Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JLM]

Barring something truly spectacular on the horizon (i.e. Portishead finally releases a third album), The musical year is mostly over.  So here's my top 5 of the year, in order (and no, it's not a mistake that Broken Social Scene isn't in the top 5):

1. Boom Bip - Blue Eyed in the Red Room
2. DangerDoom - The Mouse & The Mask
3. Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase
4. American Analog Set - Set Free
5. Amon Tobin - Chaos Theory:Splinter Cell 3 Soundtrack

That's my top 5 as of today, November 11, 2005.  This list is subject to change before December 31, 2005.  Also, that's not to say that there aren't other albums that I really enjoyed this year...but these are the five that I feel truly stood out as the best of everything that I've heard.  

So what's your Top 5?

[La Creme]

Haven't heard everything that has come out this year that I've wanted to, but:


1: Eels - Blinking Lights And Other Revelations
Seriously, 33 new Eels songs, mad terrific instrumentals (something rarely heard before), guest appearances by Tom Waits and other awesome folk like that dude from the Lovin' Spoonful, kick ass lyrics, most awesome accompanying live show ever, and so much goddam more!

2: The Sugarplastic - Will
Seriously, this album is the Beatles fucking reborn.

3: General Patton Vs. The X-ecutioners - Joint Special Operations Task Force
A sonic barrage of pure incredible! The hip-hop stylings of the X-men (not to mention their un-surpassed turntable radness) combines almost too well with good ol' Patton's mad vocals (or squeeks, or blips, or clicks, etc.) and vast musical vocabulary. As is stated in the last EPIC track, "This is the journey... into sound". Fantomas meets Dalek. Super great.

4: The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity?
I am actually not too impressed with this album, but that is solely because I've seen them live twice now, and there is NOTHING that can match, let alone be better than a fucking Bad Plus gig. If you have not heard them, check out this album first, as it is a bridge into their music not supplied by their previous two releases. Then just go see them live. Seriously, they destroy all that is destroyable! Rock that is free jazz, free jazz that jams, jams that mother fucking rock.!

5: Spoon - Gimme Fiction
The year isn't over yet, so this might get booted, as it is not nearly as impressive as "Kill The Moonlight" or "Girls Can Tell", their previous two releases. All in all though, solid songwriting, decent lyrics, and great live vibe. Recommended to anyone who wants to listen to something and just say "Yes, this is the kind of CD that I can enjoy anytime, anywhere."

[RUMBLEMOOSE]

Yeah, for everything good I've heard there's like ten things good I know I haven't heard. My list therefore is kinda crappy.

1. The Hold Steady, Separation Sunday
Led Zep ripoffs or not, the lyrics are better than practically anything since Springsteen. And the riffs are heavy and sweaty.

2. Spoon, Gimme Fiction
For some reason I thought Spoon was supposed to be getting less and less interesting, not more and more. My mistake I guess. That and guest appearance by John Vanderslice.

3. Milemarker, Ominosity
Frigid Forms Sell was amazing but unfocused; Ominosity is focused. How great does this album have to be?

4. Beck, Guero
Yeah, maybe not. I'm just a huge sucker for Beck. I honestly thought it was far more mature than Odelay and thus not so much just a stale rehash of the same.

5. Broken Social Scene, Broken Social Scene
I downloaded their first two a long time ago but never got into them, and probably never would have if this board hadn't been tittering about them nonstop. I like the new album even better than You Forgot It In People and I'm not ashamed to say it.

And a few I should've listened to but didn't:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, s/t
Boards of Canada, The Campfire Headphase
that Wolf Parade one
the new Eels (which I didn't even know had come out)
Lightning Bolt, Hypermagic Mountain - Actually I listened to this once and it sounds fucking incredible, but I really need to listen to it like eighty more times.

[KharBevNor]

I probably need to check out more new albums. The only new albums I can think of I've heard from this year that would make my list are:

1: Ewigkeit - Conspiritus

Mr. Fog's toned down some of the eclecticism and experimenting since Radio Ixtlan (you aren't going to here Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Samples over glitch techno this time round). However, this is in some ways a positive thing, as it creates a more focused record. Whilst this does mean there are a few meh tracks around the early middle of the album, it makes for a more cohesive whole, focusing on an eclectic dance metal sound with a more chilled vibe. Still, I think Mr. Fog needs to start taking acid again.

2: Scum - Gospels For the Sick

Totally evil punk rock with members of Amen, Emperor, Turbonegro and Zyklon. A barrage of in-your-face brutality from a motley crew of junkies, arsonists, murderers and rock musicians.

[Trollstormur]

1. Equilibrium - Turis Fratyr

This is probably one of my favorite albums this year. Good folk viking metal

2. Wintersun - Wintersun

Ensiferum's vocalist's new band. it's real good, if you like viking metal.

[Thrillho]

1. Oasis - Don't Believe The Truth.

For the first time in ten years they just write a great pop album. Their most relaxed collection yet, and Meaning Of Soul notwithstanding, pretty much all great.

2. Lucky Nine - True Crown Foundation Songs

British metal supergroup make fucking IMMENSE album. Easily my favourite heavy album of the last year, no question.

3. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl

This is my album of the year. Swapping the rock 'n' roll for gospel God-bothering didn't sound wise - but it's a fucking BRILLIANT album, not a slack moment on it. The scant electric moments are awesome, and the acoustic ballads are beautiful.

4. Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth

Angsty disco-pop with a heart as black as coal. Not as good as The Fragile, but definitely a stellar album. A fitting comeback for ol' Trent.

5. The Mad Capsule Markets - 1997-2004/020120

Put these together - their best of and their live album. Both of them are utter, utter genius. Gave them both five stars when I reviewed them.

Honourable mention: The Pariahs - The Pariahs

Old school punk rock. Their last album was called 'Mouthful of Headache'. 'Nuff said.

[Kid Modernist]

Hmm, I think that:

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Face the Truth
Sigur Ros - Takk...
Deerhoof - The Runners Four
and
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - s/t

Would be on my list.

[Kai]

1. The Residents - Animal Lover - Totally the best record I've heard all year. Seriously. It's actually really morbid and depressing at times.
2.Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations - GO EELS
3. General Patton Vs. The X-Ecutioners - Joint Special Operations Task Force - God, stop stealing all of my choices Creamy boy.
4. Between the Buried and Me - Alaska. It really is very good.
5. The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute. This was released this year, right?


Also, some group that Buckethead's collaborating with released something new which I still have to check out. But yeah, that's about all the new albums I bought.

[Willem]

random order:
maximo park - a certain trigger
kaiser chiefs - employment
subways - young for eternity
franz ferdinand - you could have it so much better
zZz (Dutch Band) - sound of zZz (sounds the way the Doors would sound today)

Not a great year I guess..

[El Opium]

Birchville Cat Motel-Chi Vampires
Skullflower-Orange Canyon Mind
Major Stars-IV
Growing-Live
Avarus-Ruskeatimanti

Stuff I'd like to get hold of but haven't yet:
Sunn 0))-Black I
Lightning Bolt-Hypermagic Mountain
The Fall-Fall Heads Roll
Gang Wizard-Why is There a God?
Growing-His Return
V/A-Invisble Pyramind Elegy Box
-Tons of other stuff on the insanely prolific Last Visible Dog lable.

[Garcin]

1)  Sufjan Stesvens - Illinoise
2)  Ted Leo - Shake the Sheets
3)  Feist - Let It Die
4)  The Decemberists - Picaresque
5)  Fiery Furnaces - Rehearsing My Choir

[Praeserpium Machinarum]

Also, some group that Buckethead's collaborating with released something new

Viggo Mortensen(the guy who plays Aragorn in LOTR) has made several records with him. I thought that was a bit funny...

[KaosPilot]

My best of 2005 (that i've heard) would run like this:

Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
65 Days of Static - One Time For All Time
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Saul Williams - Saul Williams

[Kai]

Really? I simply must check them out, if anything but for ironic purposes.

[Willem]

Avarus-Ruskeatimanti

What, there's a band with that name? I use that as a nickname on some forums. What kinda music do they make?

[JLM]

1)  Sufjan Stesvens - Illinoise
2)  Ted Leo - Shake the Sheets
3)  Feist - Let It Die
4)  The Decemberists - Picaresque
5)  Fiery Furnaces - Rehearsing My Choir

Shake the Sheets came out last year.

[Praeserpium Machinarum]

this list will probably be subject to change when I hear the new albums from Jomi Massage, Kå and others.
But at the moment:

Bonnie 'prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf
Feist - Let It Die
Andersens Drømme(a gathering of danish artists singing songs inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's dreams)
Stars - Set Yourself On Fire(it came out in Denmark this year)
The Decemberists - Picaresque

[El Opium]

Avarus are a free-folk (whatever that is) band from Finland. I'm not quite sure how well I could describe their music myself maybe a krautrock band gone folk . Here's the lable that put out the album trying to describe them:
http://www.tumult.net/catalog/avarus.html

[rive gauche]

Animal Collective - Feels (!)
Minus Story - No Rest for Ghosts
Constantines - Tournament of Hearts

Those are the only albums that haven't been mentioned that I can think of. I was terribly disappointed by the new Broken Social Scene which makes me want to cry :(

[Luke]

1) Coldplay - X&Y
2) Lifehouse - (self-titled)
3) Kanye West - Late Registration


There hasn't been as much awesome mainstream music this year as there was in 2004. I didn't realize that until now. Also, Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand would probably be on that list if I'd gotten either of their albums at this point.

[StrikeThePostman]

I was terribly disappointed by the new Broken Social Scene which makes me want to cry

So was I, but it's possible that I just haven't gotten into it yet.  I had to be stranded on an island with no electricity off the coast of Maine to begin enjoying "You Forgot It In People."  

Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs
The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise

Apparently the new Supergrass album is good too, but I haven't picked it up yet.

[Kid Modernist]

I'd like to add Ris Paul Ric - Purple Blaze (Ex-member of Q and not U) to my list. It was surprisingly awesome.

[KharBevNor]

Avarus are a free-folk (whatever that is) band from Finland. I'm not quite sure how well I could describe their music myself maybe a krautrock band gone folk . Here's the lable that put out the album trying to describe them:
http://www.tumult.net/catalog/avarus.html

That description makes them sound really good. I downloaded some apparently live sessions, and it just sounded like a load of atmosphereless, random bashing of out of tune instruments. One got into a sort of cool bit that sounded like acoustic power electronics, but that was kind of it. I just can't get into music like that.

I'll stick to 'Visor Om Slutet' and 'Tales From the Thousand Lakes' for my realisations of Finland, thanks-a-bunch.

[a pack of wolves]

Snowblood - Being And Becoming
Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
Guapo - Black Oni
Men In Search of The Perfect Weapon - s/t

Mind you Red Right Hand, Like A Kind of Matador and Narcosis all have albums due soon, and I still haven't picked up a copy of the Red Stars Parade CD. Any of those could easily knock someone out of the top five.

[RUMBLEMOOSE]

Back up-- do you mean the metal band Red Right Hand? There's a New Hampshire metal band called Red Right Hand and their bass player is our guitarist.

That would be fucked up, but I don't think you mean them. They're really not that good.

[El Opium]

Sorry about that Khar. Free folk=free jazz but with folk instead of jazz esp in the case of Avarus.

[Rizzo]

2: Scum - Gospels For the Sick

Totally evil punk rock with members of Amen, Emperor, Turbonegro and Zyklon. A barrage of in-your-face brutality from a motley crew of junkies, arsonists, murderers and rock musicians.

I think I need to hear that. Sounds like my kind of thing.

Ummmm 2005 albums...

1.With Teeth-NIN
2....

Holy crap, With Teeth is the only album made this year that I've brought... I've gotten a whole bunch of old albums but nothing new... wack yo.

[Leonsantos]

As Of Nov 12
1.My American Heart - The Meaning In Makeup
yes its an emo band and yes its a bunch of..... filipino guys. In a genre where its usually a white guy in a youth small shirt and girl pants its good to see that the other reaces aren't dumbasses when it comes to music. This is that album that is your most played on your itunes. It's was very well done and the music is exactly what you need after a day that just sucked.
2. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
As Jeph said GO PICK THIS DAMM ALBUM UP! I love deerhoof because its weird surrealness mixed in with awesome guitar rifts. This album only adds on to the fun!
3. Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah
An accordian, simple lyrics and more fun than a Questionable Content flash movie *Hint Hint* clap your hands and say yeah make you wanna do just that . If you don't have it and your reading QC your just a loser.
4. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
Although they never stray from the formula, they allways seen to amaze us. They know exactly how to grab a fan base and keep them there with thheir fun soul southing lyrics.
5.Paramore - All We Know Is Falling
haha i love me emo lots. Its a 16 year old feamle singer with 18 year old drummer and guiarists......I wonder what happens alot? Neways  its an awesome album just because they show that expierence isn't the most critical factor in good album making.

[normz]

Ummmm 2005 albums...

1.With Teeth-NIN
2....

Holy crap, With Teeth is the only album made this year that I've brought... I've gotten a whole bunch of old albums but nothing new... wack yo.

actually ditto .... I've gotten heaps of albumns but none that were actually released this year anyways With Teeth was 10 different kinds of awesome so it's all good i guess .... now if only Tool would release that god damn new albumn weve been promised already

[Dara]

some favorites this year

Aoki Takamasa + Tujiko Nuriko: 28
Hauschka: The Prepared Piano
August Born: August Born
Antony and the Johnsons: I am a Bird Now
Six Organs of Admittance: School of the Flower
Songs of Green Pheasant: Songs of Green Pheasant

[Cpt.Fantastic]

1. Broken Social Scene - s/t
2. The Decemberists - Picaresque
3. Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary
4. The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute (yes it was released this year)
5. Sigur Ros - Takk...

[ElRodente]

In no particular order:

Decemberists - Picaresque
Stereophonics - Language. Sex. Violence. Other?
Spoon - gimme fiction
Coldplay - X&Y
kaiser chiefs - employment

I really wanted to include KT tunstall too, but only 5

[Trollstormur]

2: Scum - Gospels For the Sick

Totally evil punk rock with members of Amen, Emperor, Turbonegro and Zyklon. A barrage of in-your-face brutality from a motley crew of junkies, arsonists, murderers and rock musicians.

Eh. it was okay, for punk, but you know... it's still junk punk.

[KharBevNor]

Sorry about that Khar. Free folk=free jazz but with folk instead of jazz esp in the case of Avarus.

It was really the thin-ness of it that put me off, maybe that was just the live stuff though. There was a bit to the end of a track called 'Encore' that, as a I said, sounded a bit like acoustic Whitehouse, and was kind of cool.

I'd debate it being music though really, but I won't get into that here.

[a pack of wolves]

Back up-- do you mean the metal band Red Right Hand? There's a New Hampshire metal band called Red Right Hand and their bass player is our guitarist.

That would be fucked up, but I don't think you mean them. They're really not that good.

No, the Red Right Hand I mean are slow, heavy, unpleasant doom with members of Narcosis and Like A Kind of Matador.

[tragic]

opeth - ghost reveries
1349 - hellfire
nile - annihilation of the wicked
bloodbath - nightmares made flesh
darkest hour - undoing ruin

i was very.. very.. disappointed with the agony scene's new album.
after their impressive debut, i had high expectations.
forshame.

[KharBevNor]

Nile and Bloodbath were both this year?

Ah right,

1. Ewigkeit - Conspiritus
2. Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh
3. Scum - Gospels For the Sick
4. Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked

Did Behemoth have something out this year as well? Or is that my imagination.

I've heard the new Dimmu Borgir re-recording of Stormblast is actually quite good, same with the Opeth, but I've heard neither. I'm probably just being retarded and already have something else I love released this year that I'm forgetting.

[tragic]

I'm probably just being retarded and already have something else I love released this year that I'm forgetting.

ditto, chap.
:/

also, behemoths latest release was demigod in 2004

[Kai]

i was very.. very.. disappointed with the agony scene's new album.
after their impressive debut, i had high expectations.
forshame.

You were disappointed too? The first album was quite a few kinds of awesome though.

[tragic]

i sure was.
when their debut came out i was all "omgomg new favourite band omg" or whatever.
i almost cried when the emo whining hit in.
>_>
i'm seeing them live in a few weeks supporting LoG.
so we'll see what it sounds like live i guess.

[decklin]

I'm not too sure at this point, but I'll pick 3 I haven't seen here yet:

Akron/Family - Akron/Family
Laura Veirs - Year of Meteors
Mount Eerie - No Flashlight

[amok]

1. Mind.In.A.Box - Dreamweb
2. VNV Nation - Matter And Form
3. Syrian - Kosmonauta
4. M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us
5. The Decemberists - Picaresque

[ASturge]

No order

- The Decemberists - Picaresque
- Broken Social Scene - BlahBlah
- Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
- Sigur Ros - Takk

[Gryff]

I guess mine would be something like this:

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Phoenix Foundation - Pegasus
The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Sigur Ros - Takk…

With an honourable mention to Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

Albums I haven't heard (enough) yet that I should've: The new Deerhoof, New Pornographers, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

[ImRonBurgundy?]

01. The Aquabats!- CHARGE!!- extremely solid and the single most consistently enjoyable album i've heard all year.
02. Mike Park- North Hangook Falling- basically, Mike Park kicks ass.
03. The Suicide Machines- War Profiteering is Killing Us All- a bit heavy-handed, i'll admit, but it's about time they released an album that lives up to their debut in terms of sheer musical awesomeness.
04. Against Me!- Searching for a Former Clarity- shut up, i liked this album.
05. The Bruce Lee Band- Beautiful World EP- more Mike Park-related awesomeness.

honorable mentions:
The Most Serene Republic- Underwater Cinematographer
DangerDoom- The Mouse & The Mask (which i have heard, but do not yet own.  dammit.)

[Rizzo]

Oh! I brought three albums this year!
NIN as I've already said.
AND
The best kiwi band there ever did was; The Mercy Cage.
www.mercycage.co.nr

And

The Chemical Brothers-Push The Button
I rather like it despite what people say.

[Kid Modernist]

Alright, I got my list fit to 10 (nobody cares probably, but here it is):

Bright Eyes - Digital Ash/I'm Wide Awake
Broken Social Scene - S/t
Deerhoof - The Runners Four
Sigur Ros - Takk...
Ris Paul Ric - Purple Blaze
Manu Chao - Siberie M'etait Conte
My Morning Jacket - Z
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - s/t
Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth

Close: Angels of Light/Akron Family split, Daedalus - Exquisite Corpse

[seaweed swimwear]

edited list

[McTaggart]

Bright Eyes - Digital Ash/I'm Wide Awake

I would have counted that as two, but that might just be because I'm struggling to come up with five. They are completely different albums though.

[Kid Modernist]

I like counting them as one, dispite the difference in the album. It feels like a double disc to me, one is daytime songs and the other is nightime songs. I may be cheating a little bit, but I say it's valid.

Which do you like better? If I had to pick one I would say Digital Ash (I've been looking for a Digital Ash live set forever, but I don't know if he ever played any).