10. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND * LIVE AT FENWAY PARK
Basically my "personal pick." I love the band and I love them live, but this album is beyond any of their previous live releases. 4 discs. Plenty of new, unreleased tracks. Superb renditions of classics. It's not going to show up on anyone else's pick for "Albums of the Year" but who cares, it's still damn good.
9. THE WEATHER MACHINES * THE SOUND OF PSEDUOSCIENCE
This was one of those, "Eh, nothing new out this week, what do you recommend?!" picks. Luckily Coleen over at Needmore Discs told me about these guys. For being a debut, I was shocked at not only the fact that they made some solid and catchy rock, but also not signed to a huge label. If there's any justice in the world of music, these guys will land a major contract and come out with an even stronger follow-up!
8. ARCTIC MONKEYS * WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT
Yeah yeah, there's tons of hype on these guys and it's not all deserved...but at the end of the day this album was still better than loads of others and they seemed to deal with their newfound fame better than say, The Killers. Besides, you totally don't start hating on a band until their SECOND album!
7. CURSIVE * HAPPY HOLLOW
Probably the hardest record to "get into" on the list. First listen, I was underwhelmed, but by the second and third I began to understand why so many people were raving about this collection of songs about life in the Midwest. Being on the top of the buckle of the Bible Belt, I relate a lil' too much to the themes expressed in a lot of these songs. Cursive is a great band, but this isn't where I would start if you're wanting to get into them. This is a much better jumping on point.
6. WE ARE SCIENTISTS * WITH LOVE & SQUALOR
ANOTHER solid debut album makes the list. These guys (thankfully) missed out becoming over-exposed by doing a stint on The O.C. or something like that. They (hopefully) will have a long and solid career ahead of them thanks to their amazing catchy hooks and fierce guitar work. Plus, you gotta give them props for Album Cover of the Year as well!
5. JOHNNY CASH * AMERICAN RECORDINGS V
You could argue that with each American Recordings, Johnny Cash made a better collection of covers and classics. Certainly, as a "I listened to it over and over again" standpoint, American Recordings V was the best of the series. So many good cuts, and even better, they are so deeply personal and emotional that you can hear Johnny's pain and sorrow on each and every track. Recorded in the months in between June's death and his own passing, death is all around him and like hell he's going down without a fight. Listen to his passion on "God's Gonna Cut You Down." Feel the sadness in his cover of "If You Could Read My Mind." And you can't help but sense the connection between the son and father taking their coffin of their late mother/wife back home on a train on "The Evening Train." It was written back in the 1940's and Cash makes it feel as though he's singing it about his tragic loss.
The Evening Train
I heard the laughter at the depot
But my tears fell like the rain
When I saw them place the casket
In the baggage coach of the evening train
The baby's eyes were red from weepin
His little heart is filled with pain
Oh dad he cried they're takin mama
Away from us on the evening train
I turned to walk away from the depot
It seems I heard here call my name
Take care of baby and tell him daring
That I'm goin home on the evening train
I pray that god will give me courage
To carry on til we meet again
It's hard to know she's gone forever
They're carryin her home on the evening train
I heard the laughter at the depot
But my tears fell like the rain
When I saw them place the casket
In the baggage coach of the evening train
4. BOB DYLAN * MODERN TIMES
I raved and raved about this album for weeks on this blog already, but if you didn't pick it up, it's easy to think that it's just "old timer music." You need to give it a listen. It's surprisingly rocking and melodic...he's still a master of songwriting, but the music on this one also shines...
3. DIXIE CHICKS * TAKING THE LONG WAY
Again, without actually listening to this album, you're likely to just roll your eyes. But it's fucking good, I'm telling you the truth, yo!!! We all know the shitstorm they caused when they ate that aborted fetus on stage...no...wait, simply uttered the phrase: "We're ashamed President Bush is from Texas." Wow, can you even remember that far back to when Bush and the war were popular?! What a retarded couple of years those were...
Anyway, this album is one of the few that I can just press play and listen straight through at any time. Having a bad day, it's got angry political songs on it. Feeling blue, it's got some sad country tunes. Want to line dance...eh, maybe you need to buy some Brooks n' Dunn. Fucking go buy this album...now!!!
2. CAT POWER * THE GREATEST
Two different covers and neither of them do this album justice. Especially the pink one with the gold boxing glove?! Who the fuck thought that was a good idea?! Anyway, this was easily the album I listened to the most throughout the entire year. (kind of helps that it came out back in late January) Deep, Southern swing mixed with an amazingly haunting voice, Chan Marshal has perfected her studio sound. She also has overcome the anxiety of performing live and even made an appearance on Letterman earlier in the year. Another great "put it in and let it play" album that doesn't have any lulls. If you've never bought a Cat Power album, this is an excellent place to start!
1. MATES OF STATE * BRING IT BACK
Talk about horrible album covers...I almost fought the urge to buy this (even after hearing hype about it being damn catchy pop) just because I didn't want this guy's eyes to steal my soul when I slept at night. Luckily, I ended up buying it, tossing the CD cover into the fireplace along with a Bible and some Holy Water and enjoying the best album of 2006! I cannot even begin to describe how awesome this record is. Every single song is catchy. Every single song is "single worthy." Every single...you know what, just go listen to a couple 30 second samples over at iTunes and find out what you're missing! I promise you, give Mates of State a listen and you'll be in a state of happiness.
Fuck you, you wish you were half as clever as me.
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