critically acclaimed

bar none my best record of the year. Craig Finn is an amazing songwriter and the record is just a straight up literary depicion of drugs, sex, deception, and false hopes all soaked in a jack daniel's mixer. it's catchy, it's quotable and it fit oh so perfectly into my life in the year 2006. also the song "Citrus" wins the line of the year award with......"I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere." with influences from Springsteen to every bar band ever this is the record to buy this year.

this was the year in which i became a Dylanologist. also it was the year that i saw Ziggy for the second time in my life. The Hold Steady may have had the best record but Bob Dylan ruled my life in 2006. this is no other artist living that can live up to him in my mind right now. the fact that he released his 31st album of his career and it is far better than anything anyone else is releasing today says something about his work. it's a bluesy, R&B folk record with more of a band feel than bob's solo work. the songs are beautifully crafted, great lyrics, and more importantly fun to listen to and not a chore. i shouldn't really put this in second but rather in #1B slot.

3. The Decemberists- The Crane Wife

i jumped on the bandwagon with this band late. but when their new album came out i bought and gave it a try. i liked their last album a lot but not amazing in my mind. i don't know if this album is better than Picaresque but it is damn good. i think the fact that it is hummable and fun to listen to is why i enjoy. Colin Meloy is a great story writer and i found these tracks creepy into my ears time and time again. this is probably my biggest surprise of the year because i liked the band but not as much as i do now. people will have problems with it's poppy sense and the two 10+ minute tracks but it is sweet, fun, and sea chantyish good time

4. Tom Waits- Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, & Bastards

tom waits will forever be one of if not my favorite singer/barman. this is the man that if i had the chance to go on a drinking bender with i would sign up for my liver transplant. this collection is a mix of b-sides, rarities, and new tracks and is a lot to handle in one sitting. a lot of people don't like tom because of his voice but no other man can show expression, heartbreak, loss, and love than his bourbon soaked bar yell. i love how the album is split by track themes and by loudness/softness/weirdness. i wouldn't recommend this for new Waits fans but if you have come to love him as much as i have this is a fucking goldmine.

5. My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade

yeah i know it's Hot Topic emo/punk. i understand this but i don't care. i know my roots and i started listening to these guys early on and the record is good. unlike their emo cohort members MCR try and do something intersting (and so did everyone else this year) and copy Queen and i think they are the only band that succeeded. it is loud, bombastic, and has fucking Liza (Lucille 2) Minielli singing on it. hate me all you want but this record is fun and wins for song of the year with "Welcome to the Black Parade"

another record i didn't expect to impact me as much as it did. this alt/indie/jazz/blogo-label band is on everyone's favorite list and it was on my radar and i didn't think i was going to keep listening to the tracks over and over again. it is the weirdest but most interesting record of the year. hell of David Bowie likes these guys i guess i can give them a chance. regardless of the weirdness there is still a great sense of pop sensibility amid the environmental noise. it is atmospheric and interesting and that alone is enough for anyone to consider and enjoy this album

7. Cold War Kids- Robbers and Cowards

notice how a lot of my list has a bunch of blogger band records on it. it just so happens that these are the records that hit me in the right place. this band got so much press on the web this year and i didn't know if they could live up to the hype but in my mind they do. i don't know how long they are going to be around but this is a fun record. its quirky, poppy, and lyrically interesting. the screech of leader singer Nathan Willett hits home on tracks about alcoholism and loss but are not personal reflections. i think is the band that i want to see live the most this year as well. not an amazing record but it catches your ear and doesn't leave after the first listen.

i had some trouble picking this record in my top ten. there were 3 women that released great records this year: Neko Case, Jenny Lewis, and Cat Power. i thought about putting all three here but i chose what one i thought was the best. i am more of a Jenny Lewis fan but Neko's record is virtually flawless. it flows beautifully as her voice goes from pop songs to country ballads and back again. it is entrancing and doesn't suffer from flawed tracks like Jenny's record and doesn't drag like Cat Power's record does. this album is accessible and interesting at the same time to balance the indie world with the greater pop sensibility