top 10 of 2006

So it has begun that time of year of again (well it actually a couple
of weeks ago), but I needed a couple of weeks to gather myself. So much
has happened this year, how could I possibly have found time to live
and breathe music. Well, the long car rides from Willagee to Woodvale
took care of that and I've probably listened to a variety of albums in
depth than I would've since probably 2001. This also comes with the
disclaimer that I'm still listening to the same old stuff I know and love. I
tried to dig Tapes n Tapes and it sounded ok at first, but there's no
real reason to listen to it again. But here is the list for the one
whole person who reads my blog.

1. The Life Pursuit - Belle and Sebastian

At home I have a pile of CD's that I pick at the start of the month and
that's what I listen to. This disc didn't leave that pile from the day
I bought it in February until late August and that was only because I
felt I really should give some other album a go. This album has the
warmest sound out of any B + S album and the best continuity. It flows and
flows like a river in the jungle. There's not a track I would give up.
"For the Price of a Cup of Tea" would be the song I've sang the most
this year. There are so many sublime moments, I adore the wistfulness of
"Dress Up in You" and I love guessing about the subject matter and
making it fit my viewpoint. I could go on, so I should probably stay silent
right about now.


2. At War With the Mystics - The Flaming Lips

Everything that is great about the Flaming Lips is on this album. It's
sprawling, loud and majestic. There are sounds so beautiful they can
bring tears to your eyes. There are moments that make you smile like a
Goofy idiot. There are moments so poignant and revelatory, you scratch
your head and wonder why you never thought this before. Thank god for the
Flaming Lips.Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic
Monkeys



3. Rather Ripped - Sonic Youth

Why couldn't they have come to Perth and toured on this album? Why?
Why? Why? Sonic Youth are basically artists who can do whatever they want
and that places them in an exciting position. That they made one of
their best albums ever was even more surprising. Even the Lee Randado song
on this album is a rocker. My favorite song is "Do You Believe in
Rapture" and how it interpolates Blondie. Kim sounds as hott as ever. Will
these guys ever grow old?

4. So This Is Goodbye - The Junior Boys

My main memory of this album is driving along on Marmion Avenue on dark
cold windy nights. It reminds so much of Depeche Mode circa 1987-1993.
The way the arrangements are completely sparse and reveal their
complexity over repeated listenings. The vocals sound aloof at first and they
capture you. It's hard to listen to a song from this album in
isolation, it won't sound right. You need to hear as a random hour from a human
longing for emotion and the deep dark places where they will find what
they crave.

5. Food and Liquor - Lupe Fiasco

Kick Push is definitely my track of the year. This guy can totally rap
and has the smoothest flow. For me, it's another searching album. Lupe
is trying to find something real in this world, whether it be
skateboarding, hip hop or a father figure. It could definitely be trimmed by a
couple of songs, but then you would lose the magic of this album. It
does sort of ramble, but not in a bad way.

6. Let's Get Out of the Country - Camera Obscura

This is another album I can dance along to. The production on "Lloyd,
I'm Ready to be Heartbroken" is awesome, the way the guitar weaves in
with the strings and the horns. Then the drums come in and have this
lovely thumpiness about them. I'm crazy about the longing in Tracy's voice
in "Let's Go Out to The Country", when she says "You can tell me I am
pretty" and that oh-oh-oh-oh at the end. It give me shivers. I wanna
hold her and say everything is going to be ok.


7. Alright Still - Lily Allen

This is an album I still feel ambivalent about. At it's best, it is
music made for 2006 making sense for the world we live in today. I don't
think Lily is a corporate creation, she's much too witty, funny and
contemptuous of everybody else. Therein also lies the reason for this album
not ranking higher. It sometimes is overtly cynical and I don't know
what view of the world Lily is offering. Maybe she doesn't know either
and that's why this album needs to be devoured. The first four tracks is
probably the best track sequence out of any these albums and lays some
lofty fields for the rest of the album to slip into.


8. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys

If "The Life Pursuit" was my annoying sing-a-long album, than Whatever
was my annoying dance a long album. This is an album that puts a spring
in your heel and makes you want to go out and dance the night away. The
songwriting on this album is great, they may not top this album and why
should they attempt to? It's perfectly constructed, when I listen I
feel like I'm living in the moment, like nothing else exists in this world
except for the music around me. "A Certain Romance" is the best closer
to any album this year, it leaves on an eternal feeling of hope. That
at the exact moment something ends, another ounce of brightness hides
around the corner.

9. Show Your Bones - The Yeah Yeah Yeah's

I like this album more than Fever To Tell and that is clearly a
landmark album for this decade. Karen O's ecstatic vocal on Cheated Hearts is
clearly a moment to be cherished and something few can replicate.
Dudley provides a clear segueway in a lineage moving from The Shangri-La's
to Blondie to Elastica to the YYY's. She'llllll taaaakkkkkeee
controllllll. I always demean the other two members of the band by not mentioning
them. Brian's drumming is masterful on this album and Nick is awesome.

10. Sam's Town - The Killers

Straight off the record, I wasn't a fan of this album at first. It took
repeated urgings from Alex to get into it, a complete role reversal
from Hot Fuss. But it's great, it's anthemic commercial rock at it's
finest. Songs from this are going to be all over the radio in ten-twenty
years. Even for a popular band they have lines that could seem schmaltzy,
but they work. That "shake a little" part from The River is Wild is
pure magic conjured from the ghosts of old Cars records.

There are five new artists in there and that's not bad at all.



Apologies to

Phoenix
Cat Power
Clipse
Peter, Bjorn and John
Spank Rock
The Drones
Man Man
The Kooks
Jarvis Cocker
Dan Kelly
The Pippettes

Disappointments of The Year

First Impressions of Earth - The Strokes

I've listening to this album a couple of times. But I don't really get
it. Razorblade and You Only Live Once are both killer tracks. The album
gets seriously turgid towards the end. I'm glad they're progressing, I
can only the next album gets better.

The Sleepy Jackson

It took me a while to get into Lovers, but I liked it when I understood
it. The new album leaves me baffled. The songs are lacking, no amount
of reproduction and symphonies and press releases can hide the fact that
the songs are bereft of inspiration. What was he thinking?

Gravity Won't Get You High - The Grates

The Grates are one of my favourite live bands, they could play this
album live over and over again and I know I why would enjoy it. This album
should be better, it was produced in the US and has all the right
credentials. Unfortunately it isn't indicative of the power this band has in
the live arena.

the Hardest Way to Make an Esay Living - The Streets

I like a number of songs on this album, but it's not among his best
work. Prangin' Out towers over the rest of the album. If he had waited a
year for the album of Lady Sovereign and Lily Allen, I'm sure he
would've been inspired to fully realize this album. It's brevity is the major
thing going for it.

Ben Kweller - Ben Kweller

I like this album and enjoy singing along to every song. But I feel BK
is in a bit of a rut, he seems to be touring with artists who don't
complement his talent. His albums seem to have grown more MOR since Sha
Sha. I do think I love Sha Sha too much and I'm not looking for the
pleasures these albums possess.


Guilty Pleasure of the Year

Supermassive Black Hole - Muse

Don't you hate when you're all high and mighty about how terrible a
band is and then they make a song you're completely jealous of. Muse did
that to me with Supermassive Black Hole. This song is perfect the
squelching bass and funky beat. That Knighs of Sydonia is still bollocks
though.