Don't Call Me Tardy, Blogger
Hi. We're back in service. So, to avoid doing laundry tonight, I was making up a list of got-'em/need-'em albums and singles of 2006-to-this-juncture. I'll share the pick hits in a moment, but what I noticed was that even on the very, very, very lengthy "to be heard" list (nearly 150 records!), I don't have that extensive a sampling of 1. noise; 2. jazz; and 3. hip-hop/electronics. So I'd love to hear your suggestions for essentials in those categories for the year so far. I do have a good set of notes on country albums on which I've been remiss (Julie Roberts, the new Allison Moorer, etc.), but go on and throw in more. No need to mention indie-rock albums. I know what's out there.
Topping my roster of favourites as of July are as follows. (Yes, I realize most of the bloggerati have already been through this exercise. Whatevs.) It's rather a mongrel list, as indicative of what I have had time to catch up with as it is of any larger spectrum. Beyond the first three, these are in no particular order:
Destroyer - Destroyer’s Rubies
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
Ghostface - Fishscale
Anthony Braxton/Wolf Eyes - Black Vomit
Scott Walker - The Drift
Matmos - The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of the Beast
Prince - 3121
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Various Artists - Bad Bands Revolution
Of course, there are several records to come that I already know will rival most of those: Xiu Xiu, Junior Boys, Mountain Goats, Pere Ubu, Eric Chenaux, TV on the Radio, for instance. And there's a lot more ice underneath the berg. I'm sure I'm forgetting others. I haven't completed a singles list, perhaps out of fear that I will have to put Ne-Yo's So Sick at the top. I love the melodrama of that song like crazy. More than Crazy, for instance. Feel free to psychoanalyze. Likely also to be found on that list would be Nelly Furtado, Prince, Christina Aguilera, Lily Allen, the Pipettes, Cansei De Ser Sexy - round up the usual suspects, in other words, but that's the nice thing about singles lists, isn't it? It's where we do the meet & greet. Probably the Arctic Monkeys too. One song from them does me fine. Oh, and I'd nominate Islands' Rough Gem - I don't love the album as much as some of the principles' other work, but that song's irresistible. (The same disc's Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby is the title of the year; the song doesn't live up to it, but how could it?)
The new Mission of Burma album, The Obliterati, would be not too far down my list either. I don't think their show at the Horseshoe in Toronto tomorrow (Wed) night, with huge MoB fans Republic of Safety opening, is sold out yet - see you there?
| Posted by zoilus on Wednesday, July 26 at 12:22 AM | Linking Posts | Comments (19)
COMMENTS
I'm coming to this list rather late, but for noise releases there's "Vain, Erudite and Stupid: Selected Works 1987-2005" from the Dead C. which title appropriately enough sounds more like an art exhibit than a best-of disc by legendary NZ noise guys. For fans it might not be necessary but it's really nicely put together with tracks from way back and really careful, readable liner notes and everything. An excellent catch-up for the curious; long overdue.
Posted by hershey on August 1, 2006 10:09 PM
hot chip for president!
also: motor "klunk," herbert "scale", and the new thermals.
Posted by josh on July 30, 2006 10:08 PM
Just got the new Ali Farka Toure album two days ago - maybe his best ever... RIP
Posted by dacks on July 30, 2006 10:21 AM
a couple of my faves released new albums this year, and i've just posted a teaser on my blog. sweden's the knife is one of my true loves, definitely worth a listen if you're looking for electronica intrigue (you can hear their entire new album, silent shout, online).
Posted by a.raw on July 28, 2006 9:40 AM
That's pretty good list, Carl. I second Ghostface, Matmos, Destroyer (thanks for the tip!), and especially Prince, which I totally underrated at first. Singles-wise, I'm right there with you with Ne-Yo and Xtina and Nelly. You should also check out Keyshia Cole's amazing ballad "Love" -- what a performance. Agree with Graham about T.I. and E-40. A few other albums: Julieta Venegas, Limón y Sal; Camille, Le Fil; Mary J. Blige, The Breakthrough; the Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid records, which I think a lot of people find ponderous but I really enjoy. On the reussue tip: That Devilin' Tune: Jazz History, 1895-1950 (9 CDs!); all those incredible Fania reissues; and maybe my favorite of the year, Romica Puceanu & The Gore Brothers:
http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/current.press_release/project_id/265.cfm
Posted by Jody on July 28, 2006 8:21 AM
i would avoid soul position (way too 90s), e-40 and the shining. i say donuts is a must - i just picked it up myself at music world for 14.99. as for additions, i can't stop listening to drama/lil wayne mixtape (at play de record), the clipse remix compilation (we got the remix) and rick ross (at least listen to hustlin', if you haven't already)..
Posted by josh on July 28, 2006 8:17 AM
Have you posted anything previously about "Fishscale"? I can't imagine anything knocking it off my #1 spot...
Posted by Contrasoma on July 27, 2006 9:15 PM
noise: new Wolf Eyes album "Human Animal"
hip-hop/rap: Pimp C - Pimpalation, which also has a track called "Bobby and Whitney"
If you're gonna pick up Donuts, I found it cheapest at HMV where it's part of the 2 for $25 deal. Everywhere else I've seen it for $21.
Posted by pinder on July 27, 2006 1:42 PM
Hi,
My fave jazz record of 2006 (so far) is Adam Lane Trio's Music Degree Zero (the companion, Zero Degree Music, came out last year). Hard swinging avant-bop in the Air mold, though it also remids me somewhat of Dave Holland's Conference of the Birds...
Posted by Chris on July 27, 2006 1:09 PM
Inquiring minds want to know how the MoB show was!
Posted by Jamie on July 27, 2006 9:16 AM
i wish i had a friend whose house i could go over to to listen to new (and old) jazz.
Posted by Sean on July 27, 2006 5:09 AM
Two great jazz releases:
The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers
by Jack DeJohnette and Bill Frisell
and
Shades of Jade by Marc Johnson
Posted by Dan on July 27, 2006 1:49 AM
Oops, the asterisks are supposed to notate leaks/advances/yet to be released albums. Also:
Oh No - Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms* (Madlib's little brother's Galt McDermott [Hair, the musical] remix project)
Posted by Graham on July 26, 2006 7:48 PM
Wait, what do the asterisks mean?
I need to get Donuts. Kayfabe would have been on there but I was counting it as 2005 (it was on other people's 2005 lists).
Posted by zoilus on July 26, 2006 6:10 PM
Hey Carl. Graham here (now in Australia...):
On the rap tip, here are a few rekkids that I think are quite good if not excellent:
the aforementioned Ghostface
J Dilla - Donuts
J Dilla - The Shining*
Boot Camp Clik - The Last Stand
The Roots - Game Theory*
T.I. - King
Soul Position - Things Sound Better With RJ and AL
Psalm One - Death of the Frequent Flyer*
Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYoYo
Madlib/Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes, Vol. 1 and 2
Mr. Lif - Mo' Mega
Little Brother & DJ Drama - Separate But Equal
E-40 - My Ghetto Report Card
Roc C - All Questions Answered
and depending if you got to it in 2005 (it came out like early December, I think) or, like most people, in 2006:
Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe
Posted by Graham on July 26, 2006 5:50 PM
I do like Susie Arioli. So far my top Canadian jazz album of the year is Francois Carrier's double-disc Happening, with Matt Manieri and Uwe Neumann joining Carrier's usual trio. My favourite 2006-so-far jazz album internationally - aside from the Braxton discs from Victo - is Matthew Shipp's One, which I forgot about last night. But I haven't been keeping up, or following reviews much in Coda and The Wire, so there's much revision to come.
Posted by zoilus on July 26, 2006 3:47 PM
On the jazz tip for you, this was likely an oft overlooked but excellent sounding album by partners - filed under Jim Tomlinson, but feauring his partner Stacie Kent on vocals, the album is called The Lyric.
Also - Susie Arioli's rootsy jazz album Learn to Smile Again is gorgeous.
I've seen a lot of Jazz cross my desk this year and I'm sure I'll have more comments but search these ones out for sure, Carl. And they are Canadians to boot.
Posted by becs on July 26, 2006 1:42 PM
black fiction
menomena
Posted by matt on July 26, 2006 1:24 PM
On point. But...but...but...Hot Chip?
Posted by Neha on July 26, 2006 11:38 AM