Albums of the year 2006 - The top ten as voted by you

John

So the results are in and in reverse order, lots of interesting albums voted for but many only got one vote due to the open ended nature of the vote. However there was a general consensus as to what were great albums this year. Instead of an album of the week, here are the top ten albums of 2006 as voted by the users of this forum, feel free to debate away.

10 - Cansei de Ser Sexy, "Cansei de Ser Sexy":
Released in July, this is a surprise entry as I've never heard of them.

9 - Beirut, "Gulag Orkestar":
This came out in May and I still haven't gotten around to hearing it yet. Reports have been favourable.

8 - Mogwai, "Mr. Beast":
This one came out in March and was also an album of the week (link here).

7 - Placebo, "Meds":
The fifth album from Placebo was also released in March. Not a fan of this album myself but there's a strong following for it here on this forum.

6 - Damien Rice, "9":
The long, long awaited second album from Damien Rice came out only last month but even in this short time it's proved to be both great and popular with the kids.

5 - Thom Yorke, "The Eraser":
Thom Yorke's first solo album hit the shops in July. This also was an album of the week (link here).

4 - Tool, "10,000 Days":
This may not be "technically" an alternative or an indie album but it got a lot of votes and is a great album so I think it deserves to be included. Released in May.

3 - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, "The Letting Go":
The only album that I voted for that made the top ten, this is one of my favourite albums of the year. It came out in September and was an album of the week (link here).

2 - Arctic Monkeys, "Whatever You Say I Am, That's What I'm Not":
Surprisingly, this wasn't our number one. I was expecting this to win by a landslide but maybe the hype train has passed on. A fine album that was raved about at the time but now seems to have been forgotten. It came out all the way back in January and was the second ever album of the week (link here).

And finally,




















































1 - Muse, "Black Holes and Revelations":
This came out in July and was another album of the week (link here). It didn't do much for me apart from the first single off it but the majority of people here would disagree with me (how dare they!).

John

So, how do you feel about this list? Anything you'd take out? Anything you'd add in? What gross miscarriage of musical justice do you see?

Also, the winner of the grand prize* (a voucher for Road Records) is: TheMonster.
















*it's not THAT grand

qwertplaywert

Foo Fighters-Skin and Bones

but im not sure if live albums count?

John

They count but no one voted for that at all.

Xavi6

The right album won. Fantastic effort from the best band in the world, both live and on record.

The Walsho

I'm disappointed Tool isn't higher, but it's understandable considering they aren't technically Indie, but it's just the Arctic Monkeys being higher than them that really grinds my gears.

Attractive Nun

I can't believe Damien Rice made this list. A gross miscarriage of musical justice if I ever saw one.

bluto63

kingoftherodeo wrote:

I'm disappointed Tool isn't higher, but it's understandable considering they aren't technically Indie, but it's just the Arctic Monkeys being higher than them that really grinds my gears.

Agreed. Meds should be higher aswell

A good list overall though

Orizio

I seem to be the only one disapointed with 'Meds'.Its certainly a far cry from their sometimes brilliant work on 'Nothing Else Matters'.I also found the Arctic Monkey's and Muse albums had little replay value.

At least Thom Yorke got in there.

JC 2K3

What I've heard of the new Muse album is shíte compared to anything else they've done. I've really lost respect for them and that album does not deserve to be no. 1 on that list.

nlgbbbblth

I own only two from that list (#8 and #3) and neither would be in my top three albums of 2006.

stpehenmc03

JC 2K3 wrote:

What I've heard of the new Muse album is shíte compared to anything else they've done. I've really lost respect for them and that album does not deserve to be no. 1 on that list.

I'll second that.

Stargal

The Muse album was one of the most inventive, exciting and interesting things I heard all year. I would have lost a lot of respect for them if they'd taken the easy route and just made Absolution II; Black Holes may require repeated listens but it's definitely worth it.

That's cool that Cansei de Ser Sexy made the list - I've only heard a couple of their songs but really liked them so going to go get the album in the next couple of days.

PiE

No surprises really. At least BPB made it.

Kold

Disappointing. BhaR was Muse's worst album to date. They popped it up and as a result got huge recognition but it's nowhere near the quality of Absolution or Origin of Symmetry.

Arctic Monkeys would have the hype going against them in this forum, I would imagine but it was a better album than Muse's.

Thom Yorke should've gotten higher imo, although it wasn't quite as good as Hail to the Thief or most of Radiohead's albums it was still a better album than the top 2.

John

The notable absence for me in the top 10 was Joanna Newsom. I was expecting her to do much better than she did, for a while she was in the running but over the last couple of days of the vote got shoved out of it. I didn't vote for her album but I really thought she would have had more support than she did.

As for Muse, as I said above, I think it's a pretty disappointing album but lots and lots of people seem to like it and the majority rules in this case. Next year I'm going to have a veto

DadaKopf

Shockin'. And I *really* don't like that Beirut album.

How was the winner chosen?

John

I had a numbered list of those who submitted their top threes and I then went to this random number generator site and set the numbers to suit the number of entrants and there we go. That reminds me, I never PM'd the winner!

iFight

Good list, dont thin kthe arctic monkeys should have been so high, and I dont like the Placebo album at all. Have to get that Tool album, not even heard anything off it

Xavi6

All the slack being given to Muse for the album is ridiculous. Again they showed their diversity and musical talent by not merely just copying what they had previously done in other releases. Starlight is one of the best songs of the year and anyone who has seen them play the album live will appreciate it more.

mr_angry

Orizio wrote:

I seem to be the only one disapointed with 'Meds'.Its certainly a far cry from their sometimes brilliant work on 'Nothing Else Matters'.I also found the Arctic Monkey's and Muse albums had little replay value.

At least Thom Yorke got in there.

Er... don't you mean "Without You I'm Nothing"?

For me, it was a disappointing year for albums. I heard lots of good singles, went out and bought the albums, and was then horribly disappointed with the result. CSS and Muse both fall into that category, but I guess the fact that they had multiple good-quality singles put them in the list at least.

My own personal album of the year was AFI's "DECEMBERUNDERGROUND". At face value, AFI are a shouty / screamy emo-punk band that a lot of people find easy to detest. However, despite their overall image, DECEMBERUNDERGROUND was a very intelligent, mature, and multi-layered album which managed to avoid most of their negative tendencies. It was just about the only album that turned out to be better than I expected once I got my hands on it.

Lostprophets' "Liberation Transmission" and Audioslave's "Revelations" were also albums that had some great singles, but proved disappointing overall.

-Freebird-

I really liked Meds... I thought it was a very good album, a lot more grown up than some of their other stuff... I think there is only one song on that album I don't listen to the second last one, Pure Morning or something like that is it...

I was disappointed with Thom Yorkes... As an avid Radiohead fan, I was expecting a lot more... The Eraser and Black Swan are quite good but not what I was expecting... Which, I guess, would be music to the man's ears... Go figure

JC 2K3

Xavi6 wrote:

All the slack being given to Muse for the album is ridiculous. Again they showed their diversity and musical talent by not merely just copying what they had previously done in other releases. Starlight is one of the best songs of the year and anyone who has seen them play the album live will appreciate it more.

Starlight just sounds like generic, radio friendly stuff to me. Even the revered Knights of Cydonia does little for me. I mean this is the same band that did Citizen Erased and Stockholm Syndrome....

Diversity? They just gave themselves a more accessible sound....

Orizio

mr_angry wrote:

Er... don't you mean "Without You I'm Nothing"?

For me, it was a disappointing year for albums. I heard lots of good singles, went out and bought the albums, and was then horribly disappointed with the result. CSS and Muse both fall into that category, but I guess the fact that they had multiple good-quality singles put them in the list at least.

My own personal album of the year was AFI's "DECEMBERUNDERGROUND". At face value, AFI are a shouty / screamy emo-punk band that a lot of people find easy to detest. However, despite their overall image, DECEMBERUNDERGROUND was a very intelligent, mature, and multi-layered album which managed to avoid most of their negative tendencies. It was just about the only album that turned out to be better than I expected once I got my hands on it.

Lostprophets' "Liberation Transmission" and Audioslave's "Revelations" were also albums that had some great singles, but proved disappointing overall.

Yeah I knew I got that wrong but you can hardly blame me, Placebo and Metallica sound so god damn alike...;)

The general trend in music these days seem to be that artists can make great tracks but not great albums.

Kold

Orizio wrote:

The general trend in music these days seem to be that artists can make great tracks but not great albums.

Kids these days don't have the attention span for albums these days with their shuffly mp7 whatnots and 'Date rape a cebrity ape' etc.

Garret

No Luxembourg or Hope Of The States, poor form guys, poor form


I didnt know about it, so I didnt vote:o

ChuckProphet

stpehenmc03 wrote:

I'll second that.

I'll third that. Muse are sh*te. Every time I hear that song I think it's Keane. Muse are prob grand if you're 17

RE*AC*TOR

Missed the vote, but the new Pearl Jam album was my album of the year. First time I've gotten into a Pearl Jam album in about a decade.

Its a total grower of an album, and can be overlooked on just one listen.

Mushy

Definately good to see Muse album up there at No. 1. Definately my favourite album of the year. Absolution is their worst album IMO. Black Holes could even be the best one for me, maybe not though. Knights of Cydonia has even taken over Citizen Erased as their best song for me.

Other albums that might have made it in there(not sure were they on the list or whatever) might have been Albert Hammond Jr. solo album. Just got it the other day and its really good, very easy to listen to. Another album I like is The Blood Arm, Lie Lover Lie. Just very easy to listen to again

JC 2K3

ChuckProphet wrote:

I'll third that. Muse are sh*te. Every time I hear that song I think it's Keane. Muse are prob grand if you're 17

Ugh, I'm 17 and I'm the one who you're third-ing...

Ageism.... :mad:

Mushy wrote:

Knights of Cydonia has even taken over Citizen Erased as their best song for me.

*Shakes head.

Well it's your opinion I guess, but, without going into details, Citizen Erased for me is a masterpiece, Kinghts of Cydonia doesn't even come close.

JC 2K3

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Missed the vote, but the new Pearl Jam album was my album of the year. First time I've gotten into a Pearl Jam album in about a decade.

Its a total grower of an album, and can be overlooked on just one listen.

It's not a bad album, not a great album, but it's certainly not Alt/Indie.

RE*AC*TOR

JC 2K3 wrote:

It's not a bad album, not a great album, but it's certainly not Alt/Indie.

I would describe them as alt-rock, as does their wikipedia page.

You may not think it a great album, but I would consider it certainly better than any of the ten that made the list.

*edit* forgot another album - Andrew WK - Close Calls With Brick Walls. Not as good as I Get Wet, but better than The Wolf.

JC 2K3

hmm... If I wanted to discuss them I'd go to Rock/Metal personally....

It's better than the albums I've heard from that list anyway.

Mushy

Well it's your opinion I guess, but, without going into details, Citizen Erased for me is a masterpiece, Kinghts of Cydonia doesn't even come close.

Oh believe me, I do think Citizen Erased is a masterpiece, but theres just something about Knights of Cydonia thats just....amazing. Everything about that song is just perfect

cailinoBAC

When I was reading through the list I was a bit disappointed, thinking - no Muse! and then I was pleasantly surprised.

I don´t think it´s my favourite album of theirs, that´s still OOS but I do love it and they are fantastic live!

...and I´m 26

Xavi6

ChuckProphet wrote:

I'll third that. Muse are sh*te. Every time I hear that song I think it's Keane. Muse are prob grand if you're 17

Yes and 21, and 24, and 30 and so on. If you have actually bothered to listen to more than the one song you're referencing then you'd know that their overall sound is proably the furthest thing from Keane. I don't understand how you can claim that probably the most talented group of musicians around are 'sh*te'. They may not be to your particular tastes but your immaturity in that comment makes me think that you fall into that 17 year old category.

Slutmonkey57b

Great to see Muse at #1 where they belong. I do take people's point about being intially horrified by BhaR, I was too when I first heard Supermassive Black Hole. But the true test of a great album is: Does it stand up to repeated listenings six, nine months later? Years later? This one definately does. It's a true grower and I love it.

John

Slutmonkey57b wrote:

Great to see Muse at #1 where they belong. I do take people's point about being intially horrified by BhaR, I was too when I first heard Supermassive Black Hole. But the true test of a great album is: Does it stand up to repeated listenings six, nine months later? Years later? This one definately does. It's a true grower and I love it.

It's only been out six months, how do you know if it stands up to years of repeated listening?

PiE

By repeating it over and over in your head 'til you somehow believe it, and think anyone who doesn't is clearly just not listening properly damnit!

Kold

Musically, it's the least complex and unique album they've made.


Any chance you can tell us who else made it close, John? Top 20 or so?

John

Sure:
11. David Kitt, "Not Fade Away"
12. TV on the Radio, "Return to Cookie Mountain"
13. Joanna Newsom, "Ys"
14. Eagles of Death Metal, "Death by Sexy"
15. The Decemberists, "Crane Wife"
16. The Sunshine Underground, "Raise the Alarm"
17. Comets on Fire, "Avatar"
18. Albert Hammond Jr, "Yours To Keep"
19. Pearl Jam, "Pearl Jam"
20. The Pipettes, "We Are the Pipettes"

cashback

I'm surprised Broken Boy Soldiers wasn't on the list, let alone the top 20!
Then again I didn't vote so I can't complain.
It was a 2006 release wasn't it?

gary the great

I will never love any song like i do Citizen Erased, it is the ultimate. And i think OOS is by far there best album, but absoulution was crap but BHanR was great.

Also pleased Meds is in there, its my second fave out of theirs behind black market music. Great album, Infra red and Follow the Cops are brilliant songs.

doonothing

the slack being given to muse isnt ridiculous, they showed diversity alright, but didnt pull it off. it was a definite drop in quality from previous almus, as much as i like BHaR, it is not the best album of the year. at all..

dbs_sailor

muse at #1 is a shame. the album and the singles/videos are literally stupid. seriously. =\

Mushy

muse at #1 is a shame. the album and the singles/videos are literally stupid. seriously.

Yeah, stoopid videos always reflect on an album:rolleyes:

Thats a new one, hearing it being called "stupid". Care to explain?

KnifeWRENCH

hmm..i only own three of the top 20 ("Meds", "The Eraser" and "We Are The Pippettes") ive heard great things about CSS,must check out that album.
for me,the best album of 2006 HAS to be The Long Blondes "Someone To Drive You Home" EVERYONE should buy a copy......im very surprised it didnt figure in the top 20.likewise FORWARD,RUSSIA! "Give Me A Wall" and Sonic Youth "Rather Ripped"...anyone else agree???

Limerick Dude

When i first heard Meds, i nearly cried, i was that dissapointed....But after a while it really grows on you and i think its their best album to date.

Same applys with BHAR, i thought it was muck but i cant stop listening to it now, Knights of Cydonia is breathtaking.

Slutmonkey57b

John wrote:

It's only been out six months, how do you know if it stands up to years of repeated listening?

Because even after six months, I still look forward to it every time I put it in. Nothing sounds tired, nothing gets skipped. It's the same feeling I've had with every other album that gets years of play for me.

5times

The best album released was "Boys And Girls In America" by The Hold Steady . It's a damn travesty it's not in there somewhere . Quite possibly the best "alt/indie" (what is that ? No-one's indie anymore) band around .

Den_M

Black Holes.. is easily number 1 in this. What a great album.