5. Saxon Shore - The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore
Amazing instrumental rock that sounds like a mix between The Appleseed Cast (one of my all time favorite bands) and Explosions In The Sky (another favorite). Amazing effects, awesome experimentation and variation, and powerful arrangements make this vocal-less album a winner.

4. The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up - Picks Us Apart
A worthy follow up to Homemade Drugs, this lo-fi indie album goes through some of the saddest stories ever put to music with some of the most powerful lyrics ever put to music. The vocalist has a beautiful voice, and fits the style of music perfectly. Everything comes together to create a sad but beautiful sound that I've never heard before. Think Goo Goo Dolls (but better) if they were a lo-fi indie band...

3. The Evpatoria Report - Golveka
This obscure post-rock band absolutely blew me away when I first heard it. No one knows of this Swedish instrumental group, but the quality-obscurity ratio was unbelievable. Epic, beautiful post-rock arrangements (The shortest song is 9 minutes) based around space-rock, creating a cinematic listening experience. Their use of violin and a huge string orchestra near the end of the album helps create a daunting and powerful mood. Their songs can go from thrashing rock to ethereal soundscapes that build until that goosebump-inducing crescendo. Think Explosions In The Sky with strings and even more emotion.

2. Meneguar - I Was Born At Night
Super catchy, angry indie with punk underlyings make this one a winner. Tons of fast hooks and passionate (but angry) vocals make it unbearable not to sing along. After the first listen, I was singing along like there was no tomorrow. This stuff will get stuck in your head, and you'll love humming every minute of it.

1. Minus The Bear - Menos El Oso
I don't care what anyone says... this is the definitive MTB release. Every song on this freaking CD is amazing, and I have listened to it literally nonstop. I STILL haven't got tired of this one yet, and it's been playing on my stereo for four months. And I listen to it everyday going home from school. EVERYDAY. I've never had a CD that I didn't get tired of after listening to it everyday. Think jangular math rock with an electronic edge and passionate vocals and lyrics, and you'll get the idea. Listen to Drilling.

What are your top picks for best albums of 2005?

5 - Demons And Wizards - Touched by the Crimson King

just like the first cd, with a bit more awesomeness. for fans of iced earth and blind guardian.

4 - Adagio - Dominate

Released in december so it's a late one, but i still love it, much heavier than the previous, but keeps the same dramatic theme from previous adagio cd's. the new singer is great.

3 - Masterplan - Aeronautics

Masterplan, what can i really say? they're already a supergroup, but this second cd is awesome. the production is crystal clear, same thing for the playing. great skill in this band. and Jorn Lande is an incredible singer.

2 - Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor

this was nearly first on my top 5, but this CD still takes some getting used to at first, but once it kicks in, you never look back. The heaviest band ever to have only clean vocals. a must get.

1 - Opeth - Ghost Reveries

The perfect cd. I feel this album is a compilation of all of opeth's carrer in one, containing elements from most of their eras. it's not the best cd, but it's what i was expecting opeth to do, which is a masterpiece.

Only a few albums have really caught my attention this year:

Coldplay - X&Y
James Blunt - Back to Bedlam
Stereophonics - Language, Sex, Violence, Other?

Everything else I'm listening to is from at least 2 years ago. It was a pretty lean year for new releases, actually.

Sigur Ros - Takk

Drums of Death, featuring DJ Spooky, Dave Lombardo, Chuck D, Dalek, Vernon Reid, and Jack Dangers. Crazy!

Yes.

Kraftwerk - Minimum Maximum
FF7 Advent Children OST
Batman Begins OST
Madonna - Confessions on a Dancefloor

Kraftwerk is still releasing albums? o.O

That's pretty crazy.

Street Dogs - Back to the World

I found out about these guys because I was looking for a concert to go to while I was stateside for Christmas, and boy did I luck out. The Street Dogs is the new band of ex-Dropkick Murphys singer Mike McColgan. This guy can sing, and he's got **** to sing about. The title track is all about his tour of duty in Iraq. The lyrics may not be overly poetic, but you the band has something to say. The style ranges from the anthemic street-punk that the Steet Dogs are so proud of, to the extremely Clash-esque Unions and the Law. This is great stuff.

you've got to be kidding... right?

1. Minus the Bear - Menos el Oso

Amazing. Just amazing.

2. Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust

Great hip-hop album, I love the style of Sage and this is probably one of his best releases period.

3. Gorillaz - Demon Dayz

Great electronic/rap album. VERY much deserves its popularity.

4. System of a Down - Mezmerize/Hypnotize

Alone, the albums weren't amazing. They were good, but nothing to love really. Together though they are very good IMO

5. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth

Okay, so technically it released in 2006 (3 days!), but I love this album to death and it deserves mentioning.

GO GET IT.

1. Enya / Amarantine
2. Nickel Creek / Why Should The Fire Die?
3. Imogen Heap / Speak For Yourself

I'll have to narrow it down to two more.

The new one's a live compilation, last new material was 2003.

gorillaz
general patton
fantomas
QOTSA
white stripes

well, those are the only 2005 albums i think i heard

Pretty much all I bought too. The others were from other years.

I sure the hell hope so.

I'm not sure of the order, but some of my favorites of the year are:

The Decemberists - Picaresque
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Coldplay - X&Y
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Deerhoof - The Runners Four
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

JJWRJ -- kRRrrrrrrrrrrrr

I said it was a lean year :p

Seb got it all right, as always.

The fact that Gorillaz was mentioned makes me want to vomit.

I smell.... MUSIC NAZIS

that label does not apply when talking about James Blunt

my mam likes james blunt

and she would break your legs

[edit, in all honesty, me and my friends all call james blunt "Mam Metal"]

Despite the crappiness of their hit single (I really think it's the worst song on the CD, including the song that's just a guy talking), the CD is actually very good.

The fact that you have nothing to contribute and the fact that you have bad taste in music means your not only going to Hell, but you make me want to vomit.

[QUOTE=Dj Yoshi]including the song that's just a guy talking.[/QUOTE]

That guy is dennis hopper, and that song is aweome. :p

I liked Feel Good, Inc!

I did too until I heard the rest of the album.

The Design - Into the Moat
Catch Thirty-Three - Meshuggah
Team Sleep - Team Sleep
Lost and Found - Mudvayne
Alaska - Between the Buried and Me
Vendetta - Throwdown

(And to at least mention Sevendust's Next, Rammstein's Rosenrot, and The Bloodhound Gang's Hefty Fine.)

[QUOTE=Dj Yoshi]I did too until I heard the rest of the album.[/QUOTE]

manuva ftw >.>

This year I are mostly been listening to:

Athlete - Tourist
My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
Coldplay - X&Y
Basement Jaxx - Rooty
Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation In The Backyard

Guero is the only one I can think of. Demon Days was pretty good too, but if it's one of the best albums of 2005...:\

I have heard the rest of the album. I hate it.

Stratovarius - Stratovarius
Dream Theater - Octavarium

Ohh!

Mix Master Mike - Bangzilla

All of my favorite albums have been mentioned already, but what the heck.

Dream Theater - Octavarium
Masterplan - Aeronautics
System of a Down - Mezmerize/Hypnotize

Dream Theater - Octavarium
Stereophonics - Language. Sex. Violence. Other?
Kaiser Chefs - Employment
DeVotchKa - How it Ends
Dianne Reeves - Good Night, And Good Luck

Ooh, I thought of another one!

M.I.A - Arular

I just got ahold of the album, and it's awesome. Has anyone else heard of these/this (I'm not sure if you're supposed to refer to the group, or just the girl).

Meat Beat Manifesto - At The Center [1] [2]