2006...Who Was Who in Music
The time has come again for me to post the only entry I will probably have this year. My favorite music selections, in what could be considered a fairly numerical order, are here for your derision, ambivalence, or glee...whatever you want to feel is okay with me.
TOP 10 (with one sentence review)
1. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
If Godjesus were an indie music snob he would nod with approval.
2. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
This album sounds like home, a warm and velvety home in the bosom of Americana.
3. William Elliot Whitmore - Song of the Blackbird
Who's ready for a dirge...with complementary banjo?
4. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
I hate the fucking Eagles, man.
5. Lucero - Rebels, Rouges, and Sworn Brothers
Gnarly vocals and a beer bottle upside the head, whoo!
6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
70's style prog-rock for today's discerning listener.
7. The Black Keys - Magic Potion
Dark, face-melting, speaker-shredding, dirty ass electric blues from your mom's basement.
8. Rocky Votolato - Makers
Acoustic guitar...check, harmonica...check, whiskey...check.
9. Sam Roberts - Chemical City
Kids, never let anyone tell you you can't be an un-ironic arena rock band...from the 70's!
10. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
I land in Eye Land Island.
Here follows the rest of what I think was awesome in 2006
11. Calexico - Garden Ruin
12. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
13. Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
14. The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine
15. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
16. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
17. Darker My Love - Darker My Love
18. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
19. Joanna Newsom - Ys
20. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
21. Malajube - Tromp-L'Oeil
22. Tom Waits - Orphans
23. Akron/Family - Meek Warrior
24. Magnolia Electric Co. - Fading Trails
25. The Blood Brothers - Young Machetes
26. Pernice Brothers - Live a Little
27. Elf Power - Back to the Web
Special Categories
Most Thoroughly Supreme Metal Album
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Best Blood Curdling Wail
Johnny Whitney - The Blood Brothers
Best Use of Brass
Calexico - Roka
Beirut - Postcards from Italy
Favorite Mash-up
Big Time Dare (Gorillaz vs Peter Gabriel)
Best New Order impersonation
South - A Place in Displacement
Best Astronomy Lesson
Best Use of the Word 'Hydrocephalitic'
Joanna Newsom - Emily
Biggest Disappointments
Zero 7 - The Garden
Tool - 10,000 Days
Biggest Surprises
Sam Roberts - Chemical City
William Elliot Whitmore - Song of the Blackbird
Best Cover Song
DeVotchKa - The Last Beat of My Heart (Siouxsie & the Banshees)
Most Beautiful, Life-Affirming Songs of the Year
Guillemots - Trains to Brazil
Akron/Family - Love & Space
Most Depressing Song
Rocky Votolato - Makers
Best Album Released in 2005 That I Found This Year
The National - Alligator
Best Concert/Blood Bath of the Year
Lucero, Rocky Votolato, William Elliot Whitmore
You Can't Not to Dance to this Song
The Rapture - Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh
Sexiest "Electronic" Album
Matthew Herbert - Scale
The "Your A Credit to Your Province" Award
Malajube (representing Quebec) - For their all francophone indie-pop awesomeness.
Best Album Covers
Akron/Family - Meek Warrior
Sam Roberts - Chemical City
Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
TOP 10 (with one sentence review)
1. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
If Godjesus were an indie music snob he would nod with approval.
2. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
This album sounds like home, a warm and velvety home in the bosom of Americana.
3. William Elliot Whitmore - Song of the Blackbird
Who's ready for a dirge...with complementary banjo?
4. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
I hate the fucking Eagles, man.
5. Lucero - Rebels, Rouges, and Sworn Brothers
Gnarly vocals and a beer bottle upside the head, whoo!
6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
70's style prog-rock for today's discerning listener.
7. The Black Keys - Magic Potion
Dark, face-melting, speaker-shredding, dirty ass electric blues from your mom's basement.
8. Rocky Votolato - Makers
Acoustic guitar...check, harmonica...check, whiskey...check.
9. Sam Roberts - Chemical City
Kids, never let anyone tell you you can't be an un-ironic arena rock band...from the 70's!
10. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
I land in Eye Land Island.
Here follows the rest of what I think was awesome in 2006
11. Calexico - Garden Ruin
12. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
13. Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
14. The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine
15. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
16. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
17. Darker My Love - Darker My Love
18. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
19. Joanna Newsom - Ys
20. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
21. Malajube - Tromp-L'Oeil
22. Tom Waits - Orphans
23. Akron/Family - Meek Warrior
24. Magnolia Electric Co. - Fading Trails
25. The Blood Brothers - Young Machetes
26. Pernice Brothers - Live a Little
27. Elf Power - Back to the Web
Special Categories
Most Thoroughly Supreme Metal Album
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Best Blood Curdling Wail
Johnny Whitney - The Blood Brothers
Best Use of Brass
Calexico - Roka
Beirut - Postcards from Italy
Favorite Mash-up
Big Time Dare (Gorillaz vs Peter Gabriel)
Best New Order impersonation
South - A Place in Displacement
Best Astronomy Lesson
Best Use of the Word 'Hydrocephalitic'
Joanna Newsom - Emily
Biggest Disappointments
Zero 7 - The Garden
Tool - 10,000 Days
Biggest Surprises
Sam Roberts - Chemical City
William Elliot Whitmore - Song of the Blackbird
Best Cover Song
DeVotchKa - The Last Beat of My Heart (Siouxsie & the Banshees)
Most Beautiful, Life-Affirming Songs of the Year
Guillemots - Trains to Brazil
Akron/Family - Love & Space
Most Depressing Song
Rocky Votolato - Makers
Best Album Released in 2005 That I Found This Year
The National - Alligator
Best Concert/Blood Bath of the Year
Lucero, Rocky Votolato, William Elliot Whitmore
You Can't Not to Dance to this Song
The Rapture - Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh
Sexiest "Electronic" Album
Matthew Herbert - Scale
The "Your A Credit to Your Province" Award
Malajube (representing Quebec) - For their all francophone indie-pop awesomeness.
Best Album Covers
Akron/Family - Meek Warrior
Sam Roberts - Chemical City
Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther