1. Tom Waits - "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards" A three-CD set that does more than any greatest hits album could ever do for this incredibly versatile artist. The collection spans his career through rarities, covers, B-sides and a few new tracks dating back to the mid-1980s. The set includes ragged balladry, stripped-down blues and just plain bizarre tracks.
2. Damien Jurado - "And Now That I'm in Your Shadow"
This West Coast singer/songwriter's quiet and somber release is both vivid and articulate. Jurado's lyrics have never been this consistently beautiful until "Shadow."
3. M. Ward - "Post-War" Matt Ward changes pace with his latest disc, trading his usual gentle sound for a more abrupt approach. "Post-War" demonstrates his ability to change and manipulate his sound, making him one of today's most innovative solo artists.
4. Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood - "Out Louder" Jazz music continues to blossom and develop in the notes of this outstanding jazz trio. It's been 10 years since they last teamed up with jazz guitarist John Scofield, but they're back together on this year's best jazz disc.
5. Six Organs of Admittance - "The Sun Awakens"
Guitarist Ben Chasny blends folk, raga, psychedelic and blues sounds with distorted guitars and eerie vocals on "Sun." The production is incredible, giving all instruments and Chasny's every breath room to evolve and resonate.
6. Joanna Newsom - "Ys" The latest from this classically trained harpist listens like an audio book with gorgeous imagery and magnificent melodies. Her voice is both shrill and tender as she leads us through the creative walls of her mind.
1. Pearl Jam - "Severed Hand" This one is kind of a personal choice. I'd been ready to write off PJ for a few years now because the last couple of albums were subpar, and the band is the most likely reason Nickelback exists. But my boys from Seattle made 2006 the year they reinvented a genre they helped invent, and "Severed Hand" is one of those songs that makes me want to drive really fast.
2. The Knife - "Silent Shout" Great beat, very dance-clubby, with an air of mystery to the people behind the instruments.
3. Beck - "Cellphone's Dead" While Beck is aging at the same pace as the rest of us, I don't think he got the memo. His new album, "The Information," is as fresh as anything off "Odelay" or "Mellow Gold."
4. Camera Obscura - "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken"
If I had a guilty pleasure pick, this would be it. Tracyanne Campbell is the hipster version of Gwen Stefani. She has one of the hottest voices out there.
5. TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me" TV On the Radio might be the coolest band on the planet, and this song is the perfect example of why that's a fair statement to make.
6. Joanna Newsom - "Emily" This song is 12 minutes long and definitely not for the casual music fan. But the tune is filled with texture, only has two choruses and has one of the most compelling outros to a song I've ever heard.
1. "Babel" A powerful, visually stunning portrayal of pain and suffering. As it drifts between four stories, we are exposed to the gamut of human emotions, and the movie is wise enough to provide a cathartic break of the waves at the right time, with the right character. Hopeful yet mournful, it's the right film for soul-weary times.
2. "Inside Man" A classy, stylish genre film that manages to pack a precise social critique on appearances - racial and otherwise - into a basic heist picture. If you saw it once and you liked it, watch it again for the sly asides and its observant camera.
3. "Superman Returns" Roaring, triumphant, visual poetry that recalls Stanley Kubrick. A comic book movie that's not about the psychology of our brains, but the fate of our souls.
4. "The Fountain" More echoes of Kubrick. A literary science fiction romance that builds, in its final 10 minutes, into one bravura piece of cinema. Confounding and sensual.
5. "Little Miss Sunshine" An incisive critique on success and beauty in America. Audacious, genuinely funny and, yeah, a little sappy. The cheers it gets, it earns.
6. "Flags of Our Fathers" Clint Eastwood's admirable, revisionist war film about the planting of the flag on Iwo Jima. More clinical than dramatic, its humility and austerity weigh heavy on the viewer. It's a thinker.
1. "Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" Only in video games does being an elf boy in green tights make you bad. The greatest franchise in gaming gets even better on the Nintendo Wii with a great control scheme that makes for a more immersive gaming experience. Nintendo sure took its time releasing this masterpiece, but it was well worth the wait. It's no contest. This is the game of the year for 2006.
2. "Gears of War" Great graphics, intense action, a whole new type of shooter. Plus, you can't go wrong with chainsaw bayonets.
3. "Guitar Hero II" Giving the musically challenged a second chance to be a rock star.
4. "F.E.A.R." (Xbox 360) Supernatural shooter makes the jump from PC and leaves bloody footprints on the Xbox 360. Who knew psychics, clones and creepy little girls could be so much fun?
5. "Call of Duty 3" Because killing Nazis never gets old.
6. "Titan Quest" "Diablo II" meets Greek mythology? Phat lootz, here I come.
1. Blue Orchid (129 N. 10th St.)
Almost a year after opening, I continue to hear reports of long waits at the Blue Orchid. It serves exquisite Thai food in a marvelous atmosphere. An excellent classy date place. Recommendation: ranang curry
2. Paul's BBQ (4724 Pioneers Blvd.)
Paul Nevels has been smoking his wonderful barbecued meats for years, beginning with a smoker parked outside to the Zoo Bar to his new sit-down place in South Lincoln. The smoker is running non-stop to keep up with demand. Recommendation: brisket sandwich
3. Thé Cup (643 S. 25th St., Ste. 7)
Organic desserts, panini made with fresh ingredients and a huge selection of teas have hurled this café into Lincoln's top four (The Mill, The Coffee House, Mo Java). Recommendation: mozzarella, basil, tomato and pesto panino with prosciutto.
4. Jerusalem Bakery (254 S. 19th St.)
Where else can you get authentic cuisine from both the Middle East and Central America? What started as an El Salvadoran woman's bakery has morphed into a joint venture with her Iraqi husband. Bizarre yet first-rate. Recommendation: pupusas and empanadas de piña
5. Doughboyz Bistro (5520 S. 56th St.)
This pizzeria makes thin-crust, New York-style pies. It stands out by using cornmeal in its homemade dough. The toppings list is impressive and the atmosphere is perfectly situated between "family-friendly" and "bar-like." Recommendation: El Chingón (topped with feta, mozzarella, cheddar, fajita chicken, cilantro, tomatoes and thin strips of corn chips).
6. Bennigan's (8701 Andermatt Dr.)
This one sneaked onto the list after its better-than-average performance in the Reuben review. No, Bennigan's is not remotely Irish, but two-hour trainings make sure the barkeeps know how to pour a Guinness better than anyone else in town. Recommendations: the monte cristo (deep-fried club sandwich topped with powdered sugar).
1. "The Passing Zone" Jon Wee and Owen Morse make up the duo that is known as The Passing Zone. They juggle, they perform skits, and they're hilarious. The show was entertaining and some of the most fun I've had in a theater setting this fall. Their performances are well put together, well performed and much appreciated as the best show of this season.
2. "Rent" It's everyone's favorite musical, including mine, and this season's production of it at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th and R streets, was just as fun, upbeat, entertaining and energetic as always.
3. "Getting Away With Murder" I jumped. I stifled screams. I laughed. I had a great time at this Lincoln Community Playhouse production.
4. "Nocturne" Adam Rapp's touching story about a man's discovery of himself through tragedy broke my heart and repaired it in the same two hours. I left feeling solemn but hopeful, inspired by the terrific performances of Lincoln's own Matt Lukasiewicz and Summer Widhalm.
5. "Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World" Theatrix's first show of the season took us on a powerful journey that explored life, love and the power of friendship.
6. "Judevine" The first University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Mainstage production of this season was a complex story about the human condition. It had its weak moments, but the show offered a heartfelt, touching hope about humanity that is unforgettable.
