Best of 2006 - Part 4

20. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
Sometimes a band that so obviously wears its influences on its sleeve just plain hits the nail on the head.

19. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Up until last year I only did a top ten, but even if I'd been doing a top 50 all along, this would be the highest charting hip-hop album yet...unless you count The Streets, which I suppose you could...but that's a whole other debate.

18. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Some say they're not quite the same without Isobel Campbell, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

17. Cat Power - The Greatest
To all of you who thought this was too polished, I don't know what else to say except that this was the first album of the year that I really got into.

16. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
I'm not ready to crown these guys the new kings of indie rock, but this is a really good album that reminds me of the direction I wish My Morning Jacket would have gone...if they hadn't met up with Dave Matthews.

15. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
The first half of this could have won album side of the year, if records still existed...well, they do, but you get the picture. Side two leaves a bit to be desired, otherwise this one could have finished top 5.

14. Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You
A bit of a turn towards a poppier sound for this band...maybe not as good as Spoon and Rafter, but no complaints here.

13. Neil Young - Living With War
I went nuts over this when it first came out. Upon repeated listens, it revealed its shortcomings, but this is still a tremendous album from an icon who at 61 is as vital as ever.

12. Anders Parker - Anders Parker
I feel no obligation to rate Anders' album as high as this...especially not because my Edison Motor Inn team beat his Wallace Insurance squad in a one-game playoff to capture the 1982 Town of LaGrange Senior League (13-15 yr old) baseball championship. It's just that Anders is a much better musician than he was an athlete.

11. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
Not quite as good as last year's Wolf Parade debut, but a pretty impressive side project nonetheless.