Houstonist Bartender: Salty Dog
Weekendist Nov. 20-22: Art all day every day
We tallied up all of the Houstonist staff writers’ favorite albums of the year, and were surprised to find out that we actually agreed on nine of them! Here are the CD’s that we couldn’t get enough of in 2006:
The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
When The Decemberists made the move to a major label a year ago, we were worried that they would sell out and release a crappy album of radio-friendly tracks. Luckily, we were wrong. Like last year’s favorite Picaresque, The Crane Wife is a concept album – this time focusing on a Japanese folk tale. Vocalist and songwriter Colin Meloy throws in plenty of great lyrics and just enough hooked-laned melodies to keep us coming back.
Listen: O, Valencia! | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Neko Case sings like an angel. Period. For her third true solo effort, Case downplays her honky-tonk styled voice somewhat and focuses on a more mature, atmospheric landscape. There are many stand-out tracks on the album, but our favorites include “The Needle Has Landed” and “Star Witness.” After several listens, you’ll want to call her up, share a drink, and talk about lost loves.
Listen: Hold On, Hold On | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Gomez: How We Operate
On their seventh album How We Operate, the British band Gomez finally finds an audience in the U.S. It’s a shame that it takes inclusion on a television show for Americans to hear great talent that our friends overseas already know about. The band takes cue from its 70’s counterpart, by alternating between vocalists and songwriters. That, and the fact that they have seem to finally found their niche musically, is what makes this album work.
Watch: See The World | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Raconteurs: Broken Boy Soldiers
You can call The Raconteurs a side-project supergroup, but they say they’re just "a new band made up of old friends." Led by The White Stripes' Jack White and singer/songwriter Brendan Benson, the project yielded one of the most accessible rock albums in years. With songs like “Steady as She Goes” and “Level,” the fusion of White’s guitar-rock and Benson’s pop songwriting sensibilities turned into magic. We hope these friends continue recording together.
Watch: Steady As She Goes | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Cat Power: The Greatest
Like Neko Case, Cat Power has a southern flavor in her voice, but Cat’s is more haunting and rough, leaving you more bewildered than soothed. Cat (who’s real name is Charlyn "Chan" Marshall) partnered with several noted Memphis R&B musicians on The Greatest, which blends well with her sparse guitar, piano, and most of all, her voice.
Listen: The Greatest | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Yo La Tengo: I’m Not Afraid of You, and I Will Beat Your Ass
With twenty years under their belt, Yo La Tengo has outlasted many of their fellow musicians, while growing and staying on independent labels at the same time. Their 15th release is also our favorite album title of the year. The album varies through all moods, but the song “Mr. Tough” is the one that resonates the most, letting us know that all problems can be solved on the dance floor.
Listen: Mr. Tough | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Bob Schneider: The Californian
Bob's latest release continues to demonstrate artistic talent that shrugs off easy classification. "Holding in the World" starts the genre spanning ride with a catchy tune that is slightly hindered by an annoying "everyone harmonize and pound the hell out of your instruments while I sing" sort of over produced harmony. The track is still enjoyable in spite of that. An anthem for the chemically altered, "Sons of Ralph," will be the song you put on repeat at four in the morning after a late night of pounding High Life or other substances with your friends. Then there is “Flowerparts” – just plain beautiful.
Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Destroyer: Destroyer’s Rubies
Destroyer is basically the product of lead man Dan Bejar (who was also responsible for one of our favorites last year from The New Pornographers). Sure, the music is there (dreamy, layered guitars, rock hooks, etc.), but this album is made with the literary-lover in mind. The music is complex and the vocals are dramatic, so don’t expect to hear it on your local rock radio anytime soon. Opener “Rubies” is a 10 minute epic that builds the album from the ground up. Our favorite, and most accessible track, is the catchy “Painter in your Pocket.”
Listen: Painter in your Pocket | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Josh Ritter: The Animal Years
Idaho native Josh Ritter writes simple songs with great imagery. Whether it’s a yearning for a woman in the military (“Girl in the War”), a love gone cold (“Wolves”) or religion in the desert (“Monster Ballads”), Ritter puts the listener in the scene, along for the ride. This is by far the best album from the singer/songwriter, but since he’s still in the first decade of his career, we know that there will be more.
Watch: Girl in the War | Buy: Amazon | Official Site
Here are the other albums we were listening to this year. Yes, we're an opinionated bunch.
Beck The Information
Beirut Gulag Orkestar
Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit
Cassandra Wilson Thunderbird
Dixie Chicks Taking the Long Way Home
Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945
F-Units Reject on Impact
Guggenheim Grotto Waltzing Alone
I'm From Barcelona Let Me Introduce My Friends
Jack's Mannequin Everything in Transit
Josh Rouse Subtitulo
Jurassic 5 Feedback
Klee Zwischen Himmel und Erde
Little Willies Little Willies
Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris All the Roadrunning
Mute Math Mute Math
My Chemical Romance The Black Parade
My Morning Jacket Okonokos
Oh No! Oh My! Oh No! Oh My!
Papa Roach Paramour Sessions
Pavement Wowee Zowee
Phoenix It's Never Been Like That
Rhett Miller The Believer
Richard Dorfmeister vs. Madrid de los Austrias Grand Slam
Roseanne Cash Black Cadillac
Seether One Cold Night
Snow Patrol Eyes Open
Taking Back Sunday Louder Now
The Black Keys Magic Potion
The Blow Paper Television
The Exit Home For an Island
The Features Exhibit A
The Fiery Furnaces Bitter Tea
The Format Dog Problems
The Pipettes We Are the Pipettes
TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones
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No Hold Steady = no cred.
You'll never make everyone happy, but great list. Nice pickups on The Features, Mute Math and YYY's. "Exhibit A" may not be 2006, but if it affected you in '06 then cheers to you (and the list). Go get their Contrast EP. Its solid work.
Will, you once said no Pipettes = no cred, and, as you can see, The Pipettes made the list. At least agree with me that the taste for Craig Finn's voice is hard to acquire.
the Format rulez!!!
Nice work Eric...and contributors! :-)
The Blow are pretty good. Eric Wilson's cool in my book again.
Those are all some great albums! for anyone who's interested... MCR added a second leg of their US tour! I'm EXCITED!!! check out this press release>>
For Immediate Release
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE ANNOUNCE SECOND LEG OF 2007 U.S. HEADLINING TOUR
Burbank, CA — Reprise Records' My Chemical Romance will launch the second leg of their extensive tour in support of their Number One Rock album, the RIAA gold-certified, The Black Parade. The second round of the U.S. arena tour, produced by Art Show - a national touring division of Goldenvoice - will kick off in Houston, TX at the Reliant Arena. Tickets are on sale Saturday, February 10, 2007 via Ticketmaster.
The Black Parade, an epic theatrical concept album about mortality, has been named “Album Of The Year” by Blender Magazine, stating “My Chemical Romance transcended the cliché…to craft a grandiose epic that just might make them the biggest band in the world." Rolling Stone says "The Black Parade is the best mid-Seventies record of 2006, a rabid, ingenious paraphrasing of echoes and kitsch from rock's golden age of bombast."
The week after its release, The Black Parade claimed the Number One spot on SoundScan's Rock, Alternative, Top Albums Retailers, Indy/Small Chain, Internet, and Digital Album Charts. It also shot to Number 2 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart, selling more than 240,000 copies its first week of release. The first single, "Welcome To The Black Parade," has enjoyed eight weeks at the top of the Alternative / Modern Rock Radio Charts in the U.S. and the singles chart for two consecutive weeks in the UK.
www.mychemicalromance.com
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**check out the website for tour dates**
so my chemical romance added a second leg to their US tour! It kicked off a couple days ago. Check out www.mychemicalromance.com ...all the tour dates are listed.
I'm excited!