TOP ALBUMS OF 2006 (50-26)

Before we get started here, I would just like to say that this was probably the toughest list I`ve had to come with as a Blogger...and WOW what a great year for music. I personally believe that this year was the return of Electronic music, which you`ll probably run into more as you make your way closer to #1...My overall love for a disk, as we`ll as lyrics, production, album art and of course that good ol X-Factor...is what helped me determine who would be #1 or #50...So get your index finger stretched and warmed up for some great music....CN #50 LA ROCCA - The Truth I must say I was pretty surprised by this album. I thought it had "Mainstream" written all over it..But somehow these lush pop melodies got stuck in my head and I found myself listening to this a lot more then I thought..Plus their Irish! La Rocca - Eyes While Open La Rocca - Sketches (20 Something Life) #49 RATATAT - Classics This is the first of many Electronic albums that made the cut this year. This album to me is like a ticket off the planet for 40 min. I find that my mind always wonders and I get taken away from all my stresses when I listen to it. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that its mostly an instrumental album. The vinyl copy has been at Grooves for awhile...and everytime I walk by it I always say (in my head) "I`m gonna get you" Ratatat - Gettysburg Ratatat - Tropicana #48 TAP TAP - Lanzafame Ok...First...The Album art...Fuckin Brilliant!...An elephant with just the band name..I don`t know why but it totally fits the sound of this band. I must thank Dodge @ My Old Kentucky Blog for getting me into these guys...A very interesting listen, and the song Way To Go, Boy has a beat that gets me moving all the time Tap Tap - Way To Go Boy Tap Tap - 100,000 Thoughts #47 JOANNA NEWSOM - Ys This CD is fabulous for a number of reasons, 1-Joanna playes a mean harp, 2- Van Dyke Parks is brilliant and does all the arrangements 3- You never know where Joanna`s voice is going to take you. The mix of all three of these together is what Ys is all about. Plus she is smokin hot, and I`m not talking about the cover...(click) Joanna Newsom - Monkey & Bear Joanna Newsom - Cosmia #46 THE DUDES - Brain Heart Guitar I never did mention the wonderfull album from The Dudes this year...and it was cause I listened to this album a lot and then I shelved it for awhile. I`ve brought it out again lately and that`s why you find it here at 46...Check out Dropkick Queen Of The Weekend..you won`t regret it... The Dudes - Dropkick Queen Of The Weekend The Dudes - Mendoza Line (Woah Caroline) #45 GET CAPE WEAR CAPE FLY - The Cronicles Of A Bohemien Teenager The thing that got me hooked on GCWCF is the fact that they are very talented musicians. I`ve always had a love for the acoustic guitar and they use a lot of it on this album. Furthermore I`d like to say that the band name makes me laugh as well Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - The Cronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (Part 2) Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - An Oak Tree #44 SMOOSH - Free To Stay Smoosh boggle my mind. I can`t help but be blown away at the fact that these girls make music at such a young age (singer/keyboardist Asya born February 2, 1992 (age 14) and drummer Chloe born March 5, 1994 (age 12))..I find that this album is more mature then the first (if that`s even possible) and more catchy as well... Smoosh - I Would Go Smoosh - Rock Song #43 THE BEES - High Society I don`t have much on The Bees. I do know that they are from Nashville and the album High Society as we`ll as the song of the same name deserve some attention..The sound is very 60`s pop with great harmonies and lots of catchy hooks...I love Hard Luck Tom, I just wish it was a little longer The Bees - High Society The Bees - Hard Luck Tom #42 GUILLEMOTS - Through The Windowpane Obviously I had to include the Guillemots on my list. The two singles Trains To Brazil and Made Up Lovesong #43 were played a lot on my ipod this year and the album was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Prize... Guillemots - Made Up Lovesong #43 Guillemots - Trains To Brazil #41 PEARL JAM - Pearl Jam I was quite surprised with Pearl Jam`s album this year. I thought it was gonna stink, but I was totally wrong. It ended up being one of my favourite "Mainstream" albums this year....and they had an Army to help them promote it (opening acts include Sonic Youth, My Morning Jacket, Etc)..I finally saw them live last year with my sister, and they played a bunch of the songs off this album, which I think warmed me up to it a little Pearl Jam - World Wide Suicide Pearl Jam - Unemployable #40 SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND - Raise The Alarm Sunshine Underground reminds me of a slower version of Bloc Party, which is a good thing people....I first remember hearing about them when they opened for LCD Soundsystem and I herd they even won an award for best Live group at the Leeds Music Awards..Still waiting for them to come to Canada though (unless I missed them already) Sunshine Underground - Borders Sunshine Underground - I Ain`t Losing Any Sleep #39 UNCUT - Modern Curriencies I wish more people would realize the potential of Uncut...They play a killer live show and I like to think of them as Paper Bag`s best kept secret..I finally had a chance of meeting them this year and they are great guys...Fact I think I scared Derek a little with my knowledge of Radioblaster (his ex-band) Uncut - Dark Horse Uncut - Out Of Sight #38 ZERO 7 - The Garden I`m not going to lie to ya...the main reason that I`ve included Zero 7 this year is cause of the work that they did with Jose Gonzalez..Actually the song Futures might be one of my favs of this year...Sia Furler is also on the album and provides some great vocals as well... Zero 7 - Futures Zero 7 - Today #37 THE BLACK KEYS - Magic Potion Having never really given any of their albums a chance. I decided to try out The Black Keys this year and was very very impressed...I never was that big on Blues-Rock but the Keys somehow allow me to enjoy that genre...Sometimes I wonder what they would sound like with a bass player but then again that could ruin it too.. The Black Keys - You`re The One The Black Keys - Black Door #36 NEKO CASE - Fox Confessor, Brings The Flood Neko has been around for awhile now. Doing work with The New Pornographers and other Canadian acts (she also used to have The Local Rabbits as her backup band) yet I never was that big into her. Then this year I found myself drawn to that beautiful voice of hers . Funny cause now I can tell her voice apart from others. Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On Neko Case - Star Witness #35 BATTLE - Back To Earth Ok so this is cheating a little cause Back To Earth isn`t a full LP. Its concidered a Mini-Album...but hey I can`t wait for a full-length in 2007 and I love a lot of these songs off this Mini-album...So I`m including it Battle - Wicked Owl Battle - One More Night #34 THE CHANNELS - The Channels This album was the perfect album for my summer and I always think of warm weather whenever I hear it.The band brings me back to my days when I was in love with The Anniversary..I think its the boy/girl harmonies and singing..Lizard Fish Skull would be perfect to listen to while rowing a boat! The Channels - Lizard Fish Skull The Channels - Fluoxetine #33 THE MAGIC NUMBERS - Those The Brokes Yet again....another fine example of what happens when you mix Boy / Girl harmonies and vocals together, to make wonderfull pop melodies. I also dig the fact that all the members are two pairs of brothers and sisters...Think about how rare that is! The Magic Numbers - You Never Had It The Magic Numbers - Take A Chance #32 THE ROOTS - Game Theory Ohhhh shit do I love the song "Here I Come"...Everytime I hear it I wanna get up and dance...Matter of fact if you don`t have the track please grab it and shake your ass...If you do one thing today its to shake it to that song..Ohh and I love how they sample a Radiohead song on the track Atonement The Roots - Here I Come The Roots - Atonement #31 ISLANDS - Return To The Sea I don`t got anymore to say about this album then Its fantastic..I started out listening to Rough Gem a zillion times on repeat...and then I gave the rest of the album a chance... Islands - Rough Gem Islands - Where There`s A Will There`s A Whalebone #30 THE SOUNDS - Dying To Say This To You This album has Sexy written all over it. I get this weird kinda Blondie vibe when I hear this album as well. Which is alright with me cause I think Blondie rocked back in the day. Actually my fiance loves this record and it kinda reminds me of her The Sounds - Painted By Numbers The Sounds - Song With A Mission #29 JENNY LEWIS & THE WATSON TWINS - Rabitt Furr Coat Jenny started the year off with a Bang...Having never been a fan of Rilo Kiley before I somehow decided to give her Solo album a try and I was hooked...I even managed to order it on vinyl..Hey Mom I played this album once and you liked it..So download some of the songs (right click, save as) Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - Big Guns Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - You Are What You Love #28 PANTS YELL! - Recent Drama Man I don`t even remember how Recent Drama came into my possesion..(I think it might have been Kinger?) This is one band I hope can make it up to Canada one day. I think they would be awesome live, and be perfect for a venue like Sneeky Dee`s or something....and to whoever gave me this disk..Thanks a lot!! Pants Yell! - Don`t Take It Pants Yell! -Its Been Done #27 HARD-FI - Tied Up To Tight Another album nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize!...(2005??? What the hell Neiles I thought this was a Top albums of 2006?)..It wasn`t released in Canada until March. Move On Now is surprisingly one of my favourite tracks...it reminds me of when me and Patricia moved out on our own...I also think of it raining when I listen Hard Fi - Hard To Beat Hard Fi - Move On Now #26 YEAH YEAH YEAH`S - Show Your Bones I herd a lot of "This album isn`t as good as the last one!" and Pfork gave it a low score as we`ll (6.8/10)..Screw that man this album is just as good as the last one..A lot of bands struggle with the coming out of the second album, and most of them bomb. Not the YYY`s though...another solid album from the N.Y. trio! Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Phenomena Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts That`s the first half done...Stay tuned on Monday for the continuation of Neiles Life Top 50 Albums of 2006....CN