It's odd that such a music-centric site has never posted one of these top ten lists, so here we are. None of these came out in 2004, but it's more about rocking than keeping current around here. These are the ten most spun at M-Skills HQ this year. Some have already been mentioned in the regular Soundtrack posts some have not.

Hey Mercedes :: Everynight Fire Works
I want to play guitar in this band.

At the Drive-In :: In-Casino-Out
Raw power. Even rawer emotion, but without being 'emo'.

Burning Airlines :: Identikit
Amazing. J Robbins' masterwork thus far, if you ask me.

Q And Not U :: No Kill No Beep Beep
This one blows me away. Clever, intricate DC post-punk sty-lee with a good-time-party vibe.

Faraquet :: The View From This Tower
Some serious guitar super-heroics on this one. If funk were awesome it would sound like this.

Lungfish :: Talking Songs For Walking
These guys just rock so much. Pure, honest and heartfelt, with driving guitars too.

Mastodon :: Remission
Crushing, genre-revitalizing metal; perfectly done. "Where Strides the Behemoth" indeed.

The Afghan Whigs :: 1965
A dark and dirty gem that successfully blends genres that shouldn't go together at all. Soulful-pop-garage-punk? Yes it is.

Shiner :: Lula Divinia
Just plain great record. Reliable like Yastrzemski.

Hot Water Music-Alkaline Trio :: Split ep
They cover each other's songs and make them 1000 times better than the originals. Hmph.

Notes:
I know I said I wasn't doing anything here until next year, but as my now three (!) year old Baby Daughter has taken to saying: Whaatever.

I got an iPod for Christmas. It's Awesome. That's my review.

Also, today makes me 32 years young. I don't feel a day over 47.

Happy New Year, etc.