20-16

20. I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness-Fear is on our side

Yes, this Austin group has a clumsy moniker, but it actually describes their sound pretty well: their first full-length is full of swelling guitars, new wave distortion and haunting lyrics. I didn’t like the EP as much, which seems to be contrary to most opinions in the rock world. This album sounds less contemporary to me, and more classic, or timeless. Well, maybe not timeless; maybe more Crocodiles-era Echo and the Bunnymen, or Disintegration-era Cure. I am such a sucker for that kind of music, and ILYBICD does it so so well on this album. I saw them in a tiny record store with shitty acoustics this semester; they did what they had to do in such a situation, which is blast the shit out of their speakers. Overall it was a good show, with “The Ghost” and “According to Plan” giving me front-row chills; no wonder, since both songs are among my favorite rock singles of the year.

19. Phoenix-It’s Never Been Like That

Man, I can just feel my hipster cred plummet with this album in this spot. Parisian garage-pop band (emphasis on the pop) releases their 3^rd and by far best album this summer. And what a summer album; these songs are catchy, cute, and fun. On this release the popsters try to make their songs more aggressive, adding all kinds of Strokes-y guitars and pounding drums. Phoenix is all about slick, glossy production, though, and the band can’t help but refine every would be crasher to a sugary pulp, perfect for daytime consumption. Just listen to the details of these songs: the hi-low guitar volume that goes by almost unnoticeable, the impeccable bass. Sure, these songs aren’t serious or anything, but intense listening does offer rewards. Plus, the album features one of the best creepy-crush lyrics I have heard in ages: “I’m going to read every novel you read.” The album, like the feeling of these lyrics, may not be the most mature or sophisticated, but it is a welcome retreat to the silly and pop that I love here; after all, isn’t that how Rock and Roll started?

Check Out "Long Distance Call"

18. Justice EP/Van She EP/Klaxons EP

If there is any genre of music from 2006 that I feel comfortable recommending, it is this new genre of electro house or indie disco/paisley dayglo. The only problem, though, is that almost no one from this emerging scene released an album this year. Ed Banger’s DJ Mehdi did, and there have been a few Kitsune Maison collections like Jordan mentioned, but the majority of the buzz for indie disco has come in the form of leaks, singles, and EPs. So…. I just put three of the best electro-house and indie disco EPs together and gave them one spot. Sue me. Justice released what will almost certainly be my favorite song of the year, “Waters of Nazareth” (check Jordan’s blog for the mp3 link). Every other song and remix on this EP, though, is solid gold: heavy heavy heavy French house music, requiring fist-pumping and dancing. The Van She is a little different, although their DJ sets sound so much like a cross between Justice and Daft Punk. On their EP, though, they sound more like 80s synth-disco; “Kelly” is an amazing track that has been remixed by everyone, including house power-team Alan Braxe and Fred Falke. And finally, the most rock-like band here, come the Klaxons. Oh my god have they been hyped in the blogs. I have never seen a band without an album be so remixed this year (well, maybe New Young Pony club). They have releases at least three singles that exploded everywhere, highlighting their rave-y garage-y sound, and I hope for more whenever they release a real album. Check out creepy single “Magick.” For more music like this, see my year-end singles list, or the links to the side, or just email me; I have so many of these singles—you have no idea.

17. The Knife-Silent Shout

I assume that everyone else is going to write about this album, and I don’t really have anything new to say. Yes, I didn’t get into Deep Cuts until this year, when I heard the drop-dead single “Heartbeats” at a club, and fell in love. Yes, the new album is creepier, darker, but still has the sublime melodies buried within it. Yes, there is a multitude of amazing remixes of songs from this album, including a cute one from Ratatat. Yes, I regret not seeing the Knife live in Berlin, on what was their 3^rd live appearance ever. Yes, this album is not as high as might be expected; I just wasn’t in a Silent Shout mood for enough of this year for the album to be Top 10 material. Deep Cuts would be, though, had it come out this year.

16. Girl Talk-Night Ripper

When I was first introduced to Girl Talk this summer, I had the same sentiments that Austin does; it was super-fun to pick out all the samples and enjoy the clever mashings, but at the end of the day Night Ripper was just a fun exercise, like all of those lesser mash-ups we hear on blogs. After months and months of repeat listens, though, I argue for Girl Talk’s album as not only a real music album, but a really good album in its own right. This might have something to do with all the postmodern theory and adaptation theory I have been reading for my thesis this semester; Gillis uses the postmodern idea of pastiche to juxtapose lots of different sounds from the past and undermine them, creating new ideas. Now Night Ripper is by no means directly political or anything, but I think that putting “My Humps” over Annie says something about what music is acceptable or unacceptable for some people to listen to, and why people like the music they hear. Did you not like “My Humps”? Or Julez Santana? Are they improved with samples from Neutral Milk Hotel, or just placed in a new context, so you can appreciate them now? “Tiny Dancer” and “Juicy” are both on opposite borders of indie-kid acceptability; what happens when you put them together? Everything is catchy; the album is pure, unrestrained joy in music. I think that’s the point of Night Ripper, a point that makes this Girl Talk album a much more successful music album than most attempts by groups recording their own sounds. Oh, and I am going to see Girl Talk on New Year’s. Rawk!