Best of '05 Preview: Aimee Mann

ARTIST: Aimee Mann

ALBUM: The Forgotten Arm

STANDOUT TRACKS: That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart, I Can't Get My Head Around It, Going Through the Motions

DISTINCTION: A concept album, designed like a pulp fiction novel (Mann is up for a Grammy for record packaging); the best thing she's done since Magnolia.

SOUND: Clean and pure; upbeat songs are as catchy as they come and the ballads are sad without being draggy at all.

YEAR-END CUMULATIVE GPA: 3.9....Manntastic! You didn't get much better than this record in 2005.