My Top 16 For 2005

I made it! Just under the wire.
And I'd like to use my "Best Of" as a way to pay tribute to our many siblings-in-arms in the mp3 blognation. For, put simply, I downloaded most of these tracks from mp3 blogs-- most likely, from our friends at Music For Robots or via some link from our other friends at Junkmedia's World of Sound. So I tip my cap to them before regurgitating the filtered results of their hard work. Please visit as many mp3 blogs as you can, until your brain starts leaking, perhaps starting with those listed in our sidebar over there on the right.

Now, to get down to it. In no particular order, my top 16 mp3 downloads of 2005:

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Blossom
I am a fat sucker for these treacly Ryan Adams piano ballads.
http://www.ryan-adams.com
Buy it!

The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy
Both Philly-style and catchy as hell, and it was in some big commerciacal.
http://www.spintoband.com
Buy it!

Robbie Fulks - Where There's A Road
I know very little about contemporary country, but Silkworm did a great cover of Mr. Fulks' "Let's Kill Saturday Night," and I followed up and found this song, which makes me feel as country as I'll probably ever feel walking through Times Square with my iPod on.
http://www.robbiefulks.com
Buy it!

Portastatic - I Wanna Know Girls
This just reminds me of all the good reasons that Mac MacCaughan got under my skin in the first place.
http://www.portastatic.com
Buy it!

Mountain Goats - This Year
Darnielle just keeps getting better and better. Seriously, cut it out, or I may pack up my guitar and throw it under the nearest truck.
http://www.mountain-goats.com
Buy it!

Mobius Band - I Just Turned 18
All credit due to the tireless online championing of Breitling & Breitling.
http://www.mobiusband.com
Buy it!

M.I.A. - 10 Dollar
I had to pick a track.
http://www.miauk.com
Buy it!

Lucero - Bikeriders
I love this twangy elegiac punk rock shit.
http://www.luceromusic.com
Buy it!

Kiss Me Deadly - Dance 1
This is the sexiest song I heard all year, somehow.
http://www.kmdband.com
Buy it!

Joakim - Teenage Kiss
This is the second sexiest song I heard all year.
http://www.kitsune.fr
Buy it!

The Get Quick - Seem
Hometown boys, rally caps.
http://www.thegetquick.com
Buy it!

Cat Power - The Greatest
Not unlike Ryan Adams and his piano, Chan Marshall and hers just wash me into a little tear-filled tide pool, where I float helplessly, like a tiny plankton thing.
http://www.catpowerthegreatest.com
Buy it!

The Books - An Owl With Knees
This track replaced my academic love for the Books with something more emotional.
http://www.thebooksmusic.com
Buy it!

Amerie - One Thing
Was this this year? I don't know. It's still just...wow...though. Makes me wish I had 12 arms and a bigger ass to swing around.
http://www.amerie.net
Buy it!

American Analog Set - Born on the Cusp
Like much of their recent work, gently pulses you along on your wistful way.
http://www.amanset.com
Buy it!

Absentee - Rainy Days Swimming
Somehow reminds me of my favorite Swans song, "God Damn the Sun," only with considerably less tragedy.
http://www.absenteemusic.co.uk
Buy it!