Purloined in Petrograd -- My Favorite Albums of 2005

Now that I’ve got the movie ranking out of my system I will be writing about music this week. I will not be writing novellas about each album like I did last year. (Shatner / Lynn / Wilco / Costello / TMBG / Hitchcock / Wilson) I still agree with everything I wrote last year (surprisingly). Those are the albums that still stand up the most to me. I never put them in any order and only highlighted 7 albums though. Looking over my honorable mentions from 2004, here's the proper 2004 Top Ten: 1. Spooked - Robyn Hithcock / 2. A Ghost is Born - Wilco / 3. Van Lear Rose - Loretta Lynn / 4. The Delivery Man - Elvis Costello & the Imposters / 5. The Spine - They Might Be Giants / 6. In Rock - The Minus 5 / 7. Has Been - William Shatner / 8. A Boot and a Shoe - Sam Phillips / 9. Smile - Brian Wilson / 10. Good News For People Who Love Bad News - Modest Mouse

Now I'm going to put my 2005 Top Ten out there already ranked and with only a few comments. Here it comes on a palanquin:

10. Why Should the Fire Die? - Nickel Creek
Scott says, and I agree with him, that one day Nickel Creek are going to record an absolute, no questions, great album. This one isn't it but the promise is still there. "When In Rome" is their strongest pop single yet and a great opener to the album.

9. Georgia Hard - Robbie Fulks
I've just started listening to this one the past few weeks and it started growing on me quickly. It could move up on the list with more listens.

8. Songs for Silverman - Ben Folds
I didn't care for this one when it first came out. It lacked Ben's humor which is one of his strengths. This album is all pretty songs but not necessarily songs about pretty things. I've finally given in and really like it for what it is and not for what I wanted it to be.

7. Guero - Beck
I thought Sea Change was great, but I was excited to hear a return to more Beck-like Beck. I can do without all the freakin' remixes that are released every other day from this album, but whatchagonnado?

6. Blinking Lights and Other Revelations - eels
A rare double album that really works. "In the Yard, Behind the Church" is one of the best songs of the year.

5. Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes
Better than Elephant yet no where near as good as White Blood Cells. Several songs on here are catchy as hell. I haven't got "My Doorbell" out of my head yet and "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)" is in the running for song title of the year.

4. Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright
The lilts in her voice and the rhythm of her delivery are enough to make this album captivating. Then you hear the words and then you realize the magnitude of their meaning when you consider her family's history. Wow. Side note: I still say that if you take Loudon, Rufus, Martha, and the McGarrigle's Sisters and put them on tour together and record the whole thing (on-stage and backstage) that it would make for the best reality TV show ever.

3. Twin Cinema - The New Pornographers
We are now into the top 3 or as it turned out, the James-tries-new-stuff section of the list. I usually don't take any band too seriously that gets heaps of praise from all the indie rock geeks because most of these bands that get all the huzzahs end up sounding unoriginal and boring. Well, The New Pornographers make great pop music and no amount of indie rock geek associations should keep anyone from checking them out. I was going to list my favorite tracks from this album but it got too lenghty to be effective. The whole album is one great song after another.

2. Gimme Fiction - Spoon
If you're like me (and for your sake I hope you're not) you go through times with a great album where you listen to nothing but that album. It’s usually about a week or two. You might break it up with other stuff occasionally but you keep going back to that one album over and over again. I’ve had that experience with Gimme Fiction at least 5 different times this year. It was especially strong during our trip to Disneyworld this summer. Which was cool with my brother-in-law who travelled with us, but Amy wasn't that thrilled. Also, there is a rumor floating out there that the track list was accidentally submitted to the record company in reverse order. That's got to be the best crazy music rumor of the year.

1. Picaresque - The Decemberists
I don't know the last time, if ever, I've gone so quickly from first listening to a band to instantly loving them, getting all of their stuff, and seeing them in concert. It was a 5 month span all told which is lightning quick for me. I can't say enough about how great they are and how much I love them. Review of the concert is here. If my enthusiasm for them is any indication, Picaresque is a great introduction to the band.

Bonus Top Ten; here is my friend Jon's:

10. Z - My Morning Jacket
9. Gimmie Fiction - Spoon
8. Chaos & Creation In The Backyard - Paul McCartney
7. Cold Roses - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
6. Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes
5. Late Registration - Kanye West
4. I Am A Bird Now - Antony and the Johnsons
3. Twin Cinema - New Pornographers
2. Why Should The Fire Die? - Nickel Creek
1. Silent Alarm - Bloc Party