Pazz & Jop 2005, March Prelims

SINGLES
1. Ashlee Simpson "La La"
2. Kelly Clarkson "Since U Been Gone"
3. Belinda "Angel"
4. Trick Daddy "Sugar"
5. T.I. "Bring Em Out"
6. Slim Thug "Like a Boss"
7. Dierks Bentley "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do"
8. 50 Cent "Candy Shop"
9. Amerie "1 Thing"
10. The Game f. 50 Cent "Hate It or Love It"
Also in the running: The Game f. 50 Cent "How We Do," The Caesars "Jerk It Out," Miranda Lambert "Me and Charlie Talking," Fettes Brot "Emanuela," Trillville f. Cutty "Some Cut."

ALBUMS
1. Fannypack See You Next Tuesday 13
2. Various Artists Run the Road 11
3. The New York Dolls Live from Royal Festival Hall, 2004 11
4. M.I.A. Arular 11
5. Mannie Fresh The Mind of Mannie Fresh 11
6. Living Things Black Skies in Broad Daylight 11
7. Kultur Shock Kultura-Diktatura 10
8. Deana Carter The Story of My Life 10
9. Buck 65 This Right Here is Buck 65 7
10. Rachid Taha Tékitoi 5

I didn't agonize too much about rankings or about date of release, though the Living Things record will actually have to get released for me to vote for it, and I'll probably end up disqualifying the Dolls LP for being from last November and also for being superfluous if you have the two studio albums. I might decide that "Bring Em Out" is too old as well. On the other hand "Angel" qualifies under The Songs From 2004 That Are Not In English Are Eligible Anyway If I Didn't Hear Them Until 2005 Rule [i.e., The If I Like A Song Enough I Find A Way To Rationalize Including It Rule]. Its video still sits firmly atop the Launch Yahoo Spanish-language chart.

From previous years' experience I'd expect that only two or three from each list will make my final ballot, if even that. This will certainly be true of singles (e.g., I kind of don't like Amerie's voice), but the albums list is already so incredibly strong I can't predict how much will get superseded. Anything from Deana Carter up could hold on.

If Deana's "The Girl You Left Me For" (wonderfully aggressively masochistic) and Fannypack's "Seven One Eight" (heartstoppingly beautiful and absolutely bratty) become singles, they're on my ballot for sure. With a clear eye on my tastes, the record companies chose what is at most my eighth or ninth favorite from the Deana album as its first single, and my absolutely least favorite from the Fannypack. I do think "The Girl You Left Me For" is slated as the Deana followup (was the second of three songs listed on the album sticker). "Seven One Eight" is too bluesy for singlehood, I fear.

I haven't heard anything previous by Fettes Brot (or by any other German hip-hop groups); from "Emanuela" I gather that Fettes Brot like to clown around and to pretend they learned rap from listening to 'NSync's "Here We Go."

The Caesars are sort of snotty on "Sort It Out" and sort of jerky on "Jerk It Out," but they've got a melodic gift, and I predicted in print two years ago that they'd hit, so I feel vindicated.

I've yet to hear the new Hold Steady or the new Electric Six.