Best of 2005:Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté "In the Heart of the Moon" (2005)

2021 vinyl reissue

In the Heart of the Moon [debut]
release date: Sep. 13, 2005
format: cd / 2lp vinyl (2021 reissue)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,88]
producer: Nick Gold
label: World Circuit - nationality: Mali

Tracklist: 1. "Debe" (5 / 5) (live in Brussels) - 2. "Kala" (4 / 5) - 3. "Mamadou Boutiquier" (5 / 5) - 4. "Monsieur le Maire de Niafunké" (4 / 5) - 5. "Kaira" (4 / 5) - 6. "Simbo" - 7. "Ai Ga Bani" - 8. "Soumbou Ya Ya" - 9. "Naweye Toro" - 10. "Kadi Kadi" - 11. "Gomni" (4 / 5) - 12. "Hawa Dolo"

G R E A T! That's what this is. It's the collaboration debut by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, two Malian musicians. The music is delicate, surreal and haunting. What rhythm, and what wonderful dreamy tunes these guys produce! Splendid music - and highly addictive. Play it when you drive to or from work, or just anywhere, when you read, or when you make love - just play it, and listen. It's extremely soothing for body and mind. I give it my warmest recommendations, and… I only need more of that kind! On this, Touré plays guitar and Diabeté plays the 21-stringed African kora, which is responsible for the spiderweb-like strings on this amazing release. The album received world-wide recognition and led to a World Live Tour with the two playing in Europe and USA.
Touré had been politically engaged and became mayor of the local town of Nianfunké in 2004, and although there are 25 years between these two musicians and they do sound as if having played together for years, when in fact the album was recorded without initial rehearsals and without Touré and Diabeté had played together for more than 3 hours in total over a span of 15 years.
Diabaté was 40 and Touré 65 years of age when this album was released, and most sadly, Touré died Mar. 2006 as a 66-year-old, only just experiencing the international acclaim this album was attributed. The album is the first in a series of three albums commonly known as the "Hotel Mandé Sessions" - the second would be Tourés last solo album Savane (released posthumously, Jul. 17, 2006) and Diabeté's Boulevard de l'Independence (credited Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra was released Jul. 25, 2006).

EDIT Jan. 2022:
I only just received a vinyl copy of the album. Alas, the album wasn't released on vinyl until 2012. The vendor sold it filed as a 2012 issue, but it turns out, it's a 2021 re-issue. Anyway, the album is for me a cornerstone in 'world music' and simply is one of those must-have releases I wish more people knew of.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

2005 Favourite releases: 1. Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabeté In the Heart of the Moon - 2. Sigur Rós Takk... - 3. Kent Du & jag döden

original CD front

Sinéad O'Connor "Throw Down Your Arms" (2005)

Throw Down Your Arms

release date: Oct. 4. 2005

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]

producer: Sly and Robbie

label: Chocolate and Vanilla - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 2. "Marcus Garvey" - 4. "He Prayed" - 6. "Curly Locks" - 8. "Prophet Has Arise" - 9. "Downpressor Man" - 10. "Throw Down Your Arms" - 12. "War"

7th studio album by Sinéad O'Connor follows three years after the fine but mostly neglected Sean-Nós Nua (Oct. 2002), and much like was the case with the former, this album consists of newly arranged cover songs. Before this she released the 2-disc compilation She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty (Sep. 2003) consisting of 'rare' recordings (soundtrack songs, collaborations, B-sides) and one cd consisting of a live concert from 2002. O'Connor had been outspoken about this being her final album. It does make sense in the way it was launched and the scope of it, but obviously she changed her mind about this. Also, earlier this year the compilation Collaborations (Jun. 2005) was released by EMI / Capitol - basically a collection of songs O'Connor had made with other artists while signed on Ensign / Chrysalis.

Throw Down Your Arms is O'Connor paying tribute to the genre of reggae. She had early on in her career been influenced by reggae, and later on she also found comfort in the culture of rastafari. The album is one of a few without John Reynolds, and instead the album has been recorded in Kingston, Jamaica and produced by the legendary duo of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, who also plays drums and bass on the album.

As a Sinéad O'Connor release the album does fall far from her initial records, and also when comparing with Universal Mother (1994) and Faith and Courage (2000), but as a tribute to a whole genre it works quite fine. It doesn't add much to the great selection of songs but of course O'Connor's vocal provides a certain novelty that turns it into something more.

For me, the album has a touch of obscurity to it that both makes it interesting / fascinating and worth checking out, and then it only really makes me wanna listen to the originals, which in a way isn't a bad thing. That could be said about her Am I Not Your Girl? album, but this is actually paying tribute to the originals instead of being something entirely diverse. It's not bad and then it's neither great.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Blender, 👉The Guardian 3 / 5, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Oceans Apart" (2005)

Oceans Apart
release date: May 3, 2005
format: 2 cd (Deluxe)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Mark Wallis and David Ruffy
label: Lo-Max Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Here Comes a City" - 2. "Finding You" - 3. "Born to a Family" - 4. "No Reason to Cry" - 6. "Darlinghurst Nights" - 7. "Lavender" - 8. "The Statue" - 9. "This Night's for You" - 10. "The Mountains Near Dellray"

9th and the irrevocably final studio album by The Go-Betweens following just over two years after Bright Yellow Bright Orange (Feb. 2003) sees a reunion with producer Mark Wallis, who stood behind the acclaimed 16 Lovers Lane (1988). The 2 CD Deluxe edition comes with the addition of a live recording from The Barbican Concert Hall, London, Jun. 27, 2004.

For once, the quartet is intact compared to their most recent album but what makes the biggest difference here is concerning the actual production of the album. Forster and McLennan themselves were in complete control when producing the band's last two outings, and these are both quite good, but when listening to Oceans Apart, you clearly sense the bond to 16 Lovers Lane. It's not just similar, as it doesn't merely copy what was successful on the '88 album but the new collection of songs has a presence of the same 'multi-layering' without obvious attempts in reproducing the instrumental contributions by Amanda Brown and John Willstead of yesterday.

Another significant positive quality is that it feels and sounds like a band effort, whereas the two previous albums had an unmistakable imprint of the Forster / McLennan guitar duo weaving on all tracks. Here, it's as if bass, keyboards, additional guitars, and drums all contribute to colour the whole picture and, overall, create a sonic complexity that fits together ever so nicely. That said, the songs demonstrate the two songwriters' abilities as skilled storytellers and the end product is no less than the band's second best studio album - ever.

Oceans Apart won the prize for best Adult Contemporary Album at the Australian Grammy Awards in 2005 - first time happing for Forster and McLennan - and as a new experience, the album made its mark on the albums chartc in a number of countries besides Australia. Two tracks were released as singles: tracks #1 and #2, which didn't garner significant chart entries. And that's maybe not too strange, because it's the album itself that appears as a coherent strong album, basically without fillers. It's just extraordinary well-made from start to finish.

Unfortunately, just as the band was finally experiencing growing international recognition - again, the project was brutally interrupted when Grant McLennan suddenly died of a cardiac arrest around the anniversary of the album's release on May 6, 2006. With McLennan's passing, The Go-Betweens ended for good and Robert Forster returned to his solo career and subsequently released the album The Evangelist (Apr. 2008). In 2007, two recurring awards were founded: an annual prestigious Australian honour award "Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award", as well as the annual 1-year music scholarship "Grant McLennan Fellowship" awarded emerging talents in Queensland.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Blender, Uncut 4 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo 5 / 5 stars ]

Wilmer X "13 Våningar upp" (2005)

13 Våningar upp
released: Jan. 26, 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Chips K. (aka Chips Kiesbye)
label: Amigo - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Blind Mans Bluff" - 2. "Fem ett fem" - 3. "Han måste ut ur mitt liv" - 4. "Dämma upp alla floder" - 5. "Stackars Valentin" - 7. "God god lust" - 9. "Tror du udda är jämt" - 10. "Tuff puck att svälja" - 13. "Bara muskelminnet kvar"

A very strong and up-tempo studio album by Wilmer X in their classic and characteristic blues rock rock & roll combo. Unfortunately, this was only issued in digital format. This is one of their better albums.

Sun Kil Moon "Tiny Cities" (2005)

Tiny Cities
release date: Nov. 4, 2005
format: cd (CV001)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Exit Does Not Exist" - 2. "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" - 3. "Neverending Math Equation" - 4. "Space Travel Is Boring" - 6. "Jesus Christ Was an Only Child" - 8. "Grey Ice Water" - 9. "Convenient Parking" - 10. "Trucker's Atlas" - 11. "Ocean Breathes Salty"

2nd studio album by Sun Kil Moon is the band's first to be released on the newly-founded record label, Caldo Verde founded by Mark Kozelek - and the release is issued with the identification number CV001. The music is closely related to the debut Ghost of the Great Highway (2003) BUT this is like most of lead vocalist Mark Kozelek's other albums - either as pure solo artist or with Red House Painters - mostly alt. folk and singer / songwriter material without the characteristics of folk rock with electrified guitars, thus being more acoustic-founded and by some referred to as an example of 'slow core'. Also, on this Kozelek has taken up his "tradition" of re-arranging other artists' compositions into his own alt-folk and singer / songwriter-styled songs. All songs here are originally composed and performed by American indie rock band, Modest Mouse. The title is a derivation from track #2 taken from the album The Moon & Antarctica (2000).

Now, this is far from bad, and it really contains some fine ballads and arrangements and it's a bit of a task to pin out the best tracks here 'cause it all sounds like one whole. It's amazing how Kozelek is capable of making these songs sound so much like his own. It does bear much in common with other releases by "Kozelek and Co", however, all other and successive albums under the name of Sun Kil Moon are reserved to material written by Kozelek, and in that sense this is an exception.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5 stars ]

The Cardigans "Super Extra Gravity" (2005)

Super Extra Gravity
release date: Oct. 14, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Tore Johansson
label: Stockholm Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Losing a Friend" - 2. "Godspell" - 5. "I Need Some Fine Wine and You, You Need to Be Nicer"

6th and final studio album by The Cardigans. They haven't officially disbanded but haven't released new material for more than eight years. The band has kept to the same producer, the same record label, and the same songwriters over all their years playing together, but again their style has changed. They have moved away from the apparent American bonds on Long Gone Before Daylight (2003) to just play pop / rock or alt. rock with some resemblance to the style of PJ Harvey. I like this better, and frankly think that it's their best release since First Band on the Moon (1996).
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Martha Wainwright "Martha Wainwright" (2005)

Martha Wainwright [debut]
release date: Apr. 12, 2005
format: cd (Special Edition) / vinyl (2025 RM) (clear vinyl)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Brad Albetta, Martha Wainwright
label: Drowned In Sound Recordings - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Far Away" - 2. "Factory" - 5. "Ball & Chain" - 6. "Don't Forget" - 7. "This Life" - 8. "When The Day Is Short" - 9. "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" (live 2014) (live 2018) - 14. "Bring Back My Heart"

Studio album debut by Martha Wainwright - or: her official debut. In 1997 she made a 10-track cassette, which is not usually counted among her regular studio albums as it's a limited release of songs she recorded from 1994 to '97, which also included track #6. Furthermore, Martha Wainwright follows a couple of ep releases, the latest of which is the 4-track ep Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole (Jan. 2005), where the title track is included here. Several tracks are taken from her first two EP releases: the title track is from Factory (1999) and the two tracks "G.P.T" and "Don't Forget" are from the ep Martha Wainwright (1999), and the latter is also on her '97 -cartridge. Thus, her debut album contains four out of thirteen tracks from previous releases.

The music is kept in a traditional folk and singer / songwriter style and is thus quite close to the musical characteristics of her parents. Martha is the daughter of folk and singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and folk vocalist Kate McGarrigle. Older brother Rufus is perhaps the family's best-known voice.

The album was well received, but did not garner much commercial acclaim. In turn, Martha Wainwright was nominated New Artist of the Year 2006 at the Juno Award.

Track #9 "B.M.F.A." is Martha's greeting to her father...

Martha writes and sings in an American singer / songwriter tradition where, in addition to her parents, you're reminded of Emmylou Harris and especially Joni Mitchell.

It's a good and solid album that is mostly quite promising, as it contains some really good tracks and then overall perhaps isn't super original but still possess enough magic not be overlooked.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Eldkvarn "Atlantis" (2005)

Atlantis
release date: 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

21st studio album by Eldkvarn. Stylistically, this is close to that of Bob Dylan, and Plura Jönsson tries too hard to sound like his American idol on this.

The Durutti Column "Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent)" (2005), ep

Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent) (ep)
release date: Mar. 2005
format: digital (6 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Bruce" - 2. "Keir" - 3. "Neil" - 4. "Mike" - 5. "Alan" - 6. "Anthony"

A digital ep (download album only) by The Durutti Column released through F4 Records [4th incarnation of Factory Records] produced by Vini Reilly. The release consists of 6 tracks distributed by F4 Records for download only. The ep was later included as a bonus disc on the album A Paen to Wilson (2010), which is where I got it.

David McAlmont "Set One - You Go to My Head" (2005)

Set One - You Go to My Head
release date: Oct. 24, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: David McAlmont, Guy Davies, tommy.d [Tom Asher Danvers]
label: Blueport Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "You Go to My Head" (live) - 2. "Night and Day" - 5. "Never Never Never" (live) - 6. "Under My Skin" - 7. "A Certain Smile / The Shadow of Your Smile" - 9."How Long Has This Been Going On"

3rd solo studio album by David McAlmont is co-produced by Guy Davies (who also plays keyboards, piano and guitar) with whom McAlmont would later form the duo Fingersnap. It was originally released by Ether Records but as the label closed later in 2005, it was then reissued on Blue Port Recordings. The album follows his second solo work A Little Communication (1998) and more recently, the sophomore collaboration album by McAlmont & Butler, Bring It Back from 2002.
Set One... is a truly marvellous album. It's far from the pop soul and dance pop of his debut and follows closer to the sound of his '98 solo album, but as an even more quiet and sincere soul and r&b album - closely linked to the spirit of Otis Redding with a huge amount of vocal jazz. McAlmont's voice really shines through on this covers album entirely consisting of classic oldies composed by Cole Porter, the Gershwin brothers, Johnny Mercer, Alberto Testa, Paul Webster, and Rodgers & Hart. These predominantly standards songs are produced in a combination of soul and vocal jazz, and the album is unfortunately one of the most overlooked in the year 2005.
This is highly recommended.
[ The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Olesen-Olesen "Solsort og forstærker" (2005)

Solsort og forstærker
release date: Oct. 3, 2005
format: cd (melo 003) / vinyl (2017 reissue, white vinyl)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Nikolaj Nørlund
label: Melodika / Wouldn't Waste Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "November mere end nogensinde" (4 / 5) - 2. "Du er så tæt på jeg ikke kan se dig" - 4. "Alt er Ørnsbo i dag" - 7. "Mit job" - 11. "Jeg lytter til country langt ude på landet"

6th studio album by Olesen-Olesen and the duo's third release on Melodika is their first to be produced by Nikolaj Nørlund. With a new producer, the brothers here engage in a more rock-styled sound than heard on the predecessor, Hårdnakket idyl from 2003. The album links better with their first two albums mixed with the style from their former band, Greene, but in that respect it doesn't really bring about much new.

I don't find it among the duo's better albums, although, it's far from bad. It's just their first album not to bring something new, either musically, stylistically or lyrically. Naturally, it's not always a mission just to foster novelty if you have your own unique style and sound, and this duo has often shown to wander its own ways, but with a return to what sounds more like influences from other artists, I don't find is the brightest move. A track like "Alt er Ørnsbo i dag" sounds like an alt. rock version of PJ Harvey in a session with Pixies and despite being a fine track, it brings a little disorder to the overall direction to the album. Other tracks have a clear country-rock feel, which bonds more with their more recent albums, and there are also traces of post-punk, alt. rock, folk rock and indie rock, which makes it less of a coherent, experience, although, the lyrics are strong as usual.

[ Gaffa.dk, Soundvenue 4 / 6 stars ]

Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd "Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film" (OST) (2005)

Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film (soundtrack)

release date: May 24, 2005

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]

producer: Robin Guthrie

label: Rykodisc - nationality: Scotland, UK / USA

Collaboration album by Scottish guitarist Robin Guthrie together with American composer Harold Budd. The album is not an official soundtrack but the actual film score album for "Mysterious Skin" (2004) by Gregg Araki. The soundtrack has also been issued and is somewhat different with music by various artists of dream pop and shoegaze including original compositions by Sigur Rós, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, Ride and Curve. Harold Budd is renowned for his contributions as jazz avantgardist and composer of music described as minimalism and / or neo-classical, and here he has composed 15 tracks together with Robin Guthrie.

Musically, it doesn't fall far from Guthrie's solo debut Imperial (2003) as it's first and foremost instrumental and ambient music relying heavily simple music structure based on guitar and piano / keyboards with some occasional drum programming as additional instrumentation.

The album is their first in a series of collaboration works, which came to an abrupt end with Another Flower (2020) as Harold Budd died from COVID-19, Nov. '20. Actually, Guthrie and Budd already met back in 1985 when they worked together on the album The Moon and the Melodies (1986), which is released as a collaboration work between Budd and the Scottish band Cocteau Twins - as Budd's first encounter with popular music - credited all four and to the individuals of the band: Simon Raymonde, Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie. So, Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film is realised some 20 years later; however, the two have made several other albums together, e.g. After the Night Falls and Before the Day Breaks both released simultaneously Jun. 2007.

This film score may work on a completely different level while accompanied with images and dialogue from the film, but as a stand-alone work, it's a difficult listen.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Kent "The Hjärta & smärta EP" (2005) (ep)

The Hjärta & smärta EP, ep
release date: Oct. 28, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Nille Perned, Kent and Stefan Boman
label: RCA / Sony BMG - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Vi mot världen" - 2. "Dom som försvann" - 3. "Ansgar & Evelyne" (5 / 5) - 4. "Flen / Paris" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Månadens erbjudande"

Ep release by Kent welcomes back Nille Perned as producer, as he had been on the band's first two albums. Together with Kent and most recent co-producer Stefan Boman, the three have created a sound and style that both points back in time and also contains elements of the band's succeeding releases. The most poignant characteristic here is the guitar-driven roots associating the band in the soft lane of garage rock. The end result is an ep in-between, or: perhaps more at the centre of what Kent has come to represent - depending on what perspective you choose. In either case, this album is not just extra material or a small collection of leftovers from Du och jag döden from March earlier this year - it's something... nearby, and that's its biggest asset.
Perhaps, the ep also serves to demonstrate what Kent could have done had they not made the choice to go with a tighter sound that would eventually have them embrace a synthpop version of alt. rock instead of going with a bolder traditional guitar-rock sound and style.
The Hjärta & smärta EP is a great diversion if you happen to be a Kent fan. If not, you may feel misled or even disappointed about this, or you would perhaps dislike the 'new' Kent, and the way they turned out but in return think of this as something great.
I simply love this one - initially, it wasn't an absolute favourite of mine, because it's so different but with Kent things (always) grow on you, and this one certainly did just that, and I have come to consider it a splendid testimony. By gosh, they are so talented, and you end up thinking: what if they chose another genre, just for the fun of it... How could that not turn out as something more than just fine?!
What really proves difficult here is to pin out the best tracks 'cause it's really much of a whole and at such a high quality level. Forced to pick one, I go with "Ansgar & Evelyne".
Needles say, the ep peaked at number #1 on the Swedish singles chart and of course I find it highly recommended.

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"Ansgar & Evelyne"

"Ur en klar himmel faller bomben ner
Vi ligger tysta i en krater, ler
När vi ser vår samtid brinna ner

Och jag ska skydda dig med kroppen min
Luften svider när vi andas in
Har alltid sett oss som Ansgar och Evelyne

Vi ska fylla vår stulna bil
med dyra klockor och Dexedrine
Souvernirer från den tid då vi var svin

Och du har tagit mig från kylan in
Från tysk hårdrock till Charles Valentin
I min bok är du för evigt Evelyne

Och som jag önskar att du var här nu
Jag vill bara höra dina hjärtslag
Och som jag önskar att vårt krig tog slut
Jag har lärt av mina misstag
Och du är lika ensam som jag"

~ ~ ~

"Flen/Paris"

"Det är långt mellan Flen och Paris
men nära en trettioårskris
Du slängde med håret och log
Du skrev våra namn under bron

:Jag önskar jag var där nu
:Jag önskar jag var där nu

Allt är så skört i din värld
Schhh… jag bara säger som det är
Du gav mig en bomb under bron
Tänk att det bara krävs ord

Låt mig behålla det här
Det kan väl jag vara värd
Kom och slå sönder min värld
Det är allt jag begär

::Jag önskar jag var där nu
::Jag önskar jag var där nu
:Jag önskar jag var där

Det var inte mitt namn som du skrev
Jag önskar jag var där nu
Under bron i en stad
Jag önskar jag var där nu
Och jag minns inte var
Jag önskar jag var där nu
Under bron i en stad
Där du och jag blev kvar"

~ ~ ~

Spleen United "Spleen United" (2005)

Godspeed Into the Mainstream [debut]
release date: Sep. 12, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Carsten Heller
label: Copenhagen Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Heroin Unltd" - 2. "In Peak Fitness Condition" - 4. "Come on Figures" - 5. "Spleen United" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Danish synth and indietronica band Spleen United (formed 2002, Aarhus) consisting of Bjarke Niemann on vocals and guitar, Gaute Niemann on bass and synthesizer, Kasper Nørlund on synthesizer and backing vocals, Rune Wehner on synthesizer, and Jens Kinch on drums.
I simply bought the album upon its release after listening to the promotional single Spleen United but the rest is nowhere near that making it an interesting album above the mediocre - an all-in-all promising debut. No more, no less.
In hindsight, however, this remains the band's best effort.
[ Gaffa.dk 3 / 5 stars ]

LCD Soundsystem "LCD Soundsystem" (2005)

LCD Soundsystem [debut]
release date: Jan. 24, 2005
format: cd (2 cd)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: The DFA [Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA, Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: Disc 1: 1. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 2. "Too Much Love" - 3. "Tribulations" - 6. "On Repeat" - 7. "Thrills" - 8. "Disco Infiltrator" - - Disc 2: 1. "Losing My Edge" - 7. "Yr City's a Sucker (Full Version)"

Full-length studio album debut by LCD Soundsystem after having released a number of singles and the self-titled ep LCD Soundsystem in 2004 where one will find all 4 tracks on this album (tracks #1, #3, #6 & #8). The album was released both as a 2-disc album as well as an ordinary 1-disc album with the tracks #1-9 on DFA Records - founded by British musician and producer Tim Goldsworthy with American dj and musician James Murphy together with manager Jonathan Galkin. Together the two are producer-unit The DFA ('Death From Above').
LCD Soundsystem is a mere musical collective consisting of 7 individuals with songwriter James Murphy at its centre. As it simply states on the back cover info of the album: "most sounds": James Murphy [and] "other sounds": Tim Goldsworthy, Eric Broucek, Tyler Pope, Nancy Whang, Patrick Mahoney, Mandy Coon [the remainders].
Musically, it's clearly built on electronic but there's bold use of classic rock instruments like ordinary electric guitar, bass, keyboard and drums, or: it really depends on the individual tracks. "Movement" and "Never as Tired as When I'm Waking Up" are indie rock, alt. rock tracks, but the majority of the tracks are more indietronica-founded with various elements from synthpop and alt. dance, and there are clear funk-elements on most tracks. At times I find that the music by LCD Soundsystem sounds much like a combo of Talking Heads and B-52's in updated versions, at other times more like Devo, Depeche Mode or Gang of Four with the addition of funky and / or electronic bits, and then it also strikes me to build on (primarily) British electronic music exemplified by The Chemical Brothers and Underworld, but nevertheless, in an original blend.
It's a quite dance-oriented album and it harvested broad critical acclaim as well as a number of nominations including the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Electronic / Dance Album.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q, Rolling Stone, NME 4 / 5, Blender, Uncut 5 / 5 stars ]

Kent "Du & jag döden" (2005)

Du & jag döden
release date: Mar. 15, 2005
format: cd / vinyl (2015 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,32]
producer: Kent, Stefan Boman
label: RCA / Sony BMG // Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. 400 slag" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Du är ånga" - 3. "Den döda vinkeln" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Du var min armé" - 5. "Palace & Main" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Järnspöken" (5 / 5) - 7. "Klåparen" (4 / 5) - 9. "Romeo återvänder ensam" - 11. "Mannen i den vita hatten (16 år senare)" (4,5 / 5)

6th studio album by Kent, and once again the band spent 3 years to get ready for a new album, and this time they got everything right it seems.
This is perhaps my all-time favourite Kent album being forced to choose just one. Then it doesn't make much sense to pin one out as the best, but this is clearly among their two best album releases - the other being Röd (2009). This is also the album that made me love the band and acknowledge their status as the best rock band in Scandinavia. It's an album without fillers, and it balances a beautiful combo of melancholic ballads, blue-eyed chorus-based pop songs, and up-tempo synthpop. Du & jag döden is also a cornerstone in their musical progression in the way that it's like a solid statement of a move from guitar-based indie pop towards an acceptance of synthesizer-founded synthpop within an alt. rock universe. Guitar, bass and drums are still very much in use but now accompanied by drum machine, synths and electronic devices in a near perfect blend.
Highly recommended.

EDIT 2017: 

Without much luck, I have searched and searched for an original pressing and then settled with a 2015 pressing of the album on vinyl, which a few years later also happens to be a highly sought after issue.

[ collectors' item ]

2005 Favourite releases: 1. Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté In the Heart of the Moon - 2. Kent Du & jag döden - 3. Sigur Rós Takk...

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"Den döda vinkeln"

"Jag var länge ensam, enda barnet
Ett monster underst i en hembyggd våningssäng
och på håll såg jag ljusen dö i dimman
precis när mörkret tändes upp igen

Och jag såg dig springa över skaren
i jakten på din sagolika vy
och du lärde mig att fullständigt försvinna
in i dina tankar,i ditt huvud står jag fri

Ge mig en vinterdrog
Ge mig allt du har
Kom nu, jag är kroniskt låg
Bara mörkret hörs
I ditt öga var en storm jag såg
som sommarsnö
I döda vinkeln ser jag allt du gör

Och där kommer dom jag ser dom mellan träden
Snälla kan du hjälpa mig att fly
Deras ögon är som mareld över världen
Jag kryper där i askan, fågel Fenix född som ny

Ge mig en vinterdrog
Ge mig allt du har
Kom nu, jag är kroniskt låg
Bara mörkret hörs
I ditt öga var en storm jag såg
Blåsa sommarsnö
I döda vinkeln ser jag allt du gör

Ge mig en vinterdrog
Ge mig sommarsnö
Kom nu, jag är kroniskt låg
Bara mörkret hörs
I ditt öga dansar stormar små
men det är du som för
I döda vinkeln ser jag allt du gör"

~ ~ ~

"Järnspöken"

"Dom brände Grönan och skolan står där ensam nu
Cykelställen står tomma än, trots att loven är slut
Dom fäller kastanjeträden i allén framför skolgården
och jag rör mig tyst, hör inte hemma här, jag är vålnaden

Jag vet inte varför, men kanske är det därför jag minns det så väl
Dina stora ögon, dina bruna händer, dina vassa knän

Var det dig jag såg, som en skugga ur mina drömmar
Var det dig jag såg, dig jag svor att aldrig glömma

Dom gräver i parken och frosten i marken, blir ett försvar
och vid hörnet av kyrkan där järnvägen går, har dom spärrat av
Någon ligger i gräset, med frostiga kläder, så stilla och vit
och blåljusen blinkar, tänk vad man kan göra med en liten kniv

Och jag vet inte varför men jag återvänder alltid hit
Det var väl något vi gjorde, något vi sa här som förändrade mitt liv

Var det dig jag såg, som en skugga ur mina drömmar
Var det dig jag såg, dig jag svor att aldrig glömma
Var det dig jag såg som ett spöke från döda drömmar
Var det dig jag såg
Har jag äntligen lyckats glömma?"

~ ~ ~

"Klåparen"

"Du går på ditt oefterhärmliga sätt
över skolgårdens grus för dig själv
I ditt nyklippta hår, likt en irländsk idols
Din spegelbild i fönsterglas
beundrar varje steg du tar

Och så blinkar det till
Gröna, röda, gula ljus
Du var på nålar när du kom
med ditt insmugglade rus

Och så släcker dom ner, för en sista stilla chans
och allting svartnar i panik när du ser att alla redan har en dans
och allt är som förut

Och du minns den du var med förakt, lite hat
och man blir lik sin mor eller far
Du har förändrat ditt sätt, suddat ut varje spår
men i själen din ja långt, långt in ekar tonåringens vrål

Och så blinkar det till
och dom tänder alla ljus
och du var ensam när du kom, nu har magin brunnit ut
och så släcker dom ner
Alla skyltar alla ljus
och när parken ligger tom, inser du att din kväll just tagit slut
och allting är som förut

Och så blinkar det till
och dom tänder alla ljus
Du var ensam när du kom
och du är lika ensam nu
och så släcker dom ner alla gator alla hus
och när staden ligger tom inser du
att det är så ditt liv ser ut
och allting är som förut"

~ ~ ~

Blondie "Greatest Hits" (2005)

Greatest Hits (compilation)
release date: 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: EMI / Capitol Records - nationality: USA

22 track compilation album by Blondie. This is one of the better compilations with Blondie, although, it still miss several great compositions. The last three tracks are not any of the band's best, and it's really a mystery how they ended up here. Two are taken from the most recent come-back album The Curse of Blondie from 2003, which doesn't contribute with great material, and the last track is a remix of The Doors "Riders on the Storm" and Blondie's track "The Rapture", a really odd inclusion. Luckily they come at the end so may just skip them, but then tracks like "In the Sun", "Fan Mail", "I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No", "Die Young Stay Pretty" should be here to call it a true best of album. The album was released in an expanded version called Greatest Hits (Sight & Sound) with a dvd containing 17 video tracks.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer Trio "Try! (Live in Concert)" (2005) (live)

Try! (Live in Concert) (live)
release date: Nov. 22, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Steve Jordan, John Mayer
label: Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Who Did You Think I Was" - 2. "Good Love Is On The Way" - 3. "Wait Until Tomorrow" - 5. "Vultures" - 10. "Daughters" - 11. "Try"

1st album release with John Mayer Trio consisting of Mayer on guitars and lead vocals, bassist Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan on drums and backing vocals.
The album focuses on blues rock in particular but also builds on traditional r&b and jazz rock. It consist of 11 tracks of which two compositions are reworked songs from Mayer's 2003 solo album: "Daughters" and "Something's Missing", two are Mayer songs from his forthcoming 2006 album: "Vultures" and "Gravity", and two songs are cover versions: Hendrix' "Wait Until Tomorrow" and "I Got a Woman" written by Ray Charles, and three songs written by the John Mayer Trio.
This is the first sign that Mayer really intend to move his music away from the pop / rock productions of his early career, which is warmly welcomed. It's not surprising to see Mayer release a live album under this new constellation - he has already become renowned for playing better and more energetic on his live performances, and when that seems to evade him in the studio what is more appropriate than just record the music live?!
Anyway, I find it strong and very tight in a jazzy way all thanks to drummer and bassist. It was met both by appraisal and lukewarm reviews - some of which I suspect of wanting Mayer to keep releasing soft rock songs for his teen fans. The album was nominated Best Rock Album at the 2007 (?) Grammy Awards, and I simply consider it his so far best effort.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Kate Bush "Aerial" (2005)

Aerial
release date: Nov. 4, 2005
format: digital (2 cd)
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Kate Bush
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

8th studio album by Kate Bush is a double cd released 12 years after The Red Shoes (Nov. 1993). Disc 1 of the album is titled "A Sea of Honey" and disc 2, "A Sky of Honey". Bush has always been reluctant or shy with the press giving rare interviews and never touring with her music, and after her '93 album she concentrated fully on her family life and withdrew from the music scene. Such a lengthy break from making music, almost naturally means something else in terms of styles and inspiration when finally re-appearing, and Aerial is something else.
The album was met by positive reviews, and it sees her demonstrating a new-found blend of folk rock, celtic folk, and singer / songwriter version of in an art pop spectrum. It's quiet, almost ambient, which requires attention, I guess. For my part, I just haven't been able to find my way around it... yet.
[ almusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, The Guardian, The Observer 5 / 5 stars ]

Ane Brun "Duets" (2005)

Duets

release date: Dec. 21, 2005

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]

producer: diverse

label: DetErMine Records / V2 - nationality: Norway

3rd studio album by Ane Brun released just ten months after her fine A Temporary Dive (Feb. 2005) is not a new collection of songs written and composed by Brun, but according to herself, it's a series of songs made in collaboration with various artists that she admires. The majority of these ten songs are written and composed by the participating artists and Brun is as such the actual 'featuring artist' on seven cuts, with herself listed as main artist with another artist on three songs, and she has herself written and composed only two songs. The same pattern applies to producer credits where the participating artists alone or sometimes with Ane Brun are credited this role.

All of this is evident here when listening to this highly varied album. The songs are not significantly tied together, thus solely stemming from Brun's fascination for the individual artist, and this is where it (unfortunately) becomes very much on the terms of the participating artists. It simply works the best when Brun is both composer, main artist and co-producer, for example on "Rubber & Soul" from her most recent album, but here with Teitur as contributing vocalist. The same applies (somewhat) to "Song No. 6" with Ron Sexsmith, which is, however, a completely identical recording of the version from the album.

This is probably not where you would want to start if you're not familiar with the music by Ane Brun. Duets probably works fine from a completely personal point of view, but if the desire is to listen to a coherent album that should convince you of Brun's great skills as a songwriter, composer, instrumentalist, and vocalist, you'd better look elsewhere.

Not recommended.