As must be obvious to you, I enjoy making pretentious lists at the end of the year. Note, of course, this list only reflects what I liked from among the albums we bought this year - a tiny fraction of what was released in the genres we like, and a considerably tinier fraction of what was released in all genres. Anyway here's what I've liked best that was released in 2006:

Top 5 (in order)

1. The Black Angels - Passover - awesome from start to finish. My favorite of the year. I love their dark moody ominous droning. Great live shows too.   
2. Lily Allen - Alright Still - at first I was just thinking it was best of the summer, but it's really stuck with me. She's cheeky and profane fun.
3. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America - another really strong album from The Hold Steady. Compared to last year's Separation Sunday the songs aren't as tightly plotted and the lyrics are more general; the exploits of Holly and Charlemagne are downplayed for more universal tales. Craig Finn also does less shout-singing and more singing-singing. So on the whole, I prefer Separation Sunday but Boys and Girls in America still makes my top 5 easily.
4. The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely - beautiful and melancholy. Again I prefer last year's The Sunset Tree but I can't imagine how John Darnielle could top the raw emotion of that album. The Mountain Goats will be back in Seattle on March 1st, and it's already on my calendar.
5. The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control - I absolutely love how Beth Ditto combines disco-diva with punk-goddess and sounds so fresh and modern.

Honorable Mention (no particular order)

• Bob Dylan - Modern Times - a very good album, folksey, bluesy, strong all the way through. Very American. I'm not sure if there's a standout track in the collection because they're all so good.
• Asobi Seksu - Citrus - This is cheery, happy stuff that I'm not sure is in English. I think it appeals to the part of me that loves the Cocteau Twins?
• Arctic Monkeys  - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - smashing, hard-driving ROCK.
• Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - nothing surprising. Just another quality offering from Ms. Case!
• DeVotchKa - Curse Your Little Heart - a great EP.
• Math and Physics Club - Math and Physics Club - I just got this for Christmas, and I'm already really liking it. If I had more time to get into the sweetly romantic tunes on this album before writing this list, might it displace one of my top 5??? Such questions will no doubt haunt my existence.

Here are the year-end lists of KEXP's djs. Yeah, you can tell that it's pretty much the only station I listen to.