BEST ALBUMS OF 2005 and 2006

THE GOLD CHART: BEST ALBUMS OF 2005 and 2006

1-4g: Cloud (Erstwhile).

2-A Frames: Black Forest (Sub Pop).

3-Adam Green: Gemstones (Rough Trade).

4-Alarm Will Sound: Acoustica (AWS Performs Aphex Twin) (Cantaloupe).

5-Amadou & Mariam: Dimanche à Bamako (Nonesuch).

6-American Primitive: Vol. II Pre-War Revenants: 1897-1939 (Revenant).

7-Amerie: Touch (Sony/Columbia).

8-Amy Ray: Prom (Barsuk).

9-Amy Rigby: Little Fugitive (Signature Sounds).

10-Andre Rieu: New York Memories

11-Angela Hagenbach: Poetry of Love (Amazon Records).

12-Animal Collective Feels (Fat Cat).

13-Anita O’Day: Indestructible (Kayo Stereophonic).

14-Anita Wardell: Straight Ahead (33 Jazz).

15-Ann Hampton Callaway: Easy Living (Shanachie Records).

17-Ann Hampton Callaway: Signature (N-Coded Music).

17-Ann Hampton Callaway: To Ella With Love (Shanachie Records).

18-Anna Bergman: Souvenirs (LML Music).

19-Antony and the Johnsons: I Am A Bird Now (Secretly Canadian).

20-Aoki Takamasa and Tujiko Noriko: 28 (Fat Cat).

21-Apollo Sunshine: Apollo Sunshine (Spin Art).

22-Ariel Pink: Worn Copy (Paw Tracks).

23-AZ: A.W.O.L. (Quiet Money/Fastlife).

24-Bar Kokhba Sextet, 50^th Birthday Celebration, Vol. 11 (Tzadik).

25-Barb Jungr: Waterloo Sunset (Linn Records).

26-Barbara Fasano: Written in the Stars (Human Child Records).

27-Barbara Montgomery: Noel (Two Beans Music).

28-Barbara Rosene: All My Life (Azeca).

29-Barbara Sfraga: Timelessness Fronzen in Time (SyncTimiCity Productions).

30-Barbez: Insignificance (Important).

31-Barr: Beyond Reinforced Jewelcase (5RC).

32-Beanie Sigel: The B.Coming (Roc-A-Fella).

33-Bebo Valdés: Bebo de Cuba (Calle 54).

34-Beckie Menzie: Real Emotional Girl (BeMe Music).

35-Bettye LaVette: I've Got My Own Hell to Raise (Anti).

36-Barbara Sfraga: Timeless Frozen Time (SyncTimyCity Productions).

37-Big Business: Head for the Shallow (Hydrahead).

38-Billie Holiday: The Ultimate Collection (Hip-O).

39-Billy Corgan: The Future Embrace (Warner Bros.).

40-Black Mountain: Black Mountain (Jagjaguwar).

41-Bloc Party: Silent Alarm (Vice).

42-Bob Mould: Body of Song (Yep Roc).

43-Bobby Pinson: Man Like Me (RCA).

44-Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney: Superwolf (Drag City).

45-Boredoms: Seadrum/House of Sun (Vice).

46-Bow Wow: Wanted (Columbia).

47-Brad Mehldau: Day Is Done (Nonesuch).

48-Brakes: Give Blood (Rough Trade).

49-Brazilian Girls: Brazilian Girls (Verve).

50-Brendan Benson: The Alternative to Love (V2).

51-Bright Eyes: Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (Saddle Creek).

52-Broken Social Scene: Broken Social Scene (Arts and Crafts).

53-Brooke Valentine: Chain Letter (Virgin).

54-Cage: Hell’s Winter (Definitive Jux).

55-Caitlin Cary and Thad Cockrell: Begonias (Yep Roc).

56-Caps & Jones: Moving in Stereo (Self-released).

57-Carly Ptak: Both (Heresee).

58-Carmen Lundy: Live at the Madrid (Afrasia Productions).

59-Carol Mennie: I’m Not A Sometime Thing (CDM Records).

60-Carol Welsman: Lucky To Be Me (Welcar Music).

61-Carol Welsman: What’cha got Cookin’? (Ludlow Music).

62-Caroline Nin: If You Love Me

63-Cass McCombs: Perfection (Monitor).

64-Cecilia Bartoli: Opera Proibita (Decca / Universal).

65-Celebration: Celebration (4AD).

66-Charles Lloyd: Jumping the Creek (ECM).

67-Chris Brokaw Incredible Love (12XU).

68-Claire Martin: Devil May Care (Linn Records).

69-Claire Martin: Old Boyfriend (Linn Records).

70-Claire Martin: The Waiting Game (Linn Records).

71-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released).

72-Clem Snide: End of Love (Spinart).

73-Clipse: We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol 2 (No Label).

74-Coheed and Cambria: Good Apollo (Columbia).

75-Common: Be (Geffen).

76-Coptic Light: Coptic Light (No Quarter).

77-Crazy Frog: Presents Crazy Hits (Next Plateau/Universal).

78-Cuong Vu: It's Mostly Residual (Artist Share).

79-Dälek: Absence (Ipecac).

80-Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley: Welcome to Jamrock (Universal/Tuff Gong International).

81-Danger Doom: The Mouse and the Mask (Epitaph).

82-Daniel Lanois: Belladonna (Anti-).

83-Daniel Smith: Bebop Bassoon (Guild).

84-Dave Douglas: Mountain Passages (Greenleaf).

85-Dave Douglas: Keystone (Greenleaf Music).

86-David Gurland: David Gurland (Self Produced).

87-Dead Machines: Futures (Troubleman Unlimited).

88-Deanna Kirk: Where Are You Now (Blackbird).

89-Deerhoof: The Runners Four (5RC-Kill Rock Stars).

90-Devendra Banhart: Cripple Crow (XL).

91-Devin Davis: Lonely People of the World Unite! (Mousse).

92-Diana Krall: The Look Of Love (UmVd Labels)

93-Diana Krall: From This Moment On (Verve).

94-Diana Krall: Live In Paris (UmVd Labels).

95-Diane Hubka: You Inspire Me (Artist One Stop/AOS).

96-Dirty Projectors: The Getty Address (Western Vinyl).

97-DJ Koze: Kosi Comes Around (Kompakt).

98-DJ Language: The Art of Customization (Cornerstone Promotions).

99-Dominik Eulberg: Kreucht and Fleucht (Mischwald).

100-Donna Byrne: Licensed To Thrill

101-Donna Byrne: Byrnin'

102-Donna Byrne: It Was Me

103-Dr. Dog: Easy Beat (Park The Van).

104-Earth: Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method (Southern Lord).

105-Easy Action: Friends of Rock and Roll (Reptilian).

106-Edan: Beauty and the Beat (Lewis).

107-Electric Six: Senor Smoke (Warner Bros.).

108-Ellen Allien: Thrills (Bpitch Control).

109-Elton John: Greatest Hits 1970-2002 (Island Records).

110-Elton John: Elton John (Rocket Records).

111-Enfenetee: The Dominatrix (X9). Roisin Murphy Ruby Blue (Echo UK).

112-Erika Luckett: My Little Crime (BirdFish Music).

113-Erika Luckett: Tinted Glass (BirdFish Music).

114-Erika Luckett: Yaxche Live (BirdFish Music).

115-Excepter: Self Destruction (Fusetron).

116-Excepter: Throne (Load).

117-Fay Claassen: Rhythms And Rhymes (Jazz'NPulz).

118-Fay Claassen: Specially Arranged For Fay (Jazz'NPulz).

119-Fay Claassen: With A Song In My Heart (Challenge Records).

120-Feist: Let It Die (Cherry Tree-Interscope).

121-Fennesz/Sakamoto: Sala Santa Cecilia (Touch Tone).

122-Fiona Apple: Extraordinary Machine (Epic).

123-Fischerspooner: Odyssey (Capitol).

124-Flipsyde: We the People (Cherry Tree/Interscope).

125-Four Tet: Everything Ecstatic (Domino).

126-Francoise Hardy: Greatest Recordings (BMG).

127-Frank Jackson: New York After Dark (Kasis Records).

128-Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have It so Much Better (Sony).

129-Freda Payne: The Best Of Freda Payna (Collectables).

130-Gang Gang Dance: God's Money (The Social Registry).

131-Garbage: Bleed Like Me (Geffen).

132-Georgia Mancio: Peaceful Place (Self Produced).

133-Ghostface Killah and Trife Da: God Put It on the Line (Starks Enterprises).

134-Gogol Bordello Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike (Side One Dummy).

135-Gorillaz: Demon Days (Virgin).

136-Grand Buffet: Five Years of Fireworks (Fighting).

137-Gypsy Kings: The Best of Gypsy Kings (Nosesuch).

138-Helen Love: The Bubblegum Killers (Sympathy for the Record Industry).

139-High on Fire: Blessed Black Wings (Relapse).

140-Hope Partlow: Who We Are (Virgin).

141-I Wayne: Lava Ground (VP/Loyal Soldiers).

142-Ilk: Canticle (VHF).

143-Iron and Wine: Woman King (Sub Pop).

144-Isolée: We Are Monster (Playhouse).

145-Jackson and His Computer Band: Smash (Warp).

146-James Blood Ulmer: Birthright (Hyena).

147-James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Reginald Veal, and Ali Jackson: Gold Sounds (Brown Brothers).

148-James Gordon Beck: Seven Steps To Heaven (Art Of Life Records).

149-James McMurtry: Childish Things (Compadre).

150-Jamie Lidell: Multiply (Warp).

151-Jane Ira Bloom: Chasing Paint (Arabesque).

152-Jane Ira Bloom: Like Silver, Like Song (ArtistShare).

153-Janet Planet: Passion from The Wreckage (Stellar Sound).

154-Janet Seidel: Love Letter

155-Janis Mann: Let It Happen (Pancake Records).

156-Janis Mann: So Many Stars (Pancake Records).

157-Jason Moran: Same Mother (Blue Note).

158-Jenny Scheinman, 12 Songs (Cryptogramophone).

159-Jesu: Jesu (Hydra Head).

160-Joan Viskant: I Hear Music (33 Jazz).

161-Joan Viskant: Sure Thing (33 Jazz).

162-Joe Lovano: Joyous Encounter (Blue Note).

163-John Coltrane: One Down, One Up: Live at the Half Note (Impulse).

164-John Legend: Get Lifted (GOOD/Columbia).

165-Joni Janak: Centerpiece Jazz (Jazz Link Enterprise).

166-Joni Janak: The Wind (Jazz Link Enterprise).

167-Jose Gonzáléz: Veneer (Hidden Agenda).

168-Judy Niemack: Blue Bop (Freelance Records).

169-Judy Niemack: Night And The Music (Freelance Records).

170-Julio Iglesias: My Life: Greatest Hits (Sony).

171-Kanye West Late Registration (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam).

172-Karen Oberlin: Secret Love (Original Cast Record).

173-Karmyn Tyler: Karmyn (K.Tyler/C. Meeks Production).

174-Karrin Allyson: Ballads (Concord Records).

175-Katie Bull and Joe Fonda: Bull Fonda Duo (Corn Hill Indie).

176-Katie Bull: Love Spook (Corn Hill Indie).

177-Keith Jarrett, Radiance (ECM).

178-Keren Ann: Nolita (Metro Blue).

179-Kiki and Herb: Will Die for You (Evolver).

180-Kiran Ahluwalia: Kiran Ahluwalia (Triloka/Artemis).

181-Kitty Margolis: Heart & Soul (Mad-Kat Records).

182-Karen Blixt: Spin This (Hi Fi Records).

183-Konono No. 1: Congotronics (Crammed Discs).

184-Kyle Gann Long Night (Cold Blue).

185-Ladytron: Witching Hour (Ryko).

186-Lafayette Gilchrist and the New Volcanoes: Towards the Shining Path (Hyena).

187-Lau Nau: Kuutarha (Locust).

188-Lauren Field: Modern Woman (Country Roads).

189-Laurie Krauz: Catch Me If You Can (LML Records).

190-LCD Soundsystem: LCD Soundsystem (DFA-EMI).

191-Lee Ann Womack: There’s More Where That Came From (MCA).

192-Lil Wayne: Tha Carter II (Cash Money).

193-Lil’ Kim: The Naked Truth (Atlantic).

194-Lisa Clark: Blue Carousel (Ising Entertainment).

195-Liesl Muller: For Johnny (Sony).

196-Little Brother: The Minstrel Show (Atlantic).

197-Little Milton: Think of Me (Telarc).

198-Louis XIV: The Best Little Secrets Are Kept (Pineapple/Atlantic).

199-Low: The Great Destroyer (Sub Pop).

200-Lynn DiMenna: Sweet & Swing (LDM Records).

201-Madonna: Confessions On A Dance Floor (Warner Bros. Records).

202-Maria Gentile: That…Wich Is Real ( Jerry Angel Music).

203-Melissa Errico: Blue Like That (EMI Manhattan).

204-M.I.A.: Arular (Interscope).

205-M83: Before the Dawn Heals Us (Mute).

206-Made Out of Babies: Trophy (Neurot).

207-Madeleine Ostlund: So it Sings (Jiiva Records)

208-Mannie Fresh: The Mind of Mannie Fresh (Cash Money).

209-Marguerite Mariama: Wil Women Never Get the Blues (Powerlight Media).

210-Mark Weisman: O Nosso Amor (JazzHeads Records).

211-Marlene VerPlanck: Pure And Natural (Audiophile Records).

212-Marlene VerPlanck: You’d Better Love Me (Audiophile Records).

213-Marlene VerPlanck: What Are You Going To Do (Audiophile Records).

214-Marlene VerPlanck: My Impetuous Heart (Audiophile Records).

215-Martha Wainwright: Martha Wainwright (Zoë) and (MapleMusic).

216-Marty Ehrlich: News on the Rail (Palmetto).

217-Mary Foster Conklin: Blues for Breakfast (Rhombus Records).

218-Matthew Welch: Dream Tigers (Tzadik).

219-Medications: All Your Favorite People in One Place (Dischord).

220-Mice Parade : Bem-Vinda Vontade (Bubble Core).

221-Mike Jones: Who Is Mike Jones? (Swishahouse/Warner Bros.).

222-Miranda Lambert: Kerosene (Epic).

223-Mostly Other People Do the Killing Mostly Other People Do the Killing (Hot Cup).

224-Mountain Goats: The Sunset Tree (4AD).

225-Mouthus: Slow Globes (Troubleman).

226-Mullyman: Mullymania (Unruly).

227-My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Reprise).

228-My Morning Jacket: Z (ATO/RCA) and (Badman).

229-Napalm Death: The Code Is Red…Long Live the Code! (Century Media).

230-Nedelle: From the Lion’s Mouth (Kill Rock Stars).

231-Neil Blumofe: Piety And Desire (Horeb Records).

232-Neil Diamond: 12 Songs (Columbia).

233-Neil Young: Prairie Wind (Reprise).

234-Nic Armstrong and the Thieves: The Greatest White Liar (New West).

235-Nickel Creek: Why Should the Fire Die? (Sugar Hill).

236-No-Neck Blues Band: Qvaris (5RC).

237-Okkervil River: Black Sheep Boy (Jagjaguwar).

238-Oneida The Wedding (Jagjaguwar).

239-Opeth: Ghost Reveries (Roadrunner).

240-Optimo: Psyche Out (Eskimo).

241-Orthrelm: OV (Ipecac).

242-Otis Taylor: Below the Fold (Telarc).

243-Out Hud: Let Us Never Speak of It Again (Kranky).

244-Pamela Luss: There’s Something About You I Don’t Know (Savant Records).

245-Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up (Nonesuch).

246-Patrice Ferris: I Am Glad There Is You (Self Produced).

247-Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys: Foggy Highway (Cooking Vinyl).

248-Paul Motian/Joe Lovano/Bill Frisell: I Have the Room Above Her (ECM).

249-Paul Wall: The People's Champ (Atlantic).

250-Pelican: The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw (Hydrahead).

251-Placido Domingo, Antonio Pappano and others: Tristan und Isolde (EMI).

252-Psychic Paramount: Gamelan Into the Mink Supernatural (No Quarter).

253-Quasimoto: The Further Adventures of Lord Quas (Stone’s Throw).

254-Queens of the Stone Age: Lullabies to Paralyze (Interscope).

255-R. Kelly: TP.3 Reloaded (Jive).

256-Randa Ghossoub: Pillow Talk (Self Produced).

257-Raquel Bitton: Paris Blues (RB Records)

258-Raquel Bitton: Raquel Bitton Sings Edith Piaf (RB Records).

259-Raquel Bitton: Dream A Little Dream (RB Records).

260-Raveonettes: Pretty in Black (Columbia /Sony & BMG).

261-Rebecca Spencer: Fair Warning (LML Music).

262-Residual Echoes: Residual Echoes (Holy Mountain).

263-Rhe De Ville: Echoes Of My Heart (One Soul Records).

264-Roberta Flack: The Very Best Of Roberta Flack (Rhino Records).

265-Robert Glasper: Canvas (Blue Note).

266-Robyn: Robyn (Konichiwa).

267-Rod Lee: Vol. 5: The Official (Club Kingz/Morphius Urban).

268-Roscoe Mitchell Quintet: Turn (RogueArt).

269-Rufus Reid: Gait Keeper (Sunny Side).

270-Ry Cooder: Chavez Ravine (Nonesuch).

271-Separation Sunday: The Hold Steady (Frenchkiss).

272-Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: Naturally (Daptone).

273-Shipping News: Flies the Fields (Quarter Stick).

274-Sicbay Suspicious Icons (54°40' or Fight!).

275-Sigur Rós: Takk (Geffen).

276-Sir Richard Bishop: Improvika (Locust).

277-Sleater-Kinney: The Woods (Sub Pop).

278-Sofia Laiti: You Don’t Know Me (Midnight Sun Music Production).

279-Sofia Pettersson: Slow Down (Prophone Records).

280-Sonny Rollins, Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert (Milestone).

281-Sons and Daughters: The Repulsion Box (Domino).

282-Sophie Garner: On Revival Day (Earl Records).

283-Soulstice: North by Northwest (Wandering Soul).

284-Spoon: Gimme Fiction (Merge).

285-Stephanie Jordan: You Don’t Know What Love Is.

286-Stephen Malkmus: Face the Truth (Matador).

287-Steve Reich: You Are (Variations) and (Nonesuch).

288-Sufjan Stevens: Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty).

289-Supersystem: Always Never Again (Touch and Go).

290-Susan Barth: Wonderland (Self Produced).

291-System of a Down: Hypnotize (American/Columbia).

292-The Blind Boys of Alabama: Atom Bomb (Real World).

293-The Books: Lost and Safe (Tomlab; Germany).

294-The Clientele: Strange Geometry (Merge).

295-The Decemberists: Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars).

296-The Evens: Evens (Dischord).

297-The Fiery Furnaces: Rehearsing My Choir (Rough Trade).

298-The Game: The Documentary (Aftermath).

299-The Go-Betweens: Oceans Apart (Yep Roc).

300-The Heartless Bastards: Stairs and Elevators (Fat Possum).

301-The Hold Steady: Separation Sunday (French Kiss).

302-The Howling Hex: All-Night Fox (Drag City).

303-The Locust Safety Second: Body Last (Ipecac).

304-The Mars Volta: Frances the Mute (Universal).

305-The National: Aligator (Beggars).

306-The Negatones: The Negatones (Skylab).

307-The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema (Matador).

308-The Perceptionists: Black Dialogue (Definitive Jux).

309-The Posies: Every Kind of Light (Rykodisc).

310-The Psychic Paramount: Gamelan into the Mink Supernatural (No Quarter).

311-The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang (Virgin) and M.I.A., "Arular" (XL).

312-The SF Jazz Collective: SF Jazz Collective (Nonesuch).

313-The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan (V2).

314-Thelonious Monk: Quartet With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall (Blue Note).

315-Tierney Sutton: Introducing (A Records).

316-Timbuktu: Alla Vill Till Himmelen Men Ingen Vill Do (Juju).

317-Tina Phillips: Adventurous Jazz (Self Produced).

318-Tom Brosseau: What I Mean to Say Is Goodbye (Loveless).

319-Tom Lellis: Avenue of the Americas (Beamtide).

320-Tony Bennett: An American Classic (Sony).

321-Toni Morrell: My American Dream (Diamor Entertainment).

322-Trina: The Glamorest Life (Atlantic/Slip-n-Slide).

323-TTC: Batards Sensibles (Big Dada).

324-Ulver Blood: Inside (The End).

325-Various artists: Choubi Choubi: Folk and Pop Sounds From Iraq (Sublime Frequencies).

326-Various artists: Folk and Pop Sounds of Sumatra Vol. 2 (Sublime Frequencies).

327-Various artists: Funk Carioca 7 (Mr. Bongo).

328-Various artists: Invisible Pyramid: Elegy Box (Last Visible Dog).

329-Vashti Bunyan: Lookaftering (DiCristina/Fat Cat).

330-Vijay Iyer: Reimagining (Savoy).

331-Why?: Elephant Eyelash (Anticon).

332-Wolf Parade: Apologies To The Queen Mary (Sub Pop).

333-Wynton Marsalis: Live at the House of Tribes (Blue Note).

334-Young Jeezy: Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (Def Jam).

335-Yura Yura Teikoku: Sweet Spot (Sony, Japan).

Source: World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment