2006 in retrospect...

WHAT A TERRIFIC YEAR FOR MUSIC!
(By S.M.)

(DISCLAIMER: If you know me at all, you'll know that my favourite band of 2+ years has been the Fiery Furnaces, the musical output of Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger. I feel as though I am incredibly biased towards this band and that it is pointless to try and rank their albums. Therefore, this year-end review does not include their album BITTER TEA-- which I have blasted on my stereo much more than any record below-- nor have I included Matthew Friedberger's two solo records, WINTER WOMEN & HOLY GHOST LANGUAGE SCHOOL. Thank you for reading and happy holidays.)

1. DESTROYER'S RUBIES Destroyer (Merge)
   
2. POST-WAR M. Ward (Merge)
3. BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA The Hold Steady (Vagrant)
4. VESSEL STATES Wilderness (Jagjaguwar)
5. THE CRANE WIFE The Decemberists (Capitol)
6. 1968 Pajo (Drag City)
7. THE GREATEST Cat Power (Matador)
8. YS Joanna Newsom (Drag City)
9. EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME Band of Horses (Sub Pop)
10. GET LONELY The Mountain Goats (4AD)
11. MR. BEAST Mogwai (Matador)
    
12. I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU… Yo La Tengo (Matador)
13. DREAMT FOR LIGHTYEARS… Sparklehorse (Capitol)
14. II Espers (Drag City)
15. AXIS OF EVOL Pink Mountaintops (Jagjaguwar)
16. THE LETTING GO Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (Drag City)
17. SIX DEMON BAG Man Man (Ace Fu)
18. BEACH HOUSE Beach House (Carpark)
19. YELLOW HOUSE Grizzly Bear (Warp)
20. SHOW YOUR BONES The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Interscope)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

GULAG ORKESTAR Beirut
SHIPS Danielson
MODERN TIMES Bob Dylan
LET ME GO LET ME GO LET ME GO Jason Molina
MALAJUBE Trompe-l’oeil
BRING ME THE WORKHORSE My Brightest Diamond
CLASSICS Ratatat
THE INFORMATION Beck
BORN AGAIN IN THE U.S.A. Loose Fur
HE POOS CLOUDS Final Fantasy
PUTTING THE DAYS TO BED The Long Winters
THIS HARNESS CAN’T RIDE ANYTHING Chin Up Chin Up
AT WAR WITH THE MYSTICS The Flaming Lips
TO FIND ME GONE Vetiver
LET ME INTRODUCE MY FRIENDS I’m From Barcelona
MEEK WARRIOR Akron/Family
THE WARNING Hot Chip
SCALE Herbert
SO THIS IS GOODBYE Junior Boys

STILL GOTTA GET AROUND TO...

THE DRIFT Scott Walker
BLOOD MOUNTAIN Mastodon
WRITER’S BLOCK Peter Bjorn & John
RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN TV on the Radio
FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD Neko Case
THE BODY, THE BLOOD, THE MACHINE The Thermals
ROOTS & CROWNS Califone
SOMEONE TO DRIVE YOU HOME The Long Blondes
THE LIFE PURSUIT Belle & Sebastian
SILENT SHOUT The Knife
DAMAGED Lambchop
DRUM’S NOT DEAD The Liars
WE ARE THE PIPETTES The Pipettes
BRIGHTBACK MORNING LIGHT Brightback Morning Light
NIGHT RIPPER Girl Talk
BE YOUR OWN PET Be Your Own Pet
REMEMBER THE NIGHT PARTIES Oxford Collapse
FADING TRAILS Magnolia Electric Co.
WAITING FOR THE TIME TO BE RIGHT The Brother Kite