The Top 17 Songs of 2005!

Hello bloggie friends! - Hope you all had a happy Christmas holiday... I've finally recovered from my mild scotch-induced holiday cheer and got down to business trying to make this godforsaken "best of" list.

It has been one full week of the new year....

2005 was chock-full of decent music and I have honestly been fucking-about trying to decide since Christmas Eve.

It's been tough to narrow it down to 10 best songs so I've made it the best 17 as that's how many I could fit on a CD.

Yes, a Connielingus "Top Songs" CD will be available to the first 5 people who email me with your address to helloconnielingus AT gmail.com..... hurry! Limited time offer!

So anyways here is the highly-coveted listing....
Like I said, not only did I have a hard time narrowing it down to just 17 songs, I had a hard time picking the best song from each artist... Many of these precious little numbers come from fantastic full albums as well.

#1

"Your Ex-Lover is Dead" - Stars
Technically the Album "Set Yourself on Fire" was released in 2004 but took a choke hold on my soul in 2005. Excellent all- round album from the bustling Montreal scene, with "Your Ex-lover is dead" being the lead off track and one of the best. Hard to pick out just one. Lovely orchestral guy-girl sing-songs.
Jenn also loves it too....
Buy this Album. Simple as that.

#2

"Rebellion (Lies)" - The Arcade Fire

Can "Funeral" possibly live up to the most hypey hype since OK Computer???
- Uh yeah, I'm thinking so.... I like Rebellion but honestly this Album is best experienced as a whole unit from start to finish.
If you haven't heard this yet, where the hell have you been all year????

#3

"Chicago" - Sufjan Stevens

Once again, love the whole album "Come On Feel the Illinoise" but Chicago reminds me of late summer at the Lake.
Happiness surrounds.

#4

"Gideon" - My Morning Jacket

How proud I have become of MMJ over the last 4 years. Excellent band that have now added some funky keyboard action on the latest Album "Z". They only get better and better....

#5

"This Modern Love" - Bloc Party

Up for awards in the UK, not too well known overhere in Canada - excellent stuff nevertheless.... sorta along that "Killers, Franz Ferdinand type genre" but kinda with its own style.

#6

"We Are Nowhere and it is Now" - Bright Eyes

From the highly acclaimed album "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning".... A voice only a mother could love or the next coming of a Neil Young/Bob Dylan hybrid?
Well, like so many before ol' Conner Oberst, talk-singing harmony with Emmylou Harris can effectively smooth over the rough edges.... It also helps being a brilliant songwriter too.

#7

"Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)" - Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah

I just recently heard this band.... I know nothing about them except I love the name and I absolutely am addicted to this song.

#8

"Love is a Deserter" - The Kills

I don't know what it is about The Kills... I only really like their music when I'm driving really fast on my way into work..... "get the guns out get the guns out..."
From the album "No Wow" - This stuff will get you in the mood to rivet aeroplanes all night long!

#9

"If I Am a Stranger" - Ryan Adams

Like I've said many times, I love Ryan Adams and I always will.
Maybe his 3 released albums in one year could have been trimmed down into one perfect album. "Cold Roses" is the better choice if you were to try just one. This song is officially my time-tested favorite.

#10

"Stay" - The Ladies and Gentlemen

Cool Canadian Computer Blippy Music that makes you happy from the album "Small Sins".
Brilliant!

#11

"Factory" - Martha Wainwright

The kinda trashy diva-like songstress that was the toast of the Edmonton Folk Fest and might I add, the only-sister of Rufus.
I have a special love for this whole album. The summer-road-trip-picking-up-young-lady-hitchhikers-singing-at-the-top-of-yer-lungs kind of memories.

#12

"In My Leisure Suite" - Feist

"Let It Die" is a perfect album.
I listened to this song on a Sunny blissed out February afternoon in Cozumel, Mexico sitting on our patio over-looking the Caribbean Sea... My leisure suite indeed.
That beautiful memory is all I can think of when I hear this song.

#13

"Galaxies" - Laura Veirs

Laura Veirs is so cool. - Beautiful Spacey tune for a spacey day...
"Year of Meteors" is another great collection of songs.

#14

"Fake Palindromes" - Andrew Bird

"The Mysterious Production of Eggs" is full of cool middle-eastern tinged songs. This one especially reminds me of Saturday mornings eating tater-tots and basted eggs that Jenn prepared whilst I fiddled around making the perfect Saturday morning playlist.... This song seemed to always be on it.

#15

"Even Tho" - Joseph Arthur

I just love this song... It brought me through a strange part of the year in the early fall that was tinged with lots of overtime, drinking and a bizarre co-workers suicide....Very emotional and "Our Shadows Will Remain" filled that need.

#16

"High School" - Jeremy Fisher

One of the few Canadian Top 40 Radio Song that I actually liked From the Album "Let it Shine". Nicen'cheesy happy-go-lucky throwback retro-grunge song about being a teenager in the 1990's.
I was one and this song is catchy... It's all good.

#17

"Love Is Just a Game" - The Magic Numbers

Ah yes, love IS just a game isn't dahlings....
The Magic Numbers are a kind of a Mama's and Papa's For the younger set. Cute melodic Brother and Sister act outta England. Classic with a new spin.
I like it... Another great full album.

.... So anyways, that's my basic list. I keep remembering other good songs but this is the frigging list that has officially made me crazy.
If anyone would like to share some of their faves of 2005 I would be greatly interested to hear all about it.

----> Heavy librarian kisses to you all and best wishes for 2006.