Friday Favorites: My Favorite Albums of 2006

No mp3's today. Just a list.

10. Rabbit Fur Coat, Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - At first, I thought this album was way too folksy. But now I'm in love with it, and I catch myself singing the songs all the time. Jenny Lewis's voice is gorgeous.

9. The Mysterious Production of Eggs, Andrew Bird - I love this album. It's my favorite thing to listen to while I wait for the bus in the morning.

8. Let it Die, Feist - Last spring, I would listen to this album when I went to the tanning bed, so now when I hear it, I'm always reminded of warmth and quiet calm and smelling like coconut. Also, I really love the songs.

7. The Crane Wife, The Decemberists - I have to admit, I wasn't really a fan of these guys until after I saw them last month. But this album grew on me and now I'm pretty attached.

6. I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass, Yo La Tengo - There is so much variety on this album that I always forget I don't have my iPod on shuffle when I listen to it. "Black Flowers" is my favorite track, but I could listen to the whole album over and over again--and I did, during finals week in the library, when that girl at the table next to mine wouldn't SHUT UP ALREADY SO I CAN LEARN ABOUT PUBLIC SPEAKING.

5. Apologies to the Queen Mary, Wolf Parade - I bought this album at home one weekend in March and didn't take it out of my car until I drove home for summer break. It's different, but for some reason I can't get enough of it. I still pull it out every once in a while.

4. The Information, Beck - I loved Guero, and then I heard this, and I love it more. I always have to listen to "Think I'm in Love" at least twice.

3. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - I heard CYHSY at 3Hive in April and made a mental note to try to listen to the rest of their stuff. I got my hands on this album this summer, and I LOVE IT. I love it so much I went to see them, and they did not disappoint. "Gimmie Some Salt" is my favorite song from this year, hands down.

2. First Impressions of Earth, The Strokes - It's The Strokes. And I love them. That's all there is to say.

1. Broken Boy Soldier, The Raconteurs - About three days after I got home for the summer, I heard "Steady as She Goes." The next day I bought the album. The day after that, I bought concert tickets. The rest of the summer, I listened to this band. The concert was the best rock concert I've ever been to, but that's probably because I caught Patrick Keeler's drumstick at the end of the show. There are some misses, but I'd say that if I could only listen to one album from this year, I'd pick this one.