One of the things I discussed with various people this year was the change I have noticed in how I consume music. My iPod and iTunes Library have become my stack of CDs. I don't shop very often, which I used to do a lot of. I used to come home from a trip to Virgin (because they have lots of imports), sit down with a stack of CDs, listen to them, rip them and then listen some more on my computer. These days, I download (from iTMS or BitTorrent, if I'm feeling impatient) straight into my iPod, seldomly listening to the album straight through. It sucks, but I have a lot less free time in my life these days. Also, being in a relationship means that what small amounts of time I have, I like to spend with my woman. It doesn't leave a lot of time to hole up in my cave with a stack of CDs. Life goes on though. I miss a few more things than I used to, but that's what sites like Largehearted Boy are for, right?
My taste has pretty much stayed the same. I've been much more open to mainstream stuff I would have turned my nose at two years ago. That's not to say I don't turn my nose up at stuff, but I just might not be quite a snooty about it. Some of my favorite albums of the year were released on major labels (!!!) I've been listening to more hip-hop than I ever have, which is fun. There's a lot of good stuff out there, especially in the underground. I still make monthly mixes almost every month, I program our CEO's iPod, which is cool and people still ask me about the latest albums and I know what they're talking about most of the time.
Music is still my life. I'm fortunate enough to work in it. I still enjoy listening, watching and falling asleep to it. I try and listen to something new every day and keep the classics in my back pocket.
Top 25 Albums of 2005
Band Of Bees - Free The Bees
Beck - Guero
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Boards Of Canada - The Campfire Headphase
Bob Mould - Body Of Song
Brendan Benson - Alternative To Love
Common - Be
Damian Marley - Welcome To Jamrock
Feist - Let It Die
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Kanye West - Late Registration
Kings Of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Ladytron - Witching Hour
Living Things - Ahead Of The Lions
Louis XIV - The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
Low - The Great Destroyer
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
M.I.A. - Arula
My Morning Jacket - Z
Neil Young - Prairie Wind
New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Paul McCartney - Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
7 Diappointments of 2005
Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralize
Coldplay - X & Y
Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
Dandy Warhols - Odditirium or Warlords Of Mars
OK Go - Oh No
Weezer - Make Believe
7 To Watch In 2006
Silversun Pickups
Rock Kills Kid
Matisyahu
Forward, Russia!
Story One
The Organ
KT Tunstall
