If you write a blog, you have to do an end of year best-of-review-list-of-lists type post - it’s in the rules. So here goes.
Part 1 - The Music
OK. Combining a bit of last.fm (which is in a ropey state and spread across too many Mac’s), my overflowing car CD pile, my iPod and a fair dollop of historical massaging here’s the tracks that have been caught my eye this year. Quite surprising really. A much mellower selection that i’d have thought. I paint myself as a fuzzbox noise merchant most of the time. Half of these have barely seen an amplifier. Wow. Also, lots of 80’s covers. Yum.
You can grab the lot here, or the tracks alone from the list below.
1. The World At Large - Modest Mouse
A case of buying an album based on the cover alone. Something I haven’t done for a while and generally has less than a 30% success rate, so don’t try it at home kids. This one hit the mark though.
2. Marching Bands Of Manhattan - Death Cab For Cutie
If Benjamin Gibbard was involved in an accident I think the Internet would fuse with all of the resulting posting. Here’s a glimpse of why.
Dunno where this came from, a blog most likely, and don’t know much else except I played it 137 times in 2006. Great 80’s cover.
This comes from the climatic final scene from Six Feet Under where Clare drives off into her future - the best bit of telly i’ve seen and the best ending to a TV series ever. No leaving it open-ended. Best bit? 3.48 in where the Cello kicks in. Heavenly.
Should have won the Mercury Music prize. Period. The Artic who? This version is from Jo Whiley. This years best new band.
6. Save Me A Saturday Night - Neil Diamond
Yes, Neil Diamond. Yes, the Jazz Singer. Give it a try. He’s been Rubin’d.
7. Jesus For The Jugular - The Veils
First heard this in Kilburn in late 2005 at a tiny warm-up gig trying out their new band line up. This was a standout then with Finn Andrews entering an almost possessed state. Finally appeared on MySpace in the summer. Shifty audio-hijack action ensued.
8. Darlin’ Wait For Me - Richard Hawley
This is just lovely and the first song of mine in a while that my Mum even likes. Crooning for a new generation. Buy this album.
This is more like it. Complex, layered fuzzy, noisy stuff. Phew!
10. I Walk the Earth - King Biscuit Time
Life isn’t the same without the Beta Band. 2006 and Steve Mason goes solo. Hurrah! This song is like an ear worm. It lodges.
11. Running Up That Hill - Placebo
This was released on one of those Special Edition re-worked album releases, and so went un-noticed for a while. But then I heard it. Great to walk and think to. Another great 80’s cover.
Just about the highlight of the year was standing 5ft from Prince at this years Webby Awards in New York. And then he performed this song. I almost did a sex wee.
13. Take Me Into Your Skin - Trentemoller
Now we get into the electronica. This opening track from Trentemoller’s album is a gentle way in to this section. Stormy music to walk to work to.
14. Harrowdown Hill (Extended Mix) - Thom Yorke
Only Thom Yorke could turn the death of Dr David Kelly into a beautiful, factured piece of syncopatic melancholy like this.
15. (Just Like We) Breakdown [DFA Remix] - Hot Chip
Courtesy of Iain this one. DFA are knocking out some stunning remixes.
16. Forest Families - The Knife
More Skando electronica, this time from thoseonesthatdidtheoriginalofthesonybouncyballsadvertmusic. Like Bjork used to be before she went hatstand. And with bigger synthesizers. We like big synthesizers.
17. Never Never (Extended) - The Assembly
Praise the long tail! Finally tracked down the 12″ mix of the first ever single I bought with my own money. And it doesn’t suck.
18. Do You Remember The First Time? - Pulp
2006 saw Pulp get re-issued and i’m back to 1994 in Epsom again. The shiny polished-up version is even better, revealing nuances missed in the original.
I was a big INXS fan in the early 80’s through the fame years ’til the X period when I lost interest (and Michael started to believe the press releases). Fast forward to summer 2006 and facing a 10-hour drive from Oregon to California, what do you turn to, but the 4-hour 4-CD INXS “best of” of course. Glorious guilty pleasures. Paddington Bear hard stares were seen after about 2 hours. This is a rare example of a good track from a late INXS album.
20. Modern Love - The Last Town Chorus
Discovered via Jonathan Ross on Radio 2, and became the focus of an entire Sunday in Bristol tracking it down online. The most sublime cover of David Bowie’s Modern Love. Simply gorgeous. Probably my track of the year for sure. The album’s utter shite though. Shame.
21. Private Lawns - Angus & Julia Stone
Another Jonathon Ross discovery. Australian twosome that creates amazing music together. This is a re-working of Doris Day’s “Just blew in from the windy city” from Calamity Jane - not on paper the most promising start, but give it a whirl.
22. Yours To Keep (Feat. Neneh Cherry) - Teddybears
Again, cheers Iain. The long-overdue return of Neneh Cherry to popular music. Great driving song.
23. Herculean - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
A late entrant for sure, but a track that’s been playing constantly the past couple of weeks. Lonesome, haunting music. Looks like being the first gig of 2007 too. Good to see you back Simmo. “The wind keeps singing it’s not too late for you”
And few other music related things …
Remix of the year goes to the Thin White Duke’s reversioning of Coldplay’s Talk. A textbook case. A perfect 10.
Video of the year has to be Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, proving again that simple ideas are the best.
Gig of the year has to be Death Cab @ Brixton in June. Ben Gibbard plays drums. Is there no end to this mans talents?
R.I.P. Grant McLennan
After the break. Part II
totally with you on King Biscuit Time. What a great track - never tasted such crunchy, delicious drums.
Breathe Me is a beautiful track. Sia sings like an angel. Did you know she is Australian? She is! (You won’t believe me with my track record on that topic…;-P) Her album “Colour the Small One” was dominating my play list this time last year.