I have two disc mixes from every year in the 00's that sort of float in and out of the CD changer in my truck for emergency listening and 2005 is always one of my favorites for whatever reason.

First the classics, a couple of which have been mentioned but these are among my favorites albums from the last decade:

Spoon - Gimme Fiction
Andrew Bird - Mysterious Production of Eggs
MMJ - Z
Marah - If You Didn't Laugh...
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses
The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
The National - Alligator

And a couple lesser knowns...

The Paddingtons - First Comes First
South San Gabriel - The Carlton Chronicles
Ry Cooder - Chavez Ravine

Probably my top 10 of 2005 as it stands today:

1. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
2. (Smog) - A River Ain't Too Much to Love
3. Akron/Family - s/t
4. Autechre - Untilted
5. Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
6. Gang Gang Dance - God's Money
7. Jackie-O Motherfucker - Flags of the Sacred Harp
8. Angels of Light & Akron/Family - Akron/Family & Angels of Light
9. Animal Collective - Feels
10. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf

RYM and AMG both list Starving Winter Report as a 2005 release. It looks like it got a UK release in 10/05 and then came out in the US in 02/06. Don't remember when I finally heard it but it probably wasn't until late 06 or early 07.

I can get that Stinson to you eventually but it might not be for a little while as I'm having some computer problems at home.

I really dislike that Devin Davis which surprises me given how many people whose taste I respect seem to be big fans.

I would love that Stinson too Billy.

Stuff from that year I like that I haven't seen mentioned yet. Nothing terribly obscure, so I'm not gonna describe unless you ask.


Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll


Crooked Fingers - Dignity & Shame


New Pornographers - Twin Cinema


Sufjan Stevens - Illinois


Sleater-Kinney - The Woods


Magnolia Electric Co. - Trials & Errors


Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die


Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent Jens


Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration

Plus, of course, the already mentioned albums from Spoon, The Hold Steady (listened to that yesterday), etc.

This and Ryan Adams was on a constant repeat during from May 2005 onwards.

Also "wh-when we gon' get paid for this?"

Robert Earl Keen, Jr~ What I Really Mean- Over the years, I've mostly liked Keen as a songwriter more than as a performer. However, I still really like just about everything this album has to offer, including a cameo by Ray Price.



Al Kooper~ Black Coffee- my love for all things Kooper has been fairly well documented here and elsewhere. This is killer shit.



Micah P. Hinson & The Gospel of Progress- dude in his early 20's writes and sings like he's 120. Fucking terrific album.

I kind of liked these...haven't listened to them in forever...

Good call on the Sleater-Kinney & Jens Lekman!!!

yeah I dunno how I forgot that jens lekman.

is this where i go to post album covers of old records i rarely listen too?

no you can go back to posting about thom yorke records no one else will listen to

@ no one else

274,576,254 plays (3,231,445 listeners)

well done guy.

yes and yes

each the pinnacle of their respective discographies

0 replies, 16 views.

I remember this being the year that Wooden Wand put out an album or tape every month (possibly why Polyamory died in the end) it seemed. Also, remember a ton of great records from Yellow Swans, Skaters, and Prurient this year, as well as my favorite Hair Police record. Will sort through stuff when I get home and post specifics, but if I am remembering correctly this was a great year.

i'll check out that Devin Davis and that Chris Mills

Echoing Yail coupled with the following were my Top 3 records of 2005.



Thumbs up for the Ike Reilly & Micah Hinson.

Interested in checking out The 88, Art Brut & that Shooter Jennings record.

i concur on ike and vouch for art brut

Somehow I've never gotten around to listening to that Son Volt...care to upload?

I'd also like to hear that Shooter Jennings.

'4th of July' might be my favourite song of 2005.

Seconded. I started my fandom of Al Kooper around this time and must have still be digesting the earlier albums or this would have been high on my shmoo poll. This is a really great album though, nearly up there with the best of his late 60's and early 70's work. I especially like Going Going Gone (co-written with Dan Penn).

The things I still listen to the most from 2005 that haven't been mentioned are:



Marianne Faithfull - Before the Poison

In my opinion, this is her best work and it's really strong in large part due to the talent on board. PJ Harvey wrote 3 songs, co-wrote two others with Marianne, and is present on all of them. Nick Cave co-wrote 3 of the songs and the Bad Seeds play on those. Damon Albarn and Jon Brion also contributed songs. Yet it doesn't have the mish-mash all star feel of the recent Jerry Lee Lewis albums or albums of similar ilk. It's very well-sequenced and she makes the songs all feel like they are her own.



Richard Thompson - Front Parlour Ballads

It's not the first RT album I'll grab for but it does make it into rotation, perhaps because it's a little unique as it's one of his few acoustic dominated albums. Pretty good album nonetheless and imo much better than his last two.



John Doe - Forever Hasn't Happened Yet

Another strong rootsy Doe Solo joint with nice contributions from his usual crowd of collaborators (Dave Alvin & Cindy Lee Berryhill) plus a few others (Neko Case, Kristin Hersh). There's no Golden State on here and I don't like it quite as much as A Year in the Wilderness or Dim Stars, Bright Skies. It's not far behind either though in quality and is certainly deserving of a lot more attention than it got.