The Year That Was: 2006.

Holy shite was 2006 a great year for music! I believe I discovered more wonderful jams in 2006 than I did in any other previous years save, perhaps, 1982 and 1984. So it only makes sense that I pen my own quick "Best of 2006" list. One thing's for sure, though: 2006 was a banner year for Newer Wave indie-rock--it was almost like 1982 all over again! Here's to hoping the coming year promises more from the current New Wave revival...though with Skinny Puppy's Mythmaker (see previous entry) about to drop on January 30th, I'd have to say that the year is already off on a great foot.

So, without further ado--and in no particular order or any great detail--here's the Spacing Guild Guide to Good Music's Best Albums of 2006:

The Killers, Sam's Town.
Boy Kill Boy, Civilians.
Beck, The Information.
Men Women and Children, S/T.
Under the Influence of Giants, S/T.
Weird Al Yankovic, Straight Outta Lynnwood.
Rock Kills Kid, Are You Nervous?
Delerium, Nuages Du Monde.
Whitest Boy Alive, Dreams.
Muse, Black Holes and Revelations.
David Gilmour, On An Island.
The Sunshine Underground, Raise the Alarm.
Tool, 10,000 Days.
Panic! At the Disco, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.
Junior Boys, So This Is Goodbye.
+/-, Let's Start A Fire.
Basement Jaxx, Crazy Itch Radio.
Front Line Assembly, Artificial Soldier.
Camouflage, Relocated.
Matisyahu, Youth.
Cassius, 15 Again.
Girl Talk, Night Ripper.
Clan of Xymox, Breaking Point.
Dresden Dolls, Yes, Virginia.
Elephone, The Camera Behind the Camera Behind the Camera.
Gary Numan, Jagged.
Tim O'Reagan, S/T.
Les Claypool, Of Whales and Woe.
Grandaddy, Just Like The Fambly Cat.
Head Automatica, Popaganda.
Insekt, Teenmachine.
Secret Machines, Ten Silver Drops.
My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade.
Ice Cube, Laugh Now, Cry Later.
Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds.
Keane, Under the Iron Sea.
Pernice Brothers, Live a Little.
Pet Shop Boys, Fundamental.
Spank Rock, Yoyoyoyoyo.
The Rapture, Pieces of the People We Love.
The Robocop Kraus, They Think They Are The Robocop Kraus.

Quite a sum, no? Far too many for me to review here--or, quite frankly, to bother linking for you. But, c'mon, people: don't be lazy. You can scoot on over to Amazon.com as easily as I can and go searching for the above albums.

See y'all soon with some more new jams to revel in!