Tuesday, December 26, 2006

albums of 2006

Boys and Girls in America – The Hold Steady
I love it a little more with every listen: incredible storytelling, twinkling keys, party sing-a-longs and guitars like I haven’t heard and appreciated in a long time. This is easily my favorite full length of the year, as every song fits together without being a concept album.

Hell Hath No Fury – Clipse
My brother had been waiting impatiently for this album all year. His obsession rubbed off, and for the first time ever, I find myself actually caring about hip hop that doesn’t involve Kanye West, Common or Mos Def. Brothers Malice and Pusha T craft brilliant songs and get some wonderful production.

The Town And The City – Los Lobos
Los Lobos’ music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. David Hidalgo’s voice is one of my favorite things, ever. In a strange way, I feel as though Los Lobos are a part of my family, and their music makes me feel like I’m a part of theirs. I love them. This album is one of the best they’ve released in a long time; it tells the story of Mexican immigrants in this country beautifully.

Future Sex/Love Sounds – Justin Timberlake
One of the most fun albums of the year. “Future Sex/Love Sound” makes for an interesting first track. “Chop Me Up” can induce laughing ‘til you cry, if you’re in the right mood. And “What Goes Around…” means the radio will play a good ballad, which hasn’t happened in a long time. Leave the album in rotation long enough and you could find something good to say about every track.

The Greatest – Cat Power
Another one that gets better every time. Prior to the release of this album, Cat Power struck me as too sad and pensive for repeated listens. Chan Marshall’s voice shines on every song. There’s something fearless about her, especially live. In my head, she and Feist are best friends.

How We Operate – Gomez
I’ve never hated a Gomez album; I think Ben Ottewell’s voice ensures that I never will. But upon hearing this one, I was reminded of how much I could love them. And I can love them (Ben) a lot. How We Operate is the tightest album they’ve ever released. The boys who always wear good shoes have finally figured out how to make a concise and diverse record.

Food & Liquor – Lupe Fiasco
As much as I enjoy the Clipse record, Lupe Fiasco put out the hip hop album of the year that I can play for days on end. There’s a calm fierceness to his delivery, and it serves the songs well. “He Say She Say” tells the story of a single mother, her son and the estranged father. I have no idea if it’s autobiographical, but it’s outstanding.

It's Never Been Like That – Phoenix
The way people loved Alphabetical, especially the song “Everything is Everything,” is the way I love It’s Never Been Like That. Dance-y Phoenix was fun and all, but this album pulls off rock/pop perfectly. Their set at this year’s ACL Fest was one of my favorites.

Fort Recovery – Centro-Matic
I can’t remember how I heard about Centro-Matic or why I started to listening to them. Their set at SXSW this year convinced me to pick up Fort Recovery. Will Johnson’s a phenomenal lyricist and the twang in his voice gets me every time. I can’t quite explain it, but this album feels like Texas to me.

Post-War – M. Ward
Critics rave about M. Ward and I can understand why; but until Post-War, I never felt as strongly about him. This album features a full band and sounds more confident as a result. There’s a happiness to his voice that I’d never heard before; it’s like you can hear him smiling on “Chinese Translation.”

Other albums worthy of a listen
Trying to Never Catch Up – What Made Milwaukee Famous, Fishscale – Ghostface, Let’s Get Out of This Country – Camera Obscura, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions – Bruce Springsteen

If you love lists, metacritic has conveniently compiled the best ones for you. Music, movies, tv and books in 2006.
Posted by Clarissa at 5:05 PM

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