The end of the year means it’s time for me to list my favorite CDs from the past twelve months.

Air – Talkie Walkie
See my post from February 20.

The Dandy Warhols – Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
Better late than never. This album was released four years ago and I don’t know where I was then, but I’m sure glad I found it this year. It’s easy to hear the band’s Brit-pop influences, but their sound is unique and edgy, painting musical pictures you want to hear over and over. My favorite musical discovery of the year.

The Delays – Faded Seaside Glamour
Details can be found on my June 17 post.

Steve Earle – The Revolution Starts Now
This is the best Steve Earle album since his 1997 release, El Corazon. There is a lot to like here, the progressive politics, his sense of humor, the “tell it like it is” attitude, not to mention the music and songwriting. Here’s hoping the revolution starts now. I’m with you Steve.

Green Day – American Idiot
A punk band with a concept album? A rock opera no less? It works and is their best album in ten years.

Los Lobos – Ride This: The Covers EP
On this companion EP to their full length album, The Ride, Los Lobos covers songs from the artists who were guests on The Ride. While that CD is a solid piece of work, I thought Ride This (even at a short 29 minutes) was one of the best discs of the year. Los Lobos has a talent for covers that other bands don’t have. Their versions of Tom Waits “Jockey Full of Bourbon,” Elvis Costello’s “Uncomplicated” and Richard Thompson’s “Shoot Out The Light” are especially good.

Social Distortion – Sex Love & Rock n Roll
After eight years without a new studio release, Mike Ness and his band mates prove that rock and roll is not dead. This CD includes my favorite song of the year, “Winners and Losers.”

Are you happy now with all the choices you’ve made?
Are there times in life when you know you should have stayed?
Will you compromise and then realize the price is too much to pay?
Winners and losers, which one will I be today?

U2 – How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
U2 may not be breaking any new ground with this album but they can still make excellent music. The band’s musicianship (and Edge’s guitar playing in particular) seems to get better with each release.