Music's Winners & Stinkers in 2006

This is a cross-post from Last.fm.

My Favorite Albums of 2006

1. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Incinerate

You can always count on Sonic Youth to produce something worth listening to. I played the heck out of this album this year. I think it's a lot easier to digest than most of their albums because the band focused on creating melodies and harmonies instead of avant-garde noise.

Lotta hooks on that album... 

2. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Thursday

Citrus makes me think of a sunny, summer afternoon in which I lay sunbathing and staring at the clouds with a Corona in my hand. (I prefer the analogy of cloud watching over shoegazing.) It's satisfying from start to finish.

3. Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Little Lover's So Polite

If music were food, Carnavas would be a tasty, filling meatloaf. The songs stick to your ribs. Silversun Pickups are fresh and different. (I don't accept the Smashing Pumpkins comparisons.) I think Silversun Pickups are destined for greatness. They pack a sonic punch!

4. The Veils - Nux Vomica
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Advice for Young Mothers to Be

It has been a long time since I've heard vocals that were unique and interesting. Singer Finn Andrews of The Veils offers just that. He sounds a bit like a British Jeff Buckley. There is drama in his voice.

I love this album. It would be my number one favorite album if I hadn't discovered it so late in the year. I'm still learning about The Veils and their songs. There's not a single throwaway song on the album. It's the album that I most recommend checking out if you haven't heard it yet.

5.  Peaches - Impeach My Bush
Genre: Electronic
Favorite track: Do Ya

I admire artists who are willing to make social and political comments with their music. In Peaches' case, I agree with her politics: IMPEACH BUSH (but not hers). Peaches is pure fun. She's the artist I most regret missing on tour this year. Her tour dates didn't fit my schedule.

6. Morningwood - Morningwood
Genre: Rock
Favorite track: Easy

When asked in an interview to describe Morningwood's music, singer Chantal Claret replied, "It's the kind of music you listen to when you're getting ready for a big night out." I thought that was a great (and accurate) description of Morningwood's music. It's a fun album. Chantal is the quintessential fun chick.

Alfredo Ortiz, who was the percussionist on the Beastie Boys last tour and continues to work with the band, is Morningwood's drummer. Fredo introduced me to his bandmates when I met up with him at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, this year. We partied. They're a fun group.

7. MSTRKRFT - The Looks
Genre: Electronic
Favorite track: Paris

Death from Above 1979 is dead; long live MSTRKRFT! The infectious dance beats on The Looks made it easy to listen to over and over and over and over again. It's BANDSTAND!  It's got a good beat, and I can dance to it.

8. CSS - Cansei de Ser Sexy
Genre: Electronic
Favorite track: Mus Is My Hot Hot Sex

Cansei de Ser Sexy is an album that is best played really loud. Like MSTRKRFT's The Looks, it's a hip-shaking collection of electro-pop songs. Will I still be listening to the album in 2007?  Probably not. But I did enjoy it a lot this year.

9. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Moving to L.A.

You just don't find bravado much in music these days. I love singer Eddie Gargos' attitude. He sounds like he's holding a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other when he sings. He's a modern-day Dean Martin.

"I'm drinking Hennesey with Morrissey..."

10. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Genre: Rock
Favorite track: Dirtywhirl

Mixing funk with electronic beats, TV on the Radio is producing the most interesting art rock in music today.

11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Fancy

I <3 Karen O. Do I need to say more?

"Keyboard Money Mark" (that's what the goofy Beastie Boys call him) contributes his talents to two tracks on this album: "Fancy" and "Phenomena." I <3 Mark too. He saved my life in Japan once. Long story.

By the way, Mark has a new album, titled Brand New by Tomorrow, coming out on February 20.

12. Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet
Genre: Punk
Favorite track: We Will Vacation, You Can Be My Parasol

Thank Thurston Moore for bringing this band to the world's attention. I love Be Your Own Pet's attitude. Some music critics accuse the band of being poser punks, but they're wrong. I know punk when I hear it. BYOP are the real deal. It's all in their attitude.

13. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: The Great Salt Lake

This is perhaps the strangest album to be on my list because I normally don't listen to much indie stuff. I believe that I was introduced to Band of Horses when I attended the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, this year. It's a very polished album that's easy on the ears.

14. Editors - The Back Room
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Bullets

The Editors remind me of Franz Ferdinand. This album is a guilty pleasure. It leans on the pop side of alternative music.

15. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Cheer It On

Technically, A Lesson in Crime is an EP, not an album. I will be keeping on eye on Tokyo Police Club in the future.

16. Beck - The Information
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Nausea

What I said about Sonic Youth applies to Beck too. He always produces music that is worthwhile. The album came out at a busy time of the year for me, so I haven't listened to it as much as I would normally listen to a new Beck album, which is why it places where it does on my list. Normally, Beck is among my top 10 artists.

17. Forward Russia! - Give Me a Wall
Genre: Alternative
Favorite track: Eight

I like Forward Russia!'s energy. Their song-naming scheme (all numbers) is rather annoying, but I'll deal.

Honorable Mentions
1. Miho Hatori - Ecdysis
I'm praying for a Cibo Matto reunion. In the meantime, I'm happy to listen to sweet, solo Miho.

2. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
You're a liar if you say you didn't listen to this album a lot in 2006.

3. The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes
Fun, girl-group pop

4. Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
Nobody talks or writes about Twilight Singers, and I don't understand why. They're really good.

5. Prototypes - Prototypes
French punk-pop

6. Ratatat - Classics
A great DJ album

Albums That Were A'ight But Didn't Wow Me Like They Should Have
1. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
What can I say? I expected more because it's Thom. I do like and listen to it though.

2. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back
See comment for Thom Yorke - The Eraser. Same applies here but replace "Thom" with "Emily."

3.  Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Sometimes I like Lily Allen's vocal styling; sometimes I find it annoying. I appreciate her more when I take a single song from the album and put it in a mixtape.

4. Lady Sovereign - Public Warning
Def Jam should have let Adam Horovitz produce the entire album. He would have done interesting things with Sov.  

5. Joanna Newsom - Ys
I like Newsom, but the songs are too damn long on this album. This is the age of the internet. People have short attention spans. Especially me.

Albums That Sucked Big Balls
1. Gwen Stefani - Sweet Escape
It's horrible, horrible, horrible.

2. Robbie Williams - RudeBox
It's laughable how bad some of the songs are on this album. Props to RW for name-dropping the Beastie Boys in the 80s tune and trying to do something different musically.

3. Fergie - The Dutchess
Who told that woman she can sing?