Songbird
Dec
12
2006 Album Picks
Filed Under The Lists
This was not easy…Feel free to leave a comment with your favorite album and selected song from that album in the comments. My other list will follow but for now here are my 2006 Album Picks:
**Alexi Murdoch’s track just below entitled Shine starts out kind of funky, as if it is messed up but it is not so do keep listening.
1. 
Alexi Murdoch, Time Without Consequence [Buy]
Not a big surprise? I don’t know how many times I have mentioned this wonderful human being in the last year, his full length debut was released on June 3, 2006 independent style. If you haven’t checked out his album after all of the times I have suggested it, or if you have still not purchased it then I seriously weep for you. He just recently completed his tour…His next show is in Chicago Illinois, check his myspace for more info.
2. 
Sol Seppy, The Bells Of 1 2 [Buy]
When I first heard Sol Seppy (aka Sophie Michalitsianos, who has collaborated with Sparklehorse) I had a “slow motion” kind of moment; where everything appeared to be gracefully moving around me to the enchanting melodies composed by this classically trained musician. Soft piano notes complement Sophie’s chilling vocals on tracks like, “Gold” and heavy rock driven synths meld with a deep hypnotic beat on tracks like “Move”. The Bells of 1 2 whisks you away with striking arrangements that you hope will never end, an impressive debut to say the least.
3. 
Triggering Back (excerpt)
Benoît Pioulard, Précis [Buy]
This debut album is magnificent and proves that the greatest albums are the one’s you least expect. Précis is an album compiled of lush instrumentals which move through the air as Meluch’s haunting vocals blend together flawlessly. A mesmerizing full length album compiled of dark electronic folk-rock that is amazing and is certain to leave you breathless.
4. 
Gulag Orkestar is the debut album by Albuquerque native now Brooklyn resident Tom Condon that has captured indie-rock fans everywhere. Balkan brass inspired arrangements and rhythmic drums accelerate the romantic twelve piece instrumentals with such a passionate energy it is astounding. Condon’s voice…Leaves me utterly speechless; there is so much emotion in every lyric, in every note that I find it hard to stop listening. I think that is what resonates with me the most, the spirit and pure love for music that Condon puts into every intricately constructed song, it is really quite inspiring. And although Beirut had to cut their tour short due to Condon’s hospitalization from exhaustion, you know he is writing up a storm.
5. 
Muse, Black Holes and Revelations [Buy]
I didn’t see this one coming and what I mean is I simply didn’t for see that their album would be on my end of the year list, especially not my end of the year album list. I think what impressed me the most about this album is the bands apparent drive to progress their sound and progress they did. This album is a multi-genre roller-coaster; they draw from previous legends such as Queen yet manage to maintain their own unique sound. Expanding their guitars to sound greater than ever while mixing in spacey synth electronics, dramatic piano based melodies and Bellamy’s memorable piercing vocals. They push themselves to the very edge of the sound barrier and it is outstanding.
6. 
Band of Horses, Everything All the Time [Buy]
In order to avoid sounding redundant I am going to link to my previous post. I think Band of Horses just blew everyone away with their outstanding song, The Funeral. Unfortunately because it is such an amazing song the rest of the album is overlooked. Like Chad mentions here this album has more to it than just one great song, “The First Song†and “The Great Salk Lakes†are good examples of other stand-out tracks from Everything All the Time.
7. 
The Kooks, Inside In/Inside Out [Buy]
This is another album that has been on my headphones all year since its release in January. This post-punk rock band from the UK has a solid catchy tune that is fresh and filled with a rebellious energy that you can’t help but like. Another band that manages to draw from all genres, they sound good loud with tracks like “If Only†and they sound just as good when they turn the amps down and play acoustic melodic songs like “Seaside†and “Got No Loveâ€.
8. 
Where Have You Been? (myspace)
Manchester Orchestra, I’m like a Virgin Loosing a Child [Buy]
As I type this it comes as a bit of a surprise to be including it on my list, but this is really a fantastic album by this Atlanta based band. “Where Have You Been?†is a song of epic proportions, with Andy Hull’s intense sorrowful voice piercing along with the pounding drums and delicate guitar melody that builds into a passionate ballad that resonates in your mind. They have even managed to bring me to tears a couple of times with the beautiful grief-stricken; “Sleeper 1972†(although I am a little embarrassed admitting that). I highly recommend checking them out. Now, I just wish they would come to California…They don’t even need to come to LA, I would take a road-trip if necessary. Rich, do you think you could tell them to get their asses to California? ;- P
9. 
This album reminds me of an old friend and when it first came out I loved it, listened to it daily for months. Then well it suddenly became difficult to hear Chan Marshalls honest lyrics and I retired The Greatest to my shelf where it remained for months until one day for no particular reason I returned to it, dusted it off and synced up my pod and revisited Chan Marshalls slow revealing vocal melodies and even though it hurt a bit listening, it didn’t matter because I can’t deny how wonderful songs like, Hate and The Greatest are and I also after a 3 year break I can’t deny what a triumphant return Marshall has made with this album.
10. 
Talkdemonic, Beat Romantic [Buy]
Beat Romantic combines traditional instrumentals with modern electronic beats creating some of the most moving arrangements. Kevin O’Connor is the individual behind Talkdemonic and for this album has brought on Lisa Molinaro on Viola for a fantastic collaboration of sound, together the duo create sophisticated emotionally charged “foltronic-hopâ€.
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18 Responses to “2006 Album Picks”
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Rachel - Music, FilmAggregator Love
Hooray! It’s up!! But Alexei at the top? You surprise me!! I thought you were going to have an epiphany and come to realize that it was Sufjan you loved all along… ;-)
I’ve enjoyed being introduced by you to most of these fine artists throughouut 2006. A couple I seem to have missed, but I’ll rectify that tonight.
A perfect year-end list from Rachel, the loveliest of the armadillos.
P.S. Blogger is still denying my existence on Blogger beta blog comments. But as Neil Diamond once crooned: ‘I am, I cried, I am, I said…’
FiLgo a go-go
fb, yes I have most certainly posted on most of these albums, but a couple I left out deliberately knowing they would appear here. They are pretty much in order, although I can’t say I put very much thought into where they were placed within the list.
FiL, I don’t get why you can’t log in, we will have to see if you are able to log in at home. :)
But geez the list can’t be that lovely, I am sure you must have some objections…
Thank you, as I have been introduced to some punk picks that I would have never have heard if it wasn’t for you.
And yeah Sufjan on my list? Over my dead armadillo shell!
:-P
wow, Rachel, I have a LOT of catching up to do–I’ve only listened to one of these albums! You are going to be my official guide for 2007. I guess since I only latched on to Untitled over Thanksgiving I have a valid excuse though… Yeah, that’s the ticket.
And I think fb was referring to how Muse was listed as number two but appeared in between 5 and 6. Possibly a last minute reorder?
Thanks for being you! ;-)
Oh so apparently I’m in the same boat as FiL…no love from blogger
oops, i forgot to sign it off
-tad
Excellent choices! Nothing I expected. Well… except for Band of Horses, I know you’re madly in love with them right now. As well you should be.
I must have passed over The Kooks here at some point this year. I was only hurting myself there. Glad I can listen again.
Again, great list!
Alas, I am having the same Blogger problem too. Stupid Blogger.
Andy -Concrete Circles
Geez! Man I am having a rough time over here. Obviously this is something on my end because you are the third person who can’t log in…I don’t know what the fuck I did to the code but I will have to look at it when I go home.
So my sincere apologies for any aggravation my blog has caused. :( I feel awful.
But yeah looks like I was caught red handed switching it all up. Well actually I realized I had Muse at 2 and I really didn’t think it should follow Alexi, not that many could indeed follow Alexi! HAaha Just kidding.
I am going to change that now…I was a little frazzled because I put this post together with the new Word Office 2007 and well it has this option to publish to Blogger but unfortunately Blogger is now Beta and even though I tested it before hand and it said it was successful it wouldn’t let me publish to my blog. So then I had to go in and upload all the album covers yadda yadda yadda .
ive got some work to do – i think ive only listened to 2 of these cds myself.
jesus…gwen stefani is yodeling on tv right now…ugggh…
dna matthew
Fantastico. Some that I haven’t heard before blew me away right on the spot. Damn you, devil woman, for holding out for so long!
Dearest Rachel, you are not to blame. This is a problem affecting a lot of Blogger beta blogs. I think it might have something to do with Beta having an allergic reaction to hoary old dinosaurs like myself who are still on the old Blogger…
Nope, no objections. OK, I’m not the biggest Muse fan, but the track you posted does chug along nicely.
And in the “misery loves company” department, Fileden screwed me around royally this evening. It spontaneously made twenty (yes, twenty) copies of all my files, thus blowing me waaay past my storage quota. Any when I tried to delete a bunch of the copies, guess what? It deleted all the copies of the files I had picked! Ant to top it off, all my Fileden links broke. So I just spent two hours switvching all the current stuff to Filelodge, after sending Fileden a stroppy e-mail.
Oh well, got through it in the end…
Word verification: unefg. Which stands for Ugly Nasty Evil Fileden Gits. Sorry, that was uncharitable of me…
FiL of http://pogoagogo.blogspot.com
matthew, lol uggggh indeed. Please don’t get me started I will rant. :-P But if you have work to do then get to it. ;-)
drainpip, ;-P hahahaha
xx
FiL, oh fileden is filedone in my book now. I am so sorry, I hope you gave them a word from me too in that e-mail, because that sounded yucky times 10.
I am glad you quickly recovered though and if it is just broken links that is something you can handle or even your visitors can handle. You are still freaking awesome! Grandmaster FiL ;-)
perfect verification word for you…
Mine is not too bad either…verification word: fileden=eauww `
No promises. ;)
very nice list, there are quite a few i need to check out, love the beirut and band of horses records
Come on Rich! hehe
Wayne, glad you like the album picks and yeah Beirut and Band of Horses just amazing.
Hope you enjoy the introductions, let me know what you think.
Nice list. But, I gotta say, while I really like The Kooks, I don’t think it’s nearly as infectious as Arctic Monkeys.
That said, neither of them can hold a candle to The Fratellis’ Costello Music. While AM will be fun to rediscover in 5 years, The Kooks will disappear into the distance on my ipod, but I have a feeling that Costello Music will be the kind of album that I just keep at the top of the heap.
Check it out. They are great.
Good-looking list there Rachel. I can’t fault you on your choices. For the most part… The Kooks? I can’t stand the Kooks (or Arctic Monkeys or Fratellis for that matter). But apart from that, ace!
I hadn’t tried Talkdemonic before this and will have to now.
great list, rachel! i feel so remiss taking so long to comment. circumstances beyond my control.
you know, i had the cat power cd in my hand the other day and then i put it down. why, i’m not sure. i think i would really like it. couple of others i’m not too familiar with, like the manchester orchestre and talk demonic. i shall henceforth familiarize myself! : )
Like mjrc, I feel like a very poor mouse taking so long to offer some thoughts: but what I have to say has largely been said by the great and the good above me (squeeeeak!)
Just a fantastic selection and I know you will have *pained* yourself into a corner at having to get it down to these ten very fine albums (though no such hard work to sort out the number one slot! hehe!)
I’ve paid attention and I’m now going to put all of these on a playlist entitled ‘An untitled summary of 06’. (and run out to buy at least 3 albums I don’t have)
With much peace and festive love,
Yours,
Field Mouse
PS, Can I just add that the Kooks track really works for me – it reminds me of when I was 15 and ran over the top of people’s cars with my friends because I could and I was young and I was daft… and that’s the way it should be. The song leaves me energised. A smile on my face.
We’re going out tonight…
sparkylulu, I respect your preference but I can’t really compare apples and oranges…Arctic Monkey’s have been so played out over here in the states and the Kooks well they just have a young edge to them that I used to hear with Artic Monkey’s but has faded away.
Oh Simone, hehehe I had a feeling you were going to disagree with me on that selection, that’s alright. hehe ;-)
mjrc, you are not being timed, its not a race. :) I already wrote you an e-mail ranting about the fact that I think you will love Cat Power…Hope you enjoyed the introductions, can’t wait to see your lists.
Field Mouse, like I said no rush…I have to say I feel quite honored that you enjoy the selections so much to compile them into a playlist. :) That means a great deal. And I remember when I first posted the Kooks you were not a fan it is good to hear they grew on you as well.