Top 5 Music Releases of 2006 Joseph W. W Bateman Music Reporter In the interest of maintaining my journalistic integrity this list was completed when my presented me with a surprise in the form fonn of Head I realized that a top ten list was constricting and doesn't fully honor the outstanding releases of 2006 To give credit where credit is due an honorable mention goes out to Head but other nods go to In InFlames InFlames InFlames Flames Come Clarity Glue Catch as Catch Can and Gnarls Barkley St Elsewhere Looking forward to the new year releases from The Shins Explosions in the Sk Sky and Pelican promise to tomake tomake tomake make 2007 an exciting year in music musIc 5 Converge No Heroes Epitaph Records I can still remember feeling in awe and being floored when I first heard Converges Converge's Petitioning the Empty Sk Sky Nearly 1 10 0 years later the bean beantown beantown beantown town boys are not slowing down and continue their audio attack with their sixth length full album No Heroes follows their groundbreaking formula with vocalists vocalist's Jacob Bannon barely comprehensible scream shout combined with the abrasive and aggressive musical assault Instead of challenging musical boundaries No Heroes calls back to their earlier albums of Petitioning and Forever Comes Crashing Bannon's lyrics also shift when he removes his focus from lost love and relationships gone awry to take on a variety of new issues With their latest album Converge proves they are one of the most impressive and consistent bands in the aggressive music genre To stream songs off No Heroes visit converge co mc m c on verge 4 Kevin Devine Put Your Ghost to Rest Capitol Records Watching the journey of this Brooklyn based songwriter singer-songwriter has been beena a wonderful experience From his days fronting the styled Replacements-styled rock band Miracle of 86 to the debuting of songs penned during his tee teenage age years with Circle Gets the Square Kevin Devine displayed a knack for writing songs that captivate 1 listeners and el ici t emotional responses Major label Capitol Records caught wind of Devines Devine's talent and quickly signed him On his fourth length full-length and major label debut Devine doesn't disappoint channeling Elliot Smith and Connor in crafting songs that captivate and move while remaining fresh On Put Your Ghosts to Rest Devine proves h he is one of the most important singer- singer songwriters of our time To stream songs off Put Your Ghosts to Rest visit m m kev i 3 Rock Rocky Makers Barsuk Records Making the switch from time long-time home Second Nature Records to Death Cab for Cutie label Barsuk Records the former Waxwing singer hits the mark with his fourth solo record The majority of previous solo work flew under my radar but that all changed when he opened for Lucero at In InThe InThe InThe The Venue Playing songs off Makers including the beautifully captivating single White Daisy Passing road weary voice captures both pain and hopes and fits perfectly over the strums of his guitar and the occasional drum beats The result is one of the the best singer- singer songwriter albums that I have heard in my lifetime In time Makers will classic for our generation To stream songs off Makers visit com 2 Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me Records Brand New went from froman an above average punk pop-punk band to groundbreaking with their sophomore album Deja It was like watching these four Long Island boys graduate from high school to the higher thinking of college With their third length full and major label debut everyone was wondering how Brand News New's up follow-up would sound like Would they continue their genre- genre defying rock or would they fail prey to the major label beast and put out another punk pop album Luckily for music fans everywhere The Devil finds Brand New continuing their groundbreaking thinking persons person's emo music that deserves its own category No matter what genre you want to put Brand New in they are one of the best out there The creativity and inspiration in this album is enough to make most bands quiver in sh shame me To stream songs off The Devil visit 1 POS Audition Records POS stands for Pissed fitting name would be person of skill As Asa a founder of the impressive hop hip-hop crew of producers and lyricists called this Minneapolis native mixes the fury and aggression of hardcore and punk with the wit and lyricism of hop hip-hop to create hop hip-hop that stands alone Dismissing notions of a sophomore slump POS continues to display his raw talent on Audition Both President Bush and the Patriot Act draw his wrath and wit Turning the tables POS wears his heart on his sleeve and shares the mic with Bouncing Souls' Souls Greg Attonito on De La Souls With his sophomore album POS crafted not only the best hop hip-hop album of 2006 quite possibly the best album overall Simply put the raw talent and presence that this kid possesses possesse will make you youa a believer in him and the rest of the crew To stream songs off Audition visit com corn i fe