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Untitled Document
Here are Brad's top 10 favourite albums of 2005
Much like last year, this year's list was hard to make. Although unlike last year where I struggled to find 10 albums I really liked, I had a hard time trimming this year's list to 10. Even harder was picking a number one album. The way I see this list is a series of three ties. Numbers 1-3, 4-7, and 8-10 are essentially ties. The order within these three groups could change each day depending on how I feel. One day I could say my number two pick could easily be number one and the next day It could be number three. There were very good albums released this year and below are my 10 favourite albums of 2005 with a description of each, along with some shameless bragging of concerts I attended over the year.
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10. Broken Social Scene - Self Titled
Good release athough it falls short of You Forgot it in People which isn't suprising considering how solid that album was. The one thing I noticed about this album was that it took a few listens to get into and to be able to distinguish the tracks from one to the next. I started to get into the album more after seeing them in winnipeg. Songs like "Ibi Dreams of Pavement" and "Superconnected" are up there with the best BSS songs
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9. Neva Dinova - The Hate Yourself Change
I first heard him on a Bright Eyes split EP that was released last year which made that top 10. I liked his jams on the EP and checked out his album which is pretty tasty. It meshes folk and rock pretty well. Neva Dinova is very talented at writing catchy songs. Some favourite songs from the album are "Yellow Datsuns" and "Ahh". The end of "I've Got A Feeling" makes me laugh. The song has a pretty depressing tone which climaxes with a choir singing "The world's a shitty place and I can't wait to die" to which Neva Dinova lets you know its a joke with "I'm just kidding world, you know I love you". Anyways i'm shitty at describing jokes so you should probably just listen to the song.
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8. Constantines - Tournament of Hearts
I remember hearing some new songs when I saw them last spring which got me excited for this album. Much like Broken Social Scene, this was a highly anticipated release. Much like BSS it isn't as good as its previous album but still fuckin tasty none the less. This album has balls. Songs like "Hotline Operator" and "Lizaveta" will rip your balls off and make you cum, all while having you question your sexuality in regards to Bry Webb and his rugged voice. "Soon Enough" might be one of my favourite songs of the year.
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7. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, its Morning
This was my most anticipated release of the year. It had alot to live upto, Lifted is a money album. I'm Wide Awake, its Morning doesn't match the beauty and genious of Lifted, but it still holds its own and has some of the best Bright Eyes songs i've heard yet. It has a more straight forward folk approach which contrasts Lifted's varying recording and songwriting techniques which gave that album so much character. "First Day of My Life" is probably the pretiest love song i've heard, "Poison Oak" radiates emotion, and "Road to Joy" is a nice climatic closer.
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6. Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart
This is a great rock album that has multiple dimensions which helps keep the listener interested. Much like Tournament of hearts, this album has balls to stand on. The title song "Worlds Apart" is a perfect "fuck you" song to ball-less music and people. "And The Rest Will Follow" is about as catchy as rock songs get.
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5. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
My friend told me about these guys so I gave them a listen. I didn't really get into them all that much untill after I saw them at the Sasquatch Music Festival. This is a solid debut with fuckin catchy songs like "Like Eating Glass". If you like the "Indie Rock" genre you should probably check this album out.
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4. Decemberists - Picaresque
Very tasty follow up to "Her Majesty". This album is tighter than a Mormon's pussy, assuming they don't have sex. Great songwriting and storytelling, especially on "The Mariner's Revenge Song". My only complaint is the riff for "The Sporting Life" sounds a little to close to "Lust for Life".
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3. Sigur Ros - Takk
First off, I saw Sigur Ros in september and it was easily the best concert i've ever attended. This experience may have influenced this pick. With that said, I should say that this album stands on its own. I think I like this album more than (), the fact that Jonsi uses more than the sound "yu si" in his lyircs is a nice change. "Glosi" marks the first use of a distortion pedal in a Sigur Ros song, at least to my knowledge. That song and "Hoppippola" are my favourites due to their sheer fuckin beauty and epicness.
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2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinios
Solid concept album from a musician who's talent seems to be increasing with each release. Right from the first track you know you're in for a shit storm of beauty and elegant songwriting. This album has songs that will rock your balls, "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts", and break your heart, "Casimir Pulaski Day". Some fat could have been trimmed from this album but all in all this is a great jam
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1. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
I first got into Wolf Parade when my friend told me to download their second ep which included the song "Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts". I've waited patiently for this album ever since. These guys have been getting alot of press and critical acclaim lately for their debut full length "Apologies ti the Queen Mary". Rightfully so. The one annoying thing about so much popularity growth in such a small amount of time are the people, mainly those who haven't really listened to either band much, have been comparing Wolf Parade with Modest Mouse, which doesn't make sense because they don't sound a like, especially lyrically and vocally. I guess thats what happens when everyone wants to put their two cents in on a band that has a lot of people talking. Anyways, this album has very catchy and well written and arranged songs. This album shows alot of promise for the band and makes their next album highly anticipated by me. My favourite lyric from the album is "I got a hand, so I got a fist, so I got a plan, its the best I can do, Now we'll say its in God's hands, but God doesn't always have the best Goddamn plans, does he?" Other gems include "Fancy Claps", "Grounds for Divorce", and "You Are A Runner and I Am My Father's Son". Fuck anybody who doesn't like this album.
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Other albums that deserve mention are: Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, Greg Macpherson - Night Flares, Wintersleep - ST, Silver Mount Zion - Horses in the Sky, Mogwai - Government Commissions, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - ST
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