Another year has come and gone and it seems like just last week we were talking about what the best albums of 2005 were. Incidentally, last year LiquidGeneration gave top honors to Bloc Party for Silent Alarm, bumping back The National’s Alligator to number two. A decision that seems questionable now, but that’s something that happens quite often with these “best of” lists. I find these lists an interesting concept in that in reality all it really represents is the opinion of one individual. An opinion that often times is somewhat premature and usually changes in some way over the course of time. It's hard to truly judge a record within the context of a year, becasue sometimes music (and art in general) needs more time to grow. A lot of times a record that sounds amazing one year, you can't even listen to a couple of years down the road...and conversely a record you thought was average could become one of your favorites. It just seems quite arbitrary to pick a best of list, when music, more than any other art form, is influenced so much by the context in which it is heard. A phenomenon I like to call the “And You Will Know Us by The Trail of Dead – Source Tags and Codes” affect. That being said I still want to make a list becasue, well, they're fun! So the following list represents the ten records that were the most important to me as of December 2006. We’ll see how much that changes over the course of the next year. While there might have been more critically acclaimed records and definitely records that sold more, this list is pretty solid in terms of what 2006 was all about. For the first time in a long time, it’s dominated by American artists and a lot of guitars! Here’s to 2007 being as entertaining to our ears as this year was!
Band of Horses - Everything All The Time #10
Without a doubt one of the finest records of the first half of the year, this band really won me over with their performance at SXSW. There hasn't been a debut this strong since a band called The Arcade Fire gave us Funeral. The double vocals and reverb soaked guitar create this etheral feeling of otherworldly cowboys...and cowboys, regardless of their planetary alliegance, are always good times.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block #9
Yes, "Young Folks" is a jam. In all honesty it's probably one of the top three singles of the year. However it would be a huge mistake to think of Writer's Block, the sophomore album from Stockholm's Peter Bjorn and John, as a one trick pony. I would even go as far to say that there are four other singles on the record, including "Detects On My Affection," "Amsterdam" and "Let's Call It Off." If you want to make an indie pop record, this should be your blue print.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
Hot Chip - The Warning #8
It almost feels like The Warning has been out for two years. I don't know if that's becasue it seems to always be in my subconcious or because I couldn't go a week without hearing it somewhere. The good thing is that it never got old or felt stale. But when you are as innovative and creative as these London lads, it's hard to be boring. If you're unfamiliar with the band check out the first two singles "Colours" and "Over and OVer." Both tracks will make you smile...at least that's what I did when I first heard them!
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife #7
I can't remember the last time a band I previously did not care for won me over with a new record, but that is precisely what the Decemberists did with their major label debut, The Crane Wife. Yeah, I know that the "true fans" have been digging on the Decemberists for years. I tried, but could never get into them until I heard The Crane Wife in all it's prog-folk-rock glory. Some of the best arrangements of the year and, as usual, remarkably literate and narrative lyrics from frontman Colin Meloy. Give it a chance...you might just surprise yourself.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit #6
I have been a fan of Belle & Sebastian since I was a wee lad back at University. The Life Pursuit is not so much a return to form, but rather a bit of a reinvention. It's a little sunnier, a little bouncier and whole lotta wow. Good thing they released it early in the year as it was without a doubt the soundtrack to my Spring and Summer. The track in the MusicPlayer might just be the best single of the year, but what will blow your mind is that it's not even the best song on the record! Their performance at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Philharmonic was also the best show I saw this year...possibly in the last couple of years.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
South - Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars #5
South are one of those bands that seemed to just slip under the radar this year, which is really a shame because Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars was one of the most interesting and unique records of 2006. Their sound has evolved over the years to set them apart from contemporaries like Elbow and Doves, creating an entirely unique brand of tempo-changing-hook-layden British rock. This is one that a lot of people missed...hopefully it will find its way to them in 2007.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
The Format - Dog Problems #4
This record is admittedbly a bit different than the rest of this list, but it was just one of those rare and unusual albums that really struck a chord with me. Like I said in the intro to this piece, the way we enjoy music has a lot to do with the context in which we hear it. Of course the music still has to be "good" and The Format have written one of the best Pop records of the year. So catchy it will get under your skin, inside your head and even play in your dreams. They released the record on their own after getting dumped by their label, and I for one am glad they did. Great songs, creative instrumentation (think Queen doing a Waltz) and heart on sleeve lyrics.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth #3
If anyone else but the Strokes released this record, it would have been one of the most acclaimed LPs of the year. This is a disheartening fact of the current landscape of the indie music scene. With their debut, Is This It, the Strokes changed the face of the World of Rock and they're still paying for it. What will it take for them to regain their indie cred? Well in my opinion First Impressions of Earth should have done it 10x over. This record finds the band growing up a bit and trying new ideas and cleaner production. They still have the interchanging leads, hooks at every turn and tight rhythm section, but what is most remarkable is the way the songwriting has evolved and Julian Casablancas' vocals have grown up. Rock how it should be...inspiring.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
M. Ward - Post-War #2
This record was a surprise. It's always nice when you can listen to something without any expectations and be utterly blown away. While M. Ward has been making music for quite a while now, Post-War is definitely a notch above the rest of his output. There really is no gimmick here. Just great songs, amazing production and a voice that makes you stop and listen. It's simutaneously the perfect record to listen to when you're leaving your house on a Saturday night AND what you want to hear on the way home. Maybe that doesn't sound like much to you, but to be able to create a sound that can fit both those scenarios is actually a pretty amazing accomplishment. A lot of records will get more hype than this one in 2006, but down the road this it's one that will be remebered for a long, long time.
Check him out on MySpace.
Hear a track in the LG MusicPlayer.
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America #1
People complain that the vocals are too nasally, the music too dramatic and the sound "not cool." These same people then go listen to what sounds like a dying dolphin playing a harp sing about forest nymphs and call it a masterpiece. That is the beauty of music...we're all just a little bit different when it comes to the idea of greatness. The Hold Steady took the "indie' out of rock and made one of the best American Rock 'n Roll records in a long time. Without a doubt the most interesting and narrative lyrics of the year, the record will transport you into the characters of each song, and like a good book allow you to identify with the plight and pleasure of each. While I'll admit that the record might not be for everyone, I feel like it's the type of timeless and timely offering that will influence generations and kids for years down the road.
Check them out on MySpace.
Hear a track on the LG MusicPlayer.