My Top 10 Records of 2006

It's that time of year again. I am going to give you a record a day for the next couple weeks, twelve in all because I can never keep it to ten.

I've been compiling a list of candidates as the year's gone on and it's here (also linked from the side of my blog). There's almost twenty records on that list so I'll have to whittle it down.

I also checked Amazon's Top 100 Editor's Picks and Top 100 Most Popular Records to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Finally, I went to last.fm and looked at what I actually listened to this year.

So now I've got the universe of music figured out. I'll start tomorrow. If anyone wants to throw in suggestions that aren't already on my list, I am all ears.

Comments

[Uri L.]

I'd pitch "Hot Chip - The Warning".

[Brit]

Glad to see The Flaming Lips - At War with the Mystics on there.

[Cyanbane]

I've been working on my top 25 of 2006 for the past 2 weeks and it is still growing. This (imho) was a great year for music, and I find a have too many albums to choose from which wasn't necessarily the case in 2004, and 2005.

[davduf]

... and all this time I thought I was the lone indie rockin' VC around...

These will definitely be on my list come year end:

"Technology Won't Save Us" by Sophia
"The Letting Go" by Bonnie Prince Billy
"Close to Paradise" by Patrick Watson
"Classics" by Ratatat
"Reservations" by Sodastream
"BrooklandOaklyn" by Alias and Tarsier
"Citrus" by Asobi Seksu
"Gulag Orkestar" by Beirut

David Dufresne
(Desjardins Venture Capital, Montreal)

[Mo]

The Killers -Sam's Town

[jim]

Obviously a list called "My Top 10 Records of 2006" can have more than one meaning, but the Tapes 'n Tapes album is actually a re-issue; it first came out in '05.

I second the motion above for Beirut's "Gulag Orkestar." If you want to hear probably the second best song of the year (behind "Funeral" by Band of Horses) check out "Postcards from Italty" (http://www.beirutband.com/mp3/Beruit_Postcards%20From%20Italy.mp3)

Others I found myself coming back to again and again that are not listed:
Annuals, "Be He Me"
Be Good Tanyas, "Hello Love"
Islands, "Return to the Sea"
Horse Feathers, "Words are Dead"
The Elected, "Sun Sun Sun"
Irving, "Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers"
The Lovely Feathers, "Hind Hind Legs"
Oxford Collapse, "Remember the Night Parties"

Otherwise, your list is solid except for the inexplicable multiple references to Arctic Monkeys. What's up with that?? They're to indie-rock in the second half of the 00's what Stone Temple Pilots were to grunge-rock in the second half of the 90's.

[Peter]

Have you heard Howe Gelb's "Sno' angel like you"? I think it deserves consideration.

[Steve]

Seems like you missed "Pearl Jam", "How We Operate" by Gomez and "A Blessing and a Curse" by Drive-By Truckers

[Barry Graubart]

OK, so these may not have quite the longevity of Dylan or Neil Young, but two of the CDs in heavy rotation for me this year have been Lily Allen's Alright Still (anyone who uses Tesco PLC to rhyme can't be all bad) and Nellie McKay's Pretty Little Head. The latter is probably the most diverse CD that I've heard since, well her first CD. In particular, the tracks Cupcake, Pink Chandelier and,of course, Beecharmer, with Cyndi Lauper, are really unique.
I'll also throw out a nomination for Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley fame) and the Watson Twins, which would have its grooves worn out if iPods could wear out grooves.

[rafi]

I'll second Lily Allen from the comment above. I also endorse Amy Winehouse who I've just learned of. Great stuff.

I need to get up on the year's indie rock releases. It's not really my favorite genre but i enjoy it in moderation.

The best of the year in rap in my opinion are the roots, the clipse, ghostface's 2 albums and most surprisingly the instrumental album titled "willie boo boo - the fool" by the veteran producer k-def (not to be confused with professional lowlife k-fed... a most unfortunate anagram for the extremely talented k-def).

[Eric Stern]

I agree with the Hot Chip suggestion - that is a great album.

Some of my other most listened to albums this year:
Damnwells - Air Stereo (by far my favorite this year)
Adem - Love and Other Planets
Augustana - All The Stars and Boulevards (ok, it came out in 2005)
Greg Laswell - Through Toledo
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Rascal Flatts - Me And My Gang
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Ray LaMontagne - Till The Sun Turns Black
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
The Honorary Title - Anything Else But The Truth (reissue of an older album - 1st 3 tracks are outstanding)
The Killers - Sam's Town
The Working Title - About Face (not to be confused with The Honorary Title)
The Wreckers - Stand Still, Look Pretty

Am sure I am missing something, but these are all excellent.

[Dick Wingate]

Fred,
Glad to see the Dylan, Emmylou/Knopler and Petty selections. All of these veteran artists have made some of the best albums of their career, Dylan and Emmylou/Knopfler especially.

[J]

Mike Doughty's "Haughty Melodic". Love it.

[J]

You motivated me to compile my own list. As you mentioned, technically "Haughty Melodic" was a 2005 album (and I'm happy to hear it made your list last year).

http://globallistic.blogspot.com/2006/12/my-best-albums-of-2006-or-close.html

[Paul]

great stuff. here's more

Josh Ritter - Animal Years
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2&tag=masshysteria-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB000EOTV7U%2Fsr%3D8-1%2Fqid%3D1152011847%2Fref%3Dpd_bbs_1%3Fie%3DUTF8

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2&tag=masshysteria-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB000F3AAUW%2Fqid%3D1150023214%2Fsr%3D2-1%2Fref%3Dpd_bbs_b_2_1%3Fs%3Dmusic%26v%3Dglance%26n%3D5174

Sound Team - Movie Monsters
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&tag=masshysteria-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB000FILW90%2Fqid%3D1148252916%2Fsr%3D2-2%2Fref%3Dpd_bbs_b_2_2%3Fs%3Dmusic%26v%3Dglance%26n%3D5174

[daryn]

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins: Rabbit Fur Coat (01/2006)

I love rilo kiley, and liked this album when it first came out, but it was a little too much god for me. However, after seeing her do an awesome job opening for death cab last week, i've been listening to it non-stop, and think it makes my top 10.

Also due to two amazing live performances (with the big band as well as solo) this year, I choose:

Cat Power - The Greatest