Picks of 2006: The songs in my head

Since ATR is a blog predicated on evaluation, consideration, science and gleeful rants, I thought it only appropriate that I write a series of lists celebrating the best stuff I've experienced in 2006. I decided to start today with the 15 (yeah, that should do it) best songs I've heard all year. These aren't all singles, they aren't all easy to find, but they're all Andrew-certified awesome. Instead of a straightforward review of each song, I've written a poorly formed tanka about each of them. I chose tanka because it's longer and less played out than haiku, yet infinitely more easy to write than, say, sonnets. I found a happy medium and went with it. So, onto the list!

15. My Chemical Romance -- The Black Parade
A&R polished,
ready for mass consumption;
yet the rocking shines
through any prediliction
toward SoundScan and teenage lust

14. Eagles of Death Metal -- I Gotta Feeling (Just Nineteen)
Cheesy on purpose
but oh, so masterfully done.
Guitars crunch, words whine;
a tale of girls too young for
a taste of death metal love

13. Clipse -- Ride Around Shining
Dirty words and drums,
skittering and twinkling with
piano; I find
these are rappers who only
wish to blow out your speakers

12. John Mayer -- The Heart Of Life
Yeah that John Mayer,
he released quite a wonder
of an album, this
song soars and trickles into
your heart like a new romance

11. Hot Chip -- Boy From School
Throbbing, pulsing beats
through two-part harmony and
infectious writing
synergize for benefit
of dance: DFA kids slay

10. Curumin -- Guerreiro
In a foreign tongue
but the funk is familiar;
Spanish guitar, rap,
techno and something quite like
Beck at his musical peak

9. Josh Ritter -- Lillian, Egypt
An artist known for
calm brings crashing tale of fame
through the prism of
time, churning piano and
slapping drums to great effect

8. Scritti Politti -- Snow in Sun
Voice rings anodyne
chimes sing out an urban tale
of winter and man's
unflappable affections, true
love dies not with the first frost

7. Gnarls Barkley -- Just a Thought
When musicians can
make suicide sound funky,
it makes me think we
ought to come up with a new
warning sticker for CDs

6. J Dilla -- Love (ft. Pharoahe Monch)
A master left life
as he did leave his music:
Incomplete and yet
full of meaning and beauty.
Pharoahe Monch rips this apart

5. Outkast -- Morris Brown
Marching bands doing
rap always made me giggle,
but here trumpets, drums
and Big Boi lyrics meet in
the year's most bumpin' single

4. Phoenix -- Courtesy Laughs
Dunk, dunk, dunk, dunk, dunk
goes the bassline, guitars chime
along in perfect
pop-rock inflection with a
hint of indie cred to boot

3. Rhymefest -- Dynomite
Incredible rhymes
by a man truly possessed
by the beat; he's got
my vote for next best
rapper alive ... sorry Wayne

2. The Format -- Time Bomb
A revelation
courtesy of Pandora,
possibly the most
addictive song I've ever heard;
Go buy this album today

1. Justin Timberlake -- My Love
The first time, like love:
fantastic and sweeping joy.
But unlike with love
I find no heartbreak in the
craft of Mister Timberlake