I can't see how anyone would feel confident in their year-end list before the year is up. I spend the entire month of December tracking down albums I missed earlier in the year, and revisiting ones I hadn't heard in a few months. No matter how hard I try, there are always another handful of albums I discover in the following years that would have made my top 50 and usually at least one that cracks the top 10. Having stuffed over 200 new albums into my brain this month in addition to re-listening to another 50, I'm drunk with music, eyes swirling, balance and grammar compromised. So let's do this, shall we?
It seemed 2005 was doomed to be the nadir of the decade. I felt it was the weakest year in music since about 1992. There was no where to go but up, and 2006 was definitely an improvement. Opinions will differ widely, because tastes are more fragmented than ever. The age of consensus is gone, and this is largely a good thing. No single artist can define an entire generation's cultural zeitgeist. How could they, when music flows around us more than ever. Wherever there is air, it vibrates with music. Contrary to what some think, the abundance of music via the Internet does not cheapen it. Without air, we die. Many of us breathe in music like air every day, and while we wouldn't die without it, quality of life would certainly feel like it's taken a dive. The difference is that our tastes are more individualized, segmented into personalized MP3 playlists. The era of corporate media colonizing our minds with their focus-group researched to lowest common denominator tripe is, if not effectively over, greatly diminished. Some may still yearn to belong to a larger community like the Beatles/Stones/Dylan generation. But the direct effect of filesharing, music blogs and customizable Internet radio (Pandora, Last.fm, Rhapsody) is that many artists have increased their audience. This decade, new artists who hadn't even released a full length album have been selling out small venues. This is in sharp contrast to the 80s and 90s, when many touring indie artists took it for granted that they would often play in front of a handful of people and not always earn enough to eat that night. A good show with a happy crowd of 100 to 500 is plenty of community for me.
Without a doubt the band of the year was TV On The Radio. No other artist right now can remotely touch their mix of originality, passion, and showmanship. They may not top all the polls, as they are not all things to all people, but a lot more would get them were they to see their fiery live performances. David Letterman smirked when he read the title, Return To Cookie Mountain while introducing the band. But it's no joke, Dave, that's the best album you'll hold in your shriveling hands for years to come. What makes them so great is that while their excellent lyrics touch on political rage, they don't have a messianic savior complex like some artists we know. They don't drown the audience with pious, sentimental ballads, or bore us by twiddling knobs and fussing with their complex layers of experimental textures. Instead, they do what they did on Letterman's show, rock the fuck out with crazed sexual energy.
Mastodon and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs also released stellar albums. Rivaling TV On The Radio for best live band in the world, Brazilian group Kassin +2 released the third in a sort of trilogy, Futurismo. Oddly, it's currently a Japanese import. The Hold Steady hit the jackpot by sweetening Craig Finn's literate storytelling with melodies and some actual singing. Sweden's The Knife, while almost oppressively creepy, developed a brilliantly unique sound. Fujiya & Miyagi aren't the first band to pay homage to Krautrock, but they're the best of this year's crop. Neko Case continues to refine her music until it's so exquisitely out-of-time it will certainly haunt the past and the future. Björk may be laying low this year, but her influence can be heard in two very different artists - avant-folky harpist Joanna Newsom and Miho Hatori, formerly of the fabulous Cibo Matto. Who knew that shibuya-kei J-pop influenced pomo pop and "freak folk" would have a common thread.
The only genre that stands out with the most albums in my top 100 aside from rock, is electronica. Fujiya & Miyagi, Hot Chip, Junior Boys, Herbert, Nathan Fake, Barbara Morgenstern, Ellen Allien & Apparat all made impressive fusions of soundscapes, dance beats and subtly catchy pop melodies. Dominated by the mystifying success of the stunningly mediocre Arctic Monkeys, UK rock had a slow year. The more subtle charms of the second Futureheads album recall mid-period The Jam, but few seemed to care. Libertines offshoot The Dirty Pretty Things made an album far better than one would expect. Longcut, The Brakes, Ladyfuzz, Graham Coxon, Clinic made good albums, but Razorlight's second album was a big disappointment. Artists from around the world are well represented with Kassin +2, CSS and Caetano Veloso (Brazil), The Knife, The Horror The Horror, Britta Persson, Enslaved and Love Is All (Sweden), Benoît Pioulard and Phoenix (France - Pioulard is actually from Michigan, but he seems to really want to be French so lets give it to him), Tony Allen (Nigeria), Ali Farka Touré (Mali), Cappabblack, Miho Hatori, Tokyo Jihen, OOIOO and Cornelius (Japan), Asa (Finland), Barbara Morgenstern and Ellen Allien (Germany), Ampop and Jóhann Jóhannsson (Iceland), Lindstrøm (Norway), Under Byen (Denmark). There's too many Canadians to keep track of.
Comeback of the year
It's been 11 years since Scott Walker released an album, and The Drift is a doozy. It's hard to imagine he was once an MOR singer (one of his ballads was featured prominently in a maudlin scene in the movie Love, Actually), as this album is one of the most extremely unhinged avant garde albums I've ever heard. It's difficult listening for sure, something you respect from a distance and play only once in a great while, as it takes a while to recover from the experience. It's no wonder it even rated highly in the Decibel metal magazine poll.
Debuts of the year
Only Benoît Pioulard and The Horror The Horror cracked the top 20 with debuts. The Horror The Horror were completely written off, partly because they have not yet gotten American distribution, partly because of the strong influence of Television and The Strokes. I've had the album since the spring and I still love it. I'm not positive it's their first album, but Asa's Terveisiä Kaaoksesta is my favorite hip hop album, from Finland no less! The use of ancient folk sure serve as an example of the untapped realms hip hop artists could explore to get out of their rut.
Overrated of the Year
Without a doubt, Bob Dylan's Modern Times. This unfortunately will top the polls, which is completely fucking pathetic. Come on people, move on. It's not that great. I imagine in the event when Dylan dies (I love most of his work up through 1975 and wish him to live happily long into old age), ageing critics will participate in ghoulish ceremonies of worship where the Grand Priest of Dylan, Greil Marcus, will pass around a pipe sprinkled with ashes of Dylan's remains, as they ruminate over the Dylan Bootleg Series Volume 169, consisting of mumbled snippets of melodies and what sounds suspiciously like farts recorded in his hospital bed.
Disappointment of the Year
I got some flack for my love of Razorlight's 2004 debut, Up All Night, which I still maintain is a great album. I hoped their second album would prove they're a great band. They took a turn to total pop, and while there's a few good songs on it, there's some real stinkers. They got rid of their great drummer and are now utterly incapable of rocking. Sigh. Two of my favorite solo artists, Ed Harcourt and Hawksley Workman, failed to live up to their potential and reach a wider audience.
Looking Ahead
I hesitate to hype up the next Radiohead album, as many will expect them to "save music" or something ridiculous like that. I would like to see some favorites like PJ Harvey, Karen O, The Rakes, Ghost, Annie, Robyn, Patrick Wolf, Café Tacuba, The Notwist and Nação Zumbí uncork some sparkling albums. But mostly I'm excited about the unknown. Surprise me, 2007.
Click here for the entire list.
I'll try to continue the rest in the comments. If the formatting gets screwed up, the whole thing is posted on my site .
My Trusted MOGs
1. TV On The Radio * Return To Cookie Mountain (4AD/Interscope)
Considering that I was already a big fan of TV On The Radio, yet it took me over a month to "get" Return To Cookie Mountain, it's impressive that they hovered in the Billboard 200 album chart for several weeks. They received plenty of critical attention, enough for backlash such as being dismissed by The Wire and other similar snoots. But with their transcendent live shows and undeniably pioneering sound and style, the band's stature is guaranteed to grow, whether their future work becomes more commercial or more inscrutible. And inevitably, the 20,000 people who were into them in the beginning will magically become 200,000. Just like the original audiences of about a dozen people who first saw The Ramones or The Sex Pistols have expanded to about a million. But that's cool. It's the awesome moment that you know you've got a lasting legacy, when people lie about being there in the beginning. Full review.
2. Mastodon * Blood Mountain (Reprise)
As I wrote in last year's feature on metal, metal is made up of a hugely diverse array of sub-genres. Few will agree on what's best, as tastes run from conservative power metal to more adventurous experimental stuff. Mastodon have been receiving the most critical attention overall because they manage to straddle influences of 80s thrash and even 70s prog. And why not, they have so much to offer, from Brann Dailor's tricksy time signatures and tight riffing, detailed production to outrageous, ambitious lyrical themes. Lamb of God may have sold four times as many albums, Blood Mountain feels like a timeless classic alongside the mighty Leviathon. Full review.
3.Yeah Yeah Yeahs * Show Your Bones (Interscope)
Throughout the year, my feeling that Show Your Bones was a totally successful and superior progression from Fever To Tell was unwavering. It has the tunes, the emotional pull, and the excellent performances. Yet the excitement has waned a bit, and the album is totally buried or missing from end of year lists. Had critics actually taken the time to re-listen to it next to their late additions, it probably would have fared much better. I hope Karen O's solo venture is succesful, but I'd hate to see the band end. They really do have something special. Full review.
4. Kassin +2 * Futurismo (Video Arts Japan)
There's a couple reasons why one of the absolute best bands in the world has gotten so little attention in the U.S. Despite the U.S. interest piqued by reissues of old Tropicalia artists like Os Mutantes and Tom Zé, the band has not exploited its connections, with Moreno Veloso being Tropicalia founder Caetano's son. Secondly, the band changes its name every album, as each member takes his turn as band leader. They started in 2001 as Moreno +2, became Domenico +2 in 2002, and four years later, released their best album as Kassin +2. Thirdly, the albums never find U.S. distribution until a year or more after their original release (though it is available at Dusty Groove). Hopefully Futurismo will be properly promoted in 2007 to coincide with their tour. With their artful mix of bossanova influenced funk (like Joao Donato and Marcos Valle), jazz and restless electronic experimentation, they're simultaneously steeped in history and one of the most forward looking bands in Brazil. They are not to be missed.
5. The Hold Steady * Boys And Girls In America
It's ironic that as recently as last year, I found this band annoying. Their first two albums got a lot of attention, with some fans raving that they were the best things they've heard all year. I could tell Craig Finn had some good stories, but couldn't make it through more than a few songs, as his tuneless ranting became unbearable. The new album solves that problem, with Finn developing a pleasing Bob Mould-like singing voice and a whole trunkful of hooks. The sweeping, piano-driven Springsteen-influenced bar rock may not break any ground, but it shows that timeless, great songwriting can render everything else superfluous. Full review.
6. The Knife * Silent Shout (Rabid/Mute)
Stockholm's Olof and Karin Dreijer remained mysterious through their first two albums, hiding behind raven masks and only playing their first show in London in 2005. Partially recorded in a carbon dioxide factory and the vaults of Stockholm's Grand Church, Silent Shout is a stunning work. It's immensely creepy, yet manages to allure with its otherwordly, inventive sounds that make most electronic music sound like they're made from primitive children's toys.
7. Fujiya & Miyagi * Transparent Things (Tirk)8. Neko Case * Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Anti)
Having proved herself an artistic equal of the likes of Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, Neko Case spent four years developing the songs for her fourth studio album. It was worth the effort. Fox Confessor shows Case outdoing herself as a songwriter, transcending the country genre and establishing her unique style of noir Americana. With pipes, soul and tunes to die for, Case is the singer songwriter to whom all her other contemporaries will be compared.
9. Joanna Newsom * Ys (Drag City)10. Hot Chip * The Warning (DFA/Astralwerks)
After the 2002 electro-pop triumphs of The Notwist, My Computer, Rob and Schneider TM, it seemed like the trend of mixing accomplished singing with creatively unconventional electronic pop songs took five. Four years, to be exact. On their second full-length, Hot Chip picked up the baton with an unpretentiously engaging batch of songs that manages to meld catchy melodies with surprising sounds better than anyone else.
11. Benoît Pioulard * Précis (Kranky)
Just as Fujiya & Miyagi are not Japanese, Benoît Pioulard may sound French, but is actually 21 year-old Thomas Meluch from Ann Arbor, Michigan. This makes him no less special mind you. Précis is a gentle, gauzy trip through meadows on a summer night, evoking the melodic gifts of The Jesus & Mary Chain and the subtle touch of Felt (the band). Like Lansing-Dreiden and The Radio Dept., it vaguely hearkens back to pre-shoegaze 80s indie pop. But with its dense layers of acoustic picking, subtle sound effects, and engaging songwriting, Précis stands out.
12. Tony Allen * Lagos No Shaking (Honest Jon's)
From most year-end lists, you'd think the only good album that came out of Africa was Ali Farka Toure's Savane. While it was given more attention because of Toure's recent death, it was a good album. But it's unfair to overlook the vibrant music of Tony Allen of Nigeria. As Fela Kuti's drummer and musical director, Allen is responsible for nearly all of Fela's greatest arrangements from 1968 to 1979. His solo albums have been uniformly excellent, carrying a political message that's only slightly less sarcastic and unhinged as Fela's. After living mostly in France for the past 20+ years, Allen returned home to Lagos for this album, revisiting his Afrobeat roots. Rather than just a genre exercise, the music here is fresh, ranging from exhuberant and bubbly to world weary melancholy. Lagos vocalists Fatai Rolling Dollar and Yinka Davies add soul, grit, and even some sexual tension on "Ogogoro." Allen will get more attention for his role in Daman Albarn's new band, The Good, The Bad And The Queen. But his talents are best represented here. Don't be misguided by safe African music marketed to the Starbucks crowd. Lagos No Shaking is a hot monster of an album.
13. Junior Boys * So This Is Goodbye (Domino)
Reviews of So This Is Goodbye early in the year were preoccupied with the departure of Johnny Dark and his skittering Timberland beats. What many failed to notice was how much better the songs are, not to mention Jeremy Greenspan's singing.
All the above albums can be purchased online, even the imports. See the Fast 'n' Bulbous Guide to Online CD Shopping for tips.
2006 Breakdown This year there were more albums to choose from than ever. I rated over 420 albums, 180 were a 9 or better. Click here for the entire list.
Rock & Pop1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs * Show Your Bones (Interscope) 2. The Hold Steady * Boys And Girls In America (Vagrant) 3. The Horror The Horror (Tapete Records) 4. The Futureheads * News And Tributes (679) 5. The Dirty Pretty Things * Waterloo To Anywhere (Universal) 6. Yo La Tengo * I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador) 7. Built To Spill * You In Reverse (WB 8. CSS * Cansei De Ser Sexy (Sub Pop) 9. Mission of Burma * The Obliterati (Matador) 10. The Rapture * Pieces Of The People We Love (Universal) 11. Cold War Kids * Robbers & Cowards (Downtown/V2) 12. The Fratellis * Costello Music (Umvd UK) 13. Ad Astra Per Aspera * Catapult Calypso (Sonic Unyon)
Avant Rock & Out Pop1. TV On The Radio * Return To Cookie Mountain (4AD/Interscope) 2. Fujiya & Miyagi * Transparent Things (Tirk) 3. Various * The World Is Gone (XL) 4. Milanese * Extend (Planet Mu) 5. OOIOO * Taiga (Thrill Jockey) 6. White Flight (Range Life) 7. Miho Hatori * Ecdysis (Rykodisc) 8. Radio Citizen * Berlin Serengeti (Ubiquity) 9. Acoustic Ladyland * Skinny Grin (V2) 10. Longcut * A Call & Response (Deltasonic) 11. Sonic Youth * Rather Ripped (Geffen) 12. Man Man * Six Demon Bag (Ace Fu) 13. Om * Conference Of The Birds (Holy Mountain)
Experimental & Ambient1. Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid * The Exchange Session (Domino) 2. Ekkehard Ehlers * A Life Without Fear (Staubgold) 3. Svalastog * Woodwork (Rune Grammofon) 4. Mountains * Sewn (Apestaartje) 5. Tim Hecker * Harmony In Ultraviolet (Kranky) 6. Jóhann Jóhannsson * IBM 1401, A User's Manual (4AD) 7. Colleen & Les Boites A Musiques (The Leaf Label) 8. Huntsville * For The Middle Class (Rune Grammofon) 9. Thomas Strønen * Pohlitz (Rune Grammofon) 10. Taylor Deupree * Northern (12K) 11. Phill Niblock * Touch Three (Touch) 12. Svarte Greiner * Knive (Type) 13. Shogun Kunitoki * Tasankokaiku (Fonal)
Hard Rock1. The Mars Volta * Amputechture (Umvd) 2. The Melvins * A Senile Animal (Ipecac) 3. Wolfmother (Modular/Interscope) 4. Comets On Fire * Avatar (Sub Pop) 5. Harvey Milk * Special Wishes (Troubleman Unlimited) 6. Tool * 10,000 Days (Tool JV) 7. Eagles Of Death Metal * Death By Sexy (Downtown) 8. Oneida * Happy New Year (Jagjaguwar) 9. Katatonia * The Great Cold Distance (Peaceville) 10. Mondo Generator * Dead Planet (Sonicslowmotiontrails) (Tornado) 11. Don Caballero * World Class Listening Problem (Relapse) 12. Deftones * Saturday Night Wrist (Maverick) 13. Battle Of Mice * A Day Of Nights (Neurot)
Metal1. Mastodon * Blood Mountain (Reprise) 2. Enslaved * Ruun (Candlelight) 3. Isis * In The Absence of Truth (Ipecac) 4. Sunn 0))) & Boris * Altar (Southern Lord) 5. The Sword * Age Of Winters (Kemado) 6. Jesu * Silver EP (Hydra Head) 7. Nachtmystium * Instinct: Decay (Southern Lord) 8. Iron Maiden * A Matter of Life and Death (Sanctuary) 9. Blind Guardian * A Twist In The Myth (Nuclear Blast) 10. Converge * No Heroes (Epitaph) 11. Lamb Of God * Sacrament (Epic) 12. Motörhead * Kiss Of Death (Sanctuary) 13. The Gates Of Slumber * The Awakening (Final Chapter)
Wimp Pop1. Hot Chip * The Warning (DFA/Astralwerks) 2. Benoît Pioulard * Précis (Kranky) 3. Junior Boys * So This Is Goodbye (Domino) 4. Lansing-Dreiden * The Dividing Island (Kemado) 5. Herbert * Scale (!K7) 6. Shack * The Corner Of Miles And Gil (Sourmash) 7. The Radio Dept. * Pet Grief (Labrador) 8. Phoenix * It's Never Been Like That (Astralwerks/Source) 9. Final Fantasy * He Poos Clouds (Tomlab) 10. Asobi Seksu * Citrus (Friendly Fire) 11. Love Is All * Nine Times That Same Song (What's Your Rupture?) 12. Mew * And The Glass-Handed Kites (Sony) 13. Ampop * My Delusions (Recall Fr)
Electronica, Techno & Dance1. The Knife * Silent Shout (Rabid/Mute) 2. Ellen Allien & Apparat * Orchestra of Bubbles (Bpitch Control) 3. Nathan Fake * Drowning in a Sea of Love (Border Community) 4. Barbara Morgenstern * The Grass Is Always Greener (Monika) 5. Thom Yorke * The Eraser (Capitol) 6. Mordant Music * Dead Air (Mordant) 7. Matmos * The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth of A Beast (Matador) 8. Kode9 & The Spaceape * Memories of the Future (Hyperdub) 9. Burial (Hyperdub) 10. Belbury Poly * The Owl's Map (Ghost Box) 11. Clark * Body Riddle (Warp Records) 12. Squarepusher * Hello Everything (Warp) 13. Booka Shade * Movements (Get Physical)
Global1. Kassin +2 * Futurismo (Video Arts Japan) - Brazil 2. Tony Allen * Lagos No Shaking (Honest Jon1s) - Nigeria 3. Tokyo Jihen * Adult (EMI Japan) - Japan 4. Ali Farka Touré * Savane (Nonesuch) - Mali 5. Thomas Mapfumo * Rise Up (Realworld) - Zimbabwe 6. Toumani Diabaté Orchestra * Boulevard de l'Independance (Nonesuch) - Mali 7. Caetano Veloso * Cê (Universal) - Brazil 8. Ojos de Brujo * Techarí (Six Degrees) - Spain 9. Rachid Taha * Diwan 2 (Wrasse) - Algeria 10. Gigi * Gold And Wax (Palm Pictures) - Ethiopia 11. Tanya Stephens * Rebelution (VP) - Jamaica 12. Juana Molina * Son (Domino) - Argentina 13. Gjallarhorn * Rimfaxe (Vindauga/Westpark) - Finland
New Americana, Country & Folk1. Neko Case * Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Anti) 2. Joanna Newsom * Ys (Drag City) 3. Espers * Espers II (Drag City) 4. Tom Waits * Orphans: Bawlers, Brawlers & Bastards (Anti) 5. Britta Persson * Top Quality Bones and a Little Terrorist (Bonnier Amigo) 6. Horse Feathers * Words Are Dead (Lucky Madison) 7. Sparklehorse * Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain (Astralwerks) 8. Marit Larsen * Under the Surface (EMI Norway) 9. Cortney Tidwell * Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Ever) 10. Beirut * Gulag Orkestar (Ba Da Bing!) 11. Los Lobos * The Town And The City (Hollywood) 12. Howlin' Rain (Birdman) 13. Bonnie "Prince" Billy * The Letting Go (Drag City)
Hip Hop & Rap1. Cappablack * Facades and Skeletons (Scape Germany) - Japan 2. Asa * Terveisiä Kaaoksesta (Julkaisuvuosi) - Finland 3. The Roots * Game Theory (Def Jam Left) 4. J. Dilla * Donuts (Stones Throw) 5. Spank Rock * Yoyoyoyoyo (Big Dada) 6. Subtle * for hero: for fool (Astralwerks) 7. Rhymefest * Blue Collar (Allido/J) 8. The Coup * Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph) 9. Ty * Closer (Big Dada) 10. Mr. Lif * Mo' Mega (Def Jux) 11. Akala * It's Not A Rumour (Illastate) 12. Nas * Hip Hop Is Dead (Def Jam/Columbia) 13. Vakill * Worst Fears Confirmed (Molemen)
R&B & Soul1. Amp Fiddler * Afro Strut (Genuine UK) 2. Gnarls Barkley * St Elsewhere (Downtown) 3. Amy Winehouse * Back To Black (Universal/Island) 4. James Hunter * People Gonna Talk (Go Records/Rounder) 5. Candi Stanton * His Hands (Astralwerks) 6. Madeleine Peyroux * Half the Perfect World (Rounder) 7. Solomon Burke * Nashville (Shout! Factory) 8. Outkast * Idlewild (La Face/Zomba)
2005 albums you'll see listed in this year's lists cuz critics are lazy no good cheatin' cheaters.1. Editors * The Back Room (Kitchenware UK) 2. Robyn (Konichiwa Records) 3. Boris * Pink (Southern Lord) 4. Yat-Kha * Re-Covers (World Village)
2005 albums that we (er, I) missed.1. Todosantos * Aeropuerto (La Superagencia) 2. Witchcraft * Firewood (Candlelight) 3. Blut Aus Nord * Thematic Emanation of Archetypal Multiplicity (Candlelight) 4. Nôze * Craft Sounds and Voices (Circus Company) 5. Hello Saferide * Introducing... (Razzia) 6. Anthony Hamilton * Ain't Nobody Worryin' (So So Def/Zomba) 7. The Spinto Band * Nice And Nicely Done (Bar/None) 8. Volcano * Beautiful Seizure (Leaf) 9. Mariem Hassan * Deseos OK (Nubenegra)
Reissues1. Talking Heads * Remain In Light (Sire/Rhino) 80 2. Wire * 154 (Harvest/Pink Flag) 79 3. Talking Heads * Fear Of Music (Sire/Rhino) 79 4. Wire * Pink Flag (Harvest/Pink Flag) 77 5. Amon Düül II * Tanz der Lemminge (Revisited) 71 6. Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band * Doc At The Radar Station (Virgin/EMI) 80 7. Pere Ubu * The Modern Dance (Silverline) 77 8. Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band * Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (Virgin/EMI) 78 9. The Pretenders [Deluxe Edition] (Sire/Rhino) 80 10. Talking Heads * More Songs About Buildings And Food (Sire/Rhino) 78 11. Amon Düül II * Yeti (Revisited) 70 12. Lizzy Mercier Descloux * Zulu Rock (Ze) 84 13. The Comsat Angels * Sleep No More (Polydor/Renascent) 81
Click here to see the entire list of reissues.
Singles1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts 2. The Horror The Horror - Sound Of Sirens 3. Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On 4. Dirty Pretty Things - Bang Bang You're Dead 5. Hot Chip - Boy From School 6. The Hold Steady - Chips Ahoy! 7. Lily Allen - Smile 8. The Rakes - All Too Human 9. Ladyfuzz - Bouncy Ball 10. Gwen Stefani - Yummy
Shows 1. TV On The Radio, Metro 2. Scratch Acid, Touch & Go 25th Anniversary, Hideout 3. The Buzzcocks, Double Door 4. Mastodon, Metro 5. Gogol Bordello, Metro 6. The Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Riviera 7. Amadeu & Mariam, Millennium Park 8. Big Black, Touch & Go 25th Anniversary, Hideout 9. The Rakes, Double Door 10. Blue Cheer, Intonation 11. Wolfmother, Metro 12. The Sword, Intonation 13. The Hold Steady, MetroAlso, High On Fire, Lady Sovereign, The Epoxies, Thievery Corporation.
Movies I've missed a lot of movies in the theaters, but I still say it was a crap year for movies. Even my fourth favorite, V Is For Vendetta, is deeply flawed. None below that would have been worth paying $10 in the theater for. I do have high hopes for Renaissance and Stranger Than Fiction. But where are the magical, thought provoking indie movies? Art School Confidential and The Science of Sleep had potential, but were not too successful.1. Borat 2. Happy Feet 3. Cars 4. V Is For Vendetta 5. A Scanner Darkly 6. Over The Hedge 7. Nacho Libre 8. Art School Confidential 9. Underworld 2 10. Superman Returns 11. X-Men: The Last Stand 12. The Science Of Sleep 13. The Notorious Bettie Page
Haven't seen: Renaissance, Stranger Than Fiction, The Departed, Apocalypto, Little Children, Casino Royale, Dreamgirls, Pan's Labyrinth, Flushed Away, The Good Shepherd, Thank You For Smoking, Shortbus. Avoid: Hard Candy.
Books - Rock 'n' Roll Fiction1. Frank Portman * King Dork (2006) 2. Brendan Halpin * Long Way Back (2006) 3. Brian Costello * The Enchanters Vs. Sprawlburg Springs (2005) 4. Tom Perrotta * The Wishbones (1997) 5. Richard Perez * The Losers' Club (2003) 6. Louise Voss * To Be Someone (2001) 7. Joe Meno * Hairstyles Of The Damned (2004) 8. Jamie S. Rich * The Everlasting (2006) 9. Andy Greenwald * Miss Misery (2006) 10. Marc Spitz * How Soon Is Never? (2003) 11. Jamie S. Rich * Cut My Hair (2000) 12. Kevin Sampson * Powder (1999)
Various1. Charles Stross * Accelerando (2005) 2. Neil Gaiman * Anansi Boys (2005) 3. Richard K. Morgan * Altered Carbon (2002) 4. Rudy Rucker * Freck And The Elixir (2005) 5. Brendan Halpin * Donorboy (2004) 6. Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell 7. Neal Stephenson * Cryptonomicon (1999) 8. Neal Asher * Gridlinked (2001) 9. Rudy Rucker * Realware (2000) 10. Chris Moriarty * Spin State (2003) 11. Richard K. Morgan * Broken Angels (2003) 12. Cory Doctorow * Down And Out In The Magic Kingdom (2003) 13. Haruki Murakami * Hard-Boiled Wonderland And The End Of The World (1993)
My Trusted MOGs
This is the best, most comprehensive year-end list I've seen on MOG, or anywhere else for that matter. From what I've heard of it, the Benoît Pioulard record is great - "Palimend" is fantastic. And I'm with you on waiting until the year is over to compile these things, there's so much more to pick up from reading everyone else's lists first to see what you've missed.
My Trusted MOGs
great post!!!!!
My Trusted MOGs
I applaud your passion and thoroughness and the sheer time and energy you devote into this. (I listed Boris for 2006, not bothering to check well enough. Mea culpa.) I'll be sure to check out The Horror The Horror; thanks for the tip. Otherwise I don't see much here to change my own views about the merits of the (much smaller list of) releases that I checked out. Two quibbles, if I may. First, your claim that the Futureheads' News and Tributes "easily surpasses" their debut is long on assertion but short on argument. I just don't see the case. Second, Cold War Kids are totally gimmicky in their songwriting and arrangements. That's annoying, not the four-part harmonizing of the Futureheads debut.
My Trusted MOGs
fastn, I just wanted to say thanks, I don't have time to delve into this right away this morning so I'm bookmarking this whole thing for later. It is much, much appreciated.
Peace out.
My Trusted MOGs
I...am...agog. Thanks, again, for the tremendous effort and insight. I've bookmarked this page as an un-official "buying guide."
My Trusted MOGs
Otherwise I don’t see much here to change my own views about the merits of the (much smaller list of) releases that I checked out. Two quibbles, if I may. First, your claim that the Futureheads’ News and Tributes “easily surpasses” their debut is long on assertion but short on argument.
My goal was not to change anyone's minds about what they already like, but rather make a case that there were far more than 10 or 20 albums last year that are worth hearing. No one is going to agree with all my top 100 choices, but if you're not curious to check out more than THTH, then I failed big time.
I wanted to like the first Futureheads album more, as a couple of the singles are brilliant. But the rest of the album is a one-trick pony that gave me what I'd imagine an amphetamine headache would feel like. The new one was varied enough not to bore me. I don't really see much point in comparing Cold War Kids to 'em. How about trying out Ad Astra Per Aspera, White Flight, The Ark or Mew instead?
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Hmm, I guess I found the Futureheads debut more varied than you did. It's true that certain songwriting devices reoccur, but no so much as to be annoying, to me anyway.
if you’re not curious to check out more than THTH , then I failed big time
Let me try to explain what I meant by taking your rock & pop list as an example. (I could do similar things with e.g. "avant pop" and "wimp pop" but not with e.g. electronica or hip hop & rap, since these are genres that I just cannot get into despite trying, due to whatever wiring glitch in my brain). Of your list of 13 in rock & pop, I heard all but The Fratellis (from whom I've heard only 4-5 songs so far). I find the YYYs record much inferior to their debut. I liked Hold Steady quite a bit. I liked the Futureheads, but not as much as you. I thought Dirty Pretty Things were surprisingly good, but not as good relative to others as you think. Yo La Tengo was somewhat less boring than their previous one, but inconsistent. I did like CCS quite a bit, Built To Spill not so much. Mission Of Burma was quite excellent. (There's something about the production that didn't quite hit but the songs opened up live.) I said my piece about CWK. The Rapture I've hated with passion since their debut full-length. Ad Astra Per Aspera are interesting but they've at least yet to open up for me. I'll try again. I would have seriously considered substituting some of these with Jon Auer, Alejandro Escovedo, Pernice Brothers, Radio Birdman, and/or The Twilight Singers. So I didn't mean that I am disinclined to check out stuff unknown to me when recommended by someone so obviously knowledgeable and articulate as you, but rather that I think differently from you about the merits (relative or absolute) of a number of records released in 2006. Again, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate your sharing your views with us. I very much, and it gave me a chance to reassess my own views.
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Oh, and I found the new Mew OK, but not as good as Frengers.
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I liked Pernice Brothers, Radio Birdman, and Twilight Singers, which are all just further down my full list. I'm more interested in finding what I've missed in a list. I haven't heard the Auer and Escovedo, though I'm familiar with their older work, so will have to check 'em out, along with Frengers.
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This is a truly fabulous post. Thank you very much for having shared it...
Agree completely with you on your sentiments on _Modern Times_ and _Whatever People Say, That's What I'm Not_ - "Stunningly Mediocre" indeed - Which is rather ironic given the name of the album - Given their reception this year by the mainstream critics, it seems that their Album title absolutely nailed the quality of the release...
Grazie!
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i totally agree with you on joanna newsom, hot chip, junior boys and benoit pioulard picks. incidentally, benoit, or thomas rather, was a classmate of mine this past year, and I saw him perform live at a show on campus, and then bought his CD in class. he autographed it per my request and upon giving him money for it, he said, "cool, now I can go get a burrito." total student - love it. but yeah, his album is great. if you're reading this, you should get it.
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Jeez! I thought I was obsessed but now I can see I am just sniffing around the perimeter fence of music!
I have to say though, I have listened to 46 albums released in 2006 throughout the year. That's as well as listening to other albums from the past. I wouldn't like to go past 50 albums in one year. I don't see how you can listen to more than that and give each one a fair hearing unless you are retired/unemployed/rich/professional music reviewer. Like the Yeah Yeah Yeah's album for example; if you listen to it enough times you actually see how poor it is compared to 'Fever To Tell'. 'Fever' is a different gravy to 'Show Your Bones' and is an album I will always return to.
My concentration on 2006 really starts in November and the real object is to produce a double album CD of the best 32 songs of the year. My listing of the year's best albums is just a bonus. If an album is only released in November (eg. Long Blondes) I can't include it as there just has to be a cut off time. I will include it in 2007s lot though. I hope to complete the listing for my CD today, but there are going to be some tough decisions made, it's not for the faint-hearted.
That was a superb post though Fastnbulbous and one that gives people like me inspiration to listen to more music.
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I don’t see how you can listen to more than that and give each one a fair hearing unless you are retired/unemployed/rich/professional music reviewer.
I am none of those things. I have a full time job and a social life. What's your excuse? ;) And yes Pip, I did listen to Show Your Bones enough times. There was plenty of time to listen to more than 50 albums. I sample bits of nearly a thousand albums, and over 400 in their entirety, repeatedly to varying degrees. Let's do some math. I listen to music at home, on the train, when I'm at work when I'm not in meetings or running around, on the train again, and at home at night. Ironically I don't listen when I run. But I do have a backpack with built-in speakers on my bike, heh. A conservative estimate would be 10 hours a day, with weekends most likely upping that average. So that's at least 3,650 listening hours in a year, enough time for over 4,800 albums, and plenty of time to absorb just 400 new ones repeatedly, and enjoy old favorites. So go crazy, listen to another 50!
I also assembled a mix of selections from my top 100. Those interested can email me.
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i kept my list short and sweet this year, and bowed out of publishing one - though i was biased toward things/people i reviewed/interviewed...instead of trying to be everybody's everything, i just selected some of my favorite things, among them....
Fujiya & Miyagi are my band of the year; Scritti Politti was the sleeper/comeback of the year; Saint Etienne was the return to form of the year; Hot Chip, Husky Rescue, Junior Boys, Jose Gonzales, and Gavin & Delia were my breakthroughs; Jay Dee and Dabrye rocked my hip hop world; DJ's that turned my tables were Kompakt's Michael Meyer and Ghostly's Matthew Dear/Audion and always Chicago's Derrick Carter; old reliables go to Matthew Herbert, Arling & Cameron, To Rococo Rot, Nightmares on Wax and King Creosote. I loved kooky Scott Walker returning to drop some knowledge on the newbies and am way too excited to hear what Mary Weiss will be doing in 2007.