10. Ed Harcourt – The Beautiful Lie

A steady downturn in commercial fortune for Ed doesn’t seem at all fair considering every album betters the one before it. ‘The Beautiful Lie’ like ‘Strangers’, showcases some of his finest material, lyrically fascinating and musically stunning, he uses his influences wisely and respectfully. This 70’s nod to Brian Wilson being something to be very proud of indeed.

Standout Track – Braille

9.. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones

It was a road to Damascus conversion with me as far as these lot were concerned. I always found them to be art over substance but ‘Show Your Bones’ opened my eyes. A plethora of wicked riffs and driving guitars. An album that didn’t shy from melody and kept the self indulgence down to a minimum. With tracks such as Gold Lion, proving their ability to corner the singles market effectively, its seems their longevity as a consistently successful band will be assured well into the future.

Stand out track – Phenomena

8. The Sleepy Jackson - Personalities

The Long awaited follow up to 2002’s ‘Lovers’ and it didn’t disappoint. Although they were criticized from certain factions for their overindulgent production, many had quite simply missed the point, that it was clearly the intention. Like a lost Brian Wilson Masterpiece ‘Personalities’ swaned in with lavish strings and vocal harmonies, beautifully arranged with pop melodies to die for. Luke Steeles genius shone through the controversial band sackings and wayward behaviour he had become known for to unleash a true masterpiece.

Stand out track - You Needed More

7. The Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops

A top 10 album for its opener alone. As soon as the chords to ‘Alone Jealous and Stoned’ kicked in, you knew you were in for something special and although this album kept into prog rock territory occasionally, they got away with it through sheer musical genius. They also performed one of the most impressive gigs of the year at Leeds met.

Standout track - Alone Jealous and Stoned

6. The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control

Singer Beth Ditto became an unlikely sex symbol this year, but the band soon built a reputation for their amazing live performances, based around indie funk, the stripped down three piece sound didn’t rely on any overdubs even on record, their pure driving energy and passion could fill any room. Think the way The White Stripes sounded before they disappeared up their own arses.

Standout track - Coals to Diamonds

5. The Hot Puppies – Under the Crooked Moon

Based in Cardiff, The Hot Puppies were outsiders to the 2006 indie scene but produced one of the most intelligent pop albums of the year, with their songs of love and loss, dead ex girlfriends and childhood friends with ‘John The Baptist hair. A support tour with The Pipettes in September, endeared them to a new fan base and the once little know outfit are now commanding an impressive following all of their own. Charming front woman Becky projects a childlike vocal delivery with a deceptive edge of knowing maturity.
Standout track - The Girl Who Was Too Beautiful.

4. The Organ – Grab That Gun

Weighing in at just over 30 mins this debut full length album from Toronto deep thinkers The Organ had the media all hot a bothered for about 5 minutes. Their Smiths/Joy Divsion influences mixed with an occasional vocal leaning not dissimilar to Debbie Harry was stark in sound but its detached minimalism combined with chilling guitar riffs created a devastatingly powerful ambience. This Married with an equally powerful stage presence made them one of my bands of the year.

Standout track – Steven Smith

3. The Pipettes – We are The Pipettes

Will this album be in The Guardians top 10 albums of the year / NME / The Independent? Will it bollocks. The Pipettes have been typically snubbed by the trendys, but more tragically misunderstood. Their bright 50’s influenced pop was generally coincided a disposable novelty and the media failed to spot the tongue in cheek irony and devilish wit to much of their infections pop classics. Always outspoken in interview, they took on the mantle for all of those who feel forever alienated by modern sounds and fashion expectations. Oh and Rose is the most beautiful girl to have ever walked the earth.

Standout track – Pull Shapes

2. The Long Blondes – Someone To Drive You Home

I’ve never known an act to ever come close to rivalling a Moz release but this was a real close call for album of the year. Sheffield’s Long Blondes have made the greatest Synth/ guitar pop album since Pulps His ‘N’ Hers. A combination of glamour, powerful melody and genius lyrics, gave the REAL cool kids tired of NME bullshit something to actually get excited about. Front woman Kate Jackson toes an accurately stepped line between arrogance and charisma. Their live shows became events to chatter about for months and their sexual teasing across all orientations drove people wild with is she or isn’t she. What a band.

Standout track – A Knife For The Girls.

1. Morrissey – Ringleader of the Tormentors

The album which has divided a fan base, but as far as I’m concerned it’s his finest album since Vauxhall and I and easily out strips ‘You Are The Quarry’. Those who have inaccurately damned it have clearly not listened to the searingly beautiful epic ‘Life Is A Pigsty’. or the pop masterpieces that are ‘In The Future When All’s Well’ and The ‘Youngest Was The Most Loved’ and if they have and still deny it’s brilliance well they’re evidently retards, so there. The most interesting aspect of Ringleader for me was people’s reaction to this supposed ’sexual revolution’ he was going through. Like he’s never flirted with that kind of imagery before. Granted he was blatantly trying to tell us something in ‘Dear God Please Help me’ but the innuendo of the line ‘I entered nothing and Nothing entered me’ in ‘You Have Killed me’ had already been challenged some 25 years previously with Hand In Glove…ah don’t you just love the media. Maybe like Southpaw Grammar, Ringleader will get the recognition it deserves in years to come….please tell me it will be so, I don’t want to be the only one who agrees with Paul Morley,…who does.

Standout track - Life Is A Pigsty

……..and those that just slipped through the net
The Dears - Gang of Losers
Howling Bells - Howling Bells
Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You
Guillemots - Through The Window Pane
The Morning After Girls - Shadows Evolve
Film School - Film School
Delays - Colours
Peter Bjorn and John – Writers Block
Metric – Live It Out