10 Favorite Albums of 2005
This thing is fairly pointless and I've pretty much abandoned it, but in light of all the awesome albums that came out in 2005, I figured I'd post my 10 favorite again. I don't claim to know the best albums of 2005, since I would have to hear every album of 2005 to have a remote clue of what the best might be. My favorites aren't even necessarily what I think were the best, just what impacted me most for one reason or another. So hopefully any hostility will be deflated if my list doesn't line up with everybody else's, cause let's face it people, we don't all listen to the same albums at the same times with the same impact, and I really don't think anyone in the world is truly qualified to dictate the best albums of the year. That said, here it is.
10. Beck: Guero - This is definitely not Beck's best album, and has more weak tracks than any other Beck album I've heard. However, it has plenty of really cool tracks which outweigh the weaker ones, especially in the second half of the album. He re-adopted the bluesy element that his previous three albums abandoned, and pulled it off quite well. His more electronic stuff on the album generally dulls in comparison with Midnite Vultures. I've heard plenty of better albums that aren't on the list, but I'm familiar with this one.
9. Stephen Malkmus: Face the Truth - I got this album a couple months after getting Pig Lib, so it's a bit unfairly dulled by previous competition. However, even in light of that, Face the Truth is still a solid album, with several tracks that are among Malkmus's best to me. It has a few weaker tracks, but overall it's a great album, and it keeps me impressed with Malkmus's solo career.
8. Ben Folds: Songs for Silverman - Though Ben Folds tends to push the edges of overproduction sometimes, he still manages to steer clear of it and come off with a clean sound and some very well-written and inventive pop music. Anyone who has seen him live knows that Ben Folds is an amazing pianist, which he showcases more in this album than he has previously. He could have easily lost his edge by now, but instead he remains fairly dynamic and fits well into a fuller sound.
7. Boards of Canada: The Campfire Headphase - This was a really great year for electronic music, and I wish I'd heard more albums enough to really take them in. Still, I think most people will agree that The Campfire Headphase is among the best. Boards of Canada's sound has evolved, and created some beautiful music with this album. This is one of the albums that led me to more fully appreciate electronic music.
6. Caribou: The Milk of Human Kindness - Caribou is another of the bands that got me into electronic music. This album is loaded with awesome melodies and just generally well crafted music. I wouldn't call this the sixth best album of the year for sure, but I listened to it a lot, and it's certainly a work of originality and art, which is an accomplishment these days.
5. Super Furry Animals: Love Kraft - This band has a really cool sound. With this album, they prove their ability to embrace elements of roots rock and psychadelia, and take it somewhere unique and original. Love Kraft is loaded with great melodies and tasteful musical subtleties that greatly outshine the weaker tracks on the album.
4. Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins - Kevin Barnes is a musical genius. I don't know what more to say. They made a smooth transition into a more electronic sound, and though I like their older stuff more, this album kicks ass.
3. The Mars Volta: Frances the Mute - This is one of the first albums of the year I heard. There's a lot of flashy musicianship, but it doesn't come off as distastefully so. In my opinion, The Mars Volta took up where Soundgarden's Superunknown left off in the realm of progressive hard rock (as in not metal). The concept behind this album is pretty cool too. I like it more than De-Loused in the Comatorium, the only downside I can see is that they may be trying a bit too hard. Mainly I just listened to it a lot more than most other albums on the list.
2. Broken Social Scene: Broken Social Scene - This is quite different from You Forgot it in People, but it's a really great album. The rawness at which this band harnesses its many layers of music is unique to say the least. Broken Social Scene is one of the most original and artistic bands I've heard in the past five years, and this album further illustrates that trend.
1. Sufjan Stevens: Come On Feel The Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens is yet another musical genius. Illinoise is different from Michigan, but it's an interchangeable favorite for me. This album wields depth and epicosity without overproduction. It's really a beautiful thing, man. One of the more dynamic albums I've ever heard, and one of the cooler concepts. My brain is about sick of trying to describe albums.
So, in retrospect, this was a great year for music. There are still a lot of albums I need to hear, especially those by Neil Young, Soulive, and Animal Collective. This was a hard list to narrow down, as there are many albums I heard and didn't fully absorb, and hated to leave out, especially Takk by Sigur Ros, The Runners Four by Deerhoof, Twin Cinema by the New Pornographers, and Lost and Safe by The Books. Granted, there were disappointments, from Coldplay and especially from Weezer, and there was a lot of really horrible music that I basically ignore. But that's no different from any other year. OK I've been typing way to long. Peace.
10. Beck: Guero - This is definitely not Beck's best album, and has more weak tracks than any other Beck album I've heard. However, it has plenty of really cool tracks which outweigh the weaker ones, especially in the second half of the album. He re-adopted the bluesy element that his previous three albums abandoned, and pulled it off quite well. His more electronic stuff on the album generally dulls in comparison with Midnite Vultures. I've heard plenty of better albums that aren't on the list, but I'm familiar with this one.
9. Stephen Malkmus: Face the Truth - I got this album a couple months after getting Pig Lib, so it's a bit unfairly dulled by previous competition. However, even in light of that, Face the Truth is still a solid album, with several tracks that are among Malkmus's best to me. It has a few weaker tracks, but overall it's a great album, and it keeps me impressed with Malkmus's solo career.
8. Ben Folds: Songs for Silverman - Though Ben Folds tends to push the edges of overproduction sometimes, he still manages to steer clear of it and come off with a clean sound and some very well-written and inventive pop music. Anyone who has seen him live knows that Ben Folds is an amazing pianist, which he showcases more in this album than he has previously. He could have easily lost his edge by now, but instead he remains fairly dynamic and fits well into a fuller sound.
7. Boards of Canada: The Campfire Headphase - This was a really great year for electronic music, and I wish I'd heard more albums enough to really take them in. Still, I think most people will agree that The Campfire Headphase is among the best. Boards of Canada's sound has evolved, and created some beautiful music with this album. This is one of the albums that led me to more fully appreciate electronic music.
6. Caribou: The Milk of Human Kindness - Caribou is another of the bands that got me into electronic music. This album is loaded with awesome melodies and just generally well crafted music. I wouldn't call this the sixth best album of the year for sure, but I listened to it a lot, and it's certainly a work of originality and art, which is an accomplishment these days.
5. Super Furry Animals: Love Kraft - This band has a really cool sound. With this album, they prove their ability to embrace elements of roots rock and psychadelia, and take it somewhere unique and original. Love Kraft is loaded with great melodies and tasteful musical subtleties that greatly outshine the weaker tracks on the album.
4. Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins - Kevin Barnes is a musical genius. I don't know what more to say. They made a smooth transition into a more electronic sound, and though I like their older stuff more, this album kicks ass.
3. The Mars Volta: Frances the Mute - This is one of the first albums of the year I heard. There's a lot of flashy musicianship, but it doesn't come off as distastefully so. In my opinion, The Mars Volta took up where Soundgarden's Superunknown left off in the realm of progressive hard rock (as in not metal). The concept behind this album is pretty cool too. I like it more than De-Loused in the Comatorium, the only downside I can see is that they may be trying a bit too hard. Mainly I just listened to it a lot more than most other albums on the list.
2. Broken Social Scene: Broken Social Scene - This is quite different from You Forgot it in People, but it's a really great album. The rawness at which this band harnesses its many layers of music is unique to say the least. Broken Social Scene is one of the most original and artistic bands I've heard in the past five years, and this album further illustrates that trend.
1. Sufjan Stevens: Come On Feel The Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens is yet another musical genius. Illinoise is different from Michigan, but it's an interchangeable favorite for me. This album wields depth and epicosity without overproduction. It's really a beautiful thing, man. One of the more dynamic albums I've ever heard, and one of the cooler concepts. My brain is about sick of trying to describe albums.
So, in retrospect, this was a great year for music. There are still a lot of albums I need to hear, especially those by Neil Young, Soulive, and Animal Collective. This was a hard list to narrow down, as there are many albums I heard and didn't fully absorb, and hated to leave out, especially Takk by Sigur Ros, The Runners Four by Deerhoof, Twin Cinema by the New Pornographers, and Lost and Safe by The Books. Granted, there were disappointments, from Coldplay and especially from Weezer, and there was a lot of really horrible music that I basically ignore. But that's no different from any other year. OK I've been typing way to long. Peace.