Top 25 Albums of 2005
I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on music, but I know what I like. I remember when I used to be a music snob, but then I started to get old & act like the previous generation, disregarding most of today's music. Except unlike my parents, I actually tried out those new bands & found most of them to be overrated, pretentious, & annoying. But that's just me.
& please understand - like I said before - I'm not an expert on music, & these are just my opinions, as to best tracks etc, & I'm not going to go into great detail about why I love them. You're encouraged to post your own Top.. Whatevers of 2005, be it Albums, Movies, Comics, TV shows, Wrestling PPVs or Matches, Books, whatever. On to probably the most mainstream Top 25 Albums list that will be posted in T5R.
25. Anna Nalick - Wreck of the Day
This was an album I started playing in Music World all the time, because that's the only time it seemed to sell. It came to be an enjoyable listen to me for most of the year, but there were also... extenuating circumstances behind that. Good debut though, & she's a fine lookin' woman.
Favourite Track: Breathe (2 AM)
24. Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle
As andythesaint put it best to me, it's pretty much a middle-of-the-road pop album. Phair achieved probably her greatest mainstream success with "Why Can't I?" off her previous self-titled album. If you enjoyed that one track that was on many a movie soundtrack, then you should enjoy the rest of this album. Me being a Phair fan, I found comfort in the familiarity of her music once more.
Favourite Track: Somebody's Miracle
23. Ben Folds - Songs For Silverman
After Folds' last solo album (2001's Rockin' The Suburbs, unfortunately released the same day as 9/11), I was expecting big things from this album. I listened to it quite a bit when it first came out & then tapered off a lot. Some of the tracks just grated on me, but for the most part it's something that comes on random & it's just background music that I don't skip.
Favourite Track: Give Judy My Notice
Twisted Youth's review
22. Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
For quite sometime I've hated Oasis. I gave their new album the benefit of the doubt thanks to twistedyouth's complimentary review. I was surprised that I wasn't annoyed, & it's definitely found it's way into regular rotation on my various sound systems.
Favourite Track: Guess God Thinks I'm Abel
Twisted Youth's review
21. Christine Evans - Take Me Home
Some homegrown Canadian talent surprised the hell outta me early in 2005. This teenage girl came outta B.C. with a CD that she was the singer / songwriter for. She was only 14 at the time, plays her own instruments, is geniunely attractive & has enormous potential for her career. The most amazing thing of all is that her image isn't all sexified & she's not singing absolutely vapid material. Which is probably why she'll quietly grow into a respected artist & not monetarily successful beyond her wildest dreams. Unless she sells out like Jewel did.
Favourite Track: Close Your Eyes
20. Kanye West - Late Registration
Pretty much every critic's pick for Album of the Year, at least mainstream Album of the Year. Upon the first couple listens, I'd definitely agree with them. But repeated listens just reveal more & more annoying songs throughout. Case in point: "We Major" pretty much annoys the bloody fuck outta me anytime I hear it now, which thankfully isn't at all anymore.
Favourite Track: Touch the Sky
Twisted Youth's review
19. Get Up Kids - Live @ the Granada Theater
Last hurrah on a Top Whatever list of mine for one of my favourite bands of all time. This was a live show recorded at the beginning of their farewell tour I believe. There's no brand spankin' new material on here, just one last chance to enjoy a band that I always wanted to see live, & I listened to it constantly throughout the year.
Favourite Track: I'll Catch You
18. Michael Bublé - It's Time
One of the biggest signs that I'm becoming older seems to be my desire to listen to more artists that appeal to the A/C market. I promise you that I'll never buy a fuckin' Daniel O'Donnell album in my life. Bublé grew on me throughout many airings of his CD in the morning hours at Music World, to the point where someone stole the CD that was rightfully claimed by me. Bastards. Anyways, he's a talented guy that Bublé, & I look forward to the day when he doesn't put out mostly cover albums & starts performing more original material.
Favourite Track: Home
17. Gorillaz - Demon Days
Critically acclaimed & repeatedly played at work, this album grew on me as excellent background music. Anytime I tried to listen to it outside of playing video games or work, it kinda bored me though. It would be a great album to have playing in the background at a party, gala event, whatevs.
Favourite Track: Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head
Twisted Youth's review
16. Paul Anka - Rock Swings
The first time I played this instore was more for the morbid curiousity of it. Then it became a guessing game, seeing if I could figure out what the covered song was. Then it was just for enjoyment. Anka does A/C renditions of some pretty surprising tracks from the 80s & 90s, & covers them in a classy manner.
Favourite Track: cover of Van Halen's "Jump"
Twisted Youth's review
15. Hot Hot Heat - Elevator
More Canadian content, this album was one of the frequent "go-to" albums when I was working at Music World. It was fun, it rocked, it was catchy, it was all good to put on in the middle of the afternoon to make the day go by way faster.
Favourite Track: Running Out of Time
Twisted Youth's review
Andy the Saint's review
14. Chixdiggit - Pink Razors
Straight offa the mean streets of my hometown, where I live.. still :( ... Chixdiggit crafted yet another super-catchy power-pop-punk album filled with witty lines & the usual pop song sensibilities. There's no 5-minute long ballads here, I think the longest song is probably less than 3 minutes. One of my favourite lines of the year is from "I Remember You" - "if you see her could you maybe ask her about my Vuarnet shirt."
Favourite Track: I Remember You
13. Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted
This album slowly worked it's way into my regular rotation thanks to the genuine likability of Paisley's countryness. It's not overly twangy, doesn't speak of a world I can't relate to, & featured enjoyable ballads & funny songs alike. Sadly, the co-workers at the store weren't big fans of country music, which means they missed out on at least three great albums this year.
Favourite Track: The World
12. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
A relative late-comer, being that I didn't get it 'til andythesaint's Christmas party, I've been listening to it pretty steadily ever since & it's growing on me like Long Gone Before Daylight grew on me. If you think The Cardigans are all about "Lovefool," you're completely missing out. Hell, their follow-up single to "Lovefool" was better than their biggest song ever!
Favourite Track: In The Round
11. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
This was the first year I'd ever listened to The NPs, & I also picked up another older album of theirs (Mass Romantic) just because of how much I enjoyed this one. Plus, it's quite possible that "I ♥ Neko Case." Just a great listen that grew on me throughout the year.
Favourite Track: The Bleeding Heart Show
10. Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales
More proof that my tastes are starting to resemble an eclectic mix of rock, emo, pop, country, jazz & A/C. Cullum follows up his brilliant debut Twentysomething with this album, chock full of originals & covers that barely sound like the originals. Them's the kind of covers I love, including one of The Doves' "Catch the Sun."
Favourite Track: Photograph
9. Dwight Yoakam - Blame The Vain
Another surprising country album this year, though if you listen to certain tracks you won't get a country vibe at all. Yoakam releases another fine album that I kept going back to again & again.
Favourite Track: She'll Remember
Twisted Youth's review
8. Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree
Begrudgingly I came to love this CD, though when it first came out, I wouldn't give it the time of day. Slowly it would get played more & more instore, & I found myself enjoying the catchy pop hooks in a punk way. It's possible that they could be the mainstream breakthrough band of the year, all because of "Sugar, We're Going Down."
Favourite Track: Sophmore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year
7. Gary Allan - Tough All Over
Allan covers Vertical Horizon's "Best I Ever Had" on one of the tracks so well that it doesn't seem like it ever existed before he performed it. It's amazing that Allan recovered from the suicide of his wife the previous year & actually recorded such a happy-sounding album, filled with a good ol' Johnny Cash-country-style at points (especially with "Nickajack Cave (Johnny Cash's Redemption)"), & a catchy pop style at others. It's criminal that Allan hasn't had more mainstream success. If this album would've been released earlier in the year, it'd probably rank higher.
Favourite Track: No Damn Good
6. Kathleen Edwards - Back to Me
A CD that was released early in 2005 & one that I listened to over & over again. Edwards' straddles the folk / rock / country line in a honest fashion, rather than a lot of hokeyier artists of years gone by. She's hard to GENRElize, unless you divide your genres by quality. Then she goes under G for "Great".
Favourite Track: What Are You Waiting For?
Andy the Saint's review
5. Dane Cook - Retaliation
I bought this CD strictly because of this experience I had last Cinco de Mayo. Thanks to my recommendations of the awesomeness that Dane Cook is, _luckyxiii, weeebeee, trust_is_lost & more came to discover Cook & enjoy him in many ways. Cook is a pretty funny stand-up comedian, & this CD brings the funny, double-sized.
Favourite Track: Dream House
4. The Trews - Den of Thieves
At first I wasn't sure I liked the new Trews CD, but I couldn't stop putting it on instore. Then a couple tracks started to grow on me. Then the whole album clicked for me, & for me it's one of the best Canadian rockers to be released in years.
Favourite Track: Ishmael & Maggie
3. Alkaline Trio - Crimson
One of my favourite bands, Alkaline Trio released a somewhat disappointing album way back in May. I still enjoy it & listen to it a lot, & though it's disappointing when compared to some of their catalogue, it was the CD I listened to probably second-most all year long.
Favourite Track: Mercy Me
Twisted Youth's review
2. Foo Fighters - In Your Honour
A double CD (one's all rock, the other's all acoustic) release fit for playing at multiple times of the day. Dave Grohl brings the rock & the heart in an extremely listenable fashion. The Foo are probably my favourite mainstream rock band right now.
Favourite Track: (Rock) In Your Honour, (Acoustic) What If I Do?
Lazer Bug's review
Twisted Youth's review
1. Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
There's no other CD that I listened to more this year than this one. For most of the year, it would rotate in & out of my CD player, through my random on Winamp, instore play, etc. etc. Some people have certain albums that they can sit down & listen to & just transport themselves away because of the music. This is one of mine, & truly cemented me as a Jack Johnson fan.
Favourite Track: No Other Way
If anyone ever wants any of these albums, feel free to email me or find me on MSN (check my User Info) & I'll see what I can do for you. Feel free to comment about any you think I may have missed, or some that I should check out, though I am fairly stubborn in my music listening.
& please understand - like I said before - I'm not an expert on music, & these are just my opinions, as to best tracks etc, & I'm not going to go into great detail about why I love them. You're encouraged to post your own Top.. Whatevers of 2005, be it Albums, Movies, Comics, TV shows, Wrestling PPVs or Matches, Books, whatever. On to probably the most mainstream Top 25 Albums list that will be posted in T5R.
25. Anna Nalick - Wreck of the Day
This was an album I started playing in Music World all the time, because that's the only time it seemed to sell. It came to be an enjoyable listen to me for most of the year, but there were also... extenuating circumstances behind that. Good debut though, & she's a fine lookin' woman.
Favourite Track: Breathe (2 AM)
24. Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle
As andythesaint put it best to me, it's pretty much a middle-of-the-road pop album. Phair achieved probably her greatest mainstream success with "Why Can't I?" off her previous self-titled album. If you enjoyed that one track that was on many a movie soundtrack, then you should enjoy the rest of this album. Me being a Phair fan, I found comfort in the familiarity of her music once more.
Favourite Track: Somebody's Miracle
23. Ben Folds - Songs For Silverman
After Folds' last solo album (2001's Rockin' The Suburbs, unfortunately released the same day as 9/11), I was expecting big things from this album. I listened to it quite a bit when it first came out & then tapered off a lot. Some of the tracks just grated on me, but for the most part it's something that comes on random & it's just background music that I don't skip.
Favourite Track: Give Judy My Notice
Twisted Youth's review
22. Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
For quite sometime I've hated Oasis. I gave their new album the benefit of the doubt thanks to twistedyouth's complimentary review. I was surprised that I wasn't annoyed, & it's definitely found it's way into regular rotation on my various sound systems.
Favourite Track: Guess God Thinks I'm Abel
Twisted Youth's review
21. Christine Evans - Take Me Home
Some homegrown Canadian talent surprised the hell outta me early in 2005. This teenage girl came outta B.C. with a CD that she was the singer / songwriter for. She was only 14 at the time, plays her own instruments, is geniunely attractive & has enormous potential for her career. The most amazing thing of all is that her image isn't all sexified & she's not singing absolutely vapid material. Which is probably why she'll quietly grow into a respected artist & not monetarily successful beyond her wildest dreams. Unless she sells out like Jewel did.
Favourite Track: Close Your Eyes
20. Kanye West - Late Registration
Pretty much every critic's pick for Album of the Year, at least mainstream Album of the Year. Upon the first couple listens, I'd definitely agree with them. But repeated listens just reveal more & more annoying songs throughout. Case in point: "We Major" pretty much annoys the bloody fuck outta me anytime I hear it now, which thankfully isn't at all anymore.
Favourite Track: Touch the Sky
Twisted Youth's review
19. Get Up Kids - Live @ the Granada Theater
Last hurrah on a Top Whatever list of mine for one of my favourite bands of all time. This was a live show recorded at the beginning of their farewell tour I believe. There's no brand spankin' new material on here, just one last chance to enjoy a band that I always wanted to see live, & I listened to it constantly throughout the year.
Favourite Track: I'll Catch You
18. Michael Bublé - It's Time
One of the biggest signs that I'm becoming older seems to be my desire to listen to more artists that appeal to the A/C market. I promise you that I'll never buy a fuckin' Daniel O'Donnell album in my life. Bublé grew on me throughout many airings of his CD in the morning hours at Music World, to the point where someone stole the CD that was rightfully claimed by me. Bastards. Anyways, he's a talented guy that Bublé, & I look forward to the day when he doesn't put out mostly cover albums & starts performing more original material.
Favourite Track: Home
17. Gorillaz - Demon Days
Critically acclaimed & repeatedly played at work, this album grew on me as excellent background music. Anytime I tried to listen to it outside of playing video games or work, it kinda bored me though. It would be a great album to have playing in the background at a party, gala event, whatevs.
Favourite Track: Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head
Twisted Youth's review
16. Paul Anka - Rock Swings
The first time I played this instore was more for the morbid curiousity of it. Then it became a guessing game, seeing if I could figure out what the covered song was. Then it was just for enjoyment. Anka does A/C renditions of some pretty surprising tracks from the 80s & 90s, & covers them in a classy manner.
Favourite Track: cover of Van Halen's "Jump"
Twisted Youth's review
15. Hot Hot Heat - Elevator
More Canadian content, this album was one of the frequent "go-to" albums when I was working at Music World. It was fun, it rocked, it was catchy, it was all good to put on in the middle of the afternoon to make the day go by way faster.
Favourite Track: Running Out of Time
Twisted Youth's review
Andy the Saint's review
14. Chixdiggit - Pink Razors
Straight offa the mean streets of my hometown, where I live.. still :( ... Chixdiggit crafted yet another super-catchy power-pop-punk album filled with witty lines & the usual pop song sensibilities. There's no 5-minute long ballads here, I think the longest song is probably less than 3 minutes. One of my favourite lines of the year is from "I Remember You" - "if you see her could you maybe ask her about my Vuarnet shirt."
Favourite Track: I Remember You
13. Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted
This album slowly worked it's way into my regular rotation thanks to the genuine likability of Paisley's countryness. It's not overly twangy, doesn't speak of a world I can't relate to, & featured enjoyable ballads & funny songs alike. Sadly, the co-workers at the store weren't big fans of country music, which means they missed out on at least three great albums this year.
Favourite Track: The World
12. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
A relative late-comer, being that I didn't get it 'til andythesaint's Christmas party, I've been listening to it pretty steadily ever since & it's growing on me like Long Gone Before Daylight grew on me. If you think The Cardigans are all about "Lovefool," you're completely missing out. Hell, their follow-up single to "Lovefool" was better than their biggest song ever!
Favourite Track: In The Round
11. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
This was the first year I'd ever listened to The NPs, & I also picked up another older album of theirs (Mass Romantic) just because of how much I enjoyed this one. Plus, it's quite possible that "I ♥ Neko Case." Just a great listen that grew on me throughout the year.
Favourite Track: The Bleeding Heart Show
10. Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales
More proof that my tastes are starting to resemble an eclectic mix of rock, emo, pop, country, jazz & A/C. Cullum follows up his brilliant debut Twentysomething with this album, chock full of originals & covers that barely sound like the originals. Them's the kind of covers I love, including one of The Doves' "Catch the Sun."
Favourite Track: Photograph
9. Dwight Yoakam - Blame The Vain
Another surprising country album this year, though if you listen to certain tracks you won't get a country vibe at all. Yoakam releases another fine album that I kept going back to again & again.
Favourite Track: She'll Remember
Twisted Youth's review
8. Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree
Begrudgingly I came to love this CD, though when it first came out, I wouldn't give it the time of day. Slowly it would get played more & more instore, & I found myself enjoying the catchy pop hooks in a punk way. It's possible that they could be the mainstream breakthrough band of the year, all because of "Sugar, We're Going Down."
Favourite Track: Sophmore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year
7. Gary Allan - Tough All Over
Allan covers Vertical Horizon's "Best I Ever Had" on one of the tracks so well that it doesn't seem like it ever existed before he performed it. It's amazing that Allan recovered from the suicide of his wife the previous year & actually recorded such a happy-sounding album, filled with a good ol' Johnny Cash-country-style at points (especially with "Nickajack Cave (Johnny Cash's Redemption)"), & a catchy pop style at others. It's criminal that Allan hasn't had more mainstream success. If this album would've been released earlier in the year, it'd probably rank higher.
Favourite Track: No Damn Good
6. Kathleen Edwards - Back to Me
A CD that was released early in 2005 & one that I listened to over & over again. Edwards' straddles the folk / rock / country line in a honest fashion, rather than a lot of hokeyier artists of years gone by. She's hard to GENRElize, unless you divide your genres by quality. Then she goes under G for "Great".
Favourite Track: What Are You Waiting For?
Andy the Saint's review
5. Dane Cook - Retaliation
I bought this CD strictly because of this experience I had last Cinco de Mayo. Thanks to my recommendations of the awesomeness that Dane Cook is, _luckyxiii, weeebeee, trust_is_lost & more came to discover Cook & enjoy him in many ways. Cook is a pretty funny stand-up comedian, & this CD brings the funny, double-sized.
Favourite Track: Dream House
4. The Trews - Den of Thieves
At first I wasn't sure I liked the new Trews CD, but I couldn't stop putting it on instore. Then a couple tracks started to grow on me. Then the whole album clicked for me, & for me it's one of the best Canadian rockers to be released in years.
Favourite Track: Ishmael & Maggie
3. Alkaline Trio - Crimson
One of my favourite bands, Alkaline Trio released a somewhat disappointing album way back in May. I still enjoy it & listen to it a lot, & though it's disappointing when compared to some of their catalogue, it was the CD I listened to probably second-most all year long.
Favourite Track: Mercy Me
Twisted Youth's review
2. Foo Fighters - In Your Honour
A double CD (one's all rock, the other's all acoustic) release fit for playing at multiple times of the day. Dave Grohl brings the rock & the heart in an extremely listenable fashion. The Foo are probably my favourite mainstream rock band right now.
Favourite Track: (Rock) In Your Honour, (Acoustic) What If I Do?
Lazer Bug's review
Twisted Youth's review
1. Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
There's no other CD that I listened to more this year than this one. For most of the year, it would rotate in & out of my CD player, through my random on Winamp, instore play, etc. etc. Some people have certain albums that they can sit down & listen to & just transport themselves away because of the music. This is one of mine, & truly cemented me as a Jack Johnson fan.
Favourite Track: No Other Way
If anyone ever wants any of these albums, feel free to email me or find me on MSN (check my User Info) & I'll see what I can do for you. Feel free to comment about any you think I may have missed, or some that I should check out, though I am fairly stubborn in my music listening.