2006 was the year I decided to be loyal. In past lists, I've awarded high placements to albums that I felt were Impressive, or Important -- albums such as Animal Collective's Sung Tongs or Brian Wilson's SMiLE. (In fairness, at the time, I thought 2004 was kind of a bum year.) This year, I went with what I ultimately liked and listened to the most instead of some fictional objective "best" -- so yes, there's Rose Melberg and Math and Physics Club way up top over stuff like TV on the Radio, and Thom Yorke beat out Neko Case and Ghostface. It happens.
I'm a folkie at heart, and typically my lists are dominated by artists like Elliott Smith and Iron & Wine. This year was different: my tastes skewed more toward indie-pop (an old favorite like Melberg, new competitors like the Pipettes and Pants Yell!) and even hip-hop, with Clipse making the top 10 easily and Ghostface Killah placing high as well. Obviously there was plenty of indie rock, too.
Anyway, while there were a few less outright masterpieces this year than last (or the even-more-mind-numbing-in-retrospect 2003), this is a top 30 because I feel that all of these records are important and impressive. It's a collection ranging from indie-pop to coke-rap to, uh, regular pop, each choice an excellent album in its own right. For more of my thoughts on 2006 in review, you can read this essay. Below the list, you'll find a sampler/mixtape featuring songs from many of these albums -- so if you haven't heard some of this stuff, give it a shot.
***
1. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
This has been my album of the year since the day I heard it, and considering it leaked over a year ago, that's quite an accomplishment. A fascinating, literate swirling of classic rock and Dan Bejar's unstoppable yowl.
2. Joanna Newsom - Ys
If we're going to call one album "important" this year, this is the one. I wasn't quite sold on it for a while but seeing her live brought me back into the fold. This is an album of magnificent songcraft, epic storytelling and even better performances. She's an angel.
3. The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes
The pop record of year, an incredible blend of Phil Spector and '90s twee.
4. Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea
Wasn't expecting this band to ever make one of my lists, much less be listenable. But Bitter Tea is a real triumph for these guys, the band's best balance yet of accessibility and eccentricity.
5. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
If there's a great folk record this year, this is the one. Cavernous and beautiful.
6. Rose Melberg - Cast Away The Clouds
Melberg's back catalog already made me a fan for life, but this return after a five-year absence is full of gorgeous songs and singing that make it seem like she never left. Three of these songs -- "Irene," "Each New Day" and "Take Some Time" -- are among her best ever.
7. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
This album is fire. The beats are dirty and surreal, some kind of Halloween horror show that makes a perfect bed for Malice and Pusha T's bloody drug raps. At 50 minutes, it's lean and brutal in a way few rap albums have the ambition to be.
8. Math and Physics Club - Math and Physics Club
These guys may sound a lot like Belle & Sebastian, but that doesn't mean their debut album isn't full of unbelievably catchy songs and soft charms all their own.
9. Maritime - We, The Vehicles
Perhaps the finest guitar lines of any indie-rock record this year. Who knew the Promise Ring could ever be so good?
10. Centro-matic - Fort Recovery
The year's most rugged album. Centro-matic celebrate their 10-year anniversary with a noisy, blue-collar classic.
11. Sondre Lerche and the Faces Down Quartet - Duper Sessions
12. Lambchop - Damaged
13. Chad VanGaalen - Skelliconnection
14. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
15. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
16. Lily Allen - Alright, Still
17. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
18. Shearwater - Palo Santo
19. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
20. Aloha - Some Echoes
21. The Magic Numbers - Those The Brokes
22. Division Day - Beartrap Island
23. Loose Fur - Born Again in the USA
24. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
25. Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds
26. Pants Yell! - Recent Drama
27. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
28. Ned Collette - Jokes and Trials
29. Evangelicals - So Gone
30. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
***
Destroyer - "Watercolours Into the Ocean": mp3
The Fiery Furnaces - "Benton Harbor Blues (remix): mp3
The Pipettes - "Tell Me What You Want": mp3
If you'd rather get straight to the point, I've cherry-picked the best songs from 22 of these albums (the ones I won't get sued over) and put them in the handy zip file you'll find below. Check it out!
Download: 2006 Albums of the Year Sampler (zip)
Labels: Lists
posted by Dave Rawkblog @ 5:50 PM 
Comments (19)
Although our Top 30s will only share five albums in common, I enjoy this roundup. It's especially nice to see a top ten this eclectic and idiosyncratic.
rose melberg made my list too, dave. although, i wouldnt consider any of the songs ont he album better than any of her work in tiger trap. tiger trap is the jam.
actually, i take that back. "each new day" is probably better than all but maybe two of her tiger trap songs.
you know, that's the one Rose project I'm not that familiar with. I'll have to get on that.
Dave, you should probably start with the two Tiger Trap slow songs - "Prettiest Boy" and "Sweetheart", both by Rose and the closest thing to the Softies from TT.
i still have yet to hear the pipettes jam in full
A good list, Dave. I don't think I'll ever get Destroyer, but yay Joanna!
I'm surprised you prefaced that list by commenting that you were not looking for "impressive or important" albums, though you gave top spots to Destroyer and Newsom. Those are the two albums that gave off the "I'm important, dammit" vibe more than any others this year; the latter I love, the former I don't. But, no worries. I like a little ego in my rock, too.
Very happy to see your list span so many types of music. Justin Timberlake's album certainly deserves recognition, but indie newbies like Evangelicals top my list, and I'm glad they're receiving their share of votes. Nice list.
interesting list. aside from #6, i'm not feeling your top 10 much, but really like 11-20
see, i think Dan Bejar goes out of his way on the Destroyer album to be self-deprecating and be as unpretentious as possible
it's not his fault dude has vocabulary.
thanks guys.
nice list...can't say the two of us will share any choices other than the Ghost and the Grizzly Bear, but I appreciate the diversity and all around flavor of things. Yknow Im really starting to think Im missing something by hating Joanna Newsom as much as I do. But I just can't get down with it. Truth be told, I'm a little jealous that everyone gets to enjoy an album that much. Then again, I loved Sunset Rubdown WAY more than everyone else, so to each his own.
oops. I meant I like #5, not #6, although I haven't heard #6 yet.
thanks for listening
-anon
destroyer is sheer songwriting genius, although i still believe this night is his masterpiece, very nice list though- oh yeah i think joanna newsom is important and good
i love This Night too, but it's the ridiculous production on the new one that really carries it over for me.
i'm a headphones dude, so that kind of stuff goes a long way for me.
Pretty good list, I'm glad Chad Vangaalen is in the top 20.
I'm still pissed I missed Joanna Newsom in concert.
btw, I like your mp3 sampler. Really saved me time in trying to find these tracks.
I knew Promise Ring could become that good, for sure.
Very nice list Dave, I was so close to including Destroyer, good to see it here.
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