Honorable Mentions
#25-#21
#20-#16
#15-#11
#10-#6
#5-#2
#1
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#25: MR. A-Z by Jason Mraz-Mr. A-Z...the title says it all. A play on his own last name, Jason is a self-proclaimed artist of words...He is Mr. A to Z, and says so not only in his sophomore release's title, but also in the disc's lead single, Wordplay. This disc combines a variety of sounds with Mraz's excellent ability with words and provides listeners with one amazing experience. The emotions covered in this disc are all over the place, from the defiant Geek In The Pink to the upbeat Life Is Wonderful to the thoughtful Song For A Friend. Simply put, this disc is all over the place, but it all fits together oh-so-well.
#24: The Art Of Breaking by Thousand Foot Krutch-This disc was great from the cover art on. Yes, I said the cover art, which was themed through front, back and liner notes, showing a woman reaching out into this beautiful forested area (On the front) from a complete desert (On the back). Get the symbolism? Well, if you don't, think about it or ask a friend. I wouldn't want to give everything away. The music on this disc was also pretty solid. Yeah, there were a few tracks that fell flat, but tracks like Breathe You In, Hurt and the title track (among others) propelled this disc into the Top 25. It's a disc that really is worth picking up.
#23: Hypnotize by System Of A Down-Politically-charged rock. 98% of the time, it is terrible, on either side. System Of A Down, however, manages to make up probably three quarters of that other 2%, however. And the second release of 2005 for System provided one of the brightest moments for the alternative and rock realms this year. The lead single and title track is different from most any other single System has put out there, and it works incredibly. It is just the first of many tracks from this disc to do the job intended of it. The discs covers all sorts of stuff, from the amusing like Kill Rock 'N Roll, to the far more serious Holy Mountains. It's not a disc for the faint of heart in their music (When has a System disc ever been, though?). It's vulgar, it's heavy, it's driven by a lot of anger at various things. But, all that said, it is another release that shows incredible musical and lyrical talents.
#22: Apathetic EP by Relient K-An EP makes it on to the Top 25 of the year, while at least five deserving LP's get left off? Well, when you create an excellent EP such as this one, yes. Relient K made an excellent disc in this effort, even if it is just seven tracks long and three of them are "just" acoustical renditions of older tracks. The Truth is an excellent single that rivals any of the singles Relient K has had on their LP's. In Like A Lion (Always Winter) is probably the best song I've heard that was written based on C.S. Lewis' classic novel, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (And no, it's not on the movie's "Inspired By" soundtrack, though it outdoes all of those tracks). The Thief is one of the most simple songs ever done by the Relient K boys, yet it is in the simplicity that the song finds it's greatness. And the track that inspired the title of the EP, Apathetic Way To Be is a mix of fun-loving Relient K and serious Relient K, which becomes a truly excellent track. The entire EP, including three excellent acoustic tracks, is easily one of the best of the year.
#21: The Road And The Radio by Kenny Chesney-Kenny's music continues to mature as he grows older. No, he hasn't lost his fun-loving side, not by any means. Tracks like Summertime and Beer In Mexico show that to be the case. But he's a mature guy as well. In fact, he knows he's been living a fun-loving, but very hectic life. He says so on Living In Fast Forward. He also knows how to be thoughtful. Who You'd Be Today shows that with his convincing performance on a track about death and the hope of seeing a loved one again someday. He also shows it on You Save Me, one of Kenny's best love songs to date, and one that challenged him vocally (A challenge he proved to be up to the task for). The disc as a whole is definitely one of the year's best (As well as one of Kenny's best).