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Your Top 5 Albums of 2005

 
  

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haus of fraser
19:55 / 20.12.05
ok so its coming to that time of year again where we assess the best of the year- what sounds were you playing this year- whats going to stay with you and what would you rather forget?

I personally have had a wonderful year of new discoveries- with many records that have been essential to my well being and general happiness.

So in no particular order here are five records that have made my year:

Sufjan stevens: Come On Feel The Illinois
A worthy starting point as i discovered this record after a recomendation from Boboss in a music forum thread- and immediately downloaded Chicago and Jacksonville to see if it was any good. A great place to start.

Having heard those two tracks i remember mulling over the fact that i had no money but I needed this record really badly. The pull of the record won over and i am so glad because i love this record. Its delicate, its joyous, its epic- sounding like a folky version of the flaming lips (a lazy comparison cos this record is so much better than that) or the summery joyous flip side of the coin to the Arcade Fires moody winter sound. This for me is the sound of my summer.

As if having a great record wasn't good enough the whole record is part of Sufjans 50 states project- A simple concept that he tells us he plans to write an album for each of the states- with each song telling stories or recounting events set in and around the states.

wonderful- The best track is still Chicago in my mind but its all pretty special. Banjos, Violins, brass and beautiful tunes. Ace.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
A word of mouth via forums thing that spilled into music press hype- similar to the talk around Bloc Party last year, but unlike Bloc Party this record is actually really good. A bit Talking Heads, a bit Pixies a bit Bob Dylan, a bit like The Cure... all good influences in my mind.

Again another discovery through reading forums, I downloaded a weird version of their song 'Heavy Metal' and stuck it on a compilation - it grew on me lots and hunted down the record to my delight it was ace.

Its a bit weird that its not getting a 'proper' uk release till the end of january where it will either skyrocket or fall a little flat having missed its moment like the Rapture album did a couple of years ago...

The Arcade Fire- Funeral
ok ok so its everybodys record of the year- but in this case whats wrong with the popular vote. The first track i heard was "In the Backseat" the only track with a lead female vocal- so when i heard the album i was suprised that the singer wasn't this girl. But what a suprise- a girl that sings and sounds a bit like Bjork and a guy that sounds a bit like David Byrne at his most soulful backed by a band of multi instrumentalists.

It's a great great record- the first record this year to make me look for more new music and get me excited about music- it didn't sound like anything else, Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev and Polyphonic spree had all done similar epic records although none of them seemed to do it so well.

Its a melancholic heartbreaker of a record that builds up and climbs in under your skin. From the slow build of the opening track Neighbourhood 1 till the xylophones burst in- it grabs you and shakes you upside down till your covered in goose bumps- and thats just the opening track!

Throughout the record we hear Violins, Violas, Accordians Xylophones and all manner of strange percussive instruments all merged together with beautiful music, heartbreaking lyrics about love, death, loss and powercuts.

This is my favourite record of the year and almost certainly a contender for my favourite record of the naughties so far. I'm sure i will still love this record when i'm old and grey, its a record i want to play all my friends- to jump up and down and say 'listen to this-isn't it good?'

It really is that good.

Stars 'Set Yourself On Fire'
My most recent purchase on this list of things that i have loved this year- again its one of the new Canadian 'indie' bands that have made this year something of a delight. I came to them through Broken Social Scene- desperate to hear more i checked out Stars as they contain members of BSS. What a great find.

Imagine the Postal Service and Belle and sebastian rolled into one- unlike many other "American" (as in the continent) indie bands they sound almost twee- like The Smiths or Belle & Sebastian or any number of British C86 bands- something both the Postal Service and The Shins touch upon but this seems to hit that tone just right. They have both male & female vocals that bounce of each other- especially cool through the opening track of "Your Ex Lover is Dead"- a song that sounds like a modern Fairytale in new york or the smiths singing a tom waits tune. This is pop and its epic and its great.

ummm the last record in my top 5 is a tough choice, Goldfrapp, Clor, Devendra, Stuart Staples, The Unicorns, The white Stripes and Wolf Parade all made great records this year but i've decided to stick with Broken Social Scene's self titled album.

Its ace- it sounds big like a My bloody valentine record- they change singers, they use lots of different instruments, they play live with 5 guitarists and have a trombone player. It falters between perfect pop and a big shabolic mess. They remind me of Dinosaur Jr when they were ace- its the good side of sonic shoegazing (spaceman 3, MBV, Swervedriver) but with added bits like horns and strings.

The Cd also comes with a free 7 track CD so there's even more to get your teeth into- like the CYHSY i don't think it gets an official UK release till January next year- a bit sad cos again i think the label will miss the boat a bit.

So there's my current 5 favourite records of the year... anybody want to add their ten penneth?
 
 
Seth
20:20 / 20.12.05
Damn good post. Set the bar high my friend.

I'll be checking out those records you've recommended that I don't already have.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
06:18 / 21.12.05
Only five... DAMN it's been a good year!

OK... Coil- The Ape Of Naples. Up there with their best, I'd say... it's all horribly sad, what with Jhon being dead and all... but what a record to leave behind. From the opening Fire Of The Mind ("does Death come alone or with eager reinforcements?... angels are mathematical"), through the waltz-time ooompah-band loveliness of Tattooed Man, and ending with one of the saddest pieces of music I've ever heard, but which on closer inspection reveals itself to be a cover of the theme tune from Are You Being Served?

Gogol Bordello- Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike- this, my friends, has it all. Klezmer punk, for want of a better term, but with all manner of ska and dub thrown in just for kicks. Best party band since the Pogues, says the Stoat. Try and listen to it without smiling. I'll be fucking impressed if you can do it.

Kate Bush- Aerial- Now this was worth waiting for. Anyone who can make doing the laundry sound as magical, beautiful and downright sexy as Ms Bush does on Mrs Bartolozzi is clearly a genius. Bonus points for the correct use of the plural "cannon" on Joanni.

Nine Inch Nails- With Teeth- The Hand That Feeds is about as close to a perfect NIN single as it gets... not a sound, note or syllable out of place. Again, it was quite a wait, but worth every minute. The thing a lot of people forget when describing Mr Reznor's work is how damn catchy his songs are- like The The, he's a master of condensing misery, frustration and anger into finely-honed pop songs. Right Where It Belongs never fails to send shivers down my spine.

Akron/Family-Angels Of Light- Akron/Family-Angels Of Light- as the title would suggest, a split album (well, technically it's ALL Akron Family, as they ARE Angels of Light these days)- the first half is A/F going upliftingly, joyously nuts in every kind of music you can think of (the only band I could possibly compare them to is The Flaming Lips, and they sound nothing like them), the second is new stuff by the wonderful Michael Gira. From covering Dylan's I Pity The Poor Immigrant to a surprisingly nice campfire singalong reworking of Swans' Mother/Father, via the typically sinister Provider, this really is a thing of wonder.
 
 
Shrug
07:08 / 21.12.05
I've heard a few tracks off the Surfjan Stevens album, The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is out to get us! being my favourite thus far and also being more than enough to enthuse me about the album. Gentle, understated and really quite brilliant.
 
 
haus of fraser
07:56 / 21.12.05
Only five... DAMN it's been a good year!

I know, lots of good music been released this year. Re-reading my post i realise i forgot to mention other worthy bands- not least the fact that there are no British bands- Franz Ferdinand made such an impresion last year, but they feel like last years music- so no prize.

Brakes, British Sea power and Gorillaz also made good records not to mention the whole herd of massive mainstream artists from Coldplay to Madonna to Robbie Williams all releasing well recieved records. The record labels must have made a lot of money- the perfect end would be no 'x factor' number one, but sadly thats not going to happen.
 
 
matthew.
10:21 / 21.12.05
Thrice - Vheissu
After releasing their third album on Island Records, this "post-hardcore" punk band called Thrice (a name which they hate) decided to further extricate themselves from labelling. Thus, we the people received an awesome album in the form of Vheissu, a name which comes from a Pynchon novel. If I had to sum up the entire album in a sentence, it would be: "Open your eyes, wake up and see the world for what it really is". Thrice's lyrics are all about self-awareness and awareness of the filthy world, and how one can rise above it. One of the strongest songs on the entire CD is called "Earth Will Shake" which uses chain gang songs as its springboard. A sample lyrics goes: "We dream of ways to break these iron bars". Not just literal iron bars, but metaphorically the ones that hold us down. The album also features some amazing piano work from a band in a genre not generally associated with piano. And not just piano either. Thrice has used all sorts of new and innovative sounds to spread the word. Dustin, the lead singer, is just an amazing singer, and his singing has improved noticeably. His screaming is also much stronger, providing a hard balance to the softer ambient interludes.

System of a Down - Mezmerize
Well, now the award for most ADD album goes to these guys. After releasing an odds and ends album that bored the crap out of me, I got wind that a two CD set was coming from SOAD. When I first heard Mezmerize, I was extremely disappointed. Songs are short, repetitive, simple, and the lyrics were idiotic. I was also disappointed that Daron, the lead guitarist, was doing most of the vocals when Serj, the lead singer and superior singer, was relegated to back up. But then, something happened. Somehow, I heard these pieces on the CD, pieces that were perfect, and I found something to like. Then, the more times I listened, I found more pieces that I enjoyed, and the pieces added up until I heard the album as complete, for what it was: an energetic, danceable metal album.

Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
I'm pretty sure I'm going to be alone on this one. There's something about this Californian metal band that rubs people the wrong way. Maybe it's their doom and gloom lyrics with references to Biblical stories. Maybe it's their affinity to strippers and bats. Whatever it is, there's something about A7X (as they're abbreviated). I was extremely excited for this CD. Their previous release, Waking the Fallen, is easily one of my favorite CDs of all time. A7X was smart, this time. They themselves leaked two tracks off of the new album months before it came out, and the two songs couldn't be any more different. "The Beast and the Harlot" was a straight metal song about, you guessed it, a monster and the slut sacrificed to him. The other song, "Trashed and Scattered" was a six minute epic about the shit people say about the lead singer, M. Shadows. This second song features the newest addition to the band's aural onslaught: heavily layered and textured vocals. M. Shadows probably recorded ten vocal tracks for one song. The best part about this CD is the fact that every song is extremely different. There's "Strength of the World", a nine minute song about seeking vengeance. "The Wicked End" features a Danny Elfman-sounding choir in the middle. And "Seize the Day" sounds so much like Guns n Roses, it's scary.

Greg MacPherson Band - Night Flares
I picked this up without hearing anything from it, and I was blown away by this so-called folk-garage-rock This band is fronted by Greg, a singer, writer, actor, activist, poet, etc who lives in my city. He comes highly regarded by the local and national press, but hasn't yet tapped into the mainstream, which is fine by me. First off, one notices the odd guitar sound. That's because Greg plays the baritone guitar. His is really old looking, beaten up and has that sickly green hue of the late sixties furniture. It's an odd sounding instrument, but Greg plays it beautifully. Greg also has a distinct voice. It's very recognizable to me now. Nobody sounds like Greg MacPherson. His lyrics are opaque, but not enough to throw people off. There's a vulnerability, an openess to his lyrics, to his songs. Not like an "emo" band, definitely less feminine. His back-up band is top notch too, playing in balance to Greg's strong voice and strong guitar sound, making a nice harmony. One of the guitar lines to one of the songs was phoned in from another city and left on an answering machine, a perfect fit for the specific lyrics. I strongly recommend this CD. Here's a couple sample songs.

Will check back with my final choice.
 
 
Spaniel
11:35 / 21.12.05
Okay then, I usually don't tackle these threads because I find it difficult to articulate my reasons for liking (or indeed disliking) music, but as I've been thinking about starting this thread for the last seven days, I think I should give it a go.

Oh, and before I begin I'd like to thank Copey for such a thoughtful first post, and the inclusion of "no lists" in the abstract. Bloody good show.

Right...


New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

I first came across the New Pornographers a couple years ago when I downloaded The Laws Have Changed from Fluxblog. Over the following weeks I scoured Soulseek for the rest of their back catalogue but was disappointed to find that whilst I really liked some of it, the rest I could take or leave. With the release of Twin Cinema all that changed.
This is, without a doubt, my favourite album of the year. The New Pornographers power pop sound has taken on a (slightly) darker edge, and considerably more in the way of female vocal power, but it's the imagination that has gone into the album's landscape of twisty turny triumphant pop blasts that really grabs me. Take The Bleeding Heart Show for example, it has three distinct stages, each as enthralling and bloody exciting as the one that went before it. Three wicked tunes for the price of one. I also love the way, that despite the shifting nature of the tunes, the band never lose sight of a good chorus, this is music that manages to be surprising and sing-a-long material.
The only downer is that the album's a grower, and as such, doesn't pack the immediate punch I'd like it to on those I foist it on.

Wedding, listen to it again. Then listen to it again.


Claro Intelecto - Neurofibro

Okay, okay, not technically released this year, but this year marks my exposure to possibly the greatest techno album since the Other People Place's 2001 effort, Lifestyles of the Laptop Cafe.
Techno has had a very special place in my heart since the late eighties, especially the detroit variety. I love the repetition, the hypnotic quality, it should come as no surprise then that the first tune on Neurofibro knocked me for six, as it pretty much distills everything I want in a techno record: six and a half minutes of shuffling, minimal, repetitive music with washes of analogue funk, it manages to sound like, well, night time. I pretty much bought into the rest of the album on the strength of that one tune - I'm glad I did.
Neurofibro has an almost old-fashioned quality, akin to the kind of music I would expect to find on Colin Dale's experimental Outer Limits radio show, or coming out of R&S Records in the early nineties. Structures rising out of formlessness (particularly the case on the wonderful Baudrillard's Supper), sparse subtle construction, and, I'm afraid, next to no compromises for the dance-floor (Flyboy). Whilst I hate the term IDM, this album is where techno crosses into electronica and, whilst I wouldn't always consider that a strength, this time I really do.


Phew! *wipes brow*. More later.
 
 
Supaglue
12:02 / 21.12.05
Bit short on time, so I'll keep it quick...

Don't have anything much more to add to what you guys have already covered, but could I also chuck in the Silver Jews' Tanglewood Numbers?

Seems Dave Berman is a love-him/hate-him figure to most, with his novel lyrics, but the songs on this album are a bit more polished than previous offerings. I don't know if any of the tracks match the great 'Honk if you're lonely' off American Water, but they come close.

For anyone who's not heard them, they're Alt-country/rock -think Pavement, etc (indeed Steve Malkmus contributes on the album).

That would be my favourite of the year, but I'd also include The Super Furry Animal's 'Love Kraft' and Z's 'My Morning Jacket'
 
 
Spaniel
12:13 / 21.12.05
Running dangerously close to a list at the end there. Perhaps you'd like to come back when you have the time and expand on your reasons?
 
 
Spaniel
12:27 / 21.12.05
Back again.

The Fall - Fall Heads Roll

I'm not particularly knowledgeable about The Fall, but then, aside from a few fanatics, who is? I mean, how many albums have they released? Ten bazillion? Whatever, what I have heard often surprises and excites me, and surely when you're as prolific as Mark E Smith a few duds are to be expected. Besides, patchiness is almost part of The Fall's appeal, the lows serving to throw the fantastic highs into relief.
Unusually then, with Fall Heads Roll the band have managed to produce an album that's pretty much wall to wall hits. It's accessible and poppy and totally rocks but without being the slightest bit dumb. It's also finds time to be very funny. On Pacifying Joint - perhaps the album's "hit single" - Mark E Smith and co do what amounts to a rather puerile and very amusing impression of a stoned teenager - as a chorus. That they don't forget to bring the guitars and the power synth cords doesn't hurt any, neither. In fact, they don't forget to bring the guitars and power synth cords to a large chunk of the album. That's not to say that it lacks variety, however. The first tune Ride Away amounts to The Fall does dub, and it doesn't get a lot more unusual than that.
 
 
Mike Modular
12:49 / 21.12.05
Yeah, it's a tough choice alright. I've heard so many albums this year, and there's still plenty that I haven't... (But, hey, that's where this thread serves it's quality filtering purpose, right?) Trying to choose five that I've actually given enough time to having a proper opinion about was hardest, but I think I might just have decided on the ones that meant the most...

Broadcast - Tender Buttons
Oh how I love Broadcast. My favourite band? Yes, yes, I'd say so. The retro-futurist aesthetic has always appealed, but really they're making sounds that zip all over time and space (whilst retaining both a classic pop approach and the most modern of techniques). This third album, the 'stripped-down' one, takes a sidestep, perhaps, from the multi-layered mini-epics they'd been developing. But it's every bit as engaging and inspiring. A drum machine, a guitar and approximately two synth settings (oh, and Trish's voice) are all they need to create some of the catchiest, yet still 'experimental', tunes this year. Tears in the Typing Pool is just gorgeous, whilst I always get a rush from the (real) drums kicking in on I Found the F. A worthy addition to their ever improving catalogue, which is becoming harder to define with every release. And all the better for it.

George - A Week of Kindness
A low-key release from the mighty Pickled Egg, but one that needs shouting about. George are a couple (well a trio, but, well, it's complicated) from Manchester who make music that, for want of a better description, is like Low meets Pram. Floaty, broken toy shop melodies and sweet harmonies played with an amateurish charm. 'Lynchian' is an overused term, but really they could be the house band in the Red Room, or behind the radiator... Spend My Time is quite possibly the loveliest song I've heard all year and live they are quite mesmerising. Have a listen...

The Chap - Ham
Recently dissed by Rizla on his blog (bad Rizla!) for being "apathetic Oxbridge graduates mumbling over some half-hearted lap-top doodles". I can assure him (and you) that they are 4real and fun, funny and good-at-playing-instruments. Came to this by way of I Am Oozing Emotion (probably off Fluxblog, ages ago), which is surely one of the best pop singles this decade. Yes, they're ironic and a bit wry, but not smug, I don't think. There's a deadpan delivery that meant songs like Woop Woop had me chuckling from the off ("Garage rock/Album Launch/Interview/Chart Success/Lonliness/Suicide...") There are loud guitars here, quieter electronic moments, successful mixtures of the two and a touch of Pulp on Clissold Park. Operating in the same orbit as Half Man Half Biscuit and the Bonzos, I reckon. Lyrical targets seem to be Nathan Barley-esque trendy/media types, 'The Best New Band In Britain' and Wire readers - although they're very much a Wire kinda band too. Confusing? Yeah, maybe... Reminds me of a lot of music I like, but sounding totally fresh at the same time. So, perhaps not for everybody, but quite possibly my favourite album this year. Plus, they rock out on the cello live...

Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
Although I've been following Manitoba/Caribou for a while now, it wasn't until this album that I think it all really clicked into place (for me and for him). These songs really seem to leap to life and pull you in. Massive krautrock grooves and shining electronics whizzing all over the shop = happy, happy, summer's fun - yeah! Hypnotic, uplifting and sonically interesting, Mr Snaith manages to play with structure without losing the flow. The big "Ah-oooom!" explosion in A Final Warning might rank as best bit in any song this year. Another feather in the cap for Canada (which, I'm guessing will be well represented by a certain couple of bands here...) In a pretty good year for this-sort-of-thing, for my money it's miles ahead of your Four Tets, Boom Bips and Prefuse 73s... Also, another great live experience (Spot the theme: I've seen everyone in my list live this year. Wonder if that's been of any influence?)

So, number five... Damn, so close, but I can't decide. Probably one of these (so a short bit on each):
Animal Collective - Feels
A recent acquisition, not given it enough time yet. Still, seems lovely so far, and the first few tracks remind me of the Arcade Fire (anyone else agree?)
Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask
Great fun and winner of best couplet: "We'll be right back after these messages/Fellas grab your nutsacks, chicks squeeze your breastseses"
Electrelane - Axes
Seems so long since this came out. The mighty Gone Darker always impresses (such a great, and simple idea - rock along to a train. Innit)
Buck 65 - Secret House Against the World
Most entertaining live shows I saw this year. If you get the chance, request the step-by-step explanation/story to the Mick Jagger dance ("open the curtains, scold the children")
Low - The Great Destroyer
If only for When I Go Deaf and Broadway.... Just... beautiful.
The Fall - Fall Heads Roll
Like what Boboss said. This year, they mostly wrote great songs...

Oh, but then, what about Pelt, LCD Soundsystem, Sufjan Stevens, Vashti Bunyan, Espers, The Books, Brian Eno..........??? It's too hard! Someone else have a go...
 
 
Sniv
22:27 / 21.12.05
Can this be albums that made my 2005, and are older, or does it have to be records make only this year?

I'm going to need to have a look at my record collection to remember what I've bought this year...
 
 
matthew.
00:36 / 22.12.05
Boboss - this year I bought the New Pornographers' first album Mass Romantic and of course I was blown away. By far and away, one of the best post-Beatles pop albums I had ever heard. I have the other two CDs, but they haven't "grabbed" me yet. They will, though. Oh they will.
 
 
Locust No longer
02:38 / 22.12.05
Welp, I guess I'll weigh in on this (maybe a tad soon cuz I know I'll be getting more albums by years end):

Jennifer Gentle "Valende" -- This is a very strange italian pop record. I guess I can't really describe it adequately. It's pyschedelic, beautiful and silly in equal measure. I saw them play and they were dead on perfect with the album. The vocals are so oddly high and static it seems as though they must have some kind of filter on them, but, no, not at all. Strange. Beautiful. Strange. Best rock record I've heard in a long time. They even throw in an off-putting improvisational noise instrumental in the middle of it, just so you won't be too comfortable with where it's going. Sub Pop released some wonderful records this year (yeah, that surprises me too).

4g "Cloud" This is the kind of album you want to give to someone who thinks electro-acoustic improv is just noise and pretentious knob twisting (which it sometimes is). Basically it was organized around the idea of four musicians (Keith Rowe, Toshimaru Nakamura, Oren Ambarchi and Christian Fennesz), all of whom started out playing guitar ( hence the "g" in the title), but have moved on to radically different instrumental techniques and/or instumentation. Rowe put the group together as his idea of a "string quartet," and "Cloud" is taken from three different concerts that are spread across two cds. The first two sets on disc one are hissing, dynamic and spatial. It's starkly beautiful and if you listen on headphones you can fall deeply within the sound,losing yourself within the gradations and grit, meditating within each drone and pinch of sinewave. There are subtle twangs of guitar, bells hesitating in the murk-- appearing quickly and then disintegrating. It's terribly challenging at first but also very exciting. There is no easy way to explain the complexities and interaction of the four musicians on these discs. The three westerners do work with the guitar in some form, often augmenting it with "computer" or "electronics." But the lone Japanese musician, Toshi Nakamura, works entirely with his no-input mixing board (a minimal but strangely expansive sounding instrument, one of which he has become extremely convincing on); but trying to find actual guitar sounds in this album is often difficult. But the guitar is really not the point of this album. The second disc is more immediately appealing than the first but ultimately no less challenging. Initially there is an almost melodic guitar line (I think this is Ambarchi) over a dense drone that shifts and lurches out, threatening to overwhelm the fragments of guitar tones. It's tremendously affecting and I don't know when the last time I've been that on the edge of my seat while listening to music. It's as though the frail melody is a fragile and fraying line across an ever widening abyss. Sorry, if that sounds overly dramatic. But it's dramatic music. Fuck (there that will lighten it up for a moment). I listened to this second disc after hearing Rowe live for the first time and was amazed at how he could integrate himself so thoroughly into a group dynamic. I learned later that when he works with other musicians he tries to become a framing device for that musician, allowing his playing partners to build off his sound, never taking the lead. But honestly trying to differentiate the musicians is better left to the birds. I'll stop now, but I will reiterate that this an amazing and thouroughly abstract set of recordings-- a tough nut to crack but once done enormously powerful. Buy this fucker. www.erstwhilerecords.com

Dead Meadow "Feathers" This is really excellent pysch rock. Can't say much more about it. My friend thinks they're dead boring but I love them. They use Orange amps entirely and it shows. I saw them twice this year. The first time they were a profound bong haze, lush and distorted. The second time less so, but fuck it: there were too many hipster teen girls waiting for Sleater Kinney that got in the way to really enjoy them. Anywho, great album. The best so far, I would say.

Otomo Yoshihide, Sachiko M, and Toshimaru Nakamura "EL05" I'd say this is probably some of the most arduous and challenging music I've ever heard. If you haven't heard any of these musicians do yourself a favor check something out by them. preferably before you stick your neck out on this behemoth. Taken from a four hour live show this album is spread out over three discs and is the most intense music you'll ever find. Yeah, it's electronics and improvised but, no, it's not IDM or any of that bullshit. It's gritty, uncompromising, beautiful, ugly, disturbing and probably the closest thing to something "new" in the music world I've ever heard. I can't do it justice because I'm still fulling digesting it. check out some reviews: www.erstwhilerecords.com

Birchville Cat Motel "Chi Vampires" I don't post here very often anymore but if anyone remembers my posts from a while ago they may remember me pushing this band on anyone who would listen. So yeah, I still am. BCM is basically one guy from NZ named Campbell Kneale (not to be confused with Neale Campbell from the UK). This is a pure drone rock stew. The first track is classic BCM -- glatial, pristine drones with a bit of organic moss on the hide of it. It's very pretty stuff. But what makes this album awesome is the last track which takes a very "doom metal" approach to drone, adding a heavy Sunnish weight with crashing drums. Perfectly scary and wonderful. They spelled Birchville Cat Motel, "Birfield Cat Motel" on the cover of the Wire a few issues back. Yep, he's hit it big time.

umm... let's see, one last one... Tetuzi Akiyama "Route 13 to the Gates of Hell: Live in Tokyo" Akiyama is probably my favorite guitar player currently. His acoustic stuff is best considered as one reviewer put it "Nagoyama blues." He's kinda like if some samurai, weary of war and having drunk too much sake, sits down and picks up the guitar to ruminate on his past. It's sometimes atonal and slippery, other times darkly melodic and contemplative but to me it's definitely blues, if not in music then in spirit. The first half of this album is his acoustic work. It's very ruminating and stark late night music. But the second half gets crazy. This is when he picks up the electric guitar to play boogie music. Sounds terrible, right? But it's so fucking powerful and grimy and thick sounding it can bowl you over if you let it. It's not traditional boogie music, really; it's more like Tony Conrad or another one of those minimilist drone composers idea of boogie, just endless scorching riffs to the end of the time. He dedicates one song to Alan Licht called "Fast Car," and it's basically one really tough riff played over and over for ten minutes (subtly changing throughout). Badass. A lot of the improv heads don't like this disc (he's more known for his cerebral improv outings) but this one really speaks to me. Yup.

My eyes hurt and I'm just going to post this without editing it. Sorry. I'll come back later and look through it.
 
 
Saveloy
09:42 / 23.12.05
Hunting Lodge - Energy Czar

Unbe-fucking-lieva-fucking-ble. I've been gagging for something like this for, well, years. It's all the things I love about noise combined together into one arse-pummelling, brain-shredding monster, but - and this is HL's genius - without ever descending into a stodgy mattress of white noise. There's fuckloads going on all at once, but you can still focus on the individual elements; they're worth focusing on, too - Seth's drums are murderous, absolutely bloody terrifying (and well up in the mix, where drums should be). If I had a *proper* band, this is how I would want it to sound.

Other thoughts that I haven't hammered into shape:

- noise + pop + big fat arse-wobbling funk
- wasn't keen on the vocals at first, but by 2nd listen I couldn't imagine it without them. Would like more of the animal noises
- the harnessed energy and relentless drive of 100 fresh huskies pulling a sled full of seal meat back to their own house

When's the next one due, Seth?
 
 
paul rauschen
10:28 / 23.12.05
hm
growing: soul fo the rainbow
sunn ahve been mentioned here a few times, imagine instead of half arsed pomposity of o'malley and andersons charlatinism you had two very tired looking guys playing the smae glacial monoliths BUT REALLY FUCKING PRETTY. saw them last year, the guitarist was so sleepy he literally had his head in his hands at one point. this is thier 3rd full length and is almost indie rock like in it's use of melody. sunn meets superchunk or something
earth: hex or printing in the infernal method
after all the disasters post earth two i reall had no idea that dylan carlson would be able to do something so incredibly focused. an incredibly well composed record. americna doom. often compared to neil youngs dead man soundtrack
asva: futurists agaisnt the ocean
much like growing asva take the earth/sunnn doom/drone metakl aesthetci and wrap it in beautiful chord structures with soaring female vocals that make you think of linda sharrock or the warbler from the pink floyd song that was used to advertise headache tablets. features the original bass palyer from sunn and trey spruence from mr bungle/secret cheifs/etc. saw them play in september and they too were amazing. blew up the pa speakers.
orthrelm: OV
ridiculous. the same motion carried over forty minytes with minor variations. a band taking thier absurdly mathematic aesthetic to extremes. if you like lightning bolt or hella but feel they lack a certain intensity or are just dicking about a bit, check these out.
big business: head for the shallow
ex-karp power rock two piece. amazing song writing. brilliant musicianship.
slomatics: flooding the weir
saw these in cork and dublin this summer when i was over there for a weekend. two guitarist and a singing drummer playing doom metal with joy and power you couldn't not love it. the album si really good but if they ever play anywhere near you go see them coz the live experience oisses all over it
that's six, and not a varied six at that
in the words of garth marenghi "bite me"
next year i'm really looking frward to the new harvey milk record, one of my favourite bands back togetehr and from the stuff i've heard a good as ever! woo!
i'm also looking forward to both my bands records coming out even though they were both ecorded in 2004
thank god i'm not neurotic about growing old
 
 
uncle retrospective
21:52 / 24.12.05
Wow, 2005 has been the best year for music I like in a long, long time. I was beginning to worry that my approach to 30 meant that I was no longer “down with the kids”. Thank Christ I’ve found amazing albums to put my faith back in music. Now, so good was my year that 5 is just too small a number, so here we go.

The top 5

The Super Furry Animals.Love Kraft.
You know the Furries are the best band in the world right now. There just isn’t anyone out there giving then a run for their money, the Flaming Lips better come out with something amazing next year.
Opening the new album with Zoom! and Atomic Lust just put a big stupid smile on my face. And that’s what they’re for.

The Arcade Fire. Funeral.
This should be everyone’s album of the year. It’s really, really good, if very over played. Rebellion, Tunnels, Wake Up and In the Back seat are all gems. It’s just so good.

Gravenhurst. Fires In Distant Buildings
No one else seams to have heard this record. It’s great. Quiet almost Post Rock, a cross between Slint and Nick Drake. Beautiful music with some shockingly grim lyrics and a nice lean towards noise. Sweet.

Jesu. Jesu.
Justin from Godflesh comes out with his new band and amazingly it’s not as bleak as Godflesh. Not that he’s cheered up much, it’s just after albums like Street cleaner, melancholy is a step up. It sounds like Codeine or Slowdive playing with Swans circa Children of God.

Vitalic. Ok Cowboy.
Dance music has really lost me over the last few years, maybe I don’t want to dance in a world without Orbital, but Vitalic are well on the way to putting my ass back on the dance floor. It’s a great thing.

Ok, some of the others.

Low. The Great Destroyer.
I was never a Low fan, I just never bothered. Then they went and beefed up their sound and put out some amazing songs, Monkey, Silver Rider, wow!

Dirty Three. It’s the Dirty Three, they’re great. The song with Cat Power is amazing.

Engineers. Slow, shoe gazing. Beautiful music with some really pissed off lyrics.

Ladytron. Never liked this band, struck me as a group for hipsters and not my thing. This album, wow, just listen to Destroy Everything You Touch and dance. Kind of remind me of Curve.

Boards of Canada. Another band I’d written off as for wankers only (The IDM tag makes me so angry) but here they come with a really great little ambient, shoe gazing gem.

Raveonettes. Man, I love this album. 60’s surf tunes, Mo Tucker, Alan Vega all mixed with the Everly Brothers. Twilight is another song for the dance floor, just the indie floor this time.

Nine Inch Nails. It’s over 10 years since Trent put out an album I gave a damn about and I’m glad With Teeth is as good as it is. I really love the disco in All the Love in the World, it must have stuck in so many Goth throats.

Oh, the new Fields of the Nephilim album sounded great with I heard it, I need to get a copy.

And that’s not all the albums I’ve loved this year. What a year for me and music.
Oh and that’s the longest post I’ve put on the ‘Lith in a long time.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
22:27 / 24.12.05
Oh, the new Fields of the Nephilim album sounded great with I heard it, I need to get a copy

Thank fuck I'm not alone, is all I can say. Miles better than "Zoon"... it actually seems like the album that should have followed "Elizium". I'm drunk now. If anyone asks later, I NEVER liked the Nephs, OK?

OK.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
22:34 / 24.12.05
Oh, fucking hell. Re-reading this thread, I feel like an utter cunt for not including New Model Army's "Carnival".

I've posted extensively on this elsewhere, and I know it makes my total up to six, but...

...fuck...

Prayer Flags. Another Imperial Day. Fireworks Night. They're all up there with Vengeance, Green and Grey, Ghost Of Your Father. NMA can still do it. They can still make me simultaneously a) cry, b) punch my fists in the air and shout "fuck yes!" and c) look around for shoulders to stand on. Yesyesyesyesyes. Beautiful and terrible. Just everything music SHOULD be. I... can't really express it any better than that, I'm afraid.

And uncle retrospective- Jesu NEARLY made my list, too. Godflesh crossed with My Bloody Valentine, is how it sounds to me. Only Broadrick could come up with that idea. Only Broadrick could actually make it SOUND like that.
 
 
uncle retrospective
00:25 / 25.12.05
How can you not love Zoon? Death Metal Neph? Fuck yea!
 
 
Haus of Mystery
22:43 / 25.12.05
And moving swiftly on, a lull in Christmas eating/watching means I'll give you my top 5:

Quasimoto - The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
Another Madlib invasion. Truly the most psychadelic hip hop record in a long time. It may be an unruly, indulgent stoner folly, but daaaamn if it isn't also the most exciting, fucked up hip hop album of the year.
Y'see it's the fact that madlib sits with his feet in both paddling pools - unashamedly old school, crate-digging stuff with a totally adventurous futuristic slant. And it sounds so fucking far out. All his usual obsessions filtered through his helium-voiced alter ego, the self obsessed wannabe-thug-weird pig creature Lord Quas. Madlib's Sun Ra fixation meets it's pinnacle on the awesome 'Fatbacks' (I like my asses fat not flat..), a lowbrow ode to big asses with a bass heavy beat, and Cecil B DeMille biblical chanting in the background. No track bothers the three minute mark, and while it's shamelessly overstuffed there's so many gems waiting for discovery. 'Busride' for example features a great hook wrapped around Quas trying to score a free drink. Doom turns up for a 'Madvillain' reprise, and lunatic soundscapes meet weed addled rhymes throughout. It's a long messy great record, and while it doesn't touch the streamlined majesty of the aforementioned 'Madvillian' LP from last year, it's head and shoulders above the pleasing, but ultimately flat 'Dangerdoom'. Ace.

Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
John Darnielle's storytelling/songwriting gets better with every release, as do the delicate musical embellishments he adds to his stripped down pieces. The Sunset Tree seems almost unbearably personal at times, yet the listener remains uncertain as to how much we should believe as the 'truth'. Narrators shift, and themes merge, but throughout the strength of the songs shine through. Touching, weird, nostalgiac and uplifting, it's more of a song cycle than a straight album, that demands to be heard from start to finish once play is pressed. No backgroung music this. Heartbreaking stuff.

Why? - Elephant Eyelash
A totally great frazzled pop gem, with more ideas than you can shake a koala at. Why?'s ascendance to the WilsonMalkmusZappa songsmith of 2005 is a welcome achievement to those who've followed his peculiar lo-fi/hip-hop/doo-wap music since the bedroom brilliance of Reaching Quiet's 'In the Shadow of the Living Room'. Maybe because of his time spent in the college hip-hop scene, his take on indie pop is decidedly skewed, and his desire to create twisted imaginative pop music shines through on this short but sweet album. 50's harmonies, and quasi-raps sit alongside disjointed synth and drum patterns, and fuzz guitar drones. His voice too has matured, finding a happy mesh of his 'cloudead' era delivery, and the atonal whine adopted for his previous release, 'Oaklandazulasylum'. This is a great, funny loveable record, that reveals more joy the more you listen.

New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
As outlined by previous posters very eloquently, a bravura pice of monster pop brilliance. Every second of this record screams joy, every song is a wonder. It took me a while, but when it sank it's claws in to me I was smitten. From the surging power-pop of the title track, and 'Sing Me Spanish Techno', to the torch pop aceness of Neko Case's 'These are the Fables' (song of the year by the way) this album doesn't put a foot wrong. Endlessly inventive hook-laden brilliance that hasn't left my stereo for months.

Devendra Bernhardt - Cripple Crow
Devendra devotees may have turned away, but this confident, ambitious and immersive album one me over. The strength of his conviction to produce a contemporary hippy masterpiece is admirably anachronistic. Sprawling, and packed with half-formed ideas and whimsy, it was nonetheless totally engrossing and beautiful. 'Hey Mama Wolf' makes me well up with it's mesmerising refrain, 'Chinese Children' is the stomp along no-brain classic you've never heard, and the acid fried doo-wap of track 21 (sorry, no cover to hand) is both disturbing and delightful. An album to stick on and luxuriate in all it's overreaching spleandour.


And bubbling under, cos it's been a great year...
Jeffrey & Jack Lewis - City and Eastern Songs
Because he's the greatest. Co-written with his brother this is a collection of inciteful, wistful pieces alongside raucous garage rock, always shot through with humour and pathos. The Will Oldham Horror song alone is better than most other albums this year.

The Arcade Fire - Funeral
I avoided this due to being told so many times how much I'd definitely love it, but needless to say I fell under it's histrionic charms...

John Smith - Pinky's Laundromat
Came out in 2004, but fuck it, the man deserves props. Candian MC, part of the pretty great Peanuts & Corn rosta, delivers a great set of character pieces set in the titular establishment. Under the guidance of the ever more adventurous producer McEnroe, Smitty porduces an album full of thought provoking bangers.

Biggest dissapointment:
Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust
Sorry Sage, but go back to the lunatic creativity of your 'Sick of..' mixtapes, and leave the Michael Moore hip hop alnoe for a bit. Still fucking great live though.
 
 
Sniv
14:39 / 26.12.05
For me, this year has been one of great returns. Some awesome second albums, some bands I thought had split up only for them to reform, and only a couple of bona fide new discoveries (and most of them are illegible for this list, being older than 2005). In no particular order, this year I 'ave been mostly listenin' to-

Cave-In: Perfect Pitch Black
I thought they'd split up, and then, while looking through the local record shop I find this and I nearly wet myself. I wasn't disappointed, either. From the enforced-poppiness of Antenna, Cave-In came back with an absolute stormer of a record. Chunky, fat-ass basslines crash and bounce away, classic C-I space-rock guitars, and even a slight return to screamy-bollocks hardcore screaming from the bassist. Which is lovely. A treat for longtime fans and newbies alike. Great stuff.

The Mars Volta: Francis the Mute
I know there's a lot of Volta-hate on these boards, so I'll keep this quick. I loved every self-indulgent, atonal bastard-rocking minute of it. I love the concept of the album, and the amount of layers the 'story' has, depending on your interpretations. And lets not forget the music, from the insane bass attack on the first track, to L'Via, with its blistering solos and latin grooves, to the thrilling, meandering, blistering finish on Cassandra gemini... this album is a trip.

Oceansize - Everyone Into Position
Second album from manc-progheads, and it's fucking ace. It's a grower, I didn't really like it to start with - after the heaviness of their last ep it felt like a step backwards - but after a few listens, it sucked me in, a now every time I hear it, I find more and more to love. I wrote a full review here on my blog.

Yourcodenameis:milo - Ignoto
Now this surprised the hell of me. I'd heard and kinda liked their last ep, and I downloaded this out of curiosity, and I was stunned by how much the band had grown. Their ep was thin and plastic, the music felt brittle, as if it'd snap as easily as the cd it came on. This album sounds huge though, absolutely massive. It's produced by flood, so there's a bit of a clue there, but seriously, I've not heard many records sound as good, or as unique as this (but then, I have weird tastes...).

The songs too are an evolution for the band. Multi-layered and filled with breakneck turns and switches, the band sounds like a load of hyper-intelligent kids loaded up on enough sugar to fuel a rocket to the moon, and then told to go play. The vocals are awesome, distorted and hypercompressed, so the almost spray out, filling that entire space with the bleedy sound. Just listen to rapt dept or Team Radar, you'll see what I mean. Wickedcool.

Million Dead - Harmony No Harmony
Only the second album, and already this great band have split up, giving this record an added resonance for me. They're a London-based post-hardcore band, with a natty line in political satire and catchy choruses. This record, while not as good as their first, still pisses over most of this years releases, with songs like To Whom it May Concern, which starts off quite jolly and ends with a big, choral coda of "I'm only working here 'cause I need the fucking money!", a great partner to the last album's The breaking of the Back. Other highlights include songs about trying to give up smoking and being a suburban frontiersman (complete with a great walking-beat, for traipsing around suburbia with your headphones on). Great record, shame it's the last one.

Some other great music I've found this year comes from a local band called Red! Nice Guy? (shit name, good band). Their ep is available for download, and is well worth a listen for anyone that likes noisy, poppy post-hardcore with an elecronic slant.
 
 
Anthony
05:43 / 27.12.05
i didn't buy many albums by new bands this year, on accounta how everything is rank at the moment, but the one i enjoyed most was Test-Icicles debut, mainly because of how it managed to take punk/hardcore sounds and make them feel absolutely bubblegum, which was probably far from their intent but must take a degree of talent, even if it's misplaced talent.

the songs are pretty good.
and they're hot.
 
 
Anthony
07:41 / 27.12.05
it's perfect music for sheep to graze & fall asleep to. and seeing as sheepdom is undeniably the future of humanity then we all need a copy for the purposes of our own evolutionary welfare. i like how they've managed to take heavier music and strip it of all of its horrible emotional intensity and propensity for delivering a message, both of which are so passe i'm sure we'll all agree. i love the production which makes it sound like it could have been reeled off from any production line, anywhere, at any point in time (i mean "real" time, which is post-abolition of reality time, which i suppose took place roughly around 9/11)

it sounds beautifully anonymous and lacking in identity, but in a fresh way, not like the strokes who sound like they've still got a vestige of identity - albeit someone else's identity, a generic NY identity, maybe an anglocised version of a NY identity - there's still definitely a small trace of identity which is in its death throes. Test-Icicles take it further and abolish identity altogether which is commendable.

it sounds like rock music but it probably doesn't have B.O. and because of that, i can't say enough that this is the future, where no-one will smell bad or say anything to upset us.
 
 
Haus of Mystery
08:34 / 27.12.05
and seeing as sheepdom is undeniably the future of humanity

Yes, well then, well done for carving out your own individual path with one of The Guardian's hot picks of the year.
 
 
haus of fraser
09:04 / 27.12.05
Yes, well then, well done for carving out your own individual path with one of The Guardian's hot picks of the year.

MacReady why so glum? Did you not get the Starbird Command Base you were hoping for for christmas?

Lots of excellent choices though- reminds me to check out The Mountain Goats and go back to the New Pornographers album- I downloaded half of it ages ago and really liked it but forgot to check out the whole record.

Although I mentioned them briefly upthread Wolf Parade should get an honorable mention Apologies to Queen Mary is a genius album and contains one of the tracks of the year with the super duper 'I'll Believe in Anything'.

They're signed to Subpop and the album is produced by Isaac Brook from Modest Mouse, The drummer played percussion on the Funeral for The Arcade Fire. This is exactly what they sound like - a mixture of both bands. The guitarist also played guitar for Hot Hot Heat- so i guess they're kind of Canadian Indie thoroughbreds.

On with the recomendations...
 
 
Anthony
11:12 / 27.12.05
i think he thought i was being ironic there. i wasn't actually; i was only ironically being ironic, in fact i mean all of the above with total sincerity, particularly the bit about the strokes.
 
 
Anthony
11:17 / 27.12.05
i'm really tired of thinking for myself and being permanently at odds with the world around me & i embrace sheepdom wholeheartedly & a bit down the line will probably come along & sing the praises of George W Bush.

i mean where's the good in rebellion anyway if you're seemingly completely alone in your rebellion and there's nothing approaching a counterculture any more. and even the whole notion of rebellion and counterculture is being phased out, making anyone who stands for those ideals a kind of dinosaur. you can only fight the course of things for so long.

ignorance is bliss and stupid people have much more fun and i want to be one of them. and test-icles are my soundtrack of choice, because one of them is really hot. so there. nyah.
 
 
haus of fraser
11:17 / 27.12.05
stop the threadrot you're being annoying now Anth.... tells us 4 more records you like while you're at it.
 
 
Anthony
11:32 / 27.12.05
i dunno, can anyone recommend any music press where one might get to hear of some of the more obscure and interesting-sounding bands listed above? before the NME claims the last of my sanity.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
12:10 / 27.12.05
I often find paying attention in the Music forum helps me find some cool stuff.
 
 
haus of fraser
12:16 / 27.12.05
THREADROT!
sorry i can't be arsed with the links but...
pitchforkmedia.com, drownedinsound.com, thestereoeffect.com, planbmag.com, artrocker.com, or check out blogs like fluxblog.org, or flyboy.blogspot.com, or maybe sign up to the cd mix swap- Forget the NME, its really only anygood for general music news- check out the links on the blogs for more blogging and music sites- theres a lot more out there- and stop calling us all sheep you nme reading worm.

THREADROT ENDS
 
 
Anthony
12:38 / 27.12.05
erm, i wasn't insinuating that anyone on Barbelith are sheep but anyway - end of threadrot
 
 
matthew.
13:59 / 27.12.05
Here's my fifth choice, because I only put four.

Original Soundtrack to Batman Begins
Yes, my friends, not a rock album, not a pop album. This is Hans Zimmer, and James Newton Howard recording beautiful orchestral fears.
I remember seeing this movie in the theatre and thinking two things: Christian Bale is hot and this soundtrack is terrific. It was so terrific, it pulled me out of the movie quite often.
There is something about this soundtrack that is so unified, so complete. Every piece moves together and fits together. Each track is titled after a type of bat, which is nice. It's all very atmospheric and scary. It's like the soundtrack to your nightmares, which makes sense considering the theme of the movie.
 
 
ZF!
15:14 / 27.12.05
1. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - ST Came across this band in September, while listening to Radio-Indie-Pop, Skin of My Yellow country Teeth came on and was instantly struck by the wall o' sound type thing that I'm so fond of, and spent the next month trying to track down an album. Found that it made me happy to hear in the same way that Arcade Fire did last year. The singer's David-Byrne-like voice actually made me go out and get Talking Heads albums.
I'd recommend this if you like: Arcade Fire, The Shins, Modest Mouse, Shout Out Louds

2. Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die A friend recommended this Australian 8-piece, and after listening to the two singles he had sent me (It'5 and do the Whirlwind) I was totally hooked. A perfect electro-indie-pop album imho, with some slightly experimental bits on it. Again I probably like this due to the multi-instrumentation thing. That and it's fun. Also the videos are ace. This and CYHSY are the only albums I've been forcefully making other people listen to. Only negative, some may call them a bit twee, like Aberfeldy were called last year. But I seem to like twee.
I'd recommend this if you like: Broken Social Scene, Of Montreal, My Favourite, Enon, The Bees/Band of Bees, The Go! Team.

3.Nada Surf - The Weight is a Gift I've been a fan of Nada Surf for a while, so it was unlikely that I'd miss their latest offering, some of my friends criticised the album as being "boring". I would say that the songs have become more introspective, melodic and "quieter" perhaps (not boring), but I would say this is more a sign of their music evolving, I thought this was evident in their last album, "Let Go" and this trend has continued (to my happiness) on "The Weight is a Gift". This feels like a band that has matured with this album.
I'd recommend this if you like: Death Cab, Pavement, Built To Spill, Bright Eyes, early Weezer

4.White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan I've never been a fan of The White Stripes, despite my friends carrying on about them since around 2001, but when I heard "My Doorbell" I instantly became a fan (at least of the song) and bought and enjoyed the album. Not any previous one's mind you, those still don't do anything for me. Get Behind Me Satan, seems the most progressive (of their style) or perhaps it's just more populist, which explains why I like it.
I probably don't need to recommend this to anyone since everyone's already heard this.

5.Of Montreal - Sunlandic Twins Although I prefer their previous album, "Satanic Panic in the Attic", with it's more poppy numbers, this album is still one of this years favourites for me. Perhaps a bit more melancholy sounding. "Sunlandic Twins" seems to bring to mind echoes of Sgt Peppers or Pet Sounds era Brian Wilson if they were electro outfits.
I'd recommend this if you like : Apples in Stereo, Elf Power, Enon, The Bees/Band of Bees

Honourable Mentions (not in any particular order):
Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn: I think the only album that I've really liked from Mr Oberst
Caribou - Milk of Human Kindness: I was really excited about this, but I'm not sure it lived up to Up In Flames
Kanye West: Late Registration: a bit popular, but it IS good.
Broken Social Scene - ST: Was probably between this and Of Montreal for the number 5 spot, lovely album
Lushlife : West Sounds: I seem to be alone in liking this record, perhaps not that original (see Grey album), but I found it fun.
Explosions in the Sky - The Rescue: Only an EP but it was good to hear something new from EITS.
Ivy - In the Clear: Well it's Adam Schlesinger, and if you're me, you can't go wrong there. Nice airy pop tunes, but probably a bit understated.
 
  

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