Strand editor album picks for 2005

2005 was no 2004 but the editors at the Strand are still fans of music, despite its downward spiral in drinking and drugs. We still love music and to prove it, here are our top five (and then some) albums of the year.

By:

Posted: 12/1/05

Carole Park
Film & Music Editor

David Bowie covers with an accoustic Brazilian flare, epic ambiance, blues-psychedlia-rock-and-roll fusion, the French, the Scotts, and dance parties extraoridaire, what's not to like?

1. Seu Jorge - Original Life Aquatic Studio Sessions

2. Sigur Ros - Takk

3. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us

4. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

5. M.I.A. - Arular

Runners-up:
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem, The Mark Inside - Static/Crash

David Topping
Features Editor

This year saw a lot of dissapointing releases, but the stellar ones covered it - especially one by a soft-spoken Christian boy from Michigan.

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

2. The National - Alligator

3. Rogue Wave - Descended Like Vultures

4. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

5. Spoon - Gimme Fiction

Nick Ragaz
Managing Editor

How's that for flava?

1. The Raveonettes - Pretty in Black

2. Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins

2.5 Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

3. The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers

4. Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft

5. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary

Mark Ostler
Stranded Editor

I don't even know anymore...

1. Sigur Ros - Takk

2. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene

3. Beck - Guero

4. Chemical Brothers - Push the Button

5. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor

Johnnie Walker
Arts & Culture Editor

Best Pornos ever, loop-pedal violins, Peanuts music for grown-ups, a no-suck Neiler album and "Jesusland"

1. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

2. The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike

3.Final Fantasy - Have a Good Home

4. Neil Young - Prairie Wind

5. Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman

Steph Brown
Opinions Editor

I did my research on the interweb!

1. Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

2. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam

3.Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better

4.Dizzy Gillespie - Town Hall, New York City, June 22 1945

5.Alicia Keys - The Diary of Alicia Keys

Bayla Lazarus
News Editor

Not prepared...

1. Metric-Live It Out

2. Madonna-Confessions on the Dance Floor

3. The Decemberists-Picturesque

4. Super Ultra UnderGround Band-The Album

5. Polka Me Crazy-Polka Me Crazy

Áine O'Hare
Co-Editor in Chief

Put down the Pepsi and dance, muthafuckas! In no particular order...

1. Bedouin Soundclash - Sounding a Mosaic

2. The Transplants - Haunted Cities

3. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

4. K'Naan - The Dustyfoot Philosopher

5. Kanye West - Late Registration

Karen Whaley
Co-Editor in Chief

Sufjan Stevens' "Illinois" was actually my favorite album of the year, but it was also the favorite of Amazon.com and David Topping, my two greatest nemeses. Therefore, The Decemberists trump.

1. The Decemberists - Picaresque

2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

3. Sigur Ros - Takk

4. Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins

5. The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike