| Author | Message | ||
     kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1194 Registered: 05-2005 |
Well its nearly December, and Uncut published theirs about 3 weeks ago so I reckon its time for us to post our albums of the year. When I thought about what to include in mine I was struggling a bit, for me its not been a vintage year. No doubt as this thread grows I'll see an album that I forgot to put in, but anyway here's my 10. Hot Chip - The Warning Drive By Truckers - A Blessing and a Curse Midlake - Trials of Vanoccupanther Tom Waits - Orphans Kode9/Spaceape - Memories of the Future Pernice Brothers - Live a Little TV on the Radio - Cookie Mountain Scritti Pollitti - White Bread Black Beer Thom Yorke - The Eraser The Roots - Game Theory For reissues its Reggae all the way. Yabby You - Deliver Me From My Enemies Two compilations on the Pressure Sounds label: More Pressure and Life Goes In Circles Trojan Rockers Box Set Studio One Roots Vol2 Freddie McGregor - Bobby Bobylon Sugar Minott - The Roots Lover Big Youth - Screaming Target Black Uhuru - Black Sounds of Freedom Studio One DJs Vol2 | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1214 Registered: 03-2006 |
Tom Waits - Orphans (I'm tempted to just type that out 10 times instead of listing other artists) Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere Midlake - Trials of Van Watchacallit Lindsey Buckingham - Under the Skin Pernice Bros. - Live a Little Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (God, that's fun to type) Bob Dylan - Modern Times (it's a close tie between this and the Waits for my absolute fave of the year) T-Bone Burnett - The True False Identity N.Y. Dolls - One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This Johnny Cash - American V: 100 Highways Reissues: Billy Bragg - Vol. II Luna - Best of Frank Sinatra: Vegas The Beatles - Love Pogues - Complete Catalog (of when they were good) Pete Townshend - Chinese Eyes Louis Armstrong - The Wonderful World of What It Is! - Rare & Funky Soul Grooves R.E.M. - And I Feel Fine Steve Reich - Phases Special Category - Artist Most Fun to Talk About: Red Sovine | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1195 Registered: 05-2005 |
Damn, forgot Sonic Youth. Strike Scritti off my list. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 955 Registered: 04-2005 |
Here's my not so imaginative list, with the caveat I still have a month to hear more releases and/or change my mind: Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies 50 Foot Wave - Free Music (just an EP, admittedly) Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped Beck - The Information Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You... Neko Case - Fox Confessor Bob Dylan - Modern Times Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther (a grower) Alejandro Escovedo - The Boxing Mirror Tom Verlaine - Around (good to have him back) Special award to TV on the Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain for being the only CD of the year that alternatingly makes me want to celebrate it as an innovative breakthrough and want to break it in half because so much of it is senselessly annoying and tuneless. There are at least two tracks that are more effective torture music than Metal Machine Music. Quite an accomplishment. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1015 Registered: 05-2005 |
Beck and Midlake. Wasn't Tom V last year, maybe not. Maria Kelaniemi - Bellow Poetry. Blue Aeroplanes - Altitude. The Concubines e.p. (almost an album!) Spike Priggen - there's no sound in flutes. Malcolm Ross - Wrong time wrong place. Josef K Entomology. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 956 Registered: 04-2005 |
Spence, the two Verlaine albums are copyright 2006, so they count. But you made me realize that I typed the wrong one--I meant "Songs and Other Things," not the instrumental album "Around." | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 141 Registered: 08-2006 |
In no particular order: Bob Dylan - Modern Times The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon Todd Snider - The Devil You Know Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra – Boulevard de l'Indépendance Ghostface Killah - Fishscale Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid... Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped Tom Zé - Estudando O Pagode Prince - 3121 | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 322 Registered: 01-2005 |
Also in no order: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - Ole! Tarantula Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood Pernice Brothers - Live a Little Decemberists - The Crane Wife Bob Dylan - Modern Times The Rapture - Pieces Of People We Love Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs - Show Your Bones Shawn Colvin - These Four Walls Mindy Smith - Long Island Shore Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit By I have yet to pick up the new Yo La Tengo, Joanna Newsom, Sonic Youth, and T-Bone, some of which could make my list. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1217 Registered: 03-2006 |
I'm reminded, reading other folks' lists of some I left off, so I'll have to add, as also-rans, the new Beck (extraordinary), the Neko Case, and perhaps worthiest of all, the Hold Steady record which was well nigh impossible to quit playing. Something about the catchiness of the tunes and the pithiness of the lyrics. In a way, I had to play it a lot just to purge it from my psyche. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1196 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Hold Steady and Decemberists albums have not had a UK release yet, which is strange because as myself and LK have noted here many times the UK seems to get most albums either the same day, or weeks(sometimes)months before the US. I bought both albums on import,but did not include them because they will be in contention for next years list, although to be honest, so far only The Hold Steady would have made my 10 - The Decemberists is good but not great. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1219 Registered: 03-2006 |
That's weird, Kevin - didn't realize that. I would think both groups have big followings overseas. In short, sounds like their records companies have f-ed up. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1197 Registered: 05-2005 |
LK- The Decemberists are on Capitol in the US and Rough Trade in the UK, the album must be imminent because a friend of mine recently received a copy from a mutual friend of both of us who works for Rough Trade in London. I can only assume that the gap in UK release is due to the big major label in the US riding roughshod over the UK indie and wanting maximum exposure to what is probably seen as a make or break release for this band. It might also be to do with touring commitments. The Hold Steady are on Vagrant in the US and I cant find out what label they are on in UK, at a guess it will also be Vagrant. I have a gut feeling there will be a big push for The Hold Steady when the album is released early next year, I read a few snippets in Mojo and Uncut that made me think that these mags are ready to give them the big hype. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 142 Registered: 01-2006 |
I don't think I've bought ten albums that were released this year but here are the ones I really like, some of the usuals.. Rather Ripped - Sonic Youth Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn & John The Information - Beck Best of Luna - Luna I'm not afraid of you - YLT Haven't got the Tom Waits one yet.... | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 58 Registered: 05-2005 |
M.Ward - Post-war Scritti Politti - White bread black beer Midlake - Trial of van occupanther YLT - I'm not afraid ... Lloyd Cole - Antidepressant Belle et Sebastian - The life of pursuit Artic Monkeys - Whatever... Morrissey - Rott But I still haven't listened to Shack, Hot chips, Pernice brothers, Drive by truckers etc. | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 41 Registered: 03-2006 |
Aberfeldy: Do Whatever Turns You On Anthony Atkinson: Loyalty Songs (great Australian songwriter) Arctic Monkeys (yeah, yeah, I know ....) Belle & Sebastian: The Life Pursuit Bob Dylan: Modern Times Camera Obscura: Let's Get Out Of This Country The Dears: Gang Of Losers The Decemberists: The Crane Wife Duels: The Bright Lights & What I Should Have Learned Ed Harcourt: The Beautiful Lie The Elected: Sun, Sun, Sun Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan: Ballad Of The Broken Seas Jarvis Cocker: Jarvis Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins: Rabbit Fur Coat Luke Haines: Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop The Mint Chicks: Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! (NZ) Morrissey: Ringleader Of The Tormentors The Nudie Suits: Sweetacres (NZ) Pernice Brothers: Live A Little The Pipettes: We Are The Pipettes The Reduction Agents: The Dance Reduction Agents (NZ) The Veils: Nux Vomica That's probably too many, isn't it? | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 143 Registered: 01-2006 |
and 'Dreamt for light years' - Sparklehorse | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 142 Registered: 08-2006 |
I have to check out that Pernice Brothers. I liked their last one, and the new disc has received a lot of mentions here. That and the Waits. Can't believe I haven't bought that yet. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 918 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'll post a more comprehensive list when I get a chance to think about it; but the no 1 is Bob Dylan's Modern Times. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 791 Registered: 03-2005 |
I'll give my list of Best Albums of 2006 in about 2010 or so. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 923 Registered: 05-2005 |
Lawrence, do you have any idea why Flying Nun's new box set is retailling at NZ$150? I'd love to get it but that's an outrageous price for a four-disc set. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 324 Registered: 01-2005 |
Randy, How's your Best Albums of 2002 coming along then? | ||
| John B. Member Username: John_b Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2006 |
In no order Bob Dylan - Modern Times The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home Placebo - Meds Kante - Die Tiere Sind Unruhig (obviously a German band) Potential candidates are Jarvis Cocker and Tom Waits, but I haven't had a chance to listen to those two albums yet | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 30 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hell's teeth, all I've been listening to most of the year is the Go-betweens! The best solution may be for Mr Mikkelsen just to burn his list (so to speak), skipping Aberfeldy - glad to see someone else likes them, are they famous yet? - Dylan, Moz, and Campbell/Lanagan which I somehow managed to get hold of, and send the copies direct to me, in time for Christmas, of course. And what's this about the Blue Aeroplanes?? They're back?? | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 794 Registered: 03-2005 |
My "problem" is that I'm so slow to get around to getting things and I get just as excited about "new" old things. For example, besides the Caroline Trettine I've been bugging everyone about, I'm really digging on Blue Aeroplanes' "Bop Art" right now. I do believe that "Fox Confessor" will be among 2006's best records for all time. It represents a significant step forward artistically for Neko Case. I get a huge kick out of the Campbell/Lanegan album but I doubt that it will ultimately rate as one of the best of the year. "Rather Ripped" is a good solid album I'd sure as hell be proud of, but one of the best for the year? I dunno . . . . The emotional baggage that comes with "American V" will never go away so it will probably remain one of the exceptional albums of this year. I know I've already said somewhere that I see "Life Pursuit" as well-crafted unimportant fluff. They're veering dangerously close to becoming this era's Culture Club. Not a candidate. I've already annoyed folks with my comments about YLT's album. It's actually a quite enjoyable "various artists" album. "Ole! Tarantula" is definitely a good Robyn Hitchcock album, but it doesn't honestly break new ground so I don't see it as one of the leaders for the year. I'd like to hear the Midlake record. Eventually. Ditto the Pernice Bros. record because I really like "Lovelier You." And the little snippets of M. Ward that I've heard have been promising. Are the Decemberists really that good? I haven't heard them. I confess to a huge prejudice against bands who get ad space on bus benches. I'll bet the Waits project qualifies for the status everyone is giving it, though I'm sure it will profit from editing. But, of course, I haven't heard it yet. Dylan? Ok, I haven't heard it but . . . . | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 969 Registered: 04-2005 |
Randy! Thanks for reminding me of the Campbell/Lanegan album. I'd forgotten that, and it would have made my top 10, even though it's not a masterpiece (nothing was this year, IMO). I'll knock the Verlaine album off my list to include it. By the way, the others here turned me on to Midlake. I think you'd probably like it. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1035 Registered: 05-2005 |
I echo Kurt Randy, its got something that no one else has, save for someone like Bonnie Prince Billy or Jeff Tweedy at his most pastoral. You'll dig it, it was you guys who got me into it. | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 325 Registered: 07-2005 |
For me the year has been more memorable for discoveries of older artists as opposed to new ones, for the new music, I liked the Midlake and Tom Waits most followed by: jarvis Lambchop Sonic Youth ( could be edited down though) Arctics-for their sheffield and Englishness Springsteen Neko Case Ron Sexsmith-Time Being Reissues and discoveries included Cale 1919 triffids-BSD (probably gave me the greatest listening pleasure) TVZ-nearly all of his (as beofer this year had only from a window) Bert Jancsh-new one and hist first 2 and of course my belated finding of The Fall,a real treasure trove to explore. Of course on lest we forgot Grant, John Peel, Joe Strummer and a few close associates and board members | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1038 Registered: 05-2005 |
I am gonna treat myself to the Tom Waits extravaganza, that wil probably go traight in by the sounds of it. Jerry, haven'theard the Lambchop since Nixon, any good? Here here for John and Joe too. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1204 Registered: 05-2005 |
Never thought I would say this, but Qs albums of the year are pretty interesting. There has definately been a shift towards the left field from Q this year, perhaps realizing that the "heavyweight" mags like Mojo and Uncut are still bogged down in the 60s. Unbelieveably, this months main feature in Mojo is that up and coming newbie Bobby Dylan. I reckon between Mojo and Uncut Dylan must have about 7 or 8 cover features this year. Anyway, amongst the albums of the year in Q Broken Social Scene, Burial,Junior Boys,Solomon Burke, Sparklehorse,Tom Waits, Scritti,Twilight Singers, Hot Chip, Lambchop, Aphex Twin, TV On The Radio, Neil Young,Cat Power, Johnny Cash, Thom Yorke,, Shack,Dylan and The Arctic Monkeys which is No 1 They also had the good taste to put Midlake at No21. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 982 Registered: 04-2005 |
Was Broken Social Scene's album this year? I thought it came out last year. Maybe it was a delayed UK release. I debated putting the Arctic Monkeys in my top ten. I sure wouldn't put it at #1. I think "potential" is the word with them. Good songs, lots of energy, but way too much rudimentary thrash in the music. Very curious to hear the followup... Kevin, I've been meaning to ask--is there somewhere to find some free, legal (want to be on the up and up here) sample MP3s of Hot Chip? I'm curious to hear them since you and others rate them so highly. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1205 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kurt, there are some samples at http://www.hotchip.co.uk/site/ On the left hand side there is a link for "Buy 'The Warning'", underneath that there is a link that says "Listen?". Click on that and it takes you to a window where you can play samples from the album, they are good quality and last about a minute. I would recommend And I Was A Boy From School, Over and Over, Look After Me and Arrest Yourself - but really every track is great | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 988 Registered: 04-2005 |
Thanks, Kevin. But couldn't the cheap bastards give me at least one free MP3 to download?  | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1210 Registered: 05-2005 |
Mojo's albums of the year sprung a bit of a surprise, album of the year was The Raconteurs (no, really!), nice little surprise was Midlake at No9. Just think when your friends start to say early next year "have you heard Midlake,its fantastic?" you can reply "Oh Midlake, they are so 2006" Dylan is No 2, which much as I like it, shows what a poor year it has been. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1051 Registered: 05-2005 |
If I were in a group nowadays that was touring etc etc, it would have to be Midlake. They press all the right buttons for me, I hope they stickaround for at least as long as Lambchop have. | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 198 Registered: 08-2004 |
I know Midlake seem to be the favourite band of the board at the moment but.. Sorry! I've listening to Bamnan and Slivercork for two weeks now and frankly ...I think its boring as hell! Those weedy miserable vocals - yuch! Sounds like a watered down Flaming Lips record. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1211 Registered: 05-2005 |
Cichli, its a big leap from Bamnan to The Trials of Vanoccupanther, which is the album we are all bigging up. However, maybe you just dont like them. My friend and I have very similar tastes and he is a bit cool towards Vanoccupanther - thinks its a bit FM radio, Fleetwood Mac - ish | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1004 Registered: 04-2005 |
You're friend's not entirely off, Kevin. As others here have noted previously, there are echoes of the late '70s Fleetwood Mac sound in Vanoccupanther--very Buckinghamish guitar, lots of old-school keyboards, and kind of compressed overall sound--but obviously the content and audience are very different. I think there is a bit of a '70s studio-rock nostalgia in indie production these days; I'm still working my way into the latest Pernice Bros. album, but it too sounds very much like '70s radio rock ("Grudge ****" could be by Bread or someone like that). And I don't mean that as a putdown. Almost everything in the '70s--even MOR--had better production values than the digital crap we've been fed the past 15 years. But it's really about the songs and creativity, isn't it? The best stuff will usually shine through no matter how it's produced. And it seems Midlake has something special to say creatively. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 802 Registered: 03-2005 |
Cichli, I only have Bamnan. I thought it was a knockout on the first song and then it began to fade for me as the album continued. However, I've found the the songs from it fair well when thrown up randomly on iPod shuffle. I'm hoping Vanoccupanther doesn't sound all THAT much like Fleetwood Mac. And I'm definitely hoping "old-school keyboards" merely means real instruments and not that cliched busy Nicky Hopkinish piano noodling that used to pollute nearly every 70s record. | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 199 Registered: 08-2004 |
Yes, its funny how iPod shuffle allows individual songs to shine through in a mix. The same songs played back to back would be tedious. I'm a bit old fashioned, though, and like to think a collection of songs on CD should be able to hold its own and not just be an assortment of songs. I feel the same frustration when I listen to 'Iron and Wine' - interesting songs individually, but they they all merge into the same thing after 3 or 4 tracks. I'm not sure I want to splash out on 'Trials of Van the Occupier' (or something), if it sounds Fleetwood Mac -ish, though I do like most things you thousand-some-thingers write about here. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 60 Registered: 05-2005 |
For me, Midlake sounds much more like America than Fleetwood Mac... | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1212 Registered: 05-2005 |
Just to clarify - Midlake songs are not similar to Fleetwood Mac, they just have 70s sounding production as Kurt rightly points out. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1053 Registered: 05-2005 |
Vanoccupanther is a gem, more Crsoby Stills Nash. Its use of keyboards is very minimal, the Moog i think is in there amongst soem old 70's keyboards I wouldn't know the name of. The instrumenattion is beautiful in places. Sometimes they remind me of the great parts of Radiohead's back catalogue. Christ knows why. By the way Thom Yorke was on Jools Hollands show on Friday and playd an amazing song on his own, must go buy his album on the strength of this song. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1214 Registered: 05-2005 |
Actually, I am slowly coming round to thinking that Becks record is my album of the year. I liked it when it first came out but stopped playing it for no real reason. This past week it has not budged from the CD player in my car. Next to Odelay it may well be his essential album | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1006 Registered: 04-2005 |
Except for that last track, the Information flies by when I listen to it, unlike most other Beck records, which drag at times. So I'd agree with you that it's right there among his best. Could it be the Godrich production? The new one clicks with me in a way that Guero really didn't. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1239 Registered: 03-2006 |
Meester Cichli: Not that I've actually heard Banana and Silvercock, or whatever the hell it is, but I've got a hunch that Midlake made a quantum leap with "Occupado". It is a great record and is nothing like the sound you describe - eeuuuwww! I'm not even sure the world needs the Flaming Lips it has, let alone a watered down one! (Not exactly a fan)...I was put off myself by a description on the All Music site, that called Badminton "Pet Sounds made with toy instruments" - not something that works for me... But, the Fleetwood Mac and America (if someone held guns to their heads and made them write great songs instead of whiny pap) comparisons are very apt...Kurt hits it right on its pointy head, too - they, at least with the newest record, seem to be one of those bands that are not afraid of production values and don't equate lo-fi with artsiness.... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 805 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ok, I went to Amoeba for a surgical strike. Just two purchases: "Entomology" and Midlake's "Vanoccupanther." PLEASE GOD DON'T LET IT SOUND LIKE C,S & N! If it does I will go outside, wait a few minutes for the next bozo who can't read the four "Not a through street" signs that greet you on my street and frisbee it directly into the path of said bozo's careening bolide. Think I'll play the Josef k first. | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 330 Registered: 07-2005 |
Randy don't put any pressure on your self, whatever the production the songs are strong, and to be honest we need some good songs this year, are there any other good LPs with conventional songs e.g you can actually remeber them? In answer to my own question Neko Case is up there. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1217 Registered: 05-2005 |
"I have a gut feeling there will be a big push for The Hold Steady when the album is released early next year, I read a few snippets in Mojo and Uncut that made me think that these mags are ready to give them the big hype." Blimey, I need to eke out a new living as a psychic. Just got a hold of the new issue of Uncut and the all singing all dancing 5 star album of the month is The Hold Steady. The glowing review is by none other than editor in chief Alan Jones who only ever makes fleeting appearances in the mag, usually about once a year to review an album of the month | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1244 Registered: 03-2006 |
Can you give me some assistance with some lottery numbers, sir? | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1062 Registered: 05-2005 |
LK is in front of 'The Kev'! | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1247 Registered: 03-2006 |
Yep - got my sights on 2,000! | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1233 Registered: 05-2005 |
Heres NMEs Albums of the year. Only in the NME could that abysmal Strokes album make the top 10. Hooray once more for Hot Chip, they were also the number one single. Anybody who cant guess the number one album should go and stand in the corner with the dunces cap on. Another strike for Midlake, although only number 40 http://www.nme.com/reviews/albums/ofthey ear http://www.nme.com/reviews/tracks/ofthey ear | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 176 Registered: 08-2006 |
Am I the only one who thinks the Arctic Monkeys, are, well, just okay? I like the record well enough, but in terms of guitar-based indie rock I'd take – just at first glance – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (way down there at #27) in a heartbeat. From this side of the pond, the AMs give off that slightly off-putting scent of British-music-press next-big-thing-ism. Like screaming "Fire!" when someone lights a match. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1280 Registered: 03-2006 |
I completely think the Arctic Monkeys are nothing special. Next Big Thing is written all over them...I played it twice to make sure I wasn't missing something. The third time might've been the charm...Their wiseass attitude is the only thing that penetrates my jaded, heard it all before, music fan's shell... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 824 Registered: 03-2005 |
I enjoyed scrolling through the previous years. I seem to average two on the list each year except for 2001 where I have five and I'd gladly give away half of those. They sure like White Stripes. I sure don't. Why do the Strokes keep showing up? They only made one album. NME seems to consistently love the Raveonettes. I only have "Whip It On." I bought that after seeing them on stage in Amsterdam. They were great on stage but unnecessary on the stereo. Are the newer things any better? I haven't heard most of the people on these lists and I'm sure I'll discover the good ones someday. For example, so many folks on here rate Pavement I'll have to try them. The name always suggested techno to me. I know a number of people rate the Yeah Yeah Yeahs but that is such a bad name that I just can't believe they're worthwhile. When I hear that name I think self-conscious retro garage rock. Does that turn out to be the case? I hate getting crap in my collection and even so there are things I really need to cull. Going back to the 2001 list, if anyone wants my copies of Rufus Wainwright's "Poses" and Mercury Rev's "All Is Dream," you're welcome to them. I'll keep Mark Lanegan's "Field Songs" but just barely. Going back to the last year that's actually finished--2005--I see that the albums I have in my pathetic little collection that I still enjoy the most are (in alphabetical order): 1. Digital Ash -- Bright Eyes. I haven't even bothered to load "Wide Awake" into iTunes yet though I imagine I will someday. It just doesn't do it for me. 2. Ghetto Bells -- Vic Chesnutt. The guy is timeless in his crankiness and this album even has Van Dyke Parks involved. 3. Fall Heads Roll 4. Oceans Apart 5. Nolita -- Keren Ann 6. I've Got My Own Hell to Raise -- Bettye Lavette. I've raved about this collection of inspired covers of modern distaff songs by the old soul/blues singer many times before. It will still be great 10 years from now. 7. Discover a Lovelier You -- Pernice Bros. 8. Trail in the Sky -- Caroline Trettine. This is a new find but my honest prediction is that this will also still be great 10 years from now, low budget production and all. And that's it for the moment. Slowly but surely folks on here will turn me onto other great things from 2005 but let's face it most things that sound great at first just sound gimmicky or facile a little way down the road. Ok, rant over. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1040 Registered: 04-2005 |
Arctic Monkeys at #1?--well, that's predictable. But whatever happened to "don't believe the hype"? Their album is good, impressive even, for a very young band, but without the hype they would be just one of thousands of post-Franz Ferdinand guitar bands. The lead guy shows some real promise as a songwriter but he's a poor singer, effective only for a few songs before his voice gets extremely tiresome. Musically, there's nothing there that hasn't been done a million times before. (Although as an aside, I actually heard them first when they played live on Saturday Night Live, and their sound was very low-fi and crude but in an endearing way, much more so than the album. When I bought the CD, I was disappointed how much more beefed-up and produced the songs actually were.) Then again, anyone who'd think the Strokes made a top ten album this year would be overly impressed by the Arctic Monkeys. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1235 Registered: 05-2005 |
And to think I used to get withdrawal symptoms if I couldnt get my weekly fix of NME on a Wednesday. Wonder when it "jumped the shark"? I would guess round about the time of Brit Pop (was that 94 ish?), although to be honest it was dying round about Madchester.Havent bought it in years, although I do flick through it in the newsagent, and visit the website. Randy - if I could recommend a starting point for Pavement it would be Crooked Rain.... - it includes some great skewy pop songs, and a few countrish songs. With you on Yeah Yeah Yeahs - that song Maps was great but thats on the debut album. What is Rufus Wainwright for? - he is beyond parody. I bought both Bright Eyes albums simultaneously and much preferred Im Wide Awake, in fact only played Digital Ash a few times. Given that some of my faves from this year are things like Hot Chip and Junior Boys I need to revisit that one | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 335 Registered: 07-2005 |
My students seem to love Hot Chip. Kevin you've rated it all along so i 'll probably get this in the near future. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1071 Registered: 05-2005 |
I like to look back on overlooked albums, that were out very early on in 06, and for me Pocket Revolution by Deus is probably I suppose my favourite album. The Arctic Monkeys, there is a lot of hype, but then that's the media for ye, and the marketeers. I think they are talented for their age, but no way are they deserved of the genius tag. There's plenty o punk bands I have seen over the years who would piss over the Monkeys, let's face it their music is shouty soft punk at best. Put it this way, I can listen to it and it sounds ok, but then I can forget about them, they don't really offend me though. | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 339 Registered: 07-2005 |
I think the Arctic Monkeys get a bit too much stick on this board. I liked there CD but yes it was over hyped, but generally it has been a poor year for new music. It did bring good guitar music back in to the mainstream and was more interesting than the other so called bands Coldplay etc nad blew some of the cobwebs of self importance away. It wasn't ground breaking but I loved there jauntiness and there lyrics in the english tradition (though not as good as the street madness,specials). I still like Fake Tales of SF and Riot Van but the rest of the LP is not top notch,not genius but could have potential | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1241 Registered: 05-2005 |
I think the Monkeys are overrated too, but I think the frontman has that "it" factor and I hope they go on to be as great as the debut album hints at. jerry- the hot chip album has been a constant for me since it came out in the summer, barely a week goes by when I dont play it at least once. its one of those rare album that is not "front loaded" - I think most of the best songs are on the second half of the album, the singles (which are still great) are on the first half. Which reminds me, since wiping the cobwebs of my turntable last month I am approaching listening to music a whole different way. Its great just to be able to put on a slice of vinyl and only listen to whichever side you fancy, just like the old days. Is it just me, or does everybody else feel pressure that they have to listen to a CD all the way through, which when you actually think about it can be a bloody endurance test at times. I sometimes think my friend has the right approach to CDs, every so often he just listens to the first 5 or 6 songs, and then later on will play the other 5 or 6. That way you can get to listen to all the songs on a CD, I'm sure I am not the only one who has CDs in their collection that I have never heard all the way through because I just didnt have the time,or I had to answer the phone etc etc, but have probably heard the first half a dozen songs a right few times. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 830 Registered: 03-2005 |
Yes, Kevin, I have one of those: Midlake! I agree with you about the endurance thing. I want anthos (like the Josef k) to be long but it can be hard to sit my ass down and actually go through the whole thing. I find listening to it in the car to be the best when the length of the trip will dictate how long I listen and it will be sitting in the car at the stopping point to pick up where I left off next time I get in. For a regular album, though, I'm convinced Robert and Grant got it right: ten songs. Absolutely no more than 12. You can sequence 10 songs very effectively. I still tend to think of albums in terms of Side One and Side Two. It's even easier to sequence five or six songs to killer effect. But I can't have a mental Side One or Side Two if there are 17 or 22 tracks or something like that. Your friend has a good approach but I'm afraid I'd forget to try the second half a lot of the time. And, yeah, some great albums save all the best stuff for the second half. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1048 Registered: 04-2005 |
My listening habits with CDs are like Randy's--the best way for me to listen to the whole thing is in the car. And I could live with the 10-12 songs rule, with maybe a 45-minute cap. I too miss the days of album sides. Yeah, I know they still sell vinyl, but it's too late to go back. I would agree that most modern CDs are front-loaded. I own CDs that I've probably never made it to the end of, even though I like at least the first half. I guess it's helpful when they put the junk at the back, like on the latest Beck. But, Randy's right--sometimes they hide gems toward the end. So I guess I need to drive my car more so I can listen to all my CDs beginning to end. One request to artists: stop this stupid trend of putting alternate takes of the same songs on the original album. Leave those for EPs or free downloads. I have jazz reissues that put the alternate songs directly after the original song (example, Sonny Rollins's Way Out West), and it's maddening to hear the same song three times in a row. I really don't have the patience to program my CD changer to work around this. What an idiotic sequencing decision. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1242 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kurt, its never too late. So do we all agree that since the advent of CD lots of albums are "front loaded"? If you think about it, in the days of vinyl it wouldnt have made sense to front load everything on side 1, nobody would play side 2 would they? Kurt, I have the same problem with alternate takes on reggae reissues. Trojan recently released an excellent Keith Hudson career retrospective spread across 2 CDs. It has about 40 tracks, however there are maybe only a dozen different "riddims", some songs have up to 5 versions, all played back to back. There is a vocal version, an instrumental version, a dub version, a DJ version, and then another vocal. Each version is excellent, but back to back is tiresome. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 184 Registered: 08-2006 |
One agregious example of what you're talking about, Kurt, was that "Complete Recordings" two-CD set of Robert Johnson tracks. I remember when it came out, it was the first time he'd been on CD. I picked it up as soon as it was released and, as is typical with Columbia/Sony, the packaging was crapola. Far worse, though, tracks were followed by one, two, howevermany alternate takes of the same song. It was unlistenable. It was like the whole project was executed for musicologists. I ended up making a tape with my own sequencing of the thing, filed it away, and haven't listened to the discs since the day I bought it. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 64 Registered: 05-2005 |
I've bougt the special issue of the french magazine 'Les Inrockuptibles' with the 50's best album of the year. So ladies and gentlemen, for France the results are : 1. Artic Monkeys 2. TV on the radio 3. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy 4. CSS (a brasilian rock electronic band) 5. Kenny Arkana (french rap) 6. Midlake 7. Grizzly bear 8. Sibylle Baier (a german artist) 9. Nathan Fake 10. Miossec (french singer) etc. etc. Beirut, YLT, J.Noir, Hot chips, Matt Ward, a lot of swedish bands.. For the best 50 DVDs, the Gobs are in the top ten with a nice review! Here were the results of the french jury, it's up to you Sweden! | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1288 Registered: 03-2006 |
Kurt, I can't let your mention of Way Out West pass without saying, Jesus Christ, that's a great record, hands down one of my favorite jazz records. I'm not familiar with the reissue, but I have the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs version...I say this not to brag - I only bought it because it was used and cheap - I don't ordinarily have much truck with all that audiphile nonsense, but Lordy, the thing sounds brilliant! It sounds like ole Sonny is in the room with you, wailing away... Whatever happened to MFSL? Don't really see their stuff anymore.... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 832 Registered: 03-2005 |
Sequencing songs in the days of five or six per side on vinyl was a well-established art and I can think of so many magnificently paced albums. Only the crappiest artist would front-load beyond the obvious necessity of putting something strong for the opening track. But the first song on Side Two was nearly always a strong one on any properly assembled album and the last song on Side Two also was always really important. If you put just 10 songs on a CD you can sequence it in a way that pretends that there are two sides still and you get a well-paced program. The only thing missing is getting up to take a leak and then flip the record. One of the reasons I like Bright Eyes' "Digital Ash" so much is because of its superb sequencing. The songs really bounce off each other magnificently. It's one of the rare cases where the whole thing listened together is better than individual songs thrown up by my iPod in shuffle mode. There don't seem to be so many CDs like that, although I also think Neko Case' CDs are well sequenced. Most of the CDs by quality artists seem to have the songs arranged in an almost random fashion as if the artist (or whoever is preparing the release) has no idea what to do with any of the songs located between the first one and the last one. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 504 Registered: 08-2004 |
Rob, I had the same problem with the Robert Johnson - Complete Recordings. This is where WMP & itunes have helped. Recording every other song to cassette was a nightmare, so I didn't bother listening to it at all. Eventually I ripped the whole disc to my media player & made playlists of each session. Lazy but effective. I'm the same as Randy, always behind a few years & don't like to make rash calls on albums of the year. If I like a record it might only get played every 6 months, so anything new can take a long time to become a personal favourite. Thus far I have enjoyed. New albums: 120 Days - 120 Days Hot Chip - The Warning Beck - The Information Arctic Monkeys - Whatever... Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit Plan B - Who Needs Actions When You Got Words Babybird - Between My Ears There's Nothing But Music Reissues: The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me The Pretenders - The Pretenders Depeche Mode - Violator & Songs Of Faith & Devotion Pulp - His 'N' Hers & This Is Hardcore The Associates - The Affectionate Punch - Original Comps: VA - Revolution Rock: A Clash Jukebox Pulp - Peel Sessions Siouxsie & The Banshees - Peel Sessions R.E.M. - ... and I Feel Fine Public Enemy - Beats & Places | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 505 Registered: 08-2004 |
... oh & Talking Heads - The Brick. How could I forget a brilliant remaster by Jerry Harrison with lots of odd extras. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1034 Registered: 05-2005 |
Randy, you have to factor in that records were to a great extent sequenced how they were because of the inherent qualities and potential flaws of vinyl. That's why loud, faster tracks were in the first half of the record where the grooves were wider; and why sides very often ended with a quiet song because the grooves were tighter. On CDs there are no grooves (and they play from the inside out rather than outside in as vinyl does) so there are no such sequencing issues. I once hosted an In The City (Tony Wilson curated music festival) conference on production techniques, which is where I gleaned that info. It was the late Gus Dudgeon (producer of David Bowie, Joan Armitrading, Elton John etc) who made that point. The other speakers were Jo Partridge (worked with Peter Gabriel, The Who etc) and James Cassidy (Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Bryan Ferry etc). | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1246 Registered: 05-2005 |
Then the Ramones came along and blew Gus's theory out the window | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1037 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yeah, some bands just didn't do quiet. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1250 Registered: 05-2005 |
Got Word magazine today, they dont have a conventional list comprising a Top 50 albums of the year. Instead 20 or so writers just list their 5 favourite albums of the year. A quick scan reveals that three albums seem to stick out as showing up the most. Joanna Newsome - Ys (boo!) Hot Chip - The Warning (yay!) Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental (yawn!) | ||
| Matt Ellis Member Username: Matt_ellis Post Number: 128 Registered: 11-2004 |
I've just come up with this list. Blimey! I never realised I owned so many discs from this year. I actually reckon it's been a bumper year this year especially for new bands: The Young Knives - Voices of Animals & Men The Minus Five - The Minus Five The Frank & Walters - A Renewed Interest In Happiness The Futureheads - News And Tributes The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns Lambchop - Damaged Ladyfuzz - Kerfuffle The Grates - Gravity Won't Get You High Shack - The Corner Of Miles And Gil Pernice Brothers - Live A Little | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1251 Registered: 05-2005 |
Rolling Stones Top 50 Albums are now published - interesting list, particularly the top 10 which has some great choices, only let down by the number 2 and number 9 albums. Two very good hip hop albums in the top 10 - Clipse and Ghostface Killah. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/1 2800635/the_top_50_albums_of_2006/1 | ||
| abigail law Member Username: Abigail Post Number: 109 Registered: 06-2005 |
lemonheads by the lemonheads | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1256 Registered: 05-2005 |
The year at a glance http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/20 06.shtml | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1261 Registered: 05-2005 |
more albums of the year http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/li st/C231/ | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 370 Registered: 04-2006 |
this popmatters website is great. not because of the listed albums (but that does not mean that i don't like the albums rated), but because of the presentation and the videos. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1264 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pitchforks here http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/fe ature/40007/Staff_List_Top_50_Albums_of_ 2006 | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1070 Registered: 04-2005 |
Glad I checked here before starting a new thread about Pitchfork's Top 50 albums... Looks kind of similar to the PopMatters list, much to my surprise. And my number one (Destroyer) actually made it to #18. No Dylan, for you "haters" out there. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1334 Registered: 03-2006 |
And, lookee there - Joanna Newsom at almost the very top of the list. It's like a secret plot to torture Kevin. But they did include your beloved Hot Chip, Kev, so all is not lost... | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 348 Registered: 07-2005 |
Tonight:Bawlers, I've really not got beyond this as it is so great, it sounds like it was recorded in 1933,also John Wesley Harding. Hot Chip and the Neal Young Live at Fillimore east have been added to my Christmas list for the missus | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1339 Registered: 03-2006 |
It came out so early in the year I forgot it, and left it off of my list, but I really liked "The Greatest" by Cat Power. It came out so long ago... And, I also forgot about my newfound obession with Balkan Gypsy music, so I have two more to mention, from that genre: Beirut - Gulag Orkestar Not an authentic Gypsy record, in fact it is primarily written and played by a 20 year old guy from Albuquerque, NM. But it still incorporates the sound and features some pretty genius songwriting... Taraf De Haidouks - The Continuing Adventures of Taraf De Haidouks This, on the other hand, is completely authentic, the group composed as it is of authentic Lautari Gypsy musicians from the village of Clemanji, in Romania. These guys I think are easily the best musicians on the planet. They play with more soul, and play it wilder than any other similar outfit going. Some of the tempos are just jaw-droppingly unbelievable - you marvel that human hands could play so quickly...Their name, btw, means "Orchestra of Honorable Brigands"...they've named themselves after famous Robin Hood-like characters from medieval times. If you're interested in Balkan Gypsy music at all, these guys are a must. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1268 Registered: 05-2005 |
and the lists keep on coming http://www.tinymixtapes.com/spip.php?art icle571 Individual writers lists from Pitchfork http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/fe ature/40124/Staff_List_2006_Individual_A lbums_Lists | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 384 Registered: 04-2006 |
i capitulate. no more lists till i make my own. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1073 Registered: 04-2005 |
I'm afraid to look at the Pitchfork individual writers lists, because you just know they create them mostly to try to impress and/or look cooler than the other Pitchfork writers. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1081 Registered: 05-2005 |
The records I've most enjoyed listening to this year are (no particular order after the first few): Amadou & Mariam: Dimanche a Bamako. Brilliant blues / soul from Mali via France. I saw them live this year also and they were awesome. The album actually came out last year but did not cross my radar til early this year. Bob Dylan: Modern Times. A magnificent album. That he never prostituted his talent is something to be eternally thankful for. Augie March: Moo You Bloody Choir. Three albums into their career they are shaping up to being the best album since you know who. I can easily see people discovering them down the line after a 1978-90 type compilation. Tom Waits: Orphans. Just started playing it last night. Waited for the price to come down to Aus$45 before I bought it (it's still $80 in most places). It's brilliant. On disc 3 now. Velvet Underground: 1966-4 Scepter Studios, Norman Dolph acetate. It's awesome! Thanks for the link Kurt! I really am astonished by how great it is. Go-Betweens tribute concert: An incredible and very emotional concert featuring the cream of Australia's young talent - including Augie March's singer Glenn Richards - playing with Glenn Thompson and Adele Pickvance. I would love to have been there but work commitments kept me in Sydney. I did listen to it live on the radio though. My concert of the year was The Go-Betweens at the Sydney Festival. Not least because it was their last and there won't be another. The Waterboys: Fisherman's Blues 2-CD edition remaster. My favourite album of 1988 is also one of my favourites of 2006. All the extra tracks are superb. My fourth time buying this album (vinyl the week it came out, cassette, CD, 2-CD edition) and I look forward to buying the box set version whenever that comes out! Now that's how to do a 2-CD edition! Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend, 2-CD remaster. Now that's also how to do a 2-CD edition! Power pop in excelsis. The Drones: Gala Mill. It's their third album but the first I've gotten. Very dark, Nick Cave-type blues with great lyrics. They sound Australian even in their singing voices; which is very rare. Not for everyone. Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Haven't played it in ages but I really liked it when I was playing it again. Must play it again soon. The Jam Snap. Finally a proper CD version that replicated the original double vinyl album and the limited edition four song, 7" EP that came with it. I loved that it was again a limited edition with the 7" now being a third CD! The Jam were the first band I loved and I still loved them. MC Lars: Download This Song (single). Love it. The indie/hip-hop crossover works! Flaming Lips: The Yeah, Yeah, Yeah Song (single). A joyous beauty from a band I've generally thought to be overrated. Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour: Vol 2 - Mothers. The best mother-in-law jokes and the coolest music. He's a great radio presenter. Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males: Drowning In The Fountain Of Youth. Great second album after a great first album and a great EP. Potentially as strong a songwriter as his uncle Paul. Kelly was also involved in the Go-Betweens tribute concert. Josh Rouse: Subtitulo. It was slow to reveal its charms but one day it just clicked with me. A very talented and under-appreciated artist. Terence Blanchard: Inside Man soundtrack. Great film, great soundtrack. Also included the brilliant Chaiyya Chaiyya Bollywood Joint by Sukhwinder Singh, Sapna Awasthi and Panjabi MC. Soulsugar Vol 1: A fantastic soul compilation put together by an Austrian DJ. Even where it had well known artists (James Brown, Lou Rawls, Otis Redding) it picked lesser known tracks by them. Many of the artists were relatively obscure (Kip Anderson, Billy Larkin, Bunky Green) but no less brilliant for that. Craig Wedren: Wet Hot American Summer. A friend recently sent me the mp3. It's a few years old but I'd never heard it before. Brilliant glam pop. R.E.M.: And I Feel Fine: the Best of 1982-87 - the I.R.S Years. Great compilation. Lots of terrific, previously unreleased songs on it. And all from their, by far, best era. | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 12 Registered: 06-2005 |
My traditional 80min cd of favourite tunes from 2006 goes as follows: 1. Midlake – Roscoe 2. Yo La Tengo – I Should’ve Known Better 3. Howling Bells – Setting Sun 4. The Hold Steady – First Night 5. The Twilight Singers – I Wish I Was 6. Mojave 3 – Puzzles Like You 7. Camera Obscura – If Looks Could Kill 8. Guillemots – Trains To Brazil 9. Belle & Sebastian – Another Sunny Day 10. Peter, Bjorn & John – Young Folks 11. M. Ward – To Go Home 12. My Latest Novel – The Reputation Of Ross Francis 13. Drive-By Truckers – Easy On Yourself 14. Howe Gelb – Howlin’ A Gale 15. Two Gallants - Steady Rollin’ 16. The Singleman Affair – Don’t Come Back 17. Micah P. Hinson – Diggin’ A Grave 18. Hot Chip – Look After Me 19. Junior Boys – In The Morning 20. The Russian Futurists – You And The Wine The 3 albums I listened to most this year would be Hot Chip - The Warning Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1269 Registered: 05-2005 |
Peter, I would love to come to a party at yours if that CD was playing. Although hopefully the queue for the toilet wouldnt be too big when the Guillemots track was playing | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 15 Registered: 06-2005 |
Hopefully it will soundtrack a few parties over Christmas Kevin so if you're passing thru Co Meath, come on up the house! I was looking forward to the Guillemots album but found it a bit of a let down, although I do like Trains To Brazil for it's combination of Van Morrison horns and school of Roddy Frame songwriting sensiblities and it's not worn off yet. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1082 Registered: 05-2005 |
Nice mix Peter. Might just burn that one myself. | ||
| Andy Member Username: I_am_andy Post Number: 9 Registered: 08-2006 |
There is only one album of the year for me. Read the customer reviews down the page for some idea of the powerfulness of this masterpiece. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/custo mer-reviews/B000JU8FXK/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/ 026-9418346-4204453?ie=UTF8&customer-rev iews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&n=229816 | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1126 Registered: 05-2005 |
Padraig Nice list and descriptions, where are the velvets songs? I missed Kurt's link. (Safe travelling to Ireland) | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1127 Registered: 05-2005 |
For me straight in at number one is Virgin and Philistines by The Colourfield. I paid a fortune for it from ebay. It was worth every penny. One track that stands out is Hammond Song, a beautiful love song, similar to richard Hawley in the way Terry Hall and the beautiful music evoke passion and are completely evocative of the beautiful side of human beings and nature. It sent shivers down my spine. It also made me realise what an influnece Terry and Colourfield have had on my life, the use of acoustic guitars and cello's everywhere, its where I always wanted to go and it lay in my subconcious, and for that I am truly greatful. Sorry to ramble on. In particular Hammond Song, reminds me of a tune Jeff Tweedy would've written had he been an Englishman! I have also enjoyed and contnie to enjoy Wilco's yankee Hotel Foxtrot demo's etec, thanks XY, you ended my musical year on a massive high, cheers! | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 67 Registered: 05-2005 |
Virgin an philistines...I must have that in vinyl in the attic. I should open all those old boxes. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1271 Registered: 05-2005 |
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/w eekly_article/stylus-magazines-top-50-al bums-of-2006.htm probably the most interesting and diverse listing of the year. particularly the top 10, apart from the cursed Ms Newsome - sorry for all those who like her but she just grates big time | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1129 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kev good spot ma man! Doesn't Tom Ze lok like Kevin Rowlands grandad!!? Caroline Trettine has been getting on well with Joan as Police Woman, I must say she's superb. Bell and S are starting to bore me. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1077 Registered: 04-2005 |
Kevin, you might be pleased to hear that persuaded by your recommendation and samples I heard, I bought the latest Hot Chip album as a Christmas gift for my cool nephew, confident in the knowledge he'll share it with me. Well, the little bastard better share it if he wants any more gifts from uncle! | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 353 Registered: 07-2005 |
Bough Joan as Police Woman for the wife for christmas must say looking forward to it | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 233 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thanks for the sharing that, Kevin. It's the best list I've seen this year. Must buy: Hot Chip, Clipse and perhaps the Knife. They keep popping up on lists, and in the case of Hot Chip, in the recommendations of people here whose tastes I respect. Must borrow: Joanna Newsome. Buying that one completely unheard gives me the feeling of doing one of those backward trust falls into the arms of someone you aren't entirely sure is paying attention. Glad to see Stylus sprinkled a little Afropop in there. Props for the Thomas Mapfumo nod. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1343 Registered: 03-2006 |
I actually own Hot Chip, but haven't gotten around to listening to it. Guess I should - it's apparently reaching critical mass.... I have to say, I also have a copy of Ys and it has totally grown on me. I dig it. Of course, you have to give the big caveat: she's easy to hate because of her voice - it's sort of like Olive Oyl on vicodin. But, the bottom line is, for me anyway, that it's a beautiful, unique and absorbing record. Very striking and probably worth the cost of admission for Van Dyke Parks great orchestral arrangements. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 235 Registered: 08-2006 |
I'm sure you're right about Ys, LK. Enough people have recommended it, and I do have a thing for unusual voices. I'll add it to the list. What the hey. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1345 Registered: 03-2006 |
If you don't like it, Kevin will give you your money back. Actually, my "criminal mind" is always thinking of the angles, so here's a minor league scam: don't Emusic and iTunes charge by the track? Ys has only 5 tracks - you could get the whole thing for $5! Minor aside - I was reading that her boyfriend is Bill Callahan, who if I'm not mistaken, is the guy from (the excellent) Smog. I also read that a Bill Callahan was the boyfriend of Cat Power. Now if this is true, the guy is some kinda serious indie Casanova, isn't he? | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 236 Registered: 08-2006 |
If I don't like it, I think Kevin will send me fan mail! Hey, good idea about iTunes, LK. You are a devious SOB. As long as you're at it, there's this bank branch in my neighborhood I've had my eye on... And that's swell for Mr. Callahan and all, but if he touches Scarlett Johansson, his ass is mine. I have it from reliable sources she's saving herself for me. At least that's what my therapist says. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 237 Registered: 08-2006 |
Aaargh. I was so taken with your idea, LK, that I went over to iTunes and checked out Ys. And apparently, they're on to you. Two of the tracks can't be bought individually, and the album price is $9.99 - fair, to be sure, but I figured I'd catch less s--t from Kev if I paid half-price. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1346 Registered: 03-2006 |
Bastards! Okay, plan B: do you have a Circuit Shitty (as I call them) handy? Of course, it'll be a madhouse today, but they have all their discs for $9.99 today. Probably worth having the deluxe packaging if you decide to get it.. About this Scarlett thing: you do have your tinfoil hat in place, to protect you from the alien rays? | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 239 Registered: 08-2006 |
Tinfoil is so 70s, LK. My hat is made out of special space-age material developed by NASA and available only to those of us special enough to be targeted by the aliens (not EVERYONE is, silly). It's called "Reynolds Wrap," apparently for the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who developed it. At least that's what my therapist says. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1085 Registered: 05-2005 |
pence, link is somewhere on the VU acetate discussion section! No time to get it for you, flight to get! | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1272 Registered: 05-2005 |
Rob, if you fork out for Ys you deserve everything you get, you cant say you've not been warned Olive Oil on vicodin - fantastic LK! She is rather good looking in an unusual kind of way right enough, Mr Smog is a lucky guy. The Clipse album is great Rob, easily the hip hop album of the year. I find The Knife album a bit hit or miss but it would probably sound good at loud volume in a club. Hot Chip is a must imo. Kurt, have you done a cheekly little burn of it, or was it shrinkwrapped? | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1348 Registered: 03-2006 |
Kev, just got around to listening to the Hot Chip. It is quite good. What would you liken it to? I'm having a hard time pinning down their sound, which I think is a good thing...One thing I like is these guys definitely have songs. So many artists operating in this genre don't. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1274 Registered: 05-2005 |
LK - its a bit like Junior Boys, dunno if you heard them? also, maybe a bit postal service-ish. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 344 Registered: 01-2005 |
Revised Best of 2006 based on some recent purchases. Kurt, Kevin, LK and TROU, I have the Midlake on order, but it hasn't arrived yet! Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - Ole! Tarantula Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood Pernice Brothers - Live a Little Decemberists - The Crane Wife Yo La Tango - I Am Not Afraid... Joanna Newsom - Ys Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs - Show Your Bones Mindy Smith - Long Island Shore Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit By Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1350 Registered: 03-2006 |
Michael, I predict you'll love Midlake, based on your taste, as demonstrated here. I hate to build up your expectations too much, though. It's one of those subtle things...you may not even be particularly blown away the first time you hear it, but give it a couple of listens, my friend, and you'll be craving hearing it all the time! You know, looking at your list, and some of the other ones, this past year was really a great one for music, wasn't it? Only an ingrate would say otherwise.... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1133 Registered: 05-2005 |
Merz - Loveheart is a wonderful album www.merz.co.uk | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 866 Registered: 03-2005 |
I'll mail you my copy. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 347 Registered: 01-2005 |
LK, 2006 has been a great year for music. Maybe ranking up there with some of the greats like 1980, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1991 and 1992. Those are my personal favorites of the last 25 or so years. Even the off years in the 80's and early 90's were pretty damn good though. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 389 Registered: 04-2006 |
the year closes down. so, here is my list: there is no doubt ...and you will know us by the trail of dead - so divided made it once again. what a band. manics. joanna newsom - ys another work of kind of megalomania. the van dyke parks arrangements are perfect. the songwriting of mrs. newsom, too. and the screechy vocals? they fit. fionn regan - the end of history a new folkie or singer/songwriter from ireland. nice man, wonderful songs and lyrics. the fingerpicking is excellent. some more wonderful albums of 2006: jenny wilson - love and youth i think it has been released in 2005, but i recognised this swedish girl in 2006 and immediately felt in love with her idiosyncratic music. bert jansch - the black swan the return of a guitar legend. maybe his best release since years. yeah yeah yeahs - show your bones one of my highlights over more than the first half of the year. justine electra - soft rock australian woman who lives in berlin. kind of electro blues/folk. charming. sometimes really hypnotising. el perro del mar - el perro del mar more perfect music from sweden. a quote: lo-fi phil spector. espers - espers ii folk-psychedelia. a trip. some more good ones: tv on the radio - return to cookie mountain in a sense beautiful melodies and a loveable way of singing. reminds me still of a.r.kane. but didn't really cathched my heart. woven hand - mosaic first i was dissapointed, then i was enthusiastic. now i still like this cd, but the enthusiasm have vanished yo la tengo - i am not afraid of you and i will beat your ass first i was enthusiastic, then i was dissapointed. now i like this cd again. it is a good YLT - album, kind of a best of, but with new songs. the handsome family - the last days of wonder good handcraft. motorpsycho - black hole/blank canvas an eclectic band, with eclectic music. but it always sounds like MP. not their best work, but close-by. beirut - gulag orkestar this guy is kind of genius (similar to sufjan stevens). the balkanization (musically) of the usa has started. bonnie prince billy - the letting go also an album which is good, very good, but didn’t really catched my heart at all. the black keys - magic potion good as they ever were. but somewhere down the road - if they still go on doing the same- it could be, that their music becomes boring. scritti politti - white bread black beer i like it, i like it not, i like it, i like it not...... johnny cash - american v. a hundred highways this release can make you cry. hot chips - the warning great. maybe in another year and/or period of my life, this could be my number one. this year i was a bit more into 'acoustic guitar'. sorry, hot chip. Jarvis cocker – Jarvis not really bad either. extra award: bob dylan - modern times in fact this album must be my album of the year. curiosity won over a over years cultivated antipathy/neglect of mr. robert. this is old fashioned music. lovable. brought bob dylan on my map again. the waterboys - fisherman's blues (collectors edition) padraig said it all above. great album, fantastic reissue. the allman brothers band - eat a peach deluxe edition similar to 'jefferson airplane' 'the allman brothers band' is one of my secret favourite band. johnny cash - at san quentin (legacy edition) this edition of the whole concert is great!!! gram parsons - the completere reprise sessions don't want waistin' words. the music is self-explanatory. songs: susanna and the magical orchestra - it's a long way to the top (from melody mountain) what a ac/dc cover!!! the whitest boy alive - burning a hit. BUT (beside a long time sadness , you folks know why) 2006 WAS MY JOHN FAHEY YEAR. Nothing to add. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 392 Registered: 04-2006 |
changed my mind. i have something to add. i forgot to mention eagle seagull. they made an album which i can categorise like the bonnie prince billy album: good, perfect. maybe too perfect to survive in my heart. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 393 Registered: 04-2006 |
for that matter: unbelievable. i forgot two of the most important (to me) albums of this year. nina nastasia - on leaving and midlake the trials of van occupanther I am disconsolate about it. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 350 Registered: 01-2005 |
I am listening to the Midlake album as I post this. I love it and I am only on the second song, Bandits. This is better the The Decemberists - The Crane Wife, so I'll drop that from my Top 10 and add The Trials of Van Occupanther. Thank You to all the folks that mentioned Midlake! | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Nemo Post Number: 111 Registered: 07-2005 |
Andreas, if you have not already heard of them, check out Billy The Vision and the Dancers. Another in a long line of superb little Swedish indie pop bands. http://www.myspace.com/billiethevisionan dthedancers The above tracks are from their second album. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 395 Registered: 04-2006 |
hugh, thanks for the link. i haven't heard of them band. i tried to listen, but have problems with the connection which always brakes down. but the clippings i heard were not bad and remembered me a bit of belle and sebastian. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 398 Registered: 04-2006 |
this kevin williamson blog reminded me of mogwai. and that means that i forgot another album to mention: mogwai - mr. beast i think this is another great album of this band. i enjoyed also the enclosed dvd. an dthat means a lot becasue often this enclosed dvd's are only worth to pull out more money from your pocket. another album which i didn't mention is lambchop - damaged but maybe all those blackouts have a good reason..... | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Nemo Post Number: 112 Registered: 07-2005 |
Andreas, I have been having a lot of problems with MySpace recently. Try the following link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCS7a579u jM | ||
| julia motzko Member Username: Julia Post Number: 29 Registered: 05-2005 |
I mostly find my best of albums among all of yours. There are only five not yet named, I believe. Albert Hammond jr. – Yours to Keep Tortoise and Bonnie Prince Billy – The Brave and The Bold Blumfeld – Verbotene Früchte The Dresden Dolls – Yes, Virginia Giant Drag – Hearts and Unicorns | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1365 Registered: 05-2005 |
late entries http://harpmagazine.com/articles/detail. cfm?article_id=5118 http://harpmagazine.com/articles/detail. cfm?article_id=5117 (neko case must have something on these guys!!) | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1151 Registered: 05-2005 |
Julia, I had a listen to that Blumfeld album on headphones in a shop in Frankfurt (or possibly Stuttgart or ... one of the World Cup cities anyway) last summer. It sounded alright but not enough to make me buy it. Their 1994 album L'Etat Et Moi is one of my favourite ever, but anything else I've heard by them has just sounded like polished commercial pop in comparison. Can you recommend anything by them that comes anywhere close to the sound of L'Etat Et Moi? | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 427 Registered: 04-2006 |
padraig, blumfeld ''changed'' their sound after l'etat et moi. You can call it commercial pop, but it isn't - and to be a real blumfeld fan you must understand the lyrics. a lot of the fans of the first two albums couldn't followed their way and their third album 'old nobody' was polarizing. but i can say it is their best. the 'pop' they play is similar to the kind of pop Prefab Sprout plays. sounding polished, but if you have a deep listening you always can find more. nevertheless i prefer 'Kante', an other german ''intellectual'' band playing 'head music'and i didn't bought the last two blumfeld albums anymore. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 429 Registered: 04-2006 |
maybe julia can describe it better than me. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1157 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thanks Andreas. I love Prefab Sprout, but the lyrics do play a part in that, so I can see what you mean about needing to understand Blumfeld's words. With L'Etat Et Moi it didn't matter because the music is so powerful. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 437 Registered: 01-2005 |
L'Etat Et Moi sounds like a keeper. Does it sound somewhat like the pop on Saint Entienne's masterwork, "So Tough" as well? I think I listened to Hobart Paving on ST a dozen times in a row one time. David Wisdom from CBC Radio 2 once called ST the perfect pop album. Sarah Cracknell goes into my personal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just for Hobart Paving. Anything else she has done sense is just icing on the cake. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1161 Registered: 05-2005 |
Absolutely nothing like Saint Etienne Michael! It's a very mid-90s indie sound (Pavement were bigging them up at the time - which is how I heard of them I think), but with guitars that chimed like New Zealand / Flying Nun label bands. On some tracks the guitar was really heavy in an 80s US hardcore way. | ||
| Wolfgang Steinhardt Member Username: Berbatov Post Number: 47 Registered: 09-2006 |
Pádraig, you should try their debut Ich-Maschine from 1991, it's rougher than L'état and the spirit of Mark E. is obviously around. No one knows who put the valium in their coffee after L'état et moi... | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1172 Registered: 05-2005 |
Wolfgang, I used to have Ich-Maschine. Must ask my mate if he still has it and get him to burn a CD copy for me. I did like it at the time, but it was no L'Etat Et Moi. Yeah, valium in the coffee is a good description of what happened to them. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1173 Registered: 05-2005 |
It was a taped-from-CD copy I used to have back in the day. |