There was no Friday Top Ten yesterday, so I’m going to try my hand at producing the first ever Saturday Top Ten for you. I’ll try to make this brief.
Top Ten Records of 2006 (January – July)
10) Vetiver – To Find Me Gone: To be honest, I hadn’t listened to this album until after I saw them in July. Andy Cabic and the band show marked growth since the release of their self-titled first album. Songs that would otherwise sound bland benefit from the addition of background drones and multiple vocal tracks.
9. Bob L. Sturm – Music From the Ocean: This is by far the most unique thing I’ve heard in a long time. Professor Sturm places microphones on buoys and records oceanic events. It’s probably the best late night sleep-inducing album I have, and it also makes for a druggie good time.
8. Sweek – The Unbelievable Cinematic Crash: Sweek are a Belgian instrumental group that boasts a cellist, thus differentiating them from other modern “post-rock” bands like Mono and Explosions in the Sky.
7. Russian Circles – Enter: Instrumental rock band from Chicago that sounds like Pelican but with more balls. That’s not a slight against Pelican (who are very talented), but this is less sludgy and a bit more hard-rock than metal–so it’s easier for me to enjoy.
6. Envy Insomniac Doze: It took a long time for me to find a hardcore band that actually made listening to hardcore music enjoyable, but Ian saw these Japanese fellows two years ago and told me to give it a chance. They combine the best experimental aspects of rock music with guttural screaming that doesn’t sound hackneyed.
5. Oneida Happy New Year: Oneida produce my favorite modern take on Krautrock (with Electrelane a close second). The guitars are more present than on The Wedding, but not the main focal point, like on Secret Wars. The lyrics are brilliant. Simply put, Oneida releases consistently great records.
4. Psychic Ills – Dins: Everyone goes ape-shit for that Black Angels record but I think this is much better. Sure, I’m bitter that all these new bands are beating me to the Spacemen 3-revival thing, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy their records…Does it?
3. Danielson – Ships: This is certainly a departure for Daniel Smith. When I saw the Danielson Famile touring with Deerhoof, the last thing on my mind was, “what would these bands sound like if they recorded together.” Well, here’s your answer. It juxtaposes the best elements of the Famile (whose albums, especially Fetch the Compass Kids, manage to sneak-in many homages to great hard rock albums) to a better backing band.
2. Boris – Pink: Best heavy rock band on the planet. Period. Pink is experimental music that takes psychedelia to dizzying heights, while remaining true to the most basic tenet of rock: play it at eardrum-shattering volumes.
1. Bill Holt – Dreamies: I know it came out first in 1973, but there was no way I would’ve ever heard it if it were not for a 2006 re-release. Not only does Dreamies contain two tracks that are meant to be a continuation of the Beatles Revolution 9…Not only are those tracks great pop songs…The whole mystique surrounding the creation of the album adds an extra layer of coolness. Dude works for Fortune 500 company, quits his job to write pop songs, retires to his basement to work on an album, and constructs the whole thing by hand (tape manipulations and all)!
