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| Top 20 of 2005Punknews.org2005 staff picks  Review by: Punknews.org See others by this writer Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on January 6th 2006 Introduction by Brian I recently pored over the "Best of 2005" lists to compile an overall one that takes the records that appear most frequently and (subsequently) highest in the ranks. Consequently, here it is... Punknews.Org's Top 20 Albums of 2005
#20. The Suicide Machines - War Profiteering Is Killing Us All
August 9 on SideOneDummy Records
Scott's Testimonial: This politically charged ska-punk combo return with another blistering set of, well, politically charged ska-punk. And the result is yet another awesome album in this band's catalogue (4-for-6 ain't bad at all, guys!).
Tie - #18. Teenage Bottlerocket - Total
April 12 on Red Scare Records
Adam's Testimonial: Maybe it makes me a musical conservative, but it's remarkably reassuring that there's new bands emerging to carry the torch of the Ramones and Screeching Weasel. This is solid meat & potatoes punk rock, charmingly free of whatever today's trends are yet still youthful and vibrant.
Tie - #18. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
May 3 on French Kiss Records
Matt Whelihan's Testimonial: A little 70s rock, a little bar rock, and one big tale of a girl who is trying to find religious salvation while fighting drug addiction, doesn’t exactly sound like a formula for success, yet it is exactly what makes Separation Sunday such an engrossing listen. Craig Finn’s psuedo-spoken word vocal style coupled with his literary approach to lyrics make him one of the most compelling front men in indie, while the band’s big riffs and twinkling pianos don’t seem ironic, but surprisingly fresh.
#17. Smoke or Fire - Above the City
March 22 on Fat Wreck Chords
Justin's Testimonial: Smoke or Fire put out an album that appealed to the 14 year old in me who discovered this music, as well as the 24 year old who often gets disillusioned with it. It's an album full of earnest, critical, well thought out songs that aren't repetitive, but not so varied that it loses your interest. On a more real, guttural level, Fire Escapes caused me to learn how to weave in and out of Market Street traffic on my bike. The album "gives me faith" in the progression of punk rock, without ever losing sight of it's roots. Maybe I'm wrong, but come fall of next year, these guys are going to be on the tips of everyone's tongues.
#16. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
March 22 on Vice Recordings
Aubin's Testimonial: Despite being burdened by endless comparisons to Gang of Four and Mission of Burma, Bloc Party set their own path with the rhythmic, eclectic Silent Alarm; one of the few times where hype undersells a band.
#15. Boys Night Out - Trainwreck
July 26 on Ferret Records
Brian's Testimonial: An ambitious, masterfully crafted, not-so-easily pigeonholed followup from a band who many likely thought were to fly the flag Grade once soared high. Boys Night Out write a cohesive, obviously metaphorical but well-connected story of a man trying to exercise his musical -- and psychological -- demons inside his head, told against a creative, experimental, drawn out and still catchy affair. Read more...
#14. The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
May 10 on 4AD Records
Greg0rb's Testimonial: After so many releases of focusing on the fictional and last year’s We Shall All Be Healed focusing on real people other than himself, John Darnielle finally points his pen at his younger self. What we get is all the more compelling because we can truly picture our main character. It’s not all whiny and hateful towards his abusive stepfather; Darnielle uses his narrative prowess to paint a very broad yet detailed picture of his young life and the hope that he had throughout it all.
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#13. Bear vs. Shark - Terrorhawk
June 14 on Equalvision
KirbyPuckett's Testimonial: It is a shame that BvS just broke up.Terrorhawk smoothed out the bumps from their stunning unveiling Right Now You're In The Best Of Hands. And If Something Isn't Quite Right.... They really hit their stride with these fifteen tracks that pulled from nearly every genre for one of the most intriguing albums in recent memory.
#12. Constantines - Tournament of Hearts
October 11 on Three Gut Records (Can) / Sub Pop Records (US)
Jesse's Testimonial: 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.
#11. Propagandhi - Potemkin City Limits
October 18 on G7 Welcoming Committee (Can) / Fat Wreck Chords (US)
Sickboi's Testimonial: Intelligent, aggressive and thought-provoking. 
#10. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
May 24 on Sub Pop Records
Adam's Testimonial: Every time a track from The Woods shows up in the shuffle I tend to stop what I'm doing and just listen. While I liked a lot of records this year nothing came even close to capturing my attention like this has. Sleater-Kinney's always quality songwriting is mixed with an impossibly loud and imposing set of instrumentals, captured by a brutally raw production style. The band's vocals, guitars and drumming are all pushed to the breaking point and the results are staggering. The Woods is one of the most confident albums of the decade, and the band's command over this material is breathtaking.
#9. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
July 12 on Asthmatic Kitty
Dan Perrone's Testimonial: I wish I had the words to say just how much I love, adore, and appreciate this album. This is music as an art, in it’s finest form: beautiful, honest, and caring. No one has done what this young man has done in his short career. There’s nothing that can compare to just how good this album really is. Who thought folk music could be so catchy and accessible? With the use of countless instruments, backup vocalists, and, of course, his own talent and amazing voice, Sufjan Stevens has created a masterpiece. There’s not a dislikable thing about Illinois. This kid has one hell of a future ahead of him, and I for one will be a fan all the way. Nothing that has been released in the past year can possibly touch this. Hands down the best album of 2005.
Tie - #7. The Decemberists - Picaresque
March 22 on Kill Rock Stars Records
Sally_Field's Testimonial: Britpop has never sounded so solid. Picaresque is nearly an hour of dreamy, charming rock laced with pianos and Colin Meloy's distinct vocals. The album is addicting and unique from the upbeat tracks such as "The Infanta" to the more mellow, emotional tracks in the likes of "From My Own True Love (Lost at Sea.)" To put it simply, this album is a gem and, without a doubt, my favourite release of 2005.
Tie - #7. Comeback Kid - Wake the Dead
February 22 on Victory Records
Dan Perrone's Testimonial: My review of this was pretty controversial, and ended up being pretty awesome because of that. While I still stand behind everything I said, it is obvious (being that this is #6) that this is not the best album of the year, although it is damn close. It’s the best album Victory will has and will put out in a long time, and this is just the beginning for this young group. They’ve got the world by the balls; now it’s just time to wait and see what they do with it.
#6. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
August 30 on Atlantic Records
Sally_Field's Testimonial: After I first downloaded this album, it sat in my hard drive for weeks before I'd worked up the courage to listen to it. When I like an album as much as I liked Transatlanticism, a let-down was essentially imminent. Yet, when I finally worked up the courage to listen to Plans, I wasn't disappointed. Sure, the album is different than past Death Cab releases, but it still encompasses the mellow charm that makes the band so appealing in the first place. "Soul Meets Body" and "Summer Skin" remain my favourite tracks.
#5. Modern Life Is War - Witness
June 21st on Deathwish, Inc.
Aubin's Testimonial: A seething, vicious demonstration of the power of restraint in hardcore.
#4. Latterman - No Matter Where We Go..!
August 9 on Deep Elm Records
Justin's Testimonial: Where the hell did they come from? It simultaneously makes me want to ride my bike, sing along, and move back to the east coast. It makes me feel good inside, which is a hard task. I think that we only have good bands like this once in a very long while. Feel-good album of the year is the wrong term, but fits nonetheless.
#3. A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner
August 16 on Nitro Records
KirbyPuckett's Testimonial: A “Wilhelm Scream” is a generic sound clip used in several films, made famous throughout the Star Wars films. Although, the band’s name is derived from a common audible noise there is nothing broad about their music. With Ruiner AWS have compiled a smarter and more aggressive record than Mute Print, but the biggest surprise is perhaps the cunning lyrical department. Also, the song “Me Vs. Morrissey In The Pretentiousness Contest (The Ladder Match)” is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
#2. Against Me! - Searching for a Former Clarity
September 6 on Fat Wreck Chords
Scott's Testimonial: Every album Against Me! released has been better than the one prior, and this is no exception. Tom Gabel's lyrics continually cut to the core of whatever issue he feels like addressing, whether it be personal or social-political. It excites me to know I'll be able to witness every single step of Gabel's maturation as a musician, and to know that every single one of those steps is in the right direction. Gentlemen, take a bow: You are the most important band in punk rock.
#1. Paint It Black - Paradise
March 8 on Jade Tree Records
Brian's Testimonial: Melodic Hardcore 101 is now in session, with your long-time professor Dr. Dan Yemin. Paint It Black deliver a mindblowingly good twist on their style of no-frills, no bullshit hardcore with pangs of melody and plenty of spots to catch your breath, only to have it torn from your mouth and choked to oblivion. Whatever that means. Dr. Dan is outraged at the state of the world today, and he wants to let you know through song. Being pissed off never felt so good. My favorite album of 2005.
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Thiryseconds, "Hahahaha...Ramo...I think I was the one to coin the term "dyke-rock" for Sleater Kinney." Hahahaha...Ramo...I think I was the one to coin the term "dyke-rock" for Sleater Kinney. boys night out suck. Hahahaha...Ramo...I think I was the one to coin the term "dyke-rock" for Sleater Kinney. Aquabats! and Briefs get no love :( How the fuck are the words Propagandhi and Intelligent in the same fucking sentence? The pain, frustration, and despair of the preyed upon and forgotten have been fashioned into a sharpened point on Michael Jacksons landmark new album, "The Truth." Skeletons come forth from the closet, secrets are revealed, and broken promises arise from dirtied earth. Faster yet more melodic, heavier yet more accomplished, more precise while even further off the deep-end into tragedy and loneliness, "The Truth" is a trend-proof middle finger toward the glut of over-saturation that threatens to destroy a scene this man helped to build. "Decemberists, Mountain Goats, Bloc Party and all of those other trendy indie shit bands on it" Meh...might as well do my top whatever. Here it is kiddies: The Evens were on mine, as well. "made famous throughout the Star Wars films" to guy below me. not that it counts much, but i think it actually did make it on a couple. at least aubins i think? I can't believe that The Evens didn't make on to any of the lists. where the hell is gogol bordello? I don't know why so many of you are losing your shit over the new Cons record. It was soooooooooo boring. Shine A Light smokes it. And we all know the only reason anyone even remotely dug the new one is because we're all waiting for a Weakerthans album more than the second coming of Christ, and we needed something to latch onto last year. Sorry to post this on here... Joe (from London) any chance you could email me? Cheers. "18. Snitches Get Stitches- I Liked You Better When You Were a Corpse (Toby's review)" There's some good ones on this lst, but Sleater-Kinney's "The Woods" is definately the BEST album of the year. No, I've seen with my own eyes bands that get popular just by throwing out cliche, thoughtless slogans. Time to end it. I like some political bands, but crust generica is just as formularic and crappy as mach' hardcore to me. not that i didn't think there were other things in will's list that were totally fucking retarded, but i'd like to single out one: So...how is Paint it Black better then any other hardcore band in the world again? I'm not hearing it. Sounds the same as any other modern hardcore act to me...Rise Against, Strike Anywhere, Kid Dynamite, Paint it Black, Good Riddance...all the same band with a different vocalist and none of them will ever surpass their influences. [1] Since when is Paint it Black melodic hardcore? [2] Everything should have been done mathetmatically. Math=logic. damnit. it cut my comment off. so discounting those ones. which album should i invest in? PIB? Latterman? or one of the higher ups? ok. so, if i were to buy one of these albums, not counting the ones i have/heard (20, 18s,13,11,7s 3,2) I thought this was PUNKnews.org I don't know why everyone likes the new Boys Night Out. That album was excruciating, and the only reason why people like it is because it had a "concept". And this is comming from someone who rather liked their other two albums. Since when is Paint it Black melodic hardcore? Also, Im pretty sure this whole ranking system is a FUBAR. Everything should have been done mathetmatically. Math=logic. "made famous throughout the Star Wars films" I think it's a shame that The Evens didn't make this list. That record was one of the closest things to "perfect" I've ever heard. Oh well. At least BvS made it. how the hell are the Decemberists "brit-pop"? if we're keeping score, that death cab album should be knocked down a few spots for being my #1 most disappointing album of the year Good list, for the most part. Death Cab shouldn't have been on there (coulda given that spot to the Aquabats. That was a great album, even if they toned down the ska portion of the band,) and I can't stand Bloc Party, but that's a personal thing. GODDAMNIT CHINATOWN! If you seriously think that Paint It Black sounded "muddy", you have no taste in music. It was pretty produced, maybe too much in spots. Crazy kids. GODDAMNIT CHINATOWN! Here's my list. I've indicated in parantheses which albums I bought due to a review I read on this site. Big D "How it Goes", came out in November of '04, a teeny tiny tad to early to count, though i don't care if people do. 5 stars for correct usage of the verb pore. Damn, I'm getting a lot of flack for that PIB comment. I have the album on vinyl and mp3, and I think the first song sounds especially muddy on the record. Maybe its melted or something...fuck it, I'm not going to apologize. I think it's good, just not the holy grail of all recorded sounds. But I do have the solution to make it perfect. More ska! DAN YEMIN, INCLUDE MORE GUITAR UPSTROKES IN YOUR NEXT ALBUM. THANKS. Oh, and I'm so posi that, sometimes, when i squeeze my dick, a little bit ofwierd-smelling green posi comes out. I'm so positive, it comes out in ooze form. Will, if you don't listen to any post-2005 straightedge, situationist, anarchist bands, then how will you ever be able to say, "I wish hardcore was more like Minor Threat and less like Hatebreed." Or, "It was better when it was called Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss?". You couldn't even say, "Pfft! More like Dis-crap!" someone just name dropped scared of chaka i dont know why i even bother pretending to listen to anonymous posters. theyre always wrong. and people with screennames are ALWAYS right...oh well, so it goes I'm assuming the record label in reference is Victory. What album did they put that sticker on? i can say with pride that i haven't listened to ANY of these records. i might check out that teenage bottle rocket though......after my scared of chaka records is over. hmmmm against me! latterman paint it black smoke or fire deserve it but i wud like to see lagwagon not just cuz its dedication tho i rlly think its a good album How It Goes was definitely 2004. I know this because I was still sleeping on someone's couch when I got it. for the guy who never got into the constantines -- shut the fuck up, this is their worst album (still not bad at all) but if you didnt like the other two and the two eps you dont like music you 15 year old I'm sorry but if you really think (if anyone really thinks) that Terrorhawk is the better of the two albums from Bear vs Shark then you really havent listened to Best of Hands and intstead just jumped on the BvS bandwagon. Terrorhawk doesnt come close. My god listen to the drumming in the 1st album, the production/songwriting is a million times better. PS where is lagwagon? how it goes was 2005? fuck. for some reason i was thinking it came out sometime right before christmas 2004, like a year ago november. anyway, if it was 2005, then yes, def one of my top this year. some of the most fun i've had with an album without shoving it up my asshole Big D released the LP "How It Goes" this year as well, and that was a pretty good album as well, I was surprised it wasn't on there. "How was Paint It Black #1? It is a good album. I hardly listen to any hardcore, and I greatly enjoyed it. But come on, the production was TERRIBLE! The entire first song sounds like the master tapes were dropped in a puddle and left to soak for an hour before being pressed to cd. The best album of the year should be close to flawless, and despite excellent songwriting and execution, the muddled production seems like a problem too big to overlook in calling it the best" What about Big D? from paint it black: i was really hoping someone would do this, but i was too lazy. thanks brian How, in the name of all that is holy, did Lagwagon not make it onto enough lists to be here? I won't make a blanket statement that Resolve is their best album, but it is for me, at least. If you seriously think that Paint It Black sounded "muddy", you have no taste in music. It was pretty produced, maybe too much in spots. Crazy kids. never heard them, but kudos to a wilhelm scream for that name. i've been constanly bothered by the phenomenon that sound in movies. now i know what it's called. PIB is a worthy winner. What about Big D? This list would be more accurate if: skaboom, I'm assuming the record label in reference is Victory. What album did they put that sticker on? Pastepunk whose the other punk site? Hahaha, check out what just got sent out on the Paint it Black email list you totally just eSlapped brian across the face. all his hard work for sickboi goes unnoticed once again And Adam still includes a comment from me. What a guy... The Thores came out in 2004 I think I love how everyone wrote these long comments about the album and I totally got lazy and just said some quick shit. i love latterman, and the new band on deep elm records, small arms dealer, is just as good!! check them out... if you like latterman Okay, here's a list of traits of bands I will refuse to listen to if they form post-2005: paint it black deserves it............great album Will should probably stop listening to music altogether. Enough bickering. Paint it Black won. All is right with the world. A couple comments: Stop sucking Against Me's dick. You can admit its a band album. I am still having a hard time believing Propagandhi isn't higher and only one reviewer had Thrice's "Vheissu" on their list. Different strokes, I suppose. Was Dead Meadow on any of the lists? Yeah the LP is all I've heard, and I sure wasn't sold on them. I'll see if I can track down anything else. "...what? haha." Every album Against Me! released has been better than the one prior, and this is no exception Duders, I'm 18 now. As of last month on the 13th. I actually dig The Teen Idles quite a bit, YDI, if we're talking about the same band, I can't say that I really dig. They're solid, no doubt, but nothing I'd rave over. SUCK IT! Anchors just knows I'm right. I've got a list to add as well. It's a list of days that I've recorded, in which will hasn't bitched about something menial on this site. So without any further adieu; The cd's from that list I've actually heard: Where's the Kanye??!?! Death Cab being ahead of The Mountain Goats, The Hold Steady, The Decemberists, and Sufjan Stevens is fucking blasphemy. from my new home http://myspace.com/jonesthebones Seriously bummed at the lack of Minus The Bear on this list. There's something wrong with a lot of you staffers. Okay, here's a list of traits of bands I will refuse to listen to if they form post-2005: MLIW for the win Nice list but you guys give Latterman way too much credit, fun album though. |
