THE BEST OF 2006
Below are my picks for the 10 best albums of 2006.
1. BAND OF HORSES - Everything All the Time
'Everything All the Time' is the exceptional debut from Seattle (now South Carolina)based, southern rock influenced Band of Horses. Employing echoey vocal effects (as well as subtly harmonized vocals), Band of Horses creates consistently great, guitar driven indie rock songs. 'The Funeral', arguably the best song of 2006, starts slow and sweet but soon explodes into a symphony of layered guitars and crashing drums, over which singer, Ben Bridwell bellows "at every occasion I'll be ready for a funeral". Other standout tracks include 'Our Swords', 'I Go to the Barn Because I Like the', 'St. Augustine', and the raucous 'The Great Salt Lake'. Additionally, their amazing cover of The New Year's 'The End's Not Near' was recently included on the OC Mix 6 soundtrack.
2. DIRTY ON PURPOSE - Hallelujah Sirens
From a band with one of the worst names ever comes one of the best albums of the year. Dirty on Purpose, hailing from Brooklyn, make beautifully crafted songs from their own brand of poppy shoegaze. Songs like 'No Radio' feature lush vocals that soar on layers of fuzzy, sometimes discordant guitars. 'Light Pollution' is a moving track with a catchy, bouncy melody and an almost constant buzzing background guitar, complements of virtuoso George Wilson. 'Marfa Lights' and the slow, string heavy 'Lake Effect' are also exceptional tracks.
3. THE DECEMBERISTS - The Crane Wife
See review below.
4. EMBRACE - This New Day
Embrace are one of the few bands to survive the fall of the Britpop movement of the mid 90's and perhaps the only one to successfully maintain their Britpop sensibilities. Though they experienced a lack of critical support due to some of their intermediate albums, they persevered (apparently selling their record collections on ebay) and have emerged as a great and viable British indie rock group. 'This New Day', like their four previous records, is full of soaring, anthemic tunes and lovely, atmospheric ballads. Lead man Danny McNamara has a unique voice that is often complemented with arena style choruses, as on piano driven 'Nature's Law'. 'Target', 'Celebrate,' and the lovelorn piano ballad 'I Can't Come Down' are also amazing. Additionally, Embrace were selected to write and record the official song for England's World Cup team – 'World at Your Feet' is a moving and energetic anthem.
5. MARGOT AND THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S - The Dust of Retreat
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's is an eight piece indie rock group from Indianapolis, fronted by Richard Edwards. He writes sophisticated, wintry tunes inspired by Woody Allen films and apparently his fascination with life in 1960's Greenwich Village. Though simple and melodic at heart, the songs are filled out by an arrangement of horns, strings, rhodes keyboard and a variety of backing vocals. On the haunting 'Quiet as a Mouse', Edwards cries "when I awoke my body was dying all over the floor" over mariachi style horns and a screeching guitar. 'Skeleton Key' with its sonic diversity, steady beat and passionate lyrics is accessible and beautiful. 'Dress Me Like a Clown', 'Paper Kitten Nightmare' and 'Vampires in Blue Dresses' are other outstanding tracks.
6. MOJAVE 3 - Puzzles Like You
See review below.
7. SOUTH - Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars
South's 2002 debut From Here On In was at the same time their most electronic, acoustic and atmospheric album. On their 2003 follow-up, With the Tides, they seemed to have established a more straightforward, melody driven, traditional rock sound. And Adventures in the Underground continues in the same vein, though the result is generally a bit lighter. 'A Place In Displacement' is an instant classic, drawing comparisons to New Order with its angular guitar riffs, heavy percussion and anthemic chorus. 'Up Close and Personal' (like their aptly titled 'Speed Up Slow Down' from the recent ep of the same name) exemplifies the alternating tempo sound they seem to enjoy. 'Shallow' and the vaguely 70's sounding 'Meant to Mean' contribute to make this a phenomenal album.
8. THE DEARS - Gang of Losers
As the album title indicates, Gang of Losers is rife with themes of alienation and aloneness. Lead man Murray Lightburn's admiration of Morrissey is further evident on the first single 'Ticket to Immortality' as well as the excellent 'Whites Only Party', whose bouncing, rockabily tune sounds like The Smiths' 'Rusholme Ruffians'. In fact, one critic has accurately described the Dears sound as "Damon Albarn sings the Smiths." More than on previous albums, the backing female vocals (including that of Lightburn's wife, keyboardist Natalia Yanchak) are frequently and successfully employed, especially on 'You and I Are a Gang of Losers'. And overall, their songs seem tighter, more focused than before. 'Hate Then Love', 'There Goes My Outfit', and 'Ballad of Human Kindness' are also remarkable.
9. MUSE - Black Holes and Revelations
Nobody does theatrical, apocalyptic space rock better than Muse. And with their fourth studio record, Muse has successfully lived up to the expectations they created with 2004's Absolution. Curiously, the first single, and the album's greatest aberration, was the funky 'Supermassive Black Hole', featuring Matthew Bellamy singing in falsetto. An operatic chorus punctuates the epic 'Knights of Cydonia', whose video, complete with unicorns, robots, cowboys and holograms, is as spectacular and bizarre as the song. Other gems include 'Starlight', 'Assasin' and 'Exo-politics'.
10. THE STREETS - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
The Streets, aka Mike Skinner, is unique to say the least. Those who can disregard the sometimes offensive language will find his brand of British, narrative, everyman rap refreshing. His debut album A Grand Don't Come For Free was a brilliant, autobiographical concept album, describing a day in the life of a "geezer". The follow-up is like the next chapter, examining the experiences and challenges Skinner faces with his newfound fame. On the first single 'When You Wasn't Famous', Mike explains that "when you're a famous boy, it gets really easy to get girls", but ironically "when you try to pull a girl who is also famous too, it feels just like when you wasn't famous". The piano driven 'All Goes Out the Window' and 'Never Went to Church' are both intelligent and gorgeous.
Below are my picks for the 10 best albums of 2006.
1. BAND OF HORSES - Everything All the Time
'Everything All the Time' is the exceptional debut from Seattle (now South Carolina)based, southern rock influenced Band of Horses. Employing echoey vocal effects (as well as subtly harmonized vocals), Band of Horses creates consistently great, guitar driven indie rock songs. 'The Funeral', arguably the best song of 2006, starts slow and sweet but soon explodes into a symphony of layered guitars and crashing drums, over which singer, Ben Bridwell bellows "at every occasion I'll be ready for a funeral". Other standout tracks include 'Our Swords', 'I Go to the Barn Because I Like the', 'St. Augustine', and the raucous 'The Great Salt Lake'. Additionally, their amazing cover of The New Year's 'The End's Not Near' was recently included on the OC Mix 6 soundtrack.
2. DIRTY ON PURPOSE - Hallelujah Sirens
From a band with one of the worst names ever comes one of the best albums of the year. Dirty on Purpose, hailing from Brooklyn, make beautifully crafted songs from their own brand of poppy shoegaze. Songs like 'No Radio' feature lush vocals that soar on layers of fuzzy, sometimes discordant guitars. 'Light Pollution' is a moving track with a catchy, bouncy melody and an almost constant buzzing background guitar, complements of virtuoso George Wilson. 'Marfa Lights' and the slow, string heavy 'Lake Effect' are also exceptional tracks.
3. THE DECEMBERISTS - The Crane Wife
See review below.
4. EMBRACE - This New Day
Embrace are one of the few bands to survive the fall of the Britpop movement of the mid 90's and perhaps the only one to successfully maintain their Britpop sensibilities. Though they experienced a lack of critical support due to some of their intermediate albums, they persevered (apparently selling their record collections on ebay) and have emerged as a great and viable British indie rock group. 'This New Day', like their four previous records, is full of soaring, anthemic tunes and lovely, atmospheric ballads. Lead man Danny McNamara has a unique voice that is often complemented with arena style choruses, as on piano driven 'Nature's Law'. 'Target', 'Celebrate,' and the lovelorn piano ballad 'I Can't Come Down' are also amazing. Additionally, Embrace were selected to write and record the official song for England's World Cup team – 'World at Your Feet' is a moving and energetic anthem.
5. MARGOT AND THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S - The Dust of Retreat
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's is an eight piece indie rock group from Indianapolis, fronted by Richard Edwards. He writes sophisticated, wintry tunes inspired by Woody Allen films and apparently his fascination with life in 1960's Greenwich Village. Though simple and melodic at heart, the songs are filled out by an arrangement of horns, strings, rhodes keyboard and a variety of backing vocals. On the haunting 'Quiet as a Mouse', Edwards cries "when I awoke my body was dying all over the floor" over mariachi style horns and a screeching guitar. 'Skeleton Key' with its sonic diversity, steady beat and passionate lyrics is accessible and beautiful. 'Dress Me Like a Clown', 'Paper Kitten Nightmare' and 'Vampires in Blue Dresses' are other outstanding tracks.
6. MOJAVE 3 - Puzzles Like You
See review below.
7. SOUTH - Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars
South's 2002 debut From Here On In was at the same time their most electronic, acoustic and atmospheric album. On their 2003 follow-up, With the Tides, they seemed to have established a more straightforward, melody driven, traditional rock sound. And Adventures in the Underground continues in the same vein, though the result is generally a bit lighter. 'A Place In Displacement' is an instant classic, drawing comparisons to New Order with its angular guitar riffs, heavy percussion and anthemic chorus. 'Up Close and Personal' (like their aptly titled 'Speed Up Slow Down' from the recent ep of the same name) exemplifies the alternating tempo sound they seem to enjoy. 'Shallow' and the vaguely 70's sounding 'Meant to Mean' contribute to make this a phenomenal album.
8. THE DEARS - Gang of Losers
As the album title indicates, Gang of Losers is rife with themes of alienation and aloneness. Lead man Murray Lightburn's admiration of Morrissey is further evident on the first single 'Ticket to Immortality' as well as the excellent 'Whites Only Party', whose bouncing, rockabily tune sounds like The Smiths' 'Rusholme Ruffians'. In fact, one critic has accurately described the Dears sound as "Damon Albarn sings the Smiths." More than on previous albums, the backing female vocals (including that of Lightburn's wife, keyboardist Natalia Yanchak) are frequently and successfully employed, especially on 'You and I Are a Gang of Losers'. And overall, their songs seem tighter, more focused than before. 'Hate Then Love', 'There Goes My Outfit', and 'Ballad of Human Kindness' are also remarkable.
9. MUSE - Black Holes and Revelations
Nobody does theatrical, apocalyptic space rock better than Muse. And with their fourth studio record, Muse has successfully lived up to the expectations they created with 2004's Absolution. Curiously, the first single, and the album's greatest aberration, was the funky 'Supermassive Black Hole', featuring Matthew Bellamy singing in falsetto. An operatic chorus punctuates the epic 'Knights of Cydonia', whose video, complete with unicorns, robots, cowboys and holograms, is as spectacular and bizarre as the song. Other gems include 'Starlight', 'Assasin' and 'Exo-politics'.
10. THE STREETS - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
The Streets, aka Mike Skinner, is unique to say the least. Those who can disregard the sometimes offensive language will find his brand of British, narrative, everyman rap refreshing. His debut album A Grand Don't Come For Free was a brilliant, autobiographical concept album, describing a day in the life of a "geezer". The follow-up is like the next chapter, examining the experiences and challenges Skinner faces with his newfound fame. On the first single 'When You Wasn't Famous', Mike explains that "when you're a famous boy, it gets really easy to get girls", but ironically "when you try to pull a girl who is also famous too, it feels just like when you wasn't famous". The piano driven 'All Goes Out the Window' and 'Never Went to Church' are both intelligent and gorgeous.
posted by suavefaire at 3:38 PM
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