"Vous etre tres belle ( vous etre tres belle, mama)"

Bon sour Mon amis.

Now, I realise it's gonna spoil one of the forthcoming Flashy awards but I just can't resist doing a Lordy B inspired top 20 singles of 2005 list.

I just can't help myself!

So without further ado...

20: In the crossfire - Starsailor

A rousing & surprising return from Starsailor, I really like James Walsh's voice. I know!







19: The Denial twist - The White Stripes
It's the tambourine & the groove that do it for me, a highlight from a sadly underwhelming album.






18: Somewhere else - Razorlight
Johnny Borrell may well be an annoying little twerp but there's no resisting this song & it's insistant chorus. It's also a lyrical sentiment that I'm sure we all relate to from time to time.









17: Do you want to - Franz Ferdinand
A little cracker that makes me jump up & down with a daft smile on my daft face. It's appeal has waned slighly with repeated listening though.









16: State of the union - David Ford
I was so very pleased when former Easyworld main man David returned to the scene. The only single to be released from his beautiful "I sincerley apologise for all the trouble I've caused" album, it's a slow building rant that captivates throughout. Old readers may remember that Mr.Ford has contributed to this very blog in the form of his very excellent Flashy award acceptance speech in Dec 2004.





15: Bullets - Editors
Pounding, throbbing, dirty & dark; just the way Flashy likes it!










14: Middle of nowhere - Hot Hot Heat
It remains something of a mystery & an injustice that Canada's HHH aren't huge, especially when they have such a fine grasp of what constitutes great pop music. If there were still milkmen they would be whistling this.







13: A pain that I'm used to - Depeche Mode
Not before time, 'ver Mode are finally getting some well overdue recognition. This killer tune has all the DM hallmarks yet still sounds fresh & vital. How many other bands can do that after 25 years?








12: Fix you - Coldplay
Sadness can be so frighteningly beautiful as proved on this slice of tearjerking lovliness from the all conquering Coldplay.
I'm in the video, y'know.








11: Wake me up when September ends - Green Day
Some songs get right on your tits after a year or so, especially if dreadful commercial radio stations get hold of them & play them exactly every 3 hours. Not this. A great melody, a fine lyric & a journey through soft & loud & back again.








10: The hand that feeds - Nine Inch Nails
He's still angry as hell but with this single Trent wants us to dance our venom out. The best NIN single in over 10 years was a potent Bush-baiting reminder of just how talented Mr. Reznor is.









9: The importance of being idle - Oasis
Oh stop your groaning you miserable buggers, it's a bloody great song! Just accept it!









8: Apply some pressure - Maximo Park
Every know & then you'll hear a song just once & know that you'll love it forever. Sometimes that first listen will be hearing it played live. When Maximo Park closed their set with this cracker when I saw them supporting the Kaisers, it left an indelible mark on me. Instant classic?







7: Hard to beat - Hard-fi
A gloriously upbeat romp about the simplest of pleasures, liking a girl. Like No.8 this got me on first listen "like a fist" you could say! (That first listen was whilst in the pub with Lordy B, fact fans!)









6: Talk - Coldplay
My early favourite from "X & Y", it's a masterclass in melody & musicianship. Though typically Coldplay, I find the lyrics to be very engaging too. I thought I'd be sick of it by now as I played it soooo much. I was wrong.







5: Going missing - Maximo Park
Much like "Apply some pressure" this one lodged itself straight into my conciousness at that same gig. As parent album "A certain trigger" as become my soundtrack to my adventures, this song has just kept on growing & growing (like The Blob!). You wouldn't believe the number of times I've had to bite my lip to stop myself from belting out the chorus on Le Metro!






4: Tied up too tight - Hard-fi
It's just a big stomping stormer of a tune, The Jam in the 21st century but without the sulking or the parkas. Hurrah!









3: Speed of sound - Coldplay
It's not that I didn't like "Speed of sound" when it came out, I was just a tad underwhelmed & it did sound like "Clocks". It doesn't anymore. It's beauty is in it's depth, one of those records that's intricate & slowly reveals more of itself on repeated listens. Almost like a pretty girl sitting back with a knowing smile saying "I'll let my showy friends, Talk & Fix You, vie for your attention but I know that it'll be me you'll want to move in with".




2: I predict a riot - Kaiser Chiefs
If "Speed of sound" is a wylie temptress beckoning you in, "Riot" is your new best mate who promises all manner of fun & frolics down the pub, following by some good drugs & a mosh down the front of a great gig. Though I'm oft partial to some introspection, I'm a sucker for a boistrous knockabout such as this. I tell thee.







1: Dakota - Stereophonics
The biggest surprise of the year was when the 'phonics dished this up.
A truly, truly great song, fantastic instrumentation & that wonderful old school Duran Duran noise!

Who'd have thought it, eh?






Right then, instead of telling me which of those songs float your boat, tell me which of them you feel DOESN'T* deserve a mention in a top 20 of anything.

*It was meant to say doesn't all along - oops!

Pull no punches, let's 'ave a ruck!
It'll be fun!