Album of the year

[Run DMB]

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (9.5/10)

Not only the album of the year, but also the album of the decade so far. Sufjan Stevens is one of the most talented recording artists today, and this is his masterpiece. You must buy/download this album. If you don't, at least give some of these songs a try:

John Wayne Gacy Jr.
Casimir Pulaski Day
They are Night Zombies...
Come On! Feel The Illinoise
Chicago
Carlos*sonville
The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

2. System of a Down - Mezmerize (8.5/10)

SOAD's best album yet. Toxicity may have had a couple of great tracks, but Mezmerize is a great album from start to finish.

My favorite songs:

Revenga
Radio/Video
Violent Pornography
Old School Hollywood
Lost in Hollywood

3. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan (8/10)

Doesn't quite live up to "White Blood Cells" and "Elephant", but a solid album nonetheless. Curiously enough, this time around most of the tracks don't even have electric guitar in them.

Best tracks:

Blue Orchid
My Doorbell
The Nurse

 

[Sepp2in1]

my favourite albums in the las years were:

1. Beatsteaks - SmackSmash

2. The Bravery - The Bravery

3. Billy Talent - Billy Talent

 

[xxxFLYERxxx]

1.

Finally some good new rock music. Robert Plant is a god.

And Mezmerize ******* blows. That annoying mother ****er ruins the whole album for me. Not like it would be much better without him.

 

[Voltaic Borusse]

1: The Mars Volta; Frances the Mute

2: Mastodon; Leviathan

3: Opeth; Ghost Reveries

4: Kamelot; The Black Halo

5: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead; Worlds Apart

Mezmerize is not SoaD's best album, by the way. Their first self-titled album and Toxicity are way superior to Mezmerize. Even Dragan would agree with me on this.

 

[Hyun]

Frances the Mute??

there's Mr. Bungle random, with with a weird twist in mixing genres (jazz AND metal!), which weirdly enough moves you up the music "hierarchy",

then there's the Frances the Mute random.

4 minutes of the bird sounds and the rest being Mexican gibberish with solos that do not understand the concept of a "climax", no thanks. but at least you didn't put SOAD.

as for my direct contribution to this thread, I have none. oh noes!

 

[Voltaic Borusse]

It's that type of album, you either love it or you loathe it.

But you're just mad because you were expecting a De-Loused Part 2.

 

[Help?]

I am expecting Hypnotize to kill them all

 

[Sir Calumn]

Lullabies to Paralyse and Mesmorise were two of the most disappointing albums ever in my opinion, I was expecting so much from them but they were mediocre and rather boring.

Anyway, here are my favourite albums this year. Kinda sad that only one of the five is from a new artist whereas the other four are from trusted favourites.

1 - Cripple Crow by Devendra Banhart - 9/10

Already one of my favourite artists, Devendra has surpassed himself with this masterpiece. With so many tracks it's great value for money and each one is so surreall, yet with such high musical quality, that I would go as far as to call this a modern masterwork.

2 - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations by The Eels - 7.5/10

Another of my favourite bands back with a double album which is probably their best to date. Brilliant consistancy of tracks and overall a fantastic listening experience, by far best as a whole album than as individual songs.


3 - Chavez Ravine by Ry Cooder - 7/10

I've always been a fan of Ry Cooder, but I've got to admit that the sheer volume of work he produces means he can be a bit hit or miss. Luckily, Chavez Ravine is definately a hit, being a similar sort of thing to his masterpiece the Buena Vista Social Club, where he showcased the best in smooth Cuban jazz. This one is closer to home, but still has the small club Mexican/American feel as a strong influence in all the tracks, not least the one's featuring Los Lobos.

4 - Devis and Dust by Bruce Springsteen - 7/10

My second favourite artist of all time, after Bob Dylan, back with an album weak in comparison with his greats, but still alot better than almost everything else out there. A bit restrained, a bit basic, but still a great album with the usual high quality across all the tracks which you expect from Springsteen as well as some surprise ballards which, if not quite at Ghost of Tom Joad level, are close.

5 - The Futurist by Robert Downey Jr. - 6.5/10

Real surprise story for me, I didnt expect anything from this album at all, but when he performed one track from it on Jonathon Ross I liked it so much that I decided to give the album a shot. I was not disappointed, very original with a wide mix of styles, including some more Springsteen like than lots of Devils and Dust, and definately one worth looking into.

 

[Vagegast]

Common - Be

.

 

[Shindig]

The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike

Nominated for a Mercury Music Prize but some weird fella got it, instead. Nice mix of 70's cop themes, hip-hop and erm... guitars and things.

Editors - The Back Room

Massively inspired by Joy Division, they come up with something that sounds like a half-way house between Joy Division and Interpol. It sounds quite canny, apart from 'Camera', which is pretty much as Joy Divisiony as you can get, without a law suit.

The Rakes - Capture/Release

Post-punk cannyness. A nice, swift record that tells tales of 22 Grand jobs, Terror and erm... Robot sex.

Album of last year?

Without a doubt.

 

[Parra Power]

kanye fanboy here. peace out

 

[Ubik Valis]

2. System of a Down - Mezmerize (8.5/10)

SOAD's best album yet. Toxicity may have had a couple of great tracks, but Mezmerize is a great album from start to finish.

My favorite songs:

Revenga
Radio/Video
Violent Pornography
Old School Hollywood
Lost in Hollywood

I wouldn't rate M in the same class as T and SOAD, but I still love most of it, especially Sad Statue, Radio/Video and This Cocaine...........but Hypnotize is gonna be even better.

As for best album this year, it's: QOTSA-Lullabies

 

[Help?]

Steal This Album is still the best one for me from SOAD.

 

[INFESTA]

Actually there were a couple great albums released this year. But, the album of this year was actually released in late 2004. I'll just throw this one up because nothing else I've heard in 2005 compares to it.

Arcade Fire - Funeral

 

[bjmenge]

Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better

I absolutely love this album. If you liked their first album, even a little bit, get this one. It's even better.

 

[rony31]

Steal This Album is still the best one for me from SOAD.

I find that to be their worst album

I didn't like Mesmerize at first, but a lot of the songs on the album grew on me... Revenga, Sad Statue, Violent Pornography

 

[Voltaic Borusse]

Steal this Album isn't a proper album, just a miscalleneous collection of B-Sides thrown together from their early days.

 

[Funky--K]

 

[Johnny_Big]

1 - Bloc Party ... Silent Alarm 9.5/10

Some say it was released in 2004, some in 2005. But it got to Portugal in 2005. One of my favourite bands ever. IMO the first half of the album is the best I ever heard. And that drummer...holy cr*p. Masterpiece. These guys look like to follow another bands from United Kingdom bound for success...like Blur, Franz Ferdinand, Gorillaz (Blur whatever lol)

2- Jem ... Finally Woken 8/10

Loved it. Another one from United Kingdom (Wales). A very moody electronic album. Has some chill-out songs, some heavier songs, and some danceable ones. "But don't forget...it's just a ride."

3- Oasis ... Believe the Truth 8/10

Finally Oasis did another good album. This album is full of great songs. Maybe they are recovering the old "Wonderwall" times. I especially love Mucky Fingers and Lyla.

 

[Virgo]

that album is a f*cking insult. If I hear Be Yourself again I swear I'm gonna go ape sh*t and start a killing spree. If you hear something in the news about some guy who flipped in Portugal it was me.


Qotsa's new album was the only thing labeled 2005 worthwhile I listened to this year.

AF's Funeral was pretty good but it's 2004.


rather disappointing year from 3 of my favs, NIN's With Teeth obviously but also Prodigy's and Chemical Brothers comebacks. Couple of good tracks but the albums just aren't solid enough.