2006Music: What we heard

As ever, attempting to list everything musical that made us put our pants on our head and dance around like herbally-enhanced monkeys would prove impossible; these are just some of the highlights of the highlights:


Cansei De Ser Sexy - Cansei De Ser Sexy
Their music is our hot, hot sex


Dirty Pretty Things - Waterloo To Anywhere
To be absolutely honest, Carl Barat doesn't seem to miss Pete as much as Pete seems to need him


Fields - 7 From The Village
If they fail, we all fail


iForward Russia! - Give Me A Wall
Punctuation, off-timing, numerically themed titleage: who, seriously, wouldn't send iFR! one of your kidneys in a jiffy bag if they asked?


Gene - Peel Sessions
A fair collection, although it does confirm they really only had two great moments which they milked repeatedly


Giant Drag - Hearts And Unicorns
Quite possibly the final Giant Drag album, and even if it's not you should cherish it like a love letter from your sixth form days


Nanci Griffith - Ruby's Torch
The widest-eyed heir to Patsy Cline delivers a collection of torch song magic


Luke Haines - Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop
Long-awaited return of Mr. Haines, now dressed as the man from Del Monte for reasons we can't quite figure


Hot Puppies - Under The Crooked Moon
I say we'd better put them in/I hear they use a theremin


Howling Bells - Howling Bells
An Amazon reviewer claims "This album will appeal to you if you like bands such as Coldplay", which is a bit like selling the best sex you've ever had as "appealing, if you're fond of sweating"


Jarvis - Jarvis
He's not Jesus, though he shares the same initials. And now he's been resurrected to save us all.


Joan As Policewoman - Real Life
The far, far more appealing string-driven sidekick of Antony and The Johnsons


Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home
We suspect, from the little skip our heart does every time, medical evidence alone would finger this as our album of the year


Cerys Matthews - Never Said Goodbye
Interestingly, she gave this one much more of a push than Cockahoop - and it feels more of a finished product, too


Tift Merritt - Tambourine/ Bramble Rose
Perfect 'start here' double-pack re-release


Metric - Live It Out
Still trying to shake off the "new Elastica" tag, although there are worst tags and you've got to love the shaking


Joanna Newsom - Ys
Five tracks, no waste, the unmistakable stamp of confidence that comes with Steve Albini in the booth... surely Turner Prize material?


Placebo - Meds
Obviously, to accept this a return-to-form, you'd have to accept the form to which Placebo returned so splendidly this year was form worth recapturing. We do.


Rails - Life's A Lonely Road [Myspace]
Kind of the place where REM were prior to Dead Letter Office


Rishi Rich - The Project
Packed with collaborative, imaginative goodness


Riz MC - Post 9/11 Blues [Myspace]
The heart of political pop is, thank god, still beating


Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
The next person to even suggest she's "like Alanis or Tori" gets it, I swear


Tilly and The Wall - Bottom of Barrels
The Pipettes, only without the gimmickry and all the better for it


Various - CD86
Valiant attempt to celebrate 20 years after by collecting stuff from names we've got etched in hearts: Siddeleys, Hurrah, The Hit Parade, Another Sunny Day...


Viva Voce - Get Yr Blood Sucked
They say they do not fuck around. They aren't joking.


Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
We don't care what anyone says: Karen O is still the coolest person in rock


Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You...
If you must have your ass kicked, who else would you want to do it?