Here we are towards the end of the year bringing you our favorite albums of 2006. We’ve had a lot of different contributors since we started all the way back in April, but I thought it would be nice to get lists from most of the ones who’ve been a part of this blog for some time. I’ll probably devote the majority of this week to lists, but the only list from me you’ll see here is just albums. I think a couple of others here might be compiling different kinds of lists as well, so keep an eye out for those.
I never imagined this site would last this long, but it’s been a pleasure making thisa place for you to visit and share your passions of music with like-minded people. Hopefully we can keep this thing going for as long as possible and be back this same time next year bringing you the best of 2007.
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Paul’s List:
I decided to not even bother ranking 11-20 just because honestly I didn’t want to have to rank this entire thing. This is the first time i’ve ever felt comfortable making a list in a long time, as i’ve never listened to so many albums as I have this year. It should be to noone’s surprise that my list is full of pop albums. I’m not ashamed of it as there’s nothing wrong with liking that sort of thing. There were so many albums released and it was a pleasure having a chance to discover and listen to all of them. That’s one of the great things about listening to music, is that discovery of something truly amazing and wonderful. This list of albums were just the ones that I found myself coming back to numerous times and I think that was a good way to compile my list instead of nitpicking every little detail.
Asobi Seksu | Citrus
Sunset Rubdown | Shutup I Am Dreaming
Emily Haines | Knives Don’t Have Your Back
Rose Melberg | Cast Away the Clouds
My Brightest Diamond | Bring Me the Workhorse
Bats for Lashes | Fur & Gold
CSS | Cansei de Ser Sexy
Belle & Sebastian | The Life Pursuit
Joanna Newsom | Ys
Silversun Pickups | Carnavas
10. Beach House | S/T | “Master of None”
I listened to this album for an entire weekend straight and it just completely affected me emotionally like no other album this entire year. Though I discovered it pretty late, I think the impact was enough to have it break my top 10.
9. Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins | Rabbit Fur Coat | “Rise Up With Fists!”
Jenny Lewis is way too cute. The end. No, seriously…..I saw her live early in the year and she stood out in the freezing cold for what seemed like hours meeting and greeting everyone who was there to see her.
8. The Pipettes | We Are the Pipettes | “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me”
Don’t hate on The Pipettes. This is a great pop album and was a breath of fresh air to me.
7. Camera Obscura | Let’s Get Out of This Country | “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken”
Once and for all this album should be the thing that breaks them out of the shadow of all those Belle & Sebastian comparisons. “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken” has to be one of the best openers on anything this year.
6. Shearwater | Palo Santo | “Seventy, four – Seventy, five”
An album that continued to get better the more I listened to it. A true sign of a great record. It’s being regarded as one of the year’s most overlooked albums, and I completely agree.
5. The Divine Comedy | Victory for the Comic Muse | “Diva Lady”
Neil Hannon has been sitting under the radar for years, but he just keeps getting better and better. Hopefully with this album he’ll start to get some well-deserved recognition.
4. Neko Case | Fox Confessor Brings the Flood | “The Needle Has Landed”
This album still gives me shivers sometimes when I listen to it.
3. Destroyer | Destroyer’s Rubies | “European Oils”
This was my #1 album for almost the entire year, I think having it being released so early kinda made it fall back a little bit. It’s still wonderful record. Even if his voice is tough to swallow for most people, you can’t deny how good the actual music is on this one.
2. The Submarines | Declare a New State! | “Peace and Hate”
Overlooked album of the year. Yeah, I said it. Knowing the back story of how this album came together adds so much emotional weight to the lyrics on this. What would come off as cheesy-pop becomes more than what you’d expect as almost a love letter between two people.
1. Grizzly Bear | Yellow House | “Easier”
I’ve said that this is the most beautiful album I had heard all year, and I stand by that statement. I kinda went back and forth with this as my #1 but after listening to it a week ago, it solidified it’s position.
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Andy’s List:
I think lists are important. It’s not really important for you the reader, it’s important for the individual posting. I need this list. Will I look back at this list next year and say, “Oh, I need to play my 19th favorite record, now what was the name of that band, I’ve played too much of this Top 5 jibber jabber.” No, I’ll say hey put that Joanna Newsom on because I need a harpist in my life—I’m sure you all do. The reason it is important to read and make lists is that you take into perspective how much music there really is out there. I read people complaining about what a bland year it was compared to last. You might hear some blogger say, “07 is going to be SOO BIG.” However, I was so happy with music this year. I didn’t experience anything that changed my life, but I did experience it willingly and came back for more again and again. Was 1923 a good year for music? Most of you wouldn’t know would you… because it doesn’t matter. What matters is that in 1923, an album was released by King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, and in this band was a young man named Louis Armstrong. I’m sure most fans of LA (as he shall now be known throughout Blogospheria) remember the name, not the year it came out or the number or records it sold. I know I’m sounding very corny and trite right now, but I feel it’s important that the indie scene look at perspective. What’s important is to enjoy the music you enjoy that you loved only because of the way it makes you feel. Not the way it affects your best friend or your favorite blogger. Ok ok, here’s my list:
25. The Decemberists | The Crane Wife
24. Human Television | Look at Who You’re Talking To
23. Belle and Sebastian | The Life Pursuit
22. Silversun Pickups | Carnavas
21. I’m From Barcelona | Let Me Introduce My Friends
20. Benjy Ferree | Leaving the Nest
Should have been released earlier in the year. If it would’ve been, I guarantee it would make most people’s top 10.
19. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy | The Letting Go
18. Evangelicals | So Gone
17. Midlake | The Trials of Van Occupanther
16. The Knife | Silent Shout
Hands down best concert I’ve been to all year. New York City, Webster Hall, November 1st, 2006 a night I will never forget.
15. Swan Lake | Beast Moans
Am I the only person that actually likes it when all three are singing? (hahahah yes Andy j/k – Paul)
14. Dosh | The Lost Take
Ever seen Andrew Bird’s drummer live? Every song on this album fits perfectly into my morning walk to class.
13. Annuals | Be He Me
These guys blew me away live.
12. Bat for Lashes | Fur and Gold
I’m hoping this Brit gets more attention for her work in the future. Perhaps because it is still an import, but if you haven’t heard anything from this… you must hear ‘The Wizard’. You feel like you are in a cave with the bats, but the kicker is you are meant to be there.
11. Beach House | S/T
Does anybody else get the urge to dance when listening to ‘Master of None’? I know I do.
10. Peter, Bjorn and John | Writer’s Block | “Young Folks”
Come on, you know everything from Sweden is amazing.
9. Beirut | Gulag Orkestar | “Postcards From Italy”
I still find it amazing that this guy is younger than me. Where did this kid come from, ok I know Arizona or someplace, but how can that be?
8. Phoenix | Everything All the Time | “Long Distance Call”
This album drew the most selfish attention of anything else this year. That is to say, I only wanted to listen to this during the summer and nothing else.
7. White Flight | S/T | “Deathhands”
One of the most hidden gems of the year. How can something sound this amazing and complex from Kansas? Somebody wanted to know what the lyrics to ‘Deathands’ were… I honestly don’t know them all but I do know there is a video/movie of this song and the lyrics make a lot more sense after watching what looks like a mix between the t.v. show Dallas, a really cheesy terrorist video, and a music video from 1988. You can find 4 videos other than ‘Deathands’ here: http://www.rangeliferecords.com/video/video_WF_01.html
6. TV on the Radio | Return to Cookie Mountain | “Wolf Like Me”
Typical choice right? Well this album had me as soon as those french horns on the first track filled my soul up with angst and giddiness as to what was around the corner.
5. Peter & the Wolf | Lightness | “The Bonsai Tree”
I heard the pseudo-album Experiments in Junk and was blown away with ‘The Fall’ plus the cd is HAND DRAWN. Needless to say I was extremely excited about Lightness. That album can mean so much in the most simple and complex ways. As I said earlier this year Red Hunter is a “carpenter’s response to a world of steel and plastic.”
4. Joanna Newsom | Ys | “Only Skin”
Like I said earlier, everybody needs, a harpist at least once, in their life. Yes these songs last longer than most rock/pop songs, but most of us listen all the way through without even realizing it, you can be absolutely stuck in her magical world.
3. Destroyer | Destroyer’s Rubies | “European Oils”
I’ll admit it, I wasn’t too familiar with Destroyer. In fact, I thought it was some kind of death metal just by hearing the name for the first time. This album just makes sense to me. I like the way he hesitates and speeds up lyrics, I love the screech cracking of his voice. Dan Bejar is larger than life.
2. M. Ward | Post-War | “Chinese Translation”
When I hang out with my best friend Sarah, the only singing we ever do out loud and unconsciously is the line from ‘Chinese Translation’ – “What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart?” That’s something I’ll probably sing to my kids.
1. Grizzly Bear | Yellow House | “Easier”
Nothing affected me this year enough to change my life but I swear when I heard ‘Colorado’ for the first time in my car, at night, I got the most emotional I have gotten all year.
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Pablo’s List:
2006, I must admit, let me down a little. There was a ton of great music, to be sure, but in my opinion there wasn’t one of those great albums, something along the lines of Funeral or Illinoise, that I could easily place in my top ten of the decade list. However, there a lot of great keepers. This year I decided to guide my list by what I ended up listening to the most. I kept in mind artistic value and such, of course, but perhaps this list is better titled as “Pablo’s favorite albums of 2006.” Before I start and you all lynch me due to their absence on my list, I will say that, to my eternal shame, I still haven’t heard the Grizzly Bear or Swan Lake albums (I just ordered Grizzly Bear, and will get Swan Lake in a week or two)- I hope you all find it in your hearts to forgive me. So, here’s what I couldn’t get enough of this year-
25. Built to Spill | You in Reverse
Ok, so it wasn’t Perfect from Now On or Keep It Like a Secret. But it was Built to Spill, and it showed a new direction that has the promise of providing another great album on par with their late 90’s work. At parts it gets a little muddled, but the songs where it fits are vintage BTS- letting the indie kids express their inner classic rocker without feeling guilty.
24. Joanna Newsom | Ys.
Maybe I need more time with this one. Every other listen I love it, then next time I try to listen to it I end up putting something else on. My guess is I’m not the only one that feels this way, and it’s probably due to her voice. Brilliant to be sure, but I have to be in the right mood to really enjoy it.
23. Rodrigo y Gabriela | Rodrigo y Gabriela
I’m surprised to find an instrumental Spanish guitar album on my year-end list. This one came out of nowhere, and hooked me in. Like I posted earlier, this is Spanish guitar for those who don’t normally listen to Spanish guitar.
22. The Format | Dog Problems
Borderline ridiculous pop that grows on you with repeated listens. Kept me happy this summer while working as a janitor at 5 AM…
21. The Blow | Paper TV
This is how electronic indie pop should be done. The melodies are infection, the beats booty-shakeable: all indications which point to fun.
20. Tapes ‘n Tapes | The Loon
No one song really stands out, but this is one solid album of indie rock. In the spirit of the Pixies, these guys keep it quirky without forgetting that melody is a key ingredient of the pop song.
19. Neko Case | Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Oh, that voice. I could listen to those honey-smooth sounds all day. It doesn’t hurt that she can write great songs too.
18. The Pipettes | We Are The Pipettes
I’m ready to party like it’s 1959, and the Pipettes are here to provide the soundtrack. Teachers of Pop 101 ought to make this album part of the curriculum, perhaps in the section on reviving and reinventing the past without being boring or a rehash.
17. The Hold Steady | Boys and Girls in America Well guys, you finally converted me. I really gave Separation Sunday a try, and enjoys a few songs, but it didn’t move me. But this album is a bit better, and a bit more listenable- where the whole focus was music with really interesing rants, now the focus is on songs with music and interesting rants.
16. M. Ward | Post-War
Great stuff. At first it doesn’t sound like much, but the music is subtly put together in a way only repeated listens can reveal, and in the end you realize that this guy is a lot better than your average singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar.
15. God is an Astronaut | All is Violent, All is Bright
Somewhere between Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky you can find God is an Astronaut. A great post-rock blend of melody and sound.
14. Josh Ritter | The Animal Years
I saw in Entertainment Weekly that this was Stephen King’s favorite album of the year, but I decided not to let that detract from my love for this album (no offense to any Stephen King fans out there). Another case of an acoustic singer-songwriter that knows that when your sound isn’t necessarily that unique you have to rely on one thing- the strength of your songs.
13. The Submarines | Declare a New State
I think the state that they’re declaring is the one where a Stars-esque boy-girl indie pop band can actually be optimistic and happy. Even your dad is bound to like it. Honestly, play if for him.
12. Sunset Rubdown | Shut Up, I Am Dreaming…
Wolf Parade multiplied by X, where X equals the longer-more-epic-song coefficient to the power of awesome. This is for those of you that wished more of Apologies to the Queen Mary had more songs like “I’ll Believe in Anything.”
11. Islands | Return to the Sea
It may be blasphemy to say this, but I enjoy this even more than Unicorns- it’s more focused while still touching on about 73 different styles. “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Whalebone” perhaps sums up what this albums all about- weird pop that is everywhere without falling apart.
10. Band of Horses | Everything All the Time | “The Great Salt Lake”
Short and sweet. Guitar-based indie rock how it’s meant to be. By the way, does anyone else thing “St. Augustine” is one of the best acoustic songs to come out in a while?
9. Belle and Sebastian | The Life Pursuit | “Another Sunny Day”
The “new” Belle and Sebastian have finally found their voice, making an album that can at least be mentioned in the same breath as their first two masterpieces. Pop gem after pop gem make this one a keeper.
8. Thom Yorke | The Eraser | “Black Swan”
Yeah, it sounds like Amnesiac b-sides. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
7. Anathallo | Floating World | “Hanasakajijii: A Great Wind, More Ash”
What if an emo-band with too many people to fit on stage decided to convert to Sufjanism? The answer is Floating World, a sprawling album of strange instrumentation that is based on a Japanese legend about a dog finding coins buried in the yard. Or something like that…
6. Beirut | The Gulag Orkestar | “Postcards From Italy”
One of the best new artists to come out this year, this is the kind of album that makes me wish I had a record player. It just sounds like it belongs to a time before CDs and MP3s. But like the best “old-sounding” albums, this one belongs to a lost age that never existed, but now does thanks to Beirut.
5. The Roots | Game Theory | “Don’t Feel Right”
Perhaps the only hip-hop album to really grab me this year. The Roots used to make long, underwhelming albums with occasionally incredible singles (such as “the Seed 2.0″). This album finally puts everything together and makes a great album of it. The atmosphere and flow (and lack of the ever-present skits usually on hip-hop albums) make this a great album.
4. The Extraordinaires | Ribbons of War | Myspace
Here’s my favorite new band of the year. This completely self-made album tells a tale of maritime love and woe in three acts without sounding being a Decemberists rip-off. It’s just one of those gems that you feel lucky to have found.
3. Sufjan Stevens | The Avalanche | “The Henney Buggy Band”
I debated whether to really count this as an album, seeing as it’s an outtakes collection. But I love it to death, and I feel no reason to hide it. While without the flow of Illinoise, it has a few songs that, perhaps, make better singles than most of what made it onto my 2005 album of the year. You’ll be hard-pressed to find many other outtakes albums this ambitious and enjoyable.
2. TV On the Radio | Return to Cookie Mountain | “Wolf Like Me”
On first listen, I was inclined to agree with Paul and call this one nothing special. But then it clicked, and I found something great. I can’t tell you how many of these songs have been playing in my head during classes this semester.
1. The Decemberists | The Crane Wife | “Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)”
Yeah, I’m surprised it’s up here on my list too. Last year, this would have made my top 10, maybe top 5, but this year it’s the album that I most fell in love with. The Decemberists have found a way to simplify things a little while still moving forward, and have surprisingly made their first major-label album by make two songs around 10 minutes in length. It just all fits together so well for me that it’s worked its way to the top of my list. Despite being 12 minutes long, “The Island” found was the most played track in my iTunes (it doesn’t hurt that my walk to campus is right around 12 minutes).
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Katie’s List:
With all the good albums coming out this year I’m sure I didn’t get to listen to nearly enough, but of the ones I did listen to, the following are my personal favorites for one reason or another…some are just all-together amazing albums, others gained adoration after excellent live shows, and others may have found a way into my heart just being heard at the right place, at the right time. Whatever the case may be, here are the albums that made my 2006 sound great. Enjoy!
10. Sufjan Stevens | Songs for Christmas
9. Lupe Fiasco | Food & Liquor
8. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan | Ballad of the Broken Seas
7. Chad Vangaalen | Skelliconnection
6. Cat Power | The Greatest
5. Neko Case | Fox Confessor Brings the Flood | “The Needle Has Landed”
4. TV on the Radio | Return to Cookie Mountain | “Wolf Like Me”
3. Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins | Rabbit Fur Coat | “Rise Up With Fists!”
2. Bat For Lashes | Fur & Gold | “Horse and I”
1. Joanna Newsom | Ys | “Only Skin”
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I think this post took me 15 hours to do….i am tired now.
Wow, let me be the first to congratulate everyone, great job, super reading, i found myself nodding in agreement with a lot on every list. I have to say i think Andy’s resonated the most with me.
“Dan Bejar is larger than life.”
“That’s something I’ll probably sing to my kids.”
couldn’t have said it any better
i will post my list soon, check out my blog if you have time
http://oceansneverlisten.blogspot.com/
i’m so so with you guys on yellow house. I know some might think it’s gotten a lot of hype, but here in the UK, it got heavily ignored which is a real shame. At least the states got it right iwth this one. Funny that katie and pablo just weren’t feeling it
love all the picks though
-karsten
Man, much love for Destroyer here. I didn’t like Rubies nearly as much. He also put on one of the less compelling live sets I saw this year from a “name” act.
Good job, y’all. I bet that post did take a long time. Yikes.
Wow, Paul, I can believe it took you 15 hours, just knowing how I labor over a post with only 4 songs. That’s why Indie Mom and are dribbling out our Best and Favorites lists a bit at a time.
Verry interesting to see what others like, and I know I’ll want to sample more of these albums because of all your comments.
I’m glad to see Carnavas listed here twice. Silversun Pickups will appear near the top of my list, as will Beirut and Midlake.
~alt-gramma~
I just want to say thanks for this post.
And I loved the new template.
I was just exaggerating about the 15 hours, more like….3
Still a long time!
I tried to not let a negative live show affect a place of an album even though that kind of thing is very important to me. Thankfully I didn’t experience any bad performances with any of my picks. I would’ve been crushed about Destroyer though.
To anonymous, I don’t have “Yellow House” up there because I somehow never got around to buying and listening to it… But this week I should get it, and I’ll let y’all know what I think!
I guess that I’m one of the few that really admire and repect Destroyer, but don’t terribly enjoy it. I listened to Destroyer’s Rubies dozens of times, and it never clicked. I love Dan’s stuff with the New Pronos and what I’ve heard of Swan Lake, perhaps because he “reigns in” his sound or something for the side projects. Don’t get me wrong, I think the guy’s as talented as can be. If my list were based on purely critical analysis of the albums, it would have been on mine too…
*New Pronos = New Pornos… but I’m sure y’all figured it out already!
Pablo, I did the same thing re: Destroyer. Had that and Islands in my car for quite a while and listened to them repeatedly. Never could get into either one.
There was probably only one or two tracks off the Islands record I liked. You both are fired!
love the lists!!! especially happy to see the pipettes up high! and bat for lashes too!!! i didnlt spend quite nough time witht hat album for it to make my list, but it’s definitely fantastic.
Hi!
Interesting lists all! Almost no overlap with mine (http://brooklynsod.blogspot.com/2006/12/pop-o-th-tops-for-whatever-reason-top.html) but still you’ve got me thinking. Most prominently that I left off Josh Ritter. Well done!
I just noted that you put “The Great Salt Lake” as the song for Band of Horses in my list… was that because I’m living in Utah, or just because it’s one of the ten great songs on that CD?
[...] Dosh’s The Lost Take is without a doubt, one of the real hidden gems of 2006. It’s one I wished I had discovered sooner as if I could’ve had a couple of more months with it, it would’ve easily made my top 20. If you haven’t listened to it yet, do pick it up as it effortlessly infuses elements of jazz, electro-pop and prog. rock into one of the more pleasurable listening experiences you’ll have this year. With a long list of guest contributions, including Andrew Bird – who Martin Dosh drums for – you just can’t say no to this album. [...]
[...] Well you know what time of year it is, Listmas. That time where everybody and their mother creates lists. We’ve already released our fav. albums and a couple of us are working on random lists for your viewing pleasure. I’ve been reading quite a few people’s lists because it’s impossible to catch everything that was released this year at the time its being promoted. Perhaps my favorite list so far is Said the Gramaphone’s favorite songs of the year and MdM’s favorite albums. Not because I agree, but because it filled to the brim of quality songs I’ve passed over. My favorite so far has to be this project of elementary school kids rapping to some guy’s beats and random loops, under the guise of Rapper’s Delight Club. What makes this more than a novelty or gimmicky is the individual kids’ ability to imitate the styles that they probably watch everyday on t.v. Favorite contributor goes to the girl who sings about chicken noodle soup and selling more cookies than your whole girl scout troop. [...]
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