What 2005 releases did you look forward to, only to be disappointed?

Here's my first choice:

Tori
Bjork
Fiona

Cloudbuster said:

yeah, the bjork soundtrack was a little bit difficult, wasn't it? i wasn't expecting much because i know what matthew barney scores are like and they're always very obtuse...but i thought bjork might bring something a bit more palatable to the table. i was wrong.

Moby ugh

lazycrockett said:

Yup. And New Order. Though, that wasn't necessarily a dud, just a comedown after "Crystal," so to speak.

and the winning loser:

Liz "I've Been Body-Snatched" Phair

MendesCity said:

i don't even KNOW what's going on with HER crazy ass.

Biggest dud:


Adult - D.U.M.E. EP

I thought their first singles comp ('Resuscitation') was great, but I didn't like this one at all. I didn't even bother looking for the full LP.

Honorable mention:


Shakira - Oral Fixation Vol.2

She's much better when she sings in Spanish.

Anxiety said:

I absolutely agree with you.

Not only for her album but also for her show. 2 biggest let downs of the year for me.

Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth



I really wanted to like this album. I bought it the day it came out, and couldn't even get through the first listen. It's all so predictable and tired. Trent's lyrics have never been worse, his vocal affectations have gotten extremely annoying, and the album artwork even sucks! I think the worst thing about the CD is the music, however. Instead of the rich sound collages of Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral, or the enveloping sound of The Fragile, With Teeth is sonically boring. It sounds like a cheap immitation of the classic Nine Inch Nails sound without the focus on details that made his other albums so interesting.

Axchi696 said:

yeah, there's this one, too. it's not awful, but it's not great, either. i've listened to it maybe twice since i got it. bland, samey - the sound of trent's wheels spinning in the mud.

New Order- Waiting for the Sierens Call: Same melodies, same riffs, same beats, same sounds as just about every N.O release that we've heard. By the book and very boring.

Depeche Mode- Playing the Angel: The sounds of a band thats just stopped trying.

Sinead Oconnor- Throw Down YOur Arms: I bought this and then relized that I never want to hear these songs again...by anyone. They been played to death. Its not that she did a bad job w/ the music; Vampire is quite good, but the rest does little to breathe life into these countlessly covered tunes.

Kanye West- Late Registration: I was w/him on the Bush thing, but his ego kills this for me.
[Edited 12/5/05 12:06pm]

Anxiety said:

I didn't even bother with Bjork this year...she was my last years dud.

I wouldn't say what I got this year was duds...but they didn't live up to the expectation...

Depeche Mode - Was OK. I liked quite a bit of the songs. Nothing Spectacular

NIN - My parter liked it. I did not.

Dimitri From Paris Follow up to Sacrebleu. Well it's a decent effort, but a follow up it is not.

Towa Tei - I'm happy I got it...but for a 5 yr hiatus...it squeaks just past the 40 min mark. It's good, not a dud but I was expecting more.

Shpongle - One of my Favorites didn't match the other 2 releases

Enthogenic - Another favorite. Sounded quite bland nothing exciting. ANd for some reason had a semi nude woman on the cover.

Tori and New Order were 2 of my albums of the year.

I rank it just below "The Downward Spiral", which is now the second worst NIN album, but it's still way better than all these corporate products that get hyped as if it's the best thing since whoever is hip in corporate product land today...
I see "With Teeth" as NIN's "Diamonds And Pearls"...

Neversin.

Been a long-time fan, offcourse solo he never got to the level of the great Pavement.....but with this album he kinda lost it, unfortunately.....bye, bye hero!

superspaceboy said:

i'm still going to give bjork a few more chances...i like her spirit, even though i don't always like the results of it. i nearly gave up on saint etienne after 'finisterre', and i'm glad i didn't...their latest album is one of my favorites of this year, and i'm even starting to warm up to 'finisterre'!

abierman said:

oh man. i'm so done with malkmus. he took some effort for me even back in the pavement days. now, it's just way too much work to try enjoying his stuff. buh bye indeed.

SHERYL CROW-'Wildfower'

I love SC but this record was too damn slow for me. Though I love many of her slow songs...this was just too much 'lovey dovey' for me. I'm happy for her and Lance...but I was hoping she'd rock out on a couple tunes...it's all so mellow and boring.

SHAKIRA-'Oral Fixation 2'

I didnt even have to buy this to know it blew chunks. I heard it played at record stores last 2 weeks (I work for a label and go out to retail 4 days a week) and it sucked ass. Her English is terrible and come to think of it...I wasnt crazy about 'Laundry Service' either. She's such a great songwriter in Spanish and she takes more risks when she does Spanish records...it just seems she tries to write for American radio when she does English. She's looks better with dark hair too!

AUDIOSLAVE-'Out of Exile'

No where near as good as self titled debut.

Anxiety said:

I like that album.
He's a self-centered loon, but he plays a nice, messy guitar.

MendesCity said:

he's an excellent guitarist, and I love his messy style....this album just didn't do it for me!

abierman said:

It's definitely the most scrappy thing he's done, but "No More Shoes" is as gorgeous as any good late Pavement.

MendesCity said:

sure, there are some good songs.....but good as any late pavement? you mean like on 'Terror Twilight'? I prefer early Pavement....

abierman said:

Oh, see, I LOVE "Terror Twilight." They were a better jam band than a punk band, in my opinion.

Axchi696 said:

Although I just listened to 'All The Love in the World' and do think it's a pretty good song.

The Nine Inch Nails album took a while to grow on me. Now, it's one of my favorite albums. Sure as hell more accessible than The Fragile.

Alot of people werent pleased with Moby's effort, but I liked it.

The album that disappointed me was Missy Elliot's "Cookbook". Not really bad, but not really great neither. Billy Corgans "thefutureembrace" was interesting but nowhere near a true favorite.

Since Im open to all music, it's hard for me to say that an album is truly bad.

MendesCity said:

I liked Terror Twilight but it does give you the feeling that they were already splitting up (no songs by Spiral Stairs, just Malkmus!). I liked it when Malkmus was still screaming uncontrollably, his guitar against Spiral's and the sloppy drumming of either West or Young and the bass-lines of Ibold..... 'Terror' was too polished, I blame Nigel Godrich!

Anywayz, back to topic:


the Backstreet Boys' comeback sucked!
[Edited 12/6/05 2:02am]

newskin69 said:

I really liked 'Cookbook' - I think it was underrated and a good return to form after the last one or two albums she's done. I liked 'Lose Control' and I also like the song 'Mommy'.

too mnay to mention, all seem to have the number "50" in it.

'dre