Tuesday, January 31, 2006

The Best CDs of 2005

Pop, rock, country, folk, jazz, blues, Broadway, bluegrass and more -- it's all here. Go here for a complete list of the 50 best CDs of the year, detailed breakdown of who's who and what's what, favorite reissues, my early favorites for 2006 and more.

BEST ALBUMS OF 2005

1. Richard SwiftThe Richard Swift Collection, Volume One (literate pop)
2. Sufjan StevensIllinois (eclectic pop)
3. The EelsBlinking Lights and Other Revelations (suicidal pop)
4. Amadou & MariamDimanche a Bamako (world pop)
5. Betty LaVetteI’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise/ Various I Believe To My Soul (soul)
6. The White StripesGet Behind Me Satan (bluesy pop)/ Bright EyesI’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (folkie pop)
7. Neil Diamond 12 Songs (pop via Brill Building)
8. Hanna McEuen -- Hanna McEuen (country by way of Everly Brothers)
9. The Magic NumbersThe Magic Numbers (60s pop via UK)
10. Various Does Anybody Know I’m Here? Vietnam Through The Eyes of Black America (protest pop)
11. Wolf ParadeApologies to the Queen Mary/ Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah/ Broken Social Scene/ Marah If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry (return of Talking Heads)
12. Bill Charlap and Sandy StewartLove Is Here To Stay (telepathic jazz duets)
13. Lewis TaylorStoned (what Prince and Stevie Wonder used to be)
14. Ali Farka Toure & Toumani DiabateIn The Heart Of The Moon (world music)
15. Fiona AppleExtraordinary Machine (pop, the hard way)
16. Heartless BastardsStairs and Elevators (rock n roll)
17. Various Son Cubano NYC: Cuban Roots, New York Spices 1972-82 (salsa)
18. Hard-FiStars Of CCTV (British rock)
19. Neil YoungPrairie Wind (folk rock staring death in the face and smiling)
20. Supergrass Road To Rouen (underappreciated rock)

2 comments:

Michael in New York said...

I hadn't thought of Twilley, but you're right -- I cna hear it.

Michael in New York said...

I cna? I can.