Top 10 Music Releases, 2006
(Includes music released between Nov 31, 2005 and Nov 31, 2006)
Dana D'naynay Anderson
Peoria, IL
 		 10. Shipwreck - Walk in the Woods / House of Cards
9. Built to Spill - You in Reverse
8. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
7. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
6. Jet - Shine On
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
4. Wolfmother – Wolfmother
3. Portugal the Man - Waiter: "You Vultures!"
2. TVOTR - Return to Cookie Mountain
... the big payoff ...
1. The Knife - Silent Shout

Best Song: "Goin' Against Your Mind" - Built to Spill
Worst Album: The Killers - Sam's Town
Most Disappointing: Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together
 
Adam Dunk Bunker
Peoria, IL
 		 Adam is really bad at counting.
12. Thom Yorke – The Eraser
11. Ambulette – The Lottery
10. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
9. Built to Spill - You in Reverse
8. Shipwreck - Walk in the Woods / House of Cards
7. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
6. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
5. Portugal the Man - Waiter: "You Vultures!"
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
3. The Knife - Silent Shout
2. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
... the crowd goes wild ...
1. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

Best Song: "Wolf Like Me" - TV On The Radio
Worst Album: The Killers - Sam's Town
Most Disappointing: Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together
 
Meghan One-Eye Winky Dougherty
Peoria, IL
 		 10. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
9. Cat Power - The Greatest
8. Brazilian Girls - Talk to La Bomb
7. Tool - 10,000 Days
6. Tapes n' Tapes - The Loon
5. Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together
4. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
3. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
2. The Knife - Silent Shout
... and #1 with a bullet ...
1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Best Song: "Vicarious" - Tool
Most Disappointing: Return to Cookie Mountain - TV On The Radio
 
Ryan Rye Bread Dougherty
Springfield, IL
 		 10. Boris - Pink
9. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
8. Tapes n' Tapes - The Loon
7. Islands - Return to The Sea
6. Ghostface - Fishscale
5. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
4. The Knife - Silent Shout
3. Girl Talk - The Night Ripper
2. Fujiya and Miyagi - Transparent Things
... you can breathe now ...
1. Hot Chip - The Warning

Best Song: "Let's Impeach the President" - Neil Young
Worst Album: Kevin Federline - Playing with Fire
Most Disappointing: The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
 
Mark Crusty Butt Ewing
Crested Butte, CO
 		 10. Thom Yorke - Eraser
9. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
8. Decemberists - Crane Wife
7. Ratatat - Classics
6. Man Man - Six Demon Bag
5. Liars - Drum's Not Dead
4. G. Love and Special Sauce - Lemonade
3. Pinback - Nautical Antiques
2. Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris - All the Roadrunning
... and, the winner is ...
1. Tool - 10,000 Days

Mark's "Honorable Mentions" (i.e. released in '05 but discovered in '06):
Sun Kill Moon - Tiny Cities
Jens Leckman - Oh You're So Silent Jens
 
Carly Ramp Gerkin
Peoria, IL
 		 10. TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
9. Mates of State - Bring it Back
8. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
7. Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
6. Cat Power - The Greatest
5. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
4. Shearwater - Palo Santo
3. Various Artitsts - Tropicalia
2. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
... I know you want it ...
1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Best Song: "Springfield, or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in His Hair" - Sufjan Stevens
Least Favorite Album: Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
Most Disappointing: Built to Spill - You in Reverse
 
Adam Undergrad Grosch
Madison, WI
 		 10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
8. Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
9. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
7. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
6. M Ward - Post-War
5. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
4. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
3. Ghostface - Fishscale
2. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
... wait for it ...
1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Album that should have been on my list last year, but wasn't: Common - Be
Best Album I heard this year for the first time (but wasn't released in 2006):
The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Album that I'll regret leaving off my list: Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther*
Best Song of 2006: Black Flowers - Yo La Tengo

*Unsolicted comment from Shawn: You'll have greater regret for not meeting us in Chicago for the Concert  
Barrett Daddy Kilmer
and Wilson**
Madison, WI
 		 Barrett's Top 10 was submitted in "rough order," but we don't know if that's from 1 to 10 or 10 to 1. In any case, here they are!

The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Two Gallants - What the Toll Tells
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am...(better than I initially believed)
Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
Jim Noir - Tower of Love
Tim Peaches Krings
Chicago, IL
 		 10. Islands - Return to the Sea
9. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
8. Dodo Bird - Beware the Maniacs
7. Califone - Roots and Crowns
6. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
5. Augie March - Moo, You Bloody Choir
4. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
3. Envelopes - Demos
2. Annuals - Be He Me
... drumroll please ...
1. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies

Best Song: "Flight 180" - Bishop Allen
Shawn Klondike Mayer
Peoria, IL
 		 10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
9. Cat Power - The Greatest
8. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
7. Man Man - Six Demon Bag
6. Shearwater - Palo Santo
5. The Knife - Silent Shout
4. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
3. TV on The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
2. Tool - 10,000 Days
... good things come to those who wait ...
1. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther

Best Song: "Vicarious" - Tool
Worst Album:
Most Disappointing: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
 
Mike Trillin' Villain Modica
Peoria, IL
 		 10. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
9. Man Man - Six Demon Bag
8. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
7. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
6. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
5. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
4. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
3. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
2. Shearwater - Palo Santo
... hold your friggin' horses ...
1. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies

Best Song: "Shut Up I am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings" - Sunset Rubdown
Most Disappointing: The Walkmen - A Hundred Miles Off