Had you asked me five years ago what I'd expect to come out of a year that produced albums by both Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton, Iwould have been a bit confused as to who Kevin Federline or Paris Hilton was. But, ask me a year ago, and Iprobably would have answered, "Not a whole heck of a lot."Admittedly, I also would probably have been a bit confused as to who you were, and why you were asking me the question. Just tell him Future Kelly says hello.

Regardless of the musical efforts of these tabloid heroes, 2006 had a lot to offer, musically. So now, join me in counting down from 10 to 1, as I rank my 10 favorite albums of the year.

10: Maritime, "We, The Vehicles" Ibelieve the schoolyard term for songs like these is "jaunty." This album bounces and hops in all the ways I'd like indie pop to do.

9: Blackpool Lights, "This Town's Disaster" I'm a sucker for a power pop album with killer hooks, and this is the one. It's sugary enough that your belly may ache should you delve into its contents too many times. But, if you're disciplined enough to limit its listens, you're rewarded with just the right amount of sweet.

8: Midlake, "The Trials of Van Occupanther" - Do you remember the '70s? I don't. But I've listened to Fleetwood Mac, so I know enough to appreciate Midlake's combination of vintage synth and lo-fi sound, which would sound just right floating on AM radio waves.

7: Brand New, "The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me" - Everybody's got that friend who, though he won't admit it, thinks he's dialed in just a little bit more to the human existence and feels things just a bit deeper than everyone else. Brand New's lead singer is surely one of these people. Still, the melodies are eloquent, the bassline and layered guitars surround me like a dark night, and the band continues its third artistic leap forward in three albums. Bravo to progress.

6: Deftones, "Saturday Night Wrist"Despite popular opinion, it was the Deftones who brought sexy back this year. After releasing the most seductive of metal in "White Pony" in 2000, they followed it up by a disappointing return to harsher tones on follow-up "Deftones."

On "Saturday Night Wrist,"they're back on the sultry side of the scale, and they're signaling for you to come hither. Accept the invitation.

5: Pearl Jam, "Pearl Jam" - I theorize Pearl Jam was trying too hard, its last two albums. It's the only rationalization Ican live with for "Binaural."

On "Pearl Jam,"the musicians seem to have finally remembered how to close their eyes and just let it all go. There's political content, but nothing's forced on this occasion. More importantly, I've got a new batch of sing-along anthems to go with my nostalgia for my disaffected adolescence.

4: Silversun Pickups, "Carnavas" - Sometimes you go to Portland, Ore., to visit good friends Nate and Sara. Sometimes, you go to a bar to hear some music up close and, sometimes, the opening band, Silversun Pickups, steals the show with its dreamy, psychedelic rock stylings. Sometimes, you buy that band's debut album and discover they're a scale version of Smashing Pumpkins that you don't have to share with legions of pasty kids who sulk too much.

These things happen. Sometimes.

3: TV On The Radio, "Return to Cookie Mountain" - The guitarist for TVOTR attaches a wind chime to the neck of his guitar while playing. I find this fascinating. Does he do this because he enjoys the added texture the chimes provide, but the band can't afford hiring the extra personnel to play this extra percussion? Or, does he just play better when you wave shiny objects in front of him, as if he were a cat?

Now, if Iwere a cat, this album would fascinate me more than an errant piece of string. Except for the seat-kicking, boot-tromping song of the year, "Wolf Like Me,"the album is all atmospheric, inner monologue that fits the term "shoegazer."Put on the headphones and dissect its layered anatomy as if it were a frog doused in formaldehyde.

2: The Thermals, "The Body, The Blood, And The Machine" - The Thermals figured out a formula that worked for them a long time ago that roughly boils down to "Loud, Fast, Rules,"but they flipped the format a bit on this release. The tempo has slowed, songwriting takes a turn, and the Thermals earned themselves expanded living conditions within my heart.

1: The Hold Steady, "Boys and Girls in America" - Life has the immaculate ability of punching you in the throat at all the wrong times. The Hold Steady knows that. So, as piano and guitar build to open "Stuck Between Stations," it sounds as inspiring as the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics, and you, the listener, know that this is one band that wants you to feel better.

This album travels every emotional extreme you will hit the next time you go for end-of-the-day martinis with your co-workers. Start inspirational, get to dancing in the streets during "Hot Soft Light,"get all morose with "First Night,"and by the time you wake up disoriented in the "Chillout Tent,"you'll know the best album of the year just ran roughshod over you.

Not seeing your favorite album of the year in my list?It's not because Idon't respect your opinion. I like you; we're friends. It's just that 10 is a finite number, and I can only fit so many albums within its framework. You can combine your opinions with my own into a huge glob of goodness by leaving a comment at the end of this column, located at www.bismarcktribune.com, and voting for your favorite albums. Nothing tastes so good as civilized discourse.

(Reach columnist Kelly Hagen at 250-8259 or kelly.hagen@;bismarcktribune.com. His column runs on Fridays.)