Hold on Magnolia to that great highway moon…

Summary of the 2006 music year; Top Ten Albums.

Top ten albums:

1. 10,000 Days by Tool
2. S/T by Wolfmother
3. Begin To Hope by Regina Spektor
4. Meds by Placebo
5. Mr. Beast by Mogwai
6. Modern Times by Bob Dylan
7. Ys by Joanna Newsom
8. S/T by Pearl Jam
9. Eye to the Telescope by KT Tunstall
10. American V: A Hundred Highways by Johnny Cash

I don't really have any words to describe exactly how good 10,000 days by Tool are. Tool used to be famous of being the most pretentious band, after U2, out there, making up weird sounds and making the songs longer just for the sake of it, just to be indie, just to be weird, just so that only a few people would like it. But on this album I got a feeling that they're still doing what I just said, but just a lot more. And they're doing it faster and harder than before. The result is nothing pretentious at all, just one amazingly hard and wonderful album.

The number 2 position goes to Wolfmother, a band I first heard on Dutch TV who showed some of the acts from Pinkpop (I think). They played Woman and I was totally blown away as I saw how young the band was as well. Wolfmother are a band that makes 70's hard rock ith some modern twists from today, and the result is just stunning.

I was blown away by my third pick as well, but in a totally different manner. Regina's voice is the first one since Avril's that I've just fallen in love with over night. The songs are beautiful, and her voice is, well, gorgeous.

I've put Placebo this high up at number four, partially because the songs from Meds sounded even better live. Placebo are good as the androgynous indie-emo-rock-band, but they don't get into full blossom until they're rocking they're freaking s0xx0rs off.

Mogwai is one of the post-rock genre's most versatile bands, mixing really hard heavy metal parts with beautiful melodies, almost reaching up to Mono's standard in that area. Mr. Beast leans more to the hard way, and I like it. Is nice!

Lifted up to the skies by the indie scene or not, Ys by Joanna Newsom is simply wonderful. An album to listen to when you're feeling lonely, Joanna's voice is like a really good friend holding your hand in the dark telling you how to get up on top again.

At number eight I've got an album that most of their own fans doesn't like so much. I'm of a different onion though as I think Pearl Jam's new album is their third or maybe even second best ever. PJ will never be as good as on Ten again, but there are not many albums that'll be as good as that one. Inside Job from Pearl Jam is probably one of their top ten, possibly even top five, songs ever though.

The number nine position is occupied by a newcomer from the British Isles, KT Tunstall. Saw her on BBC earlier this year and pretty much fell in love. You might like the way she looks, but the album is great!

Number ten is the posthumously released Johnny Cash album A Hundred Highways, the fifth (of possibly six) 'American'-albums consisting of mostly covers on traditional songs, songs that he was inspired by in his career up and lots of modern music, where 'Hurt' probably is the most well known. The album serves as the perfect ending to Johnny Cash's ~50 year long career and 71 year long life. It features songs that was among the last songs he ever recorded, and he probably knew he was about to pass away very soon as most of the songs is about God, redemption and moving on, getting to the after-life, if one believes in such things. A summary and final chapter of his life to cut it short.

I can't see how I couldn't have that album on this list.