The 10 Best Jazz Albums of 2005
Jump back 20 years, listen to the best jazz albums of 2005, and hear the state of the art. It was an era of brilliant veterans and bold, new innovators.
Music
Features, reviews, interviews, and lists about music, covering the latest as well historical topics.
Jason Isbell Is Dazzling With Just His Voice and a Guitar
Given Jason Isbell’s track record as a songwriter, it’s no surprise that a completely stripped-down album turns out to be one of his best.
Flora Hibberd Casts a Mesmerizing Spell in Bristol
Flora Hibberd’s sonorous voice immediately grabs your attention, which imbues these tapestry-like songs with depth and an ineffable grandeur.
Legendary Funk Bassist George Porter Jr. Keeps on Grooving
Influential Meters bassist George Porter Jr. delivers a groovy instrumental LP with his Runnin’ Pardners, based on jams from their weekly residency in New Orleans.
Clara Mann’s Glorious ‘Rift’ Lets the Light In
With its homespun folk tunes, Clara Mann’s Rift is like a tête-à-tête between close friends under a crepuscular sky that leaves you listening to every word with the utmost attention.
The Tubs Explore Love and Loss on ‘Cotton Crown’
The Tubs’ Cotton Crown deals with darker themes about love, loss, and failure despite their penchant for sunny jangle pop sounds.
Sir Woman Find Love in the Great American R&B Songbook
The central theme of Sir Woman’s If It All Works Out is the primacy of love. The songs’ narrators make their way forward by finding love in all the right places.
MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of February 2025
In February’s best metal, Pissgrave produce laser-focus disgust, Retromorphosis dazzle with technical prowess and Sleep Paralysis blur the lines between genres.
Lollapalooza Is an Artifact That Will Never Be Replicated
Lollapalooza dragged alternative culture into the sunlight, created a safe space with Mötley Crüe-level hedonism, and became an artifact that will never be replicated.
Music/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music Features/Pop Past/PopMatters Picks/The Best Music of 2005
The 10 Best Electronic Albums of 2005
Jump back 20 years, listen to the best electronic albums of 2005, and hear the era’s state of the genre’s art. It was a highly innovative and influential time.
The Devil Makes Three Offer a Spell-binding LP of Loss and Resilience
The Devil Makes Three let listeners lose themselves in song, but not without missing sight of the deeper truths. It’s a compelling and cathartic musical experience.
Oracle Sisters Blend Mellow Rock With Magical Mysticism
Parisian mellow indie rockers the Oracle Sisters are at their best when given the freedom to experiment, and Divinations offers ample space for that.