What are Your Favorite Albums of '05 So Far

[fitzcarraldo]

2005 is already more than half over. WTF?! So far I've been diggin:
M.Ward-Transistor Radio
Jamie Lidell-Multiply
Low-The Great Destroyer
Vitalic-OK Cowboy
Andrew Bird-The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Longwave-There's A Fire
Beck-Guero
Doves-Some Cities
Gorillaz-Demon Days
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!-s/t
& you...

[Chills]

M Ward - Transistor Radio
Andrew Bird - Mysterious...
Richmond Fontaine - Fitzgerrald
Great Lake Swimmers - Bodies and Minds
Josh Rouse - Nashville ('05?)
Arcade Fire - Funeral  ('05?)

[EC]

So far Transistor Radio is by far my favourite album released this year.

(I bought a lot of records this year, but am never sure when they came out, so I'll check at home.)

[ratsprayer]

no particular order here:

sufjan stevens - illinois (flat out amazing)
m ward - transistor radio (his best? my favourite?)
xiu xiu - la foret (frighteningly beautiful, gives me chills)
clap your hands, say yeah - s/t (anything like the tall dwarfs is good, in my eyes)
decemberists - picaresque (one of my fave bands hands down)
vic chesnutt - ghetto bells (probably my favourite lyricist over the past 15 years)
antony and the johnsons - im a bird now (get past his voice, it will wreck you with the emotion of it all)
black mountain - s/t (great throwback psych stoner rock)

[ratsprayer]

i forgot to mention:

okkervil river - black sheep boy
hold steady - separation sunday

i got that andrew bird album last night and love it from the first listen.  im still listening to great lake swimmer, but good so far.  thanks for the recommendations.    :D

[tomEisenbraun]

Definitely gotta say M. Ward - Transistor Radio
White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Iron and Wine - Woman King EP (its an EP, so shoot me)
Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
and I'm gonna make a prediction....Z

[JacketGal]

So far....

Motivational Speaker ~Alvin Youngblood Hart
Cold Roses ~Ryan Adams
Mighty Rearranger ~Robert Plant
Back to Me ~Kathleen Edwars
Okemah and the Melody of Riot ~Son Volt

[fitzcarraldo]

and I'm gonna make a prediction....Z

Oh yeah!!! I'm pretty sure, no absolutely sure that Z will be in my faves as well. Nice to see M.Ward on tops of most peoples lists. Seeing him next Thursday, free show at Battery Park. Woo Hoo!!! Woman King counts, Oh Yeah! Rock on!
How could I forget The Album Leaf's Seal Beach Ep
Pure Bliss. Actually a re-release from a couple of years ago. Originally released in Spain, it now has extra tracks (live with members of Sigur Ros).

[Specialist]

Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
M. Ward - Transistor Radio
Beck - Guero
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
Spoon - Gimme Fiction

[SpacedCowboy]

Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins
Dr. Dog - Easy Beat
M. Ward - Transistor Radio
Doves - Some Cities
Edan - Beauty and the Beat
Matisyahu - Live at Stubs
Femi Kuti - Live at the Shrine
John Browns Body - Pressure Points
Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
Caribou - Milk of Human Kindness
Thievery Corporation - The Cosmic Game
The Works - The Works
Apollo Sunshine - E.P.
Dub Trio - Exploring the Dangers Of

Eagerly Anticipating.....
My Morning Jacket - Z
North Missippi Allstars - Electric Blue Watermelon
Bob Dylan - Bootleg Vol. 7 and Gaslight performance
The Band - Boxed Set
Super Fury Animals
Apollo Sunshine
D'Angelo (If he ever gets his shit together)
Outkast - Movie soundtrack
George Clinton (not sure what to expect, but one can only hope)

[Ian_Alan]

Heartless Bastards- Stairs and Elevators
Dub Trio- Exploring the dangers of
White Stripes-Get Behind Me Satin
Turbine-Don't Mind If I Should

[wordawg]

Reise Reise - Rammstein.

You've gotta love it.

[corey]

I really enjoy Mike Doughty's "Haughty Melodic".

[plank10]

gotta say
Lucero - Nobody's Darlings

[fitzcarraldo]

can't forget the Kings of Leon! R n F'n R!!!!!

[EC]

can't forget the Kings of Leon! R n F'n R!!!!!

Last night I learned that I've been singing a song wrong.  I don't know the name, and actually right now I can't remember the exact words, but I always thought it was "She was so retarded", but...  it isn't.  :)

[sweatboard]

Sleater Kinney - The Woods
M. Ward - Transistor Radio
Iron and Wine - Woman King EP
The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralize
Black Mountain - Black Mountain
Kings Of Leon - Ah Ha Shake Heartbreak
Beck - Guero

[EC]

Beck - Guero

Every time I listen to it, it's more insane.  I don't think I've ever been disappointed by Beck (the MV record isn't my favourite, but it certainly isn't bad).  And I keep thinking "Why hasn't Beck made anything shitty, ever?"  At least not that I know of.  And then yesterday Jen had this old Paste magazine out (one she got from Bonnaroo, NOT the Bonnaroo one, it's the one with Billy Corgan on the cover), and there was an article with Beck where the interviewer kind of provoked him and then made him seem like he had no sense of humour.  Whatever.  But I really enjoyed reading that.

I think he doesn't make anything shitty because he's always trying to change things up and try new stuff.  And because I think there's an honesty in his music, and that is NEVER bad.  Also, especially with Sea Change.  I loved that.

His new "girl" video is up at beck.com and I just watched it.  If you ever read MAD magazine, you'll be verrry excited!!

I think I would want to marry Beck if he wasn't married and if he wasn't a scientologist.  

[sweatboard]

Someone played the entire Mellow Gold album outside my tent right when I was laying down to go to sleep at Bannaroo this year.  I just layed there and listened to the entire thing straight through.  I remeber thinking "What An Amazing Fucking Recor".  That goes for most of his stuff though.  Sea Change, Odelay, Mutations, Guero.  I'm also not a huge fan of Midnight Vultures, you have to be in a certain mood to listen to it.  I think it's really well done though.

[tomEisenbraun]

I was diggin on Sufjan Stevens yesterday. Illinoise. Man, it's awesome. Half of it reminds me of a sixties TV show. I loves it. Definitely a goodie.