(((withoutsound)))

As mentioned in the introduction to our somewhat unorthodox end of the year Best Of list, the combination of our procrastination and our inability to make up or collective minds has led to your getting not one, but three, Best of the Bitch lists. Drewl and Chaddigan will have their chance later in the week, but today’s list falls on me so here goes…

My Top 10 Bitchin’ Albums of the Year

My list contains 2 bands from Ohio, 3 bands from outside the country, and 5 debut albums. We’ve written about most of these albums at some point, so I’ll try to keep this brief and just stick to the list. Anyway, that’s what you’re here for, right?

10 Bel Auburn - Lullabies in A & C
What We Said Then:

This is music you want to listen to when you are getting ready to drive off a cliff after the girl you thought was “the one” broke up with you. It just might make your turn around.

• Listen to Lullaby in A

9 Oh No! Oh My! - Oh No! Oh My!
One of the few on this list that I didn’t review, I was convinced after I first heard Oh No! Oh My! that they would be the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah of 2006 and, while they did open for the Flaming Lips for several dates, that hasn’t really happened yet. However, their self-titled debut remains one of the bitchin’-est albums I heard in 2006 and this song will make you check ‘em out if you haven’t already.

• Listen to Walk in the Park

8 Mates of State - Bring it Back
What We Said Then:

I’m a big fan of their harmonizing, almost screaming pop vocals because their songs are endlessly fun to sing in the shower for both of my personalities. MOS coerces such an amazing sound out of just an organ, a drum kit, and those voices, which can also be fun in the shower.

• Listen to Fraud in the 80s

7 Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Another one that not reviewed here, but this was one of those CDs that kept finding its back into my car CD player. Filled with epic soundscapery and singalongability, Eyes Open is one of those albums that was bound to be on 11 when I was trapped at a stoplight singing at the top of my lungs and looking like a fool. Plus, Snow Patrol manages to namecheck Sufjan Stevens along the way.

• Listen to Hands Open

6 Islands - Return to the Sea
What We Said Then:

Fans of Rhymin’ Simon era Paul Simon, the Elephant 6 collective, the soundtrack to Delicatessen, and even the Polyphonic Spree should enjoy this big time.

• Listen to Ones

5 Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
What We Said Then:

Ritter’s fearlessness to mix politics with music has rightfully earned him comparisons to Dylan and Springsteen, but there’s also a certain amount of introspection, poking around with the idea of getting older that evokes Jackson Browne.

• Listen to Good Man

4 Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
What We Said Then:

How much would you enjoy a super group made up of Doug Martsch (Built to Spill), James Mercer (the Shins), and Rob Crow (Pinback)? Wouldn’t they just create the most relaxing yet rocking, strong-enough-for-a-woman but-made-for-a-man kind of music?

• Listen to St Augustine

3 Tapes ‘n Tapes - The Loon
One of my fondest memories of The Loon was driving home from a bar after my sister’s rehearsal dinner and my brother Ozgur turned to me and said, “Who is this?!?” I knew that we had somewhat similar musical tastes, but just hearing “Cowbell” was enough to get Ozgur to rush out and get this album. I realize that I’m teasing you by saying that and not delivering “Cowbell”, but I promise it will be appear later in the week.

• Listen to Manitoba

2 Bears - Bears
What We Said Then:

Every now and then someone tips me off to a an album that I had absolutely no idea existed yet it inevitably becomes fused with my CD player. I just can’t bring myself to remove the disc because quite frankly nothing else is going to sound better.

• Listen to Goodbye Song

1 Phoenix - It’s Never Been Like That
What We Said Then:

Fans of The Southland and other mellow 70s rock-pop stylings will enjoy this. I don’t know if it’s reception hangover, but this group of Parisians has quickly pulled even with Islands and Band of Horses as one of my favorites of the first half of 2006.

• Listen to Second to None