Our Best Albums of 2005

Watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve last night - which instead of having ACTUAL live performances featured pre-recorded ones, including a Neil Diamond one from the 80's (! ?) - I was overtaken by the urge to compile a list of the ten best albums from 2005. I called up my brother Charlie and collectively, we came up with this list, which - for whatever reason - looks like just about every other top ten list from 2005. Of course, there are things that we missed and didn't get the time to fully appreciate, however this list is still pretty damn comprehensive:

10). Set Yourself on Fire / Stars

Perfect pop hooks and pretty melodies come together in the best medicine for anyone who found Death Cab's major label debut a bit too "major label." Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell share vocal duties (frequently dueting), singing about dead ex-lovers and divorce, alongside subtle strings and horns. In a year with so much talk about Canada's growing music scene, Stars is the band most deserving of the attention. -w


9). Get Behind Me Satan / The White Stripes

Just when you think you've seen it all from Jack and Meg White, they take you in a new direction. For most of their fifth album, they abandon the blues-rock of their previous albums for a more country-folk sound, which is most evident on "My Doorbell" and "Little Ghost." They expand their instrument repertoire to include pianos and marimbas, and while it may not rock out as much as thier previous efforts, Jack and Meg show once again that they are far ahead of their indie rock counterparts. -c

8). Illinois / Sufjan Stevens

With Illinois, the second installment in his ambitious "50 States Project," Stevens has produced a musical epic, with songs ranging from the historical to the deeply personal to combinations of both.In between are tales about UFO sightings and Superman, as well as the most oddly beautiful song ever about a serial killer ("John Wayne Gacy, Jr."). If Stevens continues pumping out albums at his current pace, he should have a regular spot on this countdown. -c


7). Gimme Fiction / Spoon

The latest from Britt Daniel and Co. proves that great rock music can be subtle. On brilliant songs like the understated "Was it You?" and the not-quite indie pop "My Mathematical Mind," the music is not quite fast enough to dance to, yet not quite slow enough for a slow dance. Your best bet is to tap your feet, which is far less exhausting. -w



6). Arular / M.I.A.

Hype is only worth something if talent backs it up. Early last year, M.I.A. was the most talked about thing in music, and when her album finally dropped, it did not disappoint - rapid fire rhymes over beats and samples, reflecting a variety of cultures and genres. On "M.I.A." she asks the question, "You can be a follower but whose your leader?" after picking apart Bush and Tony Blair. Well, how about you? -w


5). LCD Soundsystem / LCD Soundsystem

Back in 1997, I thought techno would take over. It didn't, but what was exciting was that music geeks were actually able to become rock stars. LCD Soundsystem's debut reflects this dream of mine - an album informed by dance music, psychedelic rock and glitch. Perfect dance pop songs are created only to self-destruct into noise without ever losing their hook. A second disc of previously released catchy-as-hell singles showcase James Murphy's ability to perform an eight minute monologue about his days as a record clerk, while still making you want to dance. -w


4). I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning / Bright Eyes

While previous albums have let Conor Oberst's vocal run wild, the approach is much more restrained on his most mature album yet. Emmylou Harris adds harmonies to a series of country-tinged melodies, while Oberst's vocals remain hushed until the brilliant final moments. Gorgeous and un-pretentious, his lyrics have never been matter. The music is still heartbreaking but never alienating. When he screams "Let's fuck it up boys, make some noise" in "Road to Joy," he has you ready to take on the world. -w


3). Picaresque / The Decemberists

Seeing the Decemberists at the Fillmore with Sons & Daughters and Petra Haden was - hands down - my favorite live show this year. For the encore, a 10-minute jam took place. Unlike a jam of the Dave Matthews variety, this jam included band members switching to instruments they could not play and audience participation. These audience members were also unfamiliar with the instruments they hit away it. At the end, Colin Meloy reclaimed his guitar, had the audience sit down, and ended the song with one strum. The album is not as chaotic but equally stunning - as heartbreaking as it is humorous. -w


2). Twin Cinema / The New Pornographers

Like an ice cream sundae that is as delicious and amazing as anything you have ever tasted, yet totally good for your arteries, the New Pornographers make pop music that won't destroy your brain. On their third album, the all-star collective add even more new members and achieve the perfection they have been hinting at since the beginning. Neko Case sings two ballads that exist somewhere between indie pop and alt-country, Dan Bejar contributes his best Pornographers work, and at the center is Carl Newman - a pop genius with a knack for writing lyrics that stick and sound meaningful. "Sing Me Spanish Techno" is the epitome of this perfection - an upbeat love song with great harmonies and a chorus about "listening for too long/to one song," which - it should be said - is exactly what happened when I listened to it. -w


1). Late Registration / Kanye West

Kanye West's sophomore LP is unlike any album that has come before. He all but abandons his trademark sped-up soul sound in favor of something much different. Co-producing with Jon Brion, songs are layered with luscious string arrangements and samples are used in a whole new way. The emphasis here is not on rhyme skills (which Kanye and his many guests have plenty of) but instead on extraordinary production. Songs often extend long beyond their final verses into strings, background singers and monologues. The defining moment is "Crack Music" where Kanye channels his political rage over a warped beat that gives some idea as to what "Hail to the Thief" may have sounded like as a rap album. He hasn't quite made his White Album yet. This is more like Revolver. His music and persona are still filled with contradictions, but he remains the artist most worth talking about. -w