Record of the year

With another year slowly drawing to a close, it's about this time that Cart's and I begin to stroke our metaphorical beards (and this year Carter can stroke his actual beard) and we begin to ponder about the state of music from this calendar year. Unlike last year which saw some great release from the likes of Malcolm Middleton and Idlewild that found a place in our unanimous top 10, this year it has been a bit more of a struggle. Partly, I think it is because everything in the world of popular music pales into insignificance when played next to the magnus opus that is 'alt.westcountry vol.1', however it's perhaps also because there just haven't been many good albums this year. Several big names have released lacklustre follow-ups to cracking debuts (Magic Numbers for example) while other more established stars have certainly failed to get prove they are anything more than one-album wondewrs (Badly Drawn Boy this means you!).

However after much deliberation, cogitation and irritation, here is my list of my 10 favourite album of 2006. I know Carter will heartily disagree with most of them, but here for now are my choices.

1. Balustrade - Alt.WestCountry Vol. 1 (obviously!)
2. Roddy Woomble - Secret is My Silence
3. Razorlight - Razorlight
4. Seth Lakeman - Freedom Fields
5. Albert Hammond Jr. - Yours to keep
6. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas
7. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever I say I am, I'm not
8. Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
9. Thom Yorke - Eraser
10. The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams