Ahh yes. The top twenty... This starts the real meat and potatoes of the list. These are the albums that I truly could not get enough of this year. Constant rotation. In describing a lot of the albums, I seem to be describing how they make me feel rather than what they actually sound like. Punk rock will do that to ya.
20. Hot Chip - The Warning (Astralwerks)
MP3 | Boys From School
After seeing the band live at Lollapalooza this summer, I started listening to this album a lot. The best electro-pop album of the year.
19. Aloha - Some Echoes (Polyvinyl)
MP3 | Weekend
Mixing elements of post-rock and indie-pop, Aloha has crafted a brilliant album where vibes, keys, and guitars collide with furiously restrained drumming merging texture and melody into one. (How's that for you JT?)
18. The Loved Ones - Keep Your Heart (Fat Wreck)
MP3 | Suture Self
Blistering east coast pop-punk that is about as good as it gets. This (their debut full-length) falls somewhere between the likes of The Bouncing Souls and Kid Dynamite. Cranking this up in the car makes me feel like I'm 17 again.
17. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar (Ba Da Bing)
MP3 | Postcards From Italy
Beirut creates old-world Eastern European influenced (but totally pop) soundscapes that evoke images of the rise and fall of the Hapsburg Empire. Images of my grandparents in pre-WWII Germany that I've only seen in worn, tattered, and faded photographs that have long since seen better days. This is captivating music.
16. Rainer Maria - Catastrophe (Grunion)
MP3 | Catastrophe
I didn't expect to like this album nearly as much as I did. I never actually realized just how good Caithlin's vocals are. The title track is a perfect example of how I just seem to get lost when I listen to this album. It clocks in at 5:33 but feels like 3:00.
15. Califone - Roots And Crowns (Thrill Jockey)
MP3 | Our Kitten Sees Ghosts
I like Califone frontman Tim Rutili a lot and not just becuase he is from Chicago and not just because he was in Red Red Meat. Roots And Crowns is full of obtuse lyrics and swampy backwoods roots folk-pop obscured in a digital haze. An imperfect album that is virtually perfect.
14. The Falcon - Unicornography (Red Scare)
MP3 | The Lazyboy 500
The best worst album of the year. It is both complete shit and total brilliance. They throw ska, cock rock, and hillbilly c&w into a punk rock blender and mix it up with Old Style and cheap whiskey. It is snotty, trashy, and tons of fun.
13. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped (Geffen)
MP3 | Incinerate
Rather Ripped is the sound of Sonic Youth chilling out. This is what happens when they make adult contemporary noise rock. Much more overtly melodic and accessible than almost anything they have ever done, but just as good as anything too.
12. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine (Sub Pop)
MP3 | A Pillar Of Salt
The Thermals sound agitated. They play loud punkish-rock that focuses on topics like religion and politics. What could have ended up as a dumbed-down junior high ranting ends up being one of the most affecting and fist-shaking records of 2006.
11. Maritime - We The Vehicles (Flameshovel)
MP3 | Calm
When your band is billed as ex-members of The Promise Ring and The Dismemberment Plan, you had better be good. And after a merely mediocre first album that sounded like a band searching for their identity, I think that their search is over.
6 Comments ↓
Given your selections for 11-50 and the extras you've posted, I've got what must be your top ten list because to not include any of the following albums would be a crime against taste, and you, brother, are no criminal. Though these are not my top ten albums (you've nailed some of those already), I can't see them not making a top 50. So in no particular order, I present you the albums you've most likely overlooked. I'm guessing you've got two of these.
Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury
Isis – In the Absence of Truth
Lamb of God - Sacrament
Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies
Killswitch – As Daylight Dies
DJ Drama & Lil’ Wayne – Dedication 2
Unearth – III: in the Eyes of Fire
All that Remains – the Fall of Ideals
Band of Horses – Everything All the Time
The Hope Conspiracy – Death Knows Your Name
I think you and I become Hot Chip fans on the same day.
some echoes is very dear to me, without doubt one of the best released this year. thermals is great too.
Thanks for posting all of these tracks. Looking forward to the Top Ten.
I second the recommendation for Band of Horses.
You know, I was supposed to go a Hot Chip show in the city last month but I didn't because it was raining and I didn't feel like driving. Now I'm sorry.
PS: I found you on Chicago Bloggers and I think you're swell. I'll be looking into your recommendations.
Digging your choice at no. 11. : )
Maritime started their new project in our studio this week. Details to follow. (fingers crossed)
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