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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2005 23:40:56 GMT -5
While I've always thought albums were great, I never actually put together a best of the year list, so for the first time, I've compiled my favourite 20 songs of the year! While it's true that not all of these albums were released this past year, those that were released in 2004 finally made a mark this year, which is why they qualify. That said, let's start with the first five albums! 20. 50 Cent, The MassacreSo, apparently there aren't a lot of 50 Cent fans around this here board. However, I happened to really enjoy 'The Massacre.' Once you get past who 50 Cent is as a person, and give some serious thought to what the album is about, it starts to hit you. I think part of the problem is that so many people don't understand 50 Cent's background, his mentality. They don't know where his head's at when he's tackling a track. But if you let yourself go and attempt to appreciate the record as what it is, a hip-hop record, you'll be able to sit back and enjoy 50's lyrics a lot more than if you maintain your beef with him. 19. Bedouin Soundclash, Sounding A MosaicBedouin Soundclash had a most interesting year. While remaining a far from mainstream act, a little song called "When The Night Feels My Song" absolutely exploded across the globe, bringing this Kingston, Ontario trio to the front of the Canadian music scene. While a song like "Night" might seem a little novelty, listening to the raw, organic sound of their second album, 2005's 'Sounding A Mosaic,' really gives you an idea of the sound of the band, seamlessly blending reggae, jungle, dancehall and punk into one of the most worldly, original Canadian albums of the year. 18. Death Cab For Cutie, PlansComing into 2005, I knew little of Death Cab. My ex was pretty keen on them back in the day, and they appeared to be a favourite of Seth Cohen on the OC (I'm too un-cool to watch). However, thanks to the single "Soul Meets Body," Death Cab For Cutie entered my radar. Let's touch on something first... after hearing 'Plans,' I went back and listened to their breakthrough album, 2003's 'Transatlanticism,' and friends, this album just doesn't compare. 'Plans' is still a great album, but it seems like the pressure to produce a fantastic major label debut might have gotten the better of them. The Death Cab sound is still evident on, and will probably still be on future discs (thank God), but 'Plans' is no 'Transatlanticism.' It is, however, still a great album. 17. The Bravery, self-titledI know I'll probably get smacked for having this as low as I do, but I don't care. Brandon Flowers of the Killers claims that the Bravery have a recording contract because of the success of the former. Honestly, I can't tell you whether that's true or not. What I can say is that if the Bravery wouldn't have a contract, it'd be a shame. Is this self-titled debut as good as the first disc from the Killers? I don't think so. There are plenty of flaws in 'The Bravery,' and after a while, it just starts to sound a little boring. That doesn't mean it's not a great disc, though. The Bravery have put together a solid debut, with a number standout tracks (such as first single "An Honest Mistake"). 16. Franz Ferdinand, You Could Have It So Much BetterWhen your debut disc is as critically acclaimed as the self-titled offering from these Scots, creating an album of equal caliber is a difficult task. Franz Ferdinand, though, actually found a way to improve. 'You Could Have It So Much Better' finds a piece of paradise for every listener, from the clunky, up-tempo "Do You Want To" to the soft, Beatle-esque "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" to the driving guitar of "I'm Your Villain." Bravo to Franz Ferdinand.
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Post by jt40 on Dec 27, 2005 23:42:31 GMT -5
Don't have any of those albums, but yay for Death Cab and Franz. ;D
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Post by qnx100 on Dec 27, 2005 23:44:41 GMT -5
Definitely agree with #20. It's a great album that is underrated by practically everyone.
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I Got Soul.
Mr. Brightside
All this work keeping people from having sex. Now I know how the catholic church feels. ZING!
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Post by I Got Soul. on Dec 28, 2005 0:14:42 GMT -5
Maybe a little meh'd on #20, but the rest is BRILLIANT.
DCFC ... I think I'm the only one who likes 'Plans' better than 'Transatlanticism', but both are still wonderful, fantastic albums.
And The Bravery vs. Killers thing is so 2005. Want to know the difference? The Bravery will never have a stadium hit like "All These Things That I've Done" , they tried with "Tyrant" but realized that it's not good enough. They will always be forced to produce "Somebody Told Me" after a previous "Somebody Told Me" (ie. Unconditional/Fearless/An Honest Mistake). But hey, there's nothing wrong with that!
GOOD SHOW.
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Post by banet2001 on Dec 28, 2005 0:47:00 GMT -5
Great list so far. The Bedouin Soundclash, DCFC and Franz Ferdinand albums were all very good. I have not listened to the Bravery album, but I liked what I have heard of it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2005 22:24:29 GMT -5
Continuing with #15-11... 15. James Blunt, Back To BedlamI spent a great deal of time saying how much James Blunt sounded like Rod Stewart, and how I REALLY didn't like that. In fact, I spent so much time dissing "Your Beautiful," I almost failed to realize that I had warmed up to the track. What started as a comparison to a pop legend turned into a genuine interest in the guy. So, I actually bought his album, and while it's only 10 tracks, it's fantastic. Blunt, despite his military background, is one of the most sensitive singer-songwriters of the past decade, going places that most men would be laughed at for writing in their journals, let along singing. "Back To Bedlam" is simply a beautiful written, fantastically performed pop record, and I can only imagine Blunt's star rising higher in 2006. 14. Jason Mraz, Mr. A-Z"Mr. A-Z" has to be one of the worst critically reviewed albums of the year, and under most circumstances, when something is universally panned, I stay away from it like the plague. However, based on his previous effort, "Waiting For My Rocket To Come," I decided to brave the criticism and purchase "Mr. A-Z." Honestly, I can see what a lot of the reviewers based their critique on... "Mr. A-Z" is a better reflection of Mraz than "Rocket" was, and as a result, a lot more of Mraz' ego comes out. Normally pop music isn't a genre where ego is easily dealt with; we can expect it from Kanye West, but you don't see Hilary Duff writing a song about writing a song (not that she writes her songs). However, from the point of view of a Mraz fan, it was an interesting departure from "Rocket" in the sense that it gave the listener a better sense of who Mraz is without seeing him in concert (something not always possible for this writer). "Mr. A-Z" is far from a fantastic album, but it's fun, making it something I want to listen to over and over again. 13. Hot Hot Heat, ElevatorVictoria, British Columbia's very own Hot Hot Heat finally broke out a few years ago with the fantastic "Make Up The Breakdown," an album that brought a fresh, pop sound to the indie-rock scene. Like Franz Ferdinand, Hot Hot Heat were able to take the unique sound from their breakout disc and improve on it. "Goodnight Goodnight" is a blistering piece of pop-rock glory, while "Middle Of Nowhere" was a fantastic modern rock tune. If Hot Hot Heat were ever a garage band, they're now playing in the penthouse above the garage that your asshole neighbors pimped out and charged you an arm and a leg for. 12. Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine'Extraordinary Machine' is only the third release for Fiona Apple in just short of a decade, and it might have been longer if Sony had their way. I'm sure that everyone knows the story about the little album that could, so I'm not gonna repeat it, but I have to tell you that Apple must have one of the smartest groups of fans around, 'cause they can appreciate an amazing album. 'Machine' follows up 1999's 'When The Pawn...,' an album that, at the time, failed to match the critical success of Apple's breakthrough 'Tidal,' so expectations were high for 'Machine.' Needless to say, Apple needs only listen to her heart and her brain, because they produced an amazing album that almost never saw the light of day. 11. Black Eyed Peas, Monkey BusinessProbably the most commercial album on this list of fantastic discs, the Black Eyed Peas had quite a challenge ahead of them in repeating the massive success of 'Elephunk.' After adding built in video-ho Fergie to their line-up in 2003, the Peas were somehow able to integrate their newest pop-friendly member in a manner that, while they may have lost some of their original hip-hop audience, allowed them to transition to a full pop group, something that both Beth and Beth's mom were okay with listened to. Cheesy, sure, but hey, it works and I like listening to it.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Dec 28, 2005 22:29:55 GMT -5
Good to see James Blunt and the Black Eyed Peas represented ;D 2 good albums there!
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Post by qnx100 on Dec 29, 2005 0:09:42 GMT -5
Real nice to see the Black Eyed Peas in there!
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I Got Soul.
Mr. Brightside
All this work keeping people from having sex. Now I know how the catholic church feels. ZING!
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Post by I Got Soul. on Dec 29, 2005 1:52:21 GMT -5
BEP & HHH. We're so commercial.
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Matty
Wow..that's my car.
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Post by Matty on Dec 29, 2005 7:31:58 GMT -5
Hot Hot Heat..yippee! ;D
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Post by jt40 on Dec 29, 2005 8:41:14 GMT -5
Go Jason and Fiona!!! ;D
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MIKEB
The King Of Rationality
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Post by MIKEB on Dec 29, 2005 17:50:29 GMT -5
YAY Jason Mraz and Fiona Apple. Two albums that will make my top 20 as well!
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Post by Gerardo on Dec 30, 2005 3:11:14 GMT -5
FIONA and BEP! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2005 16:17:02 GMT -5
We're starting the Top 10 Albums of 2005! 10. Gorillaz, Demon DaysWhen it comes down to supergroups these days, very few actually work. I mean, yeah, Audioslave have put out a couple of decent records, but the Stone Temple Roses are an absolute mess. That makes the second offering from the UK's Gorillaz all the better, because not only is 'Demon Days' a great album, it's a unique album. "Feel Good Inc." has GOT to be one of the best, and most under-appreciated songs of the year. The entire album was so brilliant in it's execution, just how beautifully alternative and urban were blended, that 'Demon Days' end up at #10 on the Best Of 2005 list. 9. Sugarland, Twice The Speed Of LifeMuch as I love Shania Twain, I was beginning to get pissed at the country-pop revolution she had going on. It was one thing to be a country singer with crossover success, but when you released entire albums of pop material, something was wrong (I'm looking at you LeAnn and Faith). In 2004, Gretchen Wilson took new female country back in the direction that it was born with her brilliant 'Here For The Party,' and in 2005, Sugarland provided the new sound of female country; that sound was... country. I'm talkin' about everything from the twang of a fiddle to the twang of a voice, the combination of Jennifer Nettles, Kristen Hall and Kristian Bush gave country music a sound that hadn't been heard in years. 'Twice The Speed Of Life' exceeded my expectations, and I hope to hear MANY great things from Sugarland in the future. 8. The Perishers, Let There Be MorningThe Perishers, it seemed, was one of those bands you'd hear on 'The O.C.,' and all this time, I had no idea who they were. I'll be the first to admit that I don't watch 'The O.C.,' so I'm not exactly a shining example of guys who pick their music based on what hipster TV characters listen to. My Perishers experience came when they opened for one Ms. Sarah McLachlan. A few weeks prior to the show, "Sway" had been a featured free download on iTunes, so I knew one tune going in, but I was absolutely blown away by these guys. While their sound is reminiscent of Coldplay and so many other British/European bands as of late, they're able to sound so different. The songwriting is fantastic, their performance (both recorded and live) is amazing, and the guys couldn't be nicer. So, what does great album, great show and nice guys add up to? The 8th best album of 2005. 7. The Arcade Fire, FuneralThis album could fall more into the 'Best Of 2004' list, but honestly, I don't care. 2005 is when I got into the Arcade Fire thanks to a sudden public interest in the Montreal natives. I have no idea where the hesitation to embrace this new alternative sound came from, but looking back, it's something I wish I'd have rid myself of back when 'Funeral' was released to glowing reviews last year. Each of the ten songs on 'Funeral' is brilliant, such as standout "Rebellion (Lies)" (a former #1 on my chart). Each of the tracks sound completely different from each other, something that can't be said of a lot of today's popular music. Needless to say, for such a truly amazing sound (something I hope can only get better, though it'll be hard), The Arcade Fire are going to be a band to watch in years to come. 6. Various Artists, Six Feet Under - Everything EndsI'll flat out say it: I really don't think of soundtracks as brilliant albums unless done by one artist, almost as a companion album for a film they did. That thought changed when the soundtrack to the final season of 'Six Feet Under' hit store shelves earlier this year. Having watched the final season of this groundbreaking series, I doubted that any single disc could capture the feel of the show in a musical sense, but I was wrong. Every single song on this album, whether a new recording specifically for this album, or something found in the archives, is brilliant. Nina Simone and Irma Thomas provide beautiful, classic jazz tunes with "Feeling Good" and "Time Is On My Side," respectively, while Coldplay and Radiohead's contributions, while not originals, sound perfectly in place. The Latin sound of Bebel Gilberto' "Aganjú" might seem a little out of place, but is a brilliant track. Sia's beautiful "Breathe Me" is probably the highlight of the album, as bare, yet magnificent as it is. The album ends with the 1-2-3-4 punch of Interpol's "Direction," a cover of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by the Caesars (though it could have used more cowbell), Death Cab's amazing "Transatlanticism" and an original from The Arcade Fire, "Cold Wind," and if you ask me, that's as strong a set as any to wind up a spectacular soundtrack album.
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Post by qnx100 on Dec 30, 2005 16:58:24 GMT -5
Gorillaz made the top 10! ;D
Real nice to see them in there. It's too bad they haven't done well at all in the United States - "Feel Good Inc." only reached #14 on Billboard, and "DARE" is now just starting to catch on, but barely. There are so many other great songs on that album - "Dirty Harry", "El Manana"...
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