2006 Favorites
Looking back at my "Best of 2005" list and "Best of 2004" list, I am frankly a bit disappointed. I think of myself as someone with good taste in music who listens to lots of "independent" and less well-known artists, but my lists certainly don't reflect that. I think I was reading too many other people's lists and just trying to keep up with the blogging Joneses.So, this year I've decided to do something a bit different. Instead of a list of my picks for best albums of 2006, I think I'm just going to list my favorite albums from 2006. A subtle difference, perhaps. But I think I'll be able to look back a few years from now and still agree with these choices, at least more so than my last few years lists. Still not a lot of indie bands on the list this year though. Maybe I'm not as hip as I thought.
Anyway, here are my favorites:
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America - this album will probably be on top of lots of peoples lists, but honestly it really deserves to be. I loved their last album (Separation Sunday) but this album is far more immediately accessible. These guys know how to ROCK in a way that I feel like classic rock bands rock, and they have really mastered their songwriting. Great characters, interesting themes, and badass hooks. I can't say enough good things about this record!
Tool - 10,000 Days - Tool takes years to put out a record, and if you listen closely to this album you can hear why. It is, technically, perfect. And by that I mean that as musicians they have reached some kind of machine-like timing. Listening to this record is a freaking sonic adventure, and I really give them credit for being able to get songs on the radio that have time signatures and changes that would normally confuse a regular pop listener.
Thursday - A City By the Light Divided - This is where the difference between a "Best Of" list and a "Favorites" list comes in to play. This isn't that great of an album really, and frankly it isn't even that great of a Thursday album... and yet when looking at my iTunes play counts for 2006 it is way up at the top. Good music for getting me out of the house and onto the Metro in the morning. The production on this record is interesting, too. It was done by the guy who did the newest Flaming Lips album, which brings us to...
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics - Again, not the best Flaming Lips album, but it still managed to rack up a hell of a lot of listens on my ipod. Also, the song "Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung" is easily my favorite song from 2006. It doesn't even sound like the Flaming Lips (probably because Wayne doesn't sing on it)... it reminds me of some lost Pink Floyd song.
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife - The third in the trifecta of albums by bands I love that don't quite live up to previous releases. This was a big deal for the Decemberists, since it was their first album on a major label. I have to give them a lot of credit; they didn't change their sound at all to conform to the labels ideas, as far as I can tell at least. Maybe I am just a little tired of the Decemberists formula, though, because it took me a few listens to really get into this record. It has some great tracks but as a whole I was a bit disappointed.
The Mars Volta - Amputechture - Their last album (Frances the Mute) was such a huge disappointment that my hopes were low. Upon first listening to this new record I was not immediately captivated. I forced myself to give it a chance, though, and I've come to really like it. There are some boring stretches but nothing that I have to fast forward through like on Frances. And actually some strong songs exist under all the layers of prog. Definitely an interesting listen.
The Beatles - Love - I didn't expect much from this "soundtrack" album, but I grabbed it anyway. Lo and behold, it is actually a great album. No huge surprises, but the remastering and remixing of the old songs really makes them feel modern, and the occasional mashing-up is neat too.
Ghostface Killer - Fishscale - Why can't more hip hop be like this? I'm excited about the follow up More Fish, which features a lot of underground hip hop stars.
Taylor Hawkins & The Coattails - Self Titled - This is the drummer from the Foo Fighters. He made an album better than the last Foo Fighters record. Crazy.
Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor - Hip Hop about skateboarding? Sold.
Mastodon - Blood Mountain - Heavy as shit. This albums rocks hard.
Moneen - The Red Tree - Moneen has used the same formula for all of their songs, but it just keeps getting better. This album is catchy and has great production. I hope they get more exposure in the future.
Honorable Mentions:
Thom Yorke - The Eraser - Good, but not Radiohead good.
Beck - The Information - Beck can do no wrong in my book. This was a solid effort.
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche - A nice collection of B-Sides.
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere - Good album. Not as good as the hype, but I like it nonetheless.
Built to Spill - You in Reverse - Good songs, but I am not in love with the stripped down production.
The Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist - Glad to have these guys back! This is a much better album than their last one. It took me a little while to get into it, but I like it a lot now.
Best Tribute Albums:The Killer in You - A Tribute to the Smashing Pumpkins - This is worth it mainly for the Murder By Death cover of "We Only Come Out At Night".
To Elliot: From Portland - A Tribute to Elliott Smith - Some good Elliott Smith covers by a bunch of Seattle bands.
Easy Star All Stars - Radiodread - I don't know where this came from but it is awesome. Some reggae band covered the entire Radiohead Ok Computer album, and it is actually really good.
Most Anticipated Release for 2007:The Smashing Pumkins - Supposedly they will be releasing their new album. I hope James Iha is involved in some way, although I doubt it.
The Rentals - Finally reunited! This should be an awesome pop rock album, as long as it sounds nothing like Matt Sharp's solo record.
Velvet - Yes, I can't wait for my band's album to finally come out. It will be worth the wait.
My lists from years past:Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Still waiting for that robot butler and flying car...
posted by averagejoe @ 10:37 AM
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