It hasn’t been a bad year, but a lot of the CD’s I have bought this year were released prior to 2005. I’m not sure whether I should count tribute CDs, but She Will Have Her Way a tribute CD to the music of Neil and Tim Finn is great.
Honorable mentions: Bright Eyes – Digitial Ash and a Digital Urn, and Jars of Clay – Redemption Songs.
Unrated: Third Day – Whereever you Are, Rebecca St James – If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
5: Coldplay – X and Y
I have to say this was one of the more anticipated CDs being released this year. I quite liked their previous CD. However while X&Y does have a number of great tracks; Fix You, A Message, Square One, it does grab you, or depart much from their earlier work.
4: Switchfoot – Nothing is Sound
The CD was mostly written on the tour over the last twelve months, and has been spending a fair bit of time in my CD player. I am quite a fan of the songwriting. The band’s faith is a little less on their sleeve, but is still apparent. A couple of the standout tracks are ‘The Shadow Proves the Sunshine’, and ‘The Blues’. Its quite worth a listen, but give it time to grow.
3: Sigur Ros - Takk
What do I say about Sigur Ros. Thanks Guan, for introducing me to their music in 2004. Thanks Joe for letting me they were playing shows in August this year; quite a phenomenal show. Takk has been described as their most accessible CD. I’m not sure about that, but their songs are great. I really loved Hoppipoka, Milano and Glosoli. It is hard to describe what sort of music Sigur Ros is, I guess atmospheric is not quite there but it is close.
If you haven’t got tickets for their shows in April next year – get them, I don’t think you will regret it.
2: Nichole Nordemann – Brave
It’s the words rather than the music that drew me to Nichole Nordeman. Thanks to my brother Matt. Yep, my brother introduced me to the music of Nichole Nordeman. Brave probably has a few of the favourite songs of the year Hold On, and What If? (a great evangelistic songs – What if he takes his place in history // With all the prophets and the kings // Who taught us love and came in peace // But then the story ends // What then? // But what if you’re wrong? On the whole though, it is a fairly consistent CD, from perhaps my favourite Christian singer-songwriter.
1: Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake its Morning
Was mildly interested in hearing their music, then once I heard that they were playing support for R.E.M. and decided that I would try and get their CD before the show. Quite like the songs before the concert though it probably was the concert that solidified my opinion about them. The song writing is perhaps the greatest strength – the standout tracks for me were – Lua; Landlocked Blues; Old Soul Song (for a new world order), and We are nowhere and its now. Perhaps the most consistent CD that I bought this year, and on the basis of the studio, and live performances of the songs, I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning is my Album of 2005.
On the Horizon: At this point the only murmurings I’ve heard is about a Radiohead CD in about May[ish] and Pearl Jam, but I won’t hold my breath.
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