Top 33 1/3 of the first half of 2006.

The more I listen, the more I like. And because I generally listen to the most recent stuff I have, the releases from earlier in the year start to fade a bit from memory, so I have to rely on a generalized sense of how much I liked them. This is all a roundabout way of saying that while I can say pretty clearly that these are my 33 1/3 favorite discs of the first half of 2006 (the 1/3 is my favorite EP), the rankings are a bit arbitrary. Actually, more than a bit. The difference between, say, #6 and #16 isn't that great, nor is the distance between #16 and #26. They're all good, and they're all recommended. Meanwhile, I shudder to think where I'll be at the end of the year, with another six months of discs to consider.

1. Supraluxe-Supraluxe
2. Andrew LeDrew-Ladies Lookout
3. Rhett Miller-The Believer
4. Chris Brown-Now That You're Fed
5. The World Record-Guitars Forever
6. Copperdown-Something True
7. David William-One Way Ticket
8. Gregg Swann-Everybody's Got to Be Somewhere
9. Geoff Smith & The Tonewheels-S/T
10. Cheap Trick-Rockford
11. Monkeeman-Monkeeman
12. Fresh Mowed Lawn-Fresh Mowed Lawn
13. Red Guitar-Beauty Will Save The World
14. The Hazey Janes-Hotel Radio
15. Edmund's Crown-Regrets of a Company Man
16. Travis Hopper-All The Lights In The City Tonight
17. The Nines-Calling Distance Stations
18. Justin Levinson-1175 Boylston
19. Phil Ayoub-Schoolbus Window Paper Heart
20. Orson-Bright Idea
21. The Rewinds-The Rewinds
22. Third Floor Story-Songs From The City
23. Gary Henson-The Coast Is Clear
24. Jeff Larson-Swimming In The Make Believe
25. Warren Zanes-People That I'm Wrong For
26. Willie Nile-Streets of New York
27. The Vestals-Songs About Girls...and Other Mysteries
28. Waterloo-Out of the Woods
29. The Mains-The Higher You Get
30. Magneto-Resistance Is Futile
31. The Green & Yellow TV-Sinister Barrier
32. Chris Murphy-Elbow Room
33. David Mead-Tangerine
33 1/3. Hotel Lights-Goodnightgoodmorning EP