Jim Parker - Top 10 Albums 2006

10. Cat Power - The Greatest
This year's best Sunday morning album.

9.Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
A real improvement on the debut album, real drive and great tunes.

8. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
I suspect this would be further up the list, but lack of listening time has held it back. The opening track is just perfect on the early morning dark commute.

7. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
Just a refreshing country take.

6. Blood Meridian - Kick Up the Dust
Another great commuting album- though it tempts me to stay on the train and go home again.

5. Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah!
Inventive, light, melodic, with a hint of angst.

4. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Took me a while and didn't want to like it, but it's just a fantastic debut, lyrics don't always appeal to me but the incisiveness of them is impressive. Would easily be my number one if I was 10 yrs younger - did I just write that?

3. Micah P. Hinson - Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit
Beautiful, helped by being my best gig of the year too. So simple but effective - could make a lesser being cry surely.

2. Camera Obscura - Let's Get out of this Country
Try not to sing along all summer.

1. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
Everything I wanted from them, Brendan beefed up, extra rythm for Jack, and sublime drumming too.

The Emperor's New Clothes Award
Kasabian - Empire
Posturing nonsense.

The 'It's Not THAT Good' Award
Guillemots - Through the Window Pane
It's good, but....