Best of 2005

Wow, it has been another unbelievably great year for music!

Each new year I feel my taste in music becoming more refined and that is in part, some reason for this list. So many albums, so many new bands. I have not even purchased all of the albums I wanted that debuted this year.

It is so difficult to keep up on all of bands I wanted to listen to, let alone purchase them all. So, while my list may not be inclusive of all the albums that came out this year, the list will review albums that I listened to throughout 2005, the ones that I purchased and took the time to really listen to. This list is entirely a matter of personal preference.

This list is for my enjoyment and for anyone else who has similar music interests. So, with all of 'that', let's get started!

10. Sleater Kinney--The Woods

The only all-girl band to grace the list! This was indeed an interesting album. Everything I read about the album had me excited. They were a new sound for me this year even though they have been around since the mid-90's. From my first listen I was absolutely hooked. Right from the opening song of the album I was sucked into Corin Tucker's, the lead singer, high shrilled screams and amazing vocal range. These girls definitely know how to fuse great vocals with funky guitar riffs. These gals know how to rock!

9. LCD Soundsystem--Self Titled

One of my favorite electronica albums of the year. Not too much needs to be said about these guys but be sure to turn it up on songs like"Daft punk is Playing at My House" and "Movement". So many fun, exciting songs. Great opening album guys, here's for more to come, I hope.

8. Death Cab for Cutie--Plans

Another great album by one of the best known, well-recognized indie rock bands to date. Some of the hard core fans will complain that Death Cab went to a bigger recording label and have grown out of the indie rock scene by having the album single being played on the radio. Whatever shall we do??!!Give them a freaking break, they're a band! They want to be well-known! Long time fans should be happy for their success. This CD has some unforgettable songs and great lyrics. I have found this to be one of their better albums, in my opinion. So called "hard core" fans should give this entry, one more listen and less complaining. There's so much good, classic Death Cab in this album!

7. Wolf Parade--Apologies to the Queen Mary

After I saw that this album received such a high score from Pitchforkmedia.com, I decided that it was at least worth a purchase. Thanks with help from Modest Mouse, Wolf Para was able to refine their sounds and this little gem of an album has received so much praise from critics. I was blown away with songs like "Its A Curse" and "Grounds for Divorce"--this band shows a ton of potential. Sure some of the songs can be considered a little poppy but sheesh, that's what they're good at. They mesh together simple drums and guitar so well that I've wanted to listen to this album multiple times already.

6. New Pornographers--Twin Cinema

While this record isn't vastly different from any of their previous albums, The New Pornographers concentrate on what they do best, making bright, hooky sounds that play throughout an entire album. While I find this album simple in its musical aspects, its lyrics always surprise me and make me smile. There is so much energy in this record that it is always great for multiple listens. Just as with their other albums, I also found this one an enjoyable listen throughout its entirety.

5. Wilderness--Self Titled

There is a lot that can be said about this new group. Upon first listening to the album you can tell the band spent awhile putting this one together--almost three years. It's solid! This is an impressive album with loads of different sounds that come together to form a great new style/genre of music. Most notable is the bands approach to vocals, what can we call it? Singing, shouting, what?? It's a combination of both but the vocals fused together with the clear cut guitar and solid drums make for a one-of-a-kind sound. Highly recommended.

4. Doves--Some Cities

Doves, what can I say? It's you third album and once again your diligence in making a solid album shines through to show the breadth of your talent. With each album, my love for this band has grown larger. From Lost Souls you showed how dark and mysterious you can be. From Lost Broadcast you showed that you can write catchy, ambient songs with grace and style. Now from Some Cities we see how honest your music can be which seems to be a union in sound from the previous two albums. What you hear is what you get. That is what this album is about. What a great shift in style from their previous albums. I applaud them for they're best album yet, with songs like "Snowden" who wouldn't be happy with this purchase.

3. Decemberists--Picaresque

Love them or hate them, you must admit that no other band does it better. They know how to play a song. On this album and previous ones, The Decembrists show that they can be great orators and musicians at the same time. Simple, straight forward guitar is complemented with a playful and sometimes serious lyrical tone that adds to the albums depth. From the thunderous opening of "The Infanta" to the closing lyrical ballad "Of Angels and Angels", The Decemberists show us the wide range of talent they possess. This album does not disappoint.

2. Sigur Ros--Takk

Every once in awhile a band comes along that will change the way how you think about music, Sigur Ros is that band. Their albums as an entire whole are so much more than the music that is put on them. To only download a single from this band and never listen to one of their albums from the beginning, I feel, is to put the band to an open shame. Most of the songs on this album by themselves do not disappoint and can stand on their own. Sigur Ros keeps on doing what they do best and deliver a more tightly, grounded album this time around. In other words, if you aren't familiar with this band, give this album a listen. I would assert that its the easiest to warm up to. And if you are one of those iTunes types that don't want to break down to buy the whole album, might I suggest "Saeglopur". This song will give you a glimpse of what this Icelandic band has to offer. If Takk is a glimpse of what Sigur Ros is capable of, beyond what they have already done, the future looks bright indeed.

1. Bloc Party--Silent Alarm

I hesitated to put this as number one. I honestly don't know what it is. This album from first to the last minute is extremely well polished and done so well that is just screams repeated listens. I've played this CD more than any other this year. So many of these songs are done extremely well. Bloc Party is able to showcase their various styles in just a brief amount of time that the entire CD just feels right. Its hard not to repsect this bands first attempt at a full length album. They honestly made sure that every song contained the lyrical and muscial content they set out to make. The entire album is honest and fun, while being poppy and bittersweet at the same time. Believe me, after the first listen you'll want to embrace this album for a long time to come. And if you can't get enough of this one be sure to check out the remixed version, which is just equally as good.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)

Franz Ferdinand--You Could Have It So Much Better
Cold Play--X&Y
Fiery Furnaces--Self Titled EP
Spoon--Gimmie Fiction
The Hold Steady--Seperation Sunday
The White Stripes--Get Behind Me Satan

--Plus many more, I should have expanded my list to be twenty albums instead of ten. Oh well, there is always next year........