Best Album of 2005?

[nrc]

So forgetting those of you who have already shown that you have no taste in music, what was your best new album of the year? For me it was a pretty sparse year.

For me it was Johnny Hickman's Palmhenge (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00081U678/) by a wide margin. I tended to think of Hickman as David Lowery's sidekick from Cracker until this CD proved that he's an equal partner in the creative forces behind that band. It's Hickman's ode to paradise lost on the west coast - sort of a latter day "Hotel California".
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00081U678.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Runner up was Tori Amos' The Beekeeper (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00076EPQM/). Another good album from Tori who seems to have settled down after a time where she seemed to be cranking out material to finish out a contract. She still needs to learn that leaving a couple of sub-par tracks on the cutting room floor can make for a much better album.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00076EPQM.01._PE26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

One CD that gets an honorable mention because it was new for me even though it was released in 2002 is Peter Wolf's Sleepless (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006H6AB/). It's a wonderful tribute to the former J Giels front man's rock, R&B and country blues roots. (Oh, and since that got me started on Woofa Goofa with the green teeth, I had to pick up J Geils Anthology and Sanctuary for good measure).
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006H6AB.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I'm tempted to call Kate Bush's Aerial (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BHNLX0/) the biggest disappointment of the year, but honestly I didn't have much hope for this one. After setting high expectations with some of the best albums of the '80s it would be a bit much expect a return to form after a decade long hiatus. Even at that, nothing on the new two CD release made enough impact for more than a couple of plays.

Not much new from my favorites, some disappointments and not artists added to my favorites. Maybe I should drink more. That seems to lower the bar considerably. :)

[racer2c]

Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm. Simply fantastic!

Check it out nrc.

[IlliniRacer]

The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday

[WickerBill]

Mmm... tough year.

3. Fiona Apple (years late): Extraordinary Machine

2. Stevie Wonder: A Time to Love

1. Neil Young: Prarie Wind

"Late at night, lights dancing in the northern sky
Like the Indian spirits trying to show me how to fly
You can see into the future but it may be a mirage
Like a new car sitting there in your old garage...."

[spinner26]

I didn't know they were making albums again? Somebody selling vinal again and I don't know about it? :p :rofl:

Anything NON - Commercialized is on my list. :thumbup:

[Rob]

I didn't know they were making albums again? Somebody selling vinal again and I don't know about it? :p :rofl:
An album is a collection of music, regardless of whether it's on vinyl, tape or CD. Those black vinyl discs are called records. :p

Not a great year for my ears either, but there are three albums that stand out for me:
1. Morgana Lefay - "Grand Materia" - Loud, semi-artsy European power metal. Very hard to find in the US. It sounds a little like Savatage (especially the vocals), but heavier.
2. Clutch - "Robot Hive / Exodus" - I haven't been able to get into it quite as much as their outstanding "Blast Tyrant," but I only bought it a couple weeks ago and only listened to it twice. Butt-shaking hard rock.
3. Corrosion of Conformity - "In the Arms of God" - Their previous album, "America's Volume Dealer," brought a new sound to the band, similar to if Skynyrd did metal. "In the Arms of God" is a complete 180 from that - much louder and more brutal.

[Classic Apex]

http://www.thechurchband.com/shop/images/bwtb_cvrsm%20(1).jpg

The Church, "Back With Two Beasts"

[Spicoli]

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0006TZSKM.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

or

http://www.cosmik.com/aa-septemberoctober05/reviews/pics/review_hold_steady.jpg

or

http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B0007WFYD4.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

or maybe

http://www.lcdsoundsystem.com/_content/images/covers/afc_lcd_LCDSoundsystem.gif

[extramundane]

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7855/62/1600/Mogwai%20-%20Mr.%20Beast%20front.jpg

OK, so it's a 2006 release, but I heard it in 2005. Close enough.

[Paintergeek]

This may be too 'commercial' for this thread, But the album got got the most for from my buck was The White Stripes : get Behind Me Satan. I just love it all but the second song. Maybe thats too mainstream, but I love it.

Also, Im probably forgettting albums I bought in January of 2005 ~! Been a long year and I have a bad memory!!

[mapguy]

Dudes, Duran Duran is back.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002X591A.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[devilmaster]

So forgetting those of you who have already shown that you have no taste in music....

http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/edoom/theyareontome.gif

[nz_climber]

nothing really stands out except maybe new zealand band shihad's latest album "love is the new hate"

http://www.anythingforyou.co.nz/products/photos/10568-20050520210628.jpg

(i spent my new years eve jumping around listening to these guys play - great night from what I can remember..)

i spent most of my year buy albums I have always wanted, and actually really gotten into pink floyd lately :)

[RichK]

Fiona Apple: Extraordinary Machine was by far my favorite. IMO, the "internet leak" version is much better than the official release.

[swift]

http://www.millencolin.com/news/newspics/kingwood_cover210x184.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007QJ1MK.01._PE29_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
i'm off to the record store tonight to get this one:
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000BM2OUG.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
^^
hey it was released on December 30th, 2005.. (in Austria, Germany and Switzerland)

[Spicoli]

I "have" the new strokes CD. Not bad really, takes a couple listens. If you like the band, its as good as anything else. Doofdles voice sorta gets on my nerves after a while, but they do rock. :gomer:

[KaBoom21]

Stephen Malkmus, British Sea Power, Caribou, Elbow, The Magic Numbers, Bright Eyes (I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning), Maximo Park, M83, The Boy Least Likely To, The Russian Futurists, Okkervil River, Brendan Benson, New Pornographers, Franz Ferdinand, The National, Spoon, The Decemberists.

These all rocked my world in '05.



One CD that gets an honorable mention because it was new for me even though it was released in 2002 is Peter Wolf's Sleepless (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006H6AB/). It's a wonderful tribute to the former J Giels front man's rock, R&B and country blues roots.http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006H6AB.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg


Oh yes, that is an excellent record. As is his 1998 release Fools Parade:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd300/d309/d3097756vqi.jpg

[Dirty Sanchez]

red sparowes - at the soundless dawn

[racer2c]

Stephen Malkmus, British Sea Power, Caribou, Elbow, The Magic Numbers, Bright Eyes (I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning), Maximo Park, M83, The Boy Least Likely To, The Russian Futurists, Okkervil River, Brendan Benson, New Pornographers, Franz Ferdinand, The National, Spoon, The Decemberists.

These all rocked my world in '05.



Brendan Benson is still around? Cool. :cool: I was a huge fan on his 'One Mississippi' album back in the mid 90's. He co-wrote much of that album with another of my old favs; Jason Falkner.

[extramundane]

OK, so it's a 2006 release, but I heard it in 2005. Close enough.

damn image keeps disappearing...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c261/bgw23223/Mogwai-Mr.jpg

[RichK]

nrc, thanks for this recommendation, it's GREAT.





For me it was Johnny Hickman's Palmhenge (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00081U678/) by a wide margin. I tended to think of Hickman as David Lowery's sidekick from Cracker until this CD proved that he's an equal partner in the creative forces behind that band. It's Hickman's ode to paradise lost on the west coast - sort of a latter day "Hotel California".
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00081U678.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[nrc]

nrc, thanks for this recommendation, it's GREAT.

My pleasure. Always happy to spread the word on good music. :thumbup:

[skaven]

Came across this today in Hell Paso...

Buddyhead's Best/ Worst of 2005 (http://www.buddyhead.com/music/bestof2005/)

Josh Homme is one of the reviewers - :thumbup:

The Weezer top 20 things I'd rather do than listen to "Beverly Hills" again is pretty funny.

(Warning - there is some bad language and DO NOT click on the Fall Out Boy picture link unless you are into old men and gay porn. Seriously. Nasty. :flame: )

[RichK]

...and DO NOT click on the Fall Out Boy picture link unless you are into old men and gay porn. Seriously. Nasty. :flame: )

AchingBack Mountain? ;)

[RacinM3]

Wow, that Johnny Hickman album IS pretty damn good.

2005 was a weak year. I wish I could find another band like House of Freaks. Although not new, if you haven't heard them, you owe it to yourself...their best albums were "Monkey on a Chain Gang" (1987) and "Tantilla" (1989).

EDIT...WOW....I went to find some House of Freaks links for you guys and stumbled over this link....how sick and tragic. Jan 1 2006, RIP.

http://www.rhino.com/rzine/StoryKeeper.lasso?StoryID=688

EDIT 2....ok, it just gets weirder....Johnny Hott, drummer and only (now) surviving original member of House of Freaks, was apparently in Cracker the same time as Johnny Hickman. And NRC's Hickman link was the only reason I thought of House of Freaks for the first time in a while.

I'm going to step away from the internet and get a drink, now.

[extramundane]

EDIT...WOW....I went to find some House of Freaks links for you guys and stumbled over this link....how sick and tragic. Jan 1 2006, RIP.

http://www.rhino.com/rzine/StoryKeeper.lasso?StoryID=688

Don't even get me started... :( :shakehead :flame:

[RacinM3]

Don't even get me started... :( :shakehead :flame:

Umm, yeah, why hadn't I heard about this? WTF? From other research I've done looks like the suspects also killed another family of 3 that same day?

NRC, I'm extremely sorry to have hijacked your thread....I didn't expect anything like this when I innocently posted my first reply..... :(

[extramundane]

Umm, yeah, why hadn't I heard about this? WTF? From other research I've done looks like the suspects also killed another family of 3 that same day?

Close- those two scumbags and a female accomplice killed the Harveys and invaded another home in the area two days later. A couple more days later, these two killed the female accomplice and her family. They're also likely responsible for other attacks in Northern VA and possibly PA.

The whole story (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/HTMLPage/RTD_HTMLPage&c=HTMLPage&cid=1128769179086)

[racer2c]

Don't even get me started... :( :shakehead :flame:

Man, I can't believe I didn't hear about this.

I did a search and couldn't find anything about how the case is going. Is there any word from down there who did this?

Nervermind...

[The Doctor]

I agree with a few of the other choices and will throw this one out here, Sufjan Steven's "Illinois." It certainly got more pub later in the year but it's a damn good album that deserves some consideration as well. He definitely has a good folky sound going that sets him apart.



http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009R1T7M.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[extramundane]

For those who were Bryan Harvey/House of Freaks fans...

http://www.plan9music.com/images/harvey.jpg

(tracklist/purchase (http://www.plan9music.com/?node=item&id=5420000090))