Dandy* Albums 2006

[dandyhighwayman]

#20 Duke Special "Songs From The Deep Forest"

Northern Irish singer/songwriter type who had absolutely no success in 2006. This album is strong from start to finish and has not a single duff track on it. It's like Aimee Mann lyrics crossed with the stylings of Crowded House and The Divine Comedy. Apparently 'Freewheel' is the next single and I'm hoping the record company will give the album a push as it could be very popular indeed among the masses. First singles 'Last Night I Nearly Died' and 'Portrait' are good also so look them up.



#19 Yo La Tengo "I Am Not Afraid Of You And I'll Beat Your Ass"

This is the first YLT album I've ever bought, although I hear good things about their back catalogue. This is an inventive and varied trawl through different styles and tempos, bookended by two 10 minute plus tracks! It has many moments of beauty among the madness, 'Black Flowers' and 'I Feel Like Going Home' being personal highlights.



#18 The Pipettes "We Are The Pipettes"

This is the best all out pop album of the year, brilliant 3 minute pop gem after brilliant 3 minute pop gem from start to finish. I played this to death in the Summer and since then I've gone off it a tiny bit but the likes of 'Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me', 'We Are The Pipettes', 'Because It's Not Love' and especially 'Dirty Mind' should be timeless classics.



#17 Thom Yorke "The Eraser"

This is another very consistent album. The debut solo project from the Radiohead front man has some tracks that really live up to the high standard set by his band's 'Kid A' project (one of my favourite albums of all time). It represents the more minimal side to Kid A and has sparse beats and orchestration as a backdrop for Yorke's instantly recognisable vocals. Impressive enough to suitably fill the gap between Radiohead records.



#16 Junior Boys "So This Is Goodbye"

Yet another great dance album from the past year. This one recalls past work by Air and crosses it with NewOrder-esque beats and vocals to great effect. 'In The Morning' is one of those songs that's instantly recognisable although I don't know where from (advert or something?). 'First Time' and 'Count Souvenirs' would make great future singles (if they haven't been already).

[dandyhighwayman]

#15 Guillemots "Through The Windowpane"

This is yet another one of those albums I assumed would be top 10 before I finished compiling the list. The first full length album from Guillemots misses out due to me not liking every track on it, for instance I find 'Blue Would Still Be Blue' rather unbearable now. It does have some mighty moments though and if they just cut it down by a couple of tracks, it would have been even better. The closing track 'Sao Paolo' is one of the best songs of the year though as it builds and builds over 11 minutes before letting the bells chime away the end of the album. Very promising for the future.



#14 The Boy Least Likely To "The Best Party Ever"

First of a few extremely chirpy albums in my list (most unlike me!), this is the deceptively childish debut from The Boy Least Likely To. From the opening seconds of 'Be Gentle With Me' to the closing statement of 'God Takes Care Of The Little Things' this is a fun and somewhat twee album. The cartoon cover is perfect for the album whether it be the subject be childish fears ('I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes') or the more adult topic of how to deal with emotions ('Paper Cuts'). Brilliant stuff.



#13 Belle & Sebastian "The Life Pursuit"

I think this may now be my favourite ever B&S album which shows just how good their return was. The singles were all superb but it doesn't stop there, most of the album tracks are just as catchy and well crafted. The likes of 'Act Of The Apostle', 'Another Sunny Day', 'To Be Myself Completely' and 'Sukie In The Graveyard' just cheer you up from the first moment you hear them. It's also one of the few indie albums that both me and my bloke (major pop fan) can listen to and love from start to finish, it just has that universal appeal.



#12 Amy Winehouse "Back To Black"

Now this is how to turn a critically acclaimed but hardly bought debut album into a potentially major selling tour de force. 'Rehab' has paved the way perfectly, gradually building into a hugely unexpected massive single in the UK. The rest of the album isn't quite as immediate (although it does still have it's moments) but there's so many great songs to be uncovered here if you give it a chance. 'Love Is A Losing Game' is a beautiful ballad which Amy sings like a seasoned pro from the 60s, her vocals are THAT good. 'Tears Dry On Their Own' takes a sample from 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' and turns it into a modern R&B classic. The thing that makes it her own is the lyrics - she's penned some very effective and direct lyrics that it's easy to relate to in a modern world and placed them over the sound of 60s soul, stunning stuff. I just hope that the appearance of a big name US rapper on current single 'You Know I'm No Good' is a one off as she doesn't need them.



#11 Joan As Police Woman "Real Life"

'Eternal Flame' was my single of 2006, the 'yes yes' hook lodged itself deep into my brain and stayed there for the rest of the year. I bought the album on the strength of it and it didn't disappoint. There's some variety here, the opening title track is a simple piano ballad while the likes of second single 'Christobel' turn in a splendidly accurate attempt at being a Phil Spektor classic. Last year Antony & The Johnsons were my #1 album and he appears here this year also, duetting on 'I Defy', he lifts the song to another level and the pair's somewhat unusual voices work very well together. Choosing between this and the next album for the final top 10 spot was the most difficult placing in the entire chart, the next album won out on durability alone really as I've been listening to it more of late...

[dandyhighwayman]

#10 Mew "And The Glass Handed Kites"

And the top 10 begins with this brilliant album from Mew. One slight problem is that I've just realised it's from September 2005 but let's quickly skip over that before I make it any worse... It's a hypnotic album that is spellbindingly beautiful in places. Most tracks merge into one another like some major rock opera, this doesn't detract from the individual melodies and songs though as 2006 single 'The Zookeeper's Boy' shows. Yes, NOTE THE 2006 relevance.



#09 Cat Power "The Greatest"

Apparently this is the 7th album from Cat Power, I'm rather ashamed to say I'd never heard of her before 2006. 'Lived In Bars' is my favourite track, I love the whole soul bar feel and the way she huskily purs over it. The entire album reminds me of the sort of stuff my dad used to play when I was growing up, the likes of Roberta Flack etc. This has risen in my estimations all year long while others have fallen, it takes a fair few listens to get into but you'll be hooked when you do.



#08 I'm From Barcelona "Let Me Introduce My Friends"

I loved single 'We're From Barcelona' from the first moment I saw them all swaying in tank tops in the video. I was slightly hesitant about the album though as I thought it may be a tank top sway too far, I was very wrong though as it's about as much joy as you can possibly cram into half an hour. It's a simple and pure album throughout but every single track is a brilliant example of sing-a-long melody and quirky style. We all should be from Barcelona, it would rock.



#07 Joanna Newsom "Ys"

From an album of 2-3 minute pop gems to an album of 10 minute harp epics, this album is really like no other I own. It has five tracks only, all being between 6 and 16 minutes long, of epic tales being told to the sound of a stranged voiced woman singing over her harp. It's really far too difficult to fully describe how spellbinding and different this work is without just playing it to you but it amazes and thrills in equal measure as each song dives in and out of melody and then suddenly takes a dramatic turn into new areas altogether. If Tolkien had written an album, it would probably sound something like this.



#06 James Holden "The Idiots Are Winning"

This was the album that made me truly fall in love with dance music again. It's amazing stuff, I guess it's kind of Aphex Twin-ish but I'd possibly say it's potentially even greater. It's a bleepy album, for want of a better word, but those bleeps are blopped and blipped and warped and twisted until they're practically unrecognisable from the start of the songs without you even noticing and yet it somehow never gets remotely boring. The only slight downside is that 'Intentionally Left Blank' is exactly what the title says but even that doesn't detract from the flow of the album. A work of a genius.

[Doctor Blind]

From your Top 20, I own and love the following:

dandyhighwayman said:

#18 The Pipettes "We Are The Pipettes"

#17 Thom Yorke "The Eraser"

#15 Guillemots "Through The Windowpane"

#13 Belle & Sebastian "The Life Pursuit"

#12 Amy Winehouse "Back To Black"

#10 Mew "And The Glass Handed Kites"

Some fantastic choices there.

[dandyhighwayman]

#05 The Sleepy Jackson "Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird"

This is the album that's really come from nowhere and taken even me slightly by surprise as to how highly I rate it. I bought this back in August as a result of one of the tracks featuring on a free cd on Word and it's been a constant on the stereo ever since without ever dominating. It's a fairly camp album really with grand string arrangements and plenty of ooo-ooos and aah-aahs to harmonise over Luke Steele's distinctive vocal style. 'I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree' was the song I first heard and it's still one of my favourite tracks here but he's just as good on the (slightly) more simple tracks such as 'God Lead Your Soul' or 'Don't Say'. It's an epic album of great ambition and it pulls it off admirably. This was also a surprising #2 on the teletext chart of the year, a rare moment of light amongst their unusually DIRE list this year.

[dandyhighwayman]

#04 Nathan Fake "Drowning In A Sea Of Love"

Released back in February, I am ashamed to say at first thought this was one of those nice albums you'd stick on if you were struggling to sleep. This is the most beautiful piece of work I've bought all year, showing that electronic music can be emotive as this album creates a rich and varied wall of sound that I could quite possibly listen to forever and never tire of. Rather like his label mate James Holden, he takes a few ideas but morphs them so it never becomes dull to the listener. The likes of 'You Are Here' send shivers down my spine every time I hear them.

[dandyhighwayman]

#03 Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins "Rabbit Fur Coat"

For about two months from May I barely listened to another album aside from this. It was the 'You Are What You Love' single that made me pay attention to her but I didn't expect the album to be such a fine collection of sweet, fun and varied songs. 'Melt Your Heart' is possibly my favourite now as Jenny sings about getting valentines cards and realising they're from your mother (my favourite line) but the Hey Jude-esque ending to 'Born Secular' and the endearingly quirky tale of the title track are also top notch. She even has time to cover the Travelling Wilburys 'Handle With Care' along the way and turns it into a round the campfire singalong joy. Despite their rather The Shining-esque appearance on the cover, The Watson Twins have a big part to play in making this album such a success, their harmonies be the perfect foil for Jenny Lewis' sweet vocals. Now I really need to get into the back catalogue of Rilo Kiley and see what I've been missing out on...

[dandyhighwayman]

#02 Jens Lekman "Oh You're So Silent Jens"

The guy that, if there was any justice, should have received the attention Jose Gonzalez has been enjoying all year. This is actually a collection of songs recorded at the beginning of Jens' career in 2003 and 2004 but it was only released in the UK in January so it's included. After a brief introduction, the album begins proper with 'Maple Leaves', a song so joyous it brings back memories of the Avalanches' superb 'Since I Left You' with a deadpan vocal over the top. 'F-Word' is another brilliant track, pushed towards the end of the album, as lone cello supports Lekman's vocals before a couple of female backing vocalists add support for the wonderful chorus of "F-word, f-word, pardon my French but it's BS, BS". It's one of the few albums I can honestly say that, at 17 tracks, never grates or seems too long. Download the joyous 'Black Cab', the remixed version of 'Julie', the gorgeously simple 'Someone To Share My Life With'... oh just buy the whole darn lot.

[dandyhighwayman]

#01 The Knife "Silent Shout"

The albums from #2 downwards have been, in some areas, almost impossible to separate and order but there has never been any doubt as to what my #1 was going to be. You know how, when referring to Radiohead, everyone always goes on about the huge leap forward they took on 'OK Computer' after 'The Bends', turning from just radio friendly rock stompers and nice ballads to a complete album with interesting and darker tracks that gave the listener something new almost every time they listened to it? Well, this is the 'OK Computer' stage of the career of The Knife. 'Deep Cuts' is a great album but in the end it's nothing more than a collection of decent pop songs, 'Silent Shout' takes that ear for meoldy and takes it to a whole new level - the music is darker, the songs are more complex, the lyrics more involved and weird. Now I've stolen that idea from the Pitchfork review but had to as it just sums up my feelings towards this album. As for the songs themselves, well the title track opens proceedings and is like a sinister trance epic (the Williams Acidic Circutus Mix expands this even further) before delving into the slightly more traditional (well for The Knife anyway) sound of 'Neverland', in places it echoes the bizarre chants of single 'We Share Our Mothers' Health'. 'One Hit' sounds like an evil version of Alison Goldfrapp while 'Forest Families' is yet another spooky trance-esque epic. The central section of 'Marble House' and 'Like A Pen' is the key for me, both are tracks that just draw you in as they unwind and unfold, the former being a slow beat tale of love - although remember this IS The Knife so it's bizarre - while the latter opens with droplets of sound that eventually become coherant and the song just builds and builds from then onwards. The most imaginative and compelling album of the year.

[dandyhighwayman]

Full list for comment if you so wish...

75 Red Hot Chili Peppers "Stadium Arcadium"
74 Seth Lakeman "Freedom Fields"
73 White Rose Movement "Kick"
72 Christina Aguilera "Back To Basics"
71 The Beatles "Love"

70 Nerina Pallot "Fires"
69 Corinne Bailey Rae "Corinne Bailey Rae"
68 Basement Jaxx "Crazy Itch Radio"
67 Shawn Colvin "These Four Walls"
66 DJ Shadow "The Outsider"
65 Placebo "Meds"
64 Dark Globe "Nostalgia For The Future"
63 The Divine Comedy "Victory For The Common Muse"
62 A-Ha "Analogue"
61 Beth Orton "Comfort Of Strangers"

60 Lou Rhodes "Beloved One"
59 Grandaddy "Just Like The Fambly Cat"
58 Outkast "Idlewild"
57 Four Tet "Remixes"
56 Gnarls Barkley "St Elsewhere"
55 Hot Chip "The Warning"
54 Muse "Black Holes & Revelations"
53 Pink "I'm Not Dead"
52 Snow Patrol "Eyes Open"
51 Tiga "Sexor"

50 Booka Shade "Movements"
49 Be Your Own Pet "Be Your Own Pet"
48 Fujiya & Miyagi "Transparent Things"
47 Datarock "Datarock Datarock"
46 Kathryn Williams "Leave To Remain"
45 Stereolab "Fab Four Suture"
44 Goose "Bring It On"
43 Kid Koala "Your Mum's Favourite DJ"
42 Peter Bjorn & John "Writer's Block"
41 TV On The Radio "Return To Cookie Mountain"

40 Jim Noir "Tower Of Love"
39 Trentemøller "The Last Resort"
38 Damien Rice "9"
37 Primal Scream "Riot City Blues"
36 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!"
35 Cerys Matthews "Never Said Goodbye"
34 Boris "Pink"
33 Scissor Sisters "Ta-Dah!"
33 Jason Mraz "Mr A-Z"
31 Merz "Loveheart"

30 Pet Shop Boys "Fundamental"
29 Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Show Your Bones"
28 Camera Obscura "Let's Get Out Of This Country"
27 Jarvis "The Jarvis Cocker Album"
26 Ladyfuzz "Kerfuffle"
25 Islands "Return To The Sea"
24 Gotan Project "Lunático"
23 CSS "Cansei De Ser Sexy"
22 Juliette & The Licks "Four On The Floor"
21 Herbert "Scale"

20 Duke Special "Songs From The Deep Forest"
19 Yo La Tengo "I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass"
18 The Pipettes "We Are The Pipettes"
17 Thom Yorke "The Eraser"
16 Junior Boys "So This Is Goodbye"
15 Guillemots "Through The Windowpane"
14 The Boy Least Likely To "The Best Party Ever"
13 Belle & Sebastian "The Life Pursuit"
12 Amy Winehouse "Back To Black"
11 Joan As Police Woman "Real Life"

10 Mew "And The Glass Handed Kites"
09 Cat Power "The Greatest"
08 I'm From Barcelona "Let Me Introduce My Friends"
07 Joanna Newsom "Ys"
06 James Holden "The Idiots Are Winning"
05 The Sleepy Jackson "Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird"
04 Nathan Fake "Drowning In A Sea Of Love"
03 Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins "Rabbit Fur Coat"
02 Jens Lekman "Oh You're So Silent Jens"
01 The Knife "Silent Shout"