I GOTCHER CRITIC'S POLE RIGHT HERE

I was asked to participate in both major music critics' polls for 2006, because I'm in with the in crowd like that. I submitted the exact same ballot to both. Here 'tis:

Amon Amarth, With Oden On Our Side (Metal Blade)
Celtic Frost, Monotheist (Century Media)
Ornette Coleman, Sound Grammar (Sound Grammar)
Decapitated, Organic Hallucinosis (Earache)
Deicide, The Stench Of Redemption (Earache)
The Melvins, A Senile Animal (Earache)
Napalm Death, Smear Campaign (Century Media)
Razor X Productions, Killing Sound (XL)
Various Artists, Total 7 (Kompakt)
David S. Ware, BalladWare (Thirsty Ear)

This differs slightly from the Top 10 I sent to The Wire for their upcoming January 07 issue, which ran as follows:

Celtic Frost, Monotheist (Century Media)
Ornette Coleman, Sound Grammar (Sound Grammar)
Decapitated, Organic Hallucinosis (Earache)
Deicide, The Stench Of Redemption (Earache)
The Melvins, A Senile Animal (Earache)
Naçao Zumbi, Futura (Trama/Circular Moves)
Nachtmystium, Instinct: Decay (Battle Kommand/Southern Lord)
Razor X Productions, Killing Sound (XL)
Various Artists, Total 7 (Kompakt)
David S. Ware, BalladWare (Thirsty Ear)

Then there was the Global Rhythm Top 10, which was chosen half by me and half by my co-editor. Here's that run-down:

Ali Farka Touré, Savane (Nonesuch)
Thomas Mapfumo, Rise Up (Real World)
Cibelle, The Shine Of Dried Electric Leaves (Six Degrees)
Mariem Hassan, Deseos (Nubenegra)
Nuru Kane, Sigil (World Music Network)
Marisa Monte, Universo Ao Meu Redor/Infinito Particular (Metro Blue)
Rosa Passos, Rosa (Telarc)
Patrice LaRose/Julia Sarr, Set Luna (No Format/Sunnyside)
Gigi, Gold & Wax (Palm Pictures)
NOMO, New Tones (Ubiquity)

I will also be filing a ballot for Francis Davis's Voice jazz critics' poll, which will likely differ substantially from all the lists above (though it, too, will contain nods to Coleman and Ware). When I finish that one up, I'll post it here, too. (Too bad I can't vote for all the great shit I've downloaded from Church Number 9 and Nothing Is in the past few months. Julius Hemphill's Dogon A.D. is probably my real jazz album of the year.)