It's that time again, 2005 is drawing to a close!

what are your favourite releases of this year?


To me, 2005 has been rather poor, hard to come up with highlights and I'm sure I haven't heard a lot.....thank God for Kate Bush to come around after 12 years of silence. 'Aerial' blows me away, I love every song!

What's your pick??? Come up with your lists!

Madonnas Confessions. Critical allcaimed and chart successes. Though it was done before by guys like Cassius or Daft Punk it is just a perfect record. For an artist like her it is rather difficult to get so much positive credit again.

BlueNote

BlueNote said:

I actually liked it, if you can forget about the stupid lyrics.....but album of the year?

I'm not sure which ONE I'd pick, but ones high on my list are:

Madonna: "Confessions"
Kate Bush: "Aeriel"
Andy Bell: "Electric Blue"

Those first two were definitely worth the buzz, and Kate's is simply amazing. Bell came out (pardon the pun) strong with his debut that is far better than Erasure's own disc from this year. Aside from that, other one's I really liked:

Patti LaBelle: "Classic Moments"
Chaka Khan: Classikhan
Mica Paris: "If You Could Love Me"
Royksopp: "The Understanding"
Conjure One: "Extraordinary Ways"
Leela James: "A Change Is Gonna Come"

pfff. that's actually rather hard. this year had many good releases.
in no particular order, these were some of my favorites.


Chad van Gaalen - Infiniheart



Roísín Murphy - Ruby Blue



Emiliana Torrini - Fisherman's Woman



Beck - Guero



Paul McCartney - Chaos & Creation in the Backyard



Björk - Drawing Restraint 9



Ryan Adams - Cold Roses



Nick Cave - B-sides & Rarities



Antony and the Johnsons - I am a Bird now



Depech Mode - Playing the Angel





i'm sure there were more, but those are the ones that come to mind
first whenever I think of this year's cool releases.
[Edited 12/4/05 9:56am]

The only album that was released in 2005 that was worth a damn was "Dynamite" by Jamiroquai.

My pick is Late Registration Kanye West

Billy Joel - My Lives (I requested it for the holidays and I got it! I have yet to open it but I doubt I will be disapointed.)

Rob Thomas - Something To Be

Nine Horses - Snow Borne Sorrow. The latest project by David Sylvian.

Come on now this is the One:

Stax said:

mine has superman on the cover!



Sufjan's #3 for me.

Here's #2:



And my #1, in at the last minute...

Lizz Wright - Dreaming Wide Awake 2005
(Jazz, R&B and modern country & western, love her voice, perfect for a sunday-afternoon)

silverchild said:

I have to agree. Mimi made a serious come back.

angela74 said:

Yeah, with the soulful vocals, tight instrumentation, and throbbing rhythms, this was Mariah's year. The question with this album was what was Mimi really emancipating? Did it have something to do with the nervous breakdowns or was it the fact that she had 3 flops? Whatever it was, The Emancipation Of Mimi was my Album Of The Year. In fact, I might the play the whole album today...
[Edited 12/4/05 10:35am]

Kate Bush Aerial
Lizz Wright- Dreaming Wide Awake
Betty Lavette- Ive Got My Own Hell To Raise
Aimee Mann- The Forgotten Arm

Personally, I think this has been one of the best years ever for music. Sure, you have to seek out true talent these days but the wealth of quality that is out there is worth it..

I might have qualified Sufjan's album as one of the best if i hadn't had any of his previous work. But the guy has yet to break the "one trick pony" image with me. Maybe in a few years I will appreciate all that is Illinoise but right now it sounds way to similiar to his previous work.

Goldfrapp - Supernature

Have not heard a lot of FULL cds that I liked entirely

I'll go with:

John Legend - Get Lifted
Beck - Quero
Leela James

.
[Edited 12/5/05 7:36am]

Kanye West - Late Registration (album of the decade in my opinion)
MF Doom - Danger Doom
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Beck - Guero

pkidwell said:

like that one, huh?

Beck - Guero


Edan - Beauty And The Beat


Chad van Gaalen - Infiniheart


Common - Be


M.I.A. - Arular















[Edited 12/4/05 18:51pm]

1.Confessions on A Dancefloor-Madonna
2.The Emancipation of Mimi- Mariah Carey
3.Chaos and Creation in the Backyard- Paul McCartney
4.Hotel- Moby
5.With Teeth- Nine Inch Nails
6.Tommyland:The Ride- Tommy Lee

White Stripes:Satan

CinisterCee said:

this album is an absolute gem. i grow a bit more in love with it every day

IstenSzek said:

I've almost picked this up so many times.

GangstaFam said:

you have to have to have to pick it up!

1. Gorillaz - Demon Days

2. Tori Amos - The Beekeeper

3. White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan

Anxiety said:

hands down Kate's untouchable

It was a mixed year for me in 2005, it started out really slow, an occasional Really good album "Devils and Dust"by Springsteen, then the year got pretty slow again. Then some glimmers of hope came out with Rick Springfields "the Day after Yesterday" then Jovi and Depeche came by and dropped in with strong Cd's, obviously the McCartney CD is his best in decades, as was the Stones IMHO, Some surprises were the Inxs Record, although i dont feel right about liking it so much. Madonna and Mariah were really good, though i feel Mariahs was more a commercial success but not her best work, just more of the same. On the Dance side the BRITNEY remix is great stuff, maybe me realize how good the In the Zone record was, also the New Bananarama Cd is really good, but dont expect it in the USA at all. Also just on the Import side, the New Simple Minds is a strong record and the Anastacia, best of with Bonus CD and tracks is well worth it. Im leaving out things like U2 because for me it was last year, though it will be nominated this year. But this year my best CD belongs to A-ha with their new one ANALOGUE, its easily their best work and it really shows how unorignal all of these other bands like Coldplay, Keane, snowpatrol etc... really are.

lastdecember said:

Rick Springfield
Stones
Matiah
Madonna
INXS
Britney
Simple Minds
Anastacia
Coldplay
Keane
Bon Jovi
oh, and A-HA


and some others.....all in one post.....impressive.....