Sonic Outpost

I am haven't seen much new music that grabbed my attention lately, so I am going to continue to revisit my collection and find my top albums from a given year. Generally, I choose my top 5 based on three criteria: 1) No. of songs that I would want to hear again; 2) No. of standout songs; and 3) exploration of new sounds and potential future influence on other bands.

2006 is a pretty good year for indie music. While indie pop is going strong with Belle & Sebastian and Regina Spektor and indie rock is getting solid contributions from young bands like The Futureheads and Band of Horses (not too mention honorable mentions TV On The Radio), we are starting to see the electro movement come to the forefront of the scene with Hot Chip offering up two of the best songs of the decade!

My Top 5

5. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

If you like listen to some poppy music on a lovely sunny day this is your soundtrack. Seems like Belle and Sebastian have been around forever, but their pop music always sounds fresh. Please put away your Britney and put this on. You will thank me.

4. The Futureheads - News and Tributes

I don't think this album got the credit it deserved when it released. A British indie rock band with a angular, brit pop sound, The Futureheads' News and Tributes is a surprisingly great listen. It may stand a bit back in the pack because their is no standout track, but it is filled with solid songs (maybe more than any other album on this list).

3. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time

Music for the open plains where you can lounge in your own thoughts. Beautiful indie rock album led by the stellar songs, "The First Song" and "The Funeral". This first album helped them carve out their distinct niche in the indie rock scene.

2. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope

This album brought Regina Spektor some mainstream success, but while borrowing from pop and rock influences her songs keep her unique style. No album on this list starts out as strongly as Begin to Hope with "Fidelity", "Better", "Samson", and "On the Radio" commanding the listeners attention with their grace and beauty; but that is just the start...

1. Hot Chip - The Warning

A little electronic soul to end the countdown. While this album may not have the most songs I would want to listen to repeatedly, it probably has two of the greatest songs of the year (and among the best songs of this decade), "Over and Over" and "And I was a Boy From School". Absolutely brilliant.