About Marc
Location: Texas
Occupation: Podcaster, Writer, Programmer
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Another year has spun down and rack after rack of albums has been put out onto shelves across America. And, because we’re put on this planet to classify, rank and judge, the close of a year demands that we rank everything known to man.
As music editor, I have a chance to listen to a lot of music but as usual with the music industry you have to dig down deep past the Billboard Hot 100 to uncover the real gems that are released. Unfortunately for you and me both, there is a giant pile of tracks that go unheard by me and as such, this list is limited to those songs released in 2006 that I’ve had a chance to listen to over and over again.
There is no specific criteria used here, only my likes and dislikes, hates and loves. I’m right and you know it.
10. The Shakes – “Liberty Jones”
Album: Liberty Jones
When you hear that someone sounds like The Beatles, if you’re like me you roll your eyes and keep moving. Lucky for me (and you) I heard The Shakes’ “Liberty Jones” before someone told me that and my mind immediately pingponged to that classic band. The band channels the passion, singability and raw fun of the Sixties.
9. Danko Jones – “First Date”
Album: Sleep is the Enemy
Viral marketing is probably the top buzz word for 2006 and Danko Jones is a living, breathing musical example of its fickle success. Their single “First Date” spread like wildfire across the podosphere (that’s the podcasting world for you layfolk) with its driving beats and throwback to real rock and roll.
8. The Hush Sound – “We Intertwined”
Album: Like Vines
It’s not often that a band turns out a good album in one year and follows it up the next with something as great the next, but The Hush Sound did it with Like Vines. While “Wine Red” is a honey example of the dueling-lead harmonies that the band can trot out, “We Intertwined” is the best example of the band’s ivory-tickling, horn-playing, street-band energy.
7. Lady Sovereign – “Love Me or Hate Me”
Album: Public Warning
The biggest midget in the game has the only pure rap entry in this year’s list and there’s a reason: rap is dead. Well maybe not, but don’t you love haughty generalizations? Rap is treading water right now though, compete with speedo and arm floaties. With “Love Me” Sovereign brings a fresh voice to the game with a British accent and a hefty “smurfin you” to those of you who don’t like her. Sov doesn’t talk about what she owns that you don’t; she talks about what she’s got. Inside.
6. Cobra Starship – “Bring It”
Album: Snakes on a Plane soundtrack, While the City Sleeps We Rule the Streets
It’s a pity the Cobra Starship album couldn’t fully live up to the promise of their first release that headed up the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack. The track brings together members from Gym Class Heroes, The Sounds and The Academy Is… for a blunt story about asshole music executives, complete with an extremely catchy hook.
5. Family Force 5 – “Kountry Gentlemen”
Album: Self-titled
I’ve said it before but rap/rock is a tired bit, but FF5 rose out of it with their self-titled album. With a fistful of pop culture references, riffing on Scott Stapp and talking about mullets, “Kountry Gentlemen” has a nice southern rock flavor, with a dash of southern fried rap, and spiced with a happy attitude. Not enough bands can establish a kinetic, electric Personality over the course of one album (a la KISS), but Soul Glow Activatur, Crouton, Phatty, Nadaddy and Chap Stique manage to do it in one song.
4. Regina Spektor – “Fidelity”
Album: Begin to Hope
Regina Spektor has been trudging through the anti-folk scene for a few years and now she’s prepping to fly out onto the big stage with 2006’s “On the Radio” and the beautiful, lilting melody of “Fidelity” that demands that you sing along. The song takes shapes and turns you wouldn’t expect and yet it all fits.
3. Dixie Chicks – “Not Ready to Make Nice”
Album: Taking the Long Way
The state of country today is vomit but somehow the Chicks made it good again, even if the country world is ignoring them because of their political opinions. If the group had just put out a good album in the years since Home that may have been enough, but the band put out a spectacular album and filled it with a fistful of talkback like “Not Ready to Make Nice.”
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dani California”
Album: Stadium Arcadium
Somehow they lost to the douchefest that is Nickelback at VH1’s Big in 2006 awards, but it will be a crime if RHCP don’t take album of the year at the Grammys this year. The band stalled on their last album but came surging back with “Dani California,” which hearkens back to old Peppers with a mix of the best of “Californication,” as annoying a song as it was.
1. The Sounds – “Song With a Mission”
Album: Dying to Say This to You
I was ready to write off “The Sounds” as yet another “The” band. But the provocative cover for the album caught my man-eye and I sat down in the now-closed Virgin store near Mockingbird Station in Dallas to give it a listen. The new-New Wave band launches the album with “Song With a Mission,” setting a high bar for the rest of the album and setting an example for how hard other bands should rock. It’s driving, it’s rocking, and Maja’s smoky Swedish voice will make you think of The Donnas and Blondie. That’s not a bad thing. And it has cowbell.
Thanks for introducing me to The Sounds. “Dying to say this to you” is a brilliant, fun, high-quality pop/punk album.
Lady Sovereign and Dixie Chicks? Sounds like another “insiders take.” It’s sort of like a list of great films of 2006, most of which only showed in limited release on a screen located in a basement in Greenwich Village. The latest Dixie Chicks offering was especially disappointing. They stripped out most of their unique, NewGrass sound and replaced it with an overproduced mess that sounds like everything else playing on ClearChannel. Someone needs to let Regina Spektor know that Tori Amos already cornered the market on pretentious piano pop back in the 90’s.
I’d have included the following:
“Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. Remember when R&B;actually used to be more than 4 minutes of dog-torturing vocal runs? Crazy by Gnarls Barkley harkens back to those days with a rock solid R&B;track with the best video of 2006.
“I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” by the Scissor Sisters. With a great hook and unique vocals, I Don’t Feel Like Dancing was a solid dance track. The track’s got a unique sound, probably helped along by Elton John’s assistance. Too bad he didn’t help with the rest of the album--some of the most turgid lyrics overlying some of the best music. While the album’s a disapppointment (most are these days), I Don’t Feel Like Dancing is a great track.
“Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance. I loved the theatricality of this song. Part Green Day, part Queen, My Chemical Romance’s solid musicianship and outstanding vocals are featured. It’s got an anthem-like quality I loved.
“Aint No Other Man” by Christina Agueilera. Yes, she’s all grown up. No, she’s not naked (too bad). Despite the teen pop start, she’s clearly made it as an adult artist. It’s catchy, unique, and she’s got a voice second to few others.
“Move Along” by the All American Rejects. If you’re epileptic, you might want to skip the video. If you love great, straight-on rock, this was a must-listen in 2006.
“Here It Goes Again” by OK Go. Catchy, solid pop offering from OK Go that featured the most innovative use of treadmills I’ve ever seen in the video.
“Love Me Or Hate Me” the only rap song worthy of being on the Best Songs of the Year list?
Give a listen to “The Champ” off Ghostface Killah’s Fishscale and tell me that ain’t the shit! The soulful brass and guitar heavy sample, in addition to Mickey and Clubber Lang’s dialogue from Rocky 3 reinterpreted is just the icing on the cake.
“Lady Sovereign and Dixie Chicks? Sounds like another “insiders take.” It’s sort of like a list of great films of 2006, most of which only showed in limited release on a screen located in a basement in Greenwich Village.”
This is true, provided you didn’t read a music magazine all year. It’s hard to find someone NOT touting the talents of Lady Sovereign, and the Dixie Chicks haven’t been obscure for more than ten years… so I’m not sure what you’re trying to say here. The PopSyn critics tend to go for quality over distribution volume when judging the Best Of.
“Give a listen to “The Champ” off Ghostface Killah’s Fishscale and tell me that ain’t the shit!”
I gotta admit… I’m far from a rap expert, but Fishscale is one kickass album.
So, reading fanzines is now a prerequisite to being able to tell whether a song sucks or not? I’m not touting Lady Sovereign. She’s horrible. Anyone who thinks Lady Sovereign is good music needs to take a break from MTV’s relentless pimping of tired urban music.
I didn’t say Dixie Chicks were obscure. With Natalie Maines keeping that Bush media flap alive with her own flap, you’d have to live at the bottom of a cave to think they’re obscure. But they’re latest stuff clearly eliminated their unique sound, replacing with stuff that sounded like most other pop songs on ClearChannel stations. Fortunately, their new found martyrdom keeps the critics glowing.
As for distribution volume, spoken like a true insider. “You don’t know much, because you only like entertainment produced for the masses.” Like most critics, your ego is only outpaced by your preteniousness.
Mmkay.