Rock Albums of 2006

OK, I have a list of 10 albums from last year that I would like to recommend but I can't really be bothered to put them in any sort of order. So, the list that I'm about to share with you is just kinda listed at random I do have some comments for each though. There are a few standouts from last year, but for the most part it was kinda crappy. The mainstream rock scene really hit an all time low though. Chris Daughtry's album became the fastest selling "rock" album of all time, and Nickleback took the world by storm. But the local Detroit AOR station has started to play The Stooges so that is at least something good right? Well anywho, here is my list of 10 rock albums from 2006 that at least deserve a listen. So get to your local record store or use whatever software it is that you use to acquire songs and get 'em and put 'em on your hi-fi and blast 'em. Oh, and BTW I think a lot faster than I can type or even write for that matter so I might miss a word here or there I will do my best to proofread, I really can't spell for shit either, so if I screw up a word here or there tough titty.

The first album on the list, but not necessarily the "best" album on the list is

Arctic Monkeys'- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

I like this album quite a bit, it has a bit of a pop 'n' roll feel, with little touches of ska here and there. Alex Turner's lyrics are snotty and brash and the album as a whole just has a nice feel to it. The real standout tracks are I bet you look good on the dance floor and Still take you home. All in all a nice first effort, now let's see if they fall into the Sophomore curse and have a follow up that ends up in the crapper.

Alright next up on the hit parade is

Wolfmother- Wolfmother

I really really really love this album. It is spot on 70's riff rock at about it's best. These guys sound so authentic that it's kinda hard to believe that this album is not from 1971. Every song is an epic, every lyric is D&D inspired. There are a few stand out tracks though, the first being the opening track Colossal, it is just such a huge song, I mean huge. The riffs loom large and the lyrics are so myth inspired that you can't help but become mystified by it all. The other super stand out track is Joker and the Thief, it is just full blow 70's arena rock madness complete with a keyboard solo that Styx would be jealous of, it is f-ing awesome. These guys have a song called White Unicorn and write about looking into the sorcerer's orb, it's just pure teenage fun, and I like this band A LOT!

And next up is,

The Raconteurs- Broken Boy Soldiers

This is a bit of a Detroit "supergroup" you take a couple of the city's best know singer songwriters and mix in the rhythm section of one of our favorite adopted bands from Ohio and you get The Raconteurs. Brendon Benson, teams up with Jack White, and form a bad with the bass player and drummer from the Greenhornes. They have put together quite a little album though, very melodic and I like the title track quite a bit as well Steady as she goes which was the lead single. I think that the song that really stands out though is Blue Veins. It is Jack White at his very best, bluesy with a just enough hookyness to get to listen to the whole thing and wonder "what note is he gonna try to hit next". I think Mr. White has the Midas touch and he's just going to keep making brilliant record after brilliant record, no matter who he's working with.

The next album that i really think you owe it to yourself to listen to is,

Sonic Youth- Rather Ripped

No real surprise here to those that know me, this is my fav. band after all, at least of the modern era. This album doesn't really knock your socks off, but it does continue the sound that they have been using since Washing Machine. I do think that they maxed this sound out with Murray Street though and that was 2 albums ago, it may be time for them to try to change it up again. It's hard to get tired of the beautiful tapestries of sound that they have been making lately though, it's just wonderfull alt. tunings and it all sounds so pretty. I would like to hear them do something that sounds a bit more old school Sonic Youth soon, something a bit more like Confusion is Sex, or Kill yr. Idols. It's just great that one of indie rock's old institutions is still around after all these years.

Next up we have,

Bob Dylan- Modern Times

You know what Bob Dylan ROCKS! This album is very good. How is it that he can keep making such relevant albums that are so good and listenable. He can still tell a good story and he bring a tear to your eye. I really like his cover of Rollin' and Tumblin' on this album. I'm a recent convert to the cult of Dylan, I used to think he was overrated and would stay as far away as possible, but like most of the finer things in life his music is an acquired taste, and once you get the thirst for it it is almost unquenchable. At least for me. I can't really get enough of the guy right now.

So next is,

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clap your Hands Say Yeah

Yes it's derivative, yes it sounds like all the other bands that come out as fo late that all sound like your mid 70's proto punk heroes. is it Pere Ubu, is it Television, is it Talking Heads? It sure sounds like those bands, but it isn't. These guys really came out of nowhere last year, they self published their album and still managed to sell quite a few units, almost half a million I think. It's filled with catchy hooks and sing songy lyrics and just the right amount of artsy fartsy crap thrown in for good measure. I like it and quite a bit too.

And now...

Kaiser George and the Hi-Risers- Transatlantic Dynamite

This album sounds like John Lennon cut a studio record with The Crickets, that's pretty much all I have to say. If that doesn't make you want to go out and buy it, then I don't know what will.

Then we have,

The Mars Volta- Amputechture

What can I say this is some good shit. I loved At the Drive in I thought it was wonderful music full of anger and noise and great riffs. But The Mars Volta really has taken that sound to a whole new level. I think that guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is prolly the most radical guy out there today, he is young and talented as all hell. He sounds like you took Frank Zappa, and threw him a blender with Tom Morello and released the contents filled with equal amounts of anger and restraint, he is the new rock god, for reals son, for reals.

So that is 8 albums, well the next two I'm kinda half assing because to be honest they are just OK to me. But, they are better than almost everything else I heard last year, so here they are.

The Flaming Lips- At War with the Mystics

This is a good album, it's just that I see it as a bit of continuing downward spiral for the lips. Yoshimi wasn't nearly as good as The Soft Bulletin, which I think up till now has been their peek. Except for maybe Zaireeka which unfortunately I have only been able to properly listen to it twice. It is an album you should hear in your lifetime though, regardless of your feelings about the lips as a band. Anyway Mystics is good it's just not that good.

and the last album

Beck- The information

Since the release of Sea Change, which to me was Beck's best album to date, he seems to have fallen off a bit. Guero seemed lost and so does this effort. Don't get me wrong I like it and have given it many a listen, I just feel like he sounds better when he sounds more like he did on Mutations and Sea Change. So here is hoping we get more of that Beck soon.

Well there you have it, my little list of albums that I think you and yours should listen to. Run out and grab 'em up. And if you think I;m full of it because I forgot to add your fav. scream-o band to the list than write me a comment and tell how not with it I am. I just ask one thing, if you do leave a comment, don't make it mamby pamby, I don't want any of this sorta nicey nice criticism, tell me what you think, K, good.