Defining the year with one list.
First off, when did LJ get so fancy pants?? Wowww, hey there good lookin'! Do fries come with that shake?
In any case, keeping with tradition, I now present Janet's Top 10 Album Picks of 2006 (exactly on Boxing Day edition)! This year I will present them in a very particular order, and yes, you may take the liberty of assuming that numero uno on this page also corresponds to numero uno in my heart. (I promise not to do this to my kids. Promise.)
#10. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Thanks for making consistently good records that are workplace appropriate but won't drive me insane like Eazy-Rock!
#9. Amy Millan - Honey From The Tombs
Of course, I had to throw in a token Arts&Crafts entry! This sultry stars co-lead front-woman proves that she can definitely hold her own in this twangy and honest record. As Amy said, this album is great to put on to keep you company when you pour yourself another whiskey. Amy will find a way into your one way or the other...
#8. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Their 10:47 almost fully instrumental opener almost commands your complete attention. Yet their track 2 swings you into a completely different direction of almost slapstick comedy pop-rock. And the next song, you will want to sink into a bathtub and never come back up. WTF Yo La Tengo? If you didn't come up with such a great band and album name, I wouldn't have this. Great individual tracks, but who was in charge of throwing this all together on one album?
#7. Born Ruffians - Born Ruffians
I didn't realize how much I missed having the Tangiers around until I heard this Born Ruffians EP. Ouch, okay, so maybe that's not giving them enough cred, or any at all. This Sentence Will Ruin/Save Your Life is a great piece of writing of times that we've all been through, where the lyricist laments on all the things he needs to do including; mailing that letter, writing that essay, get a girlfriend, get a nice car and clean clothes, fatter lips and a smaller nose, and trying monogamy, increments 1-3. The whineyness in his voice almost transposes you back into those times of desperation.
#6. Professor Murder - Professor Murder Rides the Subway
Admittedly so, the only reason why I downloaded their EP was due to their rad name. Professor... muuuuuur-der! Seriously, that's how I say their name in my head each time. Running at a slim and trim 16:23, this EP leaves you sweaty, parched and with blood stains on your shirt that you're not sure is yours or not. I can only imagine seeing them in a small, dimly light basement venue, packed in with 47 other guests, with mass mixing of body sweat. Check it out, seriously.
#5. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime
No, I don't just like them because they're from Newmarket and that's where Wendy's from. (Ok, maybe that helped just a lil bit) Their EP running at 20:52 is just too darn short! Killer debut EP from a group of boys who are young enough to have been gummered by me in high school. Good lyrics, solid baselines, and tight hooks. Don't let those baby faces fool you!
#4. Various Artists - Marie Antoinette Soundtrack
And back to the never ending debate, is it the soundtrack that makes the movie great or is it the movie that makes the soundtrack great? Having such a strong emotional attachment to all things Lost in Translation, I was particularly wary of how Marie Antoinette would turn out. Kirstin Dunst? Ugh. Jason Schwartzman?? Come on. But the movie ended up being sprinkled with classic Sofia Coppolla traits, which I will always fall for. But I digress. Key song choices definitely added to certain scenes, which made the movie much stronger. The soundtrack by itself, however, can also hold its own. An eclectic mix of new and (mostly) old songs, but all are well chosen. Hats off to separating them to discs 1 and 2. Special shout out to the one song that started it all (yet strangely, doesn't make an appearance on the soundtrack), New Order's Age of Consent. One of the few songs on my iTunes that can be played on loop... for the entire evening, into the wee hours into the morning...
#3. MSTRKRFT - The Looks
Sidenote to this entry, one of the top 10 saddest things to happen in the world of music that janet likes is the breakup of Death From Above 1979, even sadder sidenote, is that janet never got to see them live!
OK, so who are these dudes that don't used vowels or lower case letters and name themselves after the Canadian Tire generic brand of household tools? Enter the mustached portion of DFA '79 and Al-P, a guy who's name I keep reading about, producing this and producing that. They end up making a pretty danceable... record. I'm still not sure how to classify them, and I will keep them unclassified for the time being. More props to dudes who DJ from laptops, although it is a little funny seeing two grown men hunched over a macbook. Great party album and also great as a "go-time" album. Great all the time, actually!
#2. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Thank you Pitchfork Media! OK, I've said it once, and once is enough. Let me bring you up to speed Girl Talk, AKA - Greg Gillis, is a skinny white biomedical engineer from Chicago, Illinois, who happens to be pretty good at mashing up unlikely songs to make a dance floor shake their groove thang. Throwing a party, but no tunes? No problem! Just throw on Night Ripper and there you have insta-partay. My personal favourite mashup would have to be Elton John's Tiny Dancer with Biggie's Juicy with Nirvana's Scentless Apprentice. Amazing, like whoa. See Wikipedia's entry of Night Ripper to see all the mashes I'm talkin' about.
#1. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Having been a late The Decemberists fan bloomer, I was particularly hooked on Castaways and Cutouts and stowed away their other albums and EP(s) and focused only on their debut. Until The Crane Wife arrived. I don't know if it was their 12 minute and 42 second track two that whirled me from a psychadelic Pink Floyd-esque into whimsicle frenzy making me throw my head back and yell, "laaa-haaaaaa-aa!!", or the sweet boy-girl duet, Yankee Bayonet, but I instantly fell in love all over again with The Decemberists. Although I admit that I still don't really know what all the critics mean when they describe this band as being hyper-literate (which I feel almost would make Colin Meloy cringe), I can admit that they can make some catchy songs that get stuck in your head, all the time. I had some reservations seeing them for the first time in concert at the Kool Haus (see: all other concerts i've attended at the Kool Haus), but their frontman made my worries melt away by the end of that magical evening. Wasn't sure how a band like The Decemberists would hold up in a venue like that, but they worked the room (warehouse) as if King Kong didn't have shit on them! And to top off all the joy they've brought me this year, Chris Funk appears on the Colbert Report to challenge Stephen to Guitarmagedden 2006! Not to be missed by any Stephen Colbert or Decemberists fan, or anyone who likes awesome things.
Shout-outs:
In any case, keeping with tradition, I now present Janet's Top 10 Album Picks of 2006 (exactly on Boxing Day edition)! This year I will present them in a very particular order, and yes, you may take the liberty of assuming that numero uno on this page also corresponds to numero uno in my heart. (I promise not to do this to my kids. Promise.)
#10. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Thanks for making consistently good records that are workplace appropriate but won't drive me insane like Eazy-Rock!
#9. Amy Millan - Honey From The Tombs
Of course, I had to throw in a token Arts&Crafts entry! This sultry stars co-lead front-woman proves that she can definitely hold her own in this twangy and honest record. As Amy said, this album is great to put on to keep you company when you pour yourself another whiskey. Amy will find a way into your one way or the other...
#8. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Their 10:47 almost fully instrumental opener almost commands your complete attention. Yet their track 2 swings you into a completely different direction of almost slapstick comedy pop-rock. And the next song, you will want to sink into a bathtub and never come back up. WTF Yo La Tengo? If you didn't come up with such a great band and album name, I wouldn't have this. Great individual tracks, but who was in charge of throwing this all together on one album?
#7. Born Ruffians - Born Ruffians
I didn't realize how much I missed having the Tangiers around until I heard this Born Ruffians EP. Ouch, okay, so maybe that's not giving them enough cred, or any at all. This Sentence Will Ruin/Save Your Life is a great piece of writing of times that we've all been through, where the lyricist laments on all the things he needs to do including; mailing that letter, writing that essay, get a girlfriend, get a nice car and clean clothes, fatter lips and a smaller nose, and trying monogamy, increments 1-3. The whineyness in his voice almost transposes you back into those times of desperation.
#6. Professor Murder - Professor Murder Rides the Subway
Admittedly so, the only reason why I downloaded their EP was due to their rad name. Professor... muuuuuur-der! Seriously, that's how I say their name in my head each time. Running at a slim and trim 16:23, this EP leaves you sweaty, parched and with blood stains on your shirt that you're not sure is yours or not. I can only imagine seeing them in a small, dimly light basement venue, packed in with 47 other guests, with mass mixing of body sweat. Check it out, seriously.
#5. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime
No, I don't just like them because they're from Newmarket and that's where Wendy's from. (Ok, maybe that helped just a lil bit) Their EP running at 20:52 is just too darn short! Killer debut EP from a group of boys who are young enough to have been gummered by me in high school. Good lyrics, solid baselines, and tight hooks. Don't let those baby faces fool you!
#4. Various Artists - Marie Antoinette Soundtrack
And back to the never ending debate, is it the soundtrack that makes the movie great or is it the movie that makes the soundtrack great? Having such a strong emotional attachment to all things Lost in Translation, I was particularly wary of how Marie Antoinette would turn out. Kirstin Dunst? Ugh. Jason Schwartzman?? Come on. But the movie ended up being sprinkled with classic Sofia Coppolla traits, which I will always fall for. But I digress. Key song choices definitely added to certain scenes, which made the movie much stronger. The soundtrack by itself, however, can also hold its own. An eclectic mix of new and (mostly) old songs, but all are well chosen. Hats off to separating them to discs 1 and 2. Special shout out to the one song that started it all (yet strangely, doesn't make an appearance on the soundtrack), New Order's Age of Consent. One of the few songs on my iTunes that can be played on loop... for the entire evening, into the wee hours into the morning...
#3. MSTRKRFT - The Looks
Sidenote to this entry, one of the top 10 saddest things to happen in the world of music that janet likes is the breakup of Death From Above 1979, even sadder sidenote, is that janet never got to see them live!
OK, so who are these dudes that don't used vowels or lower case letters and name themselves after the Canadian Tire generic brand of household tools? Enter the mustached portion of DFA '79 and Al-P, a guy who's name I keep reading about, producing this and producing that. They end up making a pretty danceable... record. I'm still not sure how to classify them, and I will keep them unclassified for the time being. More props to dudes who DJ from laptops, although it is a little funny seeing two grown men hunched over a macbook. Great party album and also great as a "go-time" album. Great all the time, actually!
#2. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Thank you Pitchfork Media! OK, I've said it once, and once is enough. Let me bring you up to speed Girl Talk, AKA - Greg Gillis, is a skinny white biomedical engineer from Chicago, Illinois, who happens to be pretty good at mashing up unlikely songs to make a dance floor shake their groove thang. Throwing a party, but no tunes? No problem! Just throw on Night Ripper and there you have insta-partay. My personal favourite mashup would have to be Elton John's Tiny Dancer with Biggie's Juicy with Nirvana's Scentless Apprentice. Amazing, like whoa. See Wikipedia's entry of Night Ripper to see all the mashes I'm talkin' about.
#1. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Having been a late The Decemberists fan bloomer, I was particularly hooked on Castaways and Cutouts and stowed away their other albums and EP(s) and focused only on their debut. Until The Crane Wife arrived. I don't know if it was their 12 minute and 42 second track two that whirled me from a psychadelic Pink Floyd-esque into whimsicle frenzy making me throw my head back and yell, "laaa-haaaaaa-aa!!", or the sweet boy-girl duet, Yankee Bayonet, but I instantly fell in love all over again with The Decemberists. Although I admit that I still don't really know what all the critics mean when they describe this band as being hyper-literate (which I feel almost would make Colin Meloy cringe), I can admit that they can make some catchy songs that get stuck in your head, all the time. I had some reservations seeing them for the first time in concert at the Kool Haus (see: all other concerts i've attended at the Kool Haus), but their frontman made my worries melt away by the end of that magical evening. Wasn't sure how a band like The Decemberists would hold up in a venue like that, but they worked the room (warehouse) as if King Kong didn't have shit on them! And to top off all the joy they've brought me this year, Chris Funk appears on the Colbert Report to challenge Stephen to Guitarmagedden 2006! Not to be missed by any Stephen Colbert or Decemberists fan, or anyone who likes awesome things.
Shout-outs:
- Beck - The Information
- Cat Power - The Greatest
- Land of Talk - Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
- Malajube - Trompe L'Oeil
- The Stills - Without Feathers
- The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
- Jay-Z - Kingdom Come
- The Dears - Gang of Losers
- The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones