Before I post my favorite songs and albums of 2006, here’s the odds and ends of 2006 to give me time to make sure my list complies with music blog standards.
Favorite Collections
mclusky – Mcluskyism
Oh, man, I’m still reeling from the mclusky breakup, but this collection of b-sides, rarities/unreleased material, greatest hits, and a live show was the greatest thing Falco and the guys could’ve done for their fans. Not only was it comprehensive, it was cheap - $12 bucks on sale. No hunting for obscure songs – they’re all here, even stuff the band didn’t remember recording. This album should serve as the new requirement for bands that split. Thanks, mclusky, your music and this collection is the reason you guys were one of the greatest bands of this decade.
Cocteau Twins – Lullabies to Violaine Volume 1&2
I hate tracking down obscure stuff from my favorite artists, so I was ecstatic to hear Cocteau Twins were releasing all their b-sides and rarities on four discs. Okay, the Xmas songs were a little embarrassing, but they still included them. If only more defunct bands would compile their rare stuff for old and new fans. Hopefully this and the mclusky release will start a trend.
Most Welcome Reissue(s)
The Jesus and Mary Chain Reissues
About time to expose a younger generation to these. I couldn’t even find Darklands before the reissue.
Wrens – Seacaucus
Wrens – Silver
No longer do you have to pay $6000 dollars or whatever the Wrens’ older albums were going for on eBay. Now if they’d only release a new album before The Meadowlands gets so old that it needs a reissue.
Les Savy Fav – 3/5
Another great band whose entire catalog can now be bought nice and legal.
Best Album Not From 2006 Discovered in 2006
Disco Inferno – Technicolour
How did I miss this one? I happened to fortunately hear the song “It’s a Kid’s World” and I was instantly scrambling for all Disco Inferno related tracks. This album from the far, far before time of 1996 does not disappoint. If I had been keeping a music site from way back then, I would edit my top ten of ’96 to include this album, plus erase all the stupid stuff I wrote as a way too serious college kid.
High Expectations Dashed
The Rapture – Pieces of the People We Love
This was my biggest “what the fuck happened?” album of the year. All of the Rapture’s previous albums frequently blast out of my speakers and I’ve told gushing tales of their live show, but this… this is insulting to long time fans and people with IQs over 100. The Rapture’s never been a strong band for lyrics, but PotPWL’s lyrics are so bad that you can’t ignore them. And while there’s a weak revamp of “House of Jealous Lovers”, there’s nothing close to that quality track. Also, there’s a song on the album that was undoubtedly created to get some sweet commercial money from a certain car company. It also finishes weaker and, after some thirty blank punish you for buying the CD tracks, there’s a “cleverly” hidden bonus track that you’ll never wait to listen to again. Music sites and bloggers that want to hate on some former indie darlings should think about leaving Trail of Dead to tend to their wounds and line up to cock punch The Rapture.
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – So Divided
Trail of Dead have become the band to scorn in indie rock. After releasing Source Tags and Codes, absolutely nothing they would do would be seen as essential or even worthwhile compared to their third album. Well, I have a confession to make – I liked World’s Apart. There, I said it. And you know what, even So Divided has a few songs that make it worth listening to, but at the same time, it’s no Source Tags and Codes and feels like exactly what it is – an EP with some padding. I really hope the band doesn’t disband or kill themselves before releasing a more focused album that doesn’t try so hard.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones
Having loved Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ EPs and lots of songs on their full-length debut, I was a bit underwhelmed by Show Your Bones. Karen O seemed to lack the energy of their past stuff and the songs seemed more Radio Disney friendly. Show Your Bones wasn’t terrible, it just lacked the raw energy or hooks of some of their earlier stuff.
Prefuse 73 – Security Screenings
Prefuse 73/Guillermo Scott Herren has done some great songs/albums in the past. I can’t remember really being blown away by anything on Security Screenings, even after listening to it several times. Here’s hoping the next effort reaches the heights of One Word Extinguisher.
The Strokes – First Impressions of Earth
I like The Strokes, despite whatever hit to indie cred that might bring. First Impressions of Earth had two major flaws, it needed to be edited down to a tighter set of songs and Julian Cassavetes’ vocals needed to be lost in the mix rather than the focus. This wasn’t a terrible album, just an okay one that could have been much better.
The Stills – Without Feathers
What can I say about this but… I really have nothing to say. The Stills debut was a welcome surprise, one that I listened to quite a lot. Without Feathers… I paid almost nothing for it in a certain late chain store’s closing sale and I now know why there were stacks of these left. An exercise in forgettable.
Good Album, Horrible Album Cover
Mew – And the Glass Handed Kites
Mew… step away from the photoshop! If Mew had scrawled “Mew”, maybe misspelled it even, in crayon, it would have made for a better cover. I almost didn’t pick up this album because of the cover. Whose idea was that? They should be forced to wallpaper their house with that image.
Don't want to post the image, let the song sell the album
Great Album, Terrible Title
No, really, it’s good – it’s friggin’ Mission of Burma! I saw stacks of these sitting at the Tower clearance and I almost wanted to force them upon folks.
Donna Sumeria
Best Concert Attended
Eels at the Galaxy
It started off with the surprisingly catchy songs of the adorable band Smoosh, then headed into strange territory when a circus strongman of a roadie stood in front of the audience menacingly, then truly a spectacle when E entered in welder goggles and a jumpsuit launching into Old Shit/New Shit. Since I live in
Least Welcome Disband of 2006
Out Hud
NOOOOOOO! Where will I get my white boy dance music that I won’t actually dance to fix now? I guess there’s always !!!, but both of Out Hud’s albums belied their cover art and were composed of some of the most fantastic dance/rock/electronic beats of this decade. Was it money? See kids, this is who it hurts when you buy that Angels and Airwaves record instead of a brand new copy of S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D.
Most (Undeservedly) Hyped Band of 2006
Arctic Monkeys
These guys are important? No, no, no… seriously?
Retire This Rhyme, Please
“love, heaven above”
And variations of. Guess what, it’s been done A LOT, there are other words that rhyme with love, shove, dove, mud, C.H.U.D. – whatever, just strike this lyric when you’re meth-staring at the cocktail napkin in the studio and throw in a guitar solo or a human beatbox or an unidentifiable electronic noise or a censored sound to make people think they missed something good.
...Songs and albums to follow shortly.
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