Because this is one of those odd weeks where almost nothing of consequence is on the release schedule and it happens to fall smack-dab in the middle of the year, it is the perfect opportunity to look back at the previous half-year's releases to highlight the best that music has had to offer. My rules are simple: no live albums, no compilations. One pleases almost only die-hards, one is almost only meant for casual fans and there's no need to take up space on a list for them.

In alphabetical order — because it's too early to really rank 'em — the 13 best and brightest of 2006... so far

Built To Spill - You In Reverse: You just don't think of too many great guitarist in indie-rock. It's practically built into the genre to not emphasize your skills. So what a refreshing treat a band like Built To Spill is where they most definitely fall into that meaningless "indie rock" category (since they are on Warner Bros.) and guitarist/singer Doug Martsch can absolutely wail. Marsch hails from the Neil Young school of guitar and uses every opportunity to squeeze out beautiful squeals of solos that manage to remain tasteful and yet still get your blood pumping. You In Reverse isn't anything shockingly new from the band, but it sums up them in one perfect, extremely satisfying album of new music.

Calexico - Garden Ruin: Calexico's trademark southwestern flare has been toned down quite a bit with this album, allowing the songwriting to take the spotlight in a way it never has. A quiet outing, Garden Ruin needs time to plant its roots in the listener, however. Where previous albums grabbed attention because of their cinematic drama, Garden Ruin finds the band somber and introspective. The horn section, such an aggressive and thrilling part of the music in the past, finds itself functioning more as a textural element here. Like all of the elements fans love about Calexico, they are all present in Garden Ruin - they will just take some digging to reveal. The work is worth it.

Cheap Trick - Rockford: Easily my number 1 pick for best album of the year right now, Rockford never lets me down. There's not a bad moment on the entire disc, in fact the band seems to act as if the dark days of the mid-late 80s never occurred - it's as if they picked up where Next Position Please left off. Rockford is fresh, invigorating, and surprisingly new sounding from a band that shouldn't have any right to sound this excited about playing music 30 years into their career.