Annual Album of the Year Fest

[DeeCrowSeer]

Because I'm old fashioned, and still buy albums. The rules are that the album must be a brand-spanking new 2005 release (unless you can give a very good reason why a re-issue should be considered). No to spoken word. Yes to soundtracks. Nominate one winner, and a runner-up... please and thank you. :)

My Album of the Year:

Get Behind Me Satan - White Stripes
(June 6, 2005)

It could have done with more of Meg's singing on it, but this album saw a fairly marked shift in the band's sound, and gave us 'Take, Take, Take' which is just a great, great song. I only saw their Glasto performance from the comfort of my arm chair, but I also thought that rocked most heartily. Add to that a name-drop in Mike's latest Second Ether story, and you've got yourself a pretty solid year of fun... as long as you ignore the whole selling out to Coke thing. Oh, and it "dropped" the day before my B-Day, which was excellent timing.

Runner Up:

My Machine - Princess Superstar
(September 12, 2005)

For reasons explained in the concept album thread. It's a funny, smart, engaging album... although it did apparently take four years to make, while the Stripes knock one out in a month or so!

[johneffay]

Well, assumming that I'm not allowed to nominate live albums relased in 2005, but recorded earlier (in which case it would be The Grateful Dead, Filmore West 1969 and Coil, ...and the ambulance died in his arms), I'd go for:

Kate Bush, Aerial

and the runner up would be

Van Der Graaf Generator, Present

[spaced_moorcock]

The rules are that the album must be a brand-spanking new 2005 release (unless you can give a very good reason why a re-issue should be considered). No to spoken word. Yes to soundtracks. Nominate one winner, and a runner-up... please and thank you. :)

Ahhhh!!! You've got me there Dee. I really want to have Funeral by the Arcade Fire as my album of the year but it was technically released in 2004 (but didn't see a UK release until February of this year). Oh well... I'd go for:

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
(February 14, 2005)

I'd been waiting for them to release an album after hearing Banquet on MTV2 last year. When it finally arrived, it was good and I loved every minute of it. They were really good when I saw them live too.

and the runner up:

Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
(March 7, 2005)

It was Oh My God that persuaded me to buy the album and it was another that I loved. Plus there were a number of songs to which I could dance around the room. Very cool and only just beating Elevator by Hot Hot Heat by a cat's whisker.