Top 20 for 2006
With the year rapidly coming to a close, I figure it is time to give my roundup of favorite releases for the year.
Top 10 for 2006
1. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case – Not only does Neko Case have one of the most amazing voices in pop music today, she finally fulfills the promise hinted at by her previous work.
2. Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins – Never a big fan of Rilo Kiley, but this release is a wonderful collection. A Loretta Lynn for the modern era.
3. Be Your Own Pet by Be Your Own Pet – Still one of the most exciting albums of the year for me. Each time I hear it, it shocks me with how good it is.
4. The Information by Beck – A strong follow up Guero. Beck continues to create great music.
5. The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian – It is easy to say it’s just another B&S album, but what is wrong with that?
6. Passover by the Black Angels – Great stoner-rock album. Up there with Black Mountain’s debut.
7. At War With The Mystics by the Flaming Lips – While still toiling in the shadow of the Soft Bulletin, the Flaming Lips continue to astound. This release, while not perfect, is a joy to listen to.
8. The Eraser by Thom Yorke – Who knew Thom Yorke was working on a solo album? Who knew that the solo album wouldn’t veer too far off of the path laid down by his other band? Who cares? The Eraser is a great record for fans of Kid A or Amnesiac.
9. Ballad of the Broken Seas by Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Simple and beautiful. Two voices that are the Reese’s peanut butter cup of the music world.
10. Broken Boy Soldiers by The Raconteurs – Smoking album. Of course, the band is even better live, but what a great record. Try and resist. I dare you.
Top 10 Reissues, Collections, etc.
1. Orphans by Tom Waits – Three discs of Tom Waits music? The man is astounding. I love "Army Ants" and "Children’s Story."
2. The Singles by The Clash – A beautiful box set of all 19 Clash singles including "This Is England" from Cut the Crap.
3. American Hardcore (soundtrack) – I had a smile on my face from the moment this film started and the soundtrack is a great walk down memory lane with most of the tracks holding up even after all this time.
4. Wowie Zowie – Sordid Sentinels Edition by Pavement – I have waited with baited breath for each deluxe reissue of the Pavement albums and Wowie Zowie, like it’s predecessors, does not disappoint. Trade in your old copies of the first three albums and pick up the reissues.
5. Noise Floor by Bright Eyes – A great odds and sods collection.
6. III by Sebadoh – An album that I never could get my head around when it came out. Strangely, I just sold my old copy a couple of years ago. But this reissue grabbed me and I cannot stop listening to it. I guess an old dog can learn new tricks.
7. The Tragic Treasury by Gothic Archies – Finally. I have been contemplating buying all of the audio books to get these track but instead they have, with two bonus tracks, been collected all on one disc.
8. No Direction Home (soundtrack) by Bob Dylan – Soundtrack to a great documentary. Some of the most engaging Dylan music around.
9. The Top by the Cure – My favorite Cure album given the deluxe treatment. It had to make the list. Too bad most of the extras are mediocre at best. But the album has never sounded better.
10. A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box (various artists) – A guilty pleasure but a pleasure nonetheless. Not a lot of revelations, but plenty of stray tracks all in one place.
And here are the 10 latest from my iPod:
1. "Black Sails In The Sunset" by Elvis Costello
2. "Open Heart Surgery" by the Brian Jonestown Massacre
3. "Bad Version of War" by Pavement
4. "Everybody’s Happy Nowadays" by the Buzzcocks
5. "Plants & Rags" by PJ Harvey
6. "Tick" by Ween
7. "All Along The Watchtower" by U2
8. "Walkin’ Cane" by the Knitters
9. "Blue Stars" by the Soviettes
10. "Sixteen Blue" by the Replacements
Top 10 for 2006
1. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case – Not only does Neko Case have one of the most amazing voices in pop music today, she finally fulfills the promise hinted at by her previous work.
2. Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins – Never a big fan of Rilo Kiley, but this release is a wonderful collection. A Loretta Lynn for the modern era.
3. Be Your Own Pet by Be Your Own Pet – Still one of the most exciting albums of the year for me. Each time I hear it, it shocks me with how good it is.
4. The Information by Beck – A strong follow up Guero. Beck continues to create great music.
5. The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian – It is easy to say it’s just another B&S album, but what is wrong with that?
6. Passover by the Black Angels – Great stoner-rock album. Up there with Black Mountain’s debut.
7. At War With The Mystics by the Flaming Lips – While still toiling in the shadow of the Soft Bulletin, the Flaming Lips continue to astound. This release, while not perfect, is a joy to listen to.
8. The Eraser by Thom Yorke – Who knew Thom Yorke was working on a solo album? Who knew that the solo album wouldn’t veer too far off of the path laid down by his other band? Who cares? The Eraser is a great record for fans of Kid A or Amnesiac.
9. Ballad of the Broken Seas by Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Simple and beautiful. Two voices that are the Reese’s peanut butter cup of the music world.
10. Broken Boy Soldiers by The Raconteurs – Smoking album. Of course, the band is even better live, but what a great record. Try and resist. I dare you.
Top 10 Reissues, Collections, etc.
1. Orphans by Tom Waits – Three discs of Tom Waits music? The man is astounding. I love "Army Ants" and "Children’s Story."
2. The Singles by The Clash – A beautiful box set of all 19 Clash singles including "This Is England" from Cut the Crap.
3. American Hardcore (soundtrack) – I had a smile on my face from the moment this film started and the soundtrack is a great walk down memory lane with most of the tracks holding up even after all this time.
4. Wowie Zowie – Sordid Sentinels Edition by Pavement – I have waited with baited breath for each deluxe reissue of the Pavement albums and Wowie Zowie, like it’s predecessors, does not disappoint. Trade in your old copies of the first three albums and pick up the reissues.
5. Noise Floor by Bright Eyes – A great odds and sods collection.
6. III by Sebadoh – An album that I never could get my head around when it came out. Strangely, I just sold my old copy a couple of years ago. But this reissue grabbed me and I cannot stop listening to it. I guess an old dog can learn new tricks.
7. The Tragic Treasury by Gothic Archies – Finally. I have been contemplating buying all of the audio books to get these track but instead they have, with two bonus tracks, been collected all on one disc.
8. No Direction Home (soundtrack) by Bob Dylan – Soundtrack to a great documentary. Some of the most engaging Dylan music around.
9. The Top by the Cure – My favorite Cure album given the deluxe treatment. It had to make the list. Too bad most of the extras are mediocre at best. But the album has never sounded better.
10. A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box (various artists) – A guilty pleasure but a pleasure nonetheless. Not a lot of revelations, but plenty of stray tracks all in one place.
And here are the 10 latest from my iPod:
1. "Black Sails In The Sunset" by Elvis Costello
2. "Open Heart Surgery" by the Brian Jonestown Massacre
3. "Bad Version of War" by Pavement
4. "Everybody’s Happy Nowadays" by the Buzzcocks
5. "Plants & Rags" by PJ Harvey
6. "Tick" by Ween
7. "All Along The Watchtower" by U2
8. "Walkin’ Cane" by the Knitters
9. "Blue Stars" by the Soviettes
10. "Sixteen Blue" by the Replacements
posted by recordjerk at 8:40 AM
1 Comments:
Props on most of your picks...Have to differ with you on The Lips new release...My little fingers quivered with unbridled joy when I ripped the plastic from the case and shoved it into the stereo on release day. And then- Bleh. I've probably listened to it 10x or more hoping to find some shred of brilliance and still find it boring. Yoshimi kicks my ass every time I hear it, but this one leaves me absolutely cold.
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