I don’t want to come off a music snob (Best of 2006)

• Author: Kim
• Filed under: Compilations, Music
• Date: Dec 30,2006

What I meant by a best of 2006 list has a lot to do with the best of what I ended up listening to over the year, not necessarily albums that were released in ’06. I must say, I’ve been trying to come up with this list since last week and I realized it’s a pretty tough list to make especially since I have been ridiculously hooked to a lot of artists over the year thanks very much to my lovely music fiend friends Khayriyyah Mod Hanafiah, Naly Phong, Nathaniel James Salisipan, Jeremy Lu and the Internet.

[photopress:B00000DFRU_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V35679563_.jpg,full,alignleft]Afghan Whigs, The - Now I have to make reference to my dear friend J. Lu, who calls them, aptly, “White guys who sing like they’re black soul”. Whatever that’s supposed to means, it makes a lot of sense hearing it. But the stranger part about The Afghan Whigs is that they manage to be that and sound sorta 90’s. Yeah, sorta. A load of whatever to something that sounds pleasant.

[photopress:B000E11568_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Belle and Sebastian - These kids never fail me. They released a few EPs - which I can’t wait to get my hands on - before letting out their 2006 happity-dabbity album release, The Life Pursuit. I’m falling in love with the 60’s again thanks to them. Go folk revival/jangle!

[photopress:B000GFLAI0_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V36943362_.jpg,full,alignleft]Bob Dylan - Modern Times is so apropos and Dylan shows pro form. Period. There are some things new artists have got to pick up from ol’ Bob. He’s getting raspier these days but - dude, Old School is Cool!

[photopress:B0001KL5NA_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Broken Social Scenee - One of my mom’s Christmas gifts happen to be a copy of their album, Beehives and I guess she knows me well enough. I’ve been waiting for these guys since the 2005 album came out and I’m dying for some new material. No… hungry. Jesus, I can’t adequately put how much I love BSS since I found out about them.

[photopress:B000AOJHZA_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Clap your hands and say yeah! - Correct me if I’m wrong, but they’re white noise. Or not. Or maybe. Beats me. But they sound so good, good and so fucking good, who cares?

[photopress:B000HKDEEW_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V59841508_.jpg,full,alignleft]Decemberists, The - Picaresque was quite a treat at 2005 but 2006 with The Crane Wife out tipped the balance letting The Decemberists achieve musical supercoolness. I love the actual reference to that old Japanese tale about the wife of a man plucking her own feathers so that she could weave silk clothes. You must know the story. Man gets too greedy so the crane wife is driven away, never to return. I hope the “never to return” part won’t happen with these guys.

[photopress:B000EZ902A_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V56234497_.jpg,full,alignleft]Feist - What is it with Leslie Feist and all those Canada-only releases?! (Refers to the album Open Season) I need my copies, okay? Feist has the most Enchanting voice. Hint of folk and soul. You will fall in love with her and not just because you’re dyke.

[photopress:B00006BTCA_01__SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Interpol - And since no one thought they could get any better, they took the initiative. Kye, you are indeed a good friend. I was listening to this album over the summer and it was so goddamn perfect at that time. Haha, figures I’m too hooked up with the epic Obstacle 1 & 2. And the fact that post punk bands actually have something to write about!

[photopress:B0000029DD_01__SCTHUMBZZZ_V38736151_.jpg,full,alignleft]Jeff Buckley - He is definitely missed. I’m really a sucker for skinny, sweaty guys playing the guitar. Especially if these skinny, sweaty guys can really sing.

[photopress:B000FWHVKA_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V65003357_.jpg,full,alignleft]Knife, The - I kid you not, The Knife is so fucking awesome. It’s my current obssession and for starters you might want to listen to Heartbeats which is yet another creative way of singing about sex. We’re talking about an indie electro-pop and GOD-knows-what music. And by the way, did I mention that I am a music snob and that I didn’t just like them just because they were no. 1 at Pitchfork media but because I took the labor of actually listening through the whole goddamn album. Goes to show that Silent Shout is getting the attention it deserves.

[photopress:B000B66H64_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Metric, The - You know I had to listen to The Metric after listening to BSS because not only does Emily Haines have rocking vocals in their BSS song Swimmers but as it turns out, their kind of music is almost exactly what I had in mind for effective songwriting. Although a lot of people might argue that structure is no fun but I’d like to say that structure is structure just so you can remember what you’re singing to easier. And what I can sing or would love to sing, I probably like.

[photopress:B0000DFZZA_01__SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Nelly Furtado - Surprised? I’m talking about her album Folklore of course, the second more modest release (definitely underestimated next to the first and the most recent third release). You’ll be surprised at how Nelly is capable of a sensinble kind of pop, although, I suppose this is a trait people overlook when you get to see how gorgeous she is on video while she’s grinding mindlessly. Point is, if she can manage to be some music schizo, then she may have a lot more racked up in her. Oh yeah, and kudos to her single, All good things come to an end, that showed up in her third album. Although I like the unreleased version more with Chris Martin whining in the background, just because, heh.

[photopress:B000HIP4I8_01__SCTHUMBZZZ_V41133725_.jpg,full,alignleft]Sean Lennon - He looks so much like his dad! Come on people, is that all you ever see of Sean Lennon? The dude has worked up enough musical charisma to deserve his own platform without having to mention his parents The John and The Yoko. Friendly fire does have a touch of Lennon sensibility that we can also see in his father. This album is made up of what songwriting used to stand for before people got too cryptic or too simplistic. Good record.

[photopress:B0009R1T7M_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg,full,alignleft]Sufjan Stevens - I have a love-hate thing going on with this guy because when I check him out in YouTube he seems so gay. But Damn, I’m like hands down with Illinois. For me, it is definitely the best album of 2006, no questions asked.

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[photopress:B000ESSTMO_01__AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V55663618_.jpg,full,alignleft]By the way, Jewel is out with a new album. Goodbye, Alice and Wonderland revives what Jewel is best at - a lot of folk, a lot of melody and no more tacky-sounding RnB. This is the same Jewel I knew covering the Rolling Stone’s Wild Horses and can I just say…finally you she came in to her senses! Here’s to maturity. Goodbye, Alice and Wonderland welcomes Jewel back home.