Let me preface this list by saying that I’m not cool. I listen to the music that I come across, and lots of times awesome stuff slips past me. So don’t get angry if your favorite band was left off the list. Most likely I didn’t have the money to buy their album, or just didn’t hear about them. Similarly, don’t kill me for having a pop-oriented list. I like indie pop, so sorry if there’s no Animal Collective or Banhart (I’m evil, I know). Also, I appologise if some of these aren’t from 2005. I did my best to check on all of them, but a guy can only do so much.

After that long speech to make sure I don’t get any angry emails, let’s get on to the MP3s!

You Aint No Picasso’s Top 20 Favorite Songs of 05

MP3: 01 - Okkervil River - For Real
I can’t even begin to count the number of times I played this song out my computer speakers, in my iPod, on mix cds, in the car or over WRFL. From the first time I heard it, I was hooked. Its chorus pounds home the message that’s both vivid and powerful: “I wanna hear you say ‘it shouldn’t really be this way’/because I like this way just fine.”

MP3: 02 - Wolf Parade - Disco Sheets
Why this song was on Wolf Parade’s Sub Pop EP and not the final LP, I’ll never know. It’s one of the few tracks that Isaac Brock succeeded on, and definetely my favorite that they put out this year, but yet it was confined to a ‘teaser’ EP. Rather than focus on the palpable energy that’s emitted from this song, I’d like to point out that to this day I can’t listen to this without clapping along at the second and third choruses (this includes while driving).

MP3: 03 - Super Furry Animals - Lazer Beam
I was never a big SFA fan before I heard this song. My friend Will had been trying to convert me ever since before the semester started, and I really wan’t feeling it. I don’t know why, but I really took to this song. It’s so trippy, but still at its heart is a pop song.

MP3: 04 - The Boy Least Likely To - My Tiger, My Heart
The Boy Least Likely To really know how to make me feel six years old again. This song is just dripping with so much nostalgia that it ought to be turned into a Hallmark card. They swear it’s not about Calvin and Hobbes, but this tale of a boy letting his tiger friend go free is touching nonetheless.

MP3: 05 - Sufjan Stevens - Decatur, or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother!
While most of you probably would pick a different favorite from Sufjan’s latest work, this is the song that did it for me. The chord progression and songwriting style are both simple and don’t offer too many unexpected changes. However, the melody is what won me over. It’s a slow, yet bouncing, ditty that I always find myself singing along to.

MP3: 06 - The Boy Least Likely To - Be Gentle With Me
If I ever had to pick a theme song, it might be this one (or Wilco’s ‘I’m Always in Love’) Its lyrics are bittersweet, yet hopeful and it’s so sweet that you might go into a diabetic coma.

MP3: 07 - Sambassadeur - Between The Lines
The new direction for twee? I found this through Neighborhoodies’ music section, and I’ve never properly thanked them. I feel like it loses a little bit of its power in the winter; but come spring, it’ll most likely regain control of my iPod.

MP3: 08 - The Light Footwork - The Art of Everyday Communication Part 1
Jay’s (the male singer) portion of the song about approaching a girl on a bus might very well be my favorite narrative part of a song that came out this year. It’s a little sad, but handled in a very humorous manner. Woo woo woo… Much like their other work, this one also jumps from sound to sound that’s sure to entertain even the most ADD among you.

MP3: 09 - Of Montreal - Requiem for o.m.m.2
It seems like most songs that are written from the ‘I’ve moved on, but I never forgot about you’ viewpoint are done by female artists. Well, Kevin Barnes and his merry band of troublemakers might very well be taking that theme back with this song. It’s peppy, yet poignant.

MP3: 10 - The Cloud Room - Hey Now Now
There’s a reason that the video for ‘Hey Now Now’ features people walking through their lives, singing this song: it’s going to get stuck in your head. Maybe not today, but someday you’ll be waiting for an elevator or standing in line for a taco and find yourself humming that familiar tune.

MP3: 11 - The Triangles - Applejack
As my friend and former YANP-writer Kristine would say, “cuuuuute!” ‘Applejack’ is one of the cutest, poppiest songs that I’ve heard all year - but yet the lyrics aren’t just throwaway ones. If you take the time to stop clapping and dancing, you might realize that they’ve got more depth than your typical nu-twee band.

MP3: 12 - Andrew Bird - Fake Palindromes
I doubt that I’ll ever know what it’s like to have as much talent as Andrew Bird does. Anyone who can not only write lyrics like this, but also compose the instrumentation in such a manner that’s equally as emotionally stirring; well they deserve some respect.

MP3: 13 - Page France - Chariot
I remember when Page France posted a 30 second clip of this song as a teaser preview of their new album. I got so excited. Little did I know that that clip couldn’t even begin to give me a glimpse into the glory of the entire song. It’s simple and it’s beautiful - it’s Page France.

MP3: 14 - Apollo Sunshine - Today Is The Day
Yeah, having a complicated and interesting chord progression can be awesome. But it’s those simple ones that usually get stuck in your head. Not to say that Apollo Sunshine are musically lacking, though. Quite the contrary. It’s just that they’ve made one catchy tune without too much technical wizardy. Are you listening, Mars Volta?

MP3: 15 - Stephen Malkmus - Baby C’Mon
I didn’t like this song when I first heard it. In fact, I think it festered in my downloads folder for about two months before I finally ‘got it.’ But once the bug bit me, on maaaan was I addicted. I vividly remember having a give a speech in public speaking class. My biggest fear wasn’t that I’d forget was I was going to say, but rather that I would slip up and start saying the words to this song, which was stuck in my head at the time.

MP3: 16 - The Raveonettes - Love In a Trashcan
I first heard this on a album preview cd that WRFL had. I liked it so much that I had my friend Andrew rip it to his laptop that he’d brought to watch movies with me (I had the 3am-6am shift). Thus began my love of The Raveonettes.

MP3: 17 - Thunderbirds Are Now! - Eat This City
There’s so much energy and activity packed into a song that’s less than three minutes. TAN! make the most out of their instruments and know just how to keep their listeners’ interest. To hear it on the album is amazing; to see it live is more so.

MP3: 18 - Enon - Knock That Door
This one barely made it on here. I downloaded this song back in July when we went to see Thunderbirds Are Now! open for Enon. I didn’t like Enon’s performance very much, so I guess I never gave this song a fair shot. But about a month ago, I gave it another spin and was totally won over. It’s a groovy little song with a great bass line.

MP3: 19 - Deerhoof - Twin Killers
Speaking of cute Japanese singers, I’d never forgive myself if I left Deerhoof off this list. This song feels like a mix between Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Shonen Knife. It’s schizophrenic and cute.

MP3: 20 - Devin Davis - Iron Woman
I think it was Kathryn Sanders (an iron woman in her own right) who introduced me to this song. It’s crazy, catchy and all around wonderful. Devin Davis definetely has a bright future ahead of him.

Also, special props go to Kelly Clarkson for making ‘Since U Been Gone’ a song that was not only a hit on the popular charts, but one that even hipsters couldn’t help but like. I would have included it, but I didn’t have an mp3.

(there’s a long list of bands that I feel terrible for having left out. So when you ask why the Mountain Goats, Apples in stereo or Low aren’t on this list, know that I do feel bad for cutting some favorites off)