Here's my list. I've agonised over this, I've listened to almost as much music as I've watched porn in the last few weeks, positions have changed, albums have dropped from sight. I'm finally happy(ish).


1. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
2. Built To Spill - You In Reverse
3. Datarock - Datarock
4. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
5. Cat Power - The Greatest
6. Jedi Mind Tricks - Servants In Heaven Kings In Hell
7. The Format - Dog Problems
8. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
9. Tapes n Tapes - The Loon
10. Peter Bjorn And John - Writers Block
11. Roddy Frame - Western Skies
12. Emily Haines And The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back
13. Ghostface - Fishscale
14. Rocky Votolato - Makers
15. Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly - Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager
16. Hot Chip - Warning
17. Belle And Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
18. Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
19. Spinto Band - Nice And Nicely Done
20. Bell X1 - Flock

Really gutted I couldn't find a place for these:

21. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
22. Islands - Return To The Sea
23. I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends
24. People Under The Stairs - Stepfather
25. Midlake - Trials Of Van Occupanther
26. Archie Bronson Outfit - Derdang Derdang
27. Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
28. Akala - It's Not A Rumour
29. Cold War Kids - Robbers And Cowards
30. The Beauty Room - The Beauty Room

Now maybe I can get on with my life!

Top Ten:

10. Shakira - Oral Fixation Volume 2
9. Roots - Game Theory
8. Nas - Hip Hop is Dead
7. Mos Def - Tru3 Magic
6. Ghostface Killah - Fishscales
5. Tom Waits - Orphans
4. Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
3. Mastodon - Blood Mountain
2. Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain
1. Tool - 10,000 Days

1. Joanna Newsom - Ys
2. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
3. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
4. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
5. Mono - You Are There
6. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
7. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
8. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
9. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
10. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
11. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
12. Islands - Return to the Sea
13. The Blood Brothers - Young Machetes
14. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
15. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
16. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
17. Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
18. Cat Power - The Greatest
19. Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
20. Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV

Honorable Mention:

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go
Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor
The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
Thom Yorke - The Eraser

quote:

Originally posted by mizzoucritic:
20. Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV

that was mid 2005, or was the US release a lot later?

quote:

Originally posted by Dork:
Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places on MT. I'm not big on lyrics, though I have always appreciated some of Dylan's more than most, but mostly I focus on the music. Personally the delivery has always been of greater importance than the message, and I simply do not like the mild, inoffensive music backing Dylan's rasp. It's not terrible, but it just seems like Dylan's trying very hard to blend in, even mellowing his voice in songs like "Spirit On The Water". Even the lyrics I did understand were fairly pedestrian.

I'm giving Modern Times it's last chance right now; after that, I'm going to assume that I'm just not 'missing' anything and that I just don't care for it.

Just so you don't feel entirely alone, I'm not big on Modern Times either, and I'd consider myself a Bob Dylan fan. I'm not saying it sucks, but I wouldn't say it's among the year's best records either. I think it's an average release from a great artist.

Don't hurt me Mark.

Well, time's almost up, I might as well post my Top Ten of 2006.

This was a fantastic year. Honestly I think anyone who thinks there wasn't enough good music just hasn't heard the right records. I can confidently say that at the very least my top four are classics in my book; not just good but downright great. The top two are almost tied; numbers 3 and 4 are only slightly behind. My list ranges from prog metal to alternative hip-hop to barroom ballads; if there was somehting horribly wrong with this year in music, I guess I missed it.

2006 in albums:

1 - TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
2 - Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
3 - Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
4 - Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
5 - Kasabian - Empire
6 - Tool - 10,000 Days
7 - Mouse On Mars - Varcharz
8 - Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
9 - Beck - The Information
10 - Mastodon - Blood Mountain

~

quote:

Originally posted by Tru Blu:

Unless The Decemberists have garnered enough votes to be pushed into the top 3 and take down one of the "big dogs." Hopefully it does. And although kendocubano and L.R. will disagree with me (and it's ok if they do) but I really love The Crane Wife.

FragKA, I'm with you. If you check my list, Crane Wife is number one. When the War Came was not my favorite song because it's just E flat played the whole way through! Still that wasn't enought to knock it off the top of my list.
I've just got tix to see TVOTR in concert in 2 months or so. Anybody seen 'em?

quote:

I've just got tix to see TVOTR in concert in 2 months or so. Anybody seen 'em?

Yep. I saw 'em at Coachella last year. They put on a really good show!

Also, I'm seeing Subtle this Tuesday. I have no idea what to expect... Anyone seen them live before?

20. Solomon Burke Nashville
19. Slaid Cleves Unsung
18. Willie Nelson You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker
17. The Sleepy Jackson Personality - One Was A Spider One Was A Bird
16. Mary Lou Williams Collective Zodiac Suite Revisited
15. Tom Waits Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
14. Kidd Jordan/Hamid Drake/William Parker Palm of Soul
13. Essex Green Cannibal Sea
12. Kelley Stoltz Beneath the Branches
11. Hot Pink Karma The Future is Vintage
10. Buttercup Hot Love
9. Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
8. Destroyer Destroyer's Rubies
7. Steven Bernstein Millennial Territory Orchestra, Vol. 1
6. Man Man Six Demon Bag
5. Regina Spektor Begin to Hope
4. Margot & The Nuclear So & So's The Dust of Retreat
3. Get Set Go Ordinary World
2. Gabriella Monterro Piano Recital
1. The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America

Dang it LT, I'm trying to cut back on buying cds right now and here you come along with a whole list of stuff I havn't heard or don't have yet. Thanks alot!

quote:

Originally posted by Mick_DH:

quote:

Originally posted by mizzoucritic:
20. Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV

that was mid 2005, or was the US release a lot later?

The US release was in early 2006.

quote:

Originally posted by Dork:
Methinks the moderator doth protest too much.

Mark, I was under the distinct impression that, to incite an intellectual debate, one did not need to end every sentence with IMO simply to avoid being called an "asshole" or being told to "fuck off".

Apparently the symbol and the "how can you think that record is good" comment is what passes for 'intellectual debate' these days?

I love the general tone of the "I can't believe you put Band X over Band Y on YOUR poll" posts. God forbid someone not like TVOTR as much as you. And to pull out the 'old' card...classy move.

For the record, I think the TVOTR and the Dylan records were both bo-ring. I find it shocking that anyone, anywhere, would be moronic enough to put either of those steaming turd piles on any list when perfectly good Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton records are going un-listed.

Yep.

1. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America
2. The Thermals – The Body, the Blood, the Machine
3. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
4. Midlake – The Trials of Van Occupanther
5. Joanna Newsom – Ys
6. Ghostface Killah – Fishscale
7. Peter Bjorn & John – Writer's Block
8. Camera Obscura – Let's Get Out of this Country
9. Califone – Roots and Crowns
10. Bound Stems – Appreciation Night
11. Grizzly Bear – Yellow House
12. Band of Horses – Everything All the Time
13. Asobi Seksu – Citrus
14. TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain
15. Beirut – Gulag Orkestar
16. Malajube – Trompe –l'oeil
17. Parts & Labor – Stay Afraid
18. Horse Feathers – Words are Dead
19. Centro-matic – Fort Recovery
20. The Long Winters – Putting the Days to Bed

quote:

Originally posted by Johnsofats:
Yep.

20. The Long Winters – Putting the Days to Bed

Hey Johnno, can you tell me a bit about this one?

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
Apparently the symbol and the "how can you think that record is good" comment is what passes for 'intellectual debate' these days?

I love the general tone of the "I can't believe you put Band X over Band Y on YOUR poll" posts. God forbid someone not like TVOTR as much as you. And to pull out the 'old' card...classy move.

For the record, I think the TVOTR and the Dylan records were both bo-ring. I find it shocking that anyone, anywhere, would be moronic enough to put either of those steaming turd piles on any list when perfectly good Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton records are going un-listed.

Don't worry, K-Fed is my number one.....on another list. Hmm, yes there certainly is hostility in this thread, but I can't say I didn't expect it. Yes, a little part of me dies everytime "I'm From Barcelona" or "Tool" appears on a list, but I'm sure I've caused some dry heaves with my approval of Nelly Fur"turd"o. ::dances off humming Maneater::

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
Apparently the symbol and the "how can you think that record is good" comment is what passes for 'intellectual debate' these days?

I love the general tone of the "I can't believe you put Band X over Band Y on YOUR poll" posts. God forbid someone not like TVOTR as much as you. And to pull out the 'old' card...classy move.

For the record, I think the TVOTR and the Dylan records were both bo-ring. I find it shocking that anyone, anywhere, would be moronic enough to put either of those steaming turd piles on any list when perfectly good Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton records are going un-listed.

Meh, I'm tired of debating and you missed the spank-a-thon by about eight hours, but you're probably right.

quote:

Originally posted by kendocubano:
FragKA, I'm with you. If you check my list, Crane Wife is number one.

Yeah that album was probably the biggest surprise of the year for me. Like I have said before, I love every single song on that album, and I especially love the 3-part "The Island..."--it is just so amazing.

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
For the record, I think the TVOTR and the Dylan records were both bo-ring. I find it shocking that anyone, anywhere, would be moronic enough to put either of those steaming turd piles on any list when perfectly good Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton records are going un-listed.

Yeah, I completely agree with you. Talk about "snore alert!!" But seriously, everybody is way too late on trying to get in on this argument, next time instead of going to sleep, keep the refresher on "every ten minutes" so you can know what's up!

quote:

though I have always appreciated some of Dylan's more than most, but mostly I focus on the music. Personally the delivery has always been of greater importance than the message, and I simply do not like the mild, inoffensive music backing Dylan's rasp.

Agree and disagree. Disagree in that I find the mild music on this album, while not particularly varied, very easy to take in...Mark F. describes it well in saying Dylan has now become "a good Friend." As far as trying to get this album...the best time to listen to this is stuck in traffic on the way home after a grueling day's work ...there's just something very relaxing and nurturing about this album that I haven't found in previous Dylan efforts.

As to the main thrust of your point, that the delivery is more important than the message, (ie music matters more than lyrics) I think that is a very fair criticism of Dylan...because if there ever was an artist in Rock history pre-rap where the lyrics took absolute precedence over the music, it's him. Not that musically he was bad or unimaginative, sometimes he was great (Desolation Row or Highway 61 Revisited anybody), but musical invention has just never been the thrust of his art like it was for The Beatles, The Velvets, Hendrix, U2 or Radiohead, which is probably why I personally feel all those artists are Dylan's superiors, no matter how much they themselves revere the man.

Hi!

Newbie here, from Italy.

Just for love of lists' sake I'll post mine, although I've yet to listen to a lot of 2006 stuff.

1. The Strokes - First impressions of Earth
2. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not
3. Muse - Black holes and revelations
4. Islands - Return to the sea
5. Midlake - The trials of van occupanther
6. Peter, Bjorn and John - Writer's block
7. Destroyer - Rubies
8. The Raconteurs - Broken boy soldiers
9. Regina Spektor - Begin to hope
10. Asobi Seksu - Citrus

Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by keylimetrev:
Dang it LT, I'm trying to cut back on buying cds right now and here you come along with a whole list of stuff I havn't heard or don't have yet. Thanks alot!

Heh. Shame on me. I took advantage of your lists and posts throughout the year to beef up my listening and then because RealLife(tm) keeps getting in the way, dropped all of my stuff on you at once.

I don't know if you've heard that Slaid Cleves yet, but I think you'll like it a lot. Which others haven't you heard?

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