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Share Share on Tumblr	Russ Hockenbury Written by: Russ Hockenbury (11/08/06)
	The good, the bad, and the ugly of 2006: Top Releases of 2006 30. Rookie of the Year - The Goodnight Moon 29. Street Dogs - Fading American Dream 28. Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me 27. Burns Out Bright - Save Yourself A Lifetime 26. Russian Circles - Enter 25. Takota - The Ivory Tower 24. Across Five Aprils - Collapse 23. Engineer - Reproach 22. Sleepaway - Sleepaway 21. None More Black - This Is Satire 20. Cale Parks – Illuminated Manuscript 19. Man Man - Six Demon Bag 18. Gasoline Heart - You Know Who You Are 17. Fucked Up - Hidden World 16. The Format - Dog Problems 15. The Hope Conspiracy – Death Knows Your Name 14. Owen - At Home With Owen 13. Folly - Resist Convenience 12. ActionReaction - 3 Is The Magic Number 11. Moneen - The Red Tree 10. Headlights – Kill Them With Kindness 9. The Forecast - In The Shadow of Two Gunmen 8. Margot & The Nuclear So & So's - Dust of Retreat 7. The World Inferno Friendship Society – Red-Eyed Soul 6. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Broom 5. Call It Arson – The Animal Strings Album 4. Set Your Goals - Mutiny 3. husband&wife – Operation: Surgery 2. New London Fire – I Sing The Body Holographic 1. The Never – Antarctica: A Storybook Record ExplanationConcept albums are quicky becoming cliche, but The Never's take on a country boy that finds a nuclear bomb and has to return it to the city is something special. The orchestral pop is sure to please both fans of Paul Simon and the more indie credible Rilo Kiley. The North Carolina act paints lush sceneries befitting the Roald Dahl-like illustrations and kiddie-lit poetic verse of the accompanying storybook. It works. The What Comes Up… Award: (Got old fast) Hit The Lights – This Is A Stick Up, Don’t Make It Murder The Mark Hoppus Vs. Tom Delonge Trophy: Mark, barely. Frankly though, I’ll be shocked if we’re still talking about either of their current bands five years from now. Top Metal/Hardcore Albums of 2006 The Hope Conspiracy – Death Knows Your Name Folly – Resist Convenience Engineer - Reproach Fucked Up - Hidden World Biggest Disappointments Saves The Day – Sound The Alarm Brandtson – Hello, Control The Transit War – Miss Your Face Latterman – We Are Still Alive ExplanationSaves The Day get weirder and less appealing to me with every release. Brandtson 2.0 may finally get the band the recoginition they have so long deserved, but Hello, Control alienated many of their most loyal fans. Talk about a sophomore slump, Miss Your Face was a huge step back from the irresistably catchy without being dumb, Ah! Discordia. Latterman was a victim of their own hype. No matter how good We Are Still Alive could've been it wouldn't have been able to live up to No Matter Where We Go's surprise success last year. Best Label: Polyvinyl ExplanationSo what if that Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin disc was a re-release. Even if we have to technically leave that one out of the mix, the Illinois-based label still put out stellar discs from Headlights, Owen, Cale Parks, and The Like Young. It's no wonder those pretentious music blogs worship the compass as they do. You’re Getting Annoying: Sufjan Stevens ExplanationYou can't walk without tripping over this guy in the indie music world these days. Everything Sufjan releases is so epic. I mean, a 5 disc Christmas release with a 42 page booklet? Only Mel Gibson is more deluded in his own sense of grandeur. If You Only Watched One TV Show in 2006, I Hope It Was This One: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia ExplanationCharlie Kelly is the best TV sitcom character to come along in a few years, Danny Devito is funny again, and all those Hopeless Records stickers on the walls of Paddy's Pub make for one helluva drinking game. What the Hell happened to? 1. Webzines 2. Eisley Darringer 3. Lobster Records ExplanationThe webzine is dying and in its place the music blog is arriving. Personally, I can't stand blogs because I think they are too much about the bloggers and not enough about the things people claim to be blogging about (music, politics, etc.). Webzines, just like the print zine (which is all but dead) were started out of a love for the music and wanting to impact the scene in some way. In other words, keep hope alive. Most Anticipated Releases for 2007: 1. Bayside 2. Lifetime 3. A Day To Remember 4. Langhorne Slim 5. Drew Danburry 6. Look Mexico If You Love These Bands, Then You'll Love: American Football - Look Mexico Pedro The Lion - husband&wife Les Savy Fav - Foreign Islands Worst Band Breakup: The Like Young Best Band Reformation: Liars Academy Thanks and here's to a great 2007!