[en480c4]

Well, I've posted a few times in this thread, and decided it was time to put together a moster list. IMO it was a great year for music.

My Top 25 of 2006, in alphabetical order (because trying to place them would be impossible), complete with obnoxious album covers:

1. Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain
   
   
   
   It's hard to believe they could improve on Pale Folklore & The Mantle, but they did. Their ability to create an atmosphere is unparallelled.
2. Android Lust - Devour, Rise and Take Flight
   
   
   
   Cold and intricate industrial/electronic music with rare female vocals... Excellent all around.
3. Artrosis - Con Trust
   
   
   
   A move away from the electronic influences of their last few albums with a more aggressive attack. This is a very good album.
4. Emilie Autumn - Opheliac
   
   
   
   The Victoriandustrial singer/songwriter/violinist's strongest effort yet. Clearly not for everyone, but there are some real gems here.
5. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
   
   
   
   An amazing collection of songs, and the addition of female backing vocals are welcome. Stark and haunting.
6. Camille - Le Fil
   
   
   
   Wow... Just wow.
7. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
   
   
   
   I wish I could describe how this album makes me feel, but I can't. It floors me with every listen, and it just doesn't get old.
8. Cat Power - The Greatest
   
   
   
   I'm not sure it tops Moon Pix, but if not it's right there.
9. Crooked Still - Shaken By A Low Sound
   
   
   
   Neo-bluegrass with the welcome addition of my favorite instrument... Cello! And Aoife O'Donovan's voice... Wow.
10. Diablo Swing Orchestra - Butcher's Ballroom
    
    
    
    Another album with cello, but this is some metal with very varied influences... Swing, flamenco, folk.
11. Doom:VS - Aeternus Vale
    
    
    
    Slooooooooooooooow doom metal at its finest. A hell of a side project from one of the members of Draconian.
12. Draconian - The Burning Halo
    
    
    
    Not as strong as Arcane Rain Fell, but the added emphasis on Lisa Johansson's vocals is a good sign for things to come.
13. Emily Haines and the Soft Skeletons - Knives Don't Have Your Back
    
    
    
    Paino-based songs with vocals that get under your skin and won't go away, not that you'd want it to. A nice change of pace from the singer of Metric.
14. The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia
    
    
    
    I prefer their self-titled punk-cabaret debut, but there's no doubt that this is a strong follow up.
15. The Great Invisibles - You Left Me Haunted
    
    
    
    Eerie and complex soundscapes with layers of sound you can get lost in.
16. Isis - In The Absence Of Truth
    
    
    
    More experimental than previous efforts, and better for it. Post-sludge?
17. Lacuna Coil - Karmacode
    
    
    
    Despite mediocre (at best) reviews, I really enjoy their foray into more accessible music.
18. Nelly McKay - Pretty Little Head
    
    
    
    Well worth the wait. It's more mature than Get Away From Me, but still playful & fun.
19. Shannon McNally - North American Ghost Music
    
    
    
    I don't know what to call her music, but with that voice, who cares. An amazing live set.
20. Murder By Death - In Bocca al Lupo
    
    
    
    I prefer songs from their previous albums, but this is probably stronger as a whole.
21. Nina Nastasia - On Leaving
    
    
    
    Stripped, almost barren soundscapes that let her voice shine.
22. Joanna Newsom - Ys
    
    
    
    A huge step from The Milk-Eyed Mender (which I still can't stand), her voice, the harp & the orchestration create something magical.
23. Peeping Tom - S/T
    
    
    
    Mike Patton's "pop" project. "We're Not Alone" kick's ass, and Norah Jones get naughty.
24. Pretty Girls Make Graves - Élan Vital
    
    
    
    While lacking the urgent energy of The New Romance, they've gotten more adventurous and varied in their sound.
25. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
    
    
    
    A big leap from Soviet Kitsch... Not as rough around the edges with much stronger songwriting and better production.

 

[terriblepaulz]

Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops

 

[Skylab]

It wasn't a year of great albums, IMO, but I did really enjoy these:

David Gilmour - On an Island
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Patricia Barber - Mythologies
Willie Nile - Streets of New York

 

[Zaiks]

it has to be Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaiks /img/forum/go_quote.gif it has to be Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat

That may be the best SOUNDING release of 2006...

 

[VicAjax]

another vote for Tom Waits - Orphans

 

[Floodedstatue]

Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain
Amplifier - The Insider
Bass Communion - Loss
Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
Enslaved - Ruun
Isis - In Absence Of Truth
Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Pure Reason Revolution - The Dark Third
Thom Yorke - The Eraser / Spitting Feathers

 

[DanielBurns11]

'Official' list below.

 

[Mr Bounce]

LOVE:

Josh Groban - Awake
Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance
Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side
Insomnium - Above the Weeping World
Heaven Shall Burn - Deaf to Our Prayers
Novembre - Materia
Disarmonia Mundi - Mind Tricks
Katakylsm - In the Arms of Devastation
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Rhapsody - Triumph Or Agony


LIKE (a lot

):

In Flames - Come Clarity
The Streets - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
Hoobastank - Every Man For Himself
Tool - 10 000 Days
Lordi - The Arockalypse
VA - (Eminem Presents) - The Re-Up
Atreyu - A Death-Grip on Yesterday (an Atreyu album.. forgive me)

 

[puiah11]

I just realized I spent the entire year reading for school. Fudge!

Only album I bot was Pink's new cut. Pretty cool. I love that video fro Stupid Girls.

Stupid Girls.

 

[24hoursinaday]

1.Scott Walker - The Drift
2.Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites
3.Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
4.Danielson - Ships
5.Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
6.Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55
7.Asobi Seksu - Citrus
8.The Knife - Silent Shout
9.Beck - The Information
10.The Roots - Game Theory
11.Tv on the Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
12.The Beatles - Love
13.Thom Yorke - The Eraser
14.Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
15.Annuals - Be He Me
16.Enik - Season in Between
17.Tool - Ten Thousand Days
18.Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
19.Apex Twin - Choosen Lords
20.The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia...

there were some very promising bands:
1.The Young Knives
2.Fear Before the March of Flames
3.The Gossip

Here is hoping for some new masterpieces from many bands next year including:
1.Radiohead - n/a
2.The Cure - Double Album n/a
3.Modest Mouse -We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
4.NIN - n/a
5.Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
6.Dalek - n/a
6.Air - Pocket Symphony

 

[Amplitude]

Another one I just discovered Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards, very White Stripes-ish and very good.

 

[Nerull]

I discovered a lot of past music, but these stuck out in my mind this year...

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes
Pony Up! - Make Love to the Judges With Your Eyes
Guillemots - Through the Windowpane
Rob Zombie - Educated Horses
noodles - Cover me Shakespeare
after six - Paris Match

My god, it's been a good year for me and music...

and all the stuff above is recorded very well, so that leaves me as one happy head-fier!

~Tom

 

[Ebonyks]

Here's my top 10 for 2006, not a great year in music, but as always, there were some gems for anyone with the patience to dig for them. Not to be pretentious, but i suspect a majority of this list runs more towards obscure indie circles than most head-fi'ers are famliar with. I would be amazed if many people here knew more than the decemberists (and possibly m.ward and joanna newsom, they both got some press attention over their efforts this year)

Joanna Newsom - Ys
Tim Hecker - Harmony in Ultraviolet
Annuals - Be He Me
The function - the Secret Miracle Fountain
M. ward - Post-war
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Tunng - Comments of the Inner Chorus
Beirut - Gulag Orkestra (two disc release with the superb lon gisland ep, this was a 2006 release)
Mylo - Destroy Rock and Roll
Gregor Samsa - 55:12

 

[frescagod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebonyks /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would be amazed if many people here knew more than the decemberists (and possibly m.ward and joanna newsom, they both got some press attention over their efforts this year)

the decemberists are very popular, contrary to your beliefs. i've heard them in several public places, including an irish pub, among others. i think their jump to a major label is indicative of where the band is going, and the crane wife delivers the goods on many levels.