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.
PopMatters Picks
PopMatters picks the best pop culture for your enjoyment, including music, film, TV, books, games, comics, and more.
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.
‘Avowed’ Conveys the Weight of Words In Our Times
Avowed is a charming, old-fashioned fantasy RPG reminiscent of The Elder Scrolls series that teaches players to be mindful of their words.
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.
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.
Sameer Pandya’s ‘Our Beautiful Boys’ Is Vulnerable and Powerful
Sameer Pandya mines the pain of immigrant parents wrestling with America’s existential crises in Our Beautiful Boys .
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.
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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.
Florence Adooni’s Astonishing ‘A.O.E.I.U.’ Is Electrifying
Florence Adooni has effortless, down-to-earth charisma from start to finish, from her most lighthearted moments to her most earnest.
Amulets Experiments in Powerful Ambient Soundscapes
Experimental tape wizard Amulets’ Not Around But Through is a lush, all-encompassing, enveloping sound that consumes the listener whole.
Mdou Moctar Mourns with Sadness on ‘Tears of Injustice’
Mdou Moctar’s Tears of Injustice is cause for mourning and melancholy. It makes time for lamentation, knowing there is more to sustaining resistance than fighting with fire.