this one is right up there for me as well.

I sold it as well. It just wasn't doing anything for me.

Thats why I mentioned Consistency. I love Y&YM, but I tend to skip around to the songs I like. Aha is an album I can I can listen to all the way through without skipping.

YES! That is my choice as well, hands down. I'm not going to be the only one in this camp.

'World Waits For You' - record closer
- Jay & a piano = one of his best (including reprise)

I learned it by watching you, dad.

Common - Be

Spoon - Gimme Fiction

I'm gonna check it out. Jet Pilot is one of my favorites of the year.

My choice as well. As far as surprises go, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is being returned to repeatedly, although I wouldn't say it's anything close to album of the year.

Animal Collective - Feels

So what if it's not yet officially released. The fidelity will only be better on the official release. This disc has everything I'm looking for in an album right now.

Add in the b-side to the 'Grass' single ('Fickle Cycle') as it was part of the same recording sessions and the album is ever better.

agreed. this is one album that i passed up initially, but then my wife turned me on to it again a few months later.

If you're interested, they released "Monkey" as a CD single with remixes from Bob Mould, Fog and Stepehn Merit. Got mine at iTunes.

it's still "picaresque" by the decemberists, barely over "cold roses by ryan adams & the cardinals. (and now there's another by them to make it more difficult on me.)



i'd say centerfield -- i liked all the decemberist stuff previous to their new one, but haven't loved any of those albums. coming in to 2005, ryan was a shoe-in for #1 -- just depended on which album. but it all just clicked with "picaresque", significanly helped by seeing them live.

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

I feel like my #1 right now is just a placeholder for something that will hopefully come along later.

Smog - A River Ain't Too Much to Love

Great album, but probably not even my favorite Smog album. There's only one kinda weak moment in the song "The Well". I think the rest of it is really solid, and some of it is among his most affecting stuff.

Only things so far giving this a run for its money are the Devendra Banhart and Orthrelm albums. I think the D. Banhart album has some sequencing problems (I actually enjoyed it much more listening to the leaked version in alphabetical order) and is just a little too long.

I'm keeping my hopes up for the new Animal Collective, Lightning bolt, Deerhoof, and Silver Jews albums. I have some of them already, but I'm waiting to buy them on their actual release date (all Oct. 18) before I really listen to them.

A song guaranteed to start a riot. It shredded live.

Have you heard 'Joe Citizen Blues' ?
Left off for it's political slant, but easily as good as anything on the record.

I can YSI it later if you like ?

This is the one 2005 album I've been eagerly waiting for all year so I don't think this is really a surprise...

Wolf Parade- Apologies for the Queen Mary




Yeah I'd say it shows my overall music taste.

spoon...yes, definitely spoon

I have 20 top 5s, but no top 20

my list will be fucked.

that last crooked fingers album is pretty straight ahead rock and roll - a few horns, some nice female backing vocals, just a great album.

Oh yeah...shit, that Silver Jews is fantastic, as well. I think I'd still give it to AC for my personal tastes, but the Silver Jews is much more of a crowd pleaser. Anyone can dig on that one. It's just an all around solid album.

Haven't heard it, but would love a YSI. thanks.

The new Lightning Bolt and Deerhoof are really good. I've never liked the Silver Jews but I've heard the new one sucks, even from fans.

yeah, it hits you like a ton of bricks.

I'm feeling that way about the Andrew Bird album as well. I liked it at first but got real tired of it real quick. Then I went back to it and now its a top 5'er of the year candidate. Its just real solid.