Top 5 Albums Of 2005
It was quite a spectaular year for new music. It was fun putting together my 2005 mix CD, but I've got to admit... it was difficult narrowing down the list to the best five albums of the year. Based on my listening frequencies (pun intended) for the past year, here are my absolute favorites:
Van Morrison - Magic Time. I can't quite get over my indulgence in his music over the last few years (most specifically). Had you presented Astral Weeks or Veedon Fleece to me a decade ago, I wouldn't have grasped their beauty. These days, I understand a lot more. And so comes Magic Time. Van is in fine voice, and his knack for catchy melodies and thoughtful imagery is still intact. Enjoy this nostalgic CD with someone you love (warm fireplace optional).
Low - The Great Destroyer. As introduced in a Hi-Fives posting nearly a year ago, The Great Destroyer entered my life as a savior of sorts. Dark and often mysterious, but surprisingly warm and comfortable. It's always a wonderful thing to discover a new band that you can easily gravitate to, and at the beginning of 2005, Low was it for me. Apparently, this album turned off a lot of hardcore fans because they strayed a bit from their proven formula. Hey... artists need room to grow.
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses. Mr. Adams found himself quite busy in the last year. Three albums released within a twelve month course, including this double disc set! This was the first of the three, and probably because of that... I found myself more attached to it than the others. Perhaps it was the four-state road trip that it accompanied me on over the summer. Regardless, it worked as my soundtrack without fail.
Caitlyn Cary & Thad Corckrell - Begonias. This one sort of came out of nowhere. Then again, I've always been a sucker for that twangy male-female harmony, especially when the lyrical content reflects all that is sad in my life. Shoot... even with things looking up now, this album still hits home. Had you asked me earlier in the year, I would not have predicted that two members of Whiskeytown would each crack my year-end top 5.
The Decemberists - Picaresque. Last but certainly not least... I present the oddly narrative voice of Mr. Colin Meloy. All I can remember is that two years ago I found myself not liking the first CD by this band that crossed my desk. It could have been a bad day, or just a bad CD. Still, the stars aligned properly this time around and I fell in love with this wildly theatrical indie release featuring songs of espionage and pirates. All bets are off in 2006 if I use this album as a watermark.
And with that, we embark on a new year with all kinds of fresh, new sounds to get us through good and bad times. Hopefully, they will keep you festive amongst others and company when you're alone. Keep me posted throughout the year and let me know what's in your iPod from time to time. Music belongs to us all. Cheers!
Van Morrison - Magic Time. I can't quite get over my indulgence in his music over the last few years (most specifically). Had you presented Astral Weeks or Veedon Fleece to me a decade ago, I wouldn't have grasped their beauty. These days, I understand a lot more. And so comes Magic Time. Van is in fine voice, and his knack for catchy melodies and thoughtful imagery is still intact. Enjoy this nostalgic CD with someone you love (warm fireplace optional).
Low - The Great Destroyer. As introduced in a Hi-Fives posting nearly a year ago, The Great Destroyer entered my life as a savior of sorts. Dark and often mysterious, but surprisingly warm and comfortable. It's always a wonderful thing to discover a new band that you can easily gravitate to, and at the beginning of 2005, Low was it for me. Apparently, this album turned off a lot of hardcore fans because they strayed a bit from their proven formula. Hey... artists need room to grow.
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses. Mr. Adams found himself quite busy in the last year. Three albums released within a twelve month course, including this double disc set! This was the first of the three, and probably because of that... I found myself more attached to it than the others. Perhaps it was the four-state road trip that it accompanied me on over the summer. Regardless, it worked as my soundtrack without fail. 
Caitlyn Cary & Thad Corckrell - Begonias. This one sort of came out of nowhere. Then again, I've always been a sucker for that twangy male-female harmony, especially when the lyrical content reflects all that is sad in my life. Shoot... even with things looking up now, this album still hits home. Had you asked me earlier in the year, I would not have predicted that two members of Whiskeytown would each crack my year-end top 5.
The Decemberists - Picaresque. Last but certainly not least... I present the oddly narrative voice of Mr. Colin Meloy. All I can remember is that two years ago I found myself not liking the first CD by this band that crossed my desk. It could have been a bad day, or just a bad CD. Still, the stars aligned properly this time around and I fell in love with this wildly theatrical indie release featuring songs of espionage and pirates. All bets are off in 2006 if I use this album as a watermark.And with that, we embark on a new year with all kinds of fresh, new sounds to get us through good and bad times. Hopefully, they will keep you festive amongst others and company when you're alone. Keep me posted throughout the year and let me know what's in your iPod from time to time. Music belongs to us all. Cheers!
posted by Dave at 11:59 PM
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