Now that we're comfortably settling in to 2006, and everyone's finally taken down their Xmas trees (you know who you are), I'd like to take a quick look back to 2005 and pick what I think are the finest of the finest songs released during the year.

For those with iTunes, I've included direct links for each of the songs below, so you can quickly hear a clip for yourself and buy it if you like (they're all worth it). So without further ado:

1. Stars - Ageless Beauty
This magnificent blast of shimmering, urgent wistfulness comes from perhaps my favorite album of the year, Set Yourself On Fire. Sheer, unmitigated pop brilliance.

2. The New Pornographers - The Bones Of An Idol
This concise, patient number builds gradually into my favorite musical moment of the year: its sparkling, harmonious outro. Highlights the honeyed power of Neko Case's voice.

3. The Darkness - Dinner Lady Arms
A hair-raising track from a hair-raising album of British glam metal. Mix one part Def Leppard's "Hysteria", one part "Killer Queen", add a pinch of ELO, and turn up to 11.

4. The Church - Tristesse
A simply beautiful reading of their classic song from 1986, with guitarist Marty Willson-Piper taking over on vocals. The lush bed of layered acoustic guitars is rhapsodic.

5. Jamiroquai - Feels Just Like It Should
Funky, grunty, shifty dancefloor number with a catchy-as-hell elephantine groove. Dirty, sweet, and very nice.

6. New Pornographers - Use It
Hyper-kinetic, driving, rollicking slab of cheeky, winking innuendo with a gale-force chorus that'll take your head off.

7. Tegan & Sara - I Bet It Stung (live)
The live setting adds a touch of extra grit and moan to this stuttering, impassioned track from their So Jealous LP.

8. Gorillaz - Dirty Harry
Sly, terrifically constructed track that mixes a thick, blipping groove with children's choir, handclaps, and some nice rapping.

9. Kings of Leon - The Bucket
Just a great, catchy, southern-fried bit of modern rock with primal guitar work and nice shifting chords against pedaled bass.

10. Oasis - Lyla
Oasis sweeps back on the scene with this super-hooky number, all bright, British stomp and stadium chorus. Fun and rocking.

11. Son Volt - Bandages & Scars
The best track from their new album is a classic, dirt-road number that reaches the level of their wonderful first album, Trace.

12. All-American Rejects - Move Along
Yeah, it's slick, processed rock-pop, but I like these guys, they do it really well. A gutsy, propulsive, high-energy number.

13. Iron & Wine and Calexico - History Of Lovers
A warm, dusty, super-catchy bit of gently folksy melody. A perfect combination of Sam Beam's breathy voice and Calexico's southwestern twang.

14. Sigur Ros - Glósóli
A great distillation of this band's varied moods and intensities, slowly drifting from atmospheric sadness to roaring, tragic massiveness.

15. Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month (iTunes session)
Though this duo is too often content to stretch one small idea into a full song, this is a good one. Dark, dramatic, snarling bass riff sets an edgy mood for the haunted vocals.

2006 is looking like it will be a good year as well (can't wait for that new Church album, coming this spring), but 2005 delivered a great array of varied, smart, memorable music. Happy listening!

Labels: Music