Faronheit's December List-Gasm Presents: The Top 50 Albums of 2006 (#10-1)

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR? MAYBE SOMETHING INVOLVING THINGS ON YOUR HANDS? AHA! FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS, SEE THE FRONT PAGE OF THE SITE! THIS IS A DIVERSION AKA "FALSE FRONT." KEEP HUNTING!


WE DID IT! That's right, this entry makes the countdown officially complete. It's been a long, drawn-out and arduous ride, but we've finally made it to the destination. As for the choices you'll see in this last part of the countdown, a couple of them might be a little debatable, but for the most part if you've read other lists than you can make some good guesses as to what's on here. I hope you enjoyed this December List-Gasm and all of its excesses. While this officially concludes my year-end roundup, I've still got one last surprise up my sleeve for you. I'm not sure exactly when it'll be up, but definitely before Christmas Day is all the guidance I can give you. Ok, I've said my piece, now here's the final portion of the top albums countdown for you!

10. Thom Yorke- The Eraser
If you've been reading this site from its birth six months ago, then you know this album was listed in my very first post titled "Mid-Year Roundup: 10 Disappointing Albums." Despite that, I ALSO said the album was a guaranteed disappointment because I didn't see how it could top Radiohead's incredible track record. And so, while this is no "OK Computer" or "Kid A," it stands on its own as a sonically rich, if not a claustrophobically dark piece of laptop rock. It's a more straightforward cousin to "Kid A" while at the same time providing a perfect display of how essential every single member of Radiohead is to their distinctive sound. But with the miracle of his voice, the genius of his lyrics and Nigel Godrich's immaculate production work, Thom Yorke hits all the right notes (and then some). Still, I can't wait for the new Radiohead album.

9. Destroyer- Destroyer's Rubies (Download: Painter In Your Pocket)
Dan Bejar is scary talented in a completely oddball way. That is, Destroyer albums are traditionally strange sonic explorations, complimented by Bejar's distinctively off-kilter singing voice. After several albums under the Destroyer name, the good news is that Bejar seems to have settled down a little bit on the experimental end and taken more time to focus on melody, song arrangement, lyrics, and his own vocal strength. "Destroyer's Rubies" is Bejar's masterpiece, filled with sonic landscapes of wild abandon and complicated indie pop melodies that leave you with the impression he's finally been able to harness the raw energy and promise displayed with his earlier material. Confident, comfortable, and powerful, this album takes incredible leaps and bounds you'd never anticipate that somehow work shockingly well.

8. Joanna Newsom- Y's
Hate me if you want, but I really didn't like Joanna Newsom's first album. My main gripe (which I would eventually have to deal with) was her voice, which I really found squeakily annoying. I made the choice to give her another chance with the release of "Y's," and I couldn't be happier that I did. On first listen, her voice didn't sound as squeaky, and I was completely blown away by the instrumental work and lyrics. If anybody else were singing these songs (say...Sufjan), there's little doubt in my mind that I'd call the album one of the finest so far this century. The good news is that I didn't give up on "Y's" and eventually Joanna's voice grew on me to where I actually kind of like it now. I also took more time to appreciate the sheer literary prowess of the lyrics and amazing instrumentation, all of which made me realize that this is a hugely ambitious album with every reason to fall flat. Joanna makes it work by keeping it grounded in pure passion and modesty along with the best of intentions.

7. Midlake- The Trials of Van Occupanther (Download: Roscoe)
Drawn in from the very first notes of the album's first track "Roscoe," I saw the magic and wonder of the song and realized that while the rest of "The Trials of Van Occupanther" might be spectacular, it could never reach that high of a peak again. And that's true- it doesn't get any better than "Roscoe." But the good news is that the rest of the album is absolutely worth listening to over and over again. With a folk, nearly alt-country tinge to it, the album presses through with the consistent theme of nature. Spending some time at my uncle's remote log cabin and watching the neighbors chop firewood while I sat inside listening to this album was a magical experience. It gave me a greater appreciation for the beauty and serene qualities of nature, and caused me to fall in love with Midlake. Rootsy and delicate, "The Trials of Van Occupanther" puts you in a time and place away from the hustle and bustle of the city and into simpler time when people were kind to one another and animals roamed the countryside without the fear of being caged.

6. Hot Chip- The Warning
I've been trying to figure out exactly what it is about Hot Chip that makes me love them so much. Is it Alexis Taylor's smooth vocal abilities matched up with beats that are absolutely perfect for it (not to mention crazy addictive)? How about the fact that they choose to be more than just an electro-pop dancefloor group and try to put some real emotion into their songs with adjustments to tempo and lyrics? Maybe it's that this record is oddly reminiscent of classic albums from groups like New Order and Pulp? I'd venture to say that in the end it's probably a combination of all these things, along with the need for more LCD Soundsystem material or at least something close to it. Transitioning from heavy beat dance anthems to slow dance ballads in one fell swoop, Hot Chip proved with this album that they could do it all without taking nary a misstep.

5. Cat Power- The Greatest (Download: The Greatest)
I was a bit skeptical to hear that Chan Marshall was going to be working with the Memphis Rhythm Band for this album, mostly because I really loved it when she was alone with a piano or a guitar. Thankfully, the band seemed to have contributed to "The Greatest" without hindering Chan's own personal style. A little surprisingly, the songs on this album seem to have a more upbeat swing to them than usual, which I presume that was partly a band influence, but it's nice to hear that side of the coin more often than normal. Of course songs like "Hate" also point directly to despair and deep depression, but I'm hoping they were written more as therapy than anything else. I saw Chan perform solo about a month before she entered rehab for her alcoholism, and it was one of the most stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking concert experiences of my life. That is how I see this album, too. Whether she's in joy or pain, I just want to give Chan Marshall one big hug and tell her everything's fine.

4. Grizzly Bear- Yellow House (Download: Knife)
Quite similar to Midlake's serenely beautiful visions of nature and the countryside, Grizzly Bear have literally made the most gorgeous album of the year. From banjos to xylophones to violins and horns, the multi-instrumental talents of the band surpass everybody else on this list and give their songs an extra spark and precision you catch by paying careful attention. "Yellow House" was the closest thing I heard to Sufjan's "Illinois" this year (Sufjan was my favorite last year), and the somewhat eerie similarities almost gave this album an at-home familiarity when I first listened to it. The problem is that after Sufjan overload I got a little tired of the folk-inspired layered instrumental approach, hence I don't think Grizzly Bear got a fair enough shake when all is said and done. I suppose I'm content with this placement, but if you're looking for the most inspiring and comfortable album released this year, look no further than "Yellow House."

3. Band of Horses- Everything All the Time (Download: The Great Salt Lake)
This is what I call my "driving album of 2006" because it was the one I'd consistently put on when I was in my car. The open roads and desolate highways seemed to be perfect atmospherics for the album's epic and sweeping nature. And so, as I'd drive past miles of seemingly endless cornfields and farmland all alone in my car, the massive choruses and relaxingly content manner in which the songs are performed always put a smile on my face and made me think that all was right in the world. Nothing is abrasive or weird or particularly surprising about this album (other than it's incredibly good), but it grows on you until it feels like a good friend that always keeps you company whenever you're lonely.

2. Silversun Pickups- Carnavas
The biggest risk I'm taking on this countdown is naming this album #2. Several sites (most notably Pitchfork) have taken to bashing Silversun Pickups as lifeless retreads of mid-90s artists like The Smashing Pumpkins. Never mind the fact that the Pumpkins were one of the greatest bands to come out of that era, which struck a particular note with angst-ridden teenagers unhappy with the state of the world. Over ten years later, the U.S. is back in Iraq and nobody likes the President- it all sounds so familiar. The world needs that dark, fuzzed out, proggy rock that the Pumpkins provided more than ever, but until Billy finishes the new album we've now got Silversun Pickups. On the ironic side, I love every single moment of "Carnavas" from start to finish, but I need to skip at least one track on every Pumpkins album. From an aesthetic point of view I'm also calling Silversun Pickups a long-lost brother of the incredible My Bloody Valentine, only in a more marketable sense. All comparisons aside though, the band's intense, brooding melodies and shimmery instrumental work make this an album perfect for listening during a rainstorm in the middle of the night. The best part is that there is so much going on from a sonic standpoint that after dozens of listens you're still going to find something new and redeeming within each song. Similar to the way I obsessed over Autolux's "Future Perfect" in 2004 (my #1 album that year), "Carnavas" was the one album I consistently found myself going back to week after week just so I could experience it again. It is the album I listened to the most in 2006 and couldn't seem to shake no matter how hard I tried.

1. TV on the Radio- Return to Cookie Mountain (Download: Wolf Like Me)
To call this album impressive is a complete understatement. This is not even an album- it's an experience that everybody needs to try at least once. Honestly I didn't think that TV on the Radio could ever top "Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes," but that challenge is what made listening to "Return to Cookie Mountain" so much more worthwhile. I'm still unsure how the band was able to blend so many different and polar opposite genres and influences into one cohesive collection of songs. Yes, that element was present on the band's last album, but it felt a little unfocused and hazy whereas here it feels precise and sharp. Clearly the band knew exactly what they wanted in the studio, and with a higher budget that comes with signing to a major label, they were able to bring that jaw-dropping vision to life. I still haven't been able to get my head around everything contained inside "Return to Cookie Mountain," and I've listened through the whole thing a couple dozen times. David Sitek's production work is both flawless and entirely unique compared to everything else I've heard this year. Tunde Adepimbe's distinctive voice plays as much of a role in every song as the other instruments do- sometimes even moreso. I can't help but think about how much I'd LOVE just the instrumental versions of these songs, but putting things in that frame of mind only shows just how important that vocal prescence really is. Immensely beautiful, creative, textured, and emotional, "Return to Cookie Mountain" truly earns its status as my favorite album of the year by giving me something I completely didn't expect and knocking me flat on my ass for having lowered expectations. Do whatever you have to, but get your hands on this thing immediately. It'll changes your life more than The Shins did in "Garden State," that's for sure.

Previously:
The Top 50 Albums of 2006 (#20-11)
The Top 50 Albums of 2006 (#30-21)
The Top 50 Albums of 2006 (#40-31)
The Top 50 Albums of 2006 (#50-41)