Top Five Albums Of 2005

Quick note, I’m not that good at writing reviews and summaries. If I dig a cd and want other people to listen to it, I usually just lend it to them, let the music speak for itself. But since that’s not technically legal here on the World Wide Web, I’ve gotta try and hype this stuff. So just trust me when I say it’s good and worth an investment. If you buy it and hate it, let me know why cause you’re crazy.

Honorable Mentions:
Beck – “Guero”
22-20′s – “22-20′s”
Oasis – “Don’t Believe The Truth”
Franz Ferdinand – “You Could Have It So Much Better”
Ben Folds – “Songs For Silverman”

5. Tim Williams – Tales of Digression
The more I listen to this the more I dig it. The strong emotion Williams puts into each song shows. It’s light, a lot of acoustic guitar, and good background/chillin’ music. If you’re in a good mood it might be a bit of a downer, if you’re just neutral or down and out, it doesn’t feed but it certainly reflects.
Tracks of choice – Heartstrings, Not A Sound, Not That Hard

4. Giant Drag – Hearts And Unicorns
I’ve got a thing for girl singers of rock. Well, I’ve got a thing for girls in general, but girls that rock, that’s just a thing I can’t explain. Giant Drag’s first mainstream effort’s pretty solid, the guitar work’s nice and straight forward as Annie Hardy (mmmm…) has a grasp on what she does well and she does it. Just a rockin’ album with a cute front.
Tracks of choice – Cordial Invitation, Blunt Picket Fence, Everything’s Worse

3. Spoon – Gimmie Fiction
Why this band is not better known is beyond me. “Gimmie Fiction” just blows me away. These guys have a strong grasp on how to rock out while keeping it mellow enough as to fit any mood.
Tracks of choice – I Turn My Camera On, The Delicate Place, They Never Got You

2. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans
My first taste of DCFC proper coming right on the heels of my purchase of Postal Service’s “Give Up”. Top to bottom, a great album that mixies amazingly visual lyrics with lowkey music. Quite frankly, DCFC was my musical discovery of the year. I’ve grabbed some of their older albums and have yet to be disappointed.
Tracks of choice – I Will Follow You Into The Dark, Crooked Teeth, What Sarah Said

1. Ryan Adams and The Cardinals – Jacksonville City Nights
Out of the trilogy Ryan Adams churned out this year, JCN stands out as the best of the bunch. A nice, mellow album that has some great roots country and a couple almost jazzy numbers that just create a solid album.
Tracks of choice – Dear John (Nora Jones duet), Games, PA