early favorites of 2006

[johansen smith]

the year is still young, but let's throw out some of our higher tier choices as of now:

the Fiery Furnaces Bitter Tea You saw who the author of this post was.
Nicolai Dunger Nicolai Dunger sjunger Edith Södergran He's always been perfectly enjoyable in English, but Swedish musician Dunger finally released an album in his native tongue, and it's the best thing he's done yet.
Casiotone For the Painfully Alone Etiquette I couldn't stomach his earlier albums, but this is a surprisingly adept and enjoyable album.
Danielson Ships
Destroyer Rubies

[Paul]

Limiting myself only to stuff that's already commercially available (or for sale at shows, at least):

The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
Haley Bonar - Lure the Fox
Fuck-Off Machete - If Gold Was Silver and Silver Was Gold EP

2006 has been a total estrogen-fest for me so far.

[tinobeat]

I'll second the Destroyer, not so much on the Danielson (sorry, didn't do much for me), also sick props to the Fuck-Off Machete EP (though isn't that '05?)

I'll also add (in the I've heard it, not necessarily out dept.):

Mountains - Sewn
Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Liars - Drum's Not Dead
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - House Arrest

[Paul]

also sick props to the Fuck-Off Machete EP (though isn't that '05?)I'm cheating slightly because it was just released with an extra track on an Aussie label last week.

Nashii sent me their new one if you want to hear it, tino.

[tinobeat]

YEAH I wanna hear it!

[Kid B]

I think pushing the envelope is a good thing, and I'm all for moving into new territory, but come on, the Fiery Furnaces are getting ridiculous. I think its a contest to see how wierd and avant garde they can be now. What's the point of making art that so few people can connect with, they're really starting to alienate themselves.

[johansen smith]

so long as I still connect to it, they're doing fine.

[Moon Pix]

The Greatest.:)

[Miss Tasty Princess]

I think pushing the envelope is a good thing, and I'm all for moving into new territory, but come on, the Fiery Furnaces are getting ridiculous. I think its a contest to see how wierd and avant garde they can be now. What's the point of making art that so few people can connect with, they're really starting to alienate themselves.As long as they're playing what they want, not playing what they think "the people" might want, then they're doing the right thing.

[Salman]

I'll third the Destroyer album. Mudhoney's new record is surprisingly really good as compared to there last album. I've listened to half of the new Neko Case album and I'm really digging it.

[Kid B]

As long as they're playing what they want, not playing what they think "the people" might want, then they're doing the right thing.
Yeah I agree with that totally. I guess it's all a matter of perspective in the end.

[george]

nothing's really hit me very hard yet. cat power and belle & sebastian are good enough, but not unexpectedly so. still processing the new destroyer.

what's the deal with the liars album? i have heard that it's out and that it isn't out yet. i can't find it. anyone know for sure? i very much want to heard it. i love "it fit when i was a kid".

[johansen smith]

it comes out March 21, I have no idea why Pitchfork reviewed it already

[Futureman]

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - House Arrest

I *really* want to hear this.

[Tony]

Nothing that hasn't been mentioned already:

Gossip
Destroyer
B&S


Who is Fuck-Off Machete, and why am I having a hard time finding it? Has it had a US release, or am I looking for an import?

[Paul]

Fuck-Off Machete (http://fomachete.com/)

The EP hasn't been released in the US (yet, if ever), but you can download it on the cheap from their UK label via their site.

[tinobeat]

I *really* want to hear this.

re: Ariel Pink

DUDE! its sick! my favorite of '06 so far, easily.

and that new Liars album is my favorite thing they've done yet. be warned, though, I liked the 2nd LP more than the 1st.

[whitesnake]

Tino:

I'm assuming House Arrest is a continuation of the stuff dished out on Worn Copy and Doldrums. I'm hesitating to pick it up, however, because he was very disappointing last week live. First time I saw him, last year opening for Animal Collective, it was truly fucked and wonderful. This time, eh, not so much. Kinda tepid and tiring.

Should I brush these feelings aside and pick up the new one as well?

[tinobeat]

House Arrest is, indeed, a continuation of Paw Tracks' sort of archival reissuing program of Ariel's old stuff. This one is a lot clearer, though, the songs more immediately catchy and awesome, the vocals a lot better. I love it, and you should get it.

Who backed Ariel up in Chicago? (that's where you are, right?) In boston, my friends backed him up and actually learned a lot of the songs beforehand and played them in a nice, fucked up Kinks sort of way, and it was realy tremendous. When I saw him open for Animal Collective is was a trainwreck. he was running around the stage in his underwear and screaming while his band paunced around doing nothing...

[whitesnake]

MahJong backed him up here. I was not familiar with 'em before, and didn't really care. My wife remembered them from her days in Columbia, MO. They were certainly capable, but not sure if they drank from the same water, so to speak. His solo half of the set was pretty tedious as well. I mean, I wasn't angry or anything, just mildly disappointed. Maybe I was looking for the train wreck.



He kept his clothes on when he opened for AC last year, but then, I went to the earlier of two shows in one evening (7:00PM). Perhaps the urge to play in his underpants just hadn't grabbed him yet at such an hour. I just remember walking into the room with them already playing a nice reverb-drenched squalor with these washes of pop songs buried underneath. It was disorienting and good. But maybe by its very nature it can get old after a while, not unlike drugs.

I dunno. I'll reconsider picking up House Arrest.

Thanks, Tino

[johansen smith]

my friends describe the time they sat thru an entire Ariel Pink show the way most war vets describe a POW camp.

[tinobeat]

your friends sound like they spent too much time in drama club.

its not that hard to leave a room during a bad performance.

[johansen smith]

did I mention the show took place in the belly of a rowing ship, and their ankles were chained in place?

[tinobeat]

ahahaha

ok, I guess its fair, then.

[Miss Tasty Princess]

your friends sound like they spent too much time in drama club.

its not that hard to leave a room during a bad performance.Maybe Ariel had confiscated their car keys.

[Tony]

Fuck-Off Machete (http://fomachete.com/)

The EP hasn't been released in the US (yet, if ever), but you can download it on the cheap from their UK label via their site.


Thanks. How's the extra track on the Australian release? Worth holding out for?

[Paul]

Thanks. How's the extra track on the Australian release? Worth holding out for?I don't quite know... they said 2 weeks ago that it was in the mail, but it still hasn't gotten here yet.

[vesper]

i guess i've heard enough 2006 albums to contribute now.

ghostface killah, fishscale (honestly not sure what will top this)
excepter, sunbomber ep
liars, drum's not dead
psychic ills, dins
nathan fake, drowning in a sea of love
ricardo villalobos, achso ep

and i eagerly await the matmos, tv on the radio and young people records. i still need to check out the arthur russell re-issue, the knife and tiga, but everything else is accounted for, i believe.

whatever happened to immer 2?

-edit-

and j dilla's donuts is also great, but i can't bring myself to put it up here for some reason.

[Tony]

The Young People record is out already, and it's a good one.

[earl grey]

psychic ills, dins
ricardo villalobos, achso ep

whatever happened to immer 2?


'immer 2' - not sure, but i think it may have never been in the works. immer is also a new kompakt imprint, and i think it may have just been their 2nd 12". just guessing though.

good call on the psychic ills. definitely on my list as well. i'd also put B+S, the delta 5, goldfrapp (technically last year but i'm gonna sneak it in this year w/ the US re-release) and the archie bronson outfit on mine. still working my way through a lot of new stuff though, so my list is v flexible.

i didn't realize that arthur russell reissue was already out. i gotta get on that.

p.s. i think 'achso' is an '05 release. 'salvador' is getting reissued though and it's got some wonderful stuff on it. the first song "que belle epoque" is killer.

[crackhead]

Belong - October Language

[Funk]

The new Park Attack, but I think it and the Yeah Yeah Yeah's album are the only non-reissues I've heard this year. The Optimo lads put out PA's first release and the band have played there on occasion, if that gets anyone to check them out. The YYYs record, however, ain't so great.

Arab Strap would easily take it for me if I hadn't got it in 2005 (and Tinobeat is not a man of his word, I'd just like to say that for all to see, but I will remove the statement if two songs show up in my Gmail box like they were supposed to, motherfucker).

[Paul]

The YYYs record, however, ain't so great.It sags for a couple tracks between the beginning and the middle and again between the middle and the end... but the goodness of the good songs makes up the difference for me.


and Tinobeat is not a man of his word, I'd just like to say that for all to see, but I will remove the statement if two songs show up in my Gmail box like they were supposed to, motherfuckerI can help you out in a couple hours if Tino continues his slackitude.

[tinobeat]

its more like Tino's "doesn't-own-the-album-in-question-yet-itude"

[9000]

haven't heard nearly enough stuff this year. sounding good so far:

nathan fake - drowning in a sea of love
psychic ills - din
tiga - sexor
ghostface killah - fishscale
carl craig - revelee remix

if the villalobos ep was this year, that will be up there too.

[earl grey]

The Optimo lads put out PA's first release and the band have played there on occasion, if that gets anyone to check them out.

heh, funk knows his audience.

i forgot to mention lavender diamond's 'the cavalry of light' EP before, that's definitely on my list as well.

[pizzagratis]

So far, I really, really like the new Flin Flon album. Does this count?

[tinobeat]

why wouldn't it count?

and yeah, its totally awesome.

[Thor]

The Lovetones - Meditations.. it's a bit too familiar sounding at times but overall I really like it.

[pizzagratis]

why wouldn't it count?

and yeah, its totally awesome.

I dunno...there's something about it that seems sort of out-of-place/out-of-time about it to me (which is a plus). Maybe it's because it's on teenbeat, and I haven't seen anything new on that label in a store since maybe that last +/- (two years ago?).

[Paul]

I dunno...there's something about it that seems sort of out-of-place/out-of-time about it to me (which is a plus). Maybe it's because it's on teenbeat, and I haven't seen anything new on that label in a store since maybe that last +/- (two years ago?).Aside from samplers/anniversary comps, you can probably count on one hand the number of new releases they've had since 2003. That said, they're doing awesome in 2006 so far... the Flin Flon and the Bossanova albums are both very, very good.

[Fiona]

carl craig - revelee remix

Have tentative plans to go see Carl Craig tomorrow night, really hope he lashes this on - guy's not shy about dropping his own work.

My favourites thus far:

The Knife - Silent Shout
Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - Mighty Girl
Kaito - Hundred Million Light Years
Nathan Fake - Drowning in a Sea of Love
Mikkel Metal - Victimizer
Villalobos - Achso
Tiga - Sexor
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

I do quite like Arthur Russell's "First Thought Best Thought" on first listen, but need to give it more time.

[Funk]

It sags for a couple tracks between the beginning and the middle and again between the middle and the end... but the goodness of the good songs makes up the difference for me.

I can help you out in a couple hours if Tino continues his slackitude.

I definitely think it gets better after a rather dodgy start, and the last few songs are the best on the album, but it's just not really doing anything for me. For example, I can't remember what any of those later tracks sound like, whereas on the first, I could remember "Maps", "Y Control" and "Modern Romance" rather easily after the first or second listen.

I need the two US bonus cuts from The Last Romance and I'll send you a hi-kwality rip of the Japanese bonus track it you want. He mentions the "Sub Club" in it, which brings me to...

"heh, funk knows his audience."

That was the plan.

[stewrat]

I'm quite pleased with ......

Centro-Matic/Fort Recovery
New Radiant Storm King/The Steady Hand
Belle & Sebastian/The Life Pursuit
Mogwai/Mr. Beast

[vesper]

i just heard the knife record yesterday and it was pretty good. i need to spend some more time with it, but the first track and "we share our mother's wealth" are both jaw-droppers.

also the newest hot chip single, "boy from school," is one of their best songs yet!

[earl grey]

also the newest hot chip single, "boy from school," is one of their best songs yet!

most of the new hot chip record trounces the last one (except for "take care") IMO. really great stuff.

[Salman]

That Kieran Hebdan record with Steve Reid is really good.

[Paul]

That Kieran Hebdan record with Steve Reid is really good.Volume 2 comes out next month... can't wait.

[tinobeat]

what's that like?

I've sort of lost my love for Four Tet a bit, but this thing could be promising...

[pabost]

I've sort of lost my love for Four Tet a bit, but this thing could be promising...

Funny you say that, b/c I'm on the exact opposite trajectory. I really think everything Kieran Hebdan does is gold, including his Madvillain remixes which I only recently heard.

[earl grey]

I've sort of lost my love for Four Tet a bit, but this thing could be promising...

yeah me too. i was *all* about him for a while but burned out on him. curious about this new one though.

he's definitely a good remixer. slightly formulaic (most frequent remixers are, i guess), but it usually works well.

[tinobeat]

Funny you say that, b/c I'm on the exact opposite trajectory. I really think everything Kieran Hebdan does is gold, including his Madvillain remixes which I only recently heard.

the Madvillain remixes increased his stock a little, those were sick, but other than that, I'm increasingly bored by his stuff. its too bad, cos I wanna like it.

[Salman]

what's that like?

I've sort of lost my love for Four Tet a bit, but this thing could be promising...

Hebden improvisies some interesting electronic sounds whilst Reid handles the rythem section. It's a great live collaberation between the two. Worth checking out even if you're mildly interested in Four Tet.

[pabost]

Finally heard the new Neko Case record on Saturday and it's vaulted into the lead. An incredible record.

[tinobeat]

Hebden improvisies some interesting electronic sounds whilst Reid handles the rythem section. It's a great live collaberation between the two. Worth checking out even if you're mildly interested in Four Tet.

good to know! I'll have to check it out. that sounds great.

[Miss Tasty Princess]

I bought the new Stone Jack Jones album, bluefolk, on the strength of an interesting piece in the usually terrible Southeast Performer (pathetic writing but pretty good coverage of the Southeastern music scene). He sounded intriguing, based on the article, and the album was produced by YLT conspirator Roger Moutenot. Anyhow, it's pretty fantastic and looks to be a top ten contender to me. Oddly enough, when I checked out his site (http://www.stonejackjones.com), I discovered that Pitchfork had given the album a glowing, and well-deserved, review (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/j/jones_stonejack/bluefolk.shtml).

Also, I picked up the new one by The Dresden Dolls at BestBuy the same day I snagged the new Pretty Girls Make Graves, both for $7.99, and was pretty damn blown away. I liked, but didn't love, the first one but the new one had me singing along and air piano/drumming on the first listen.

The new Venom album Metal Black fucking KILLS, even though the title sucks.

My prediction, though, is that the forthcoming eponymous Brass Castle album will be my #1 for 2006. Unless, of course, The Malarkies get their new one out before the year is over (I'm pretty sure it's been recorded already).

And finally, it should go without saying the I Am Not Afraid of You, and I Will Beat Your Ass will most assuredly be wonderful. I love the title. If James was joking, I will have to beat his ass. I'm not afraid of him. Kinda.

[johansen smith]

gotta add

Psapp: the Only Thing I Ever Wanted
the Black Heart Procession: the Spell

to the short list

[Lukas]

for the 19th time - brightblack

[tinobeat]

The Brightblack IS tremendous.

jury's still out on the new Comets on Fire. trying to decide whether my enjoyment of the new album is based on my love of them as a band vs. my love of this particular record...

[Tony]

Sparks - Hello Young Lovers

I keep coming back to this one. It's my first Sparks record. Anyone have any suggestions of where to go next?

[Paul]

Sparks - Hello Young Lovers

I keep coming back to this one. It's my first Sparks record. Anyone have any suggestions of where to go next?Kimono My House
Indiscreet
Propaganda
Big Beat
Number One In Heaven

[johansen smith]

Paul, remind me never to ask you for directions, you'll tell me five different roads I can take.

[Tony]

Kimono My House
Indiscreet
Propaganda
Big Beat
Number One In Heaven

Thanks. How do the newer ones stack up? I'm reading good things about Lil' Beethoven.

[Futureman]

I'll make this my top six for the first half of the year.

Danielson - Ships
Psychic Ills - Din
The Life Pursuit - The Life Pursuit
Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea
Brightblack Morning Light - s/t
Asobi Seksu - Citrus

edit:

oops. I gotta add the new one from Espers

Still have yet to hear The Knife, M.Ward, Destroyer, and a few others.

[earl grey]

I'll make this my top six for the first half of the year.

Danielson - Ships
Psychic Ills - Din
The Life Pursuit - The Life Pursuit
Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea
Brightblack Morning Light - s/t
Asobi Seksu - Citrus


wow, we definitely have liked the same stuff this year. 'dins' and 'citrus' were near misses for my list:

belle and sebastian - the life pursuit
brightblack morning light - s/t
the fiery furnaces - bitter tea
lavender diamond - the cavalry of light EP
sonic youth - rather ripped
the delta 5 - singles and sessions 1979-1981

[Tony]

tops for me so far:

Brightblack Morning Light - s/t
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
Liars - Drum's Not Dead
Psychic Ills - Dins
Sparks - Hello Young Lovers
Young People - All At Once

[vesper]

oh why not

boris, pink
brightblack morning light
excepter, sunbomber ep
ghostface killah, fischscale
lansing-dreiden, the dividing island
liars, drum's not dead
matmos, the rose has teeth
psychic ills, dins
spank rock, yoyoyoyo

and if reissues are legit, then of course this heat and delta 5 are way up there for me.

[Funk]

Based solely on new releases, not reissues, the only great album released this year is Fishscale by Ghostface Killah. This has been the worst year for music since the year that Relhei Records formed.

[Paul]

This has been the worst year for music since the year that Relhei Records formed.Viva la Relhei!

[Futureman]

boris, pink


Great pick, but isn't that a 2005 release?

[vesper]

not as far as Southern Lord is concerned.

[Futureman]

Well, then. I'll add it to my list!

[dola]

did the Be Your Own Pet reviews creep anyone else out? i dunno i'm just picturing a bunch of sweaty writers groping around for superlatives to throw at a very young, very mediocre blonde who makes her own words up to futureheads songs. i guess this is the grup-age where 'everything awesome about being a teenager' means a really slyly groomed teenager. hmm for the first time i feel just old enough to piss on the cult of youth. it's all downhill.

(edit: then again, thurston moore, so there's that.)

[Dave]

did the Be Your Own Pet reviews creep anyone else out? i dunno i'm just picturing a bunch of sweaty writers groping around for superlatives to throw at a very young, very mediocre blonde who makes her own words up to futureheads songs. i guess this is the grup-age where 'everything awesome about being a teenager' means a really slyly groomed teenager. hmm for the first time i feel just old enough to piss on the cult of youth. it's all downhill.

(edit: then again, thurston moore, so there's that.)

I don't know if I have even read any of the be your own PET reviews, but I will say that their record is probably better than most of the reviews would let on. In fact, I don't know if I can think of band that not only lives up to the hype, but far surpasses it in most ways.
They went from being "a kind of cool rock band with lots of promise for kids" or whatever to a truly fucked up, energy machine.

Dave

[Futureman]

I consider myself a truly fucked up, energy machine.

[johansen smith]

Top 5's looking a lot like:
the Fiery Furnaces Bitter Tea
Danielson Ships
Entrance Prayer of Death
Neil Young Living With War
Nicolai Dunger Nicolai Dunger sjunger Edith Södergran

[Futureman]

I saw Entrance perform several years ago. A violent stomach flu would have been preferable.

[tinobeat]

Neil Young Living With War

now I KNOW you're joking...

[johansen smith]

yeah his best album in 30 years, I must surely be jesting you

[tinobeat]

ah, the soft bigotry of low expectations. Just because its not as bad as some of his later output doesn't mean it should get a pity vote.

Its great to hear Neil rockin again, for sure, but the weird choir kind of shits all over it, and the politics, though they don't differ much from mine, are totally hamfisted and come across as stupid sloganeering.

If it had been an instrumental record I might be much more excited.

[Miss Tasty Princess]

I heard quite a bit of it in a record store and was not moved at all. Ragged Glory came out in the last 30 years, and it's excellent.

[tinobeat]

also true..

Both 'Rust' albums came out in '79, Ragged Glory in '90, Sleeps With Angels in '94, all of them better than Living With War.

relatedly, I just finished reading Shakey, pretty awesome...

[miss understood]

Band of Horses: Everything All the Time
M. Ward: Post-War
Destroyer: Destroyer's Rubies
The Black Angels: Passover
Brightback Morning Light

Also really enjoying most of

Centro-Matic: Fort Recovery
Danielson: Ships
Built to Spill: You in Reverse
Pink Mountaintops: Axis of Evol
Thom Yorke: The Eraser
Sunset Rubdown: Shut Up I Am Dreaming
Amy Millan: Honey from the Tombs
Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Liars: Drums Not Dead

[Salman]

Stuff I'm liking from the first half of the year:

Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid - The Exchange Sessions Vol. 1 and 2
Young and Sexy - Panic When You Find It
Brightback Morning Light - s/t
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Guignol - Angela, David and the Great Neopolitan Road Issue
Pink Mountaintops - Axis of Evol

[Miss Tasty Princess]

Ten without putting a lot of time into it:

Brass Castle Brass Castle
Brass Castle Brass Gordy/Castle Chris
The Darling Downs How Can I Forget this Heart of Mine?
Drudkh Blood in Our Wells
Faun Fables The Transit Rider
Richard Leo Johnson The Legend of Vernon McAlister
Stone Jack Jones bluefolk
Me and Him Call It Us Loss
Unearthly Trance The Trident
Venom Metal Black

Bubbling under those ten:

Black Cobra Bestial
Buzzcocks Flat Pack Philosophy
Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!
Dresden Dolls Yes, Virginia . . .
The Chuck Dukowski Sextet Eat My Life
Eagles of Death Metal Death by Sexy . . .
Faceless Werewolves Medium Freaky
Gossip Standing in the Way of Control

Things I've not heard yet enough to make a definite decision but quite like on first impression:

Major Stars Syntoptikon
Mission of Burma The Obliterati
Motorpsycho Black Hole/Blank Canvas
Sonic Youth Rather Ripped

[Miss Tasty Princess]

also true..

Both 'Rust' albums came out in '79, Ragged Glory in '90, Sleeps With Angels in '94, all of them better than Living With War.The El Dorado EP that came out in Japan just before Ragged Glory is pretty great, too. Neil's guitar is absolutely massive.

[johansen smith]

ah, the soft bigotry of low expectations. Just because its not as bad as some of his later output doesn't mean it should get a pity vote.

Its great to hear Neil rockin again, for sure, but the weird choir kind of shits all over it, and the politics, though they don't differ much from mine, are totally hamfisted and come across as stupid sloganeering.

If it had been an instrumental record I might be much more excited.
jesus christ, it's not a pity vote.
I also don't think any of the albums mentioned below your post are any good. as for the lyrics, I think they're genuine and the simpllicity only adds to the clarity of his message. it's a fucking great record, haters be damned.

[pabost]

Man, it seemed like J.S. had been gone for a while, and the moment he gets back he gets slammed. Tough break, Troy.

Here's my top five (off the top of my head):

The Life Pursuit - Belle and Sebastian
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - Neko Case
Rabbit Fur Coat - Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Future Woman - The M's
A Hundred Miles Off - The Walkmen

[johansen smith]

and to make things worse, I just got kicked out of summer camp.

[SkagNBone]

I say good ol' fashioned scrappy rock n' roll wins out over indie left-field efforts this year, though Ships and Bitter Tea are both solid records.

My early favorites:

The Walkmen A Hundred Miles Off
Dirty Pretty Things Waterloo to Anywhere

[vesper]

i absolutely love the newest wilderness album, vessel states, because it consolidates a lot of other things that i love -- fugazi, early sunny day real estate and disco inferno [edit: and bedhead!] come to mind. is their first album this good? is it better and that is why no one seems to care about this one?

the new excepter cd is the shit. oddly enough, "the rock stepper" sounds like mouse on mars.

[johansen smith]

Adrian Orange: Bitches Is Lord

[.:.impossible]

As far as Matador releases go, I'm definitely digging THE GREATEST and BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT. Its fun driving around with the prismatic glasses too!

[.:.impossible]

Most anticipated album of 2006 (for me):

Califone | Roots and Crowns (Thrill Jockey)

They just keep getting better and better, in my opinion. I still associate the final RRM album with Califone moreso that with RRM, so the lineage really starts there. The progress is amazing.

[johansen smith]

the Top 10 right now

Danielson Ships
Nicolai Dunger Nicolai Dunger sjunger Edith Södergran
Entrance Prayer of Death
the Fiery Furnaces Bitter Tea
Emily Haines + Soft Skeleton Knives Don't Have Your Back
Lambchop Damage
Joanna Newsom Ys
Adrian Orange Bitches Is Lord
the Thermals the Body the Blood the Machine
Neil Young Living With War

[Paul]

Ryan Catbirdseat made a cheatsheet, and did a pretty good job at spotlighting the blogger hivemind (except, what... no Sufjan?!):

[earl grey]

i didn't realize the B+S record was such a consensus pick, actually.

(it's totally well-deserved, of course.)

[Elijah]

Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
Cat Power - The Greatest
Brightblack Morning Light - Brightblack Morning Light
Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways
White Whale - WWI
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
M. Ward - Post-War
That's about it for me so far. I totally agree about Living With War. It has it's moments (notably the title track), but a lot of it is just gimmicky crap. Oddly enough, last year's Prarie Wind, which just came and went, is a really great album.

[Paul]

Oddly enough, last year's Prarie Wind, which just came and went, is a really great album. I thought so too... his best folky/acoustic album since Harvest Moon. But I guess we're in the minority?

[bitterfruit]

Lambchop - Damaged
:: I played my vinyl copy of this record minimally 8-10 times this week front and back. It's incredible in my opinion. There are some jaw dropping moments scattered throughout.

Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
:: I wasn't sure at first what to make of the quasi-kitschy nature of the singers odd vocal dramatics, but I got over it and am totally hooked.

M.Ward - Post-War
:: M.Ward for President. This is my idea of booty call music. My fiance wouldn't like it if I called it that though.

[johansen smith]

I think that failing an amazing late, left-field entry, my list is pretty much set.

[vesper]

Ryan Catbirdseat made a cheatsheet, and did a pretty good job at spotlighting the blogger hivemind (except, what... no Sufjan?!):

uh, is this information measured or is he projecting what a general blogger '06 list will look like?

[Miss Tasty Princess]

Ryan Catbirdseat made a cheatsheet, and did a pretty good job at spotlighting the blogger hivemind (except, what... no Sufjan?!):Oh, dear! I own only one of those.

Battling it out at the moment for the #1 position are: Arizona Welcome Back Dear Children The Darling Downs How Can I Forget this Heart of Mine?Top Eight Bubbling Unders to Make a Top Ten with the Above (alpha order): The Ark State of The Ark
Brass Castle Brass Gordy/Castle Chris
Faceless Werewolves Medium Freaky
Gossip Standing in the Way of Control
Richard Leo Johnson The Legend of Vernon McAlister
Me and Him Call It Us Loss
Unearthly Trance The Trident
Venom Metal Black
Twenty Five More to Be Nice: An Albatross Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear Warp Kumite)
Black Cobra Bestial
Brass Castle Brass Castle
Buzzcocks Flat Pack Philosophy
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Etiquette
Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!
Drudkh Blood in Our Wells
The Chuck Dukowski Sextet Eat My Life
Dysrhythmia Barriers and Passages
Eagles of Death Metal Death by Sexy . . .
Earzumba Simulando un refugio
Faun Fables The Transit Rider
Flin Flon Dixie
Genghis Tron Dead Mountain Mouth
The Goo Goo Dolls Let Love In
Stone Jack Jones bluefolk
Major Stars Syntoptikon
Mission of Burma The Obliterati
Motorpsycho Black Hole/Blank Canvas
Poison Idea Latest Will and Testament
The Red Krayola Introduction
Slayer Christ Illusion
The Television Personalities My Dark Places
Thralldom A Shaman Steering the Vessel of Vastness
Voïvod Katorz

[johansen smith]

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Etiquette
Faun Fables The Transit Rider
The Red Krayola Introduction
these and M Ward and Destoyer would be in my top 20.

[tinobeat]

with each passing year I find myself less and less interested in making a list.

new oneida
new joanna
new hagerty
new major stars

some shit like that, I dunno..

[Lukas]

Think About Life

[Paul]

uh, is this information measured or is he projecting what a general blogger '06 list will look like? It's just a projection surely. I'll look around at the end of the year though and see if I can find 10 lists that fall right in line (shouldn't be that hard to do).

[mashuguna]

The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns

Someone is finally recognizing Greg Dulli on this board for the genius that he is?!?!? UNBELIEVABLE...

Cannot wait for the Rhino retrospective of the Afghan Whigs...

[Elijah]

Someone is finally recognizing Greg Dulli on this board for the genius that he is?!?!? UNBELIEVABLE...

Cannot wait for the Rhino retrospective of the Afghan Whigs...I think I skew farther away from the obscure than a lot of people here. But yeah, I've never not liked anything he's touched. I'm excited that the retrospective is going to have two new Whigs tracks.

Two others I forgot about... Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Gnarles Barkley - St. Elsewhere

[Paul]

But yeah, I've never not liked anything he's touched. I'm not real keen on Big Top Halloween or Up in It, but they were just an entirely different kind of Afghan Whigs in the early days.

[george]

i think this year has been pretty lame. the only two albums i really like are camera obscura and the thermals.

[george]

i think this year has been pretty lame. the only two albums i really like are camera obscura and the thermals.

how the hell do i have 300 posts here??