Slow Thrills

Putting 2005 to bed, part 3: 700MB of the year!
I heard a lot of good music this year, but I just couldn't decide on a definite album of the year. My most played album was either LCD Soundsystem, the Arcade Fire or Sufjan Stevens, but then somedays it felt like the National or the Mountain Goats or the Hold Steady or the Clientele would be the outright top of my list. Then there were the albums you need longer to get into but they're so worth it when you do - Animal Collective, Vashti Bunyan, Colleen. Not forgetting acts that seem to have been with me forever - The Fall made their most accessible (and conventional!) album in 10 years with 'Fall Heads Roll', the Wedding Present came back with the darker 'Take Fountain' and Half Man Half Biscuit had a major return to form with 'Achtung Bono'.
I came to the conclusion that the best way to encapsulate the year was to create a 700MB MP3 cd of my favourite tracks. There are a few notable omissions as I haven't heard the whole albums by Arab Strap or Six Organs of Admittance and I suspect they would feature more. Also singles and compilations might have been overlooked and lost in the depths of my iTunes. Anyway, here is my randomised list (viewable as a PDF file). If anyone wants to swap a similar compilation CDR please leave a comment below and I will contact you.