Best of 2006: Honorable Mention

If you haven’t read the introduction yet, go there now.

    Honorable Mention Albums for 2006   

  • Spirit Trail by Bruce Hornsby: I put this album on my purchasing list after reading a very favorable review in Stereo Review back in 1988. It remained there until this year because I couldn’t quite convince myself that I would enjoy a Bruce Hornsby album. Boy, was I wrong. Funky and soulful songs interspersed with pretty little piano instrumentals. But why didn’t it make the Top 10? Hornsby’s voice, I suppose. And two CDs makes it a little unwieldy.
  • Women and Children First/Diver Down by Van Halen: Both of these albums contain songs from the soundtrack of my hard-partying life during my teen years. Before the synthesizer virus infected Eddie Van Halen, he fronted a really hard rockin’ band and these two CDs prove it. “Everybody Wants Some”, “Take Your Whiskey Home”, “Pretty Woman” and “Happy Trails” are just a few of the great songs. If you love crunchy metal electric guitar, these are must-haves for your collection.
  • This Is The Moody Blues by The Moody Blues: Earlier I bought The Millennium Collection but was disappointed to find that it was overly polluted with their ELO-ish 80’s output. Thus, I was very happy when I picked up this hard-to-find two CD set. Even though it contains all the best songs from the seven quintessential albums that defined the Moodies’ sound, this is not just another greatest hits collection. The songs are obviously sequenced to flow just like it’s a real album. Even the now-trite “Nights in White Satin” sounds fresh in this context.
  • Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Very few things remind me of my brothers and sisters like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I’ve had this particular NGDB album in various forms for many, many years but, until recently, it was a rare find on CD. Although I am inclined to classify it as “country” or “bluegrass”, those particular pigeon-holes don’t do justice to this music. In the era that this album was made, this was ground-breaking, but nevermind that. Really great songs from start to finish are interspersed with the the charming conversations with Uncle Charlie. Standouts include “Mr. Bojangles” and an instrumental harmonica version of “Swanee River” that will leave you gasping.
  • Running On Empty by Jackson Browne: Even though Neil Young had created the idea several years before, Jackson Browne perfected the “road album” concept with this 1977 classic. Recorded in hotel rooms, rehearsal halls and concert venues, Browne contemplates life on the road including drugs, women and, of course, the music. This is another album where I enjoy every single track, even the title track which was horribly overplayed in my youth. Oh and don’t forget David Lindley’s lap steel guitar playing, which virtually defined Jackson Browne’s sound for years to come.
  • Rock and Roll by John Lennon: John Lennon virtually invented the roots revival album when he released this album in 1975. Covering such early influences as Chuck Berry, Ben E. King, Gene Vincent and Little Richard, you can hear the joy in Lennon’s voice as he sings the songs of all his heroes. Most notable are the covers of “Ain’t That A Shame,” “Stand By Me,” and “Do You Wanna Dance” which all received more successful cover treatments a few years later. And you have to love the album cover which was essentially a “photoshop” of an early Lennon photo.
  • Necktie Second by Pete Droge: Back when “alternative” rock was king, this album came my way via a borrowed CD from a friend. I committed it to cassette and it worked it’s way into heavy rotation. Although the photographs on the CD booklet are hilariously grungy, Portland musician Droge is anything but grunge. More like power pop with catchy hooks and thoughtful, high-quality songwriting. Throw in the occasional Portland name drop and I’m hooked. Pete Droge hooked me back in 1994 and then again this year.
  • My, I’m Large by The Bobs: Another tremendously influential album that I have owned in many formats over the years. I finally tracked down this rare CD this year and couldn’t be happier. The Bobs are an a capella group who use no additional instrumentation in their music. On this album, they do excellent covers of songs like “Little Red Riding Hood” and “You Really Got A Hold On Me” as well as amusing originals like “My Husband Was a Weatherman” and “Helmet”. Forget about the Nylons, this is where it’s at in the a capella world.
  • He’s Drunk/Plus Also Too by Scrawl: My friend Curt Nelson turned me on to Scrawl back in 1989 when he loaned me this CD, which I promptly recorded on to a cassette. After Rough Trade Records filed bankruptcy, this CD became virtually impossible to find. A couple of years ago I transferred my cassette recording to CD but kept it on my wishlist. What a delight to receive it in “trade” from LaLa.com this year when it was going for fifty dollars or more per copy on eBay. As for the music, Scrawl defined indie chick rock long before L7, Babes in Toyland, Hole or even Liz Phair. Raw, emotional vocals with extensive use of two-part harmonies with the emphasis on the message and a de-emphasis on production.
  • Especially For You by The Smithereens: This is the first and best album from the Smithereens. Although later efforts built upon the same successful formula they established here, those don’t feel as fresh and alive. Back in the late 80’s, songs like “Blood and Roses” and “Behind the Wall of Sleep” sounded like nothing I had ever heard. And the ballads, “In A Lonely Place” and “Cigarette”, check the e cigarette reviews feel honest and sincere. It’s all dark, mysterious and wonderful.

Best of 2006: Songs

    Top 5 Songs of 2006 

  1. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley: Truly one of the most uplifting songs ever written, Buckley took it to new heights in his 1994 cover of the Leonard Cohen classic. As I blogged earlier this year, I really like the way the lyrics in the first verse reference the chord progression. Hear it on the iTunes Music Store.
  2. Fett’s Vette by mc chris: This song introduced me to the nerdcore genre – how perfect is that? Written from the viewpoint of Boba Fette, this song is a buffet of Star Wars name-dropping. Too cool. You can hear it in this episode of a podcast I listen to often.
  3. Turn It Again by Red Hot Chili Peppers: A good pair of headphones; a warm, dark room and my iPod with this song on it. Close your eyes and get lost in John Frusciante’s guitar magic. The short sample on iTMS doesn’t do this six minute masterpiece justice.
  4. This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ To Glide by The Kings: Nothing summarizes my entire college experience quite like this song. Their 1980 album, The Kings Are Here is hard to find on CD, but this song is on several compilations including Sedated In The Eighties, Volume 5. iTMS only has a lame live version, but it may bring back the memories for you.
  5. Mull Of Kintyre by Paul McCartney & Wings: Famous among McCartney fans as one of the few songs that were never released on album, this song resonates with the Scottish countryside about which Paul was writing. I couldn’t find the original online, but I did find a version by Wings’ guitarist Denny Laine (the song’s co-writer).

Best of 2006: Introduction

Back in 2003 I started tracking my favorite albums via playlist in iTunes. Every time I found an album I really liked, I would drop it into the “Best of 2003” playlist. By the end of the year I had collected all of my favorites for that year.

In 2004, I felt so strongly about a couple of the albums that it occurred to me that it was time to make my list public. Unfortunately, I never found the time to write about it on my blog. And I couldn’t quite formulate a way to describe how an album would merit inclusion into my list. Thus, the Best of 2004 never received the treatment it deserved. Finally, at the end of 2005 I had some time to let my thoughts and words coagulate and trickle onto my computer when I blogged about the Best of 2005.

This year, the criteria for inclusion into the list is the same as last year. To be eligible, an album only had to be added to my CD collection in 2006, but not necessarily released in 2006. Some long-time favorites with which I had familiarity but had not previously owned on CD were only eligible for “Honorable Mention” along with a few others that didn’t qualify for the Top 10.

In order to make it into the Top 10, a CD had to saturate my listening time for an appeciable length of time. These ten CDs took up more than 75% of my listening time during the year, a clear sign of appreciation. Although I have ranked them, distinguishing between any two is very difficult indeed. When I obtained each it probably remained in heavy rotation at home, on my iPod and at work for several weeks, often receiving two or three plays per day. This is the quality level required to make the Top 10.

Over the next couple of days I’ll be writing three articles about my picks for Best of 2006. In addition to the album lists, I have added the Top 5 Songs of 2006. This year several songs really touched me but the albums from which they came were not good enough to make the Top 10 Albums. Since I couldn’t possibly make a Best of 2006 list without them, I added the new list.

Best of 2005

Note that criteria for inclusion into the list did not include a 2005 (or even recent) release. To be eligible, an album only had to be added to my CD collection in 2005. Some long-time favorites with which I had familiarity but had not previously owned on CD were only eligible for “Honorable Mention” along with a few others that didn’t qualify for the Top 15.

In order to make it into the Top 15, a CD has to saturate my listening time for an appeciable length of time. These fifteen CDs took up more than 75% of my listening time during the year, a clear sign of appreciation. Although I have ranked them, distinguishing between any two is very difficult indeed. When I obtained each it probably remained in heavy rotation at home, on my iPod and at work for several weeks, often receiving two or three plays per day. This is the quality level required to make the Top 15.

    Top 15 Albums of 2005   

  1. Letting Off The Happiness by Bright Eyes: Exquisite wordplay, riveting storytelling and a twisted dark side combine with sparse instrumentation to sear this album into my brain forever. Although it can seem overly depressing at times, it also veers into the realm of uplifting. In either case, the songs smack of a realness that is not often found in music. So real it’s scary.
  2. Guero by Beck: Eclectic and smart, this is the best Beck album since Mellow Gold. After some genre experimentation on previous albums, I’m glad he didn’t pidgeon-hole himself with this one. Despite the variety of styles represented here, his seemingly innate funkiness is always swimming somewhere below the surface.
  3. Liz Phair (eponymous): Although touted as Liz’s entry into mainstream pop, I didn’t find it to be a sellout at all. Incredibly heartfelt, touching lyrics and her trademark catchy melodies are no longer buried beneath the DIY indie production. What I’ve always appreciated about Liz Phair (as well as many of my other favorite artists) is the fact that her songs are so personal. Listening to this album is like catching up with an old friend.
  4. The Queen Is Dead by the Smiths: Released almost 20 years ago but with lyrics and music that sound timeless to me. Clever, witty, biting and romantic are just a few ways to describe what is probably Morrissey’s best lyrical effort. And it’s got a song about plagiarism! How cool is that?
  5. Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg & Wilco: Having experienced a recent Wilco awakening, I purchased this album of previously unrecorded Woody Guthrie songs in order to get a more complete view of their work. What a pleasant surprise to find that Guthrie’s work has held up so well after so long.
  6. Home by the Dixie Chicks: I’m not a big fan of the Chicks, but this rootsy outing ranges from humorous to serious without ever losing its heart. I’m hoping that this is the first release in which the Chicks were allowed to make the music they wanted and look forward to their future recordings.
  7. Franz Ferdinand (eponymous): Reminiscent of early New Wave (the good Television kind, not the kitschy Knack kind) but with a harder edge, this album rocks from start to finish. I will undoubtedly be checking out their newest album in 2006. (Thanks for the recommendation, Laine.)
  8. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2: I’ve lived with a hard-core U2 fan since 1992 and this is the first album by them that’s really grabbed me. The most obvious difference here from their past albums is the hard rock sound they have embraced, but there are also some really great melodies on mid-tempo and slow songs. Bono’s always incredible voice has matured and has more life in it than it ever has. Oh, and his backing band has gotten to be really good.
  9. The Devil’s Bris by Voltaire: Upon first listening, Voltaire seemed like some kind of demented Andrew Lloyd Webber. Perhaps it was his basso vocals that led me astray, but I no longer hear any schmaltz here — just pure, unadulterated and very dark irony.
  10. Get Behind Me Satan by the White Stripes: I remember the first time I saw the Stray Cats on TV, I thought, “How do they get that much sound from three musicians?” Since then I’ve learned that sometimes in music less is more. There’s no better example of this than Jack and Meg White, aka the White Stripes. Their latest album has more hooks than my dad’s tackle box and they get an incredibly big sound for just two musicians.
  11. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco: In 2004, we watched an excellent movie about the making of this album called “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” which eventually led to this purchase. Although it’s tempting, I’m hesitant to classify this as “pop” or even “power pop” because it’s so much more transcendant than those labels. I’m a sucker for acoustic guitars in a rock setting and this album panders to that weakness.
  12. License To Chill by Jimmy Buffett: This album was touted as Jimmy’s move into mainstream country, a genre that I detest as much as any. So when my sister introduced it to me in May, I was skeptical to say the least. Despite the various cowboy-hat-wearing George-Straight-wannabes that sing along with Jimmy on many of the songs, I still think this one classifies as classic Buffett. Favorite line Jimmy must have written: “…and it’s amazing what they pass off as a bathing suit.”
  13. 12 Songs by Neil Diamond: OK, I know what you’re probably thinking. I thought the same thing when a co-worker mentioned that I might try this one out. I daresay that I scoffed at the thought. But then he said, “Rick Rubin produced.” Whoa! Rick Rubin, the producer of Beastie Boys and Masters of Reality fame? Rick Rubin, the man who single-handedly revived Johnny Cash’s career and made him relevant up until the moment he died? Yes, that Rick Rubin. Taking a similar approach that he took to Cash, he’s captured Neil Diamond with a minimal backup band that never steps on Diamond’s acoustic guitar playing or the sincere honesty of his crackly voice.
  14. Trio by Michelle Shocked: Many of you know that I am a longtime Michelle Shocked so it should be no surprise that her first album since 2002 would make this list. In fact, she released three albums in 2005 and made them available in a single package called Trio. Although I didn’t have an immediate appreciation for these three albums, they have really grown on me, particularly Mexican Standoff, the first in the three disc series, which is dominated by Latin rhythms, instrumentation and melodies. The second is called Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and mixes genres similarly to the way Short Sharp Shocked did back in the late 80s. The third, Got No Strings, features Michelle’s voice at its loveliest as she sings classic songs from Disney movies. Aside from the Disney songs, these discs are also interesting because they feature many of the songs that Michelle has been performing for several years but have not seen CD release until now.
  15. Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple: This is a late entry into the 2005 derby, so I have placed it at the bottom of the list since it takes more than a couple of weeks (as is the case here) to reach the exalted honor of “Best of the Year”. Having said that, I never hesitated about including this in the Top 15. Although it’s similar in nature to Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me, it’s livelier and more intimate than that album. I inadvertently saw her on The Today Show one morning and her two riveting performances were enough to sell this album for me.
    Honorable Mention   

  • Transcendental Blues by Steve Earle: Barely missed the cut for the Top 15. Rootsy, bluesy and country-ish without every being any of those.
  • Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf: Bought for $4 at a yard sale and surprisingly good. Moreso than I had remembered.
  • Blast Tyrant by Clutch: Perhaps classifiable as “heavy metal” but very listenable compared to many of the metal purveyors around these days. (Thanks for the recommendation, Dain.)
  • Encore by Eminem: Relegated to this list only for a lack of consistency from track to track.
  • Tom’s Album by Various Artists: Purchased after Coverville did a show featuring many of the songs. For anyone who was a fan of alternative music in the late 80s, this album is a must listen.
  • From The Mars Hotel by the Grateful Dead: Possibly the Grateful Dead’s last good studio album.
  • Ram by Paul McCartney: My favorite post-Beatles McCartney album, it didn’t make the Top 15 because I’ve known these songs backwards and forwards for almost 25 years.
  • Tenacious D (eponymous): If rock and roll is all about fun, Tenacious D is the embodiment of rock and roll.

Best of 2003

This was the first year that I started tracking my favorites for the year.

    Top 7 albums of 2003   

  1. The Private Press by DJ Shadow
  2. Greendale by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
  3. The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash
  4. Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons
  5. Across The Borderline by Willie Nelson
  6. Mindy’s Strange Yet Intriguing Mix
  7. He’s Drunk/Plus, Also, Too by Scrawl

Best of 2004

Last year I had intended to write about my favorite albums of the year but never got around to. As a preview to my upcoming “Best of 2005”, here is last year’s list!

    Top 10 Albums of 2004   

  1. American Idiot by Green Day
  2. The Wind by Warren Zevon
  3. Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn
  4. Cocky by Kid Rock
  5. Aorta (eponymous)
  6. Sha Sha by Ben Kweller
  7. Call And Response (eponymous)
  8. The Moldy Peaches (eponymous)
  9. Highlights (compiled by Kent) by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  10. G.P./Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons

These ten CDs took up more than 75% of my listening time during the year, a clear sign of appreciation. Although I have ranked them, distinguishing between any two is very difficult indeed. When I obtained each it probably remained in heavy rotation at home, on my iPod and at work for several weeks, often receiving two or three plays per day. This is the quality level required to make the Top 10.

    Honorable Mention   

  • Abraxas by Santana
  • Sean–Nós Nua by Sinéad O’Connor
  • Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon
  • In Holland by the Beach Boys

Note that criteria for inclusion into the list did not include a 2004 (or even recent) release. To be eligible, an album only had to be added to my CD collection in 2004. Some long-time favorites with which I had familiarity but had not previously owned on CD were only eligible for “Honorable Mention.”