# Best album of 2005? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624 "2005-12-29T20:36:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/1 "2005-12-29T20:36:22Z")
There are some prominent albums I have have not heard this year, so take this with that caveat. Nevertheless, my current top 3 for this year are 1. Sufjan Stephens - Illinois 2. Sleater Kinney - The Woods 3. Low - The Great Destroyer And the award for the album I just can’t decide what to think of goes to The Fiery Furnaces - Rehearsing My Choir. Anybody else? ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/2 "2005-12-29T22:36:23Z")
My top 3: 1. Spoon - [Gimme Fiction](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781ED84AA97320C2933945CFB575F30FDF45FB881F264B53DDB33068850262EC5DFC85D3E2A528F811D9B959ED0974B686EF54E3DE6F223F8DEEA32C3D34490502204090A897&sql=10:e8se4j477wat). I think Spoon is the best rock band putting out music right now. This is a solid album filled with intriguing twists. 2. Sons and Daughters - [The Repulsion Box](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781ED84AA97320C2933945CFB575F30FDF45FB881F264B53DDB33068850262EC5DFC85D3E2A528F811D9B959ED0974B686EF54E3DE6F223F8DEEA32C3D34480602244090A897&sql=10:7q66mpm09fco). A mixture of American country, Scottish folk and new wave revivalism. Every song on this album is perfect. I have no idea why they haven’t caught on in the US, even in indie circles. 3. The Go! Team - [Thunder, Lightning, Strike](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781ED84AA97320C2933945CFB575F30FDF45FB881F264B53DDB33068850262EC5DFC85D3E2A528F811D9B959ED0974B686EF54E3DE6F223F8DEEA32C3D34480502264D90A897&sql=10:eqfnzfd4ehak). I realize this actually came out in the UK last year, but it was just released in the US a few months ago (and with bonus tracks). The Go! Team don’t sound like much else out there right now. It’s just a _fun_ album. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/3 "2005-12-29T23:59:44Z")
Putting it up against Surfjan Stevens et al. is very near the proverbial apples vs. oranges, but Ulver’s _Blood Inside_ isn’t even comparable to anything else I heard this year. If you truly love music, you must hear this. You can download “Christmas” [here](http://media.theendrecords.com/Ulver_BloodInside_Christmas.mp3). It doesn’t really sound like anything else on the album (just like every other track), but it should give you an idea of the quality of work. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/4 "2005-12-30T00:08:16Z")
My vote: **The Decemberists** - _Picaresque_ ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/5 "2005-12-30T16:06:07Z")
I have to hear that Go Team thing. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Londonite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/6 "2005-12-30T17:13:55Z")
More Deep Cuts by Thee More Shallows Picaresque by The Decemberists Funeral by The Arcade Fire (though I’m no longer sure if this came out in '05 or '04 in the US) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/7 "2006-01-02T14:58:52Z")
_Coil_: **The Ape of Naples** The final _Coil_ album is especially beautiful-- a powerful and touching performance from the late Jhonn Balance. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/8 "2006-01-02T15:04:14Z")
Ladytron - **Witching Hour** ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/9 "2006-01-02T16:40:18Z")
[Songs for Silverman](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007WF1XM/qid=1136219973/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-7497743-0817559?v=glance&s=music&n=507846) by Ben Folds. Er…it’s the only album I bought this year, but I think it’s the only album I needed. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/10 "2006-01-02T21:09:43Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > [Songs for Silverman](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007WF1XM/qid=1136219973/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-7497743-0817559?v=glance&s=music&n=507846) by Ben Folds. > > Er…it’s the only album I bought this year, but I think it’s the only album I needed. **Zipper** you should have also picked up _Has Been_ by William Shatner - it’s a very Folds-heavy. It gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/11 "2006-01-02T21:40:30Z")
“Be” by Common gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/12 "2006-01-02T21:50:43Z")
In addition to Ladytron, my own favourite, and The Go! Team, here are some more nominations: Four Tet - **Everything Ecstatic** Franz Ferdinand – **You Could Have It So Much Better** Vitalic - **OK Cowboy** Koushik - **Be With** Annie - **Anniemal** (for countries where it wasn’t released in 2004) Tegan & Sara - **So Jealous** ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/13 "2006-01-02T21:56:16Z")
> [@EuroMDguy](#): > > Funeral by The Arcade Fire (though I’m no longer sure if this came out in '05 or '04 in the US) That came out in '04. They released an EP this year, though. I’d have to go with **Illinois** for my number 1. ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/14 "2006-01-02T22:13:01Z")
At the risk of being redundant, **Illinois** was definitely the best album I heard this past year. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/15 "2006-01-02T22:53:55Z")
My favorite was **Z** by My Morning Jacket. Nothing but excellent songs on that one. Another good one no one has mentioned is Love As Laughter - **Laughter’s Fifth**. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/16 "2006-01-02T23:20:49Z")
The National- **Alligator** was my hands-down favorite. Lush, pretty, intense, honest, and phenomenal live. Sleater-Kinney’s- **Entertainment** gets my second vote. …and… I thought the Sufjan “Michigan” album was better than Illinois…different year, certainly, but I didn’t think Illinois was his best work. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/17 "2006-01-04T03:39:37Z")
My list: 1. the Mountain Goats - _the sunset tree_ 2. Anna Ranger - \*Above and Underground \* 3. Mike Jones - \*who is mike jones? \* 4. Josh Rouse - \*Nashville \* 5. Mount Eerie - _Singers_ and \*11 Old Songs of Mount Eerie \* 6. Starflyer 59 - _talking voice vs. singing voice_ 7. Robyn - s/t 8. His Name Is Alive - _Summer Bird_ EP and _Summer Bird_ CDR 9. Black Mountain - s/t 10. the Decemberists - _Picaresque_ 11. Xiu Xiu - _La Foret_ 12. Jamie Lidell - _Multiply_ 13. Antony - _I am a bird now_ 14. Ariel Pink - \*Worn Copy \* 15. Gang Gang Dance - _God’s money_ 16. Crooked Fingers - _dignity and shame_ 17. Bunky - _Born to be a motorcycle_ 18. David Banner - _Certified_ 19. Konono no 1 - _Congotronics_ 20. Brian Eno - _Another day on earth_ Honorable mentions: Gorillaz - “Demon days” My Morning Jacket - “Z” Art Brut ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/18 "2006-01-04T04:14:29Z")
I had a whole Year-End Music Spectacular at my blog ([The J Train](http://thejtrain.typepad.com/)). (Scroll down a few entries.) My top 5: 1. Sufjan Stevens - _Illinois_ (much as I hate to be unoriginal) 2. The Duhks (self-titled) 3. Kanye West - _Late Registration_ 4. Fruit Bats - _Spelled in Bones_ 5. Beck - _Guero_ The next ten (in no order) DangerDoom - _The Mouse and the Mask_ The Clientele - _Strange Geometry_ LCD Soundsystem (self-titled) Sleater-Kinney - _The Woods_ Stars - _Set Yourself on Fire_ The Hold Steady - _Separation Sunday_ The Greencards - _Weather and Water_ Bloc Party - _Silent Alarm_ Ryan Adams - _Cold Roses_ Sons and Daughters - _The Repulsion Box_ ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/19 "2006-01-04T04:44:14Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > My list: > > 1. the Mountain Goats - _the sunset tree_ > 2. Anna Ranger - \*Above and Underground \* > 3. Mike Jones - \*who is mike jones? \* > 4. Josh Rouse - \*Nashville \* > 5. Mount Eerie - _Singers_ and \*11 Old Songs of Mount Eerie \* > 6. Starflyer 59 - _talking voice vs. singing voice_ > 7. Robyn - s/t > 8. His Name Is Alive - _Summer Bird_ EP and _Summer Bird_ CDR > 9. Black Mountain - s/t > 10. the Decemberists - _Picaresque_ > 11. Xiu Xiu - _La Foret_ > 12. Jamie Lidell - _Multiply_ > 13. Antony - _I am a bird now_ > 14. Ariel Pink - \*Worn Copy \* > 15. Gang Gang Dance - _God’s money_ > 16. Crooked Fingers - _dignity and shame_ > 17. Bunky - _Born to be a motorcycle_ > 18. David Banner - _Certified_ > 19. Konono no 1 - _Congotronics_ > 20. Brian Eno - _Another day on earth_ > > Honorable mentions: > Gorillaz - “Demon days” > My Morning Jacket - “Z” > Art Brut Dude, I love Mountain Goats, Josh Rouse, and Antony. Hard to find them mentioned much of anywhere. I’m still wavering on the Gorillaz. I couldn’t pry the first one outta my CD player for like 6 months, but this one is not as ineluctable. To me. So far. But the second Portishead took me a long to get under, and now it’s my favorite. So we’ll see . . . ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624/20 "2006-01-04T04:59:27Z")
I have to say, I can’t ‘get’ Sufjan Stephens. I’ve listened to _Illinoise_ several times, but it just doesn’t sink in. Nothing about it grabs me. Can someone give me some pointers for appreciating this disk. Other nominations: **Beck** - _Guero_ **The White Stripes** - _Get Behind Me Satan_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-of-2005/337624.md?page=2)