Starting a new tradition this year: the “best of.” These are just my opinions. And you know what they say about opinions…
So with that, I give you:
Top 5 Best New Releases:
- 5. M83: Before the Dawn Heals Us
- 4. Calexico/Iron & Wine: In the Reigns
- 3. Six Organs of Admittance: School of the Flower
- 2. Alva Noto & Ryuchi Sakamoto: Insen
- 1. Iron & Wine: Woman King
Honorable Mention:
- - Bonnie “Prince“ Billy & Matt Sweeney: Superwolf
- - Sufjan Stevens: Come On Feel the Illinois;
- - Antony & the Johnsons: I Am a Bird Now
- - Sunn 0))): Black One
- - Jesu: Jesu
- - The Books: Lost & Safe
Top 5 Albums I’m Glad I Dusted Off:
- 5. Skinny Puppy: Last Rites
- 4. Phish: Junta
- 3. Bad Religion: Suffer
- 2. Ride: Nowhere
- 1. (tie) Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: The Good Son
- 1. (tie) Black Sabbath: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Top 5 (ok, 6) Albums That Didn’t Get Very Dusty:
- - Opeth: Blackwater Park
- - Dream Theater: Images & Words
- - Bruce Springsteen: Darkness At the Edge of Town
- - Calexico: Feast of Wire
- - Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
- - Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly
Top 5 Bands I’m Glad I Discovered or Was Introduced to:
- - Dark Tranquility
- - Pig Destroyer
- - Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Co.
- - The Congos
- - Linval Thompson
Top 5 Most Overrated Bands/Artists
- - Block Party
- - New Pornographers
- - Franz Ferdinand
- - The Hold Steady
- - The Game
Top 5 Shows:
- 5. New Order at the Hammerstien Ballroom
- 4. Dinosaur Jr at Irving Plaza
- 3. Sage Francis both at Coachella and at the Knitting Factory
- 2. Iron & Wine & Calexico (with suprise guest Sufjan Stevens) at Webster Hall
- 1. Arcade Fire at Coachella
Worst Show:
- - Six Organs of Admittance at the Mercury Lounge
Indispensable in 2005:
- - Nick Cave
- - Neil Young