1. My Chemical Romance -- The Black Parade\nMaking the biggest career leap forward in 2006 is New Jersey outfit My Chemical Romance, who by wearing their influences (Queen, Pink Floyd, Bowie) on their sleeves tackled a concept album about a teen dying of cancer and knocked it out of the park. That Gerard Way and his band threw on Sgt. Pepper costumes and pretended they were someone else for awhile is a notable coincidence. By jettisoning the occasional grating vocals of their debut and expanding the pop songcraft of their platinum sophomore release "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge," My Chemical Romance has matured into a band worth watching closely. \nStandout track: "Disenchanted"
2. Bob Dylan -- Modern Times\nDylan continues recording his own unique blend of murky folk, blues, dancehall and rockabilly with this, his most assured, affecting, and consistent collection since the 1970s. At 65, the man's nasal croak speaks the wealth of his experiences and influence. Functioning as the final chapter a trilogy that began with 1997's "Time Out of Mind" and 2001's "Love and Theft," "Modern Times" presents Dylan as part rambunctious bandleader and part sweet talking Don Juan, never unsure of his command. \nStandout track: "Rollin' and Tumblin'"\n3. Tool -- 10,000 Days\nTool once again proves itself the best metal band of the last 15 years with only its fourth studio LP since 1993. Each song is its own journey, and Tool's combination of social commentary, transcendence and bone-shifting riffs has never been stronger. Aside from providing some of the most innovative album art by anyone in years, frontman Maynard James Keenan and his cohorts expand on the sonic promise of 2001's "Lateralus" with the extended soundscapes of "Wings for Marie," "Right in Two," and the title track. Both "The Pot" and "Rosetta Stoned" are templates for how to intelligently rock the pants off of the most discerning metal enthusiasts. \nStandout track: "Jambi"
4. The Decemberists -- The Crane Wife\nThe hyperliterate Portland quintet's major-label debut goes above and beyond the call with a series of warm, expansive, hook-laden songs about soldiers, settlers, sailors, and butchers. Lead singer Colin Meloy masterfully injects a dose of the modern into tracks brimming with old-fashioned humility. The multipart title track is a revelation, and the album closer "Sons & Daughters" exposes Meloy propensity for penning understated, singalong epics. \nStandout track: "The Crane Wife 1 & 2"
5. Thom Yorke -- The Eraser\nIf Yorke can write, record and co-produce this stunning, introspective collection with little more than his laptop and his naked voice, it's hard to imagine how great the forthcoming Radiohead album could be. "The Clock" and "And It Rained All Night" hang with the best material on Kid A, and "Harrowdown Hill," and the title track could share time with the best of OK Computer. It's the perfect soundtrack for all your drizzly day strolls about town. \nStandout track: "Harrowdown Hill"
6. Beck -- The Information\nWith the help of Nigel Godrich, Beck melts the sonic beauty of Sea Change and the inspired sampling and subtle techno flourishes of Odelay into one trippy pot of psycho-hippie goodness. Beck sounds like he hasn't had his much fun in the studio since Mellow Gold, and you'll never have more fun than when arranging the included stickers to design your own album art. Once rumored to be Beck's "white boy rap album," there are only a few all-rap tracks, and they're mostly overshadowed by the electro-folk of "Strange Apparition," "Motorcade," and "Dark Star." \nStandout track: "Cellphone's Dead"
7. Arctic Monkeys -- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not\nThese four lads from Sheffield, England, caused quite a stir in their native country with the release of their debut LP, and it's puzzling how they didn't hit bigger stateside. An energizing, fun and expertly recorded record, it bodes well for the Monkeys' future. Every member of the Monkeys is 21 or younger, and their youth translates to record by way of an effervescent enthusiasm for the songs and how listeners might react to them. The lead single, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," is rushed through with such abandonment that it immediately feels like the greatest thing you've ever heard, but that feeling soon fades with the even-better "Dancing Shoes" and the slow burning "Riot Van." \nStandout track: "Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But..."
8. Clipse -- Hell Hath No Fury\nOne of the year's biggest surprises is this disc produced in full by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes. Who knew the group who had a fly-by-night hit with "Grindin'" in 2002 would unveil 2006's best collection of beats and rhymes right before year's end? Biological brothers from Virginia, Malice and Pusha-T flow their souls on 12 tracks of drug-fueled menace backed with the best production and beats the Neptunes have ever laid down. "Hell" is just as vital pumping through a pair of TriPorts as blasting in a dance club; a good test for the shelf-life of any rap record. \nStandout track: "Chinese New Year"
9. Neko Case -- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood\nIt's all in the voice. The 36-year-old Case conjures the spirit of Patsy Cline and mixes in her own style of distanciated alt-country songcraft and echo-drenched production. The result is the best record mainstream Nashville will disown this year. Neko is notorious for openly rejecting most every label critic's attempt to pin on her, but she can't escape the fact that she's a superb alt-country songbird with a precious gift for unearthing the ethereal from the mundane. \nStandout track: "The Needle Has Landed"
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers -- Stadium Arcadium\nBeing a sprawling double LP from a band of rascals that got their start a quarter-century ago, "Stadium Arcadium" is also a cathartic mixed bag of pop rock showcasing a band at the peak of its creativity and craft. Separated into two discs titled "Jupiter" and "Mars" for no apparent reason, neither stands taller than the other, and tracks like "Especially in Michigan," Wet Sand," "Animal Bar" and "Turn it Again" rank among the Peppers' finest. Rick Rubin adds his usual aural sheen to the proceedings, but the real stars are Kiedis, Frusciante, Flea and Smith: still crazy after all these years. \nStandout track: "Charlie"
Honorable Mentions: Ghostface Killah -- Fishscale, Pearl Jam -- Pearl Jam, The Roots -- Game Theory, Sufjan Stevens -- The Avalanche, TV on the Radio -- Return to Cookie Mountain
