2006: A musical year in review

With all the shortcomings that 2005 had as a year in music, the expectations were about as low as James Brown is in the ground. (Too soon...?) However, 2006 proved to be anything but a letdown on the tunes front, with the year rocking it more than Bobby and Whitney. See kids, I still got it. Now, on with the review:

Top 6 Albums of 2006
6. lostprophets - "Liberation Transmission"
Crazy, straight-edge Brits translates to awesome American radio metal.

5. Taking Back Sunday - "Louder Now"
Thank God these Jersey kids finally stopped bitching. It's fine for one record, two is pushing it. But by the time the third record comes around, you should have enough booze, drugs and women to solve your problems. While that may not be the case for TBS, it sounds like at the very least they got some therapy.

4. My Chemical Romance - "The Black Parade"
Seriously don't know how they didn't piss off any activists with that title, but hey, whatever works. MCR's follow-up to their breakthrough smash was every bit infectious as it was epic, even if it did mean Gerard Way going blonde, very un-emo Gerard, you lose cool points.

3. The Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Stadium Arcadium"
Anyone have a problem with this record? Didn't think so.

2. Anti-Flag - "For Blood and Empire"
For any band to take on the Bush administration post-"American Idiot," they had to know their stuff and deliver it well. Anti-Flag's full on "F&%$ You" to the current administration gave 2006 something '05 was terribly missing, a tolerable punk album. Flag got a lot of heat for going to the major labels and signing with Columbia, but honestly, would Anti-Flag on Death Row Records make any noise?

1. Brand New - "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me"
No one quite knows how to spell heartache quite like those emo kids, and believe it, Brand New will make you cry. But if they hadn't already distinguished themselves from the pack with 2003's "Deja Entendu," then this charm of a third time just put everyone else to shame. Sure. it's the same brooding we've come to expect, but this time they pushed themselves further on all fronts to create something like a charming disaster. There you have it, emo kids, Brand New, album of the year, cry about it.

Honorable Mentions:
+44 - "When Your Heart Stops Beating"
The Killers - "Sam's Town"
Cobra Starship - "While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets"
Damone - "Out Here All Night"
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - "Don't You Fake It"
Papa Roach - "The Paramour Sessions"
Sugarcult - "Lights Out"

Biggest Letdown:
Evanescence - "The Open Door"
Should've left that door shut guys.

Record I secretly want but won't let it be known unless in blog form:
Justin Timberlake - "FutureSex/LoveSounds"
What? Honestly tell me that you didn't sing "Sexyback" or "My Love." See? You can't.

Artist begging to be killed in '07:
Fergie
Honestly, someone needs to put that woman in their crosshair.

Guilty pleasure of the year:
Hinder-"Lips of an Angel"
Seriously guys, it's only cause this band is eerily similar to No Vacancy in "School of Rock."

Single of the year:
The Killers - "When You Were Young"
Makes for a fun drinking game, take a shot everytime Brandon Flowers says "Jesus."