Best of the Year in Music (Early Edition): Seven Albums You (Possibly) Haven’t Heard by Dave Heaton

So far this year, not from any great personal endeavor but just from circumstances, most of my favorite albums have been keeping fairly low under the radar.

Picks of '06: Great Albums & An Attempt to Aid My Failing Memory by Ari Abramowitz

In the interests of narrowing down the accelerating onslaught of music, making sense of some of the amazing albums of 2006 and isolating them so I don’t confuse them with the amazing albums of 2005 or 1975, here are some discs to remember.

Michelle Ennis's Top 10 LPs of 2005 [1]: Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty) by mennis

Now that the dust from last summer’s release of the album has settled and the best albums of 2005 are receding into our collective memories, it’s an interesting time to assess whether or not the album deserved the attention that it has been granted.

Michelle Ennis's Top 10 LPs of 2005 [2]: Antony and the Johnsons - I am a Bird Now (Secretly Canadian) by

It is clear from the first five seconds into the album’s stunning opener “Hope There’s Someone,” that this album has the ability to instantly create an unparalleled intensity of mood.

Jack Rabid's 2005 Top 10 Singles by Jack Rabid

Today concludes my countdown of my top picks for the year 2005 in this space, with brief comments on each. I hope you’ve enjoyed these lists—sometimes we’re so preoccupied with the latest releases in the in-box (I could already make a strong list for 2006 based on January and February releases and the advance copies I have for March and April!!!), that we need some kind of reminder to play ‘old’ music that was only released anywhere between 2-to-14 months ago. Hope this has inspired some of that. Enjoy!

Michelle Ennis's Top 10 LPs of 2005 [4-3] by

4. DEVENDRA BANHART – Cripple Crow (XL)
3. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE – Feels (Fat Cat)

Jack Rabid's 2005 Top 10 Music DVDs by Jack Rabid

I am continuing with my countdown of my top picks for the year 2005, with brief comments on each. Having done all the new recordings 60-1, and then 40-1 for Old Recordings/Retrospectives, here’s my Top 10 selections for music DVDs (a new category this year, now that they’ve become so prevalent)!!!

Jack Rabid's 2005 Top 40 Best Albums: Old Recordings/Retrospectives [20-1] by Jack Rabid

I’m still counting down my top picks for the year 2005 in this space, with brief comments on each. Having done all the new recordings 60-1, and last week 40-21 for Old Recordings/Retrospectives, here’s 20-1 for Old Recordings/Retrospectives!!! After all, why should old recordings have to compete with the new work of artists? Note, now that this list is finished, that’s 100 Top CDs for 2005. For all the same old perennial moaning, 2005 was another brilliant year for music, same as every year, and don’t let some stupid aging critic or hipster gone jaded tell you different!

Michelle Ennis's Top 10 LPs of 2005 [6-5] by

6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)

5. Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop)

Jack Rabid's 2005 Top 40 Best Albums: Old Recordings/Retrospectives [40-21] by Jack Rabid

I’m still counting down my top picks for the year 2005 in this space, with brief comments on each. Having done all the new recordings in the last three entries, here’s 40-21 for Old Recordings/Retrospectives!!! After all, why should old recordings have to compete with the new work of artists? Note, when this list is finished, that will be 100 Top CDs for 2005. For all the same old perennial moaning, 2005 was another brilliant year for music, same as every year, and don’t let some stupid aging critic or hipster gone jaded tell you different! Enjoy!