Your Favourite Albums Of the year

[YI]

It's been one hell of a year for music, or at least for me. In just over the past 12 months there's been new Jamiroquai, SOAD, Audioslave, FFAF, Gorillaz, Mars Volta, Dream Theater, Dredg, Opeth, Sigur Ros, Spock's Beard, Porcupine Tree, Pennywise, Strung Out, Death By Stereo, Alkaline Trio, Rise Against, Propagandhi, The Dead 60's, Death Cab For Cutie, Jack's Mannequin and Sufjan Stevens. Hell I could go on.

So my question is, what would you say were your favourite albums of 2005?

5. Jack's Mannequin - Everything In Transit

A feel good album, something that you rarely come across now. Would make for perfect summer listening, pisses you off a bit listening to it in the cold, especially the line "There's so much sun where i'm from, I had to give it away"......wanker. It's like taking the best parts out of Something Corporate, actually it is literally taking the best part out of Something Corporate and making him the centre of the attention. The piano is the fundamental part of the songs, with the guitars beefing it up for the big choruses.

BEST SONGS : The Mixed Tape, Into The Airwaves, I'm Ready

4. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans

It's pretty much accepted amongst fans that "Transatlanticism" is the better album, I on the other hand am not too sure. "Plans" mixes beautiful and often simplistic piano with heartfelt lyrics, to great effect in the likes of 'Brothers on a hotel bed" but also play's to the bands more 'exciting' style with 'Crooked Teeth' which I think is a 'Sound Of Settling' beater for their most 'mainstream recognised' song.

BEST SONGS : Different Names For The Same Things, Crooked Teeth, What Sarah Said, Brothers On A Hotel Bed

3. The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute

When I bought it, I liked it, though I wasn't heavily into it. The more I listened, the more I loved it. It's a work of genius. Whilst they may not be the 'mack-daddies' of the prog scene, they are the band with the most mainstream hype. They don't have the most attractive sound, I admit, but they are immensly talented and are meant to be one of the best live bands out there at the moment (Though I want to see for myself ) It will be hard to recommend tracks with their only being 5 on the album. So if you're going to get some, might as well get it all.

BEST SONGS : Cassandra Geminni, Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus

2. Gorillaz - Demon Days

The self titled album was brilliant and I was afraid that the Gorillaz would have nowhere to go from their. But thankfully I was proven wrong and Demon Days blows the self titled album straight out of the water. They've expereimented a lot more in this album. Whilst the self titled experimented with different genres of music, Demon Days not only does that but experiments with the instruments used, and the whole style of the music (How it's excecuted, I suck at explaining). It's a true modern masterpiece, however one thing that lets it down is the lack of amazing stand out songs. The first album had a few stand out songs "Tomorrow Comes Today", "19-2000" and "Clint Eastwood". But that's mostly due to every song being good.

BEST SONGS : El Manana, Dirty Harry, Feel Good Inc, O Green World, Don't Get Lost in Heaven

1. Jamiroquai - Dynamite

It had been 4 years since Jamiroquai's last release and I must say Jay Kay and the gang definately brought the goods. Again I was worried that the band were in a downward spyral as the album "Funk Odyssey" despite having an awesome name, was rather poor (With the band opting for more dance orientated tracks). I had very little expectations for this. But as soon as I saw the video for "Feels Just Like It Should" I knew they were back to their best (It is a hell of a video too. I didn't even know about the first playing until my bro barged into my room and put C4 on, I was like "woah....JAMIROQUAI!"). For the first time ever a Jamiroquai album does not have a filler song (Like the fucking didjeridoo in "Travelling Without Moving". Would be cool as fuck live, but it waste's 3 minutes for no real reason). There's a couple that aren't really up to standard of the rest of the IMO, but they still have good qualities (Electric Mistress, Hot Tequila Brown). However there's the classic, "Love Blind" which is right up there with "Virtual Insanity". Not quite as good, but it's definately the bands second best song, if not purely for the chorus where there's the clever effect with the bass. Speaking of the abss playing it's shit hot, I mean SHIT HOT, throughout the whole album. I don't understand how you can not like these guys, but they seem to get shit all the time. Not only is it album of the year, it is also the best Jamiroquai album (IMO) knocking the brilliant "Travelling Without Moving" off the position it's held for nearly 10 years. It's got a little bit of everything; rock (Black Devil Car, Feels Just Like It Should), funky (Time Wont Wait, Dynamite), dance ((Don't) Give Hate A Chance), chilled (Seven Days In Sunny June, World That He Wants), the Sims sountrack (Talullah) Kool & The Gang Tribute song (Starchild).

BEST SONGS : Love Blind, Feels Just Like It Should, Black Devil Car, Dynamite, (Don't) Give Hate A Chance, Starchild, The World That He Wants

Edited November 23, 2005 by Spyrazul

[Skummy]

In no particular order:

Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll

Easily one of the best albums of the year, it deserved so much more hype and success than it got. It combines all the best parts of the art-rock movement, with a healthy dosage of post-modern irony and it's so intrinsically British and witty that it's just a perfect indie album. Eddie Argos is one of the most under-rated frontmen in rock today, and the whole band are just incredible.

Best Songs: Rusted Guns, Modern Art, Emily Kane, Good Weekend

Antony & The Jonsons - I Am A Bird Now

I don't even know how to do Antony & The Jonsons justice in words, they're a band you need to hear to believe. Fantastically surreal lyrics, sung by a man of ambiguous sexuality, who sounds like the bastard offspring of Nick Drake and Nina Simone, after having been raised on Lou Reed. Really inventive, beautiful music. Nothing else like it anywhere in the world.

Best Songs: Hope There's Someone, Fistfull Of Love, My Lady Story

The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever

I can't remember who it was on here who turned me on to The Boy Least Likely To, but I'm eternally in their debt. This is the best cheery pop album I've ever heard, taking the childish innocence of The Moldy Peaches et al in an entirely different direction, while each song still has underlying darkness. Like Pavement on valium.

Best Songs: Hugging My Grudge, I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes, Monsters, Paper Cuts

Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production Of Eggs

Not really much I can say...just a quirky, inventive singer-songwriter. He deserves the success that the likes of James Cunt get instead.

Best Song: Fake Palindromes

The Arcade Fire - Funeral

Canada finally prove that they're capable of producing good bands

Beautiful, inventive, unique. Not much else to say.

Best Song: Rebellion (Lies)

The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute

Like has already been said, it's an album that takes repeated listens, but once there, you can't help but fall in love with it. It's incredible.

Best Song: Cassandra Gemini

[Lord Nibbler]

Based on what I've bought this year;

Dangerdoom - The Mouse And The Mask

Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now

The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike

Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams

Kanye West - Late Registration

Beck - Guero

I'm getting Apologies to the Queen Mary (Wolf Parade), Illinoise (Sufjan Stevens), Picaresque (Decemberists) and maybe Thunder, Lightning, Strike (New Pornographers) for Xmas, so they'll probably make the list.

[Turbo Yannis]

CKY - An Answer Can Be Found

This was always going to be a bit bias for me seeing as I absolutely adore everything that CKY do. This might not be their best album but I enjoyed this allot more than most of the stuff I listened to this year

BEST SONGS: Triple Manic State, All Power to Slaves, Dressed in Decay.

Bullet for my Valentine - The Poison

This was the first from BFMV that I and heard and I instantly fell in love with it. It sort of reminds me of a mix between a soft Slayer and Funeral for a Friend.

BEST SONGS: Spit You Out, 4 Words (To Choke Upon), Tears Don't Fall.

Kaiser Chiefs - Employment

I remember hearing I Predict a Riot once or twice on the radio but I really got into the Chiefs when I was working late shift and Zane Lowe was playing Oh My God every night. Got the album and it's full of great, catchy tunes. Might not be to everyone's taste but I love this album

BEST SONG: Caroline, Yes, Born to be a Dancer, Modern Way.

Nine Black Alps - Everything Is

Although they may not be that overly different from what's coming out at the moment, I love Nine Black Alps. Definitely have the talent to be big.

BEST SONGS: Cosmopolitan, Ironside, Everybody Is.

The Subways - Young for Eternity

I wasn't too sure on The Subways before I was them live at T In The Park. They completely blew me away . It was loud and sweaty as fuck and the whole crowd was going totally nuts for them in the tent. And their bassist is hot as fuck

BEST SONGS: Somewhere, No Goodbyes, Rock & Roll Queen.

Viking Skull - Born in Hell

I can't have a best albums list without a bit of Skull

BEST SONG: Frostbite

Nothing ground breaking but that's what I enjoyed this year.

Edited November 24, 2005 by Turbonizzle

[Liam]

I hate doing this, as I forget what is in this year, and what was from past years. Off the top of my head:

David Gray - Life In Slow Motion

Not as good as White Ladder, but better than A New Day At Midnight, David Gray's new album just has a lush beauty to it, although slighlty darker in lyrical tone than usual. I'm a big adult contemporary fan, and Gray is class at it.

KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope

Another AC style entry, good catchy pop songs with some uplifting ballads, I just like her voice and writing style.

The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute

Took a while to get used to, but class. Not as good as DITC though.

Audioslave - Out Of Exile

This was the supergroup coming into thier own. Just good solid hard rock, and Cornell is still one of the best vocalists going.

Coheed And Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV

The prior album comes across as a little too whiny, but this showed Co&Ca coming into thier own with a mix of metal and emo-ish sound, with killer lyrics.

I'll have a think when I get home, as I just tend to pick up a lot of old and new CD's at the same time, and thus get confused as to how new they are. I'll also hopefully add reasonings, just in a lesson at the moment.

Edited November 23, 2005 by Liam

[Hellfire]

The only one I'll put right now is The Chittlin Circuit 1.5 by Little Brother. I heard some awesome things about The Minstrel Show (which I just bought yesterday and haven't listened to yet) but this CD is really good.

[Lord Nibbler]

What I've heard off The Minstrel Show is very, very good. Might need to buy that too.

[Guest muddatrucker]

Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams

I'd probably go as far as saying its one of the best albums I've ever listened to, it brings back alot of hard memories for me, but even so, I absolutely love it.

[Guest shibbycath]

Based on what I've bought this year;

Dangerdoom - The Mouse And The Mask

Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now

The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike

Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams

Kanye West - Late Registration

Beck - Guero

I'm getting Apologies to the Queen Mary (Wolf Parade), Illinoise (Sufjan Stevens), Picaresque (Decemberists) and maybe Thunder, Lightning, Strike (New Pornographers) for Xmas, so they'll probably make the list.

[Liam]

Not 100% sure these are all 2005, but to add to my list:

Cephalic Carnage - Anomalies

Cephalic Carnage take every extreme metal genre and put it all into one album with a touch of class, mixing grind, death, doom and black, amongst others

Cave In - Picture Perfect Black

Cave In's latest one mixes the Antenna-esque sound with thier old sound, to great affect.

Head Automatica - Decadence

Mixing Palumbo's under-rated vocals with a dancy, funky sound, Decadence is just 40 odd minutes of fun.

U2 - How To Dismantle An Atom Bomb

Meh, I'm a U2 fanboy, and aside from 1 or 2 songs, its class rock throughout.

Edited November 23, 2005 by Liam

[Farmer Reil]

#5: Hammerfall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken

It's Hammerfall! It's also a studio album, which means it's slow and rather relaxed, which is why it's number 5 and not number 1. Bring on the live album!

Favourite Track: Blood Bound

#4: Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution

It's Priest, what do you expect? But seriously, just as good as any other album they've ever made. I should know, I own all of 'em.

Favourite Track: Demonizer

#3: Kamelot - The Black Halo

One of very few American power metal bands (along with Symphony X and, of course, Manowar) to avoid sucking huge amounts of cock. But somehow, while their countrymen keep producing shite, Kamelot continue to be awesome.

Favourite Track: March of Mephisto.

#2: Battlelore - Third Age Of The Sun

How do you follow on from two awesome albums? Make a third awesome album, duh! It seems to be easy for these guys. Then again, if you have as much talent as them, awesome albums usually are pretty easy...

Favourite Track: Can't really choose one... I'll go with Alatar.

#1: Apocalyptica - Apocalyptica

If I told you that there was a band out there that consisted purely of three cello players, you'd probably think I was joking, or they were shit. Well I'm not, and they're not.

Favourite Track: I'm not even going to TRY and pick one...

Edited November 23, 2005 by TheReilDeal

[SeanDMan]

The Arcade Fire - Funeral

Canada finally prove that they're capable of producing good bands

Beautiful, inventive, unique. Not much else to say.

Best Song: Rebellion (Lies)

Fuck off four times. The Arcade Fire are terrible and probably in a head to head battle with Nickleback for worst Canadian band. I'm dissapointed in Canada for The Arcade Fire. We can do so much better.

[RPS]

Yeah, I am sure EVERY single critic who has praised the band is wrong. And the fact that David Bowie wanted to sing a duet with them and U2 uses their song to open their concert is just evidence of them being awful. Not your taste, maybe. But terrible? I think you are the only person I have ever encountered who called the Arcade Fire terrible.

And Skumfrog, Broken Social Scene did release You Forgot It In People in 2001, and I'd say they proved that Canadians could release good music.

Lets do top 5:

5. Buck 65; "Secret House Against the World"

Tom Waits meets Hip Hop; Johnny Cash being covered by the Beastie Boys. Sometimes bizarre, sometimes brilliant.

4. Broken Social Scene; "Self Titled"

A good follow-up to You Forgot It In People, but definitely lacks the beauty of it all. But hey, they did a duet with k-Os, how cool?

3. Sleater-Kinney; "The Woods"

These chicks rock harder than anyone in the business these days. Entertain is definitely my favorite single of the year and Lets Call It Love is an 11 minute anthem. And whoever said chicks cannot rock?

2. Junior Senior; "Hey hey my my yo yo"

I think these two are totally overlooked because of the novelty of the entire thing. But man, do they write the best pop tunes around. The follow-up to D-d-don't stop the Beat is chalk full

1. The Mars Volta; "Frances the Mute"

This CD grew on me. I heard it first and dismissed it as meaningless prog-rock. But ... man, this CD packs a huge punch. Whatever anyone says about these guys is true. They are pretenious prog-rockers who just be whacky for the fuck of it. But it works.

Edited November 23, 2005 by PunkRockPete

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Madonna - Confessions On A Dance Floor

Love it. Yet another side to Madonna, one which works just like the rest of them. Brilliant album which delivers. Favourite song is probably 'Sorry'.

Coldplay - X & Y

Album of the year IMO. Brilliant, fuck the US critics too. Certainly on the level of their other albums, favourite song is possibly 'What If', although I think just about every song is brilliant, outside of 'The Hardest Part'.

Lil Kim - Naked Truth

Gotta love it. Her best since Hardcore, not really a single bad track on it either. Awesome work with the Game, and just simply a great album. Favourite track 'My Niggas'.

[Lord Nibbler]

Upon closer inspection, I also bought Get Behind Me Satan, The Magic Numbers and Lullabies to Paralyze. They were all aight.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Sigur Ros - Takk

Goldfrapp - Supernature

Kaiser Chiefs - Emplyment

Coldplay - X & Y

The start of the year held a load of promise and the year never properly delivered. Shame really.

[Skummy]

Cephalic Carnage - Anomalies

Cephalic Carnage take every extreme metal genre and put it all into one album with a touch of class, mixing grind, death, doom and black, amongst others

I love me some Cephalic Carnage.

And SDM, I'm not going to try and defend The Arcade Fire, as I guess they're not for everyone, but I think they're wonderful.

[Liam]

Cephalic Carnage - Anomalies

Cephalic Carnage take every extreme metal genre and put it all into one album with a touch of class, mixing grind, death, doom and black, amongst others

I love me some Cephalic Carnage.

Didn't see that coming

[Darloboy]

In no particular order:

Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze

Their second best album, only marginally worse than Songs For The Deaf, although I might be in the minority in thinking that. I love nearly all of the songs on it, with the exception of one or two fillers.

Best songs: I Never Came, Burn The Witch, Tangled Up In Plaid

Foo Fighters - In Your Honour

Great album from Grohl and company, not quite on a par with The Colour And The Shape and their self-titled debut album, but still a very solid album. I like a lot of songs on both discs, although I probably prefer the heavy record slightly more.

Best songs: DOA, The Deepest Blues Are Black, Friend Of A Friend

The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell...And Back

I know this isn't out in the shops yet, but I've heard it and it's fucking brilliant. It's a slightly different sound to the first album, it takes a more classic rock route than the heavy rock that featured on Permission To Land. It's over the top, it's camp, it has influences such as Queen and Meatloaf, it has a honky tonk piano solo and I fucking adore it.

Best songs: Dinner Lady Arms, English Country Garden, Knockers

[Skummy]

Cephalic Carnage - Anomalies

Cephalic Carnage take every extreme metal genre and put it all into one album with a touch of class, mixing grind, death, doom and black, amongst others

I love me some Cephalic Carnage.

Didn't see that coming

I may come across as an indie faggot most of the time, but I love experimental metal, especially anything that combines heavy-as-fuck metal with jazz. A friend of mine put "Dying Will Be The Death Of Me" on a mixtape for me, and I've been in love with Cephalic Carnage ever since.