Best of 2006 - Music

I bought about 20 CDs this year, quite a drop from the 200 or more I'd sometimes pick up back in the days I worked in the "business" when they were either free or very, very cheap. Of those 20, I'd guess that more than half were released prior to 2006. That said, here's my annual list of the best new music of the year.

Best CD: Bruce Cockburn, Life Short Call Now. Those who know me well won't be surprised by this pick; another great album in a long string by Bruce.

First runner-up: Rhett Miller, The Believer, the second "solo" album from the former frontman of the Old 97s. A great selection of power pop with some country rock leanings with Rhett's always entertaining and clever wordplay.

Other runners-up in no particular order: Dave Alvin, West of the West: One of the best modern singer-songwriters emphasizes the first half of that title with this album of mostly covers. Johnny Cash, American V: A Hundred Highways: a posthumous release, mostly recorded in the months after his wife June's death and shortly before his own. Cash didn't try to hide the mortality in his voice; a powerful and sad testament. Flamin' Oh's: Long Live the King: live long, indeed; the venerable '80s power pop/punk/new wave band is back in great form. Lastly, the soundtrack to Open Season: Terrible movie, great music, mostly from Paul Westerberg. Kids' music? Not really. It rocks.