top ten albums of 2005 (and some other notable mentions)

chimp71:
in no particular order, and some of these contain a few killer hits rather than functioning as entire albums, but hey… also this is just the stuff that was out 2005, so no dylan, no pharoah sanders, no japan, or jackson c frank etc which have all been shuffling for me nicely this year.

clor (swung me round after seeing them supporting malkmus)
stephen malkmus - face the truth (this one does work as a whole album)
matthew herbert - plat du jour (the return of the concept album! loved this live too, looking forward to the return of disco herbert in 2006 as well)
roisin murphy - ruby blue (this should point where disco herbert will be taking off from, great hearing that wonky guitar on the title track on the radio all year)
louis xiv - the best little secrets are kept (great singles here, bit patchy as an album)
jamie lidell - mulitply (real grower this, disappointed at first, dig it now)
devendra banhart - cripple crow (this is way too long, but like it a lot even though i imagine he'd be quite high maintenance to hang with)
wilco - ghost is born (c75 really swung me around on these guys, so not the alt folkies i thought they were)
ambulance ltd - ambulance ltd (great, really varied album, which they pulled off live)
caribou - milk of human kindness (ironic title seeing as they were such miserable fuckers at the montague and we pulled them from heavy rotation afterwards)

notable mentions:
arcade fire - funeral
gorillaz - demon days (all year i keep hearing the singles on the radio, liking it, and still not identifying that it's them)


Chimp 75:

First off, for me 2005 has been one of the best year's of music I can remember - and possibly the first where I'm not digging into the past for good music. In previous years, a few of this year's notable mentions would have certainly made the 10:
Clor - Clor (Fear of Music regulars, bartended my party, supported Malkmus, some great singles but the album is slightly thin in places)
Surgery - The Warlocks (the opening track is so good I rarely get past it)
Funeral - Arcade Fire (I like it more than I actually listen to it)
Bright Eyes - (See above. Too much in one year. Use Your Illusion syndrome)
Half Smiles Of The Decomposed (Came out in August 2004, but gets a nod for being a fine finale for GBV)
Liar's Exit - Bikini Atoll (This made the list, but was bumped at the last minute by Low. Still moving up the charts)

And here's my actual 10, in descending order:

10 - Ambulance Ltd. (For Yoga Means Union alone. Great live)
09 - Low - The Great Destroyer (Shoe gazing goes big time)
08 - KC Rules OK/Rocket DIY - King Creosote (Two albums, but both equally good, and both 2005)
07 - Aha Shake Heartbreak - Kings of Leon (Even better than what seemed like a perfect debut)
06 - Face The Truth - Stephen Malkmus (No More Shoes, and that infectious Rod Stewart riff. Classic.)
05 - Take Fountain - The Wedding Present (Let down by a couple of annoying tracks, but the rest gets 11 out of 10)
04 - Gimme Fiction - Spoon (Definite future-classic-rock)
03 - Alligator - The National (Definitely one to watch, as they will only get better. Awesome live.)
02 - A Ghost Is Born - Wilco (OK, this was actually mid 2004, but it's been on heavy rotation all 2005)
01 - Z - My Morning Jacket (The most anticpated album I've had for a while, and still getting better. They rule.)

If you don't have them, go get them. Can't wait for 2006.