Look out! He's got a knife!: Best Music of 2006?

December 19, 2006

Best Music of 2006?

This has been a cracker year for me, and part of that is because a whole bunch of new music came out that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think one reason I don't need religion because I have music.

The best album I've heard with an '06 release date was also the first I heard: The Greatest by Cat Power. Strong songwriting, top-notch band, her best album yet. Essential.

The biggest disappointment was Feedback by Jurassic 5, who did not survive the loss of Cut Chemist to a solo career (his The Audience Was Listening was good, but not great). Runner up with In My Mind by Pharrell, who after a brilliant producing career seems to have saved his worst beats for himself.

Michael Franti & Spearhead released a surprisingly mainstream-sounding rock album called Yell Fire!, which was quite listenable (that's a slam) but kept afloat by his earnest charisma. It also served as the soundtrack for his documentary on the Middle East.

Nelly Furtado did an album with Timbaland called Loose, which I enjoyed. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland did a similar one called FutureSex/LoveSounds, which I enjoyed less (as the title suggests, it tries too hard).

J. Dilla died. A moment's silence please.

J. Dilla also released two albums, the superior Donuts and the great-but-too-much-guest-rapping The Shining. He also contributed to the second best album of the year - more below.

RZA still did not release The Cure. I don't think I heard a single new RZA beat this year.

Ghostface Killah released the second best album of the year, hands down. Some of the beats were taken from previously-released instrumental albums (eg "Whip Me With A Strap" was originally "One For Ghost" on the aforementioned Donuts; "9 Milli Bros." was originally "Fenugreek" on MF Doom's Special Herbs & Spices Vol. 1") but that mattered not a jot. Endlessly long and unfunny skits were fortunately skippable. Fave song: either "Underwater" or "Kilo".

Prince's 3121 was disappontingly third-hand: Mr. Nelson imitating The Neptunes imitating Prince. It spent the shortest time in my CD player of probably any Prince album ever.

Isobel Campbell released the brilliant country album Ballad of the Broken Seas with Mark Lanegan and the excellent folk album Milkwhite Sheets on her own.

Neko Case released possibly her strongest album yet in Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and still seems to stand poised on the verge of the massive success that will probably continue to elude her for as long as she refuses to have publicity photos taken. (She's not even on the album cover this time!) I cannot recommend this album highly enough to anyone wanting acoustic music marked by an edge of darkness, great unconventional songwriting, and one of the best voices in the world today. She's not even really country anymore. This is great stuff.

Jarvis Cocker released an interesting solo album that I have not properly digested yet. Flaming Lips came out with the disappointing At War With the Mystics.

Slayer released Christ Illusion, possibly their best album since Reign In Blood 20 years ago. Is Dave Lombardo the best drummer in the world?

Jolie Holland was one of at least three artists releasing career-best albums this year. (She also put on a topo show at Indigo.) Springtime Can Kill You built on 2004's Escondia beautifully, and emerged as a wonderfully coherent album. In an ideal world she would be topping the charts, but unfortunately most people's taste in music fucking sucks.

The best release of the year, hands-down, was Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Boozers by Tom Waits. Three CDs, 26 previously-released soundtrack & compilation appearances, and 30 brand new songs. If you ain't down with Tom Waits yet there's something wrong with you.

Fave songs:

"Still Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera (great DJ Premier beat)

"Underwater" by Ghostface

"We're Not Alone" by Peeping Tom

"Shade And Honey" by Sparklehorse

"Living Proof" by Cat Power

Tune in next time, when I'll probably talk about being interviewed for a documentary on New Zealand cultural identity.

Posted by pearce at December 19, 2006 6:34 PM

Comments

Nice one.

I've seen 'The Shining' instrumentals floating around Tokyo recently (like little swarms of bees), so having recommended the other version to you and found you're not liking it so much I might pick up the instrumentals...

I read that 'Donuts' is basically a deliberately sketchy mix of all the beats Dilla was working on at the time (maybe on Talib Kweli's blog?), so I wouldn't be surprised if they show up in more places than 'Fishscale'.

Posted by: michael at December 20, 2006 12:25 PM

BTW, I posted my end of year faves over on dissensus.com.

http://dissensus.com/showthread.php?p=69530#post69530

Posted by: michael at December 20, 2006 12:29 PM

I suspected as much, though I also wonder if it wasn't rushed because he was so sick. (Didn't he die like the week after it was released?) Too much hip-hop is polished and shiny, and I like some of the splinters and sawdust left in music. Donuts was never boring or formulaic or, well, normal.

I think you recommended it? It's the only thing on your list I've heard!

Posted by: Pearce at December 20, 2006 8:50 PM

I haven't really been exploring music this year. The most notable discovery was probably Sunn 0))), who are pretty difficult to recommend to most people.

My album of the year, however, is Home by The Gathering, which is just wonderful.

In terms of review, I will quote what the last person I gave a copy of it said: "I've only been listening for 3 seconds and already my expectations have been met or exceeded - is this earth music ... !?@$:"

Posted by: billy at December 20, 2006 9:12 PM

Speaking of...

I recently discovered a little known yet excellent rendition of 'Waltzing Matilda' by Tom Waits. Good stuff.

Cheers

Posted by: Martin at December 24, 2006 12:29 PM

They used to play that (Tom Waits song) in the mornings on National Radio quite often. I have this vague idea Kim Hill was a fan?

Posted by: michael at December 24, 2006 9:32 PM

Are you guys talking about the Tom Waits song "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen)?"

It's not really a "rendition" of Waltzing Matilda: he just purloins the chorus line for the refrain during the opening song of his superb 1976 album "Small Change."

He's using the waltzing maltida refrain to illustrate the dissolute and drunken theme of the album.

There's a lot more about it on the wiki page for the album: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Change

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