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| From | ArthurBang2@aol.com |
| Subject | Top CD's of 2006 (and more) |
| Date | Thu, 4 Jan 2007 18:40:32 EST |
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Here are my top 10 CD's of the year (ranked), and then honorable mentions
for the rest of my faves (in no particular order):
1. Bob Evans - Suburban Songbook
The best CD I've heard in quite awhile. This one has so many styles, I'd
love to hear what his first CD "Suburban Kid" sounds like. Does anyone know?
Favorite song right now is probably "Nowhere Without You", but that changes
almost daily.
2. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
I had never known much of Belle & Sebastian until this year. Then I started
dating my girlfriend, and she owned all of their CD's. According to my
last.fm charts, they went from off the radar to my #11 listened to all-time
artist in the course of a year. I wish I had seen them in concert this summer at
the Hollywood Bowl. Favorite song: "Funny Little Frog"
3. The Elected - Sun, Sun, Sun
A CD that I bought back in January or February, and I never went more than
a couple of weeks without listening to it again. I've been surprised by the
lack of discussion of it here. The group features Blake from the band Rilo
Kiley. Favorite song: "The Bank & Trust"
4. The Format - Dog Problems
Favorite song : "Snails"
5. Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. - The Land Of Pure Imagination
I've been a fan of Roger's since Jellyfish. This CD is wonderful (well,
"Solid State Warrior is.. I've basically combined the two CD's into one to rank
it at #5 on my list this year). One of the concert highlights of the year
was seeing Roger at IPO this summer. Favorite song: "Too Late For Us Now"
6. "Weird Al" Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood
I've been a fan of Weird Al for even longer, almost as long as I can
remember (but more realistically '83 or '84). This is his strongest CD in years.
The parodies are hit or miss but the original tracks are some of the best he's
ever done. Favorite song : "Close, But No Cigar"
7. Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
On the other side of the side projects from Rilo Kiley, is Jenny Lewis & The
Watson Twins. Favorite song: "The Charging Sky" (especially the lyric about
her dad "growing Bob Dylan's beard")
8. The Feeling - Twelve Stops and Home
Many people have compared The Feeling to the second coming of Jellyfish.
Well, I don't like it QUITE that much, but it is enjoyable, with lots of great
harmonies. Favorite song: "Fill My Little World"
9. Josh Rouse - Subtitulo
Another strong CD from Josh Rouse. His disc Nashville was one of my
favorites as well. Favorite song: "Quiet Town"
10. Barenaked Ladies - Are Me/Are Men (extended double CD)
This two disc double CD (the second CD is going to be released seperately
later this year as well) is one their best CD's ever. I've been a fan since
Gordon, and my favorite CD of theirs is still 1994's "Maybe You Should Drive",
but this is the first one to come anywhere close to that for me. Favorite
song: The Jim Creeggan sung "Peterborough & The Kawarthas"
Other favorites this year:
The Kooks - Inside In/Inside Out
The Power Cords - Modern Day Noise
Tally Hall - Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
Madman Moon - 11 Song LP
LEO - Alpacas Orgling
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
Ben Kweller - S/T
Greg Graffin - Cold As The Clay
Gin Blossoms - Major Lodge Victory
Linus Of Hollywood - Triangle (a long wait for this one, and a bit of a
disappointment for me).
The Zutons - Tired Of Hangin' Around
Butch Walker - The Rise and Fall...
Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
Beck - The Information
Let's Go Sailing - The Chaos In Order
Kite Flying Society - Where Is The Glow?
Ben Folds - Supersunnyspeedgraphic
Chris Brown - Now That You're Fed
The World Record - Guitars Forever
Envelopes - Demon
The Fratellis - Costello Music
Bedroom Walls - All Good Dreamers Pass This Way
Favorite soundtrack: Stranger Than Fiction
Top Concerts (a very eclectic mix):
1. Stew - Passing Strange (mostly a play, partly a rock show, we saw this at
Berkleley a few weeks ago)
2. Kanye West - Coachella 2006
3. The Flaming Lips - Hollywood Bowl
4. Roger Manning Jr./Kite Flying Society/Let's Go Sailing/etc - IPO L.A. '06
5. Blue Man Group - Las Vegas, summer '06 (again, not EXACTLY a concert but
a great rock show!)
6. Jamie Cullum - The Grove, Anaheim (awesome show!)
7. Tenacious D / Giant Drag - Henry Fonda Theater
8. Gnarls Barkley / Peeping Tom - OC Fair Summer '06
9. The Clientele / Bedroom Walls - Knitting Factory L.A.
10. Mama Got Five / The Letter Openers / Madman Moon - IPO Summer '06
Arthur
myspace.com/arthurbang2
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