Matt

If you like Pedro the Lion (which I think you do), David Bazan put a solo album out this year that's pretty good. I know FT is a fan of it as well.

Some stuff I haven't seen mentioned yet:

Cat Power The Greatest (this is the Cat Power album I've been waiting for. She's finally backed by professionals, and her voice rises to the occasion. Shades of Dusty in Memphis and I Am Shelby Lynn, but with the weight of blackest depression that is all Chan.)

Drive-by Truckers A Blessing And A Curse (probably not a Spade Kitty kinda thing, but half of these songs are simply amazing and the other half just pretty damn good)

Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man Standing (yeh, it's only rock 'n' roll, but if you don't like the Killer's version of it then you never liked it in the first place.)

Catfish Haven Tell Me (a minimalist sort of roots rock, but goosed by a vocalist that conjures up soul greats like Otis Redding and Jackie Wilson. With the exception of a couple tracks, the songwriting still has a ways to go, but the potential here is huge)

The Cinders Up From The Ashes (on first listen, it's nothing special. I was ready to shrug it off as more pop punk, no wait, roots rock... no hair metal... and then realized that these unheard-of Aussies were effortlessly mixing and matching a multitude of genres into their own style.)

The Awkward Stage Heaven Is For Easy Girls (produced by Kurt Dahle of the New Pornographers, this is smart modern pop that should impress anybody who liked that new Belle & Sebastian album. But then again, I didn't like that album much at all, so what do I know?)

Tim Easton Ammunition (Easton's put out a few worthwhile albums, including one backed entirely by the members of Wilco - which is his weakest. On this one he strips away any attempt at modern production and gets his Dylan on to very effective results.)

The Beige 01 (I've been pimping these guys relentlessly lately. They call it "acoustic shoegazer", which sorta applies if you squint.)



Also, there've been two mainstream releases this year that have really impressed me:

La Rocca The Truth (there's a thread about them somewhere)

The Lordz The Brooklyn Way (this is the sort of hip hop/punk hybrid that I should hate, but somehow these guys managed to deliver the year's ultimate brainless party album.)

I just got My Brightest Diamond last week and it's the one album I've been looking for this year - the one that hooked me like no other. Gorgeous dreamy pop with a slight cabaret edge at times, Shara Worden's vocals touch on Fiona Apple occasionally (with her warble under control,) but most often Beth Gibbons, and the ghost of Jeff Buckley appears from time to time. Anyone else check this thing out? Aside from one track, "Freak Out," where she tries really hard to be PJ Harvey (and it doesn't work, IMHO,) this is one sublime piece of work. A real contender for best of the year - even after only a week.

Cool, I will look into that. Thanks.

I like everything Bazan put out under the PtL moniker until Achilles Heel, which I thought was terrible.

I've actually been meaning to check out DBTs because I've had a recent thing for MMJ and don't mind southern rock at all (is that what they are?). Cat Power - that's hopeless. Not a big fan of female vox in general, and I couldn't stand You Are Free. I do like Jerry Lee Lewis. The rest I haven't heard of, but I'll poke around to see what I can find out. Thanks!

Me neither. That's why I'm so impressed with The Greatest.

interesting. I'll have to see if I can dig up a track or two.

Here's what I've really liked this year.

Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds
Slayer - Christ Illusion
Clark - Body Riddle
The Sword - Age Of Winters
Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
This Moment In Black History - It Takes A Nation Of Assholes To Hold Us Back
The Rapture - Pieces Of The People We Love
Kid Koala - Your Mom's Favorite DJ
Cut Chemist - The Audience's Listening
Ghostface - Fishscale
TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
Hot Chip - The Warning
Dan Sartain - Join Dan Sartain
Lansing-Dreiden - The Dividing Island
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
Zeigenbock Kopf - Fuck You To Dust

They're all mostly new bands. I just think that bands that had good previous releases or that were heavily hyped have put out mediocre albums this year.

DJ Shadow, The Killers, Liars, My Chemical Romance, The Futureheads, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Thunderbirds Are Now!, Lucero, Clinic, The Sleepy Jackson, Mastodon, Peeping Tom, Cursive, Outkast, The Strokes, Thom Yorke.

MMJ isn't southern rock.

DBT would probably fit into that category in your mind since they are influenced by the style.

Blessing and a Curse is a stellar album

I wasn't implying that MMJ was southern rock. Sorry, that was worded badly. I was saying "I like MMJ and is DBT southern rock" However, MMJ has elements in their music that are closer to DBTS than they are to Interpol (those long guitar solos, for example).

i'm leaving work now, but will post you up some right when i get home.

See, I KNEW we still shared some common ground!

as far as electronic releases go, 2006 is where it's at but i know a lot of you aren't into that so whatevz.

2006 has been excellent for me, way better than '05. But I've put a lot of effort into listening to new stuff this year. Thanks, ipod.

I agree 100%. Not a bad place to start with DBT, either.

Oh yewah, forgot this came out in 06. My new runner-up to album of the year.

Same here. Even though The Greatest isn't one of my favorites of this year, it's a really solid album that's definitely worth hearing, even for people like myself who've never thought much about Cat Power. (After hearing it I went back and checked out Moon Pix which I also like much more than You Are Free.)

I agree with billy g that this is the best year since 2002. Weird that he would post that since I was just thinking that exact thing a few days ago.

I also agree with splates that there are some pretty bad albums mentioned in this thread…

So here are my recs, to be taken with a grain of salt of course, especially considering how little most people here seem to agree with me about music:

Califone - Roots & Crowns. Best Califone album so far, I'd say. Beautifully textured folk/blues/rock that's both intricate and spacious. Tim Rutili uses the studio like it's a part of his body. Every flourish is perfectly suited to each song, and the songs on this one leave much stronger impressions than any of their previous work. It's kind of hard to describe their sound in terms of a RIYL as I think they're one of the more unique bands out there right now.

Man Man - Six Demon Bag. Ecclectic, carnivalesque nuttiness that actually serves as a vehicle for some pretty damn good songwriting. They've been compared to Tom Waits (very superficial), Captain Beefheart, Mr. Bungle, and Need New Body (their sound is a little similiar, and they're both from Philly). One of the best live bands I've ever seen.

Grizzly Bear - Yellow House. Lush, slow-burner of an album. Takes a while to sink in, but it's a really well-crafted, pleasing record that I've been enjoying more and more.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go. Will Oldham's gentler, prettier side, the songwriting on this is also some of his strongest. There are strings and backing female vocals, but they're never intrusive or distracting. The production highlights the lyrics and the melodies really well and makes for a very easy listen.

Wolf Eyes - Human Animal. I know, I know. I bet no one wants to hear about this band anymore, and most of you are probably convinced that they were a passing fad among people who only pretended to like them. Thing is, this may be their best album, and it's much leaner and more structured than Burned Mind. Every sound they make is intentional, part of a larger whole, and textured to evoke very specific feelings, and with this record, they want everyone to know that. It's noise, and yet it's almost meticulously clean, at least until the last track when they really cut loose. It's still abrasive. It's not melodic, and it's only loosely rhythmic. But it is music despite what they say on that last song.

Subtle - For Hero: For Fool. This is Doseone from cLOUDDEAD in more of a band-type setting. It's actually a great party record, I think. It's a little like Gnarls Barkley, I guess, but I like this much, much better. Rather than sounding like plasticky soul, it seems more adventurous and sonically interesting. Plus I just think Dose is a lot of fun to listen to when he tailors his lyrics to pop-song structure.

Asobi Seksu - Citrus. Don't know if this was mentioned in this thread or not, but a lot of people on the board like it. Catchy, dreamy, shoegaze-pop.

Beach House. Dalen, pollysix, and several other people seem to really dig this record. It's a duo, I believe, and their sound is rather simple and intimate, mostly keyboard and (female) vocals. May not be the thing for Spade Kitty, though.

NOMO - New Tones. Mentions of this have fallen on deaf ears so far. Either that or nobody else likes it. I could see how people mike take this band as being a little cheesy. They're an instrumental afrobeat/funk band (from Michigan) that sounds like Fela Kuti jams cut down to 3 or 4 minutes. They do a cover of a Joanna Newsom song which naturally sounds nothing like the original but uses the basic melody and dynamic to create something different.

Madlib - Beat Konducta Vol. 1-2
Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
Dabrye - Two/Three
Owusu & Hannibal - Living With Owusu & Hannibal
Burial - Burial

Aberdeen City – The Freezing Atlantic
Akron/Family – Meek Warrior
Ali Farka Toure – Savane
Allison Moorer – Getting Somewhere
Amel Larrieux – Morning
Amon Amarth – With Oden On Our Side
Anouar Brahem – La Voyage De Sahar
Arborea – Wayfaring Summer
Asobi Seksu – Citrus
Badly Drawn Boy – Born In The UK
Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time
Basement Jaxx – Crazy Itch Radio
Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
Belong – October Language
Benoit Poulard – Precis
Bitcrush – In Distance
Black Ice – The Death Of Willie Lynch
Black Keys – Magic Potion
Blood Brothers – Young Machetes
Bob Dylan – Modern Times
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy – The Letting Go
Booka Shade – Movements
Brother Kite
Bruce Springsteen – We Shall Overcome
Bugz In The Attic – Back To The Doghouse
Burial – Burial
Butch Walker – The Rise And Fall
Califone – Roots & Crowns
Camera Obscura – Let's Get Out Of This Country
Candi Staton – His Hands
Cat Power – The Greatest
Cesaria Evora – Rogamar
Chico Buarque – Carioca
Chris Smither – Leave The Light On
Citay – Citay
Comets On Fire – Avatar
Converge – No Heroes
Crowdpleaser & St. Plomb – 2006
Current 93 – Black Ships Ate The Sky
Da Backwudz – Wood Work
Damien Rice – 9
Dark Meat
Decaptitated – Organic Halluc
Decemberists – The Crane Wife
Deftones
Dirty On Purpose – Hallelujah Sirens
Dixie Chicks – Taking The Long Way
DJ Mehdi – Lucky Boy
DragonForce – Inhuman Rampage
Drive-By Truckers – A Blessing & A Curse
Drudkh – Blood In Our Wells
Durutti Column – Keep Breathing
E-40
Elected – Sun Sun Sun
Ellen Allien & Apparat – Orchestra Of Bubbles
ESG – Keep On Moving
Espers – Espers II
EST – Tuesday Wonderland
Flying Canyon – Flying Canyon
Format – Dog Problems
Game – Doctor's Advocate
Ghostface – Fishscale
Glue – Catch As Catch Can
Gorgoroth – Ad Majorom
Gothic Archies – Tragic Treasury
Handsome Family – Last Days Of Wonder
Helios – Eingya
Herbert – Scale
Hold Steady – Boys & Girls In America
Hot Chip – The Warning
Howlin Rain
I Am Robot And Proud – The Electricity In Your House
I'm Not A Gun – We Think As Instruments
Irene – Apple Bay
J Dilla – Donuts
James Blackshaw – O True Believers
Jessi Colter – Out Of The Ashes
Joanna Newsom – Ys
Johnny Cash – American V
Josh Rouse – Subtitulo
Juana Molina – Son
Juggaknots
Junior Boys – So This Is Goodbye
Justin Timberlake – Futuresex/Lovesounds
Keep Of Kalessin – Armada
Killer Mike – I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind
Knife – Silent Shout
Kode9 & The Spaceape – Memories Of The Future
Korpiklaani – Tales Along This Road
Ladyhawk – Ladyhawk
Liars – Drums Not Dead
Lo-Fi-Fnk – Boylife
Lucero – Rebels
Luomo – Paper Tigers
Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquour
M. Ward – Post-War
Mastodon – Blood Mountain
Math And Physics Club – S/T
Mindy Smith – Long Island Shores
Mission of Burma – The Obliterati
Miwon – Pale Glitter
Mogwai
Mohair – Small Talk
Mojave 3
Mountain Goats – Get Lonely
Neil Young – Living With War
Nelly Furtado – Loose
Nice Boys – Nice Boys
Nicholas Makelbridge – Dying In Africa
Noah23 – Clout
Norfolk & Western
Norman & Nancy Blake – Back Home In Sulphur Springs
Oh Sees – Cool Death Of Island Raiders
Ojos De Brujo – Techari
Old Crow Medicine Show – Big Iron World
OOIOO – Taiga
Pete Molinari – Walking Off The Map
Peter Bjorn & John – Writer's Block
Phoenix – It's Never Been Like That
Project Move – Love Gone Wrong/Butterfly Theory
Prototypes – Prototypes
Radio Dept. - Pet Grief
Ramblin' Jack Elliott – I Stand Alone
Rapture – Pieces Of The People We Love
Regina Spektor – Begin To Hope
Rhymefest – Blue Collar
Roots – Game Theory
Scritti Politti – White Bread Black Beer
ShinSight Trio – Shallow Nights Blurry Moon
Silversun Pickups – Carnavas
Singleman Affair – Let's Kill The Summer
Six Organs Of Admittance – The Sun Awakens
Ska Cubano
Skream
Snoop
Spank Rock – YoYoYoYoYo
Sparklehorse – Dreamt For Light Years
Steep Canyon Rangers – One Dime At A Time
Streets – Hardest Way
Subtle – For Hero: For Fool
Sunn0))) & Boris – Altar
T.I. - King
Thermals – Body, Blood, Machine
Think About Life – Think About Life
Tom Ze – Estudando E Pagode
Toumani Diabete
Trentemoller – Last Resort
USA Is A Monster – Sunset At The End Of The Industrial Age
Uusitalo
Vetiver – To Find Me Gone
Wayne Horvitz Gravitaz Quartet – Way Out East
White Birch – Come Up For Air
William Elliott Whitmore – Song Of The Blackbird
Willie Nelson
Wolfmother – Wolfmother
Wolves In The Throne Room – Diadem Of 12 Stars
Xela – Dead Sea
Xiu Xiu – The Air Force
Yo La Tengo – I Am Not Afraid Of You
Yosushi Yoshida – Secret Figure
Young Knives – Voices Of Animals And Men
Zebras – Worry A Lot

Well, if I did, it's a coincidence, since I don't even know who you are (what your previous name(s) was(were)).

I do like the Karl Blau a lot, and haven't heard the rest of the ones you listed.

That Subhumans was just a let down to me after getting excited about it because of it being the first thing they've released in forever, and hearing others go on about it, and being a fan of "Slave to My Dick."

You settled down now?

the fact that Belle & Sebastian are getting mentioned a lot and the new Chumbawamba album gets next to nil is pretty disheartening. It's so very good and probably in my top spot right now.

I also liked the new...Elf Power, Rose Melberg, Kid Koala, Built To Spill, Yo La Tengo, and Ben Kweller.

Here's two you might have missed

Dead To Me - Cuban Ballerina (Fat Wreck Chords) - It's on Fat but it's far from the traditional Fatslick gloss sound. It loosely falls in the Dillinger Four camp of punk, but it's also teeming with Buzzcocks-ish pop to appeal to some of the old school punkers here. Full of catchy tunes.

American Princes - Less and Less (Yep Roc) - I bought this because it was cheap and it's on Yep Roc. Like it a lot. Very eclectic. Goes from indie-americana to indie rock with nary a misstep. I'll listen again to see if I describe it better...

i just requested music from these guys. i like what i heard on myspace. good call, rads.

absolute top of the pile for me (excluding the obvious selections)...

Ambient / Experimental / Folk:
xela - the dead sea
helios - eingya
a hawk and a hacksaw - the way the wind blows
conjoint - a few empty chairs
hammock - raising your voice trying to stop an echo
svarte greiner - knive
boduf songs - lion devours the sun
johann johannsson - IBM 1401, a user's manual
phelan sheppard - harp's old master
tim hecker - harmony in ultraviolet
benoît pioulard - précis
ryan teague - coins and crosses
max richter - songs from before

Electronic:
booka shade - movements
burial - burial
james holden - the idiots are winning
junior boys - so this is goodbye
fontän - aktionskammarn
fujiya & miyagi - transparent things
skream - skream
andy stott - merciless
alex smoke - paradilla
ellen allien and apparat - orchestra of bubbles
trentemoller - the last resort
gridlok - break the system
one second bridge - one second bridge

Indie:
aereogramme - my heart has a wish that you would not go
beach house - beach house
amusement parks on fire - out of angels
fields - 7 from the village
the little ones - sing song ep
gomez - how we operate
built to spill - you in reverse
beirut - gulag orkestar
ensemble - ensemble
mogwai - zidan-a 21st century portrait [original soundtrack]
razorlight - razorlight
the magic numbers - those the brokes
the race - be your alibi
sickoakes - seawards
the brother kite - waiting for the right time to be right
tokyo police club - a lesson in crime ep

Metal:
mastodon - blood mountain
darkthrone - the cult is alive
celestiial - desolate north
grails - black tar prophecies vols 1, 2, 3
coffins - the other side of blasphemy
xasthur - subliminal genocide
sunnO))) & boris - altar
tool -10,000 days
death breath - stinking up the night
slayer - christ illusion
phobia - cruel
gorgoroth - ad majorem satanhas gloriam
isis and aereogramme - in the fishtank 14

surely i'm forgetting some at this moment, but eh.

check dem shits out yo.

Thanks, Dalen.

You really like that Razorlight album? I loved their first. This one seems like a generic piece of shit to me. Can't put my finger on it. It just sounds like they are completely going through the motions.

Still haven't given it a real listen but I do like the song with Los Angeles in the title.