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I like the method, and agree with the sentiments, for the most part.
I didn’t listen to nearly as much of the 06 crop, but I offer a list anyway:

10. Decemberists: The Crane Wife.
Great album, and a much more complete band effort. This one sneaks in, despite the fact that I am not a fan and it hasn’t gotten as much attention as the others. But I have no choice but to acknowledge it!

9. The Strokes: First Impressions of Earth
Maturity is probably the first thing that comes to mind here. This is their best album to date, and one it seems like a lot of people cast aside. Hammond Jr and Valensi’s guitar work is unheralded. Again, First Impressions is not groundbreaking. But when a straightforward rock band gives you an album of their most proficient work, you take notice.

8. Maritime: We the Vehicles
Simply a very solid, catchy, mature, low-impact indie rock record from some guys who were in some other bands we’ve loved. It’s nothing profound, it just sits in the right spot. I listen to it over and over. Tracks: Trearing Up the Oxygen, Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts

7. Hot Chip: The Warning
I find The Warning to be the perfect UK counterpart to LCD Soundsystem. It maintains the same sort of cheekiness while coaxing the posterior into movement. Tracks: And I was a Boy from School, Over and Over

6. Grizzly Bear: Yellow House.
Completely haunting. Intriguing and delicate. Fascinating, and still unravelling. Tracks: Little Brother, On a Neck, On a Spit

5. Silversun Pickups: Carnavas.
You know, I have missed the Smashing Pumpkins. And while I was never a big fan of My Bloody Valentine, I think Silversun Pickups give us a very relevant repackaging of the wall of sound and angst of their predecessors; sort of an LA version. Tracks: Well thought out Twinkles, Lazy Eye

4. TV on the Radio: Return to Cookie Mountain
I think TVotR are ambitious, and this album is another progressive step forward. What really defines Cookie Mountain is the atmosphere of each song. The play between Adibimpe’s howls and the vast spaces between instruments and other toys is addicting. Tracks: Hours, A Method

3. Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America. I think everything has been said about this band and this album. Suffice it to say that they remind me of the place I love dearly and conjure high school/college nostalgia. Tracks: Chips Ahoy, Hot Soft Light

2. Mastodon: Blood Mountain. This album has it all, and frankly puts most other metal bands/albums to complete shame. Epic prog-metal composition, gargantuan riffage, mythical concept, and a sinuous beauty woven into its brutality. Tracks: Colony of Birchmen, Crystal Skull

1.
Band of Horses: Everything All the Time.
Extraordinarily rich guitar sounds with bright, dry vocals riding on top. It evokes Neil Young and Built to Spill in many ways, I think. The craftsmanship on ‘Everything’ is remarkable. But some incredibly emotionally charged beauties push this record to greatness. Tracks: The Funeral, The Great Salt Lake

The others:

Tapes ‘n Tapes: The Loon.
Just didn’t spend as much time on it as I would’ve liked. It’s awesome to see TnT having a huge year, though.
Pearl Jam: Eponymous.
A brilliant effort, just didn’t offer enough to better any of my top 10.
My Morning Jacket: Okonokos
Would’ve made the top 5 if it were actually new material. But since it’s still an 06 album, I’ll give it its due here. For newbies this is a great way to be introduced to MMJ; a greatest hits collection done live.
Thom Yorke: The Eraser.
Beaten out by much better albums. Nothing new here, but definitely a solid Thom Yorke effort. The Gestalt principle applies with him with respect to his better known musical endeavor.

Disappointments:

Helmet: Monochrome – A huge letdown after the semi-brilliant comeback, “Size Matters.” Total crap.
Jeremy Enigk: World Waits – We all want another Frog Queen, I guess. Great production does not a great album make.
Outkas: Idlewild – just too damn many songs. Condense it and give us one decent record, please.

Hello out there! Jeez — two “Best of …” posts and no comments? Fine, I’ll break the ice.

I too like the Great/Really-good/good format. Way to think outside the box, Moen. Not that you are still trapped in the box, J-me. Personally, I have no idea when many albums I’m listening to were actually released, and I have listened to only a fraction of the music discussed here. Nonetheless, I will attempt to cobble together my own G/RG/G format list for that sake of participation.

Great
Band of Horses
TV on the Radio
The Hold Steady

Really Good
Maritime
Hot Chip
Mastodon
The Strokes

Good
The Walkmen
Thom Yorke
Wolfmother

Hooray for adding Destroyer. A very good album, indeed. I feel like I got my hands on half of the year-end contenders in just the last couple of weeks (thanks to someone), so my top ten list while likely swell and change in the next month. For now, though, here are my top 10 for the year.

1. Decemberists – The Crane Wife
They maybe, just maybe became my favorite band with this album. I absolutely love it. My second favorite of all time.

2. Belle and Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
Their best album in a decade, but they’ll never again be as transcendent as their first two albums and early EPs.

3. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America
Damn if they haven’t made me like a type of music that I don’t like. I love their swagger and their Mpls stories.

4. Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies
I liked Bejar’s NP songs, but I had no idea he made his own albums and that they were so great.

5. The Mountain Goats – Get Lonely
Not quite another Sunset Tree, but this understated gem really gets the emptiness of being alone. I love Darnielle’s lyricism.

6. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – Ballad of the Broken Sea
I really didn’t think Isobel had anything like this in her. I thought she’d just make sing-songy twee after leaving Stuart. This album is a revelation.

7. Math and Physics Club – Math and Physics Club
After two stand-out EPs last year, Seattle’s version of the Lucksmiths gave us a stellar full-length this year. As Cold As Minnesota, indeed.

8. Band of Horses – Everything All The Time
This is a thoroughly solid piece of rock. It never developed a personality for me, but I liked it. And I love that they used to be Carissa’s Wierd. Good year for Seattle.

9. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat
Oh, that voice. It can sing just about anything and sound right.

10. Camera Obscura – Let’s Get Out Of This Country
Like a welcome time warp, this album is sugar and spice and everything nice…except when it is not.

Everyone else overslept! Sounds like I’m gonna have to give TV on the Radio more than one cursory listen.