Biggest Surprises of 2005 so far?

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Jeans Team - 'Musik von Oben'

They learned how to make songs since their first album. One of biggest leaps in quality between albums since...Japan's 'Quiet Life'?

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:11 (twenty years ago)

the amerie album was way better than i expected it to be.

― f-a-b-o-l-o-u-s (adamwest), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:25 (twenty years ago)

Well, maybe Alkiline Trio. I've only heard the first single off their new album and it's way better than their last. Now, we just have to wait for more tracks off the new one.

― Aja (aja), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:26 (twenty years ago)

architecture in helsinki's second album. i thought the first one was pleasant but dull but the new one is fantastic.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:53 (twenty years ago)

Never heard much of interest in Manitoba's Up in Flames, but I got a promo of Caribou's The Milk of Human Kindness and it's a fantastic nu-psych record with some cool para-Kraut stuff.

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Monday, 25 April 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

Hmmm...will keep that in mind.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 25 April 2005 04:05 (twenty years ago)

architecture in helsinki's second album. i thought the first one was pleasant but dull but the new one is fantastic.

i loved the first one, but you're right, the new one is so much better

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 25 April 2005 04:13 (twenty years ago)

pharoah overlord. still don't own it yet tho.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 25 April 2005 05:46 (twenty years ago)

What about the Raveonette's Pretty In Black? Any band that learns how to use more than two chords should be applauded as taking a leap, no?

― brittle-lemon, Monday, 25 April 2005 06:09 (twenty years ago)

patrick is that 'kleine melodien' or whatever it's called on the new or the last album? how do the other songs on this album you speak of compare to that song?

― piscesboy, Monday, 25 April 2005 07:34 (twenty years ago)

Patrick Wolf's Wind In The Wires. His first record was intriguing but messy - this is a beautiful future-folk escapist's reverie. Beautiful. Plus he writes songs about where I live!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:00 (twenty years ago)

Ned, I can't recommend Caribou highly enough. Fantastic album. Also check out his previous two, Start Breaking My Heart and Up In Flames. Quite different but you can see the results of both in his latest.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:18 (twenty years ago)

The new Caribou is much less ecstatically busy than Up In Flames, and there is a definite krautrock-ish tinge to some stuff. It's good, but I'm not hyper about it like I was the last one.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

Well there was less fuss made about it in the press so there did feel to be less of a build up to it. I think it's actually better than Up In Flames precisely because of the lack of busyness, it's not so overwhelmingly cacophonic in parts.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:32 (twenty years ago)

Tompaulin Into The Black. I didn't expect it to be bad by any means, but I didn't expect it to be as fantastic as it is.

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I was part of the fuss in the press last time... It might have more longevity to it than UIF. I like it, but it's not one of my very favourites of the year so far.

The Maximo Park album is surprisingly not awful given that an NME-approved postpunk outfit on Warp from Newcastle should be atrocious by rights.

The Vitalic album is great, cos I basically didn't believe he would ever release one or that he existed in a tangible, see-his-records-in-shops way.

I'm enjoying the MIA album more than I thought, although I still don't see it having staying power.

The British Sea Power album is really surprisingly tuneful and addictive and lovely too.

But really this year's all about Bloc Party for me so far. After three or four years of really bad indie and great pop the balance seems to have shifted slightly (not that I'm loving Bright Eyes or whatever, and that Fiery Furnaces record still sucks the shit from a dead dog's arse). Hopefully Pete Doherty will die soon and the year will become even better.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:40 (twenty years ago)

The bits and pieces I've heard of both Will Smith - 'Lost and Found' and Amerie - 'Touch'. 2 of the year's best singles not completely cushioned by filler shocker. Also, how varied the Vitalic record is, though it hasn't completely won me over yet.

― The Irrelevant Man (Negativa) (Barima), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

It is maybe glaringly obvious, but, Fischerspooner.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 25 April 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

never cared about out hud before "let us never speak of it again" - 3/4 of which i really really like; the vitalic album lived up to its promise; i wasn't really anticipating 'the b. coming', which is tight and pleasingly 'unified aesthetic'-y

― jermaine (jnoble), Monday, 25 April 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

oh, and i could've guessed that a new isolee record would be good, but "wearemonster" is better than that

― jermaine (jnoble), Monday, 25 April 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Fischerspooner.

And also Silicone Soul - Staring Into Space (very spacious deep house album on Soma.)

― Omar (Omar), Monday, 25 April 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

The Barbara Morgenstern and Robert Lippok album is stunning. A proper shot from the dark.

― Parkey, Monday, 25 April 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

Since I'd never heard of him before, I'm happily surprised Yousef Shamoun exists. Nothing innovative but it's not that easy to come by good current Syrian music on CD. (I think he may be in the U.S. now.) I like his voice and singing a lot: he's technically proficient but not as daunting as hardcore Syrian classical types like Sabah Fakhri.

― RS_LaRue (RSLaRue), Monday, 25 April 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

Fuuuuhck!

The Barbara Morgenstern and Robert Lippok album is stunning. A proper shot from the dark.

Did not need to read that. Maybe I'll wait till some more reviews come in. I like Babs (& To rococo rot sometimes) too :-(

I just cancelled my pre-order after spending a little more than I meant to at the weekend (found myself in a real record shop, not being in my ass-backward home town for once).

― fandango (fandango), Monday, 25 April 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

The Old Haunts--Fallow Field

― private franchising, Monday, 25 April 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

malkmus - face the truth

the first two solo records had their moments, but this is by far his best work since probably wowee zowee. "Pencil Rot" is an amazing opener. But they should have never picked "Post-paint Boy" as a single, the only pavement-like tune on the record.

― egon krenz (slaytrack), Monday, 25 April 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

I'll choose the new Garbage as a surprise, simply because hearing the pre-release single, "Why Do You Love Me" came across as rubbish to me.

I ended up being pleasantly surprised to hear an album filled with some pretty damn good songs.

― ZionTrain, Monday, 25 April 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

piscesboy, "Kleine Melodien" was on Jeans Teams' first album 'Ding Dong'. That track was unlike the rest of the album, which was basically just naive instrumental ideas. I must say I'm not a big fan of that track either...just seems kind of straightforward and in your face.

'Music von Oben' is much different...not as abrasive (though there are loud parts) and more varied. And the songs actually develop. I've listened to it more than any other album this year; it seems to be impossible to tire of.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Monday, 25 April 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

I am somewhat to very surprised that the New Order album is as good as it is (in light of Get Ready especially).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 25 April 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

Brooke Valentine (beyond "Girlfight"!) and Mariah Carey, no doubt.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 25 April 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

Ned, I can't recommend Caribou highly enough. Fantastic album.

I was somewhat cool towards his previous stuff. If I stumble across I'll give it a listen but I'm starting to get tired of the same range of influences in so many different people's work.

I've heard many a good thing about that Morgenstern album. And the Patrick Wolf is indeed a treat.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 25 April 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

Brooke Valentine? That was one of those albums I downloaded without knowing what it was. I don't understant the appeal there. Promptly deleted.

I don't think the Lippok and Morgenstern album is that great really. Definitely listenable and good, but nothing that's going to have any impact in the long run.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Monday, 25 April 2005 19:37 (twenty years ago)

Tompaulin Into The Black. I didn't expect it to be bad by any means, but I didn't expect it to be as fantastic as it is.

OTM, it is an incredible record, I never thought they had it in them because even now listening to that first album it's mediocrity come to life but this new one is wonderful.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 25 April 2005 20:16 (twenty years ago)

Ana Da Silva - The Lighthouse: Surprised that an ex-Raincoats put out a record, that it's great, and that it sounds so simple and utterly personal yet in a way that's unlike the Raincoats or anything else.

Ivy - In the Clear: Surprised that I keep playing this completely ordinary, conservative return to Primitives/Darling Buds styles with a dash of shoegaze, but they found the sweet spot of all that, and they keep pounding it perfectly.

― Curt (cgould), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

midimiliz - non standards

expected quality psytrance, got dark stomping firebreathing techno with basslines that give agoria a run for his money. album of the year so far

― fe zaffe (fezaffe), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

The solo record by Nerf Herder's singer Parry Gripp is kind of fantastic. I would not EVER have guessed.

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Jamie Lidell, by a long shot.

― Jena (JenaP), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

If you had told me before February that Fiona Apple would have put out my favorite album of the year so far, I would have hit you.

― James.Cobo (jamescobo), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

Ryan Adams Cold Roses. Nice to hear him going back to the alt country sound, it's just great stuff.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

I realize this is controversial, but I think the new M83 is far, far better than the heralded one.

Also that Andrew Bird came out of left field for me. I never really paid attention to him, and it's brilliant.

― southern lights, Monday, 16 May 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

Weezer, kinda.

― Eppy (Eppy), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

biggest surprise is that the guy in Kicker still sings. I thought he had promised not to. The girl singer is amazing and yet he continues on with his generic nasal indie voice.

― keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:39 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

The Silent Type - Of Writing/Of Violence is a pleasant surprise. Who the hell is this band?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 28 July 2005 03:08 (twenty years ago)

The new Kelly Osbourne album, for sure

― Baaderonixx on a long black leash (Fabfunk), Thursday, 28 July 2005 08:01 (twenty years ago)

what do they sound like Mr. Snrub?

my surprise is Elbow actually, i didnt think i'd give a shit about that band anymore but the album's on repeat constantly, might get sick of it before it comes out though, jeez

― rizzx (Rizz), Thursday, 28 July 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

herman dune kicked their new one OUT OF THE FUCKING PARK.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 28 July 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

CLOR

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Thursday, 28 July 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

what do they sound like Mr. Snrub?

Like Mogwai, but with vocals pretty much.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

The Game having a personality.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

Denver's top forty station switching format to reggaeton. (This may not have surprised you, but I wasn't expecting it.)

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Thursday, 28 July 2005 19:14 (twenty years ago)

Haven't heard it yet, but for sheer surprise, a new Big Star record is going to be hard to top.

I just hope it's good.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 28 July 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

Let Douglas Wolk deflate your expectations a bit:

Let me be (among) the first to say it: that new Big Star record that's coming out at the end of August, "In Space," is awful. Awful. Apparently the conditions of recording it was that they had to find a label that would let them write the whole thing in the studio, and... well, I like spontaneous/"process" records just fine, but that's not what Big Star is good at. (Let's not even get into the "is this really Big Star with just Chilton and Stephens" thing; this interview with Andy Hummel suggests that he'd have been into playing with them if they'd been "willing to work real hard at home.") In fact, I suspect that when bands that have previously written songs, practiced them, maybe played them live, etc., start trying to write in the studio, that almost always becomes a shark to jump. The only counterexample I can think of offhand is the Ex's Instant, which doesn't quite count.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Thursday, 28 July 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

"Since U been gone"

― Sami (Sami), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

Ugh, that's not very encouraging w/r/t the new Big Star. But not all that surprising based on the song Hot Thing, their first "new" song that appeared on a best-of a few years back. That song blew.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:36 (twenty years ago)

silver jews - tanglewood #'s

― plmrmtrena mstns, Friday, 29 July 2005 03:06 (twenty years ago)

antony and the johnsons - i am a bird now (a grower, but i really love it now)

― joseph (joseph), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:36 (twenty years ago)

>Denver's top forty station switching format to reggaeton. (This may not have surprised you, but I wasn't expecting it.)<

Surprising? Kinda. Awesome? Totally.

― Alan Conceicao (Alan Conceicao), Friday, 29 July 2005 03:39 (twenty years ago)

Malcolm Middleton
Art Brut

― tk (tk), Friday, 29 July 2005 07:55 (twenty years ago)

i like the malcolm middleton, which was a surprise for me, as well. thought i wouldn't like him rocking out but it's quite charming

― rizzx (rizzx), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

LANGHORNE SLIM

― Lupton Pitman (Chris V), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

The great news about Ireland Yeah! & Welcome Back HOCKEY!

― Judith Deslongchamps (Judith), Saturday, 30 July 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

For the very WORST surprise in 2005, I would say all of the deaths in UK and around the world caused by terrorists. My heart goes out to all of the families who suffered loss. I'll be really glad when people wise up.
Wars and abuse of everyone should be obliterated.( In my opinion)

― Judith Deslongchamps (Judith), Saturday, 30 July 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

The Shortwave Set and Cagedbaby - class of 2003 strike back!
Liking an Output record in 2005.
Amerie.
Will Smith.

― Negativa, True Believer (Sheryl Crow in a Britney costume) (Barima), Saturday, 30 July 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

Lady Sovereign! I had no idea what to expect, but she's like Mike Skinner's little sister or something - I'm really psyched for the album now.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 30 July 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

the return of gale/judith deslongchamps!

― jermaine (jnoble), Saturday, 30 July 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

Bocephus King, All Children Believe in Heaven -- has anyone else heard this? Should I start a separate thread?

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 30 July 2005 15:53 (twenty years ago)

Liking an Output record in 2005.

Which one? I am curious. Mu?

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Saturday, 30 July 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

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