(Friday, December 23)

Top 25 Albums of 2005

Last year's top 25 list still is the most read page of all 3000+ pages of my blog, so there is no way I could pass up not creating my top 25 list of 2005. This year was actually a lot harder than last year because when I started to create my list I noticed a few things: 1.) I picked up a lot of albums in early 2005 that actually came out in late 2004, so I cannot use them (all albums except 2 came out in 2005, the other 2 came out in December of 2004) 2.) I actually had a lot more on the list this year (I had a total of 42 albums that I thought were great albums, but only 25 can make the cut. 3.) There were actually 3 albums by one artist in those 42, so I made my self shave off the latest album (worst of the three) even though I think it is still a great album. So without further ado: Cyanbane's Top 25 Albums of 2005

#25 Hold Me to This: Christopher O'Reily Plays Radiohead I loved True Love Waits. I actually tried to get the strings arrangement at our wedding to play a few sections from it (and some Jeff Buckley), but neither happened. For those that don't know Christopher O'Reily is a GREAT pianist and does a really good job classically interpretating Radiohead on the piano. His first album, True Love Waits was a staple in my 'programming music' playlist for a long time. So When I saw that Vic Damone had been listening to this newer O'Reily CD I had to get it. Great stuff. There were a lot of honorable mentions on this years list and it was very tough picking the #20 - #25 on my list, but this record appealed to me on so many levels.

#24 Shine - Trey Anastasio This was somewhat of a recent addition to the list. I have always enjoyed Phish although I would not call my self a huge Phish fan, not really for fear of the stigma, just that minus Rift, I really didn't have their albums continuously playing at any time. I also bought Anastacio's self titled solo album a few years back and listened to it, some it just wasn't all there for me. Shine was different, I really can say that I enjoy every song of the album, and is a very good warm-afternoon-in-the-car record.

#23 Countryman - Willie Nelson I have always enjoyed Willie Nelson, I did not know if I was going to enjoy his fore into Reggae though. I heard a lot about this album before it came out, and I must say that it still is very Willie Nelson. Very enjoyable music. The Highlights for me are: Papa is a Worried Man and One in a Row

#22 Carencro - Marc Broussard I get goosebumps every time I hear the opening track to this CD. Home is a great great song, and although I don't know if the rest of the album captures the same soul that Home does, the rest of the album is semi-pop goodness. Songs like Rocksteady, and Lonely Night In Georgia are proof that he isn't just an artist with a great single. I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of him in the next few years. Also I have to admit the first time I heard 'Home' I pictured a much older, much larger, black guy with a steel guitar.

#21 Rokysopp - The Understanding Not really sure how to describe this album. It is very ambient, but also not really a dance album. I first heard this duo with their first CD Melody A.M., for some reason I caught a viewing of the first single from that album, and I thought the video was pretty cool so I picked up the first CD. When this CD came out I was slow to pick it up, but as soon as I did I realized it was just as good as the first one. A lot of the songs build energy and I am starting to see a lot of popular music sounds like them also. The first single off Madonna's new album sounds a lot like something they would do at the beginning of the song. (I forget the song name, but it starts off with 'Tick Tock' or something to that nature, then the music sounds muffled, then kind bends into place).

#20 Jacksonville City Nights - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals The second CD that Ryan Adams released with The Cardinals this year, was much slower than the previous release Cold Roses. The songs seemed a lot more personal and less Honkey Tonk. I think this album sounds a lot more sad than anything that Adams has done since Whiskytown (even Heartbreaker), there are many heartfelt songs on this CD and there are multiple points when I think he sounds a lot like John Lennon. This CD also sounds more like Adams roleplaying/acting as he writes the music (as if he is writing from another person/time periods point of view). Highlights for me on this album include: The Hardest Part, Silver Bullets, and Pa.

#19 Illinois - Sufjan Stevens Who would have thought and entire CD about a Midwestern state would get such rave ratings and be some indie lists darling CD of the year. I have to admit, this is a stellar CD. It is very theatrical, one minute you will here Stevens solo acoustic on guitar and the next you will hear orchestral arrangement with background harmonics. The neat thing is that it all fits so well together. I have always wondered if all the fans on his message boards always try to abbreviate the song titles. That being said, the highlights for me include: ASRFMTWWIBFVGR and TMOMSOH.

#18 A Change is Gonna Come - Leela James I was really surprised by the album because I saw it advertised heavily on VH1 and the song that they played on the adverts and her single named Music was good, but I didn't know if it was worth the buying the CD, then I heard the song Ghetto on a podcast and decided I had to have the CD. The entire CD is great, and mostly certainly worth the price. The only lowpoint on the CD for me is the No Doubt Cover of Don't Speak . There is just something about the song that I don't like, and it was not made any better by James' cover. Every single other song of the CD would be a standout on most other female R & B singer's albums this year.

#17 Songs For Silverman - Ben Folds I have been a big fan of Ben Folds since the Five's Self Titled CD. Last year Ben held the coveted #6 spot with his Three EPs that were released on iTunes and AttackedByPlastic. Songs For Silverman seems a little more darker and more sad than some of folds previous solo CDs but there are a few "happier" highlights like Jesusland and Give Judy My Notice. I think that most every album that Folds has ever done solo is very retrospective on his own life. This one seems a little more personal than then others though. Most of the songs I don't know if I would enjoy as much on Fold's live solo piano shows, but on a CD they are great, they are not your usual over the top piano pieces he is known for, but I personally think they are better lyrically. Bastard and You to Thank seem to stick out for me.

#16 Live in Paris - Seal I have been a huge Seal fan for the last 10 years, and low and behold a week after this CD was released he was on tour here in Atlanta (first time in 10 years) and we were able to go see him at Chastain Amplitheatre. The concert was great I wrote about it here, but I have to say that I think since I bought this CD the week before that I was expected a little more. I would give the concert we attended a 10 out of 10 and the concert that this was recorded at (Paris early 2005) a 12 out of 10. The recording/mastering of this live album is great, and I think a very good representation of a male vocal performer.

#15 Back To Bedlam - James Blunt Within about 4 weeks this album shot to the top of a bunch of British charts at the beginning of 2005. I had never heard James Blunt, so I decided to download the CD and the very first song I played was No Bravery and instantly fell in love with it. At the time I thought it might be a song about the war in Iraq that a buddy of his was in or something. I did a little reading about it, and it turns out that Blunt was actually in the British Army and was station in Bosnia (the subject matter of this song) and the song just meant a lot more to me knowing that he was there and the song was written by him. The entire CD is good, I have noticed that they have started playing You're Beautiful here in the states on some radio stations. I don't know if any of the are brave enough to play No Bravery as a single with their usual corporate swagger.

#14 The Shore - The Shore I first heard the single Waiting for the Sun on the radio, and I really enjoyed it. I went and purchased this 9 song EP and I really love every song on it. It is really laid back (almost southern cali/Thrills) music, very easy to listen to and very good.

#13 Put The "O" Back In Country - Shooter Jennings I listened to a lot of country music growing up, and a lot of southern rock. I have been dismayed with popular country music over the last 5 - 8 years and I really don't listen to it that much anymore except for a few exceptions (Tift Merrit, Allison Krause, etc). When I heard this CD, I immediately thought southern rock. It might have just been my first instinct from the cover. I am eager to see if this CD goes anywhere on radio. I really enjoy it. Solid Country Gold is one of my top songs of the year.

#12 Plans - Death Cab For Cutie Ok, I bought Transatlanticism and I thought it was fair. I can't say that I found it as appealing as a lot of people. I think that was the reason that I was slow to pick up this album. I was wrong. I think that lyrically this could be the best album of the year. Every song on it has great songwriting, and the music fit very well also. Some songs take a little while to grow on the listener, but the first single Soul Meets Body IS the best song on the CD for me, followed by I will Follow You and Marching Bands of Manhattan.

#11 Tourist - Athlete I still don't even know if you can get this CD here in the states yet. I got a copy of the import from a friend, and I fell in love with the CD instantly. It sounds a lot like Feeder's Pushing the Senses (another great album that didn't make the count down), but a little more mellow.

#10 Guero - Beck Beck has always been an artist that I could listen to and would usually grab his albums, but I never really got into being a hardcore Beck fan. I have always thought he was uber-creative and in some ways I never really knew why mainstream radio picked up on him like they did. I think he is going to be like Prince. I think in 20 years people are going to look back on his music and think, "Damn, he was way ahead of everyone". I got the E-Pro single off iTunes where the entire 5 songs are played with 8-bit sounds that sounds like they are from the original Nintendo. It intrigued me enough to pick up this whole album and I am glad it did. Highlights for me are Scarecrow and Earthquake Weather.

#9 Frances The Mute - The Mars Volta I discovered Deloused at the Comatorium about a month before Frances The Mute came out and my first thought upon hearing Deloused was 'What the fuck are these guys on?'. The CD takes you from one end of emotion to another, and Frances the Mute does just the same. It is not for everyone, some parts it sounds like an Opera, other times like Sunny Day Realestate hopped up on coke. I can't really describe the sound, I think it is beyond awesome, but you certainly want to sample this one before you buy it.

#8 X & Y - Coldplay I wrote a pretty decent writeup on this album earlier in the year which I posted here. To summarize, you have to give the darlings of the UK a chance on this album. IT WILL GROW ON YOU. It has me. It really is a great album when you listen to it a few times.

#7 Get Lifted - John Legend This was one of the only albums I added to the list that came out in 2004, it came out in the last week of 2004 and really was on of the best records of 2005. I heard the single for Used To Love U and decided I needed to hear the rest of the CD, and I can honestly say it is one of the best R & B CDs that I have heard in awhile. Tons of soul. It is smithered smatthered smothered and covered in soul. Legend writes from the heart, and can play pretty damn good piano to boot. A must have of 2005.

#6 In Between Dreams - Jack Johnson One of the few artists in the world where I will brave a teenybopper crowd to go see live. EXCELLENT singer song writer and this CD shows why. It is his third released behind Brushfire Fairytales and One and One and every song on here is golden (along with the great cover art). I was really excited about the CD launch and it was well worth it. I am eager to hear soundtrack he has been working on for the Curious George movie coming out soon.

#5 Demon Days - Gorillaz A few years ago my wife told me I needed to listen to the Gorillaz Self Titled CD after she heard Clint Eastwood on the radio. So I did a little research to find info on the band because I thought they sounded a lot like Blur. Low and Behold it was Damon Albran's new group... well kinda. The factious band really isn't a band at all, which makes them all the more interesting. I bought the self titled cd and fell in love with its infectious grooves at once, and went and bought the Trojan Dub mix album for Space Monkey's Vs The Gorillaz also. I was awaiting info on this album when I ran across the single for Feel Good Inc. I knew at once this was going to be a hit album, the thing I didn't know was how much of a concept album it was going to be. GREAT album, most certainly a top 5 for this year.

#4 Strange & Beautiful - Aqualung For those that might follow my music listening habits, this might be the dark horse of the year for my top 25 list. The funny thing is that I don't really know why I can't put this album down. It is great all the way through. I just checked my itunes stats since I last cleared my stats, I have listened to the CD all the way through 27 times. It is similar to X & Y, but yet totally different at the same time. Just a great release by and artist I had never heard of, that I am amazingly impressed with.

#3 Nashville - Josh Rouse A friend at work asked me if I had heard this album yet, I had seen it released, not a lot of people were talking about it so I decided not to get it. After hearing him rave about it I finally gave it a spin and was floored. I honestly was blown away and thought man, if this guy isn't signed or isn't big he is gonna blow up. So then I start looking into his discography and noticed he has 5 more CDs. This might be the first time I have ever gone and picked up an entire back catalog of someone. He just released another EP about 3 weeks ago that is great too, but this is certainly the album you want to get by him, followed by another purchase of 1972

#2 Mighty Rearranger - Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation I specifically remember the exact day that I was 14 years old received the first 4 cds of one of those shitty CD clubs where you get like 4 free then buy 2 at $847.23 over the next 2 years and then get 3 more for free. Well my first 4 cds of this wonderful club were some crap cd, Homebase by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (no shit), some other crap cd and Led Zepplin's Zoso/Runes/IV. I think I must have had the Zep album playing for 6 months strait. I also was heavy into Dungeons and Dragon's and pen and paper RPGs and other cool stuff that 'cool kids' [sarcasm] did back then too, and I will always remember that Zoso/Runes/IV held this mystic quality to it that I since I have only encountered in two other Led Zepplin albums; Houses of the Holy and Led Zepplin II. Until I got this album. This CD just feels like Zepplin it just has that mystical quality to it that makes me want to start painting pewter warhammer 40k miniatures. Great CD.

#1 Cold Roses - Ryan Adams & the Cardinals Absolutely, hands down the best CD of 2005 for me. No doubt about it. Not everyone is going to agree with me (ok probably a large portion if not all of the people that read this). But both the CDs in the album have been played in my truck till they are almost already warped from only one year. I LOVE this album. It is country music (as I remember country music) at its best. I cannot really name highlights on this CD because I honestly can say that I think every song is a stand out. A lot of reviews I read for this CD trashed it, or said that it should have only been one CD and the 'Fat Trimmed' as I remember one reviewer put it. Fuck that. This CD is the greatest CD I have purchase in I don't know how long. I have not, and will not ever get tired of the songs on this CD. I put Adams 2nd album from this year Jacksonville City Nights also on the top 25, he also had a third album come out last week called 29 I have listened to it through about 6 or 7 times now and I think it is a decent CD with some bright points, but it does not compare in any manner to Cold Roses. From the beginning of Magnolia mountain to the end of Friends the ENTIRE CD is great. I have listened to Adams for a long time and I think this CD moves a little away from his previous Rock n Roll and back towards his Whiskytown days. But the pairing of him and the Cardinals on this album is amazing. The female singer from the Cardinals (sorry I don't know much about The Cardinals) compliments Adams voice in a perfect manner. Simply the best album that I heard in 2005. Period.