Victory! Victory! The winning blinds team!

I'd like to give a shout out to Melbourne Victory and their 6-0 thumping of arch-rival Adelaide in the A-League Grand Final last Sunday. It was a little odd as my teams never seem to win anything, I don't really know what to do when it happens. Ask any Melbourne Demons fan under 40. The Socceroos' World Cup qualification and the Socceroos' late comeback to win 3-1 over Japan in the World Cup are probably as close as I've come to a big game victory feeling.

But hey, we won the "toilet seat"! Archie's 5 can't be denied and the over-celebrating Muscat had the thrustin' (the less mentioned about that the better)

My Top 10 Albums of 2006: #1-5

Here they are: the grand champions of the music year, according to yours truly. Who will join Bloc Party (2005) and Idlewild (2004) as winners of the coveted #1 album? The answer is only a few pixels south...

1. Starky - Starky
After capturing my attention during support slots including Snow Patrol, the album proved to be my find of the year. Beginning with a driving riff, the opening track Me Michelle escalates into a riot of madness by the end of the song. From there on in, Starky control the tempo of their songs consumately, unleashing fierce arrows and heartfelt pleas alike. It's indie with enough rock (and enough bass) to keep me happy, mixing longer atmospheric songs with short, sharp, rocking tracks. There is one strange thing about it: I can't remember having the lead single (in this case, Hey Bang Bang) as my least favourite song on an album before, even if I'd still give it 7/10. Spin this album!

2. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever They Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
These guys created such a buzz, such an incredibly rabid impression, seemingly from most people's first listen. I'm not sure whether it was the punch of raw rock and/or roll frenzy as exhibited at the start of I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor or that the lyrics, recounting tales of late-night mischief, struck a chord with the party boys and girls out there. All I know is that the Arctic Monkeys sound terrific musically and that I, too, enjoy their delightfully accented phrases all album long.

3. The Fray - How To Save A Life
I immediately liked The Fray - it's pretty easy on the ear and the songwriting is terrific. In fact, I found out they were playing at the Prince of Wales just a week after I got the album, went along and had a great time! As honed and well produced as the album may be, it's good to know that it can be performed live (All At Once and Look After You particularly) and that bands like that actually do tour. The album runs the gamut of tender piano ballads to piano rock songs and they all sound very polished and very piano. It contains so many great songs that you might as well listen to the whole thing.

4. The Strokes - First Impressions Of Earth
A strong, well crafted album of rock songs that still retain that Strokes touch, even if they've broadened their sound. I love their stuff because many songs have such a brooding mood to it, like a pissed off cougar waiting to pounce. When they do pounce, the speakers explode with guitars and genuine aggression. Juicebox is a terrific example and the best damn track on the record.

5. Eskimo Joe - Black Fingernails, Red Wine
I've still been quietly lamenting the loss of quaint little indie Eskimo Joe who made Girl, one of the albums that got me interested in the Australian music scene in the first place, while still paying my dues to the efforts of the more songwriting (or dare I say it: hit) concious Eskimo Joe. This album sounds more designed for a big live arena (take Comfort You, Beating Like A Drum or the title track for example), but also designed to please the masses that'd fill that arena. While Kav can keep writing those choruses that so many of us love to sing, they'll remain a player and keep winning more fans. Simple as that.

My Top 10 Albums of 2006: #6-10

6. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Finally they hit the big time! Eyes Open has all the elements of their brilliant third album Final Straw and merely elaborates them a bit more, as bands do when they grow in stature. Gary Lightbody's lyrics and vocals are as clever and as relevant as ever and the band supports him well. It's got a few of those wank/epic tracks, Open Your Eyes and Shut Your Eyes (was that deliberate?), which push my buttons in a good way, but I could listen to the less heralded tracks Headlights On Dark Roads and It's Beginning To Get To Me all day too.

7. The Rapture - Pieces Of The People We Love
By about September, I was looking for an album with a good blend of rock elements with a dancefloor/electro feel, something in the vein of Jamiroquai or Datarock, and was wondering where I'd find it. Both of the albums' main tracks, Get Myself Into It and the title track, had been on my rotation for a month, so I took a stab at the album and was greatly rewarded. It's a good one for Summer, as some might say. Mind you, it's not for everyone, especially if you can't stand the high pitch of the singing.

8. Kasabian - Empire
I'd heard about these guys a few years back as one of the next wave of UK bands to try and take on the world. I understand why. Empire got me from the first listen, just before Christmas! That means I can't give a longevity guarantee, but it might a few spots lower on the list to counter-balance that. If you like indie rock, spin Shoot The Runner, Empire, Stuntman and The Doberman and that should cover the spectrum of it...and all brilliantly.

9. Muse - Black Holes And Revelations
While Muse took this album in a less familiar direction, their songwriting skills haven't gone far. Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight, Knights Of Cydonia and Exo-Politics all strike the listener. In their softer moments, they tread water at times (Invincible sounds like a soppy Olympic theme) but end up regaining your interest. Black Holes And Revelations is by no means up there with their last album Absolution, but it's a great album and it sounds even better live, I assure you!

10. The Matches - Decomposer
#10 was a tough position to fill. So many decent albums, but ultimately disappointing compared to their predecessors. Instead I filled this final slot with a record that pleasantly surprised me. I've only recently got on board this album, but it truly sounds unique and I'm happy to call it the punk release of 2006. The Matches have their own musical style that makes it tough to listen to (more on this in a future Top 5) but once you appreciate the subtleties, like the witty one-liner lyrics, Decomposer emerges as a top-10 worthy record. They brought in 9 producers for these 13 tracks (with no more than one producer per track), but it doesn't sound like a mish mash, as each song manifests an energy of its own. A band willing to push some boundaries deserves some props.