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Published on December 31st 2005
Jesse Raub is a staff reviewer here at Punknews.org -ed IntroductionLet’s call this “The Year that Jesse Forgot About New Music.” These past few weeks and months have been a mad scramble for me to try to gobble up tons of albums from different bands of 2005, and let’s just say that I dropped the ball a bit. Too much in too short of a time, leaving me with many great albums of 2005 wholly unlistened to. I know, it’s a shame. My focuses were elsewhere this year; I spent most of my time going through the history of modern music and picking up essential albums like John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and Slayer’s Reign In Blood, not to mention a pique in my interest in dub and reggae as well as an attempt to familiarize myself with a bit more country (I’m still stuck on Johnny Cash and Hank Williams – somebody get me some Merle Haggard, on the double!). Regardless, 2005 was the year that saw stalwarts of the indie scene Death Cab For Cutie sign to a major label after years of denying that they ever would. Unlike 2004, there were no new Tom Waits, Nick Cave, or Jack White produced Loretta Lynn albums for people to hype over. Bruce Springsteen released another new album to a lukewarm response, garnering support from his die-hard fans and no one else. There have been many amazing albums put out, but for me, most of them won’t be digested fully until the end of 2006. And speaking of 2006, I couldn’t be more excited. January sees the release of a new Akimbo record as well as the new DragonForce. February has the debut full-length from The Sword. And that’s enough to hold me over for now. In the meantime, let’s get to the list! Top 10
#10 Holy Mountain - Entrails
No Idea
Perhaps the only No Idea band I’ve ever really been able to get into. Super fast hardcore with a heavy thrash metal influence and growling vocals. Pick it up as a late Christmas present for your favorite Slayer or D-beat fan. They’ll appreciate it.
#9 Black Mountain – Black Mountain
Jagjaguwar
Everything you wanted to know about rock and roll (but were afraid to ask). Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Velvet Underground, Rolling Stones. Black Mountain covers all angles. Solid release. Great tunes. Made by a collective of social workers who live in Canada. Hunh.
#8. Big Business – Head for the Shallow
Hydra Head
The bass player from Karp, the drummer from Muder City Devils, some ripping guitar solos in the background, gigantic echoey 80s stadium rock vocals. Intense rhythms, heavy distortion, and no goofy drawings of dudes with elephant trunks for noses. What more can you ask for from a drum and bass duo?
#7. M.I.A. - Arular
XL
A massive conglomeration of dancehall, hip-hop, politics, electronica, tinted with eastern melodies, with just a hint of grime. M.I.A. came out of left field with this release, blowing minds and taking captives. Wildly original, sing-a-longable (galang-galang!), and extremely political, this is the type of album to throw on at a revolutionary dance party. Jagged, disjointed beats come at you from all angles. Truly some top notch music.
#6. Damian Marley – Welcome to Jamrock
Tuff Gong
I never expected to like this album as much as I do. The youngest son of Bob Marley, Damian was only two when his father died, but that doesn’t stop him from channeling Bob’s spirit throughout the album. Ranging from dub, hip-hop, reggae, dancehall, to R&B, this album has it all. It has to be one of the best examples of modern Jamaican music that I’ve ever heard. Highly original, extremely personal, dark, political, romantic – and with a few good club hits too.
#5. Constantines – Tournament of Hearts
Sub Pop
This release blindsided me. I always really liked Shine A Light, but I never ended up listening to it much. They’ve always been hailed sort of as a punk/indie Bruce Springsteen, and on this release the influence couldn’t be more flushed out. But at the same time, Constantines managed to strip this album down to only the bare essentials each song needed, a huge jump away from Shine A Light where both guitars, keys, and bass were used to their full potential for layered harmonies and melodies. But while having a huge Springsteen influence, Tournament of Hearts couldn’t sound more different than anything I’ve ever heard.
#4. Bruce Springsteen – Devils and Dust
Columbia
Fuck, man. It’s the Boss. I actually would have put Constantines new album in fourth, but hey – it’s the Boss. You can’t fuck with the Boss. This album sees Bruce going back to the Nebraska/The Ghost of Tom Joad style of songwriting while denying that urge to go Adult Contemporary that most people did. Well, I guess he already hit that phase with Tunnel of Love, Lucky Town, and that other one no one talks about. But those albums don’t exist, and the Boss by far is my favorite artist of all time. Deal with it.
#3. Nada Surf – The Weight is a Gift
Barsuk
I was hanging around at the beginning of the fall semester when my friend, Megan, asked if I wanted to see Nada Surf. Why not? I wasn’t paying for it. I remembered seeing them a few years back and they played like an hour and a half and I was bored to tears by them. Not so. For the first time in a long time, I actually was enraptured at a show by a band whose songs I didn’t know. As soon as the concert was over I got the CD from Megan and recognized every single hook from every song they played. This is by far the best pop album I’ve ever heard. Each song could be a hit, each melody memorable, each hook sharp and pointy. I don’t listen to pop albums, really, but this one gets stuck in my head – in a good way.
#2. High On Fire – Blessed Black Wings
Relapse
By far this is the best metal album to be released in the last five or six years. And I mean metal album. Not power metal. Not black metal. Not grind or gore. Not thrash. Not stoner or sludge. Just metal. Matt Pike is a monster. And those other guys are pretty rad too. Steve Albini couldn’t have done a better job making this album sound amazing. Hopefully 2006 will see another High On Fire album, as well.
#1. Lords - Swords
Jade Tree
This album blows me away. Hands down best release of 2005. Thirteen songs in under twenty minutes. Each one with it’s own flavor of thrash/sludge/punk/metal. These dudes also put on the best shows and are super nice. What more can you ask for? Last night my friend and I were sitting around playing some networked Neverwinter Nights (yeah, what of it?) and we listened to this album on repeat a good five times.
There have been tons upon tons of albums that I wasn’t able to get through in 2005. And there were some that just didn’t make it to the Top 10. Indian’s The Unquiet Sky and Raise the Red Lantern’s Breathe Fire were both amazing releases for doom metal and post-hardcore, the only problem being that I’m not a big fan of either doom metal or post-hardcore. Also, Somerset’s Pandora didn’t quite make the cut, but solely because I have been to probably thirty or so Somerset shows, and had copies of most of the songs on the album for about a year now. Great album, I’ve just listened to it too much. As far as albums I didn’t get a chance to listen to enough, I’d have to say that I love the first three songs on the new Animal Collective album, Feels. I just haven’t heard anything else on it. The new self-titled Broken Social Scene is meritable, as well as Dead Meadow’s Feathers and the Decemberists Picaresque. I haven’t actually heard an entire song off of the Decemberists’ album, but the twenty second clips I have heard have been pretty good, I thought. Other great albums of the year: Purple Blaze - Ris Paul Ric, Stowaway - Pattern Is Movement, Love in the Facist Brothel - The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower, LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem, and finally, the demos album by Melvins has some amazing material on it. Mix Tape
By the way, check out my other list at sayRAH.net! Eat it chumps.Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
no black lips? I thought their new cd was their best yet. Jesse....did we listen to Swords five times? We played a lot longer than two hours, I think... Well I guess we'll have to disagree. I think they're definitely West Coast-inspired, but they don't sound like a "rehash" at all. If anything, they're a bit more refined and complex. Hardcore isn't about playing ultra grind fast, either, so the "intensity" doesn't really figure in to me. How anyone could listen to their LP and decide that HeadWoundCity had a better release last year is beyond me. Well, sure will, they don't give a fuck, i'll give you that. No, I think they're the best hardcore band going. I woulda put "Electric Guitar," but it's a comp. Their songwriting is simplistic, but that's what makes them better than most. Career Suicide and Dead Fall (two other popular bands with a similar sound) are good, too, I just like Regulations better. jesse, you like some good stuff. i agree with at least half of your top ten. i'm sure you're a fairly competent music afficianado, and we'd get along while talking about music, i'm sure. Bsd, Hey-o! Well the way the entire comment sounded together.. I want a copy of Lords but im poor. The user's name was elliot... Jesse, I really don't think you're talking about the same Elliott. And if you are, I really think that you've never actually listened to nu metal, and just like to throw it on as a descriptor for bands you don't like. And Elliot WAS NEVER nu-metal ... shite what a dumb comment if that was about the band. IF it was ... I hope it wasn't. If ur actually trying to blaze Elliot, weak move. They were only mediocre, but names of some guy/girl aren't an instigation of dumbspeak. And yes, they're last album was rather weak. So basically they were always good, but peaked at False Cathedrals in my opinion. Hey elliot! Remember how you suck? hey jesse! remember when you said planes mistaken for stars sound like a nu-metal band? Good call on Rhyme Over Reason on the mixtape. number of albums i own from list willy will will will. This is my second favorite staff list and the new Kylesa was definitely one of my favorites from this year although it took a couple listens to really grow on me. If Grabass didn't release Ask More Twain in 2005, The Holy Mountain would've gotten the award for Best No Idea Release in 2005. I love Entrails and can't wait for the next one. Phooey. I didn't know there was a new Kylesa album. I really dug them when I saw them live. The Holy Mountain is not "super fast". Bruce Springsteen? Wtf? Will's list is probably how I feel about this year. But I guess this is what mine looks like (since my opinion matters so much): good calls on high on fire, the holy mountain, and lords. But man did that indian album blow me away, good stuff. yes, holy mountain owns I meant how DS 13 (besides being Swedish and on Havoc) symbolized a "throwback" sound with a modern twist, and were the best at what they did. Hey Jesse- good list man, but it is weird... heh. But I expect weirdness from you, so i guess you delivered! I did expect you to back me on Animal Collective though, but hey. I don't get the DS-13 comparison but Will is absolutely right about how amazing Regulations are. I got to see 'em with Knife Fight at a small record store recently and it seemed like I'd stepped back to early 80s L.A. To me they sound like all of the early LA/O.C hardcore/punk bands thrown into a blender. Havoc also released their first two 7"s and 7 new songs on an LP/CD this year. Okay, so since Jesse is the closest to my tastes, here's my Top 10 (off the top of my head... I don't think about things like that.) jesse, i would like to give you a hug, a mutual love for bruce springsteen hug *gladimnotemo Have you heard the new Municipal Waste and Annihilation Time albums Jesse? Those would be my metal albums of the year. Like glaiImnotemo I would kinda expect Kylesa somewhere up there too. Oh, and why isn't Kylesa on this list? It seems like it should be here. damn, jess, damn... the holy mountain, good, the rest... we differ buddy, we differ hard. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Springsteen is the Boss. THE BOSS. Well, if you excuse a couple things (Springsteen), this is the best list. Good job, Jesse. The Holy Mountain 7" I have rips. By the way, the sayRAH list probably won't be up for a few days... Dude, denying M.I.A. is like saying that Say Anything is a really good band...oh wait. Anyway, the new Constantines isn't boring, it's just different. Probably the most commendable leap for me in 2005 from one album to the next. P.S. - That Constantines should've been on my biggest disappointments of 2005 list. Bor-ing. And the award for Worst List Of 2005 Goes To... |
