25. Pajo - 1968
The legendary David Pajo (Slint, Aerial M, Papa M, Zwan, etc) returns with another great, quiet album of dark folk songs.
24. Cat Power - The Greatest
A little too Memphis for me, but Mirah Lee's voice always kills me.
23. Arab Strap - Last Romance
Delightfully dark, as usual. I love Arab Strap.
22. Blood Brothers - Young Machetes
Much better than 2005's Crimes. They turn more towards their fast, loud, good-ol selves. Welcome back Blood Brothers.
21. Cursive - Happy Hollow
Wildly disappointing, but even Cursive's worst album makes my top 25.
20. Some Girls - Heaven's Pregnant Teens
Well produced, incredibly well performed, this San Diego supergroup is, indeed, super.
19. Herbert - Scales
Incredibly creative, and interesting almost all the way through.
18. Die Princess Die - Lions Eat Lions
Not only a great band, but great people as well. This album emulates their live show and destryos everything close.
17. Campbeel & Mark Lanegaen - Ballad of Broken Seas
The most surprising of duos made one of the most eerie folk albums of the year. Belle and Sebastian and Screaming Trees eat your heart out.
16. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Also one of the more disappointing albums of 2006, Mogwai turns up their amps like its 1997. While not the most dynamic or thought out album of Mogwai's career, it is still great music.
15. Zookeeper - Zookeeper E.P.
The legendary Chris Simpson returns with his new band, which is much different from Mineral or the Gloria Record. Interesting at best, boring at worst.
14. The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love
Not as creative or dark as the stunning Echoes, it will be a dance floor favorite for years to come.
13. The Fountain Soundtrack- Clint Mansell - Featuring the Kronos Quartet & Mogwai
A late entry, coming out in December, this is an interesting collaboration by lead singer of Pop Will Eat Itself, Clint Mansell, with the Kronos Quartet and Mogwai. Very beautiful, but it is a soundtrack so it is definitely background music.
12 - I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Fear is On Our Side
Dark and beautiful. A surprisingly great album from Austin, TX.
11 - Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back
Metric lead singer has brought a beautiful, reserved, but perfectly calculated solo album.
10 - Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of the Country
These scottish crooners have made the best pure pop music in the last five years. If only Belle and Sebastian still made music this good.
9 - T.V. On the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
While this has been the critics pick this year, I think this album is great, but not near as enjoyable from cover to cover as their first offering.
8. Mellowdrone - Box
Perhaps LA's best band, Mellowdrone finally release something longer than 22 minutes. Almost every song is good, even if we've heard half of them on previous EPs.
7 Make Believe - Of Course
Finally recovering from 2005's disappointing Shock of Being, this album finally sees Make Believe realizing some of their fantasy. It is mathy, immensely inventive, and finally receiving some critical attention.
6 - The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
The offical follow-up to 2003's perfect Blackberry Belle, this album suffers from a less consistent sound, but still has some great Dulli tracks.
5 - Xiu Xiu - The Air Force
Beautiful, terrible, and ferocious. This is possibly Xiu Xiu's best album.
4 Mogwai - Zidane
The second biggest surprise of this year: Mogwai making a gorgeous, quiet soundtrack for a documentary about a French football player.
3 - Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Thom Yorke finally intersts me again. This is Yorke's best work since 2000's Kid A. Welcome back Mr. Yorke.
2 - Owen - At Home With Owen
Perhaps my favorite artist releases what is quite possibly his best album. Finally letting someone else record him, Mike Kinsella displays his best written and sounding album of his career.
1 - Maritime - We, the Vehicles
Davey VonBohlen has joined Kinsella and Jamie Stewart and co in making the best music of his amazing career (Cap'n Jazz, The Promise Ring, Vermont, etc.). This is perfect pop music with a bounce, a hop, and a patented Davey rock.
