It's June, and heres the best music of 2005 thus far

[LvJ]

Buy (or acquire ) these albums, now. :dancingco

1. The Decemberists - Picaresque
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: The Bagman's Gambit; The Sporting Life
2. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: Luno, Banquet
3. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: First Day of My Life, Land Locked Blues
4. Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: I Believe in Symmerty, Theme from Pinata
5. British Sea Power - Open Season
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: It Ended on an Oily Stage, To Get To Sleep
6. Coldplay - X&Y
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: 'Til Kingdom Come, Speed of Sound
7. Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: Uh .. 33 songs .. not picking!
8. The Kills - No Wow
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: No Wow/Telephone Radio Germany, Sweet Cloud
9. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
   
   Favorite 2 Songs: I Predict A Riot, Saturday Morning

Thoughts? Yeah? No? Post yours.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Man, oh man... I must be getting old! I am not familiar w/ any of those groups, LvJ, except Coldplay. I just bought two newbies. The first two I have bought this year!

The new Audioslave CD, "Out of Exile", is awesome IMO. True talent in that group. I never tire of Tom Morello on guitar or Chris Cornell's singing.

I also dig the new System of a Down CD, "Mesmerize". I got hooked on SOAD when they put out their "Toxicity" CD and still like 'em. Their music may seem "different" to some, but I like it.

[registerthis]

I heard X&Y yesterday, and while there was nothing necessarily wrong with it, it was sooo boring...I lost interest after track 5 or 6 because the songs were all blending together for me. Plus, they ruined "Talk", which COULD have been the best song on the album, only the version they ended up going with is substantially inferior to earlier versions of the track. Ah, well, at least it's not U2.

I'm not a huge fan of Bloc Party either, they're simply 'OK'. I WOULD put Doves "Some Cities" on the list, though. It's fantastic.

Eels album is really good too.

[westofyou]

A new Eels CD is always welcomed in my world.

Now I'll have to pick it up.

[Stewie]

I agree with your top choice of the Decemberists, LvJ, and like most of your other choices, too, with the exception of the second Bright Eyes album. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn did nothing for me. I also haven't heard the new Coldplay, but I've never been a huge fan of theirs anyways, so I doubt I could take anymore than what I hear on the radio anyways.


Some other releases that I have been digging which have not been mentioned include:
LCD Soundsystem - s/t
Common - Be (I love all of Common's work, but I think this may be his best)
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth (best solo album yet, although that isn't saying much, since his first two solo albums weren't that great)
Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth (took me a little while to get into this one, but it is good)



I'm sure there are others that I am forgetting.

[westofyou]

Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth (best solo album yet, although that isn't saying much, since his first two solo albums weren't that great)

I liked the first one, but it grew old fast, second one.. nah....I have heard the 3rd one is really good. Steve lives about 4 miles from me so they give him lots of press here in town and he plays about every 6 months.

In retrospect I live right between Steve Malkmus's House and Rob Neyer's home.. that would be an interesting cookout.

M2 turned me on to this band

http://www.beggars.com/features/thenational/

[Sean_CaseyRules]

Didn't Franz Ferdinands album come out this year?
They are one of my favorite bands, but i dont know when. I think that its a pretty darn good album

[Ravenlord]

System of a Down-Mesmorize...love the death and thrash influence
HammerFall-Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken...probably the best power metal album that'll appear this year
Rapture-Silent Stage...progressive thrash metal. dude has pipes.
Black Label Society-Mafia...Zakk Wylde's great, yet to produce a bad solo album (though i think Pride & Glory were better).
Kamelot-The Black Halo...third best prog metal in the world. maybe the best album they've ever made.

[Larry Schuler]

The Decemberists cd is definitely good.

My top album of the year so far has to be


Magnolia Electric Co. - What Comes After the Blues.

If you've heard of Jason Molina or Songs:Ohia, this is his new band. Amazing album. For fans of Neil Young style Americana/rock/folk/country.

Here are some mp3s

The Dark Don't Hide It MP3
Leave the City MP3

[LvJ]

System of a Down? Not a fan at all, and after hearing BYOB and laughing everytime at the lyrics (I can't take them seriously), I pretty much will pass on their album.

I agree with your top choice of the Decemberists, LvJ, and like most of your other choices, too, with the exception of the second Bright Eyes album. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn did nothing for me. I also haven't heard the new Coldplay, but I've never been a huge fan of theirs anyways, so I doubt I could take anymore than what I hear on the radio anyways.


Some other releases that I have been digging which have not been mentioned include:
LCD Soundsystem - s/t
Common - Be (I love all of Common's work, but I think this may be his best)
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth (best solo album yet, although that isn't saying much, since his first two solo albums weren't that great)
Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth (took me a little while to get into this one, but it is good)



I'm sure there are others that I am forgetting.

Bright Eyes would have been better off combining a few songs from A Digital Ash and I'm Wide Awake and releasing only one great album.

If you were never really a fan of Coldplay, then you certainly won't like X&Y. I like the album, but it's not their best, and isn't getting alot of praise from people so far, from what I've heard.

I caught a few from the LCD Soundsystem album, but not enough to judge it wholely yet. I did like what I heard. I'll check out the rest soon.

The Decemberists cd is definitely good.

My top album of the year so far has to be


Magnolia Electric Co. - What Comes After the Blues.

If you've heard of Jason Molina or Songs:Ohia, this is his new band. Amazing album. For fans of Neil Young style Americana/rock/folk/country.

Here are some mp3s

The Dark Don't Hide It MP3
Leave the City MP3

Nice. I liked those two. I'll check it out. Thanks. :dancingco

[pedro]

I have Rhapsody and I just listened to the new Decemberists tonight.

Pretty tight.

Thanks LVJ

[Falls City Beer]

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists have been on a deadly tear of late (last three albums). Plus, he's supernice; a friend of a friend who went to Notre Dame with him.

[LvJ]

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists have been on a deadly tear of late (last three albums). Plus, he's supernice; a friend of a friend who went to Notre Dame with him.

Shake the Sheets was on my favorites of 2004 list. :dancingco

[registerthis]

Doves- Some Cities

The best album that will get no play in America.

[dsmith421]

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists have been on a deadly tear of late (last three albums). Plus, he's supernice; a friend of a friend who went to Notre Dame with him.

Great, great band. Can I add Interpol - Antics and Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak to this list? Not sure if they were late 2004, though.