I’ve had this list done for awhile, but couldn’t find time to put together a post. For the sake of getting back in this particular saddle, I’m going to post the list with minimal commentary and try to get back on track with regular listening/listing.

ALBUMS

1. Have Moicy! — Michael Hurley, the Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffrey Fredericks & the Clamtones: Bicentennial, bicoastal, bohemian bluegrass and jug-band blues summit meeting as a self-contained hoodoo bash of love, death, food, crime sprees, trips to Paris, cunnilingus, backseat gophers and sundry other subjects. Recorded in two days and one of the most-played albums in my household over the past 20 years. Warning: You might hate this. Rallying cry: “Life is short. Art is long.”
2. The Wild Tchoupitoulas: The Wild Tchoupitoulas: By contrast: You will like this record. A sort of apotheosis of New Orleans music and one of the records I’m most likely to reach for in a group when I want something I’m sure everyone will enjoy.
3. The Ramones — The Ramones
4. Howlin’ Wind – Graham Parker: The missing link between Van Morrison and Elvis Costello.
5. Another Green World — Eno
6. Songs in the Key of Life — Stevie Wonder: With the possible exception of Wonder-inheritor Prince, there may not be a modern R&B musician who so fully absorbed the variety of the black music canon. If Songs in the Key of Life isn’t his best album — the consensus is that it is, but I slightly prefer both Innervisions and Talking Book — it’s the ultimate testament to his range and command across this culture.  
7. The Modern Lovers — The Modern Lovers
8. Changesonebowie — David Bowie: I’ve always preferred Bowie one piece at a time, and this collects most of what I’d deem essential.
9. Night Moves — Bob Seger: All Chuck’s children are still out here playing his licks.
10. Kate & Anna McGarrigle — Kate & Anna McGarrigle
11. Heat Treatment — Graham Parker: A little bit harder, but also a little less memorable than the debut. A little.
12. On the Loose — Hi Rhythm: Al Green’s ace backing back doing its own thing while Green and Willie Mitchell are away, and breaking all the rules. This batch of freak-flag funk — sort of like Sly Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On if it were motivated by playfullness instead of bitterness — starts with an anthem called “Black Rock,” ends with a bit of carnal comic relief called “Skinny Dippin’” and is both an oddball indulgence and a total charmer from beginning to end. But you’ll have to decide for youself whether the gently mocking “Superstar” is about Green.
13. Mothership Connection — Parliament
14. Marcus Garvey — Burning Spear
15. Alone Again — George Jones
16. In the Dark –Toots & the Maytals: I’ve seen four different years listed for this. It’s terrific whenever it came out and I’m just going to put it here.
17. Black and Blue — Rolling Stones
18. Full of Fire — Al Green
19. Station to Station — David Bowie
20. Blondie — Blondie
21. Collector’s Item — Harold Melvin & Blue Notes
22. Tryin’ Like the Devil — James Talley
23. Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band — Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
24. Midnight Son — Son Seals
25. Gimme Back My Bullets — Lynyrd Skynyrd

SINGLES

1. “Gloria” — Patti Smith
2. “Blitzkrieg Bop” — The Ramones
3. “Anarchy in the UK” — The Sex Pistols
4. “Police and Thieves” — Junior Murvin
5. “Misty Blue” — Dorothy Moore
6. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” — Thelma Houston
7. “One Piece at a Time” — Johnny Cash
8. “Night Moves’ — Bob Seger
9. “Kiss and Say Goodbye” — The Manhattans
10. “Baby I Love You So” — Jacob Miller/“King Tubby’s Meets Rockers Uptown” — Augustus Pablo
11. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” — Blue Oyster Cult
12. “Say You Love Me” — Fleetwood Mac
13. “Are They Gonna Make Us Outlaws Again?” — James Talley
14. “You Left the Water Running’ — Otis Redding
15. “More Than a Feeling” — Boston
16. “Hold Back the Night’ — The Trammps
17. “I’m Still Waiting” — Delroy Wilson
18. “Golden Ring” — George Jones & Tammy Wynette
19. “Love Hangover” — Dianna Ross
20. “Book of Rules” — The Heptones
21. “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker” — Parliament
22. “Rhiannon” — Fleetwood Mac
23. “Turn the Beat Around” — Vicki Sue Robinson
24. “Let’s Start the Dance” — Hamilton Bohannan
25. “Hurt” — Elvis Presley
26. “Cokane in My Brain” — Dillinger
27. “Wake Up Everybody” — Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
28. “Main Street” — Bob Seger
29. “I Love Music” — O’Jays
30. “I Don’t Want to Go Home” — Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
31. “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” — Paul Simon
32. “Dream On” — Aerosmith
33. “War in a Babylon” — Max Romeo
34. “Crazy on You” — Heart
35. “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” — The Tavares
36. “You Sexy Thing” — Hot Chocolate
37. “The Boys Are Back in Town’ — Thin Lizzy
38. “Slow Ride — Foghat
39. “Golden Years” — David Bowie
40. “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” — The Four Seasons

MOVIES

Looking at movies from 1976, I weep at all the titles I’ve been meaning to track down for years and still haven’t gotten to: Harlan County USA, Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000, Kings of the Road, Mikey and Nicky, The Missouri Breaks, The Shootist, Small Change. All a reminder that I need to stop spending my decreasing viewing time on binge-y television. Since doing a Top 10 for 1976 would be a little too close to “here are all the movies I’ve seen from this year that I like,” I’ll keep it to five sure shots:

1. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese)
2. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (John Cassavetes)
3. All the President’s Men (Alan Pakula)
4. Assault on Precinct 13 (John Carpenter)
5. The Bad News Bears (Michael Ritchie)