we have to play, but its a choice we have to make, do we want to create a blind architecture, that looked pretty on a paper or can we make architecture with self intergrity? I guess this is a hard choice to make because as a student, grade is always a seductive factor. So its really fucked

And another thing that pisses me off is the people here (doesnt apply to everyone). It is just amazing what people would do to get on to the top. Stuff were copied directly from a book and just basicly every single thing that I can think off, there is just someone to piss me off. Not that it had anything to do with me, thought it did happen, but I mean it's just so unfair and its making me really sick of the people here. I guess it will be the same everywhere and there is really nothing I can do about it. I will just have to live with it. How decietful.

And there is the decision of to leave or not. Mum called the other day telling me to finish another two years. YeaH cool, I mean I dont know if I can do it really. grr...
And there come Bloc Party, almost felt like they're singing it to me
two more years... two more years..

In two more years,
my sweetheart, we will see another view
such longing for the past for such completion
What was once golden has now turned a shade of grey
I've become crueler in your presence

They say, 'be brave, there's a right way and a wrong way'
This pain won't last for ever,
this pain won't last for ever

Two more years, there's only two more years
Two more years, there's only two more years
Two more years
so hold on

You've cried enough this lifetime,
my beloved polar bear
Tears to fill a sea to drown a beacon
To start anew all over,
remove those scars from your arms
To start anew all over more enlightened

I know, my love,
this is not the only story you can tell
This pain won't last for ever,
this pain won't last for ever

Two more years...

You don't need to find answers
for questions never asked of you
You don't need to find answers

dead weights and balloons
drag me to you
dead weights and balloons
to sleep in your arms
i've become crueler since i met you
ive become rougher, this world is killing me

we cover our lies with handshakes and smiles
we try to remember our alibis
we tell lies to our parents we hide in their rooms
we bury our secrets in the garden
of course we could never make this love last
i said of course we could never make this love last
the only love we know is love for ourselves
we bury our secrets in the garden

Soo cracked up when she heard the song. Its pretty funny come to think of it.