Jim's Best of 2005 List
Jim's Best of 2005 List

1) Against Me – Searching for a Former Clarity (Fat Wreck Chords)
It was a toss up for me between 1&2, I absolutely love both releases. Against Me won me over with J.Robbins' production.. Golden! Folk-Punk, Quasi-Anarcho-Punk, Just fun, amazing songs

2) Bear vs Shark – Terrorhawk (Equalvision)
Post-Hardcore ala-Braid/At the Drive In, this album is all over the place in a good way. I think another reason I put them in the "2" spot is the fact that they just broke up, and I'm dissappointed I never went to see them perform live. Not there fault, but ??

3) Lasalle – Expedition Songs (Thick)
Phenomanal indie rock with a punk edge (check out if you like Small Brown Bike, the Channels) Trading off male/female vocals with wonderful songs !

4) Portastatic – Bright Ideas (Merge)
Superchunk is on of my favorite bands, and this is the first Portastatic Album Mac has produced that ranks right with the best of Superchunk!

5) Propagahndi – Potemkin City Limits (Fat Wreck Chords/G7)
Thrash Punk with elements of Metal, Rock, and Don Henley guitar lines. Propagahndi is a very vital politically charged band who exceeded my expectations musically on this release. It also has the most amazing vocals and harmonies they've done yet. Propagahndi have always had a knack of forcing me to think about the way I live and the world around me. The problem I have with this release is that it borders on making me want to crawl into a box to live out my days away from the rest of the world, with little hope for any progress. It's much darker and less fun than previous releases.

6) Sleater Kinney – The Woods (Sub Pop)
It took a while for me to get into this album. Being a fan since their S/T release, I've liked everything they've done. There are some amazing moments on this album, but it may take some time for a lot if it to grow on me. I still like it, but not the same way as their previous releases.

7) City on Film – In Formal Introduction (Grand Theft Autumn)
Bob Nanna from Hey Mercedes and Braid, has gone full time with his once side/solo project City on Film. This is an amazing album glittering with wonderful lyrics and beautiful played guitar lines. Much more relaxed then his earlier stuff, but great nonetheless.

8) Roue – Upward Heroic Motive (Exit Stencil Recordings)
Fairly new band from Cleveland. These guys evoke the sounds of Unwound and the Hot Snakes and make it their own!

9) The Soviettes – LPIII (Fat Wreck Chords)
Fun pop punk rock, the way it was meant to be done. 3 girls & 1 guy, short, fast, glorious!

10) Medications – Your Favorite People All in One Place (Dischord)
a very "dischord-esque" sound, post-punk, dynamic, well written, exciting songs

11) Smoke or Fire – above the city (fat wreck chords)
great punk rock debut

12) The Evens – The Evens (Dischord)
emotional, tender, male/female vocals, baritone guitar, drums -- what more could you ask for, I love this band ! Starring :Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina

13) Del Cielo – Us vs Them (Lovitt)
Wonderful release! Great music in the same vain as the Reputation. Guitar drivin, female vocals, brutally honest !

14) The Hold Steady – Separation Sunday (Frenchkiss Records)
This album drove me nuts. I didn't like it, then I liked it, then I didn't. It's very intellegent bar rock, and it took awhile to grow on me, now I can't get it out of my head!

15) Alkaline Trio – Crimson (vagrant)
Another great batch of songs. It's nice to see them trying to do something a little different. I still like the less produced older Trio material, but this is still better than a lot of music I heard this year.

16) Mary Timony – Hex (lookout)
Mary Timony hit it right with this release, she finally went back a little bit to her Helium days with near haunting guitar melodies and well constructed songs.

17) Ida – Heart Like a River (Polyvinyl)
This is far from my favorite Ida release, but it brought back so many good memories, and there are so many beautiful songs on this disc, I have to be in the right mood, but when I am, this is to die for!!

18) Lungfish – Feral Hymns (Dischord)
Another stellar installment of the song of lungfish !

19) Despistado – The People of and their Verses (Jade Tree)
This is a great almost dance/punk release by another band that broke up last year. You can see the Fugazi/At the Drive in influences, but well done in their own right.

20) Latterman – No Matter Where We Go..! (Deep Elm)
Punk rock in the vein of Against me/and many No Idea bands. Fun, Honest, good natured, makes me happy to know their are still bands out there like this, that know how to have fun !


Other Amazing 2005 Releases that don't count as new full length material:

Hey Mercedes – Unorchestrated (EP) (Grand Theft Autumn)
The Cardinal Sin – Oil and Water (EP) (Grey Flight)
The Lawrence Arms – Cocktails and Dreams (Asian Man)
City on Film – American Diary (EP) (Redder)

Most interesting 2005 release I got but just couldn't really get into: Deerhoof - Runners Four (5 Rue Christine)

2005 Albums I didn't listen to, but really want to check out: Sufjan Stevens, Paint It Black, Bloc Party, Minus the Bear, Bob Mould, Neil Young

My Most anticipated list of potential 2006 releases: the Reputation, Ted Leo, the Lawrence Arms, the Cardinal Sin, Dillinger Four, Murder By Death, Smoking Popes, the Weakerthans, the Falcon, Sonic Youth and None More Black.