Top 20 albums of 2005

I’ve kept my list down to the top 20 this year, mainly because I haven’t bought as much mainstream pop music as I usually do (in fact some of these are “tester” albums obtained from questionable sources), but also because I’ve downloaded loads of unofficial material/concerts (“legally” through http://www.dimeadozen.org/) which makes up a lot of my listening.

Of course, I have also been in the market for more non-mainstream albums that no-one will have heard about (mainly electronic, ambient and prog-rock), and a lot of these would be high on my list, but there’s no point in that, so I’ve kept my list as mainstream as possible.

Anyway, here’s my semi-mainstream top 20 for 2005, slightly influenced by my wife’s (Alex) listening habits. The best few were fairly easy to order, the rest less so. I think overall it’s been a year of fairly good albums, without many stand-out cannot be without albums:

20 Katie Melua Piece by Piece		Alex really liked her first album, so we got this one, even though reviews weren’t very complimentary. I don’t think much of her voice, and there’s not much else in the music. Alex really likes it, but it doesn’t do much for me. If you liked the first album, you will probably like this one, but not quite as much.
19 Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine		After all of the hype, I grabbed this off a Bit Torrent site (Sony refused to release it for sale). I have to say that I haven’t got into this one yet. I thought I would, because I’ve liked her other stuff. There’s lots going on musically – it’s a bit experimental. I believe it is actually for general sale now, so I really should buy it and try again.
18 The Mars Volta Francis The Mute		I got this after a few recommendations, in particular Crispian. It has its moments, but I need to listen to it some more.
17 The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satin		I was disappointed with this one. After originally dismissing the White Stripes, I actually tried Elephant and really enjoyed it. So I tried some back catalog albums, and was really looking forward to Get Behind Me Satin. Unfortunately, you can tell it was a rushed production (apparently one day), following his release from prison. And Meg should stick to drumming!
16 Eels Blinking Lights and other Revelations		Eels sound a bit more serious these days, following some personal tragedies in the lead singers family. I’ve yet to find any tracks that have really taken to me though. No instant stand-out tracks, but I’ve been told it’s a grower.
15 Paul Weller As Is Now		A bit of a return to form – better than the last few albums. Only heard it through once though – I think it will grow on me more than annoy me.
14 Kathryn Williams Over Fly Over		I got this as I had enjoyed her previous albums. She’s quite laid-back, folk-rock (more folk than rock). This album is a little disappointing – I need to play it some more yet though.
13 Amorphous Androgynous Alice in Ultraland		aka “The Future Sound of London”. Trippy, psychedelic, prog-dance music. At times, it can feel a bit like Atom Heart Mother – somewhere between psychedelic and progressive instrumentalism.
12 RPWL The World Through My Eyes		This band are frequently compared to Pink Floyd. Actually, I would compare them as a whole more like Porcupine Tree, but some of the tracks on this album sound vocally just like Dave Gilmore, and the Fender sounds like Dave’s as well! Track “Roses” features Raw Wilson (Genesis). More than just a sound-alike band.
11 Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor		Madonna says this album "is all about having a good time straight through and non-stop”. There’s a couple of duff tracks.
10 Moby Hotel		Better than the previous album, without quite achieving the melodic catchyness of “Play”. Seems to lose a bit of direction at times. If you haven’t purchased yet, get the enhanced edition with the bonus ambient CD.
9 Coldplay X&Y		This was the most eagerly awaited album of the year for me. It’s okay, but not as good as the previous two albums. I find some of the songs a bit too repetitious. Made for the masses, it feels they are turning the handle and other bands are catching up fast.
8 Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill [Acoustic]		This album marked the 10-year anniversary of the original release. This time, Alanis decided to release an acoustic version of the very same 13 songs. Mellower than the original.
7 Boards of Canada The Campfire Headphase		Discovered by accident whilst randomly clicking through some new releases. I had no idea what to expect, so I tried downloading a few tracks. This is why the music industry should be more lenient to a bit of casual music swapping, as I’d never of considered a purchase without listening to a few tracks first. Don’t quite know how to describe this album – it’s weird. Experimental, mainly instrumental chill out weirdness??!!
6 James Blunt Back to Bedlam		One that Alex bought, but actually it turned out to be much better than I expected ;) Hard to believe he was a British tank commander, if it wasn’t for clues in some of the lyrics. Good voice, beautiful melodies.
5 Goldfrapp Supernature		Better than their second album, perhaps not as good as their first. It sits somewhere between the strange “Felt Mountain” and the glam-pop “Black Cherry”. Quite catchy.
4 Athlete Tourist		This is more like the kind of album that I was expecting from Coldplay, albeit a bit more Indie. Initially perhaps quite hard to listen to, but perseverance pays off. "Wires", the first single, is about singer Joel Pott's recollection of his newborn daughter being rushed into intensive care.
3 Kate Bush Ariel		Much better than her last album “The Red Shoes” from 12 years gone. Most of it is top-notch Kate Bush, back to her best. Except for one song which is about a washing machine!
2 Tangerine Dream Tangerine Tree 8 (Volumes 72-79)		Recorded and remastered by fans, distributed with the artists consent. Well, there have been numerous Tangerine Dream releases this year, and I couldn’t help but stick one in my top 20. This is cheating a bit, as it’s actually a compilation of 8 bootleg concerts ranging from 1972 to modern times. These are top-quality recordings.
1 Porcupine Tree Deadwing		When will this band really break big time in this country? This is their most mainstream release, as it is intended as an album to “break America”, sounding a tad heavier than previous albums due to Steve Wilson’s time producing an album for a heavy metal group called Opeth.