Top 10 Albums of the Year (or: Halfway There)

[Manny Calavera]

I thought since we're halfway through the year, a best of the year (thus far) list would be appropriate. I couldn't give any order to mine but here are my ten, totally unoriginal choices:

Asobi Seksu: Citrus
Beirut: Gulag Orkestar
Belong: October Language
Boris: Pink
Chihei Hatakeyama: Minima Moralia
The Knife: Silent Shout
Liars: Drum's Not Dead
Sufjan Stevens: Avalanches
TV on the Radio: Return to Cookie Mountain
Wolves in the Throne Room: Diadem of 12 Stars

Ha. That was tough. There are about fifteen other albums that could be on that list on any given day. Ah well.

 

[skalogre]

I am seriously constrained with this list as I don't buy albums a they are released, at least usually. The only album I have bought this year that was released in 2006 (at least that I can think of) is Covenant's "Skyshaper" (pretty damn good btw).

 

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by skalogre

I am seriously constrained with this list as I don't buy albums a they are released, at least usually. The only album I have bought this year that was released in 2006 (at least that I can think of) is Covenant's "Skyshaper" (pretty damn good btw).

I actually saw Covenant live many years ago, C-Tec a Jean-Luc DeMeyer (of front242 fame) side project was the opening act.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by Fuuma

I actually saw Covenant live many years ago, C-Tec a Jean-Luc DeMeyer (of front242 fame) side project was the opening act.

Woah. Sounds great - must have been Marc Heal of Cubanate with him then. I saw them in 2002; opening were some local Phoenix group and And One. Incidentally, that was also my all-time high in aggravating groupie experience. These two girls were just completely off their rocker, screaming at And One's vocalist. Kept shoving and screaming. They found him outside afterwards; he was unable to get away from them. At one point he intoned "what is wrong with your women over here" while he was making a hasty retreat to the backstage area.

 

[Brian SD]

I would put Band of Horses in my top 10 (at least so far), and Boris would probably take the top spot, followed by TVotR and the Knife. Also, Figurines would be in there. Otherwise, I pretty much agree with your list...

Sufjan Stevens: Avalanches

Perhaps the only artist who's work is so consistantly good that an album of outtakes can earn such acclaim.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
Aceyalone - Magnificent City
Eagles of Death Metal - Death By Sexy
Soul Position - Things Go Better With RJ and Al
The Streets - The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
Tool - 10,000 days
Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Mogwai - Mr. Beast

 

[VMan]

A few albums of 2006 that I have liked:

Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice - Gipsy Freedom
Dieselboy - The Human Resource
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Cat Power - The Greatest
The Raconteurs
The Minus 5 - The Gun Album

 

[shoreman1782]

Soul Position - Things Go Better With RJ and Al

This is very good. Blueprint is pretty damn cool on his own, too.

I listen to a lot of music, but I'm surprised I've listened to ten albums this year. I'm afraid I like a lot of listenable stuff, no Wooden Wand, etc. on there:

1. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
2. Hot Chip - The Warning - Usually takes me a lot of listens to get into dancier albums, but this one grabbed me.
3. Walkmen - A Hundred Miles Off
4. Band of Horses - Everything... - I may like this less when it's not summer anymore, but this is a great album to drink beer on a porch to.
5. Man Man - Six Demon Bag
6. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops - Disappointing, but the good parts are really good.
7. Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
8. Eagles of Death Metal - Death by Sexy
9. Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat (She's pretty)
10. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat (might go higher/lower but I haven't heard the whole thing yet)

Hon. mentions:
The Long Winters - Putting the Days to Bed
Islands - Return to the Sea
Futureheads - News and Tributes - don't understand why this is getting a bad rap; I like it more than the last album.
Guster - Ganging Up on the Sun - Yeah, your little sister likes it too, so what?
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Shearwater - Palo Santo
Morrissey - Ringleader...

I was at least somewhat disappointed by Gnarls, The Knife, YYYs, Raconteurs, and Liars, but that's probably all the effect of high expectations. I'm also surprised to see multiple Asobi Seksu fans. Jon, did you go see them in DC earlier this year?

 

[mnemonic]

i like the band of horses record. matt and ben are a rare exception to the vibe off of many seattle bands.

 

[Manny Calavera]

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

This is very good. Blueprint is pretty damn cool on his own, too.

I listen to a lot of music, but I'm surprised I've listened to ten albums this year. I'm afraid I like a lot of listenable stuff, no Wooden Wand, etc. on there:

1. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
2. Hot Chip - The Warning - Usually takes me a lot of listens to get into dancier albums, but this one grabbed me.
3. Walkmen - A Hundred Miles Off
4. Band of Horses - Everything... - I may like this less when it's not summer anymore, but this is a great album to drink beer on a porch to.
5. Man Man - Six Demon Bag
6. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops - Disappointing, but the good parts are really good.
7. Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
8. Eagles of Death Metal - Death by Sexy
9. Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat (She's pretty)
10. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat (might go higher/lower but I haven't heard the whole thing yet)

Hon. mentions:
The Long Winters - Putting the Days to Bed
Islands - Return to the Sea
Futureheads - News and Tributes - don't understand why this is getting a bad rap; I like it more than the last album.
Guster - Ganging Up on the Sun - Yeah, your little sister likes it too, so what?
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Shearwater - Palo Santo
Morrissey - Ringleader...

I was at least somewhat disappointed by Gnarls, The Knife, YYYs, Raconteurs, and Liars, but that's probably all the effect of high expectations. I'm also surprised to see multiple Asobi Seksu fans. Jon, did you go see them in DC earlier this year?

No, I was on the West Coast (crying) at the time.

And I see sooo much stuff that could have gone in my list: Man Man, Band of Horses, Figurines, etc.

And how about that new Flaming Lips, eh?

 

[trogdor]

Best so far:

Venetian Snares -- Cavalgade of Glee and Happy Hardcore PomPoms

 

[Brian SD]

And how about that new Flaming Lips, eh?

 

[Manny Calavera]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

Yeah.

A fan am cry.