Decade - Favorite Records of the Zips, Pt 7 - 2006

Looking back (as well as looking ahead at the music that came out in '07-'09), it appears that 2006 produced the largest volume of my favorite records of any year in the past decade. Not only that, but it's also presented me with a dilemma as far as selecting a favorite as there were four outstanding release by some of my all-time favorite artists.

His Name Is Alive - Detrola
HNIA released what is arguably their best album of their then sixteen year-old career in '06. Coming off a string of four decent-but-not-great records in the late-90s/early zips, Detrola nicely sums up their experimental pop sounds in eleven perfect tracks. Standout tracks: Get Your Curse, Send My Face

Band of Horses - Everything All The Time

Cat Power - The Greatest

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
(Very close to being my favorite of '06)

Elliott Smith - New Moon

Grant-Lee Phillips - Nineteeneighties

The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America
(Very very close to being my favorite of '06)

Lucero - Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers

The Minus 5 - The Minus Five (The Gun Album)

The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos

Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
(Very very VERY f-ing close to being my favorite of '06)

Tom Verlaine - Around

TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain

Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And Will Beat Your Ass
(hands-down the best title of the year!)