I’ve finished my top twenty records list for 2006. Yes, everyone in the blogosphere beat me to it, but I actually enjoy determining the records, writing about them, and designing the layout. Granted, the layout may look like an Old Navy advertisement, but I still prefer it to the eyesore I chose for 2005’s list. Between that design decision and the possibility that my top pick may have actually been released in 2005, I probably shouldn’t be self-promoting too heavily, but I like my now-standard fifty word descriptions and I do recommend every album on the list, even though it feels like a down year overall.

The artwork for my accompanying year-end 2CD mix isn’t finished yet, but if you’d like to hear selections from these records and other candidates, send me an e-mail (sebastian at newartillery dot com) with your mailing address. Thirty-five songs carefully whittled down for flow and fit in some handmade LP style packaging could be in your mail box shortly if you e-mail me or if I already have your address.

Those discs will likely reveal some of the runners-up for this list, but Maps and Atlases’ Trees, Swallows, Houses EP, The Radio Dept.’s Pet Grief, Elanors’ Movements, The Timeout Drawer’s Alone EP, and Cursive’s Happy Hollow are other noteworthy 2006 releases. Why didn’t they make it? Respectively: too busy for its own good, single-oriented, short life span in the listening pile, better release last year, and weak as individual parts.