Best albums of 2005?

Discussion on new albums, developing listening skills, critical listening to others' work, as well as TOMB members' MP3 links, online recording critiques

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NewAndImprov
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Post by NewAndImprov » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:43 pm

My faves for this year, in no particular order

Mike Ladd Presents father Divine: Ladd's first actual, concept-free rap disc since 1999's brilliant "Welcome to the Afterfuture." Cool, quirky, sometimes deadly derious, sometimes funny and goofy.

The Either Orchestra: Ethiopiques 20: Live in Addis. My band covers a couple of tunes from Buda Musique's amazing series of Ethio-funk from the 70's, and I briefly fantasized about what happens on this disc: Learning the tunes, going to Ethiopia and playing a gig with the surviving musicians from the original scene. That the Boston-based Either Orchestra do it so well, and stir in their own Mingus-esque sensibility makes it even cooler.

Blackalicious: The Craft. Wonderful disc of conscious rap, reminds me of an updated Marvin Gaye/Curtis Mayfield in it's content and production, loose, funky, and something non-stupid to say.

Meshuggah: Catch 33. Supremely technical metal by the Scandinavian masters. Not afraid of dynamics.

Strapping Young Lad: Alien. Perhaps the all-time best-sounding loud album. Every frequency filled and pushed to zero, and it still sounds great. Over-the-top in every good way, especially Devin Townshend's almost inhuman vocals.

And a bunch of re-issues:
Monk/Coltrane: live at Carnegie Hall. What else can you say?

Coltrane: One Down, One Up: Live at the Half Note: This didn't get the press of the Monk rediscovery, but it's as good if not better. Trane's classic quartet at the peak of it's powers, long tunes that never relent, non-stop brilliance.

Miles Davis: The Cellar Door Sessions. Six cd's of a band inventing jazz-rock every night.

Ennio Morricone: Crime and Dissonance: Lovingly assembled by one of the Sun City Girls and released by Mike Patton, this comp of early crime film tracks is pure beauty, and avoids the stuf you're likely to have heard before.

Moondog: The Viking of Sixth Avenue: Blind street mnusician invents minimalism a decade before Young/Glass/Reich/Riley, and has more fun doing so.

Best shows:
Subtle, just a week before Dax's tragic accident.
Jello Biafra + The Melvins
Daniel Lanois + Tortise

I'd been feeling like this wasn't so great a year, but reviewing this list, it looks pretty good.

Have a great holiday...

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MajorEverettMiller
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Post by MajorEverettMiller » Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:59 am

Samara Lubelski - "Spectacular of Passages" & "The Fleeting Skies"

Julie Dorion - "Goodnight, Nobody"

Make Believe - "Shock of Being"

Calexico/Iron & Wine - "In the Reins"

Spain Colored Orange - "Hopelessly Incapable of Standing in the Way"

lyman
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Post by lyman » Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:35 pm

J.B.Horns wrote: Also Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Abbatior Blues/Lyre of Orpheus(was that 2005?)
i think that was 2004, but still, it's great!

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digitaldrummer
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Post by digitaldrummer » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:38 am

Ok, I gotta cast a vote for KT Tunstall's Eye to The Telescope. I don't what it is but I can't seem to get it out of my CD player. I had to buy an import cause it doesn't actually release in the USA until later this month (I think). I guess then, it will get overplayed and I'll probably stop listening to it, but I still like it.

Echos Myron
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Post by Echos Myron » Sun Jan 01, 2006 8:39 pm

SOUND team -- Work EP

Sufjan Stevens -- Illinios

Jose Gonzalez -- Veneer

Kanye West -- Late Registration

I've finally been getting into The National -- Alligator, which I really like.
Last edited by Echos Myron on Mon Jan 02, 2006 4:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Recycled_Brains
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Post by Recycled_Brains » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:52 pm

Meshuggah: Catch 33 - highlight of the year for me. got to hear some of it live.... amazing album.

Neuraxis: Trilateral Progression.... awesome melodic death/grind on willowtip records.

Cephalic Carnage: Anomalies... probably the best sounding and best played grind record to come out in quite some time.

Queens of the Stone Age: Lullibies to Paralyze

Misery Index: Dissent.... grind from maryland with a heavy crust/punk influence, some of the best song-writing in the genre, really raw recording that fits their sound very nicely.
Ryan Slowey
Albany, NY

http://maggotbrainny.bandcamp.com

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greatmagnet
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Post by greatmagnet » Thu Jan 05, 2006 2:33 pm

John Jeffers wrote:Queens of the Stone Age, "Lullabies to Paralyze"
YES!
"All energy flows in accordance with the whims of the great Magnet"
?Raoul Duke
www.greatmagnetrecording.com

KennyLusk
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Post by KennyLusk » Mon Jan 09, 2006 1:07 pm

Robert Plant and Strange Sensation - "Mighty Rearranger"
"The mushroom states its own position very clearly. It says, "I require the nervous system of a mammal. Do you have one handy?" Terrence McKenna

Brian Brock
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Post by Brian Brock » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:31 pm

I forgot about Daniel Lanois's Belladonna.

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