I mostly lurk around here, but here's my list anyway:

20. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of Broken Seas
19. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
18. Vince Gill - These Days
17. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
16. Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac
15. The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
14. Howe Gelb - 'Sno Angel Like You
13. Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome
12. Neil Young - Living With War
11. Calexico - Garden Ruin
10. Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
09. Alan Jackson - Like Red on a Rose
08. The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea
07. Jenny Lewis W/ Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
06. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
05. Hem - Funnel Cloud
04. Cat Power - The Greatest
03. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
02. Willie Nile - Streets of New York
01. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

quote:

Originally posted by Smo:
I mostly lurk around here, but here's my list anyway:

08. The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea

05. Hem - Funnel Cloud

02. Willie Nile - Streets of New York

Smo, could you shed some light on these for me, please?

quote:

Originally posted by Sideshow Bob:

quote:

Originally posted by Smo:
I mostly lurk around here, but here's my list anyway:

08. The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea

05. Hem - Funnel Cloud

02. Willie Nile - Streets of New York

Smo, could you shed some light on these for me, please?

Sure. The Essex Green sound a bit like the girl-group pop music of the '60s smashed together with Blondie. Or maybe a more old-fashioned A.C. Newman. At any rate, there are lots of catchy hooks and, personally, I dig the lead singer's voice. Hers is perfect for this sort of material. Album highlights are "Don't Know Why (You Stay)," "Sin City," and "This Isn't Farm Life." Only a couple of songs are not so great. I listened to this album a lot this year, and I wouldn't have placed it so high if iTunes hadn't reminded me of that fact. I was kind of astonished to see the play counts. But I still enjoy it a lot.

Hem is dreamy pop music. It's somewhere in between pop, alt-country, and contemporary folk. Think Cowboy Junkies for the best approximation. Some highlights: "Not California" and "The Pills Stopped Working." I don't know if this is better than their debut, Rabbit Songs. Fans will disagree on that. I think it probably is.

Willie Nile was the biggest surprise of the year for me. Think Dylan; think Springsteen. For me, this is one of those albums that's consistent enough that it's hard to pick favorites. If I had to pick favorites, "The Day I Saw Bo Diddley In Washington Square" would be on the shortlist. So would "Back Home." I haven't played this album a lot lately, but it has a higher playcount piled up than any other on my list, save the Hold Steady. I still think highly of it, obviously. (Note: I don't go strictly by playcounts, but I do take them into account so I don't wind up with a list biased in favor of later releases.)

quote:

Originally posted by Smo:

Sure. The Essex Green sound a bit like the girl-group pop music of the '60s smashed together with Blondie. Or maybe a more old-fashioned A.C. Newman. At any rate, there are lots of catchy hooks and, personally, I dig the lead singer's voice. Hers is perfect for this sort of material. Album highlights are "Don't Know Why (You Stay)," "Sin City," and "This Isn't Farm Life." Only a couple of songs are not so great. I listened to this album a lot this year, and I wouldn't have placed it so high if iTunes hadn't reminded me of that fact. I was kind of astonished to see the play counts. But I still enjoy it a lot.

Hem is dreamy pop music. It's somewhere in between pop, alt-country, and contemporary folk. Think Cowboy Junkies for the best approximation. Some highlights: "Not California" and "The Pills Stopped Working." I don't know if this is better than their debut, Rabbit Songs. Fans will disagree on that. I think it probably is.

Willie Nile was the biggest surprise of the year for me. Think Dylan; think Springsteen. For me, this is one of those albums that's consistent enough that it's hard to pick favorites. If I had to pick favorites, "The Day I Saw Bo Diddley In Washington Square" would be on the shortlist. So would "Back Home." I haven't played this album a lot lately, but it has a higher playcount piled up than any other on my list, save the Hold Steady. I still think highly of it, obviously. (Note: I don't go strictly by playcounts, but I do take them into account so I don't wind up with a list biased in favor of later releases.)

Thanks, mate. They all sound worth checking out. I'd never heard of any of them.

I joined just so I could contribute to this ever-growing list. I'm surprised that Muse and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs aren't really getting any love.

1. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
3. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
4. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
5. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
6. Mylo - Destroy Rock & Roll
7. Islands - Return to the Sea
8. Built to Spill - You in Reverse
9. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

quote:

Originally posted by Ghastly Apparition:
I joined just so I could contribute to this ever-growing list. I'm surprised that Muse and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs aren't really getting any love.

1. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
3. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
4. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
5. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
6. Mylo - Destroy Rock & Roll
7. Islands - Return to the Sea
8. Built to Spill - You in Reverse
9. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

Welcome! Get your 30 posts in by Jan 15 so your list will count.

Personally, I also love the Muse album, it is bookended with the best opener and closer of the year and everything in between is ordered nicely and all songs are very good. I dont think there is one weak track on that entire album. Also like that you have The Strokes so high.

I credit Muse with getting me interested in more alternative music but I've not listened to them much at all recently.
Didn't like their new album at all though.

The list

1. Joanna Newsom – Ys
2. Decemberists – Crane Wife
3. Final Fantasy – He Poos Clouds
4. TV On the Radio – Cookie Mountain
5. Belle and Sebastian – Life Pursuit
6. Beirut - Gulag
7. Yo La Tengo – Ass
8. Destroyer – Rubies
9. Fiery Furnaces – Bitter Tea
10. Sufjan Stevens – The Avalanche
11. Tapes N Tapes - The Loon
12. Band of Horses - Everything all the Time
13. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
14. Califone - Roots and Crowns
15. Camera Obscura - Lets get out of this country
16. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
17. Islands - Return to Sea
18. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I am Dreaming
19. Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
20. Liars - Drum's Not Dead

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TeeH:
14. Sunset Rubdown – Shut Up I am Dreaming
Favorite Song: Stadiums and Shrines II

13. Love Is All – Nine Times That Same Song
Favorite Song: Busy Doing Nothing

10. Yo La Tengo – I am Not Afraid of you and I Will Beat Your Ass
Favorite Song: Mr. Tough

7. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
Favorite Song: The Perfect Crime #2

6. Band of Horses – Everything All The Time
Favorite Song: Our Swords

3. Grizzly Bear – Yellow House
Favorite song: "On A Neck On A Spit"

2. Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
Favorite Song: "We Are The Sleepyheads"

Looks like we have some overlap, Tee. Even where we don't overlap, I like what you have.
The songs I've liked off of those where we do are:
Sunset Rubdown's "They Took a Vote and Said No", Love is All's "Talk Talk Talk Talk", Yo La Tengo's "Beanbag Chair", Decemberist's "O Valencia", Band of Horses' "The Funeral", Grizzly Bear's "Knife", and B&S's "Funny Little Frog".

15. Ryan Adams - "29"
14. Keane - "Under the Iron Sea"
13. The Vines - "Vision Valley"
12. Built to Spill - "You in Reverse"
11. Beck - "The Information"
10. The Black Keys - "Magic Potion"
9. Muse - "Black Holes and Revelations"
8. Ben Harper - "Both Sides of the Gun" (Disc 2 Only!)
7. Midlake - "Trials of Van Occupanther"
6. The Decemberists - "The Crane Wife"
5. Band of Horses - "Everything All of the Time"
4. Sufjan Stevens - "The Avalanche"
3. Ratatat - "Classics"
2. The Strokes - "First Impressions of Earth"
1. Thom Yorke - "The Eraser"

quote:

Originally posted by pacheco:
Best albums 06:
1.nathan fake.(drowing in a sea of love)

Ooooh, the Fakester at #1. Nice Choice. I'll have to check out that Outputmessage album as well.

I tried writing this before but don't think it posted after I hit the "Post Now" button. If it did, oh well, read it again (besides, the list has changed a bit, so it'll be like you're reading it for the first time. Exciting, huh?!).

20. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's-"The Dust of Rretreat"-A very good album to fall asleep to...in the most complimentary way possible.
19. The Strokes: "First Impressions of Earth"-I don't care what anyone says, this album expands the Strokes' catalogue, not embarrasses it.
18. Pearl Jam: S/T-I may be a bit prejudiced here since I grew up with Eddie and Co. but to put out an album of this quality after 15 years into your lifespan is damn impressive.
17. Beck: "The Information"-If only because I've never really been a huge Beck fan until this CD came along and got me. That deserves some recognition.
16. Belle and Sebastian: "The Life Pursuit"-"Sukie in the Graveyard" is enough of a jam to get this album on this list all by itself.
15. Islands "Return To The Sea"-A complete and utter fantastic mess of music.
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Show Your Bones"-Personally, I like "Fever To Tell" better, but still a great record, if only because it's such a successful change from their debut.
13. Destroyer: "Destroyer's Rubies"-Such a different sound than a lot of what's out there...somehow soothing and aggressive at the same time. I dig it.
12. The Beatles "Love"-The stoniest CD of the year. Which is equally why it's on this list and why it's not higher. (If you can figure that out.)
11. Tool "10,000 Days"-"The Pot," and "Jambi" could've gotten this album into the top 10 but too much musical nonsense keeps it out. Still, these two songs are so good, "10,000 Days" had to be here somehwere.
10. Heartless Bastards "All This Time"-This lead-singer chick is super awesome. And the band behind her ain't so shabby either.
9. The Raconteurs: "Broken Boy Soldiers"-Jack White can do no wrong.
8. The Roots "Game Theory"-See what I wrote about Beck and multiple it by 10.
7. Wolfmother: S/T-These Austrailian dudes make some killer rock music. Listen to "Colossal" with head phones on if you don't believe me.
6. The Flaming Lips "At War With The Mystics"-Another great record from an aging band. The Lips' musical arsenal keeps on producing atom bombs. Don't fight it.
5. Tapes 'N Tapes: "The Loon"-I love every song on this CD for completely different reasons. What othger album can you really, truly say that about?
4. Phoenix: "It's Never Been Like That"-Sure, these guys changed their style pretty dramatically from "United" and "Alphabetical." But they did so in such an effective and catchy way you can't help but listen amazed.
3. Ghostface Killa: "Fishscale"-As you may have noticed, my list doesn't have many rap artists. But I can't turm my back to this former Wutang member.
By far the best hip-hop album of the year.(F*** Clipse)
2. Camera Obscura "Let's Get Out of This Country"-I love Tracey Ann Campbell's voice, which could be one reason this CD got so high on my list. Another could be it's an almost perfect album. "Tears for Affairs" is a masterpiece.
1. Mew "And The Glass-Handed Kites"-It's not for everyone, that much is true, but if you give it a chance (and another, and another) there's no denying how powerful this music is. It's almost transcedental. Listen to "Zookeepers' Boy," you'll see.

So, what'd ya think?

PS:

How the hell did I forget Band of Horses and Built to Spill??? I must have had a brain lapse on the letter "B" when I put my list together. Please include these bands' 2006 albums somewhere. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Illiniq:

20. We The Vehicles - Maritime - A bit of a cheat, in reality, The Crane Wife is my final top twenty choice...but I felt this little early 90s styled alt-pop album that came and went in a flash deserved a little love. Kind of a Gin Blossomy/REMish mix, it's opening three tracks are just pitch perfect little gems...after that, things drop a touch, but not much. Heard they broke up. Too bad, I really liked their spin on very mainstream, very accessible sounds.

I felt the same way and that is why I put it on my list at number twenty (see first page in this thread for my list). It is a very solid album and when I was listening to everything I had trying to see where it all fit in the scheme of things, I found myself whistling different tunes from that album. It may sound trite and simple but I think layers start to show themselves the more times you listen to it. Sad to hear they're breaking up as well.

Nice list.... it's good to see Sno' Angel somehwere because it is a great album.

quote:

Originally posted by Mapet6:

19. The Strokes: "First Impressions of Earth"-I don't care what anyone says, this album expands the Strokes' catalogue, not embarrasses it.

I'm going to take your word for it, and probably go ahead and get this one, because I think we have similar tastes. Thank!

Out of all the lists in this thread, it seems that about 5% of them are eligable at this point.

I have my 30 posts you can now count my list. I've made a few changes :

1. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
2. Malajube - Trompe L'oeil
3. Peter, Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
4. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
5. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldier
6. The Knife - Silent Shout
7. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
8. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
9. Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
10. Joanna Newsom - Ys
11. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
12. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls of America
13. Maritime - We, The Vehicles
14. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
15. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
16. The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home
17. Chad Vangaalen - Selliconnection
18. Islands - Return To The Sea
19. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
20. The Strokes - First Impressions Of Earth

quote:

I have my 30 posts you can now count my list.

See.. it wasn't that hard.

Nice list. I had a feeling I would see Malajube on your list.

1) The Roots - Game Theory
2) Lily Allen - Alright, Still
3) Hot Chip - The Warning
4) Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
5) Mastodon - Blood Mountain
6) Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
7) Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way
8) Javiera Mena - Esquemas Juveniles
9) Bob Dylan - Modern Times
10) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
11) The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
12) Ray Cash - Cash On Delivery
13) TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
14) Los Abandoned - Mixtape
15) Guillemots - Through The Windowpane
16) T.I. - King
17) Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
18) Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
19) Sway - This Is My Demo
20) Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood

I guess it's that time. Time to shine. I was going to wait until Jan. 1st, but figure I ain't buying anything else. Enjoy:

1. Sam Roberts Band - Chemical City

2. Cat Power - The Greatest
3. Red Hot chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
4. Indigo Girls - Despite Our Differences
5. Beck - The Information
6. Matmos - The Rose Has Teeth In the Mouth Of A Beast
7. Tapes N Tapes - The Loon
8. Band Of Horses - Everything All the Time
9. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid...
10. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood

11. Comets On Fire - Avatar
12. The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
13. Stereolab - Fab Four Suture
14. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
15. Hot Chip - The Warning
16. K-OS - Atlantis - Hymns For Disco
17. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
18. Amy Millan - Honey From The Tombs
19. Ray Lamontagne - Til The Sun Turns Black
20. The Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way Home