Half.
I kinda wanted to join the deafening chorus at the end of 2005 and offer up my own top ten music list thingy. But then Dr. Red Duke went and skewered the entire notion. Fine. I'll just do a mid-year thing. If you release music after this post and before 2007 kicks off, you're screwed.
5. Ghostface Killa - Fishscale
Here's the sell: I only took like 3 or 4 tracks out of rotation. The rest got 3 or more stars. For a 20+ track rap record, that's pretty amazing.
4. Juiceboxxx - R U There God?? Itz Me Juiceboxxx
Did this come out in '06? I don't know. It did for me, at least.
That "Do You Want 2 Hear It?" track is still such a MONSTER JAM. Attempt to play it in a sealed-up car and you will look like a bouncing idiot.
3. Half-Handed Cloud - Halos & Lassos
As excited as I was when it came out, I didn't really talk this one up. It kinda seemed a bit too me-only. Last year's release had enough sonic variety to trick people into thinking it was more than just a melodic blitz of catchiness. This one leans so heavily on the delightful (to me at least!) Omnichord that it ends up being a harder sell. Halos & Lassos is ultimately just as catchy and just as chock-full of insanely wonderful melodies as any previous Ringhofer release -- you just gotta either be in nostalgic love with the sound of the Omnichord, or be prepared to give the record the three listens required to allow the mental subtraction of the instrument.
Oh, and I totally dig the one-release-a-year thing that Half-Handed Cloud has going on. In fact, I'd be willing to effectively pay more per track for my favorite artists if they'd put out shorter albums every year instead of longer ones every two.
Half-Handed Cloud - "Rise to the Heavens on Evaporation"
Half-Handed Cloud - "Rainbow = Warbow"
2. T.I. - King
Ultimately, this record is main reason I'm doing this mid-year thing. When Breihan put it in his first quarter list, I noticed but didn't bother tracking it down for a month or so. Then I wanted to post about it, but was too busy listening and never got around to it. ERROR CORRECTION time.
"Get It" kicks off with some P.E.-grade siren action, a referee whistle, and a high-school band horn section. And that's all before the shuffle-y, bass-heavy track even starts. Come on. That's enough right?
T.I. - "Get It"
1. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
I love this record as much as Omar has commented in the very thread that introduced me to it. Get in there and get started if you haven't already.
( All of the above can be found in various online stores and whatnot. Click there. )
Comments
10-2 not in any real order:
Danielson - Ships
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Eleventh Dream Day - Zeroes And Ones
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye
Keene Brothers - Blues And Boogie Shoes
Neko Case - Foxfire Brings The Noise
Boris - Pink
Smoosh - Free To Stay
1. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope. Like x said.
DUD: The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
Posted by: Omar | June 22, 2006 8:12 PM
Danielson - ShipsMastodon - Blood Mountain
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Lily Allen - Alright, StillGirl Talk - Night Ripper
Eleventh Dream Day - Zeroes And OnesRobert Pollard - Normal Happiness
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye
Keene Brothers - Blues And Boogie Shoes
Neko Case - Foxfire Brings The Noise
Boris - PinkIron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
Smoosh - Free To Stay
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Posted by: Omar | September 3, 2006 8:26 PM
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your BonesJoanna Newsom - Ys
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Robert Pollard - Normal Happiness
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye
Keene Brothers - Blues And Boogie Shoes
Neko Case - Foxfire Brings The Noise
Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
Smoosh - Free To Stay
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Posted by: Omar | September 18, 2006 12:55 PM
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye/Normal Happiness/Blues And Boogies Shoes (Keene Brothers)/Turn To Red (The Takeovers)
YLFT - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
Neko Case - Foxfire Brings The Noise
Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
Smoosh - Free To Stay
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Posted by: Omar | September 21, 2006 10:25 AM
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye/Normal Happiness/Blues And Boogies Shoes (Keene Brothers)/Turn To Red (The Takeovers)
YLFT - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
Neko Case - Foxfire Brings The NoisePortastatic - Be Still Please
Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And DeathThe Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
Smoosh - Free To Stay
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Posted by: Omar | October 12, 2006 6:38 PM
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye/Normal Happiness/Blues And Boogies Shoes (Keene Brothers)
YLFT - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your AssDeftones - Saturday Night Wrist
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The MachineJay Reatard - Blood Visions
Portastatic - Be Still Please
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
Smoosh - Free To Stay
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Posted by: Omar | December 6, 2006 1:36 PM
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Joanna Newsom - YsNecko Case - Foxfire Brings The Noise
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye/Normal Happiness/Blues And Boogies Shoes (Keene Brothers)
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
Deftones - Saturday Night WristJay Reatard - Blood Visions
Portastatic - Be Still Please
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
Smoosh - Free To Stay
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Posted by: Omar | January 10, 2007 12:29 PM