my year in rock. part one.
oh yes, it's time for the ubiquitous year end best of list. i started this as a single post, but i quickly realized that maybe i should do it in parts, for ease of digestion...i can be a bit wordy you know. ;)
so here is the first installment - albums. however, i am not going to put these selections in any sort of numerical/alphabetical/chronological/ new order, nor am i going to pretend that you are going to agree with my choices and/or my reasoning (even though i'm right). these are just the albums that i enjoyed and meant something to ME this year. enjoy, and huzzah!
band of horses - everything all the time
eff'n a, dude - band of horses eff'n rule. i hope that i don't look back at this post and laugh at myself for saying that i will be listening to this album for the rest of my life. but that's how good it is - every single track! when my iTunes shuffle finds its way to band of horses i'm always like, omg why is this song so good!?! HOW can it be sooooo goooooood?!? and am consistently reminded that i am in love with this album - every single time! not to mention that live they (well, ben really) play with such "genuine joy" that you cannot help but want to give them big hugs and drink beers with them while they wear their lumberjackets and trucker hats (despite your distain for them - it's okay, they're from washington, they're hicks, they can get away with it). not groundbreaking, not experimental - at least not that we can tell while we're in the moment - but just great, soul-tugging, bone-shaking, chill-inducing music. and who can ask for more?
the little ones - sing song ep
holy shit if this isn't the sound of sunshine and unicorns and laughter and rainbows and first kisses all wrapped up and given to the world as a ridiculously awesome musical present. and it's only an EP! "lovers who uncover" has swiftly made it's way onto my favorite songs of 2006 list, if only for the "hey-o"s and hand claps, and "oh, mj!" is creeping up close behind. this is pure pop heaven - catchy as hell and instantly addictive. i hereby challenge you to listen to it and not break into the biggest and most ridiculous smile you've grinned all year. i saw them at bottom of the hill two weeks ago and it was, simply put, FUN. emo say what? yeah, that's what i thought.
the changes - the changes ep/first of may ep
i don't have their full length, today is tonight, yet - but upon hearing "when i wake" on bagelradio i immediately downloaded everything that emusic could provide to me from these chicago rockers and have been diligent in spreading the word about them to everyone that will listen. the only unsigned band to play lollapalooza this summer, i also have an odd connection to them - the drummer was the original drummer in my exbf's now-defunct band, free space. small world! another shot of indie pop rock - but with a decidedly, yet subtle, jazz influence. the time signature shift in "the machine" gets me every time. hence, why these boys have found themselves in the number three spot on my last.fm...and i've only been listening to them for two months! dear the changes, please come play in san francisco asap. love, ali.
dirty on purpose - hallelujah sirens
i knew next to nothing about dirty on purpose up until about three weeks ago when, on a whim, i decided to download their newest album, as i was going to see them play a show with margot & the nuclear so and so's. hot damn, this stuff is good. atmospheric, shoegazery tunes that slowly creep their way into your subconscious and suddenly you realize - you LIKE it. gloomy fuzzed out dream pop is a weakness of mine - but it could be worse. maybe it speaks to my "upbeat and gentle, yet dark" side? oh, and fun fact: when i told one of the dudes from dirty on purpose that i bought their album on emusic the night of their show, he was so excited he gave me two posters for the price of one. see, legally purchasing music CAN get you free stuff!
phoenix - it's never been like that
if you know me you know i love phoenix. and this album is no exception. i heard some of the tracks when i saw them at coachella and was a bit disappointed because they weren't the slick, shiny, poppy, dancey numbers that i was used to. but i gave this album a chance and huzzah! it rocks! trading in the synth factor for garage rock guitars, the jangly little numbers that these frenchies churn out are undeniably infectious. and live they're a rockin out good time that leaves you wanting more.
silversun pickups - carnavas
ooooooh, sspu - where do i begin? our love affair began last year with your most excellent song "kissing families". and then, what do you do? you release quite possibly my most favoritist album of the whole year*. i think i've listened to it almost every day since i procured its fantasticalness. also, you are really nice and don't seem too freaked out by the fact that our crew is officially rockstalking™ you. and you played "three seed" when i requested (see: screamed my ass off for) it at the rickshaw stop even though you didn't think you could play it live. yippeeeee!!! what, i saw you four (perhaps five) times this year? oh, that's just the beginning. and while i am excited that others are discovering your rawktasticness (letterman!?!), i am also a bit sad that our little secret is out. but awesome cannot be contained, so alas, keep rockin the faces off the indie kids in america. w00t w00t!
twilight singers - powder burns
love him or hate him, please know that greg dulli is a genius to me. i cannot wait for the afghan whigs reunion tour and possible new album...but for now, dulli's twilight singers incarnation will have to do. and it did and it does.
the hold steady - boys and girls in america
if i had to choose an absolute favorite album of the year, this would rival only sspu. i probably listened to this album more than any other this year - ask ryan, my partner in our quest to spread the gospel of the hold steady. craig finn is a storyteller - not a lyricist, not a songwriter. A STORYTELLER. wordy and dark, drugged out and boozed up, always thought provoking and regularly genius, you can listen to a hold steady song a hundred times and always pick out some brilliant line that you never noticed before. nothing i could say here could adequately express how FUCKING AWESOME this album is. it reaffirmed my faith in the rock and the roll. eff yeah, rawk out. the end.
fields - 7 from the village ep
yes, another EP. atmospheric, lush harmonies, droning guitars, synthesized blips and beeps, glockenspiel (!) - no wonder i love this band. you know when you listen to music and it just fills you up inside - like makes a little place inside your heart or head or bones or whatever - wait, am i sounding like a hippie right now?!? well who the hell cares - that's what this band does to me. "isabel" alone is worth the entire album. repeat. repeat.
other stuff that i loved this year (how awesome was this year in rock?!?) but i am now too tired to write dissertations on:
land of talk - applause cheer boo hiss
mates of state - bring it back
hot chip - the warning
jenny lewis & the watson twins - rabbit fur coat
the walkmen - a hundred miles off
pete yorn - nightcrawler
the thermals - the body, the blood, the machine
the raconteurs - broken boy soldiers
cold war kids - up in rags ep
the grates - gravity won't get you high
guillemots - through the windowpane
midlake - the trials of van occupanther
the flaming lips - at war with the mystics
wolfmother - wolfmother
film school - film school
beirut - gulag orkestar
cat power - the greatest
neko case - fox confessor brings the flood
the coup - pick a bigger weapon
kyle andrews - amos in ohio
death ships - seeds of devastation
the submarines - declare a new state!
josh ritter - the animal years
french kicks - two thousand
tokyo police club - a lesson in crime ep
so here is the first installment - albums. however, i am not going to put these selections in any sort of numerical/alphabetical/chronological/ new order, nor am i going to pretend that you are going to agree with my choices and/or my reasoning (even though i'm right). these are just the albums that i enjoyed and meant something to ME this year. enjoy, and huzzah!
band of horses - everything all the time
eff'n a, dude - band of horses eff'n rule. i hope that i don't look back at this post and laugh at myself for saying that i will be listening to this album for the rest of my life. but that's how good it is - every single track! when my iTunes shuffle finds its way to band of horses i'm always like, omg why is this song so good!?! HOW can it be sooooo goooooood?!? and am consistently reminded that i am in love with this album - every single time! not to mention that live they (well, ben really) play with such "genuine joy" that you cannot help but want to give them big hugs and drink beers with them while they wear their lumberjackets and trucker hats (despite your distain for them - it's okay, they're from washington, they're hicks, they can get away with it). not groundbreaking, not experimental - at least not that we can tell while we're in the moment - but just great, soul-tugging, bone-shaking, chill-inducing music. and who can ask for more?
the little ones - sing song ep
holy shit if this isn't the sound of sunshine and unicorns and laughter and rainbows and first kisses all wrapped up and given to the world as a ridiculously awesome musical present. and it's only an EP! "lovers who uncover" has swiftly made it's way onto my favorite songs of 2006 list, if only for the "hey-o"s and hand claps, and "oh, mj!" is creeping up close behind. this is pure pop heaven - catchy as hell and instantly addictive. i hereby challenge you to listen to it and not break into the biggest and most ridiculous smile you've grinned all year. i saw them at bottom of the hill two weeks ago and it was, simply put, FUN. emo say what? yeah, that's what i thought.
the changes - the changes ep/first of may ep
i don't have their full length, today is tonight, yet - but upon hearing "when i wake" on bagelradio i immediately downloaded everything that emusic could provide to me from these chicago rockers and have been diligent in spreading the word about them to everyone that will listen. the only unsigned band to play lollapalooza this summer, i also have an odd connection to them - the drummer was the original drummer in my exbf's now-defunct band, free space. small world! another shot of indie pop rock - but with a decidedly, yet subtle, jazz influence. the time signature shift in "the machine" gets me every time. hence, why these boys have found themselves in the number three spot on my last.fm...and i've only been listening to them for two months! dear the changes, please come play in san francisco asap. love, ali.
dirty on purpose - hallelujah sirens
i knew next to nothing about dirty on purpose up until about three weeks ago when, on a whim, i decided to download their newest album, as i was going to see them play a show with margot & the nuclear so and so's. hot damn, this stuff is good. atmospheric, shoegazery tunes that slowly creep their way into your subconscious and suddenly you realize - you LIKE it. gloomy fuzzed out dream pop is a weakness of mine - but it could be worse. maybe it speaks to my "upbeat and gentle, yet dark" side? oh, and fun fact: when i told one of the dudes from dirty on purpose that i bought their album on emusic the night of their show, he was so excited he gave me two posters for the price of one. see, legally purchasing music CAN get you free stuff!
phoenix - it's never been like that
if you know me you know i love phoenix. and this album is no exception. i heard some of the tracks when i saw them at coachella and was a bit disappointed because they weren't the slick, shiny, poppy, dancey numbers that i was used to. but i gave this album a chance and huzzah! it rocks! trading in the synth factor for garage rock guitars, the jangly little numbers that these frenchies churn out are undeniably infectious. and live they're a rockin out good time that leaves you wanting more.
silversun pickups - carnavas
ooooooh, sspu - where do i begin? our love affair began last year with your most excellent song "kissing families". and then, what do you do? you release quite possibly my most favoritist album of the whole year*. i think i've listened to it almost every day since i procured its fantasticalness. also, you are really nice and don't seem too freaked out by the fact that our crew is officially rockstalking™ you. and you played "three seed" when i requested (see: screamed my ass off for) it at the rickshaw stop even though you didn't think you could play it live. yippeeeee!!! what, i saw you four (perhaps five) times this year? oh, that's just the beginning. and while i am excited that others are discovering your rawktasticness (letterman!?!), i am also a bit sad that our little secret is out. but awesome cannot be contained, so alas, keep rockin the faces off the indie kids in america. w00t w00t!
twilight singers - powder burns
love him or hate him, please know that greg dulli is a genius to me. i cannot wait for the afghan whigs reunion tour and possible new album...but for now, dulli's twilight singers incarnation will have to do. and it did and it does.
the hold steady - boys and girls in america
if i had to choose an absolute favorite album of the year, this would rival only sspu. i probably listened to this album more than any other this year - ask ryan, my partner in our quest to spread the gospel of the hold steady. craig finn is a storyteller - not a lyricist, not a songwriter. A STORYTELLER. wordy and dark, drugged out and boozed up, always thought provoking and regularly genius, you can listen to a hold steady song a hundred times and always pick out some brilliant line that you never noticed before. nothing i could say here could adequately express how FUCKING AWESOME this album is. it reaffirmed my faith in the rock and the roll. eff yeah, rawk out. the end.
fields - 7 from the village ep
yes, another EP. atmospheric, lush harmonies, droning guitars, synthesized blips and beeps, glockenspiel (!) - no wonder i love this band. you know when you listen to music and it just fills you up inside - like makes a little place inside your heart or head or bones or whatever - wait, am i sounding like a hippie right now?!? well who the hell cares - that's what this band does to me. "isabel" alone is worth the entire album. repeat. repeat.
other stuff that i loved this year (how awesome was this year in rock?!?) but i am now too tired to write dissertations on:
land of talk - applause cheer boo hiss
mates of state - bring it back
hot chip - the warning
jenny lewis & the watson twins - rabbit fur coat
the walkmen - a hundred miles off
pete yorn - nightcrawler
the thermals - the body, the blood, the machine
the raconteurs - broken boy soldiers
cold war kids - up in rags ep
the grates - gravity won't get you high
guillemots - through the windowpane
midlake - the trials of van occupanther
the flaming lips - at war with the mystics
wolfmother - wolfmother
film school - film school
beirut - gulag orkestar
cat power - the greatest
neko case - fox confessor brings the flood
the coup - pick a bigger weapon
kyle andrews - amos in ohio
death ships - seeds of devastation
the submarines - declare a new state!
josh ritter - the animal years
french kicks - two thousand
tokyo police club - a lesson in crime ep
Labels: 2006, best of, geekyfantastic, lists, music, rawktacular
posted by ali. at 9:22 PM
2 Comments:
hehee!! aww yaaa list!
Ok, first "genuine joy"! hot damn. I heart them so much I'm not sure words can describe it. Thankfully you're good like that, and your description comes very close.
Second: How could you not mention the amazing Phoenix show we saw at Slims?
Third: You have a * but no follow up. I know what you're thinking, but help your loyal blog readers out. :) (in SSPU's review "...my most favoritist album of the whole year*."
Fourth: Me & my lover Spencer Krup want to request that you please not forget the fine fine lovin of early 2006's Wolf Parade. The show & the album. :)
heart, heart, heart!
xo
w
my dearest willo - these are just the albums of my year...singles AND shows are forthcoming! parts! parts! ;)
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