Some years offer an abundance of great music while others come in a bit thin. 2006 has been, in my opinion, the latter. It's been a disappointing year in general for music and as I think back there is precious little that jumps to mind as memorable. People tend to associate songs with events in their lives. Personally, this year has been more event-filled than any year in a long time yet where are the tunes? Still, here are a few good ones (in no particular order).
One band I've written about is The Raconteurs. Having met them while relaxing with BK in SoCal I became more intruiged with their stuff. I'd been familiar with their great single, Steady, As She Goes and of course knew of Jack White's history with The White Stripes. I saw them perform over the summer in SF and they blew the roof off. This song became an anthem of sorts for the early summer. My life, naturally, was anything but steady as she goes.
Orson's No Tomorrow is all freedom and fun. Driving on a sunny day with the top down and this cranked was a perfect three minutes of escape from the pressures of my personal life. Best drug of the summer and the best single of 2006.
Barcelona was a highlight of my year and I remember standing in a mall and hearing Rapture Riders, a mashup between The Doors' Riders on the Storm and Blondie's Rapture done by GHP. Best mashup I heard in 2006.
A more recent track I flipped for is Mama's Room by Under the Influence of Giants. A funk track with hooks that keep pulling me back to the dance floor and when the chorus comes back from the bridge...wow.
For dancing its hard to beat Justin Timberlake's Sexyback. I was at a Halloween party and the DJ was good but when this came on the energy of the place just went a whole level higher. Just fucking dance to it and you'll get it.
For slow soulful sex try Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars. With lyrics like, "We'll do it all, every thing on our own, we don't need anything or anyone. If I just lay here, would you lie with me, and just forget the world? " how could the sex not be good?
Straight-ahead alt-rock? How about Los Angeles by Sugarcult. Cuts hard and is great to drive to. The way they repeat the lyric creates an insistence that propels the song. When they hit the final chorus they rip. Great album.
Another hit of rock? How about Paralyzed by Rock Kills Kid. Killer chorus...the rhythmn of the lyric works in lock step with the rhythm track and I find my head going back and forth and singing along with the chorus every time.
The Kooks came out of nowhere this year with 6 singles from their excellent album Inside In/Inside Out. My fave is Ooh La, an irresistable pop-rock confection with some idiosyncratic production touches. Can't get enough of it.
Another song that's great to drive to and also great for dancing is Voodoo Child by Rogue Traders. Whenever I play it I inevitably get "Who is this?". Great energy...undeniable...your body will move to this.
One dance track that was hard to escape this summer (and still gets heavy play on 92.7) is Bob Sinclar's World Hold On. With the hyper-catchy whistling chorus you wait for this super-danceable House track to come up at the club/party.
Guster has always been a fave. One track from their recent album, Satellite, is the third single. I love playing this when driving with ChP. Great, great song. (Love the guitar whammy in the 2nd verse.)
Special mention has got to go to Martin Scorcese's No Direction Home - Bob Dylan...a superb documentary on the early portion of Dylan's career. It chronicles how Dylan irrevocably changed American culture and is a riveting view. Highest possible recommendation.
More stuff in no particular order:
Beck - The Information
Dylan - Modern Times
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Nelly and Timbaland - Promiscuous
Coldplay - X&Y
Pet Shop Boys - I'm With Stupid
The Editors - Munich
Spank Rock - Put That Pussy On Me
Sean Lennon - Spectacle
Jill Sobule - Cinnamon Park - Her performances at both EG and TED were astonishing. She is criminally underrated (and a good kisser).
I know I've missed a few and a bunch more will be released to get in Christmas buying. I'll have a part 2 at the end of the year. All comments are welcome. As I look over this list maybe it wasn't that bad a year after all.
g.
I know you'll make fun of me for this but what about "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira? I didn't like the song at first but it's grown on me over time.
Posted by: GNP | November 22, 2006 at 09:21 AM