It's the day I thought would never happen. Quite frankly, I'm good in principle at doing these end of year lists, because I do them in my head all the time, from about August onwards, but when it comes down to committing them to paper/screen, it's a different matter. So, I am very proud to say that there are some lists coming up over the next few days. They never seem to be final lists, as I'm changing the order around all the time, even now. However, as of this moment, here are Chig's favourite 15 albums of 2005. These are in no way meant to represent the 'best' of anything, as it's a matter of personal taste, but the top ten here are albums I've enjoyed immensely over the last twelve months (or, in the case of Erasure, the last fifteen months, as I was fortunate to have a copy back in October 2004, but it was only released last January.) Those below the top ten I still rate, but they're not quite in the same league (for me).

Albums
(2004 Favourite: Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand. 2004 Runner-up: Wild Dances – Ruslana)

01 I Am A Bird Now – Antony & The Johnsons
For the second year running, my favourite album is the Mercury winner. This is head and shoulders above anything else I’ve heard this year. I find it captivating, haunting, emotional and perfect late night listening.

02 Dangerous And Moving – t.A.T.u
Don’t underestimate them – this is the most consistent pop album I heard all year, full of great tunes and excellent production. There are several potential hit singles on here which are better then the one they’ve released (All About Us). Why do I have a feeling the record company won’t bother to release them, or promote this album properly?

03 Back To Bedlam – James Blunt
The best-selling album of the year, and deservedly so. There’s not a duff tune on it. I love his unusual voice as well as his lyrics.

04 Taller In More Ways – Sugababes
Much, much stronger than I expected it to be. I can even forgive them for covering Animotion’s ‘Obsession’; one of my favourite 80s tunes. Bring on Red Dress as a big hit single. (Presumably they’ll take Mutya’s vocals off and record new member Amelle’s before they release it?)

05 Confessions On A Dancefloor – Madonna
Almost perfect, but I can’t quite love Madonna as much as she seems to love herself, and that stops me from wholeheartedly embracing the music. You also know, if you’ve heard her try to sing live on various TV programmes recently (notably Children In Need) that the quality of the vocals on this album is achieved largely through technology and that takes away the enjoyment slightly. It’s still a great pop/dance album though.

06 Tissues And Issues - Charlotte Church
We like Charlotte Church. Especially since she brought her boyfriend along to stand next to me for a millisecond at Cardiff Mardi Gras. This album is a 'something for everyone' hotchpotch of musical styles, but overall a great pop album.

07 Employment – Kaiser Chiefs
‘I Predict A Riot’ was one of my Top 20 singles of 2004, despite it only making number 22 on its first release, so I’m glad the track became a top ten hit on re-release; one of four top 11 hits (The Modern Way spoilt the run of top ten hits by stalling one place short). The album has a surprising variety of musical styles on it, making it very listenable indeed. I suspect the first release from their next album will be a contender for a number one single. They should also be getting the Brit Award for best UK group, possibly UK newcomers, possibly UK album, unless they are beaten by this lot…

08 Stars Of CCTV - Hard-fi
A charismatic frontman, or Son of Supergrass, as I call him, plus some great tunes and some brilliant videos too, makes another contender for British group of the year.

09 Nightbird – Erasure
It’s officially a ‘return to form’ from Erasure, but their first album since their debut, Wonderland, to miss the top 20, peaking at number 27, when it eventually hit the shops, fifteen weeks after I had it. Erasure’s problem is that they seem to be dependent on making the Radio 2 playlist (which Breathe did) because they just don’t get played elsewhere. There are some great tunes on here – not all of them – but by the time they’d released the best one as the third single, people had already lost interest. ‘Here I Go Impossible Again’ should have been the lead single, and would have done a whole lot better than number 25.

10 Push The Button – Chemical Brothers
A fantastic album to play loud!

11 X&Y – Coldplay

12 Traces Of Sadness – Vanilla Ninja
For ‘most surreal moment of 2005’, it will be hard to beat the occasion back in May as I was listening to this album on my MP3 player at Frankfurt airport, before flying out to Eurovision in Ukraine. As I sat down by the departure gate with my headphones in, I glanced up at a woman and thought ‘she looks familiar’ and then looked at a woman next to her and thought, ‘so does she’. I then looked around and it dawned on me that Vanilla Ninja were about to board my plane to Kyiv. As they’re from Estonia, this was hardly expected. I so much wanted to tell them I was listening to their album, but I didn’t. In fact, I was in such awe of their beauty that I didn't say a word to them, even on the plane. Probably just as well. There are two women in this band who could possibly turn me straight, and I love their music too. Fawning adoration is never a good look.

13 Amarantine – Enya
14 Magic Numbers – Magic Numbers
15 Battleship Potemkin – Pet Shop Boys and Dresdner Sinfoniker
16 Intensive Care – Robbie Williams

Albums from late 2004 which I didn’t really play until 2005, which would have made the list: Thunder Lightning Strike - The Go! Team, Love Angel Music Baby – Gwen Stefani, American Idiot – Green Day.

Albums which would probably have made the list if I’d heard the whole album:
Cetri Krasti (Four Shores) - Prata Vetra (Brainstorm)
For reasons I can’t quite understand, other than initial lack of awareness, I haven’t bought this album, released last May (in Latvia) by my favourite group in the whole wide world. I will rectify this shocking state of affairs immediately, as this will probably end up being my favourite album of 2005, unless they’ve suffered a shocking lack of form, but it will be too late for this list.

Supernature – Goldfrapp, You Could Have It So Much Better With – Franz Ferdinand, In Between Dreams – Jack Johnson, Electric Blue – Andy Bell, Aerial – Kate Bush, Demon Days – Gorillaz, Eye To The Telescope – KT Tunstall, Tourist – Athlete, Keep On – Will Young, Chemistry – Girls Aloud, Come And Get It – Rachel Stevens, Language Sex Violence Other – Stereophonics, Funeral – The Arcade Fire.

Best compilation:
01 Original Remixes and Rarities – The Human League
02 Eurovision 2005 - Various
03 The Very Best of… - Sandie Shaw

Best soundtrack album: Kinky Boots OST. (I haven't seen the film, although I meant to. Is it any good?)

Most disappointing album:
‘Worst’ album of the year would obviously be the Crazy Frog’s worthless piece of shite, but I wouldn’t normally be listening to something if I thought it wasn’t going to be any good. However, Robbie Williams’ Intensive Care is my most disappointing album of 2005. Maybe I just haven’t played it enough, but, apart from Tripping, nothing stands out. It’s too MOR for my liking. Having said that, Advertising Space has really grown on me after many listens, so perhaps the album is just a slow grower. I’ll keep an open mind.

What was your favourite album of last year?


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