AllMusic Loves 2005
October 14th, 2009 | 2:17 pm est |
A reader asked in the comments section of AllMusic Loves 2004, our previous feature listing our editors’ favorite releases from a given year, “What next? AllMusic Loves 2005!?!?” Yes, exactly. As we said when we looked back at 2000, we are covering each year of the decade until we reach the end. Having passed the midpoint, we grapple with a year highlighted album-wise by the apex of record-collector rock (LCD Soundsystem’s LCD Soundsystem), thrilling tongue-in-cheek meta-punk (Art Brut’s Bang Bang Rock & Roll), and politicized electro-rooted trunk rattlers (M.I.A.’s Arular). Just as significantly, 2005 featured one of the decade’s oddest smashes in Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” and, in Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” a good old-fashioned anthem. In the case of the latter, guilt lies only in the souls of those who think of it as a mere guilty pleasure.
John Bush
M.I.A. - Arular
Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask
Broadcast - Tender Buttons
Deerhoof - The Runners Four
Quasimoto - The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Animal Collective - Feels
R. Kelly - Trapped in the Closet, Chapters 1-12
Kanye West - Late Registration
The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
System of a Down - Mezmerize
Jens Lekman - Oh You’re So Silent Jens
Laura Veirs - Year of Meteors
Pernice Brothers - Discover a Lovelier You
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cold Roses
They Might Be Giants - Here Come the ABC’s
Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites
The Knife - Deep Cuts
Four Tet - Everything Ecstatic
Laura Veirs - “Galaxies”
The White Stripes - “My Doorbell”
Art Brut - “Formed a Band”
Kanye West - “Touch the Sky”
Annie - “Me Plus One”
Brendan Benson - “Cold Hands, Warm Heart”
Róisín Murphy - “Leaving the City”
Dwele - “Holla”
Ne-Yo - “So Sick”
Mylo - “In My Arms”
Vitalic - “No Fun”
Josh Rouse - “It’s the Nighttime”
Keren Ann - “Que N’ Ai-Je?”
Kanye West - “Gold Digger”
Boards of Canada - “Chromakey Dreamcoat”
The White Stripes - “Blue Orchid”
Sons and Daughters - “Red Receiver”
The Raconteurs - “Steady, As She Goes”
Jack Johnson - “Better Together”
Kenny Chesney - “Somewhere in the Sun”
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Gorillaz - Demon Days
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Toby Keith - Honkytonk University
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang
Annie - Anniemal
Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
Robyn - Robyn
Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
Oasis - Don’t Believe the Truth
Goldfrapp - Supernature
Gwen Stefani - “Hollaback Girl”
Spoon - “Turn My Camera On”
Oasis - “Lyla”
Kelly Clarkson - “Since U Been Gone”
Toby Keith - “As Good as I Once Was”
The White Stripes - “My Doorbell”
Jay-Z - “99 Problems”
Miranda Lambert - “Kerosene”
Kaiser Chiefs - “I Predict a Riot”
Annie - “Chewing Gum”
Fall Out Boy - “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down”
Madonna - “Hung Up”
Franz Ferdinand - “Do You Want To”
Kanye West - “Gold Digger”
Art Brut - “Emily Kane”
Matt Collar
Acid House Kings - Sing Along with Acid House Kings
Brendan Benson - The Alternative to Love
The Clientele - Strange Geometry
Dungen - Stadsvandringar
Field Music - Field Music
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
Giant Drag - Hearts and Unicorns
Goldrush - Ozona
Goodnight Monsters - The Brain That Wouldn’t Die
Richard Hawley - Coles Corner
Eugene Kelly - Man Alive
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us
Maxïmo Park - A Certain Trigger
Sexsmith & Kerr - Destination Unknown
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
Starling Electric - Clouded Staircase
Supergrass - Road to Rouen
Teenage Fanclub - Man-Made
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Greg Heaney
The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names - #3
Jesu - Jesu
Slum Village - Slum Village
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
White Shoes & the Couples Company - White Shoes & the Couples Company
High on Fire - Blessed Black Wings
The Decemberists - Picaresque
Earth - Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method
Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
Autechre - Untilted
Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust
OK Go - Oh No
Pelican - The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
Dr. Dog - Easy Beat
Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers
Col. Knowledge & the Lickity-Splits - Fall in Love All Over Again With…
The Red Chord - Clients
David Jeffries
Anthony B. - Live on the Battlefield
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Beenie Man - Kingston to King of the Dancehall
Brazilian Girls - Brazilian Girls
Bun B - Trill
The Game - The Documentary
Lady Sovereign - Vertically Challenged
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley - Welcome to Jamrock
M.I.A. - Arular
Platinum Pied Pipers - Triple P
Quasimoto - The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
The Relativez - Money Respect Money
Rhythm & Sound - See Mi Yah
Beanie Sigel - The B. Coming
Three 6 Mafia - Most Known Unknown
Kanye West - Late Registration
Z-Ro - Let the Truth Be Told
Andy Kellman
Matias Aguayo - Are You Really Lost
Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough
Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase
Coloma - Dovetail
Common - Be
The Connection Machine - Painless
Richard Davis - Details
Dwele - Some Kinda…
Jan Jelinek - Kosmischer Pitch
Kelley Polar - Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens
Teairra Marí - Roc-A-Fella Records Presents Teairra Marí
M.I.A. - Arular
Mu - Out of Breach (Manchester’s Revenge)
Róisín Murphy - Ruby Blue
Tobi Neumann - Pass Your Bedtime
One Be Lo - S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.
Platinum Pied Pipers - Triple P
Beanie Sigel - The B. Coming
Steve Spacek - Space Shift
Kanye West - Late Registration
Tori Alamaze - “Don’t Cha”
Amerie - “1 Thing”
Audision - “Vanish”
Yummy Bingham - “Come Get It”
Kelly Clarkson - “Since U Been Gone”
D5 - “Floatation Tank”
Raheem DeVaughn - “Guess Who Loves You More”
The Field - “Love vs. Distance”
Anthony Hamilton - “Georgie Parker”
Hieroglyphic Being - “Je Suis Musique”
Mike Jones - “Still Tippin’”
Mathew Jonson - “The Navigator and the Gateway”
NSI - “David Hassell”
T.I. - “ASAP”
Prins Thomas - “Goettsching”
Three 6 Mafia - “Stay Fly”
Usher - “Throwback”
Brooke Valentine - “Long as You Come Home”
Ying Yang Twins - “Wait (The Whisper Song)”
Young Jeezy - “Go Crazy”
Jason Lymangrover
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Blood on the Wall - Awesomer
Broadcast - Tender Buttons
Clor - Clor
Common - Be
Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask
Deerhoof - The Runners Four
Fantômas - Suspended Animation
Gorillaz - Demon Dayz
The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
Intelligence - Icky Baby
Isolée - We Are Monster
Japanther - Master of Pigeons
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
Maxïmo Park - A Certain Trigger
M.I.A. - Arular
Perceptionists - Black Dialogue
Serena Maneesh - Serena Maneesh
Torche - Torche
Bloc Party - “Like Eating Glass”
Edan - “I See Colors”
Fatlip - “Today’s Your Day (Whachagonedu?)”
The White Stripes - “My Doorbell”
Kanye West - “Celebration”
R. Kelly - “Trapped in the Closet (Ch. 1)”
Spoon - “I Turn My Camera On”
System of a Down - “BYOB”
Times New Viking - “We Got Rocket”
YMCK - “Magical 8bit Tour”
James Christopher Monger
The Darkness - One Way Ticket to Hell…And Back
Kaizers Orchestra - Maestro
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl
Gorillaz - Demon Days
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Nickel Creek - Why Should the Fire Die?
Field Music - Field Music
High on Fire - Blessed Black Wings
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
Beck - Guero
Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Goldfrapp - Supernature
M. Ward - Transistor Radio
The Clientele - Strange Geometry
Julian Cope - Citizen Cain’d
Konono No. 1 - Congotronics
Patrick Wolf - Wind in the Wires
Alasdair Roberts - No Earthly Man
Judas Priest - “Judas Rising”
Mew - “The Zookeeper’s Boy”
Dropkick Murphys - “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”
Wolf Parade - “Shine a Light”
Kaiser Chiefs - “I Predict a Riot”
Crooked Fingers - “Twilight Creeps”
Constantines - “Draw Us Lines”
Leaves’ Eyes - “New Found Land”
The Real Tuesday Weld - “At the House of the Clerkenwell Kid”
Fiona Apple - “Extraordinary Machine”
The White Stripes - “My Doorbell”
Deerhoof - “Twin Killers”
British Sea Power - “Oh Larsen B”
The Long Winters - “The Commander Thinks Aloud”
Engineers - “Home”
Doves - “Some Cities”
a-ha - “Keeper of the Flame”
Pinetop Seven - “Born Among the Born Again”
Enya - “The River Sings”
Martha Wainwright - “Bloody Mother F***ing A**hole”
Heather Phares
A Frames - Black Forest
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Boduf Songs - Boduf Songs
Broadcast - Tender Buttons
Clor - Clor
Friends of Dean Martinez - Lost Horizon
Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
Heikki - 2
Intelligence - Icky Baby
Kelley Polar - Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens
The Kills - No Wow
The Knife - Deep Cuts
Ladytron - Witching Hour
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Maxïmo Park - A Certain Trigger
Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak of It Again
Robyn - Robyn
Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Tim Sendra
Acid House Kings - Sing Along with Acid House Kings
Annie - Anniemal
Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die
The Bats - At the National Grid
The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever
The Clientele - Strange Geometry
Comet Gain - City Fallen Leaves
Field Music - Field Music
Heikki - 2
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
The Lost Patrol Band - The Lost Patrol Band
Pernice Brothers - Discover a Lovelier You
Peter Bjorn and John - Falling Down
Josh Rouse - Nashville
Sambassadeur - Sambassadeur
Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
Epic Soundtracks - Good Things
Rachel Stevens - Come and Get It
Tahiti 80 - Fosbury
White Shoes & the Couples Company - White Shoes & the Couples Company
Jason Thurston
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
Elbow - Leaders of the Free World
Blackalicious - The Craft
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Crooked Fingers - Dignity and Shame
The National - Alligator
Shelby Lynne - Suit Yourself
John Prine - Fair & Square
Editors - The Back Room
Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask
Common - Be
Ani DiFranco - Knuckle Down
Aqueduct - I Sold Gold
Lou Barlow - Emoh
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
My Morning Jacket - Z
The New Pornographers - “Sing Me Spanish Techno”
Spoon - “I Turn My Camera On”
Gorillaz - “Feel Good, Inc.”
Ben Folds - “Landed”
A Band of Bees - “Chicken Payback”
Bloc Party - “Helicopter”
LCD Soundsystem - “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”
Doves - “Black and White Town”
Nada Surf - “Always Love”
Hot Hot Heat - “Middle of Nowhere”
Mike Doughty - “Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well”
Jim Jones - “Harlem”
Fountains of Wayne - “The Girl I Can’t Forget”
Crooked Fingers - “Call to Love”
Ivy - “Feel So Free”
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - “Midnight Children”
Longwave - “Fall on Every Whim”
M. Ward - “Four Hours in Washington”
Iron & Wine - “Woman King”
Kathleen Edwards - “In State”
Sean Westergaard
James Carter/Cyrus Chestnut/Ali Jackson/Reginald Veal - Gold Sounds
Club d’Elf - Live at Tonic New York, NY 5/26/04
Danny! - F.O.O.D.
Dr. Dog - Easy Beat
Dave Douglas & Keystone - Keystone
Fripp & Eno - The Equatorial Stars
Bill Frisell - East/West
Satoko Fujii Quartet - Angelona
Henry Kaiser/Wadada Leo Smith - Yo Miles!: Upriver
Korekyojinn - Isotope
The Kronos Quartet with Asha Bhosle - You’ve Stolen My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman’s Bollywood
Mat Maneri - Pentagon
Snaildartha - Snaildartha: The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail - A Soul Jazz Extravaganza
The Stars - Will
Odyssey the Band - Back in Time
Elliott Sharp - Quadrature: Solo Electroacoustic Guitar
Elliott Sharp - Commune
Masada - Sanhedrin: 1994-1997
Bar Kokhba Sextet - 50th Birthday Celebration, Vol. 11
John Zorn/Electric Masada - At the Mountains of Madness
Previously
AllMusic Loves 1968
AllMusic Loves 1974
AllMusic Loves 1977
AllMusic Loves 1980
AllMusic Loves 1984
AllMusic Loves 1987
AllMusic Loves 1988
AllMusic Loves 1993
AllMusic Loves 1999
AllMusic Loves 2000
AllMusic Loves 2001
AllMusic Loves 2002
AllMusic Loves 2003
AllMusic Loves 2004
Is My Morning Jacket’s “Z” not a 2005 album? Allmusic shows a October 2005 release. I can’t believe it wasn’t picked as a favorite. I listened to it constantly in ‘05 and come back often.
My favourite’s from 2005:
Fat Freddy’s drop - based on a true story
Goblin Cock - Bagged and Boarded
Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Oasis - Don’t Believe the Truth
Patrick Wolf - Wind in the Wires
Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
Roisin Murphy - Ruby Blue
The Gossip - Standing in the of control
Good list, but nobody picked Sleater-Kinney’s The Woods?
I agree with Zach, My Morning Jacket should be on here too.
And why not throw on Black Mountain’s first album for good measure?
“Invaders from Gnars” by S.T.R.E.E.T.S. was a good one that year too, but they are a little too under the radar
The record that leaps to mind for me is ‘Set Yourself On Fire’ by Stars
P.S. I ain’t got nothing against it really but i still don’t get why since u been gone is considered ultra cool above and beyond the rest of its kind…..?
A sweet dozen:
* Bettye LaVette–I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise: The most believable vocalist we’ve got. Every phrase has wisdom and power.
—–Part two of my entry (Sorry, I’ve got a piece of shit mouse):
Almost every song LaVette’s covered here was written by a woman, and Joe Henry’s production is perfect. A masterful album.
* Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out: Astonishing that she sings all the vocals (and the instrumental parts) on this great interpretation of the best Who album. Some of these tracks showed up in previous years on fab free form radio stations like WFMU/Jersey City. Curious note: The song “Our Love Was, Is” no longer has “Is” in the title since the CD age.
* Paul McCartney–Chaos and Creation In the Back Yard: Bittersweet, gorgeous and so much more.
* Richard Thompson–Front Parlour Ballads
* Mary Gauthier–Mercy Now (Pronunciation note: The surname is Go-Shay)
* Sleater Kinney–The Woods: Farewell.
* Mem Shannon–I’m From Phunkville
* Bonnie Raitt–Souls Alike: Someone at my radio gig (KAOS/Olympia, WA) wrote on a Raitt CD, “Careful, she already gets lots of commercial play.” But that isn’t true anymore; whomever makes decisions at big time radio somehow thinks Raitt (or Shawn Colvin) are no longer relevant. Idiocy rules radio nowadays if it didn’t already.
* The White Stripes–Get Behind Me Satan
* Johnny J. Blair–Treadmarks
* Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings–Naturally
* Gossip–Standing In the Way of Control
* Delbert McClinton–Cost of Living
(Okay, so it was a bakers’ dozen)
Hilarious. I found out about those Robyn and Annie albums THIS YEAR. Too many records. I’ll never hear them all. Mash up artists: distill the greatest moments of 2000-09 into a ten minute club jam. I WORK FULL TIME!!
Oasis - Don’t Believe The Truth
QOTSA: Lullabies to Paralyze
Kings Of Leon: Aha Shake Heartbreak
BRMC: Howl
The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan
Hellacopters: Rock & Roll Is Dead
Jack Johnson: In Between Dreams
strongest release year of the decade for metal (though ‘08 was mean)
System of a Down - Mesmerize/Hypnotize
Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Strapping Young Lad - Alien
Dark Tranquility - Character
…
Late Registration & Arular were overrated, but still pretty good.
Wow, what terrible lists! What an awful year in music! And to think it will only get worse! Music is so stupid!
Wow gus…bitter much?
I think all of these years tend to mesh together in terms of pop music. 2004, 2005, 2002, doesn’t matter. I think allmusic is just running out of ideas.
Glad that one writer mentioned Bill Frisell.
But if I must (and I know no one asked me):
“Oceans Apart” by the Go-Betweens
“Fresh Wine for the Horses” by Rob Dickinson
“Mountain Passages” by Dave Douglas & Nomad (at least “Keystone” got a nod)
“Suspicious Activity?” by the Bad Plus
“The Relatives” by Jeff Parker (its absense here just breaks me, man)
“Life Begins Again” by Jimmy Chamberlin
These are all exceptional yet missing albums. To a lesser extent:
“Reimagining” by Vijay Iyer
“7 Black Butterflies” by Drew Gress
“As Is Now” by Paul Weller
“I Have The Room Above Her” by Paul Motian
“Origins” by Soundtrack of our Lives
And…allmusic seems to be oblivious to the monumental fact that Henry Threadgill actually made an album in 2005 called “Pop Start the Tape, Stop.”
2005 was also the year that two long lost recordings of John Coltrane shows were discovered. Many people will remember 2005 for that alone.
Also, I’d rather listen to Weezer’s “Make Believe” or Oasis’ “Dig Out Your Soul” than someting like “Hollaback Girl.” That song stinks.
Sean Westergaard’s list looks pretty good though.
thanks, John Garratt
FYI, Jeff Parker’s “the Relatives” just missed my cut. and I keep reading that the new Henry Threadgill will be his first in 8 years. who put out “Pop Start the Tape, Stop”? and which band: Make a Move or Zooid?
The sad weakness of your plan to do the whole decade RIGHT NOW is the sin of pride. Think of the 60’s, 70’s, or any other decade–a lot of great music isn’t recognized as great right off the bat and often took decades to garner its present reputation. You REALLY think you’ve heard all of the good music there is to hear in the past 10 years and you’re ready to set the list in stone? Tsk, tsk, your hubris will be your undoing. Let’s have you revisit your lists in 30 years and see what they look like…
Tut, tut Elliott. What better way to celebrate the decade than doing a year-by-year run down? Don’t you think it would be fun to look back at these lists in ten years time to see how things will have changed? Congrats AMG for having the bravery to go ahead with these lists, despite all the critism its attracting. At least you’re not rushing to do your “Overall Best of 00’s” list yet!
Sean,
It was Zooid. http://www.hardedge.tv/hardedge001.html
Only one mention of Opeth’s “Ghost Reveries” by a staffer, yet it got 4 1/2 stars?
can i just point out to john bush that “Steady As She Goes” by the Raconteurs didn’t come out until 2006?
Honorable mentions: Radiohead Kid A, Coldplay parachutes
> can i just point out to john bush that “Steady As She
> Goes” by the Raconteurs didn’t come out until 2006?
Guilty as charged — good catch. Oh well, it probably wouldn’t fit on the ‘07 list anyway.
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Coldplay - X&Y
Oasis - Don’t Believe The Truth
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
Rob Thomas - Something To Be
311 - Don’t Tread On Me
NIN - With Teeth
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
Depeche Mode - Playing The Angel
Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn/I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
Weezer - Make Believe
1 Wilco - Kicking Television
2 Erin McKeown - We Will Become Like Birds
3 The National - Alligator
4 Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
5 The Hold Steady - Seperation Sunday
6 Sufjan Stevens - Come on, Feel the Illinoise!
7 Spoon - Gimmie Fiction
8 Mira - There I Go Daydreamer
9 Low - The Great Destroyer
10 M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us
Athony Hamilton’s “Ain’t Nobody Worryin’” is strangely absent as is Broken Social Scene’s self-titled.
And two of my favorite albums of all time, not just ‘05–The Deadly Snakes’ “Porcella” and Mayday’s “Bushido Karaoke”–received no mention either, so I stepped in for the save.
Tim Sendra rules! I get almost all his recommendations.
Agree with Charles. Tim Sendra’s 2 out of 3 recommendations are great, sometimes pretty epic.
Not mentioned.
Helena Tulve - Sula (favorite from ‘05 along with AC’s Feels)
Daft Punk - Human After All (…yes! I love it!)
Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
Kevin Johansen - City Zen
Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright
Stereo Total - Do The Bambi
Yann Tiersen - Les Retrouvailles
Comp.
Belle & Sebastian - Push Barman To Open Old Wounds
Jacques Brel - L’Olympia ‘61 & ‘64
Ep.
Camera Obscura - I Love My Jean
The Knife - Deep Cuts
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
The National - Alligator
Hm not that good a year i think
Thanks, Charles. Here’s that 20 bucks I promised you…..
Okay, there have now been two lists that could include Mars Volta albums before the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s were near completion….bad news.
Wow, not too many picks I can see eye-to-eye with, and a lot that I’ve never heard before. Just for the sake of comparison, here’s my top ten:
1. Come On Feel The Illinoise, Sufjan Stevens
2. Twin Cinema, The New Pornographers
3. Get Behind Me Satan, The White Stripes
4. Thunder, Lightning, Strike, The Go! Team
5. Employment, Kaiser Chiefs
6. Wolfmother, Wolfmother
7. Suspicious Activity?, The Bad Plus
8. The Woods, Sleater-Kinney
9. I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, Bright Eyes
10. Jacksonville City Nights, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Wow, no “Ape of Naples” mentioned? That’s one of the best of the whole freaking millenium thus far, made all the more significant by John’s passing… and Venetian Snares’ “Rossz csillag alatt született” was incredible, probably his best work yet. A good year for e-music (the whole decade’s been), I also liked LCD Soundsystem’s debut and The Campfire Headphase. I’m not that into metal but I like the odd kinds (like Boris’s industro-sludge ‘n doom), so “Pink” struck a chord with me.
But No. 1 MUST be The Ape of Naples.
I generally tend towards lesser known styles & artists, though. For ‘01 I was praising Foetus’s awesome comeback “Flow”, for example.
After glancing through my iTunes, I realized the album that still gets the most plays for me is:
Jack’s Mannequin - Everything in Transit
Favorite 2005 songs:
Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek
Sufjan Stevens - Chicago
These lists are only guide posts. Everyone likes differnt stuff. Perhaps we should just enjoy what we are familiar with and also be open to all kinds of other musics globally. No need to wonder why your favs aren’t on a list, just keep listening to everything.
Hey AMG! How can you not mention any of these great 2005 albums!
The Warlocks “Surgery”
British Sea Power “Open Season”
Antony And The Johnsons “Im A Bird Now”
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals “Jacksonville City Nights”
The Rakes “Capture/Release”
Echo & The Bunnymen “Siberia”
The Coral “The Invisible Invasion”
The Raveonettes “Pretty In Pink”
Devendra Banhart “Cripple Crow”
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah “Clap Your Hands Say Yeah”
Cheers!
My Favorites
The Living Blue - Fire, Blood, Water
Eels - Blinking Lights …
Supergrass - Road To Rouen
Beck - Guero
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Ryan Adams - Cold Roses, Jacksonville City Nights
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
My Morning Jacket - Z
Neil Young - Prairie Wind
Queens of the Stone Age - Lullibies to Paralyze
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
Cream - Live at Royal Albert Hall
Reissues:
The Band - History Box
The Concert for Bangladesh
Trax:
The Strokes - Juicebox
Amerie - 1 Thing
Queens of the Stone Age - In My Head
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
Goddamn I love that Rock and Roll
Cheers!
dudes, these lists suck onesidedly. you should all come to berlin and check out the electronic music underground here … stuff has happend, believe me!
Don’t waste your time in making pointless lists on the worst decade of music history. Pay tribute to times when the music mattered: start with the ’90s and before.
2005 in no particular order;
Gang Gang Dance-God’s Money
Black Mountain-S/T
Kaiser Chiefs-Employment
Christine Fellows-Paper Anniversary
The Fall-Fall Heads Roll
Veda Hille-Return Of The Kildeer
Stina Nordenstam-The World Is Saved
Brave Old World-Songs Of The Lodz Ghetto
The Books-Lost And Safe
Wolf Parade-Apologies To The Queen Mary
I’m impressed by some of the inflammatory comments people come up with on these boards… As well, not all of us in Berlin are so heavily into electronic music. Tschüss!
Why so much love for Get Behind Me Satan?
I thought it was a *huge* disappointment. Does someone want to explain it to me?
Anyway, I’ll go with:
The National - Alligator
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
BRMC - Howl
Wolfmother
LCD Soundsystem
Not a fantastic year…
So much deeply mediocre tripe was put out in 2005 that I’ll confess my top choice to posterity: Madonna’s Hung Up ! (Fiona Apple and The Fall releases as runners’ up)
Great Records released in 2005
various - Dream Brother: The Songs Of Tim & Jeff Buckley
Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
Mike Doughty - Haughty Melodic
North Mississippi Allstars - Electric Blue Watermelon
Robert Plant - Mighty Rearranger
Richard Thompson - Front Parlour Ballads
Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel The Illinoise!
Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang - Dislocation Blues
Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike
John Mayer Trio - Try (Live)
Good Records
Abigail Washburn - Song of the Traveling Daughter
Liz Phair - Somebody’s Miracle
Nils Lofgren - Damaged Goods
Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
Starsailor - On the Outside
Sheryl Crow - Wildflower
Teddy Thompson - Separate Ways
Wilco - Kicking Television: Live In Chicago
Ambulance LTD- LP
Doves- Some Cities
Oasis- Don’t Believe The Truth
Supergrass- Road To Rouen
The Fall- Fall Heads Roll
Franz Ferdinand- You Could Have It So Much Better
Art Brut- Bang Bang Rock And Roll
Gorillaz- Demon Days
Maximo Park- A Certain Trigger
Queens of the Stone Age- Lullabies To Paralyze
The White Stripes- Get Behind Me Satan
Stephen Malkmus- Face The Truth
The Tears- Here Come The Tears
Arcade Fire- Funeral
Sons and Daughters- The Repulsion Box
The Fall- “Clasp Hands”
Doves- “Black And White Town”
Ambulance LTD- “Primitive (The Way I Treat You)”
Ambulance LTD- “Heavy Lifting”
Franz Ferdinand- “The Fallen”
Franz Ferdinand- “Eleanor Put Your Boots On”
Super Furry Animals- “Zoom!”
Oasis- “The Importance Of Being Idle”
Supergrass- “St. Petersburg”
The Rolling Stones- “Rough Justice”
The Wedding Present- “Ringway To Seatac”
British Sea Power- “It Ended On An Oily Stage”
British Sea Power- “Please Stand Up”
Art Brut- “Formed A Band”
Rilo Kiley- “Portions For Foxes”
a-frames! nice to see them included. “black forest” is a great record.
Every reviewer forgot “Don’t Believe The Truth” and “In Your Honor”, except for the always wise Stephen Thomas Erlewine. The re-birth of Oasis meant nothing? John Paul Jones on mandolin and Norah Jones on the same album meant nothing? And everyone praised “Hollaback Girl”, the big sell out of an almost good singer (back in the 90’s with No Doubt).
Also, Damon Albarn reinvented himself with Demon Days, and the impecable track by Audioslave “Be Yourself”, taken from an exceptional album, “Out of Exile”.
Now THAT is good music!
When is AllMusic going to give 1985 some lovin’? I’ve been cataloging my music collection over the past several months and was surprised at how many great records were showing up in 1985. C’mon, AllMusic - let’s see what you have to say about ‘85.
It seems fashionable these days to omit Oasis from any list - ‘Don’t believe the Truth’ is surely one of the best albums of the year.
But my favourite of 2005 is definitely Mira’s ‘There I Go Daydreamer’ - a fantastic blend of dreampop, darkwave and rock.
wrap this up already. this is one of the most pointless retrospectives. the last decade has been a big blank fart with nothing but middling bands bereft of ideas. what are you guys trying to compete with pitchfork for? idiots.
I’m incredibly surprised only one editor chose Illinoise. I thought everyone loved that one. Also surprised at the complete lack of Wolf Parade’s Apologies to the Queen Mary and New Pornographer’s Twin Cinema.
IMO 2005 was a pretty awesome year for us hipster douchebags. (haters gonna hate) So many albums I still listen to today…
AllMusic Loves 2006, 2007, 2008? It’s already November boys, I’m getting antsy for some more!
That being said, I absolutely love your website. It’s my homepage and where I’ve been getting my music knowledge for the past 6 years!
Props to James, Ghost Reveries and Why Should the Fire Die? should have been on more than one of these lists!
just looking back, i’m glad someone spotted the clear album of the year in the opeth record. how good does something outside the mainstream have to be to get a mention? this is absurdly good, better than any radiohead album (pah, conservative rock band!).
My favorite albums of 2005, in no particular order:
Venetian Snares - Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett
System of a Down - Mezmerize
The Delgados - Hate
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Dir en grey - Withering to Death
In my view, 2005 was one of the best years this decade due to just how mind-blowing some of these albums are. Seriously. Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett melded breakbeats and orchestral instrumentation in ways I never before thought possible. Mezmerize made me feel smart once I realized what each of the songs meant (Violent Pornography, for instance, tells the listener that reality is no better than what people try to censor). Hate was a well-written album, a juxtaposition of seemingly-upbeat music with melancholic lyrics, both done well. Demon Days was a truly creative album, with each track being completely different from the others, with the possible exception of the last two tracks. Withering to Death was an example of hard rock and metal done very, very right, with killer vocal work and songwriting.
one outstanding omission from 2005 that nobody has previously mentioned…Against Me! “Searching For a Former Clarity,” just had to mention it…