Top Albums of 2005

My list is pretty obvious to me, but maybe you’ll be as surprised by it as I am by others, and say “Damn, that Yeti is an idiot.”
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1. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah –S/T (website)
Released: 7 June
There is not much left to say about this album; hate them, love them, everyone has their own passionate opinion. Since June, the attention they have received has only heightened my repetitious playing of the album, trying to see if the attention is still verified. I’m still not sick of it and I love every note.
Live shows I attended: 02 March, 20 June, 20 July, 10 August, 07 September

2. Youth Group – Skeleton Jar (website)
Released: 24 May (01 March in Australia)
Not too much hate going around about these guys. If you don’t love them, I don’t know what to do for you. For the life of me can’t figure out why they aren’t huge. Nearly every song is solid, and I have yet to find anything tiresome. Youth Group have a strength all their own despite the happy happenstance of having a singer that sounds like Tim Booth and melodies that ring of James. I find something very refreshing in their songs. I’m glad to see it’s recognized on other Top-lists as well, (Torr, Productshop)
Live shows I attended: 16 September, 20 October

3. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (website)
Released: 22 March
Classic "2005" by now, it’s definitely the biggest release of 2005 on my list, and rightly so. From the opening ambient guitar lines of “Like Eating Glass", joined by a pounding beat, Silent Alarm is intense. Every song is designed to be sung by a stadium-size crowd going apeshit. Or, that’s just me. I do tend to drink too much at or before their shows.
Live shows I attended: 20 February, 8 April, 28 May, 15 June, 9 September

4. Voxtrot – Raised by Wolves (EP) (website)
Released: Date Unspecified
Yes, this is an EP, but it’s too good to be left of the year-end list. I held it to a higher standard, and it’s still superb. 2006 is going to be a big year for them. If bands were horses, I’d put all my dough on this pony. Can’t wait for EP #2 and LP #1.
Live shows I attended: 11 August, 12 August, 16 September, 17 September, 07 December

5. The Joggers – With a Cape and Cane (website)
Released: 27 September
I feel like I could write a Masters thesis on this album. It’s so complex that over the ten songs, you realize that they each have three or four different songs within them. They change melodies, time signature, tempo, alternate modes and fluctuate keys at random. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the four-part harmonies and inventive melodies. To sing along, you better know your scales and arpeggios, as well as tackle some tricky skips. Yet, amidst all this complexity are puzzlingly catchy songs. Now onto my PhD.
Live shows I attended: 8 November

6. The Picture – Connect (website)
Released: 6 December
Outside this blog, you’ve probably never heard about the Picture. Despite having a late December 6th release, this album has climbed my play-count with unprecedented swiftness, and in only four weeks has crawled up with these other notable albums. Some might claim they aren’t distinctive enough to warrant such praise. I think that whatever they are doing, they do it the best. Keep an eye on them in 2006.
Live shows I attended: 5 November, 6 December

(6b. The Head Set - Untitled) (website)
Not yet released
It might not be “fair” to include an unreleased album on this list, but I’ve already mentioned one unknown so I might as well drop the other shoe. At least I should give the Head Set the attention they’ve received on my iPod. That’s why I’ve numbered it 6-B. The Head Set were a happy accidental discovery at Pianos and luckily I got the band to send me something –a 10 song ‘album’- and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. I’m not even sure if it’s the final versions of the songs. I listen to them at work, when I’m going out for the night, and even in the morning when I am tired and groggy. It really plays well at anytime of day. I’ve called them the “motherfucking gods of rock and roll” and I’m sticking with it.
Live shows I attended: 26 July, 17 August, 14 October, 31 October

7. Devin Davis – Lonely People of the World Unite! (website)
Released: 15 March
Lonely People is a super solid record that I super super love. It’s passionate, and has a strong beat for a backbone that flesh out what would normally be average singer/songerwriter songs. He alternates between acoustic and electric guitar, with the former being the superior, but the others don’t let the album fall apart. While it has a few moments that are predictable, they are still the most enjoyably composed songs by a Male Artist in a Leading Role of 2005. Serious now… this album is the smuggler’s dope.
Live shows I attended: 14 September, 18 November

8. Editors – The Back Room (website)
Released, U.K only: 28 July
Copycats these blokes are not! Editors lay down the dance beats themselves, and thus in my eyes beat Interpol at their own game. They won’t get respect from those who can’t hear the obvious variations between the two, but just ignore them. I’ve listened to this album a lot, and all the B-sides are equally as strong.
Live shows I attended: None

9. Stars – Set Yourself on Fire (website)
Released in the U.S.: 8 March
I bought tickets to the Stars show in April without ever hearing a note. I’m not sure what I heard or who I heard it from, but it was enough for me. I then got Ang to buy the album solely on my word that it was good. I loved it from the start. “Your Ex Lover is Dead” is such a perfect first song, it’s easy to forget there are 12 other great songs on there.
Live shows I attended: 30 April, 25 June, 18 August

10. The Hold Steady – Separation Sunday (website)
Released: 3 May
This is one solid rock album. Riff after riff, they kick my ass over and over. Somehow, while Craig Finn doesn’t really sing, it’s easy to learn the words and “sing” back.
Live shows I attended: 19 January, 06 August, 30 September

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The Next Ten (11-20):

11. Okkervil River – Black Sheep Boy (website)
Released: 5 April
Don’t forget these guys. OK... no one has.
Live shows I attended: 11 November

12. Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (website)
Released: 27 September
Dinner Bells is unnecessarily long, but other than that this is a damn strong album.
Live shows I attended: 17 September, 24 October, 27 October

13. Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree (website)
Released: 26 April
The Best “Americana” album of 2005.
Live shows I attended: 29 October

14. Art Brut – Bang Bang Rock and Roll (website)
Released: 26 May
While I didn’t listen to album as much as I could have, they absolutely destroy in concert.
Live shows I attended: 10 November, 12 November

15. Levy – Rotten Love (website)
Released: 13 September
I expected they would only have one good song, but instead found that everything on this short album is solid.
Live shows I attended: 14 October, 02 December

16. Rogue Wave – Descended Like Vultures (website)
Released: 25 October
Even stronger than their debut; they only get better and better the more they play.
Live shows I attended: 17 June, 17 September, 02 December

17. We Are Scientists – With Love and Squalor (website)
Released, U.K. only: 17 October
It’s hard to separate W.A.S. from their live show, which defined for me much of the first half of 2005. To finally get a recording of those songs is great. I wish they’d stay small and in NYC.
Live shows I attended: 21 January, 15 April, 21 May, 09 June, 09 July

18. Cloud Cult – Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus (website)
Released: 22 March
Most of the songs on Advice are gorgeous; a few detract from that, but it still makes for a solid breakout.
Live shows I attended: 13 September

19. The Cribs – The New Fellas (website)
Released: 21 June
I listened to the Cribs maddeningly between July and September. I’ve fallen out of love since then, but I’m left with sweet memories of the affair we once had.
Live shows I attended: 14 September, 16 September, 26 November

20. Arctic Monkeys – Beneath the Boardwalk (Demo) (website)
Released: July?
The official release isn’t out yet, but this downloadable demo is so damn strong, it’s one of the biggies of 2005. If anything, it should rank even higher (and I didn’t like it at all at first). Official release will come January 30th and you can bet your mortgage they are going to have a huge 2006. Let’s hope they give as much attention to the U.S. as Bloc Party did.
Live shows I attended: 16 November

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The Next 10 (21-30)(in alphabetical order):

Doveman, The Eels, John Vanderslice, Kaiser Chiefs, Magic Numbers, New Pornographers, Sam Champion, Stellastarr, Steven Malkmus, Tom Vek

More of an accurate reflection of my listening: My top songs of 2005 will be posted later this week.