My Top 10 (...no wait....11), albums of 2006!

(The following has aged a few weeks but still holds true.)

2006 Year End Review- Best and Worst of 2006 (according to Eric Truchan)

Hello music lovers,

First of all, my opinion doesn't mean shit in the scheme of things. Who am I? A nerd who spends too much money on c.d.'s and Netflix? Yes, that's right. But here is my tiny voice screaming in a sea of know-it-all snobs and fashion-core kids. In the spirit of Spinal Tap, here are my top 11 albums of the year.My Top Eleven Albums of 2006:

11.Sunset Rubdown "Shut Up, I Am Dreaming"-Lo-fi side project from Spencer Krug, member of Wolf Parade (the best band to come out and temporarily disappear from 2005), delivers an enjoyably stripped down effort of Canadian creativity.

10.The Oxford Collapse "Remember the Night Parties"-Guitar, bass, and drums. All too affective and catchy. Taking cliche's, odd tempos, and cheesy hooks and turning it into gold.

9.Built to Spill "You In Reverse"- Not their best but much better than "Ancient Melodies..." Just happy Doug Martsch isn't dead or a gimmicky recluse like Jeff Mangum (who am I kidding... come back Jeff).

8.The Hold Steady "Boys and Girls in America"-Never have I had such a good time listening to something so unimpressive. Drinking songs to make you contemplate how useless your life is, in the key of Good.

7.The Blood Brothers "Young Machetes"-A migraine headache stuffed in a blender full of poisonous coffee. One of the most forward-thinking, spazztastic bands today that get written off for not being "cool" to like anymore. Challenges "Burn Piano Island Burn" for best album.

6.Yo La Tengo "I'm Not Afraid of You and I will Beat Your Ass"- Terrible album title but the band tackles every style in the vain of "I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One" A nice recovery and return to form.

5.Islands "Return to the Sea"- No more Unicorns? SHIT! Then check out Islands. Even the 10 minute opener and amateur rapping tickle my fancy, in between multi-instrumental, saccharine crusted tracks.

4.Sonic Youth "Rather Ripped"-Their catchiest album to date, still filled with cacophonous guitar meandering and lusciously rich, feedback induced melodies.

3.Mission of Burma "Obliterati"-Dare I say, this is their best album yet? Even better than their 1982 classic "Vs."? Yes, I do. Bob Weston's continued production puts this one over the top. The fine wine of indie rock

2.Tom Waits "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards"-Not quite an album but the best fucking collection of songs gathered into a box set this year. Everything is worth hearing. Everything! Tom Waits should be the next Santa Clause or Jesus, when either one of them resign.

1.The Thermals "The Body, the Blood, the Machine"- No synths, programming, or ego. Just guitar, drums, bass, and the best album of the year.

Biggest disappointments of 2006:

Cursive- "Happy Hallow"- Useless horns (that sound like they're from a dimestore synth), and filler dominate over usually great Curisve quality songs.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Show Your Bones"- "Maps" was a fluke, not a career change.

The Decembrists "The Crane Wife"-Sill boring and overrated. BORING.

Jay-Z "Kingdom Come"- Ego doesn't rhyme with shitty. That's why this new album blows.

Beck "The Information"- How many years in the making versus the number of great songs? The math doesn't add up.

Robert Pollard "Normal Happiness"- While his Jan. 2006 release, "From a Compound Eye" may be in my top 20, this October album was boring, embarrassing, and full of aged confusion rather than Guided By Voices type hooks.

Make Believe "Of Course"- The over abundance of beating off totally fucks up the amazing music found on this c.d. Should have been a really good six song EP rather than a so-artsy-you-won't-get it full length.

Thanks. Let's hope 2007 is better.