TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2006

Some points to consider. I obviously haven’t heard every half decent record of 2006 so this is naturally based on what I have heard. Anyone paying attention to my reviews over the year
might be surprised that some records appear to be ranked higher than you would have thought from the comments at the time or that an album has been bumped down – well opinions do change over the year. As ever, compilations and re-issues have not been considered for this list. Albums that made last year’s list, and we’re talking The Like and Nerina Pallot here, but got re-releases and/or UK releases this year were not eligible. Anything I’d previously ignored that got such a release this year was of course eligible. Needless to say, you’ll probably disagree with some, or all, of my choices and the order in which they are in – discussion is welcome; “why the f**k didn’t you put Razorlight in” is not welcome ;-D.

25. Hurricane Glass – Catherine Feeny
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Indeed anyone who thinks Sandi Thom is the second coming of Jesus might like to check out what a really good album actually sounds like…”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
It of course failed to sell a fraction of what the likes of Sandi Thom did, but that shouldn’t detract from the excellence on show. Still a delight six months on, this is a mature and somewhat melancholic album, but it’s never dull.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Mr Blue, Always Tonight

24. Victorian English Gentlemens Club –
The Victorian English Gentlemens Club
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“This is quite probably the best album this year that no-one will ever hear.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
I probably just about stand by that; even if some of the records that follow in this list never made the top 40 at least they got varying levels of acclaim. This one seems to have been largely ignored. The first 10 minutes or so of the album must be 10 of the best minutes of music committed to Compact Disc this year and if the rest can’t quite match up, it’s still brilliant.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
My Son Spells Backwards, Tales Of Hermit Mark, Stupid As Wood

23. B’day – Beyonce
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“[an] album which has as many highlights as Dangerously In Love and, crucially, virtually none of the filler…against all the odds, I'm impressed with this.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Her video’s have got more and more bizarre but song-wise Beyonce has never been better (and I include any Destiny’s Child collection in that). Clocking in at a mere 10 tracks this should be a lesson to the likes of Christina Aguilera that less can indeed be more. And you can say what you like about her on-going “dalliance” with Jay-Z, but he provides help on two of the best tracks here. There may be a backlash against Beyonce these days, but this is an album jam-packed with possible hit singles.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Upgrade U, Freakum Dress, Green Light

22. Highway Companion – Tom Petty
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“There are highlights aplenty; if this really is the last album Petty gives us, he's left on a high note.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Petty is one of those unsung artists who, in this country at least, never gets the respect he deserves despite the great albums he almost constantly delivers. This is no exception…in both respects. It’s nothing astoundingly new, admittedly, but it is Tom Petty at his best. And that’s more than good enough for me.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Saving Grace, Flirting With Time, Down South

21. The Warning – Hot Chip
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“If there is one thing to take away from this album it may well be just how, well, fresh and original everything sounds.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Over and Over maybe the most (or only) commercial thing on this album but not even the brilliance of that can prepare you for this album. Fresh, funky and original, it takes you to a million different places…and all of them are more than worth the visit.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Over And Over, Boy From School, Just Like We Breakdown

20. Begin To Hope – Regina Spektor
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Newer fans may well have to take a few listens to really fall in love with her but no matter how long you have, or haven't, known of Regina, eventually this album will get you. It's that good.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
It’s always requires a leap of faith when a long-admired cult artists makes their stab at the mainstream, but we needn’t have worried that the quirkiness that made Regina such an essential artist would be lost in a stream of middle of the road arrangements. Yes, there is a more “radio-friendly” edge to things but it doesn’t hide what made you love Regina in the first place. So all in all, the old fans should have loved it as well as it acquiring new fans to the cause. I would say that was mission accomplished wouldn’t you?
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Après Moi, Hotel Song, Better

19. Be Your Own Pet – Be Your Own Pet
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“…this, rather exhilarating, album is more concerned with those unimportant things that nevertheless take on great importance when you're young… a dynamic and exciting record which deserves to be heard.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Clocking in at around half an hour, this is a riot from start to finish. Some have argued to me that its “just a lot of noise” but I think it’s more that that. It’s exciting, it’s exhilarating and it’s just a short sharp burst of punk-rock delight.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Adventure, October First Account, Bog

18. Black Holes & Revelations – Muse
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Whether more ardent fans will agree I don't know, but for me this is Muse's most thrilling and complete collection yet.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Some will no doubt be lambasting me now that this comes in at number 18, whilst others will no doubt be wondering why I’ve got this in at all given my “history”. Well what can I say? It’s not just a case of Supermassive Black Hole sounding like a Britney Spears song, this really is their best collection yet. It’s also quite unlike anything else you’ll will have heard all year.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Supermassive Black Hole, Soldier’s Poem, Map Of The Problematique

17. Moon Over The Freeway – The Ditty Bops
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“It’s perhaps a little too "off-the-wall" to gain any semblance of major success, but that shouldn't detract one iota from what is a really good record”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
To be honest, I’m not sure if this ever got an official UK release or not. It certainly hadn’t had one at the time I reviewed it. But nevertheless it’s an album that deserves one. A little bit swing, a little bit vaudeville but a whole lot Ditty Bops, this is an album that defies categorisation. With a pair of female voices that contrast rather than merely blending into one and some of Mitchell Froom’s usual top-notch production this album is quite the hidden gem.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Fish To Fry, Get Up ‘N’ Go, Fall Awake

16. Live It Out – Metric
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Whilst never quite as clever as it thinks it is, this is still a great album to, you know, dance to. A rock band not afraid to have fun...whatever next?”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Their first two albums weren’t bad (taking into effect that although their “debut” album will only get its official release in 2007 it was indeed their debut) but this was the one that set them apart from the pack. Is it rock? Is it disco? Is it an exhilarating blend of the two? At times they don’t even seem sure. They are probably at their best as an electronic act that rock out (rather than vice versa) but there is much to enjoy throughout this album no matter which side of the coin happens to be your cup of tea.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Poster Of A Girl, Glass Ceiling, Monster Hospital

15. The Orange Album – Stefy
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“The singer can sing, the band can play, and they have a knack for turning out catchy pop melodies that will stick in your brain for days.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
With a UK launch scheduled in 2007, I’ll get in now with my praise for this. Praise which becomes all the more relevant when one compares the Stefani-style leanings of this album with some of the awful stuff on the actual new Gwen Stefani album itself. It’s not high concept we’re dealing with here, just some great 80’s-twinged pop songs delivered with style and panache. With a little luck, Stefy could go quite a long way.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Chelsea, Cover Up, Orange Crush

14. Other People’s Lives – Ray Davies
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Davies is legitimately one of Britain's greatest songwriters… you can't help but feel glad that [he] is finally back amongst us.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
You could make a case for this album being The Arctic Monkeys for the older generation; it shares the same wit and somewhat eccentric Englishness that makes the Monkeys what they are. The long wait for his first proper solo album was almost worth it. Tracks like Next Door Neighbours and Is There Life After Breakfast genuinely hark back to the glory days of the Kinks and if Ray can’t quite keep up that level for a whole album, this is still a delight. Simply put, if you like The Kinks, this album is one you should have in your collection.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Next Door Neighbours, Is There Life After Breakfast, The Tourist

13. Hearts & Unicorns – Giant Drag
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“They have the tunes, they have the lyrics and they have the front woman with oodles of star-quality to spare.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Ok so Annie ISN’T Charlotte Froom’s sister (it was plausible though looking at them wasn’t it?) but that doesn’t make this any less of an album. Touches of My Bloody Valentine with shades of The Breeders and The Beach Boys, this is a barmy album for sure, but one that is underpinned by some killer tracks. Not least of all the essential cover of Chris Isaak’s wicked game. Rarely has something that sounds so wrong on paper sounded so good on record.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
YFLMD, Wicked Game, Kevin Is Gay

12. Voices Of Animals & Men – The Young Knives
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“light-hearted is more the order of the day with The Young Knives…you could argue it's just XTC for the new generation, but then I would ask you...what would be wrong with that?”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Q magazine suggested that The Young Knives are the band that Mark from Peep Show wound front. And indeed, how can you fail to love a band who have a member called “The House Of Lords”, named so because he’s big and all the decisions have to go through him?
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
She’s Attracted To, Here Comes The Rumour Mill, The Decision

11. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not –
Arctic Monkeys
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“It's an instant crowd-pleasing album and whilst it never quite totally lives up to the hype, there is enough here for you to see why the hype was forthcoming from certain circles.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Ok, so I still say it didn’t quite live up to the hype, but that’s not to say that it isn’t a fantastic record in it’s own right. And crucially it sounds as fresh toady as it did back in January. It’s of course open to question as to what was more horrific in 2006; The Arctic Monkeys doing a cover of Love Machine or the Sugababes murdering I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
The View From The Afternoon, Mardy Bum, I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

10. Black Cadillac – Rosanne Cash
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“There is no over-sentimental navel-gazing on display here… instead Cash transposes the mournful with the redemptive. This is an album which will touch anyone who listens to it.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Rosanne Cash could never really escape the shadow of the man in black, but on this superb collection she doesn’t try to. This is unabashedly, in parts at least, about her father but really this would work without the back story to speak of. Despite the spectre of death that hangs over this album (her mother and step-mother also died recently) this is never a depressing album. It’s uplifting and any listener can’t help but be touched by it.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Burn Down This Town, Radio Operator, World Without Sound

9. 5:55 – Charlotte Gainsbourg
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“On its own merits in this particular place in time you cannot help but become immersed in its beauty.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
The sheer talent of the workforce on this one singled it out as something special before it had even been released. Nigel Godrich…Air…Neil Hannon…Jarvis Cocker…you can’t see them getting together to work on the next McFly album can you? It doesn’t always come together, but for the most part it does and it’s very difficult indeed not to fall under it’s spell.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Everything I Cannot See, The Songs We Sing, The Operation

8. Cansei De Ser Sexy – Cansei De Ser Sexy
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Ramshackle....bonkers...uplifting...smutty...infectious... a joyous and riotous album; if it doesn't get your hips shaking,[it] will get your head banging.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
It shouldn’t work should it? A group of Brazilians, most of whom didn’t know how to play music when they first got together and who came to prominence via a Brazilian myspace-style site…well it’s hardly the most promising set-up is it? Nevertheless it works, marrying a sense of humour onto some of the most danceable beats of the year. You simply can’t stop your toes from tapping when you listen to this one.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Lets Make Love & Listen To Death From Above, Music Is My Hot Hot Sex, Off The Hook

7. American V – Johnny Cash
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“If you've ever liked a Johnny Cash song in your life, this is something you just have to listen to.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
If the spectre of death hung over his daughter’s album, then Johnny Cash chose to meet it head on himself on this “final” (there is apparently enough material for a 6th volume of this in the vaults) chapter of the American Recordings. Cash was always aware of his own mortality, but to know that he recorded these songs knowing they would be his last adds an almost uncomfortable poignancy to the songs. It matters not though as right to the end the quality that has illuminated not only the American recordings, but his life in general shines though. It’s proof positive that whilst John R. Cash may be gone, he will never be forgotten.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
The 309, God’s Gonna Cut You Down, On The Evening Train

6. Fundamental – Pet Shop Boys
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Overall this is a triumph… in fact it's up there with the best they've ever done.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
The initial pleasure that the boys were back with something that wasn’t Release did briefly give way to thoughts that maybe the album wasn’t as good as it first seemed but further listening throughout the year confirmed that this was indeed the return to form it seemed to be. Musically it was a return to their heyday, and lyrically it was their best effort in years too. They maybe becoming ever more of an irrelevance in chart terms, but they are not going down without a fight.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Minimal, The Sodom & Gomorrah Show, Integral, Luna Park, I Made My Excuses And Left, (and Fugitive if you include the special bonus edition).

5. The Greatest – Cat Power
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“This is still a fantastic collection of songs, which certainly does live up there with her greatest work… She's pulled it off again.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Even more moving in the wake of Chan Marshall’s alcohol and depression problems, this remains a musical tour de force. You never go to a Cat Power album for a laugh a minute atmosphere and this remains a dark work. But ultimately the power of the tracks hits home like few albums ever could. If there were any justice this would have been her huge breakthrough. Although with a recent re-release it may just yet do the trick on that score.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
The Greatest, Could We, Willie, Love & Communication,Living Proof

4. We Are The Pipettes – The Pipettes
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Something that could well have slipped into ill-advised pastiche has actually turned out to be one of the finds of the year. Crafted with serious intentions, but with a knowing wink, the album could well turn out to be the soundtrack of the summer.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:

Ok, so it may not quite have been the soundtrack of my summer (the album that follows this in the list probably takes that honour) but this remains an absolutely wonderful pop record. And I still think this should have won the Mercury Music Prize!!!
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me, A B C, We Are The Pipettes, Pull Shapes, Judy

3. Alright Still – Lily Allen
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Only one real duff track on such a highly hyped record? You can't beat that these days can you?”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
The critical backlash came, to a certain degree anyway, even sooner than this seasoned reviewer would have thought possible, but all the myspace hype ignored one vital point; if someone doesn’t have the tracks, all the myspace friends in the world aren’t going to make the blindest bit of difference. And Lily proved she certainly has the tracks. Its one of those albums were almost every song could be a hit single. And as that is what Lily was apparently aiming for, she’s achieved that with distinction.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
LDN, Alfie, Knock ‘Em Out, The Littlest Things, Friday Night

2. Rabbit Fur Coat – Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“All in all this is a triumph. And who cares if it won't sell in it's millions, because at the end of the day, it's the millions who will be missing out.”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
Well this may cause a modicum of surprise. But what can I say? It’s still a fantastic album and it was a difficult choice (I would have been more than happy with this at number one) but in the end it just missed out. And I mean just. It’s so good it makes you almost lament the fact that Jenny Lewis is returning to the Rilo Kiley day job in 2007! Hopefully this won’t be the last “solo” record she does.
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Rise Up With Fists, Born Secular, Big Guns, Melt Your Heart, You Are What You Love, Rabbit Fur Coat

1. Someone To Drive You Home – The Long Blondes
WHAT I SAID THEN:
“Within two or three listens it feels like you're listening to a classic album that you've known for years… The Long Blondes are now my new favourite band!!!”
WHAT I SAY NOW:
There is a danger sometimes that you can get carried away in the mechanics of music; you know, why something is a good album and all that. At the end of the day I had to give the number one spot to the one album this year that has been played the most (per capita – considering this only came out in November). The first time I put this in the CD player I listened to it three times in a row, which doesn’t happen often I can tell you. From that point on it has hardly left my player. And, ladies and gentlemen, I can’t give anything a higher recommendation than that can I?
THE ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Swallow Tattoo, Once And Never Again, You Could Have Both, Separated By Motorways, Weekend Without Makeup, Lust In The Movies,