Almost as predictable as fruitcakes and latkes this time of year are critics’ "best of" lists. Ranging from humorous to pretentious, they can be a worthwhile reminder of ’06 (that was a rad show!), a welcome tip for last-minute shopping (dude, my mom would totally dig Lady Sov. Done and done!), or merely an aching realization that you will never have "good" taste, that no, you’re just not that cool (who the hell is the Knife? you ponder as you download the latest My Chemical Romance).
But this really was a great year for music, and since I have been duly deemed music czar of this site, I’d like to share my top however-many album picks from this year that was. Some are obvious/familiar. Some may not be. But all sport the rawksavvy seal-of-approval, which should be of some comfort.
I urge you to go forth and discover new music. And if this one list isn’t ample, check out Pitchfork‘s "Top 100 Tracks of ’06," Popmatters‘ "Best (and Worst) in Show," Slate.com‘s hotly contested year-end wrap-up, and music blog DoCopenhagen‘s top videos of the year (personal faves: I’m From Barcelona, Justice Vs. Simian, and El Perro del Mar).
Happy holidays. And here’s to a musically-astute new year!
Leah’s picks for best albums of 2006 (In no particular order. Except for the first one. That rocked.)
The Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America
TV on the Radio: Return to Cookie Mountain
The Blow: Paper Television
Girl Talk: Night Ripper
Field Music: Field Music
Lady Sovereign: Public Warning!
The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes
Man Man: Six Demon Bag
Voxtrot: Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives EP
Peter Bjorn and John: Writer’s Block
Hot Chip: The Warning
Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Ecstatic Sunshine: Freckle Wars
Guillemots: Through the Windowpane
Beirut: Gulag Orkestar
Belle & Sebastian: The Life Pursuit
The Thermals: The Body, The Blood, The Machine
Islands: Return to the Sea
Professor Murder: Rides the Subway EP
The Divine Comedy: Victory for the Comic Muse
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti: House Arrest
The Ark: State of the Ark
Tokyo Police Club: A Lesson in Crime EP
Figurines: Skeleton
The Bird and the Bee: again and again and again and again EP
The Little Ones: Sing Song EP
Gnarls Barkley: St. Elsewhere
The Long Blondes: Someone to Drive You Home
LCD Soundsystem: 45:33
The Sunshine Underground: Raise the Alarm
Love Is All: Nine Times the Same Song
Mystery Jets: Making Dens
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