The 7 Best Albums Heard in 2005

Tomorrow I move to Chicago (I actually dropped some stuff off tonight because my dad has to work tomorrow and I was storing it in his van). I will miss many things about the unemployed, Brookfield life, especially hanging out with O-Negative (despite his lies) and The Hero. These guys have made the last month very enjoyable through imitation games and bad movie rentals. Also, I woke up at 11 and took a 3-hour nap today. I'll miss that sort of thing. And I'll miss not having to shop for groceries. I really hate shopping for myself. My parents are surprisingly good at it.

I am, however, very excited to be getting on with life. I feel as if I haven't used my brain in about six months. I'm also excited to be moving back within walking distance to Dave.


The 7 Best Albums Heard in 2005

7. Sigur Rós - Takk...

This is the first Sigur Rós album that I've truly fallen in love with, although part of this may be due to seeing them play the greatest concert of my life. It boggles my mind that Sigur Rós is able to create music in the way they do. Every song is revolutionary. If you want to be blown away, listen to the piano dance with the bells and the Icelandic vocals on the track Sæglópur. This song nearly brings me to tears every time I listen to it.


6. Saxon Shore - The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore

Simply put, the best instrumental album I've heard since Explosions in the Sky's The Earth is Not a Cold, Dead Place by the only United Statesian band on the list. Finely crafted keyboard- and guitar-based songs with drums that blend the epicness of Explosions and the creativeness of The Appleseed Cast. The perfect combination of ambiance and rock.


5. Múm - Finally We Are No One

I was late to hop onto the Múm train, as I just recently discovered them from the Wicker Park soundtrack. While that movie may not have been fantastic (although I thought it was), it did use Múm's We Have a Map of the Piano and I Can't Feel My Hand Any More, It's Alright, Sleep Tight perfectly. Another album that proves Iceland knows how to progressively rock with their accordian and haunting vocals.


4. The Most Serene Republic - Underwater Cinematographer

This album has possibly more gimmicks than that New Found Glory video. The difference is that the The Most Serene Republic cleverly uses each gimmick to make each song stand out. The combination of conventional pop-rock with hands, claps, samples of children speaking, beat boxing, conversational intros, spoken background vocals, and choral chanting makes each song unique, both from one another and from songs by any other artist.


3. Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

Another Canadian studio band to add to the list. While Stars' live show was lackluster, Set Yourself On Fire explodes with brass, strings, inventive keyboard and guitar parts, and beautiful dualing vocals. Each song provides unique and honest song-writing about love and its lack that provides the option to listen to over and over and over again.


2. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us

There are four songs on this album that I can't even listen to (No, Car Crash Terror is not one of these four). I have to skip them everytime they come on. However, the other ten songs are so good that this was my favorite 2005 release. Both the structured electro-rock songs (Don't Save Us From the Flames, Teen Angst) and the beatifully ethereal songs (I Guess I'm Floating, Slight Night Shiver, Let Men Burn Stars) provided the perfect summer/fall soundtrack this year. Also noteable: this album is the first album I've heard in years that sounds better as it gets louder, especially Teen Angst.


1. Tegan & Sara - So Jealous

An album full of perfect pop songs, complete with self-doubt and the best backing vocals I have ever heard. Although upon my first listen I told Metzger that I preferred the new Coldplay (slaps forehead), I quickly grew to love this album. Even now, every time I listen to So Jealous I fall in love with Tegan & Sara for the first time over and over again.