Well, the holidays are upon us once again which means it is time for that year end round-up of all of my favorite records of 2006. Since the advent of online music blogs and their heightened effect on the grand scheme of whether a young band might suddenly become an overnight million-selling sensation, the top 10 list has become an almost mandatory blog feature, often cropping up half-way through the year as a mid-term report and then escaping like a cat out of the bag as early on as October and November, ready to be aggregated by other blogs existing specifically to link the readers to virtually every top ten list in existence on the worldwide internet. All that information just a few keystrokes away, and each list specific, precious, and double-dipped in pretense and importance, predictable to unpredictable and almost assuredly propelling a couple artists or groups from indie superstardom to industry heavyweights. Bloggers have realized that their opinions really can matter after all so prepare for an astute online folley of lists of every band you should love and buy and defend and never doubt their importance. I love the newfound expertise and authority but by comparison, my list might seem downright tame, dull, uninformed and insensitive. Yeah, that’s right, void of Joanna Newsom, Sufjan Stevens, TV on The Radio, The Knife, the Hold Steady, M. Ward, Thom Yorke, any bands boasting a brother and sister or works based on mathematical concept, a singular location or Christmas. And no Scissor Sisters either. So here we go from the bottom up.
- Madonna—Confessions on a Dance Floor: you know, its not really the LP that I like so much, I’ve maybe heard the entire thing once. It’s the single “Hung Up,” that really got under my skin, along with her network television concert special on the night before thanksgiving. I was endlessly blown away. She is unparalleled in the area of creating a cathartic live spectacle, a show you will never forget. She proves this again and again. How does she do it? She adopts and eats little African babies
- Morrissey—Ringleader of the Tormentors: He made a striking and brilliant
comeback with You Are The Quarry and wasted little time following that up with an even stronger record inspired and enhanced by his new residence in Italy and his collaboration with legendary soundtrack composer Ennio Moriccone, whom he has now embarked on a new project with. This disc was also produced by Tony Visconti who did such great things with David Bowie. I have a friend who hates the Smiths and Morrissey and he actually likes the first and best cut “I Will See You in Far Off Places.” Not unlike Madonna, Morrissey has developed his showmanship a great deal as well over the years, and rest assured, no living creature was harmed in the making of this peculiar and grand superstar.
- The Young Knives- Voices of Animals and Men: This British trio have intrigued me first with a series of singles and an EP of quirky complex and manic little angular pop songs with an edge. With their first full length release they hit all the marks running. There’s a lot of pure talent going on here, at times bringing to mind the clever wit and songwriting skills of Andy partridge of XTC and the quick sting of the Buzzcocks or the Jam. Great vocal arrangements and harmonies, articulate to furious would-be anthems of teen angst and dark humor from three book-wormish looking schoolboys. Theres a lot going on here.
- Priestess—Hello Master: There is just something cool about four long haired guys in a Canadian metal band called Priestess. It’s a gender identification thing that most metal bands would say, “No fucking way are we gonna be calling this band Priestess, that’s fucking gay.” I think it’s a cool as fuck name and the more I listen to this disc the more interesting and powerful it becomes. Their take on a basic heavy metal sound is replete with subtle aberrations in timing and structure that are unique, reaching out into a prog-rock sort of territory but without the furry boots, double-necked guitars and live three record sets. This band came recommended by a member of my favorite local group Dirty Power, and oddly enough they share some stylistic similarities. You know how some cities choose a similar sister-city in another country in a public relations gesture? I think Priestess and Dirty Power should do that—be sister bands. They could record a cover of “I’ll Be Your Sister” by Motorhead. That is so gay.
- The Eagles of Death Metal—Death by Sexy: This record is just so fucking fun!
Jesse Hughes, guitar-slinging frontman for EODM and old pal of Queens of the Stoneage figurehead Josh Homme, who produces and also drums for the band, knows fully well where the reckless heart and unyielding fun in rock and roll can be found. If Death By Sexy doesn’t take you there, you must be dead already. Wearing several influences clearly on his sleeve he takes you on a joyride of dirty blues boogie, hooks you with guitar riffs that wont let go, stings you with his pure rock scream falsetto and delivers it all with enough glam rock swagger and rock star strut for two bands. He plays like he was legendary before he even started. Listen and believe it.
- The Presets—Beams: I’ve gone on and on about this electronic duo from Australia several times this year, first on the basis of this incredibly appealing record with its lush multi-layered production qualities and big beat driven sound. Their songs felt complete and dynamic and irresistibly catchy and danceable. Then I saw them a total of three times, once at the folsom street fair and they undeniably tore it up live. I’ve never found a predominantly electronic act to be this effective and appealing.
- Arctic Monkeys—Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am Not: This young band from Sheffield, England started distributing their own music over the internet for free and at live gigs as well and created such a buzz that this LP, their first, became the fastest selling debut record in British pop music history. The hype was massive and the proof resounded clear as a bell from the first song to the last on this disc. The Arctic Monkeys delivered an edgy pop/rock masterpiece revealing a songwriting talent that rates up there with many greats to their fore. The music was astonishing, full of pop sensibility yet seldom skipping the chance to progress rapidly to a louder faster and harder sort of crescendo, an exalted rush of honest youthful urgency with an uncanny sense of order and expertise for a band of four boys still in their teens. I haven’t grown tired of this disc yet.
- Electric Eel Shock—Beat Me: I’ve written a lot about this band as well this year. They are a Japanese power trio that gives new meaning to that term. I’ve never seen a group that pours more energy into a performance than these rock and roll lifers. Their songs handle rock and roll as if it were sacred, the purest force in the world and they honor it vehemently and without irony. Lemmy of Motorhead thinks they are the shit. No argument here.
- The Gossip—Standing In The Way OfControl: I think I promised to not write any more about The Gossip for awhile as they have been the most prominent subject in my columns this year and there are only so many ways one can describe their greatness. I’m just pleased that with this disc, their finest to date, they are finally getting some widespread and well deserved attention. They have videos on MTV now, and they never thought that would happen. If you don’t own this record and love it, I might think you were a loser.
- Awesome Color—s/t:This band of three youngsters originally from Michigan, now New York have produced the one record that feels so completely unadulterated and genuine in spirit that I find it difficult to stop it after just one song. Allowed to play for its entire length and you can really feel this disc take off and soar with some of the greatest rock records of all time. Specifically I’m thinking of The Stooges Funhouse, arguably the finest rock and roll record ever, because Awesome Color have some kind of weird affinity with that landmark. They don’t ape it or reproduce it but somehow they seem to channel its force or spirit so perfectly the two discs can be played back to back and it just sounds great and makes perfect sense. It’s so mysterious to me, this magic they’ve created, two guys and a girl, three instruments and all that music. It reminds me why I place such importance on rock and roll in my life. Its all right here. Just listen to it. You’ll know why this is my favorite record of the year.