It is totally one week until
Christmas so I think it is time to start handing out gifts. Actually,
what I have planned for all of you this week isn't really a gift but more of
an over abundance of my opinion put in list format for you viewing pleasure.
I have the Top 25 albums of 2006 and I will be detailing five a day from
that list and along with that I will be rambling on about a plethora of
other things, let's get started!
#25) The Advantage - Elf Titled
In some ways this probably should be on the "Guilty Pleasure" list that is a
little further down the page but Spencer Siem's (Hella) drumming is so
ferocious that I think it deserves to be on this list. I definitely
never imagined that I would one day put a Nintendo cover band in my "Best
Of" list but I think that it just goes to show how amazingly great The
Advantage is.
:The
Advantage - Metroid (Kraid's Lair):
#24) Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
I remember seeing this band way back at SXSW and, despite a sub par
performance, I thought that they had a brilliant sound. For some
reason that sound didn't really bother to carry over all year until a couple
of months ago when I really sat down with the album and realized that it was
as good as I originally thought it was.
:Band Of Horses - Monsters:
#23) The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes
If I were to make a music dictionary the first thing that I would start with
would be the term "Bubblegum" and beside the definition of that word I would
put a picture of this band. I can't say I am much for skipping around
the block on a sunny day with a lollypop in my mouth but that is exactly
what this album makes me want to do, and that's why it's on the list.
:The Pipettes - Dirty Mind:
#22) The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
Jack White and Brendan Benson are no slouches so my expectations for this
album were pretty high before I had even heard one song. Luckily, Jack
and Brendan didn't disappoint but I could have used more than a measly 10
songs. I suppose there is a chance that we will get some new material
next year since I remember seeing that Jack was hoping to quickly record
another album.
:The Raconteurs - Blue Veins:
#21) Mates Of State - Bring It Back
When I first heard this disc I was really proud of what my favorite duo had
created as this album is quite easily their most ambitious effort to date.
I would have liked to have put this album higher on the list but it didn't
actually hold up over the year as well as I thought it would, nevertheless,
there are more than a few of songs on it that I find "pleasing to my ears."
:Mates Of State - Think Long:
Those were only the first five so make sure to come back throughout the week
for the entire list. Now let's move on to a couple of the random lists
that I made up as an excuse to comment even more on all of the music that
came out this year. Enjoy!
- Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Albums Of 2006
-
1. Wolfmother - Self Titled
2. Taking Back Sunday - Louder Now
3. Grand Buffet - Five Years Of Fireworks
4. Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
5. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
This was kind
of a weird list for me to make since I tend to find
something to like in everything I hear, which, of course
means that I'll bounce around to just about anything.
Still, I think that Wolfmother was an easy choice for the #1
slot. I know a lot people hate the fact that they
borrow from various classic rock greats but I think that
they take those influences and show them great respect.
As for the other bands on the list I just do not think that
I have ever heard a metal album as key-tar-riffic as Dragonforce's
Inhuman Rampage, a hip hop album as zaney as Grand
Buffet's Five Years Of Fireworks, or better pop/arena
punk rock than what Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical
Romance rolled out in 2006. Have some fun and take a
second to click on the numbers in the list, they will take
you to the band's Myspace page so that you can sample some
of their music.
- Top 5 Most Disappointing Albums Of
2006 -
1. Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins - Rabbit
Fur Coat
2. Electric 6 - Switzerland
3. Built To Spill - You In Reverse
4. Cold War Kids - Robbers And Cowards
5. Fort Minor - The Rising Tied
This list was definitely not difficult for me to make since
I have been thinking about these albums with a sad face on
for months. Let's start with #1; for years I have been
completely in love with anything Jenny Lewis related but her
solo effort pretty much did nothing for me. Oddly
enough I still can't exactly figure out why I can't listen
to the whole thing in one sitting, I think it might be
because the adorable wittiness from her work in Rilo Kiley
just isn't there. As for Electric 6's disc I was only
able to listen to it for about two weeks before I quickly
grew tired of it, I miss the "Gay Bar" E6. I suppose
the good news is that those two were the only albums where
my expectations were probably too high, the last three on
the list were probably over hyped by others. I was
expecting something amazing from Built To Spill, Cold War
Kids and Fort Minor, but instead the veteran indie rocks
bored me, the new indie phenoms delivered a muddled effort
and Mike Shinoda managed to redefine the word bloated.
Here's hoping that everyone on this list bounces back
strong.
-
John Laird -
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