Friday, December 29, 2006

Done rockin'

Readers, thank you for tolerating my albums of the year chart, which provides me with a vital week off at Christmas. Here's the list in full, including numbers 21-30. For most of the year it seemed like nothing good was coming my way, but by November I was pretty much overrun.

1 YS - Joanna Newsom
2 THE BEATIFIC VISIONS - Brakes
3 THE TRIALS OF VAN OCCUPANTHER - Midlake
4 THE GULAG ORKESTAR - Beirut
5 THIS IS HAZELVILLE - Captain
6 NICE AND NICELY DONE - The Spinto Band
7 BLUES AND BOOGIE SHOES - Keene Brothers
8 DEMON/FREEJAZZ EP - Envelopes
9 THE CRANE WIFE - The Decemberists
10 ESPERS 2 - Espers
11 HOWLING BELLS - Howling Bells
12 WHITE BREAD, BLACK BEER - Scritti Politti
13 A BLESSING AND A CURSE - Drive By Truckers
14 MODERN TIMES - Bob Dylan
15 THE LEMONHEADS - The Lemonheads
16 CITRUS - Asobi Seksu
17 STARRING SOMEONE LIKE YOU - The Tiny
18 LET'S GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY - Camera Obscura
19 THE BEAUTIFUL LIE - Ed Harcourt
20 OVER AND OVER - Erin Bode

21 WHAT IF IT WORKS - The Loud Family & Anton Barbeau
22 RABBIT FUR COAT - Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins
23 EASY BEAT - Dr Dog
24 BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA - The Hold Steady
25 MORPH THE CAT - Donald Fagen
26 TWELVE STOPS AND HOME - The Feeling
27 WE ARE THE PIPETTES - The Pipettes
28 SEMIFINALISTS - Semifinalists
29 SCHMOTIME - Absentee
30 OH YOU'RE SO SILENT JENS - Jens Lekman

14 comments:

Brett said...

I had a better year this year than last year, I have about five of the list this year, last year I had one. Another ten years and I will have this down.

marknca said...

I hadn't heard of too many of the artists on the list this year. As in the past I've been listening to samples of the albums listed and so far I've enjoyed what I've heard.

Thanks for another great list John.

Ryan Sprinkle said...

mine would have been similar, but At War with the Mystics would have been on there somewhere near the top

Unknown said...

no Neko Case this year, Johnny? how dare you slight my red-haired lovely?

i will try to forgive you

John A said...

I never bought that Fox Confessor Brings The Flood deal Andy! I do like Neko though. I will make up for your disappointment in TWIGLETS as I have been forced to cancel my new years revels and they need a home.

John A said...

Well Ray, my first musical act of 2007 was to watch the video for "Through The Fire And The Flame" by Dragonforce. That was certainly impressive, although I'm not sure I will be pursuing my interest in Dragonforce any further. They shredded the hell out of my new year, man. Music to slay an orc to.

Roman said...

The "Fox Confessor Brings The Flood" record is a very good record for your ears to listen to, and it's presented in more digestible parts than the "Ys" record.

Tom Meade said...

The absence of the Knife cuts me to the quick.

I also appear to be one of the few people who didn't think Beirut's album was utterly delightful. I don't know why that is.

Anonymous said...

Wow, usually I totally agree with you, Mr. John A, seeing as I'm a huge Fan of All Thing Finn-Brothery, but good lord, Joanna Newsom... can you really make it past that awful voice? And when you do, can you make it past the childish lyrics? Is there something I'm missing beyond those hurdles?

John A said...

Taniwha:

If I hadn't enjoyed it more than any of the 40 or so other new albums I heard in 2006, I wouldn't have put it at the top. I get something new out of it every time I listen.

Joel said...

Great list John, Midlake is really great and I get to see them play in Denver pretty soon. This almost makes up for you and RTE2 convincing me to buy the Thrills.
Keep up the good work and I trust we'll be in the black in a few more years. Also check out Devotchka and Porlolo, local favs of mine.

Trump said...

The Brakes were mighty fine live and I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes them.

I'm from Oldham btw and I think you're a brave man!

L i a r n i e said...

ah i finally heard CAPTAIN! excellent, a bit prefab sprout-ish. very nice!

Anonymous said...

Fine then, John A, I shall take you up on your word. I shall endeavo(u)r to listen to Ys. Perhaps I'll do it while playing the old videogame "Wanderers of Ys".

If I can't make it past the cat-strangling voice after the whole album, I'll, um, be rather cross with you.