Five at a time, playing favorites

Sing a song of sexy/suicide/escape/division/romance. But don't take it too personally.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The end of the year means it's time to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of 2006. The following is a best-of list that you may wholeheartedly agree with or feel anger towards. Either way, don't dwell on it. 2007 is upon us, with plenty more opportunities for inspiration and disappointment.
BEST SONGS
Mates of State "Running Out" from "Bring it Back" (Barsuk)
This indie pop duo takes off its shiny gloves for cathartic conflict that breaks into insidiously addictive dissonance. Easily, the best song the twosome ever recorded.
Pearl Jam "World Wide Suicide" from "Pearl Jam" (J Records)
It's 1991 all over again, as the Republican guard fuels Eddie Vedder's ire in this political ball breaker. Here's a protest song worth repeating.
Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" from "St. Elsewhere" (101)
There's no way this ubiquitous track is overrated. Crazy indeed describes this smooth, soulful, old school, new school, funky, crunchy delight. Gnarls Barkley, the round mound of melodic urban sound.
My Chemical Romance "Welcome to the Black Parade" from "The Black Parade"(Reprise)
With the unforgettable songwriting of a modern day Queen, My Chemical Romance comes of age in magnificent mini-suite fashion. The first of many hits to come from these emo kings.
Justin Timberlake "Sexyback" from "FutureSex/LoveSounds" (Jive)
Out of the box, Justin makes it known his solo success on "Justified" wasn't a fluke. The dance floor didn't know what hit it when JT dropped this hit of 2006.
OVERRATED SONGS
Hinder "Lips of an Angel" from "Extreme Behavior" (Universal)
Geez, we get it. The Oklahoma City band was inspired by Poison, Telsa and Trixter. Perhaps it's the Nickelback aping that is most egregious and annoying.
The Fray "How to Save a Life" from "How to Save a Life" (Epic)
The first 1,000 times radio played this mid-tempo tune, it was actually enjoyable (or at least tolerable). But enough is enough, we're starting to wonder if saving a life is really worth it.
Fergie "Fergalicious" from "The Dutchess" (A & amp;M)
Kudos to this Black Eyed Pea for going solo from the pod, but this Salt'n'Pepa knockoff is nothing more than a producer's vision using Fergie's banal vocals.
Disturbed "Land of Confusion" from "Ten Thousand Fists" (Warner Bros.)
Did we really need a Genesis cover? The best part of the original was the puppet video. What's confusing is why a hard rock act would consider any Phil Collins-attached song cutting edge?
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Dani California" from "Stadium Arcadium"(Warner Bros.)
Do ya get the feeling, the Peppers are a stealing, from their own style of rhyming, with a quick pace timing. Makes me kind of dizzy and finally puts me in a tizzy.
BEST ALBUMS
Film School "Film School" (Beggars Banquet)
An alt rock guitar lover's sound with the perfect smattering of new wave influence, Film School's self-titled masterpiece is an underrated sonic, cinematic adventure you don't want to miss.
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead "So Divided" (Interscope)
Past opinions aside, this Texas band employs a "Sgt. Peppers"-like complexity to create an unmatched alt rock experience. Don't miss "Stand in Silence" and "Naked Sun."
TV on the Radio "Return to Cookie Mountain" (Interscope)
Truly original in a redundant world, this discordant mash-up of styles and sounds keeps your interest while simultaneously restoring your faith in music and blowing your mind.
Gwen Stefani "The Sweet Escape" (Interscope)
With street cred through the roof, No Doubt's Gwen Stefani provides a "Yummy" and "Sweet Escape" mash-up delight bouncing between chic hip hop and anthemic alt rock.
Pharrell "It's My Mind" (Interscope)
Years in the making, The Neptunes member Pharrell successfully enters solo waters with his smooth R & amp;B tip on "Take it off (Dim the Lights)" while showing of his funky side on "Our Father."
DISAPPOINTING ALBUMS
Outkast "Idlewild" (LaFace)
We're not sure what came and went faster, the duo's movie or the flick's soundtrack. While not completely a disaster, the mediocre album's biggest knock is its lack of a "Hey Ya."
Audioslave "Revelations" (Epic)
Unlike past incendiary albums, Audioslave's riff-based fortunes found the band bankrupt on "Revelations," with little new ground covered. Even guitarist Tom Morello's wah-wah jam "One and the Same" quickly grew tiresome.
The Who "Endless Wire" (Republic)
Sounding similar to another nondescript Pete Townsend solo album, "Endless Wire" felt more like a senior citizen wasteland for legends past their relevance than a new beginning for one of rock's greatest acts.
The Killers "Sam's Town" (Island)
This disappointing album from overly hyped Killers turned out to be more like a requiem for a one-hit wonder than a masterpiece, as the band contends. Nothing to fuss about here.
Train "For Me, It's You" (Columbia)
Remember Train? Unfortunately, "For Me, It's You" was more like for us, it's not them. You get the sense the clock has been ticking on this alt act since they started calling angels.