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30’s Top 30 Albums of 2006
We’ve made it to the end of the year, and we’re approaching the back end of the decade. And yet, we still have no clear idea of what has happened this decade, or what it’s even called. If you looked, you’d find plenty of arguments over what cohesive “direction, if any, the independent music scene that we so love is taking, and just as many arguments over where things should go. Similarly, the scene itself is becoming more and more self-fulfilling, with the overarching presence of the Internet, most newly personified by blogs and myspace pages, crowning new heroes once a week. And on the other hand, naysayers everywhere continued to declare, as they always do, that rock is dead, or indie is dead, or the album is dead, or whatever.
But all the same, while it is not clear if 2006 was a great year musically, or a better year than 2005, or a worse one, and it is not clear if the things we love about music are really dying off like flies, we managed to find 30 albums that as a staff we felt best represented the music of 2006. Whether or not this sums up any sort of scene or presents a united front, it certainly gives you some music we were damn happy about, and that we’re damn happy to share with you, as always. And we’ll deal with direction in 2007, if you’d care to join us. We’d fiend it.
Each day this week we will reveal six discs on our list, in descending order. After that we’re taking a break until January 2, at which point we’ll return stronger than ever, and with a song of the year podcast no less. Enjoy!
 30. Neil Young - Living With War [Reprise]
Neil Young’s Living With War is an extremely important protest record, written and recorded in an extremely unstable time. Young does not shy away from anything throughout the album, combining politics and rock with vigorous hope and openness. And that’s the great thing about this album: honesty. It’s smart, passionate, and filled with classic Neil Young melodies. Not often does an album convey such an essential message as Living With War. But, then again, there is only one Neil Young. - k.u.
 29. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere [Downtown Recordings]
Okay, so you may have heard “Crazy" a few hundred times more than you wanted to, especially once you threw in the ubiquitous covers. Which does nothing to take away from the pure majesty of that song, or the rest of Gnarls Barkley’s debut, St. Elsewhere. While the world-topping single led the way for DM and Cee-Lo, the beautiful singing, pure soul, intelligent lyricism, and pop appeal was matched more than a few times on the disc. And even if the project feels at times like it’s done for a laugh, it’s become clear that the joke is only on those who haven’t heard this disc. - d.s.
 28. Tom Waits - Orphans [Anti-]
If you’ve known and loved Tom Waits over the past 15 years, you’re going to love him on Orphans, as it compiles both existing recordings, new recordings of old songs and new songs that run the gantlet of his personae: carnival barker, town drunk, mad scientist and loveless loner. Despite dozens of songs across three discs of somewhat disparate material, there isn’t a real flaw to be found. Waits rewards those who spend the time getting to know his work, and Orphans proved to be no exception. Just say thank you. - l.h.
 27. The Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta! [Fat Wreck Chords]
Would our list really be complete if we didn’t include the Chicago punkers Lawrence Arms? No, it wouldn’t. Honestly, this trio continues to withstand the test of punk rock time and their 2006 release, Oh! Calcutta!, is no exception to their gritty, piss-drunk style of rock and roll. While this album is much more raw and fierce than its predecessor, the Larry Arms haven’t lost a step, so to speak. In fact, they seem to be gaining momentum as they head into their 30’s. Simply irresistible and a must-have, Oh! Calcutta! is a welcoming asset to our beloved list. - k.u.
 26. The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely [4AD]
Wallow in your sadness, sure, but know that John Darnielle is sadder than you are. Get Lonely mixes absolute desperation with just enough moments of sunshine to keep a good listener from finding sturdy ropes and rafters, all with a half-dozen or so of the year’s top melodies among this album’s dozen songs. Add in the fragile, touching vocals, three or four chords per song and one of the better storytellers around and you’ve got yourself a winner. - l.h.
 25. Beach House - Beach House [Carpark]
Beach House’s self-titled debut is the sweet and magical dream that quietly weaved its way in this year. The album possesses a keen knack for subtle, but striking presence with the simple compositions of lush keyboards, organs, a caressing guitar, and the star-filled airy croon of Vicotory Legrand. The so-called "simple" compositions are layered in such a way that each piece extracts momentously more than what is literally put into it; the sounds of Beach House are the perfect complimentary ingredients for a wistful night. The consistent grace is highlighted throughout in songs like "Apple Orchard" and “Childhood" and will soothe the longing in anyone. - m.w.
 24. Half-handed Cloud - Halos & Lassos [Asthmatic Kitty]
John Ringhofer and his merry band of friends top last year’s offering with an even more direct album, Halos & Lassos. With this batch of songs set not in Old Testament Israel but right here in good ol’ America circa 2006 (or thereabouts), it’s hard not to relate to his sincerity, sadness and jubilation. Best of all, the instrumentation and arrangements are as eclectic as ever, so if you missed it the first time around, seek out this Casio-, trombone- and doot-doot-doot-laden disc. – l.h.
 23. Greg Graffin - Cold as the Clay [Anti-]
Greg Graffin of Bad Religion’s solo release, Cold as the Clay, shows another side of Graffin that has not previously been exposed to the listening public. This collection of both original and traditional folk and bluegrass songs is an unexpected work of art from a man best known as being a punk rock legend. Graffin’s clear and distinct vocal delivery seems custom fitted to this genre, bringing this classic music into a more modern light while keeping true to its original intent. Along with Graffin you will find vocal harmonies from Jolie Holland and a backing band featuring members of The Weakerthans. Cold as the Clay brings a form of music to an audience that may never have experienced it before and helps to keep the spirit of traditional music alive. – j.d.
 22. Eric Bachmann - To the Races [Saddle Creek]
Eric Bachmann found himself all by his lonesome in 2006. No more rocking Crooked Fingers pop songs. No more horns. No more electric guitars. No more drums. Just Bachmann, his guitar, a harmonica, an old van, and a million stories to tell. To the Races may very well sound like a typical folk record, but there’s more to it than just that. Each track carefully manipulates a delicate, personal story, whether it is about isolation or a past relationship, Bachmann sealed it up into a nifty package. His unmistakable voice is, of course, front and center, backed by delicately finger-picked guitars and intuitive harmonica playing. This is pondering man’s folk. Plenty to contemplate here. – k.u.
 21. Damien Rice - 9 [Warner Bros.]
With heartbreakingly real lyrics and gorgeous music, Damien Rice’s 9 is just as breathtaking as his previous release O. Rice’s vocal style is the perfect match for his own brand of piano-based music. It’s timid and weak, but strong and clear, and the lyrics are written with just that style in mind-allowing for a very conducive type of album. Rice uses the piano for its most utilitarian purpose: to add dimension and layers to his songs, not to be the overpowering presence behind the music. 9 maintains a place between hopelessness and perseverance to completely connect with any listener. – a.h.
 20. M. Ward - Post-War [Merge]
M. Ward’s Post-War is just as beautifully made as his last album, Transistor Radio, released last year. The songs are delivered in Ward’s signature raspy voice but are so aptly suited for the type of music he writes, that you wouldn’t care if he sang off- key, only that he was the one singing. Post-War is composed of 12 wonderfully written, carefully produced tracks that get under your skin and attach to that part of your soul that makes you human. The part that makes you want to live your life. – a.h.
 19. Subtle - For Hero: For Fool [Lex]
It's a shame how easily neglected the efforts of anyone working with DoseOne can be. Especially in the case of For Hero: For Fool where his bandmates' support creates as much a cooperative backdrop as it does an intricate tapestry of music's past, present and future. Having said that, you'd have to punch somebody's grandmother to gather even remotely what it must feel like to be DoseOne after unleashing such an achievement - to get that sense of, "Oh my God, what have I done?!" Thematically this album is ambitious, if not dying to fail. Lyrically its abstruse construction veils the theme as efficiently as it feeds it. Verbally it's literally stunning that the lyrics fit the phrases at all. For Hero: For Fool is an accomplishment to say the least, and possibly the defining moment for abstract rap this decade. – b.h.
 18. Califone - Roots & Crowns [Thrill Jockey]
From the rubble of the acclaimed Chicago band Red Red Meat came Califone. For fans of Wilco’s and Jeff Tweedy’s most eclectic and thoughtful works; Califone’s Roots & Crowns takes you deeper, higher. Thoughtful, challenging and ultimately rewarding, this album is chock full of mind expanding songs that grow on you like weeds but ultimately look and smell like flowers. Superb musicianship, ruminative lyrics and some of the most artful orchestration to come around in years, it will be easy to see how and why Wilco and so many other bands have broadened their horizons and sounds because of this band. Roots & Crowns is everything that is good about art and everything that is beautiful about great music. – t.m.
 17. Rocky Votolato - Makers [Barsuk]
Rocky Votolato's gently rasped voice and songwriting are unmistakable and Makers builds upon his collection of folk/country work. On Makers, the production is top-notch and instrumentation is sparse in the carefully arranged songs. Votolato's songs sound a little older and a little wiser than most twenty-something guys playing acoustic guitar music. Though he often wears his heart on his sleeve, Votolato is cut from a cloth more similar to the likes of Against Me! than, say, Dashboard. And at times, there's a bit of a Nebraska-era Springsteen feel going on. Hell yes. Rocky is a grown-up punk rocker playing dirt roads roots music for like minded individuals. If one wants to look into his offerings to the world, Makers is a good place to start. – t.r.
 16. Evangelicals - So Gone [Misra]
Imagine that the Sea and Cake heard the last Broken Social Scene album and said, "You know, that ain't so hard to do." Surely some zealous hipster would stand tall and yell, "Prove it!" To which the Sea and Cake would likely reply, "How the hell did you get in here?" And then they'd make So Gone by droning here and there, sustaining when not droning, mixing tempos, and generally being noisy when they aren't being pretty in their sly take on pop. Ultimately, it wouldn't be latest Broken Social Scene or any Sea and Cake...but it'd be damn fine to listen to. Now imagine that you were not the average person, but the composite of twelve people - some weird Frankensteiny thing with like twenty arms and hundreds of toes. This would be your 16th favorite album of 2006. – b.h.
 15. Belong - October Language [Carpark]
Perhaps it’s the name - Belong - and how hard it is to find it on the internet, but this band, and more specifically this album, will likely be criminally overlooked on many year-end lists. October Language is in the vein of My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless for mood setting, but focuses on the experimentation of Fennesz, and picks up where he left off. The eight track song cycle is drenched in the ambience of layered and distorted guitars, but rich in underlying details; shimmering and hypnotic melodies peering through the roaring and cascading tones. Belong have beautifully delivered a full album of refined and perfected introspection by creating a sound so reaching and otherworldly. – m.w.
 14. Herbert - Scale [K7]
Herbert really brings it all out on this one, teaming up again with Dani Siciliano for one of the best eclectic mixes of funky grooves with techno-house and jazz undercurrents this century has seen. The first half of this album is unbeatable and makes this album a necessity to repeat. The vocal interplay is executed with a precision of sugary hooks, but it’s the sweet production that will get you. The strings and horns may sound over the top, but it’s so masterfully done they never bury the groove. Scale has some of the best movement since Sly Stone set down a groove and Prince picked it up. You won’t even notice the deep subject matter, or the interesting sounds that sneak in, because it’s all such a naturally smooth and soulfully funky affair. – m.s.
 13. Liars - Drum’s Not Dead [Mute]
After Liars released They Were Wrong So We Drowned many people were left scratching their heads. Now that the world has been graced with Drum’s Not Dead, those scratching their heads have an answer; a stepping stone to the most satisfying and purely original album in years. Experimentation is searching for a sound… and with Drum’s Not Dead Liars have found THAT sound. From the opening urgency of “Be Quiet Mt. Heart Attack!” to the comforting assurance of “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack,” Liars create fierce tribal rhythms, and cathartic atmospheres enveloping the listener in the eerie and uncompromising territory of Drum’s Not Dead; the territory being one of the most hypnotic creative pieces of the year. – m.w.
 12. Bonnie “Prince” Billy - The Letting Go [Drag City]
The most obvious difference between The Letting Go and past Bonnie “Prince” Billy records is the inclusion of Dawn McCarthy’s haunting backing vocals. While Oldham’s vocals tend to root the songs in Earth’s grit, McCarthy’s ethereal, otherworldly, and often disjointed harmonies and countermelodies hint at a not-quite-comfortable sense of the fantastic. Of the songs: as expected, Oldham doesn’t disappoint, offering broad, sweeping strings (“Cursed Sleep,”) alongside small, haunting ballads (“Then the Letting Go”) and yes, even a small helping of birdsong (“No Bad News.”) Ultimately, Oldham’s latest album is as strong as audiences have come to expect, while adding enough new textures and ideas to keep the loyal on their toes and interested. – j.b.
 11. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife [Capitol]
The Decemberists knew just how to approach their latest album. They stick with the structural integrity of previous albums, changing the design only slightly to incorporate a richer sound and dreamier aesthetic. It has all the qualities one has come to expect from a Decemberists album with all the panache of Picaresque and Her Majesty. The underlying sound of the album is conducive to Meloy’s trademark sound. It has acoustic twang delivered under dark melodies. With his attention to history and his roots in literature, The Crane Wife demonstrates Meloy’s knack for creatively exploring human emotions as they relate to musical expression. – a.h.
 10. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America [Vagrant]
The Hold Steady have seen plenty of Springsteen comparisons lately, and while they echo his sound occasionally, Boys and Girls in America tends to exhibit more of a spiritual connection to the Boss’s comedic songs (ie. “Glory Days”). The record explores this connection by plumbing the depths of a nostalgia that burns deep in the veins of the hopeless, stuck-in-the-pasts and never-moved-ons. From the exalted prom-night spectacle of “Massive Nights,” to the disappointed and wasted stumbling of “First Night,” Boys and Girls in America is a fun, fascinating and honest exploration of how boys and girls really do grow up in America. – j.b.
 09. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit [Matador]
Another excellent album of twee pop in classic Belle & Sebastian style, The Life Pursuit runs like a tour de force through B&S’s best qualities. Bringing it back to their classic sound from the ‘90s, this is almost like a retrospect of all that is swell and right in the indie world. There are the signature male/female vocals, the catchy guitars and skillfully delivered solos, all over driving rhythms that emphasize the downbeat. With glazed horns and strong production, The Life Pursuit is a batch of strong and precise pop songs. With some of their best in “White Collar Boy” and “We Are the Sleepyheads,” Belle & Sebastian show they still reign supreme in the indie pop world. – m.s.
 08. Islands - Return to the Sea [Equator]
The debut from Montreal’s Islands now sounds like anything but a surprise. Yet when ex-Unicorns Nick Diamonds and J’aime Tambeur returned with their ambitious pop filled album, they sure made a splash with Return to the Sea. From the epic but never excessive opener “Swans,” to the driving rap on “Whalebone” with guest rappers Subtle and Busdriver, the Diamonds and Tambeur duo show much maturity in sound and ideas. They can also keep it to clever straight pop songs like “Rough Gem,” which may well be one of the best gems around, or give their songs some country drive as on “Volcanoes.” The woodwinds, brass and strings are all part of the mix of sounds and styles that makes this a great debut album. – m.s.
 07. Bob Dylan - Modern Times [Sony]
If you have waited this long to appreciate the genius that is Bob Dylan, then you pretty much flat out should have missed the boat, but wet and clutching on to the handrail, you have lucked out. You've just landed on one of the best ships to have ever sailed the seas. Most bands struggle and fail at their second album attempt, much less their thirty-first studio LP. As mind boggling as that feat is alone, more boggling is how Bob Dylan can continue to put out some of the greatest music of all time (much less in the last four decades). Modern Times has it all. Lyrical prose influenced by Henry Timrod, clean pristine production by Mr. Dylan himself under the moniker of Jack Frost, and his voice that was often scorned in the past, now gentle and beautiful with the confidence of a man being backed by one of the tightest, most talented bands around today. The thaumaturgy that Bob Dylan is continues to amaze new fans and critics alike. Look around. It doesn’t get much better than this, and then one has to think, as phenomenal as this album was, his last album may have even been better. Lucky for those still daydreaming in port, sometimes another beautiful boat does come around. – t.m.
 06. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming [Absolutely Kosher]
Spencer Krug has been a busy boy. Following the success of his principle output Wolf Parade, this year he has contributed to the super group Swan Lake on Beast Moans, and more importantly dropped his side project Sunset Rubdown's full-length, Shut Up I Am Dreaming. The later being the more essential, with epic songs like the dirty and gritty roller coaster of sounds that is the opener, “Stadium and Shrines II,” or the sad and scrupulous lyrical onslaught of “Us Ones in Between.” There are no allusions of grandeur here but rather an album that is basking in the rays of brilliance and diligent beauty; proving once again, the musical talent that is held in the hands of one Spencer Krug. – b.l.
 05. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine [Sub Pop]
With their third album, The Body, The Blood, The Machine, Portland, Oregon's The Thermals created a more focused, in depth concept record about the darker psychology of religion. Allegories that include lines like, "Here's your future... It's gonna rain!" and, "I might need you to kill" abound throughout the album. And the lyrics aren't the only sharpened edge in the band's arsenal; the music, while still remaining raw, has become more refined, combining the best elements of The Buzzcocks and The Pixies making for a catchy, yet menacing brew – t.r.
 04. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House [Warp]
For those seeking detachment from their particular time and place, it would be safe to say that Grizzly Bear have provided your opportunity for escape. Cinematically evocative, Yellow House is the medium through which vast, empty spaces spontaneously collide, erupting within a singularity; where bluegrass meets the end of the world in a sullen renaissance and hopeful urgency is overwhelmed by the situation's reality. Poignant in a way that is pervasively familiar, unnerving in a way that is innately inevitable, it only takes a listen to understand why this album is regarded among the year's best. - b.h.
 03. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time [Sub Pop]
For those of us wondering what would happen if we threw Jim James of My Morning Jacket and James Mercer of The Shins into a pot with a little salt, pepper, and vegetables, and then stewed them up for a bit, Band of Horses would be the result. While neither of those two have anything to do with BOH, lead singer Ben Bridwell does seem to embody similar stylings which are the driving force behind making their debut, Everything All the Time a lasting and endearing record. Strong from start to finish and never missing a beat, BOH have crafted a trump album that stands as the most memorable release Sub Pop has had all year. – b.l.
 02. Joanna Newsom - Ys [Drag City]
Maybe Van Dyke Parks arrangements added a lush depth not found on Joanna Newsom’s previous recordings, but the bones of Ys are all Newsom’s and they shatter every possible expectation set by her previous album. Ys is a bold, breathtaking affair compared even to its masterful predecessor—massive oak trees making seeds of their composer’s earlier work. Ys unfolds with a sense that Newsom holds the cosmos in one hand, her heart in the other and has cracked both open in an attempt to divine something that mere mortals might never understand. That’s right, even following Newsom’s bewitching verse on the lyric sheet reveals labyrinths of meaning that swim and splash through her engaging melodies and squeaky-hinged voice—the makings of a powerful and lasting record. – j.b.
 01. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain [Interscope]
Nobody ever denied that TV on the Radio are unique. Their sound, from the very beginning, was both a throwback to the days of pre-rock barbershop groups, doo-wop and avant-garde before it got melded into three chords and a backbeat, and a look ahead with the daring, at times hit or miss sonic production.
Return to Cookie Mountain is, of course, a hit all the way through. The songwriting matches the unique sounds, and the passion overflows. This is a disc that takes its direct inspiration from our times - our politically divided country at war gets play on the first track, and hurricane images pop up repeatedly in the lyrics as a reminder of Katrina – but doesn’t restrain itself to being timely, instead reaching for eternal status. You need no preface before listening to the album, because its greatness oversteps its inspiration, as it must. Song after song rolls over in waves of sound and beauty, and TVOTR hit a wide palette of emotions throughout, making it clear that this will never get old. As we step back from 2006 and log it in the history books, Return to Cookie Mountain seems sure to be the disc that captures the mood of the year most and sounds the best. Quite a feat. – d.s.
-30-
“30’s Top 30” graphic was unfortunately not designed by Joel Simundich this year and it shows. We will never disclose where or how the atrocious concept was brewed up; let’s just say there was a big fat sharpie and a notebook involved. Oh, and a digital camera. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
List compiled by:
James Brubaker (j.b.)
James Dufendach (j.d.)
Anika Henrikson (a.h.)
Luther Hermanson (l.h.)
Brian Holm (b.h.)
Brian Lopiccolo (b.l.)
Terry McDaniel (t.m.)
Tom Rehbein (t.r.)
Dan Shvartsman (d.s.)
Mark Shvartsman (m.s.)
Kyle Undem (k.u.)
Mark Wolgemuth (m.w.)
article written on 2006/12/18 by -30- |
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