Top Albums of 2005
Runners-up (in alphabetical order):
Tori Amos, The Beekeeper
Brendan Benson, Alternative To Love
The Cardigans, Super Extra Gravity
Coldplay, X&Y
Goldfrapp, Supernature
Goldenhorse, Out of The Moon
David Gray, Life In Still Motion
Gemma Hayes, The Roads Don’t Love You
Missy Higgins, The Sound of White
The Kills, No Wow
Maximo Park, A Certain Trigger
Roisin Murphy, Ruby Blue
Anna Nalick, Wreck of The Day
OdESSA, Oak Park Avenue
Royksopp, The Understanding
Shivaree, Who’s Got Trouble?
Sugababes, Taller In More Ways
Martha Wainwright, Martha Wainwright
10. Editors, The Back Room
09. Kate Bush, Aerial
08. Antony & The Johnsons, I Am A Bird Now
07. Madonna, Confessions On A Dance Floor
06. Arcade Fire, Funeral
05. Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
04. Garbage, Bleed Like Me
03. Sarah Blasko, The Overture & The Underscore
02. Bic Runga, Birds
And my #1 album of the year is:
01. Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself
Standout tracks: Headlock, Goodnight & Go, Loose Ends, Hide & Seek, Clear The Area, The Walk, Just For Now.
Speak For Yourself is an album of unrestrained beauty and hope, all held together by one of the most remarkable voices in pop today. Most people will argue that electronic music has no heart (or even soul), but this album has bucketloads of both, from the heartbreaking electro-acapella Hide & Seek, to the dramatic undertones of The Moment I Said It.
It's been a great year for Ms. Heap. Although she hasn't quite broken into the mainstream just yet, contributions to a string of soundtracks, films and TV shows certainly kept her name in a lot of music press. She did it all on her own, too - remortgaging her London flat to fund everything from recording to distribution.
One of her most remarkable achievements of the year was having her captivating single 'Hide & Seek' chart on Billboard's Top Digital Singles chart last May - the first independent/unsigned artist to ever do so. The track came from left-field, bolstered by an appearance on the second season finale of The O.C. It was also an unlikely 'hit' single - a song composed entirely of Imogen's ethereal vocals fed through filters and vocoders. It was a 'love it or hate it' song, though clearly it had won a lot of people over.
She also contributed songs to the soundtracks for the films Just Like Heaven and The Chronicles of Narnia (her song 'Can't Take It In' has been shortlisted for this year's Oscars - fingers crossed she makes it into the final 5!) as well as soundtracks for The O.C and Six Feet Under.
But it's only just begun. Speak For Yourself has garnered many positive reviews and Imogen will embark on a series of tours this year to support it. Good luck Immi!
Song clips and details on how to buy Speak For Yourself: http://www.imogenheap.com
Tori Amos, The Beekeeper
Brendan Benson, Alternative To Love
The Cardigans, Super Extra Gravity
Coldplay, X&Y
Goldfrapp, Supernature
Goldenhorse, Out of The Moon
David Gray, Life In Still Motion
Gemma Hayes, The Roads Don’t Love You
Missy Higgins, The Sound of White
The Kills, No Wow
Maximo Park, A Certain Trigger
Roisin Murphy, Ruby Blue
Anna Nalick, Wreck of The Day
OdESSA, Oak Park Avenue
Royksopp, The Understanding
Shivaree, Who’s Got Trouble?
Sugababes, Taller In More Ways
Martha Wainwright, Martha Wainwright
10. Editors, The Back Room
09. Kate Bush, Aerial
08. Antony & The Johnsons, I Am A Bird Now
07. Madonna, Confessions On A Dance Floor
06. Arcade Fire, Funeral
05. Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine
04. Garbage, Bleed Like Me
03. Sarah Blasko, The Overture & The Underscore
02. Bic Runga, Birds
And my #1 album of the year is:
01. Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself
Standout tracks: Headlock, Goodnight & Go, Loose Ends, Hide & Seek, Clear The Area, The Walk, Just For Now.
Speak For Yourself is an album of unrestrained beauty and hope, all held together by one of the most remarkable voices in pop today. Most people will argue that electronic music has no heart (or even soul), but this album has bucketloads of both, from the heartbreaking electro-acapella Hide & Seek, to the dramatic undertones of The Moment I Said It.
It's been a great year for Ms. Heap. Although she hasn't quite broken into the mainstream just yet, contributions to a string of soundtracks, films and TV shows certainly kept her name in a lot of music press. She did it all on her own, too - remortgaging her London flat to fund everything from recording to distribution.
One of her most remarkable achievements of the year was having her captivating single 'Hide & Seek' chart on Billboard's Top Digital Singles chart last May - the first independent/unsigned artist to ever do so. The track came from left-field, bolstered by an appearance on the second season finale of The O.C. It was also an unlikely 'hit' single - a song composed entirely of Imogen's ethereal vocals fed through filters and vocoders. It was a 'love it or hate it' song, though clearly it had won a lot of people over.
She also contributed songs to the soundtracks for the films Just Like Heaven and The Chronicles of Narnia (her song 'Can't Take It In' has been shortlisted for this year's Oscars - fingers crossed she makes it into the final 5!) as well as soundtracks for The O.C and Six Feet Under.
But it's only just begun. Speak For Yourself has garnered many positive reviews and Imogen will embark on a series of tours this year to support it. Good luck Immi!
Song clips and details on how to buy Speak For Yourself: http://www.imogenheap.com