Best of 2005

[johnfoyle]

I suppose it had to start soon enough......

http://kofis-hat.blogspot.com/2005/11/d ... nd-cd.html

Uncut , Dec. 05

Uncut's Top 25 Albums of 2005:

1. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
2. Sufjan Stevens' - Illinois
3. Bob Dylan - No Direction Home: The Soundtrack - The Bootleg Series Vol 7
4. Black Mountain - Black Mountain
5. The National - Alligator
6. The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang
7. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
8. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
9. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better With Franz Ferdinand
10. Rufus Wainwright - Want Two
11. Ry Cooder - Chavez Ravine
12. Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft
13. Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow
14. Kanye West - Late Registration
15. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cold Roses
16. Annie - Anniemal
17. Neil Young - Prairie Wind
18. Dungen - Ta Det Lugnt
19. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Worn Copy
20. Elbow - Leaders of the Free World
21. Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
22. Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
23. Richard Thompson - Front Parlor Ballads
24. Animal Collective - Feels
25. Gorillaz - Demon Days

[Who Shot Sam?]

Hmmm, only one of those, Sufjan Stevens, in my personal top ten. Rufus would have been if it had been issued in the States in 2005, but I think it was November 2004.

[BlueChair]

There's still a month and a half of CD releases. People need to calm down and wait 'til at least December

[Who Shot Sam?]

There's still a month and a half of CD releases. People need to calm down and wait 'til at least December

It's from the December issue of Uncut, hence the early timing. Is the Rolling Stones new album really top ten material?

[BlueChair]

God no... that list isn't as good as I'd expect from Uncut.

[lawngnome]

I suppose it had to start soon enough......

http://kofis-hat.blogspot.com/2005/11/d ... nd-cd.html

Uncut , Dec. 05

Uncut's Top 25 Albums of 2005:


9. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better With Franz Ferdinand

!!!!

since when?

[selfmademug]

I do encourage folks to check out Franz Ferdinand beyond their radio presence. On the current record, there are some beautiful songs. They certainly have that driving, upbeat tempo-changing stuff you hear on the radio, which I like very much, but I think it's by delving into their 'prettier' side that you'll see why their records get the praise they do.

Take ten minutes at the listening station and try these two:

1. Eleanor Put Your Boots On
2. Fade Together

[Otis Westinghouse]

Hmmm, only one of those, Sufjan Stevens, in my personal top ten. Rufus would have been if it had been issued in the States in 2005, but I think it was November 2004.

Can't believe you wouldn't have either both Arcade Fire/Elbow in there. Two classics.

[BlueChair]

The Arcade Fire hasn't done much for me. Also I think that release technically came out in 2004. Or maybe that was just in Canada. Haven't heard Elbow yet.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Hmmm, only one of those, Sufjan Stevens, in my personal top ten. Rufus would have been if it had been issued in the States in 2005, but I think it was November 2004.

Can't believe you wouldn't have either both Arcade Fire/Elbow in there. Two classics.

\

As Blue says, Arcade Fire was a 2004 release over here. Haven't got the Elbow yet, but hope to soon.

[invisible Pole]

These are the best albums of 2005 according to Amazon.com editors :

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
2. M.I.A. - Arular
3. New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
4. My Morning Jacket - Z
5. Amadou & Miriam - Dimanche A Bamako
6. Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - Live at Carnegie Hall
7. Antony & the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
8. Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Vol. 7
9. Beck - Guero
10. Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

[VonOfterdingen]

Finally some fans of My Morning Jacket. Get the song "Dancefloors" and you will know why

[selfmademug]

BTW I saw that the My Morning Jacket CD is one of the ones Sony put the craptastic so-called anti-piracy software on. The latest is that they are recalling all those CDs and will replace them for free; of course you still have to dig around your computer and uninstall the offending scamware.

I want to know more about MMJ and also about New Pornographers. Thoughts? And what do people think of Architecture In Helsinki and Babyshambles? As a proud pop whore I have enjoyed what I've heard of the latter two...

[Chrille]

I've only listened to the first Pornographers album (Mass Romantic) which is great. I recently got the new Architecture... album too and it's very good (didn't like their first album though). Saw them live a week or so ago.

[lawngnome]

I do encourage folks to check out Franz Ferdinand beyond their radio presence. On the current record, there are some beautiful songs. They certainly have that driving, upbeat tempo-changing stuff you hear on the radio, which I like very much, but I think it's by delving into their 'prettier' side that you'll see why their records get the praise they do.

Take ten minutes at the listening station and try these two:

1. Eleanor Put Your Boots On
2. Fade Together

I agree, I'm actually a fan (who doesnt really listen to the radio), but are they really one of the best? I guess in terms of pure album wonderfulness then maybe, but they put on one of the worst live show's I've ever seen/listened to recordings of. I think Anakin and Yoda did the songs more justice. Now Fiona Apple (whom I'm listening to right now) has an amazing album out and reportedly puts on a great show (and is actually nice to her fans) but didnt even make the list...

[VonOfterdingen]

BTW I saw that the My Morning Jacket CD is one of the ones Sony put the craptastic so-called anti-piracy software on. The latest is that they are recalling all those CDs and will replace them for free; of course you still have to dig around your computer and uninstall the offending scamware.

good to know. I'll keep it away from my computer. Anyway MMJ is country rock that sounds like it's played in a barn. Though not "Z" which produced by John Leckie who's worked for Muse and Radiohead. I prefer the old sound so I recommend the first three records.

[Masterpiece?]

I don't kow if I've bought 10 new CDs this year, let alone be able to rate them.

2005 CDs I bothered purchasing/acquiring:

Doves - Some Cities
Gorillaz - Demon Days
New Order - Waiting for the Siren's Call
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
Original Broadway Cast - The Light in the Piazza
The Like - Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
Various Artist - Six Feet Under - Everything Ends
EC - Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz Radio Broadcast

I bought lots of other CDs, but they weren't new releases...

For those who are/were on the COSTELLO-L mailing list, here's a trip down memory lane:

http://paulyboy.com/t10/

A collection of the year-end Top 10 lists from 1998 till almost 2003. My computer crashed when I was almost done compiling the 2003 list, and I went into a pout (these things actually take a lot of time to tally and design), and after that I went into semi-lurk mode at the list and stopped compiling them. I miss doing it, but the sheer volume of the list makes it impossible for me to keep up. I much prefer posting BBS style to email lists, although there are a lot of people I miss talking to (some of whom may be here as well, who knows?). Oh well...

[invisible Pole]

I wasn't on the COSTELLO-L mailing list, but thanks for the link, Masterpiece?.
Looks like a great review of the last couple of years.

[selfmademug]

are they really one of the best? I guess in terms of pure album wonderfulness then maybe, but they put on one of the worst live show's I've ever seen/listened to recordings of.

That's a bummer. I've seen them twice and both times they were tight and just rippingly great, the audience mesmerized but hyper. I'm sure they're damn over-toured at this point and I can imagine some shows have been sub-par.

[Otis Westinghouse]

And what do people think of Architecture In Helsinki and Babyshambles? As a proud pop whore I have enjoyed what I've heard of the latter two...

The former I haven't heard, the latter wouldn't get the attention were it not for the endless tedium of Pete 'I have a celebrity sometime partner and can't get through the day without drugs' Doherty. They were on Later on Fri and it confirmed my prejudice that the voice is nothing, the songs are average, and the image is tired and tedious. Would like to hear a genuine defence. Supposedly he has a brain and writes some interesting words, but I've yet to hear them.

[selfmademug]

the latter wouldn't get the attention were it not for the endless tedium of Pete 'I have a celebrity sometime partner and can't get through the day without drugs' Doherty.

Jeepers. Well I knew nothing about all that, I just heard a track or two on Radio 6 and thought it was catchy stuff. Ignorance, bliss, etc.

[Otis Westinghouse]

It's very much a case of endless newspaper coverage, and not just the tabloids. Guardian, Word, Observer, etc. all giving him endless exposure. OK The Libertines had one decent song and made for some interesting songs, and OK Mick Jones has produced the Babyshambles LP, but I maintain Kate Moss was an incredibly shrewd career move for him. Don't let me cloud your judgement, I'm way to biased against the media obsession to listen without prejudice.

[miss buenos aires]

the latter wouldn't get the attention were it not for the endless tedium of Pete 'I have a celebrity sometime partner and can't get through the day without drugs' Doherty.

Jeepers. Well I knew nothing about all that, I just heard a track or two on Radio 6 and thought it was catchy stuff. Ignorance, bliss, etc.

Mug, you live under a rock. That is the only explanation.

[selfmademug]

Well I knew about Kate Moss's drug use, but no, I didn't know who she was sleeping with or what band he was in. Clearly I ain't living.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Doherty doesn't have enough talent for me to be able to forgive and forget his junkie tendencies. His music is so wrapped up in being and living like a junkie that it's hard for me to separate the two things. The Libertines' Up The Bracket seemed like good dumb fun the first time I heard it. Now it just depresses me.