OK, so it turns out that many of my fave 2006 disks were released in 2005. I was afraid of that, so just checked before launching myself at my best of list. Ah well..... (bloody rug rats are keeping me from being optimally cool). I will list them anyway because they were still the ones I purchased and enjoyed most this year. Hoping none of them was on your best of 2005 because then I'd really feel schmuck-esque.

Novillero - Aim Right for the Holes in Their Lives (June 05) - some of the best song writing, arranging, and performance of power pop in years.

The High Dials (July 05) - the second best songwriting, arranging and perfomance of power pop in years. I mean it, this is fantastic stuff. The Holy Ground is a song for the ages, to be featured on my best songs of this (OK, last) year. This band has more JOY in it then I have in my little finger - or something like that. Sure makes me feel good. Thanks to Kyle for pointing me/us at this one on the blog early in 2006 (OK maybe late 2005).

The Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers...sort of Malkmus meets Stephen Merritt meets Lou Reed delivery...these guys have been around for a while but hadn't released a record for a few years when this came out in October (I mean, come on, it was OCTOBER) 2005. It's great.

Yo La Tengo - I am Not Afraid ....hey, a 2006 record! I think this is very strong stuff, bringing the usual disparateness and great songs. The only question with YLT is are they still "relevant" in the way they were ten years ago. Certainly I enjoy the music a lot, but it doesn't astound me like Electropura and I Can Hear The Heart did. The moral is, it's hard being a pop star, 'cause things are often not judged purely for what they are.

Eleventh Dream Day - Zeroes and Ones....OK, I'm rolling now. ANOTHER 2006 record for the big guy. No, don't congratulate me....unlike YLT, this band, which has been around longer (like, 23 years?) still manages truly to kick my ass every time they release something. This one's no exception - simple-ish songs delivered with urgency and heart. Even their irony sounds like they mean it. Heartfelt irony, if you will. Great flipped out guitar solos and Chicago midwest drawls on their oft-shared girl boy vocals. Reminds me of a non-quirky Feelies sometimes (another old fave of mine), in terms of their construction of songs from the bass and drum groove up.

I also love the Kingsbury Manx one that Kylie listed. Quite a unique band this, making music that is not particularly in style, doesn't feel that much like other quiet folk, country rockers...I hear some early seventies influences like CSN. And the National record (Alligator) is a fine 2005 release, though I am slightly more troubled by what I feel are its pretensions.

TV On the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain. Uber cool record. These guys are working in a creative space on their own (as far as I know). A fascinating channeling of influences, technologies and technique with a strong enough vision to tie it together into a digestable piece of art. Makes me think of the Books (another '05er that I discovered this year....dammit) only in that they are consciously trying to break down boundaries and create new music. The Books sound nothing (much more self-conscious basement-studio music) like this but their last record is well worth investigating.

The Young People - All at Once. Incredibly moody, dark, mostly quiet, but with the occassional Sonic Youth dissonant moment...I really like this band. This year's record might not be my favourite (go with the first, eponymous one from 2003) but it's still very interesting.

I also spent a lot of time catching up on small-label music from 2000 - 2004 or so, thanks primarily to emusic. Some of my recommendations from that process are Movietone and The Microphones (these references are mostly for posterity, as I already spoke of and played both of these at CD clubs).

I don't know all of the music that was on your lists but will for sure check it out in due course. I can say that I thought the Cat Power record was a little boring for Chan compared to her previous. I have only a very small soft spot for quiet country music, and it seems there is a plethora of it right now, so I've stopped giving artists the benefit of the doubt. Same is true for me of M Ward's latest- I love a few of the songs (Right in the Head for example) but the production grates a bit on me (way too much reverb on the vocals and drums), and I think many of the songs are frankly dull. If you're going to have soft simple country songs then the lyrics and vocals need to step up to create the connection or else it can become trite (Stuart, I'm waiting.....). So I found the record uneven.

I didn't buy much in the way of new classical or new jazz this year I don't think. Still mining chestnuts that I'm more interested in right now.

I'll get back at this next week with songs and other stuff.