VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

It's really a nice surprise to see someone here talking about Lila Downs here at the org

dammme said:

Finally someone that digs Caetano.

I though only me and hamsterhuey liked him here...

namepeace said:

I had originally said it's the best funk/soul/rock record in years. I should have stuck with those words.

How about the best R&B album in the last two years?

Mime are these ones:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Same here, but what little I did buy, I liked...

The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soliders
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Prince - 3121
Depeche Mode - Violator Remix & DVD
Beck - The Information
Placebo - Meds

Got for gifts:

The Beatles - LOVE
Dixe Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice

added one more!
[Edited 12/28/06 19:17pm]

sextonseven said:

Actually, I like it better than Jill's album. IMO, it may be the best R&B album since Voodoo. I'll think about it some more.

sextonseven said:

Oh, lemme clarify, I like OTJF much more than Jill's last joint, but it's not clear-cut. To answer your question, OTJF is easily the best R&B album of the last 2 years, imho, and if my say mattered, it would be deemed the best in the decade. But Me'Shell, Jill, Erykah and D'Angelo, among maybe a few others, could make powerful arguments to the contrary.
[Edited 12/28/06 13:05pm]

I'll also say I am upset, but not really surprised that virtually no one in mainstream or music media have acknowledged OTJF at all.

in no particular order...

namepeace said:

Same here. Criminally ignored.

I am also quite fond of this ablum..

Sparklehorse: Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of A Mountain

I don't think I can come up with a top 20...


15. The Raconteurs - The Raconteurs
Fun pop/rock album; its brevity makes you want to play it twice.

14. Robyn Hitchcock - Ole Tarantula
A return to form for Robyn, with an ideal backing band including Scott Mccoi & Peter Buck. "Underground Sun" is one of my pop highlights for the year. Read more at http://allmusic.com/cg/am...5gtq3zcu45

13. The Decembrists - The Crane Wife
The verdict's still out. After the initial let down of a follow-up more fully produced than the previous masterpiece, I'm finding myself listening to this album a lot more.

12. Cat Power - The Greatest
I hear from adherents that this album doesn't live up, but this was my first CP purchase so I have no context. That said, I love this gut-wrenchingly sad album. The title-track alone is forever seared in my mind.

11. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Haunting. But if you are going to make a dispassionate, dispossessed, electronic album...you are flirting with also being disposable.

10. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
I'm not sure how much you need to be patted on the back for doing what you've been doing all these years. Its a great album from a great band, infused with the emergency of realizing this is the last record on your lucrative contract.

9. Beck - The Information
A relative letdown for Beck, a masterpiece next to other pop artists. We've followed Beck for awhile, and this album is as ingenious as Guerro or Odelay. However, I can't escape the feeling that you can toss all the songs on those 3 albums in the air, let them fall as they may, and not change anything inherent about those albums. And that is why Beck is way back at number 9.

8. The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
There's something cruel about this band opening up for Blondie at Bumpershoot. Cruel to Blondie. Though you can see the consistencies - punk/wave that only a coma would excuse your body from moving to - The Gossip have a secret weapon in Beth's gospel-choir worthy belted notes.

7. The Evens - Get Evens
The link does this album justice. This was the perfect album to come home and play on election night. It was creepily prophetic...
http://allmusic.com/cg/am...abqj45ojka

6. The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
So many dejected over this one. I happen to love it!

5. Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah!
It's difficult to gauge the sophmore efforts. I love that this album maintains the electronic disco through and through, and I love the unabashed lyrics. I miss the trippy fare of the first album, but this one seems more focused.

4. The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
I've been lukewarm about TS up until this release - though I was primed by Dulli's "Amber Headlights" reminding me what is so special about this guy. I know its a deeply personal album about shaking drug addiction, but I'm too distracted by all the rocking out...
http://allmusic.com/cg/am...7m967oaepo

3. Goldfrapp - Supernature
First thing I'm going to do in my new car is go to Target and get the first season of Nip Tuck on DVD...

2. Built To Spill - You in Reverse
BTS is at play outside the expected categories and tags used to define genre, so I have a tough time describing the music. I'll just use one word: majestic. For more information: http://allmusic.com/cg/am...ivad5ke8w5

1. Tom Waits - Orphans
I think in another thread, I shied away from recommending this album for it's length and dubious conception (would you recommend the album with all the 'rare' tracks on it?). Now that I've spent some time with it, I've changed my mind. This is the Rosetta Stone of all things Waits. As storied/erratic as his career has been, you find all these reference points side by side - surprsingly harmonious. What is surprising for a 3-CD set (don't let the 'brawlers, bawlers, bastards' designation fool you. It's not as rigid as say, keeping an hour time limit on each CD) is that I find there are too many memorable moments to mention. That is a unique testimony to feasting on so much music delivered at once by the same artist.

PeteZarustica said:

awesome list.. I haven't picked up "Orphans" yet but it's on my list of CDs to buy.

PeteZarustica said:

Thanks. That reminds me to get this album.

These 3...



...have kept me quite happy.


Morph The Cat - Donald Fagen:

Pop music for the mature.
It proves that you can write lyrically interesting and musically sophisticated topical tunes without being vulgar or asinine.
Couple that with the uncanny ability to disguise dark subject matter within upbeat music.
When I think of Pop-Art, this album comes to mind.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Organic Vibes - Joey DeFrancesco:

How could an album that includes Joey DeFranceso (organ), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes) and George Coleman (sax) not be good?
Proves that Jazz is not dead, and that there will always be a place for well played instrumental music.

This album should get an award for the tag after the beautifully played Johnny Mercer ballad I Thought About You...

"If you don't like that, you don't like ice cream...ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha."

...Said only the way an old seasoned Jazz Man could.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Official Bootleg USA '06 - Jeff Beck:

Companion disc to one of the best shows i've seen this past year.
Guitar icon Jeff Beck drops his wrenches, goes on the road and proves that he's retained the goods.
The legendary Rocker can still also kill a ballad (Cause We've Ended As Lovers, Two Rivers, Somewhere Over The Rainbow) with style and grace.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Money well spent.
Like a classic Armani suit.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Christopher said:

I like a lot of these selections. Very eclectic. Lily Allen's album had a lot of good singles on it. I really enjoyed "Smile" from that one.

I forgot who said it, but someone really iconic said something similiar to you about albums. Basically "albums are 2 or 3 good songs and a bunch of junk!" I think it was Phil Spector (but don't quote me).

Plus, yeah, you can't deny the Nelly F record.

Is it me or I can't hear Neneh Cherry singing in that supposed duet on the Teddybears LP "Yours To Keep"? I guess she's humming on that one! lol

P.S. Have you heard that Killers b-side called "Where The White Boys Dance"? It's kinda funkyyy. Let me know if you haven't....
...
[Edited 12/30/06 9:50am]

Mara said:

you know we are >>>here<<< with the music sometimes! lol

yup yup i realized that a few yrs back that im just not an album person...the albums really gotta hoe itself out to me for me to really love it. otherwise lol

i was surprised id like the nelly cd cause i wasnt feeling the second album and i kinda only gave that one few listens.ive been tempted to listen to it again. i dunno what throws me off about that one tho. and neneh bless her i love her but she was stoned on some good weed when she did the vocals dig the song lots tho!

ps)i aint heard teh killers b-side yet! u -know- i want 2 tho! lol!

NorthernLad said:

And as far as I can tell, the only one listing The Knife.



One of my picks, certainly in my top five.

Christopher said:

"And yet he doesn't sound a thing like Springsteen...."
[Edited 12/31/06 11:37am]

Bob Dylan – Modern Times. His third straight home run and final proof, in any was needed, that a sixty-something year-old, allegedly well-past his prime (hah!), can produce greatness.

Scott Walker – The Drift.While I think it’s pure coincidence that my second favourite album is also by a man in his sixties, it does leave me feeling less pessimistic about my looming decline into middle-age. This is an entirely different sort of triumph, though; while Dylan’s album felt as comfortable as a pair of old slippers and was easy to love, Walker produced the year’s ugliest, loudest and most unclassifiable art-rock album.


Bonnie Prince Billy – The Letting Go. A return to form: after a few years of sleep-walking through some unremarkable and murky lo-fi folk pop, the song-writing snapped back into focus with clear, memorable melodies.

The Pernice Brothers – Live A Little. I thought this was a slight decline from his previous album, and the production felt a little too clean, but I don’t think anyone in the world is writing melodies as instantly memorable as Joe Pernice right now. He’s produced eight excellent albums consecutively in my estimation, and that’s a record I don’t think anyone else can match in pop right now.

The Handsome Family – The Last Days of Wonder. Their best album yet – they’ve almost perfected their easy-listening country sound, and the lyrics are weirder than ever. They’re the world’s most loveable gothic-country band.

6) The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America
7) Mojave 3 – Puzzles Like You
8) Ali Farke Toure – Savane
9) Yo La Tengo – I’m Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
10) Donald Fagen – Morph the Cat

11) Joanna Newsom – VS
12) Hot Chip – The Warning
13) Decemberists – The Crane Wife
14) Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies
15) Drive-By Truckers – A Blessing and a Curse

16) The Knife – Silent Shouts
17) Camera Obscura – Let’s Get Out of This Country
18) Solomon Burke – Nashville
19) Built to Spill – You in Reverse
20) Lambchop – Damaged


Disappointments:

Pet Shop Boys – Fundamental. Not dreadful by any means, but another in a growing line of unremarkable, mostly forgettable albums.
The Mountain Goats – Get Lonely. Mopey and miserable, which isn’t necessarily a bad quality. He’s made depressing records before, but they’ve been enlivened by sharp melodies and up-tempo tracks, and those qualities are almost completely absent on this record.

damosuzuki said:

No argument with the first two. I really tried and tried and TRIED to like BPB, but I found myself either yawning, scratching my armpits or guiltily scratching my balls waiting for something to - urm - START there. You know, I even got the supposedly ultra rare edition of Letting Go with the extra CD (that's even worse).

I used to like Lambchop (circa Nixon, which was a beautiful album whose lush arrangements kept Kurt Wagondriver's vocals in check ... unfortunately he doesn't seem to have been paying attention to me and has concentrated on making albums with his voice increasingly to the fore. Damaged was not as fuck awful as that exercise in listening to drying paint with a dying roach bleating out its last (Is A Woman) nor its overlong successor, but old glories are a distant memory. What the fuck happened to that exquisite country-folk sound. They could have been Nashville's answer to the Love Unlimited Orchestra, but have turned into Whingeing Git Very Limited instead.

Spot on about the PSB's new album. Shockingly well reviewed (but they we now know that reviewers treat old acts with reverence because their successors are lame imitations of the originals), but Momus's Ochy Milk did the PSB's better. But then he's been making perfect PSB records since 1992. I recommend Voyager without reservation, if you don't have it. It's been deleted and sold about 10 copies on release, but ask and you will receive.

Happy New Year sir!

Shapeshifter said:

I knew there wouldn't be...



Oh crackers, your contempt for this record is so strong I think you're gonna start wearing me down.




I certainly agree that Nixon is the his career highlight and that the new album isn't even a patch on that record, and Is A Woman was an album that would try the resolve of the staunchest fan (caterpillar was a nice track though, wasn't it?). Damaged is OK. Frankly, if it had come immediately after Nixon, it would be in my disappointment file, but as it stands it sounds like a moderate improvement.




Not only have I not heard it, I've never even heard of it...consider my interest piqued.





To you as well, Mr. Shifter!

damosuzuki said:

Here's what you need to know about Momus. I have a feeling you'll fucking love him. He's like the soul of Mark E Smith in the body of Neil Tennant circa Behaviour. My wife thinks he's vile. Ha, ha!

Intro:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...s_(artist)

Fan's perspective:

http://www.phespirit.info/momus/


Official Site:

http://imomus.com/


I'll PM you a sampler in the first few days of 07.

damosuzuki said:

Out of sheer respect for you, I really did my best to wring some likeability out of BPB, but his stuff lacks soul, warmth and empathy (unlike Kurt W). It's software country - the elements are all there, but they don't fit. He's a cowboy in a Smart car. And he needs a shave.

Anyway, thanks for the Smog. I like him a lot more.

HNY 07.
[Edited 12/31/06 15:01pm]

Shapeshifter said:

sounds perfect - next thing your probably gonna tell me is that he used meat percussion on his album.

damosuzuki said:

No, but ...

This is my 2006 list. As 2006 was a rather horrid year in the aftermath of too much stuff happening, music again was a soundtrack to my struggle to get to the new year. Lots of entries on my list reflect that struggle, be it Sonic Youth’s wall of sound or the lyrics of The Knife.
What I love most about this list is that it reflects my musical bonds with some of you here; in a way, this list is a thank you to the peeps who hipped me to certain artists.

Ellen Allien & Apparat’s Orchestra Of Bubbles.

Probably my fave of the year, together with Silent Shout. Ellen Allien alone is amazing, but with Apparat she creates layers not many DJ’s can surpass, except maybe Andrea Parker.
Touchy feel techno, does it excist? Yes it does.
pick; Retina ; hypnotic.

Chad VanGaalen’s Skelliconnection

After Infiniheart’s somewhat more laidback approach, VanGaalen now rocks out a lil’ more. Thank God for the Baby Beans EP to lead the way or I would have been a bit… surprised.
Came to me via Colin, who knows how to push brilliant Canadians.
pick; Dead Ends; Neil Young mutated into Beck.

The Knife’s Silent Shout

Probably my utter, utter fave of the year. And together with Sonic Youth the best concert. What Roísín Murphy’s debut album was to me in 2005, this was it for this year. Moody, on it’s own terms. Like Ellen Allien & Apparat, techno with a heart, but also think David Lynch. Moody at times, distant, but never without being able to grasp your soul.
picks; Silent Shout and We Share Our Mothers' Health , which burned itself onto the harddisc I call my soul with just ONE play.

The Fiery Furnaces’s Bitter Tea

Not for the faint of heart; The Furnaces jump from one rhythm to another, there is not much rest to be found on this release. But their approach to fucking things up and making things bleep and toink is so catchy, there was NO way I could not list this quirky album.
pick; Waiting To Know You Probably the soundtrack song of my love life…

Sonic Youth’s Rather Ripped

Ha! My rock bud Abierman knows which Hamster Buttons© to push. Not really into Sonic Youth before he sent me Pink Stream, I back tracked and found myself hooked. One of the best concerts this year. Love Thurston Moore; what a presence.
pick; Pink Stream on album Do You Believe In Rapture? on stage.

Hot Chip’s The Warning

I love AMG’s correct assumption that this album rocks because of the vocals/lyrics, which made them say in their review of this album; ‘hauntingly similar to something Paul McCartney would write had he been paying attention to the music of the youth in his own backyard.’ Spot on.
pick; Tchaparian Thank you, Darin, for thinking so too. Over And Over indeed makes yer head bop and your ass shake.

Boris’ Pink

I suppose not many people will have heard of Boris; three Japanese rocking heavier than anything on my list. Brought to me by my Org shadow partner Keizo, who reads Org without having a profile. She threatened to do horrid stuff to me if I did not include this, but I would have anyways; Boris is a power of it’s own; a tsunami of screech. Probably the only album I ever hipped to my hard rocking brother.
pick; Woman on the Screen

CSS’s Cansei de Ser Sexy

Miguel was sweet enough to share this album with me. CSS is a lot like The Blow; danceable rhythms with a sort of proclaiming female voice. A danceable album that might not be really progressive, but it sure makes me dance. And my hot pick is so, so true.
pick; Music Is My Hot Hot Sex

Tom Yorke’’s The Eraser

Needs no introduction. Lars has the same knack as Abierman (and David), he knows what song to play to make me an addict. In Radiohead’s case an almost instrumental b-side that kind of resembles Tom Yorke’s solo outing.
Lyrically, it is probably closest to what I have gone through the last few months, battling an impossible love and everything that comes with it.
pick; Black Swan

The Blow’s Paper Television

Remember bleeding Jerry McGuire’s ‘You had me at hello’? Well, The Blow’s album opener, even though thieving on My Sharona, did that to me. Even if the rest of the album would have been shite, the power of that first song would have made me list this. But it is not. I love the rest too.
pick; album opener Pile Of Gold

Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds

God, this album gave me loads of posting fun in the really uptight Club Of Prejudice in this forum; nothing Justin does is ever good enough if you are from a boy band. But the previous album had a few songs I love and so does this one.
SexyBack was fun, cuz it kinda stuck a middle finger up the same uptight society of music lovers. But it was not the song that hooked me. The title song is pure Prince, if only Prince had been hip to the times. Me and my friends play my picks a lot on parties. You should try it.
pick; FutureSex/LoveSounds and Love Stoned

Grizzly Bear’s Yellow House

At first listen this recording resembles My Morning Jacket’s debut album, but without the Neil Young comparisons that MMJ was hit with. Grizzly Bear’s vocals and range are more varied, though and that makes this album easier to get into, but without losing it’s edge.
The album is very, very melodic. Think Beatles and damn, even Beach Boys, due to their layering of voices. Love, love, love this. It is a trip.
pick; Easier has an Apalachian feel to it, but with a wider scope and without it going country.

Howling Bells’s Howling Bells

I kinda forgot how I stumbled onto this band. Probably Keizo. From Oz, just one album out, singer Juanita Stein’s voice is capable of lulling you into false states of security, then lashing out with sudden force.
Even though musically the songs offered here are not very diverse, still it never becomes a borefest, just cuz Stein’s voice fits the laidback songs so much.
pick; Across The Avenue

OOIOO’s Taiga

Damn, damn, damn. This band; no words suffice. Four chicks, making music you would get if you would ram Santana (in the 70’s), The Doors or maybe even Hendryx down Björk’s throat. Then add non-sensical vocal sounds, added just where they sound good.
My desription sucks. But damn, I cannot stop playing this record.
pick; The percussion on ats is mjummie. But the rest is indescribable. Just play it. Weird out with me.
[Edited 12/31/06 18:59pm]

I forgot Van Hunt, Teddybears AND Belle & Sebastian.

I will make amends.
[Edited 1/1/07 14:43pm]

Christopher said:

Its been a very gay year for you Christoph. Watch out for Jamie T, the Pigeon Detectives and the Holloways this year.

10 Faves of 2006

TV On The Radio – RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN


Christian McBride – LIVE AT TONIC


New Orleans Social Club – SING ME BACK HOME


Kenny Garrett – BEYOND THE WALL


Gov’t Mule – HIGH & MIGHTY


Vernon Reid – OTHER TRUE SELF


24-7 Spyz- FACE THE DAY

Ben Harper – BOTH SIDES OF THE GUN


Robert Randolph - COLORBLIND


Derek Trucks - SONGLINES



Live shows

Ben Harper's BSOTG with Damien "Gong Jr" opening at Greek Theater LA and Santa Barbara County Bowl

Vernon Reid at Catalina's Jazz Bar and Grill

Gov't Mule at Anaheim Grove and Wiltern Theater

Zappa Plays Zappa at Key Club Morongo

Victor Wooten at El Rey

Josef Zawinul at Catalina's Jazz Bar and Grill