So, Elona upon reading my top 25 albums of 2006 on facebook messages me and tells me about my awesome taste in music. She also asks if I would like to contribute to her music blog.
Now, whenever my ego is nicely stroked the least I can do is ask for more compliments and then do it up on latenightwallflower.com because now I have to live up to some expectations.
My inauqural post to the blog will be my top 10 albums of 2006 with blurbs written about each of them. 2006 was no 2004, but you know it is going to be a good year when Prince releases an album. Oh yes.
10) Joose Keskitalo - Kaupungit Puristuvat Puristimissa
“It is a shame you don’t understand Finnish. It is the most beautiful album ever released in Finland.” Upon hearing this from my friend, it annoyed me a great deal because 1) I don’t understand Finnish and 2) I totally believe her when she said it. Joose plays a makeshift guitar made out of a pesticide barrell with a homemade microphone input. Combining elements of traditional Finnish music and dub gives this album a truly compelling feel even if you cannot understand it. It is like listening to Caetano Veloso or Tom Ze; don’t understand a word, but you know it is beautiful.
9) Masta Killa - Made in Brooklyn
Initially listening to Masta Killa’s second album annoyed me because the track with the best production - Then and Now - was given to his son and his friends. But upon looking on the album, I understand why. Really, I don’t; but, even that creative decision does not take away from the rest of the album’s flow and sound. Jamel Irief’s signature relaxed flow takes over the album and the tight production with guest stars from other Wu-Tang members make this a solid album.
Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet
The coolest 16 year-olds you know. The sheer amount of energy on the album, which can be exhausting at times, reminds me of my goofy adolescence; messanger bag with Fugazi patches, awkward outbursts of affection for the opposite sex, reminding myself that playing the violin is cool and telling that to my friends, defending myself being a violinist at football practice and a general distrust of authority and anyone wearing a Cool Chamber t-shirt. Those were the days…
7) Justin Timberlake - Lovesounds/Futuresex
I overheard someone saying how JT’s latest album was “surprisingly” good. And I was baffled. I know pop music has taken a turn for the worse in recent years, but Timberlake has been unaffected by it. “Justified” was a great pop album with six easily bangable tracks. “Lovesounds/Futuresex” is awesome because it takes so many chances and sure, sometimes it flops a bit, but most of the time it succeeds because Timbaland’s production is so tight on the album. “Surprising?” Hell no. “Awesome?” Most definintely.
6) Mission of Burma - The Obliterati
There is one thing being an angsty teen, but being an angsty 40 year-old demands attentions. Mission of Burma is the only band who can take an almost decade hiatus, re-unite and still assure the american punk scene that they are just as relevant now with ‘ONoffON” and “The Obliterati” as they were in ‘82 with “Vs.”
5) DJ Drama & Lil’ Wayne - Dedication 2
W-E-E-Crooked Letter-Y and Gangsta Grillz return together for a mixtape that sets the precedent for how mixtapes should be: engaging, some goofy gunshot sound effects, repeated use of the “GANGSTA GRIZZLES!” sound, but also be an album that you can listen to in its entirety and play at a party. Lil’ Wayne with every release re-establishes why he is going to be the greatest rapper alive or if he is not already.
4) Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
There is only one knock on this otherwise awesome album by Mr. Tony Starks repping Theodore: NO ONE WANTS TO LISTEN TO 3 SKIT TRACKS IN A ROW! I mean, having a theme to your album is one thing, but having those tracks follow each other is more annoying than enjoyable. You can take those tracks out and the album would not lose any of its punch. But, maaybe a rapper like Ghostface needs those tracks so “Be Easy” and “Jellyfish” and “The Champ” and nearly every other track on the album can come into fruition.
3) Shogun Kunitoki - Tasankokaiku
You can always tell if an electronic album is great when it can take the otherwise cold, computer sounds and drums and beeps and boops and give it a resonating feeling of vivid life and warmth. Fennesz and Brian Eno were and are still able to do this. Shogun Kunitoki is following the same path. The four-piece group from Finland’s first (!) album has such a poignant, layered sound that gives the listener an overwhelmed yet satisfied feeling when listening. From beginning to end, “Tasankokaiku” is a great first impression for a hopefully long career by this group.
2) Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
Vicious. Nasty. Intelligent. Bangin’. Malice and Pusha T are the best rap tandem currently if not ever. I know, Birdman & Lil’ Wayne are good (seriously, they are) but these two brothers the VA take the Neptunes productions and make them fucking nasty and vicious and intelligent and bangin’. I usually don’t cop out, but you need to listen to this album if you haven’t yet. Go. Now.
1) Boris - Pink
I share the same sentiments for this album as I do Clipse’s album. I saw Boris live last fall and there is no better sound than Waka’s feedback surrounding you from her double-stacked Orange amps. You might hear from some people that rock is dead or is on its last foot. This may be true. But motherfucking Boris assures us that rock is not going anywhere fast as long as they are playing. It better be for a long time.
Next time I do something like this, I’m going to write about the top albums before the lesser albums. They are all great albums, but I definitely lost speed towards the end and those albums deserve my goo’ing more so than the later ones. Regardless, all the albums are awesome, worth listening to, all that jazz, yup. There are 15 others, but I don’t have the energy to go into detail with them; however, they all highlight the better moments of 2006:
11) T.I. – King
12) Prince – 3121
13) Birdman & Lil’ Wayne – Stuntin’ Like My Daddy
14) Om – Conference of the Birds
15) Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor
16) Sway – This is My Demo
17) Yuichiro Fujimoto – The Mountain Record
18) The Thermals – The Body, The Blood, The Machine
19) Comets on Fire – Avatar
20) The Coup – Pick a Bigger Weapon
21) Mastodon – Blood Mountain
22) I’m From Barcelona – Let Me Introduce You to My Friends
23) The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls of America
24) Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped
25) Morrissey – Ringleader of the Tormenters
R.I.P James Brown and also R.I.P Syd Barrett and Arthur Lee, who is responsible for delivering the greatest recorded album ever with Love’s “Forever Changes”
Tags: best of, staff by Matthew
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