Top 25 Records of 2006

It's the end of the year and here's my newly compiled list of my favorite records of this year:

25. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Fear is on our Side
A dark yet hopeful album which shows glimpses of Joy Division and Psychodelic Furs. If you're a fan of current day Interpol with a smidgen of Disintegration-era Cure, you'll probably enjoy this album.
Top Tracks: According to Plan, The Owl, The Ghost

24. Tap Tap - Lanzafame
This year's Arcade Fire wannabe that actually sounds good. Arcade Fire fans should feel real at home here because this band sounds very much like them, even down to the singing.

23. The Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again
San Diego's Jimmy LaValle came back again with another solid Album Leaf showing with this year's Into the Blue Again. With rich and full sounds and heavier bass - this record is at times more cheerful and other times more dark than anything in the TAL catalog. Red-Eye is a killer track.
Top Tracks: Red-Eye, Always For You

22. Blackpool Lights - This Town's Disaster
Jim Suptic formed this band near the end of the Get Up Kids' long life and didn't really make any change of direction from where TGUKs were going, so the Blackpool Lights debut full-length sounds like a Get Up Kids album. That's not a bad thing. If you're a fan of the emo-punk turned indie-core band, please check this one out.

21. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Still dishing out the guitar-heavy tracks are Sonic Youth. The latest album is on many levels a disappointment for the band following the extraordinary Sonic Nurse and before that Murray Street, as this record doesn't jump new boundaries as the other two did, but still is a solid rock album.

20. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Featuring arguably the best single of the year, CRAZY, the duo of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo create a wonderful urban funk album that crosses many genres. Danger Mouse does not seem to be able to make a bad record and this album is yet another example of his ability to create pop magic with his production.

19. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
As with the previous two Snow Patrol records, yes TWO of them, it took me a while but I grew into liking their album. Although this is probably the third best of the three records they have out (the best being their debut, Songs for Polar Bears), it still has enough pop catchiness that I can't resist the temptation to listen to it. It's evil yet satisfying.

18. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Asobi Seksu move to a faster and lighter outlook on life with Citrus, their follow-up to their self-titled debut album. Songs like New Years and Thursday make this album wonderful. Fans of My Bloody Valentine, please take a listen.

17. The Rapture - Pieces of People We Love
This is the best pure house/dancey album of the year. The Rapture's second record is in my opinion a much more solid effort and puts them into the league for mainstream success. You gotta get yourself into it and listen to this record.

16. Jeremy Enigk - The World Waits
Sunny Day Real Estate and The Fire Theft fans have been waiting for this record for quiet some time but this is lead singer Jeremy Enigk's second solo album and is just what we've been waiting for. There's plenty of his vocal bliss around with more musical punch than his previous album. This is a very much Fire Theft-like record, and hopefully is an appetizer for more Fire Theft or, we pray, a Sunny Day reunion.

// more to be announced later //

Day 2 - Here's some more of my favorite records... This year hasn't been the most exciting year for new music, but these are still some good though not spectacular albums...

15. Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards
This little known band became a big hit in Seattle and I'm sure they'll make they've made their way around to the other parts of the country by now. With three EPs behind them, the Cold War Kids released their first full-length, which is almost like a compilation of some of their EP tracks and some new stuff. Hospital Beds still remains their best track to date, but theres plenty good indie rock songs here.

14. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
Ozzie Osborne and AC/DC are back.... ok not really. Australian's Wolfmother reminds us of the 70s and 80s metal rock with some powerful rock ballads that pack alot of punch. Usually this ain't my cup of tea, but I really do enjoy the energy of this record.

13. Sparta - Threes
The third album from Sparta since they broke apart from At the Drive-In is probably their least desirable yet most standard rock potential success maker. They've now mastered the arena rock sound and while it's not as hard edge as their debut or as exciting as their second record, this one still has that little potion of magic that only members of At the Drive-In can bring. This is also the first album since Paul Hinojos left to join the other guys, Mars Volta (the other half of ATDI).

12. Cut Chemist - The Audience's Listening
The Robots are coming!!! The first full record from former Jurassic 5 dj and producer Cut Chemist is a stellar album that shows why J5 was so diverse and exciting. It's noticeable the difference that the new J5 record sounds without Cut Chemist at the helm... Anyway, if you're a fan of RJD2 or DJ Shadow, you MUST check this out. If you like hip hop and electronic music, please be all ears. Thanks.

11. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Food
Neko's powerful voice and increasing popularity has pulled her away from her former full-time job as secondary vocalist for New Pornographers and this new record is more proof that her voice and songwriting are more than enough for her to move out on her own. This is a true singer/songwriter record and one that is fantastic.

10. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Post-Rockers Mogwai have a new album that brings the intensity and anguish back to their sound after the lighter Happy Songs for Happy People. Killer tracks like Glasgow Mega Snake are so grippingly tight and powerful, it makes you just want to drive fast and shake your head. Of course, they'll fool you with lighter, fluffy tracks like Acid Food.

09. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Showbiz was their Radiohead wannabe record to get them in the door; Origin of Symmetry showed they could be so much more; Absolution showed that they could do something different and make a free standing album; Black Holes and Revelations, Muse's latest record helps elevate their sound to full arena rocking madness. Taking hints from Queen, Led Zepplin, and other classic rock, Muse punctuates ROCK with kickin' tunes like Knights of Cydonia which just makes you want to bob your head like a mad man. While this record is nowhere near Absolution for album flow, it's alot more like Origin of Symmetry for its track by track singles.

08. Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
This new band from Los Angeles puts alot of noise into their sound for a scrawny little band. SSPUs mixes in pop rock with shoegazer noise in almost every track and create a very listenable and enjoyable song. Its unfortunate they didn't put their best track, Kissing Families, which is from their Pikul EP, but the album has many other tracks to cover for that one loss.

07. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Sons and Daughters is now my favorite Decemberists song. It's so simple yet so powerful. Colin Meloy and company have a tough problem - they just seem to not be able to make a bad record. I guess it's a problem that I'm happy to deal with. Crane Wife isn't the best Decemberist album but its so addictingly good! This is very much a Belle & Sebastian-influence album - at least that's what I get from listening to it.

06. Calexico - Garden Ruin
New Mexico's Calexico is more indie pop than ever with their latest Garden Ruin. It's crazy to think that they didn't have vocals on their albums in the past because Joey Burns' has a very elegant and soothing voice. It makes this album very comparable to the fantastic collaboration Calexico did with Iron & Wine in last year's In the Reins EP. If you like some semi acoustic rock with some southern twang to it, check out this indie rock band. You'll probably like what you hear.

05. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
Kanye West's newest prodigee is Chicago's Lupe Fiasco. As with other Kanye records, Lupe has a whole cast of celebrity guests such as Linkin Park, Jay Z, Jill Scott, The Neptunes/Pharrell, and others. Lupe has a great combination of rap flow and a nice and easy to hear clear voice. His lyrics flow much like Kanye or Common and lyrics are much more mature than his young age would have you believe. Kick, Push is the best track on the record but there are plenty of good ones here.

04. The Roots - Game Theory
Maybe it's a bias, but I strongly believe this is the best rap group/band around. Nothing will top Phrenology but Game Theory goes back to the rockin' style that Phrenology had and away from the true hip hop roots of 2004's The Tipping Point. Game Theory also marks the return of original Roots MC, Malik B, who raps alongside current MC BlackThought on the progressive Here I Come, as well as the album title track, Game Theory.

03. Ghostland Observatory - Paparazzi Lightning
Oh boy - get ready for this wildly entertaining band from Austin, TX because they will be famous. With an amazing live show full of fun and laughter, Ghostland Obsevatory have plenty of good songs to go along with their on-stage antics. Their music sounds like a modern day Depeche Mode, though I'm not totally sure how that works since Depeche Mode is still around. But think of an early 80's Depeche Mode, where it was synthpop gem after gem -- none of that dark stuff. Now add in some wickedly Ozzie Osborne/Freddy Mercury like vocals and you get something that sounds like Ghostland. Kind of.

02. 120 Days - 120 Days
This rather unknown band from Norway is awesome. Their music is electronic and its organic. They have a sort of trancey and atmospheric sound that's very electro, but also has its intense moments of guitar feedback noise. It's alot like Helio Sequence in a way, but not as cheesey pop but more progressive. Add in some Rapture or LCD Soundsystem like groove and you can imagine what this band is all about. I haven't purchased this one yet as I have not had luck finding it at any of the major retailers including Wherehouse Music. I will have to hit the local shops aka Easy Street Records or Sonic Boom, just haven't had time...

01. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
The Scottish indie pop darlings, Belle & Sebastian, have yet another successful album with the addictingly good, Life Pursuit. Continuing on their success of Dear Catastrophe Waitress, B&S add a bit more dance element to their songs with many of the tracks on Life Pursuit. Still, their best songs are their simplest -- Another Sunny Day and Dress Up in You. Of course, funky songs like Funny Little Frog and children's television sounding, Sukie in the Graveyard are plenty of entertainment. Mmm this album is good.