The Belated "Best Of" For 2005

People who love music have an unhealthy obsession with lists, and I am no exception. So without further adieu here are my "best of" nominations for all things musical in 2005. This is not meant to be comprehensive (because even I can't purchase that much), nor is it meant to be gospel (because even I can't bloviate that much). It is what it is: A snapshot in time and, to a larger extent, the music that keeps me excited about music.

And yes, it's two weeks late. Why? Ask my bosses, who won't let me listen to music at work. Or FJ, who's crawling up my ass about completing the hypefactor record.

BEST ALBUMS OF 2004:
1. Morrissey: You Are The Quarry (Attack)
2. Manic Street Preachers: Lifeblood (Sony)
3. Kasabian: Kasabian (BMG)
4. The Magnetic Fields: I (Nonesuch)
5. Chris Connelly: Night Of Your Life (Underground Inc.)
6. The Twilight Singers: She Loves You (One Little Indian)
7. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds: Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus (Anti)
8. TV On The Radio: Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes (Touch And Go)
9. Various: DFA Compilation No. Two (DFA)
10. Xiu Xiu: Fabulous Muscles (Five Rue Christie)

BEST SINGLES OF 2004:
1. Kasabian: Club Foot (BMG)
2. Morrissey: Let Me Kiss You (Attack)
3. Johnny Boy: You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve (Universal)
4. The Magnetic Fields: I Thought You Were My Boyfriend (Extended Mix) (Nonesuch)
5. Kasabian: LSF (Lost Souls Forever) (BMG)
6. Ian Brown: Keep What Ya Got (Universal)
7. !!!: Hello? Is This Thing On? (Touch And Go)
8. Telefon Tel Aviv: My Week Beats Your Year (Hefty)
9. UNKLE: Reign (Global Underground)
10. The Beta Band: Assessment (EMI)

BEST REISSUES/LIVE SETS/GREATEST HITS OF 2004:
1. New Order: In Session (Strange Fruit)
2. Peter Murphy: Deep (Teichiku)
3. Gustavo Cerati: Canciones Elegidas '93-'04 (Sum)
4. Curve: The Way Of Curve 1990/2004 (BMG)
5. The Clash: London Calling - Deluxe Edition (Sony)
6. Revenge: One True Passion V2.0/Be Careful What You Wish For (LTM)
7. The Revolting Cocks: Beers, Steers And Queers (Rykodisc)
8. Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral - Deluxe Edition (Nothing/Interscope)
9. Slowdive: Catch The Breeze (Sanctuary)
10. Various: Produced By Trevor Horn (ZTT)

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2005:
1. New Order: Waiting For The Sirens' Call (Warner Brothers)
2. Halloween, Alaska: TBA (TBA)
3. Oasis: Don't Believe The Truth (Sony)
4. Nine Inch Nails: With Teeth (Interscope)
5. Morrissey: Live From Earl's Court (Attack)
6. Out Hud: Let Us Never Speak Of It Again (Kranky)
7. Doves: Some Cities (Capitol)
8. The Tears: TBA (TBA)
9. Saintface: Apartment Stories (TBA)
10. Xiu Xiu: Le Foret (Five Rue Christine)

Coming this weekend, the resurrection of a challenge proposed last Christmas by Ash: The year-end best of "mix." The goal is to sequence the year's best tracks in an order akin to a successful mix tape or DJ set. Any song released in 2004 is fair game, as long as the total length of the mix does not exceed 80 minutes. I may be the only challenger this year (Ash's 2003 setlist, which I have sadly lost, was great), but expect that list this weekend.

For some context, here is a link to my best of 2003 mix.