Yeah, Insound has been great every time I've ordered from them.

I've picked up at least four 2006 albums that probably would have made my top 20 if I had waited.

Vince Gill - These Days (almost certainly the best mainstream country album in a couple years (and I think there have been some really good country albums). Really, really solid stuff. I don't know how he talked a record label into releasing this set. )

Tom Waits - Orphans (this would easily end up in the top 5. I think if I could only have one release from Waits on a desert island this would be it.)

Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis Cocker (Havn't listened to this much yet, but I like it so far. I'm a big sucker for Pulp, so I'm not surprised that I like this.)

Man Man - Six Demon Bag (probably would seem even more impressive if Tom Waits hadn't come along and one-uped them. I suspect these guys will keep getting better once they settle down and stop experimenting so much.)

Several records I should have given more play to in 2006:

The Arctic Monkeys. On leland's recommendation, I pulled this back out. It's pretty damn good. Hype and anti-hype aside, it's a strong, fun Britpop record with clever lyrics.

The Fags: Light 'em Up. A great power-pop/rock record.

Cheap Trick: Rockford. Ditto.

I totally forgot about The Randies before I put up my list. Haven't heard it yet, but have bought it. I got a slew of albums recently and haven't gotten through all of them. At least I'll be able to insert The Randies' Saw The Light into my other recommendations.

Really wanted to hear the Vince Gill and Emily Haines CDs. I'll be buying them too late.

Aside from that, I'll probably wish on some days that I would have put other albums into my top 20, but I find my list to be good sample of what I think was best.

Shack's The Corner of Miles and Gil, which just missed my top 20, would probably be top 10 after spending the last week really listening to it.

I incorrectly placed Scott Walker ahead of Stuart Staples.

Sorry, Stuart.

The Knife is even more of a grower than I had imagined. I thought it deserved about a 12th-place position, but gave it the benefit of the doubt at made it 8th to allow it to grow.

Silly me, I should have put it 2nd or 3rd. Damn.

I'm so glad I haven't posted my list yet. In the last couple weeks I've been on a roll in finding good new music, Hypatia Lake being the most recent.

My albums list was pretty spot on, at least so far, with the possible exception of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone's "Etiquette". But I really butchered my tracks list. Songs that should have been on my top tracks list:

Casiontone for the Painfully Alone - "I Love Creedence"
Swan Lake - "All Fires"
Cat Power - "Lived in Bars"
Hazmat Modine - "Steady Roll"
Voxtrot - "Biggest Fan"

And this is only a week in and I have barely scratched the surface on the Hazmat Modine album...maybe next year.

As noted before, The Decemberists would have made my list if I had gotten hold of that record before I made the list. More surprisingly, Koop with their record "Koop Islands" would have made the list. A fun little jazz-by-sampling record that is remarkably fun to listen to. The first track especially, "Koop Island Blues" (featuring Ane Brun, whose last record was also very good), is a contender for track of the year as far as I am concerned.

I wish I'd listened to The Coup's Pick A Bigger Weapon more. It may have landed a slot in the 10-20 area. I'm not a huge Hip-Hop fan (I generally like the singles better than the albums), and this year, the big hip-hop albums (Ghostface, Clipse) didn't do a lot for me. However, I've been totally digging the Coup's album recently. It's got the funkiest grooves, and the smartest lyrics I've heard on a hip-hop album in awhile. "My Favorite Mutiny" and "ShoYoAss" are two of the finest hip-hop songs in recent memory, and "BabyLet'sHaveABabyBeforeBushDoSomethin'Crazy" might just be the sexiest protest song ever.

Note: Republicans will probably hate this album.

Just started listening to an album by John Murry and Bob Frank which I'm really liking. Its an album of ten murder ballads written about real murders. It's produced by Tim Mooney from American Music Club and Matt Pence from centromatic also worked on it. Best point of reference is probably Willard Grant Conspiracy.

quote:

In the past couple of days, I have done a complete 180 on Get Lonely by The Mountain Goats, and wish I had voted it in my top 10.

It definitely is a grower. I was surprised not to see it on more lists. I actually had it at Number 3 on my list on page 1.

If I had to go back, I would have taken The Twilight Singers off and put The Hold Steady higher than 9.

Since I posted my list, got to hear The Long Blondes "Someone To Drive You Home" and Girl Talk's "Night Ripper." Both these albums would have made my top 20...hell, probably my top ten. Since The Long Blondes doesn't have a US release yet, I'll probably just cheat and put it on my 07 list.

Oh, and the new Brakes album is also excellent - should have been on my top 20. Another import only though, so again, I'll save it for next year.

Nothing changed much in my top ten...but do have a few risers and sinkers.

Risers...
1. We Shall Overcome - Bruce Springsteen. Came back to it last week after maybe six months away. Damn, first half of that album is awesome.

This obviously makes me happy, but what's even more wonderful is that the Second half of that lovefest is better than you still realize, so it WILL kick in later.

Love to everybody else who believes in truth and good music.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark f,

I'm starting to believe that I shouldn't have "Super Powers" anymore. I SWEAR I was responding to your post by trying to push Reply, but no, I pushed EDIT and I changed it. I'm really sorry, but I don't have the wherewithall to change it back. It's really embarrasing!!

You'll have to re-add your tirade against Return to Cookie Mountain!! I know, it was so perfect and you listed about 15 better albums, but I screwed the pooch, bigtime. SORRY, AGAIN!!

Boris- Pink: It would have made my #2 spot...
Islands- Return to the Sea: I totally forgot about it
Tim Hecker- Harmony in Ultraviolet: It's good and would have made my top 20 but it would be in a low spot.

I forgot how great a song "Think Long" by Mates of State is, until I started dancing to it in Physics...New semester = new classes = new dance parties.

Well, I would have to say that Cansei Se Ser Sexy has a lot more than just a few good songs on their album and I would've givin it props had I heard it sooner. Might be this year's The National for me.

quote:

Originally posted by bonzob:
Since The Long Blondes doesn't have a US release yet, I'll probably just cheat and put it on my 07 list.

I'll probably do the same with Peter, Bjorn and John. I would have made my top 10 if I had heard it. I put Serena Maneesh in my 2006 list going with the same logic.