Whatcha got on your iTunes???....

Eric Danton's list of Most-Listened-to CDs For 2006 in today's Hartford Courant got me thinking what have been my most-played this year. Here is Danton's most-listened-to ten:

1.The Hold Steady, "Boys and Girls in America" 2.Neko Case, "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" 3.Centro-matic, "Fort Recovery" 4.Clipse, "Hell Hath No Fury" 5.Cat Power, "The Greatest"

6.Lady Sovereign, "Public Warning" 7.Arctic Monkeys, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" 8.Gnarls Barkley, "St. Elsewhere" 9.Art Brut, "Bang Bang Rock & Roll" 10.The Flaming Lips, "At War With the Mystics"

Since I have neither the time nor the responsibility to listen to all new music, my listening listing contains albums that may be old hat to some:

1. James Hunter, "People Gonna Talk" - or as G-Man says, "The new Sarah Borges." This Van Morrison protege's latest release is a gorgeous mix of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Clyde McPhatter-type R&B; his concert at the Iron Horse in November was classic. 2. Sarah Borges, "Silver City" - released in 2005, but still a favorite in 2006 as I spread the word with evangelical zeal. We (for various reasons) are looking forward to her new album due out this Spring. 3. Big Al Anderson, "After Hours" - The former Wild Weeds/NRBQ singer/songwriter/guitarist quit everything to move to Nashville to write songs. Here he sings them too and I like it more with each listen. 4. The Animals, "The Complete Animals" - I heard this playing at Turn It Up in Northampton and HAD to have it. This is an amazing compilation of an underappreciated British Invasion band. 5. Cat Power, "The Greatest" - A family-wide hit; this album has a strange feel, like we're listening to someone who has been to hell and back, but jeez it sounds great. 6. Amy Rigby, "Diary of a Mod Housewife" - I started listening to this in anticipation of seeing her at Cafe Nine for her 10th anniversary tour. I never made the gig, but loved the cd, so I'm the better for it. Maybe I'll catch the 20th anniversary. 7. Bob Dylan, "Modern Times" - I haven't been able to see what Rolling Stone and others see as its greatness, but I like this latter day, damaged voice version of The Jester. 8. Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men, "Love and Bombs" - Discovered these guys by way of Sarah Borges because they shared a common rhythm section; great album by this Beantown hotshot. 9. Jerry Lee Lewis, "Last Man Standing" - The old bastard put out one hell of an album with lots of guest stars who deferred to Lewis' lead - and it worked fabulously! 10. Corrine Bailey Rae, "Corrine Bailey Rae" - Dangerously close to ear candy, but I got hooked early; the hit "Put Your Records On" has gotten old with overplay, but I still come back to this album regularly. 11. The Little Willies, "The Little Willies" - Norah Jones and the boys started out as a Monday night jam session at the Living Room in NYC, but got so popular they had to put in down on vinyl (ok, really on disc). 12. Reconteurs, "Broken Boy Soldiers" - Big hype and not what many felt it could be, and not REALLY a collaboration because Jack White dominates the band, but good stuff nonetheless. Ok, I've rambled on enough, what do you have?