Combining melody, songwriting, harmony, and musicianship to create songs that explore diverse emotional and sonic territory still works. Buy a copy of Ganging Up on the Sun if you don't believe me.
Connie Phillips (Music Editor):
As I think back over 2006 and all the CDs I listened to, naming one "the best" is a truly daunting task because of the sheer number I listen to and the vast differences in the genres I enjoy. I spent the last week or so going back and forth between two very different CDs and artists but finally settled on Donald Fagen and his third solo release, Morph The Cat.
On this CD, Fagen lives up to his reputation as the dark poet from Steely Dan; many of the songs have a deep and ominous message. Death and war are the main topics and the genius is in how he weaves the heavy message with light and soft music that is best described as romantic. He stays true to his '70s form, but the songs are topical and current. It's plain and simple, good music that I never get sick of listening to.
A.L. Harper (Asst. Music Editor):
When my editor asked me to choose my favourite Band of the Week of 2006, I was stymied. BofW is my baby, how could I choose just one? Looking back on 2006 and all the bands that were profiled makes me smile. All are very talented (except one that I was told to profile but let’s not mention names — they broke up anyway), hard working and dedicated to their music. But I think one stands out as the one I most enjoyed.
Our first BotW was Attic Lights and they were by far the most interesting band I profiled. Not because they are more talented or I liked their sound above all the others but because they were so much fun to interview and it was the first time I had interviewed a whole band — while smoking weed in a van — instead of just the frontman. And because Attic Lights have created an original sound that is filled with melodious harmonies and intense, soulful, melancholy power and emotional depth. Attic Lights are an eclectic combination of The Beach Boys, Granddaddy, and The Eels with a bit of Neil Young thrown in. And all that talent deserves a second nod.
![Orphans [Fold-out Digipak with 24-page booklet]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51F78WSPECL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
hey, great job and almost happy new year everybody.
2 - handyguy
Deserving of some kind of mention:
Love, by The Beatles
and
The Avalanche, by Sufjan Stevens, as well as Sufjan's Songs for Christmas boxed set
3 - Glen Boyd
Looks like a pretty decent list from here. Yeah, I think we all did okay with this. Round of drinks for the house I say. I'll also join Sir Mark in wishing all a happy new year.
-Glen
4 - zingzing
oi. you guys missed it on this one. taste is taste, i suppose, but you people sound ooooollllddd.
in the year of the hold steady, wolf eyes, scott walker (old, i know), the knife, clipse, junior boys, joanna newsom, grizzly bear, liars, excepter, destroyer, current 93, coil, ekkhard ehlers, swan lake, ooioo, herbert, subtle...
meh. it was a long year. things happened.
5 - manny hernandez
Dear Blogcritics colleagues:
Here's my list of Top 10 albums for 2006.
Happy New Year, everybody!
6 - Tom Johnson
No, not old (I'm 33,) zingzing, it was just a good year for old musicians. The problem with a lot of the newer musicians' albums this year is that I didn't find that a lot of them had that ring of "classic" to them that I've found in previous years. I've seen a lot of lists already this year that are putting a lot of names on your list there, zingzing, and for a certain subset of people I'm sure those are great albums, but I've also heard a number of those and I don't see those being albums that have the mark of being classics - that's what it takes to be a best of the year.
I chose Tom Waits' box because it will be something that I will and people in general will return to in 5, 10, 15 years and it will continue to be as fresh and relevant as it is today. The best should be timeless. Maybe some of your list qualifies as timeless because they are so unique - I think maybe Grizzly Bear is close, maybe Liars, and while I don't particularly like him, Scott Walker has certainly earned his keep. But I have my doubts that most of the other names on your list will be considered classics worthy of being named albums of the year many years down the line. At least that's how I look at this - maybe I take this a lot more seriously than most listeners.
7 - El Bicho
If it had been which album rocked my socks off, it would have been Wolfmother; however, I'll stand by my pick and somehow find a way to live with myself.
8 - Triniman
From Vancouver, "Destroyer's Rubies" by Destroyer stands as one of my favorite albums of the year. It's always tough to pick just one, but I will stop at Destroyer. The songs, vocals and the guitar playing are distinctive and appealing.
Destroyer is essentially Dan Bejar, one of the members of The New Pornographers, one of Canada's top indie-pop groups. Canada's new national anthem? A Letter To An Occupant.
9 - DJRadiohead
I gotta say, I think we got a nice cross section of musical genres and styles. I also think it says at least as much about the state of music as it does the writers that so many of these selections come from "classic" artists as opposed to contemporary artists.
I can't wait to do my Top 10. I am surprised Thom Yorke's great solo album got no mentions.
10 - Glen Boyd
DJR --
Thom Yorke's album would probably make a personal top ten, possibly even a top five. However, I admit it took me quite awhile to warm to it. In my original review, I didn't quite dismiss it, but I did bemoan it's general lack (at least on the first few listens) lack of melody (in the traditional sense) or memorable songs.
I've since come around to it. I think it was about the time I realized I couldn't get "this is fucked up...fucked up" outta my head that I realized hooks can indeed come in many different shades.
-Glen
11 - Mark Saleski
old? how dare you! ok, i'm old.
but still, i enjoyed both Joanna Newsome's Ys and the record by The Decemberists. the thing is, if i'd have picked one of them, somebody would have accused me of leaning too far towards the Pitchfork crowd.
besides, tom johnson drove down the average age both by being young and by picking John Ma.....
12 - Matthew T. Sussman
What's music?
Anywho, it just needs to be said once more that I was using "big bowl of wrong" long before Mr. Head was using it -- months before, really -- although I never used it as religiously as he.
13 - Steve C.
Work having swallowed me up, I don't think I'll be posting a Top 10 for music this year. Best album of the year? In my more contemplative moods, it's Destroyer's Rubies; at all other times, it's Young Machetes by the Blood Brothers.
However, when we get around to the top films of the year, somebody give me a holler.
14 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
No offense to Mr. Beaumont, because I usually like his reviews,But his pick for the best of '06 in the metal catagory just shows that the watered down sing alongs of Hardcore along with the dull & drudging drop-D of Nu-Metal are still the favorite taste of the oh-so boring Metal scene here in the US!! Unfortunately, Killswitch Engage sounds like a poor rip from an old God Forbid album though their lastest effort is rather catchy. BUT,catchiness is not the criteria for a brilliant Metal album...
As for my pick, it would come to us all the way from France. Gorod Leading Vision was a breath of fresh air pumped into a genre that hasn't seen much since Opeth's latest release which wasn't their best effort. Though, Arsis United in Regret is a close second and deserves a listen by anyone claiming to be a metal fan!!
Happy New Year BC...
Peace!
15 - A.L. Harper
Knowing that DJRadiohead lives in the arse of Guster I decided to write my own Guster free list and dedicate it to the memory of you DJRadiohead. But I know you won't approve!
16 - Brian
Sparks' "Hello Young Lovers" and Man Man's "Six Demon Bag" were both tragically overlooked!