Top 10 Albums of 2006, NOW WITH MORE MUSIC!
by Jason St. Aubin
#10 - Comets On Fire - Avatar
They Say: "There is an unhinged, maniacal desire to cross on over into the cosmos on Comets on Fire's (frankly) totally awesome new record." - Filter
I Say: there is something totally ethereal about the way this band combines jam band sensibilities with the indie rock pathos. it's way cool.
#9 - The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
They Say: "As a sustained effort, it represents the band’s sharpest and most satisfying work, and one of the most accomplished albums of its kind this year. " - The New York Times
I Say: if i heard one more decemberists song about cardamom or jasmine or some other overly theatrical bullpappy, i would have torn my ears out. but this one ended up hitting the spot, it's just right.
#8 - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
They Say: "The thrill it provides will send a shiver of recognition through anyone who grew up with The Specials, The Smiths or Parklife." - Uncut
I Say: did everyone forget that this album came out this year? it reminds me how music is supposed to be: a bunch of teenagers in a three piece band taking completely familiar elements and making something totally exciting.
#7 - Destroyer's Rubies - Destroyer
They Say: "It's an easy Destroyer album to love, approachable as both a collection of strong rock songs and a literary exercise in just how far songs can stretch to make sense of the words within them. " - The Onion
I Say: although it's not the easily accessible (dan behar sounds like an evil wizard cackling away) i really appreciate the complexity of the arrangements of this album, particularly the way the rich tones compliment some of the best lyrics of the year.
#6 - TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
They Say: "TV on the Radio have crafted a work of immense, cataclysmic, almost overwhelming power and righteous fire." - Stylus
I Say: this 5 piece from brooklyn are totally pushing the envelope of what good music should sound like and should be, without catchy hooks or pop platitudes. there is no other band like tv on the radio.
#5 - Mastodon - Blood Mountain
They Say: "Hearing Blood Mountain in its entirety is like awaking from a coma to discover you have working ears." - Alternative Press
I Say: this has been a good year for albums ending with mountain. (see cookie mountain above) this is perfect metal - aggressive, unrelenting, and loud, sometimes its the equivalent of musical sludge. yet at the same time it's angular, melodic, catchy, and hypnotizing. totally kickass.
#4 - Girl Talk - Night Ripper
They Say: "It ricochets from Top 40 hits to obscure gems and back again like a cool breeze, clocking in at less than 42 minutes. The sampling is pure precision, slotting razor-thin (but highly recognizable) guitar stabs on top of blaring synths on top of anthemic rap couplets and so on, all at breakneck speed." - Pitchfork
I Say: turn this album on, and you have an instant party. this album isn't just for indie kids, its for fans of rap, r&b, 80's music. there is nobody who could resist this album. although it doesn't stand up well to repeated listenings, the first time through it will totally blow your mind, guaranteed.
#3 - Protest the Hero - Kezia
They Say: "Protest frantically meld metal, punk, hardcore — and a touch of emo — into ten frenetic songs that often resemble a late-night metal show with Coheed & Cambria and At the Drive-In showing up as musical guests." - All Music Guide
I Say: this is my under the radar album for 2006. these guys play on emo happy label vagrant records, sandwiched in between far dissimilar bands like the hold steady, the futureheads, and saves the day. this is absurdly technical metal at its best, captured in a three act prison execution concept album that speeds from riff to riff to riff. you will be dizzy. you will be rocked.
#2 - Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
They Say: "Band of Horses is ethereal, otherworldly, and completely inimitable, and listening to Everything All the Time is, in the truest sense of the word, an experience." - Delusions of Adequacy
I Say: there is something lazily happy about band of horses, like being in a canoe on a sunny day. its totally relaxing music. every song is crafted around a gem of a hook, and each song is as catchy as the last. i don't care if it all sounds similar, you can't have too much of a good thing.
#1 - The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
They Say: "[Finn] not only has a commanding, rousing voice but he also says something worth hearing, displaying gifts for both scope and depth that are all too rare in contemporary rock-- indie or mainstream." - Pitchfork
I Say: if you haven't listened to the hold steady yet, ask yourself why. and then hit yourself hard for me because you deserve it. imagine the replacements mixed with a bit of rod stewart (the younger one), bruce springsteen (the older one), and the best garage band you have ever heard. the lyrics are delivered in such a unique style, the riffs seem so punk but feel so classic rock. its an amalgamation of all that's timeless and all that's modern about rock n' roll with a sleazy drunken bastard as your mc.
#10 - Comets On Fire - Avatar
They Say: "There is an unhinged, maniacal desire to cross on over into the cosmos on Comets on Fire's (frankly) totally awesome new record." - Filter
I Say: there is something totally ethereal about the way this band combines jam band sensibilities with the indie rock pathos. it's way cool.
#9 - The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
They Say: "As a sustained effort, it represents the band’s sharpest and most satisfying work, and one of the most accomplished albums of its kind this year. " - The New York Times
I Say: if i heard one more decemberists song about cardamom or jasmine or some other overly theatrical bullpappy, i would have torn my ears out. but this one ended up hitting the spot, it's just right.
#8 - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
They Say: "The thrill it provides will send a shiver of recognition through anyone who grew up with The Specials, The Smiths or Parklife." - Uncut
I Say: did everyone forget that this album came out this year? it reminds me how music is supposed to be: a bunch of teenagers in a three piece band taking completely familiar elements and making something totally exciting.
#7 - Destroyer's Rubies - Destroyer
They Say: "It's an easy Destroyer album to love, approachable as both a collection of strong rock songs and a literary exercise in just how far songs can stretch to make sense of the words within them. " - The Onion
I Say: although it's not the easily accessible (dan behar sounds like an evil wizard cackling away) i really appreciate the complexity of the arrangements of this album, particularly the way the rich tones compliment some of the best lyrics of the year.
#6 - TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
They Say: "TV on the Radio have crafted a work of immense, cataclysmic, almost overwhelming power and righteous fire." - Stylus
I Say: this 5 piece from brooklyn are totally pushing the envelope of what good music should sound like and should be, without catchy hooks or pop platitudes. there is no other band like tv on the radio.
#5 - Mastodon - Blood Mountain
They Say: "Hearing Blood Mountain in its entirety is like awaking from a coma to discover you have working ears." - Alternative Press
I Say: this has been a good year for albums ending with mountain. (see cookie mountain above) this is perfect metal - aggressive, unrelenting, and loud, sometimes its the equivalent of musical sludge. yet at the same time it's angular, melodic, catchy, and hypnotizing. totally kickass.
#4 - Girl Talk - Night Ripper
They Say: "It ricochets from Top 40 hits to obscure gems and back again like a cool breeze, clocking in at less than 42 minutes. The sampling is pure precision, slotting razor-thin (but highly recognizable) guitar stabs on top of blaring synths on top of anthemic rap couplets and so on, all at breakneck speed." - Pitchfork
I Say: turn this album on, and you have an instant party. this album isn't just for indie kids, its for fans of rap, r&b, 80's music. there is nobody who could resist this album. although it doesn't stand up well to repeated listenings, the first time through it will totally blow your mind, guaranteed.
#3 - Protest the Hero - Kezia
They Say: "Protest frantically meld metal, punk, hardcore — and a touch of emo — into ten frenetic songs that often resemble a late-night metal show with Coheed & Cambria and At the Drive-In showing up as musical guests." - All Music Guide
I Say: this is my under the radar album for 2006. these guys play on emo happy label vagrant records, sandwiched in between far dissimilar bands like the hold steady, the futureheads, and saves the day. this is absurdly technical metal at its best, captured in a three act prison execution concept album that speeds from riff to riff to riff. you will be dizzy. you will be rocked.
#2 - Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
They Say: "Band of Horses is ethereal, otherworldly, and completely inimitable, and listening to Everything All the Time is, in the truest sense of the word, an experience." - Delusions of Adequacy
I Say: there is something lazily happy about band of horses, like being in a canoe on a sunny day. its totally relaxing music. every song is crafted around a gem of a hook, and each song is as catchy as the last. i don't care if it all sounds similar, you can't have too much of a good thing.
#1 - The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
They Say: "[Finn] not only has a commanding, rousing voice but he also says something worth hearing, displaying gifts for both scope and depth that are all too rare in contemporary rock-- indie or mainstream." - Pitchfork
I Say: if you haven't listened to the hold steady yet, ask yourself why. and then hit yourself hard for me because you deserve it. imagine the replacements mixed with a bit of rod stewart (the younger one), bruce springsteen (the older one), and the best garage band you have ever heard. the lyrics are delivered in such a unique style, the riffs seem so punk but feel so classic rock. its an amalgamation of all that's timeless and all that's modern about rock n' roll with a sleazy drunken bastard as your mc.
posted by Mr. Bob Harris at 9:55 AM
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