Now that we’re in Q4, it’s time to look back and see what releases have secured their spots in my top 11 for 2006, so here it goes:

• radiodread by Easy Star All-stars- which if you haven’t the justice that prevails to the bands music, these dub-masters remake the classic ok computer as if it were their own. it is awesome
• The outsider by DJ Shadow is quite the diverse mix from acoustic to blow your trunk open speaker bangin’ rok the house. I have turn it down at stop lights
• Just like the fambly cat by Grandaddy, ok so totally bummed this is the last one but looking forward to his ‘solo’ material efforts.
• curses by rye coalition, ode to jersey metal you can’t go wrong
• At War With The Mystics by the Flaming Lips. Disguised anti-war songs and the regular fun art-rock associated with this modern day uplifting acid induced band.

The contenders: m ward, ben kweller, hold steady(haven’t heard the whole thing yet) tons of discovered bootlegs from r bally that might require their own category and perhaps a singles list, which the will include th re-mastered “you faded” by Chavez; as the number one single from their upcoming box set Better Days Will Haunt You dvd/cd, as there is no indie guitar rock band that even comes close to the tones, textures, drumming, and massive 10 chord attacks. I think I played it like 10 times in a row today having lost the original pentagram ring ep to my college days at RU, and to think this track is just the b-side! We’ll see what time allows but if you do anything and don’t know anything about Chavez. Do your guitar loving ass a favor and pick it up 10/10 and crank-it. It was cutting edge in the 90’s and yet the band still holds the bar way up there as far I am concerned and about 20 other snobs I know. If you know of any band that it reminds you of; I am all ears? Thanks.