Blogcritics Picks For The Best Album of 2005
Published December 12, 2005
Digital Ash In A Digital Urn by Bright Eyes
There ain't anything in the Bright Eyes discography that gets anywhere near to being even "average", so consistently awe-inspiring are the glorious musical tapestries wrapped round Conor Oberst's labyrinthine, introspective, increasingly politicised songs. Digital Ash, though, is most likely the very best of the bafflingly brilliant bunch thus far. It's a record I get lost in, transfixed from that beautiful, yet deeply unsettling, soundscape intro to the last notes a "Easy / Lucky / Free". The subject matter bounds breathlessly from the confessional to the metaphysical, from the existential pondering of "Arc Of Time" and "I Believe In Symmetry" to the disarming, naked honesty and morning-after self-disgust of "Hit The Switch". It's consistently fascinating, moving, a work a damn genius. Mike Moogis' production is astounding, the musical arrangements more impressive even than those in 2002's Lifted, all driving rhythms and sweeping electronica, shades a flamenco, jazz, punk, folk and ambient techno. I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, the other studio album released on the same day, is similarly brilliant, but, like the loves of a fella's life or those poor bastards in Highlander, in the end, there can be only one.
5. Al Barger
Get Behind Me Satan by the White Stripes
This album is head and shoulders the best album of pop music put out by anyone this year. Jack White wrote a hell of a batch of songs. These are the most sophisticated and experimental sounds Jack and Meg have ever conjured, judiciously overdubbing themselves to carefully expand their sound. "The Nurse" in particular doesn't sound like any other record you ever heard. He's really broadened the palette with that marimba stuff.
Even songs that are more like genre exercises such as "I'm Lonely" have a uniquely personal stamp. Plus, Jack does significantly service my guitar jones with "Blue Orchid" and the "Instinct Blues."
"Little Ghost" features one of Jack White's best ever lyrics, describing the tender and frustrating relationship with his ghost girlfriend. She sounds hot.
Twenty years from now, Get Behind Me Satan will be a perennial on best of lists.
6. Zach Hoskins of the Modern Pea Pod
Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Yes, I'm well aware this is gonna top a lot of other year-end lists - including the dreaded Pitchfork and all manner of other tunnel-visioned indie rags. But there's a reason behind the adulation. With Illinois, Sufjan brings together everything he does best - sweeping indie pop, banjo-plucking folk, an ebullient sense of humor and a painterly attention to lyrical detail - and he does so with more confidence and unfettered enthusiasm than he's ever done before. "Casimir Pulaski Day" is all at once heartbreaking, poignant, beautiful, and the best short story I've read all year. The other tracks are never less than comparable in quality. Bottom line: even without the "50 states" conceit, this just might be the best collection of songs to hit the shelves in 2005. It really is that good.
Wife, mother, aspiring novelist, and music editor at BC Magazine, Connie Phillips spends most of her time in a fantasy land of her own creating. In reality, she writes about music, television, and the process of writing, when she's not cheering on her kids at equestrian events. Contact: Phillips.connie@gmail.com
- Blogcritics Picks For The Best Album of 2005
- Published: December 12, 2005
- Type: News
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Culture: Administrative
- Writer: Connie Phillips
- Connie Phillips's BC Writer page
- Connie Phillips's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
Fiona Apple--"Extraordinary Machine" by a long shot.
New Pornographers "Twin Cinema" is up there, too.
Brian Wilson "Smile" (yes I know it's after about a 437 years delay).
(Was Nellie McKay this year? If so, she might be second on my list)
"Smile" was last year. I remember, cuz it was my pick for 2004.
Animal Collective's "Feels" is easily my '05 pick. I had no clue it would be so good.
maybe I can whittle this down to 10 best of 2005 for starters...?
Vashti Bunyan: Lookaftering
Golijov: Ayre / Berio: Folk Songs
Harold Budd: Avalon Sutra
Monk/Coltrane: Live at Carnegie Hall
Eighth Blackbird: Fred
Kraftwerk: Minimum-Maximum
Bill Charlap/Sandy Stewart: Love is Here to Stay
Diana Krall: Christmas Songs
Sufjan Stevens: Illinois
Keith Jarrett: Radiance
I see the Heavy Metal section has been overlooked:
My pick: "Alien"-Strapping Young Lad"
Granted their lastest release isn't technically overwhelming, it is completely brutal with brooding harmony and melody that contains a precise,brilliant chemistry between the members which is fantastic for an album that is beyond their sophmore release. Just when you think your heart is going to implode,S.Y.L. layers on a nice ochestrated attempt at an apology for their fierce audio annihilation. On top of that, they don't take themselves too seriously which is really refreshing for a scene loaded with rehashed,trendy and monotonous groups that delve way too often into the negativity of youthful angst. I guess that's why these seasoned vets do it best, especially in 2005...There's not much competition;-)
I've made my little list of pop records I couldn't get out of my CD player this year. I'm sure my Top Ten will all be in this list:
New Pornographers: Twin Cinema
Clientele: Strange Geometries
Cat Power: The Greatest
Sufjan Stevens: Illinois
The Decemberists: Picaresque
Aimee Mann: The Forgotten Arm
Spoon: Gimme Fiction
Antony and the Johnsons: I Am a Bird
Michael Penn: Mr. Hollywood
Animal Collective: Feels
Beck: Guero
Sleater-Kinney: The Woods
The Knitters: Modern Sound of the Knitters
Sigur Ros: Takk
Super Furry Animals: Love Kraft
Bell Orchestre: Recording a Tape the Color of Light
Iron & Wine/Calexico: In the Reins EP
Coco Rosie: Noah's Ark
"Bonnie" Prince Billy and Matt Sweeney: Superwolf
Silver Jews: Tanglewood Numbers
Devendra Banhart: Cripple Crow
Deerhoof: The Runners Four
Destroyer: Notorious Lightning and Other Works
The Magic Numbers: The Magic Numbers
The National: Alligator
Jose Gonzalez: Veneer
The Brakes: Give Blood
Matt Pond PA: Several Arrows Later
The Cloud Room
Ron Sexsmith & Don Kerr: Destination Unknown
As of now, the Pornos, the Clientele, the Decemberists, Deerhoof, and Sufjan look like locks. I love that Deerhoof album more and more every time I hear it.
Stars - Set Yourself On Fire
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Terence Blanchard - Flow
Noise Unit - Voyeur
I liked the Dolly Parton album, too, a lot! As soon as I heard the "Crimson and Clover" song, I knew I had to have that album. Thanks for picking it for the best of 2005!
No now Mark, you know better than acting like I'm not listening to anything newer than college, starting most obviously with our Dear Leader Jack White. I bet if I went back to campus to hunt down the cool kids, they wouldn't have even heard of more than a couple or three of these names.
It's great to like something that's not well known. It might be an undiscovered gem. But if you manage to pick the best 20 albums of the year without getting even ONE that was vaguely popular, it sure looks like your working harder at picking obscure crap than you are at picking the best music. I'm just saying.
well, that might be true, but there's really no way of knowing now, is there?
i mean, i listen to boatloads of obscure stuff....the reason for it being obscure is that most folks can't stand it! i'm not doin' it on purpose, it's just what makes me vibrate.
i would put a vote in for mt eerie- no flashlight. then, animal collective's feels. i don't think mt eerie has ever been mentioned here... i'll check in a moment... they used to be the microphones. they change their name and drop off into obscurity...
here are a few i couldn't live without this year (some of which have already been mentioned, for good reason):
bright eyes - i'm wide awake its morning
spoon - gimme fiction
the frames - burn the maps (nobody seems to notice this one)
sufjan stevens - illinois
a few that are close, but not quite the best of the year:
sleater-kinney - the woods
bloc party - silent alarm
iron and wine/calexico - in the reigns
personally, i don't like bloc party.
If i had to choose one album from this year though, it'd be In Your Honor by The Foo Fighters
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/40881)
my picks so far -
the new pornographers - "twin cinema"
spoon - "gimme fiction"
the hold steady - "separation sunday"