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The Last Minute Best of 2006

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By: Charbarred | in: Music |

A bit late, but I thought I’d contribute my two cents. Although my pretentious senses tingling all week, I decided that rather than trying to impress everyone with my ability to listen to badly recorded half assed folk, it’s best I just list what I actually listened to this year.

The Best

Cursive - Happy Hollow

1. Cursive – Happy Hollow: The triumphant return of Saddle Creek pioneers just blew my mind this year. They ditched the cello in favor of…erm…a horn section…and it worked. Also the best live act I’ve seen this year.

Downloads: “Dorothy At Forty” \ “Bad Sects”

Midlake
2. Midlake - The Trials Of Van Occupanther: Finally a band that managed something different. They didn’t try to impress anyone and ended up with one of the most impressive albums of the year.
3. Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat: Not only is this a beautiful album, it also got me listening to Rilo Kiley again.  Her voice just gets better and better and no one can top her witty lyrics.
4. Portugal the Man: Waiter: “You Vultures!”: A perfect album by this exciting Alaskan band. If you haven’t heard it yet, you are doing yourself a great injustice.

Downloads: “Stables & Chairs” \ “Aka M80 the Wolf ” \ “Tommy”
5. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone – Etiquette: I’m usually a guitar person, but music in Etiquette is just mesmerizing in a very understated way. This is a touching album not to be missed.

Downloads: “Young Shields” \ “Bobby Malone Moves Home”

Built To Spill
6. Built to Spill - You in Reverse: My favorite band can do no wrong. This is their strongest offering in years. Those in the know are still asking “Who’s Mike Jones?”
7. David Bazan - Fewer Moving Parts: If this were a complete album it would probably be my number one. A short but emotional trip that leaves you wanting more. Bazan expands his former band’s “Pedro the Lion” sound and produces some of the most touching songs of the year.

Silversun Pickups
8. Silversun Pickups – Carnavas: Yeah, they sound like Smashing Pumpkins, but who cares…Billy Corgan hasn’t produced anything this worthy since Mellon Collie.
9. The Whitest Boy Alive – Dreams: The Berlin based outfit churned a very interesting album this year. The ability to create what sounds like electronic music with a live band is quite inspiring.  Oh, and they actually wrote songs
10. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don’t Have Your Back: A flawed album, whose highlights overshadow some of the weaker tracks. A very exciting affair nonetheless.

Stream: “Doctor Blind”

Almost Made It
11. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
12. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
13. Cyann and Ben - sweet beliefs
14. Say Hi To Your Mom - Impeccable Blahs
15. Teddybears - Soft Machine


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Posted on December 29, 2006

Comments

One Response to “The Last Minute Best of 2006”

  1. GPilisi on February 12th, 2007 3:46 pm

    For fans of Portugal.The Man—

    A new EP from Portugal. The Man is available on February 27th. You will be able to pre-order it shortly on Merchnow.com
    http://merchnow.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=m&Category_Code=PORT1
    When you pre-order it you can get a package deal on the shirt that goes along with the record.

    “It’s Complicated Being A Wizard” is a seamless 46 minute journey. 23 minutes through the first time and then around again, like an ethereal dream state which intertwines around itself. Repetition is important to the effectiveness of affirmation.


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