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Newsvine Decided: Top Albums of 2006

News Type: Opinion — Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:07 AM EST

Live Poll

Which is your top album:

  • The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
    21%
  • Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
    21%
  • Beirut: Gulag Orkestar
    0%
  • Sunset Rubdown: Shut Up I Am Dreaming
    7%
  • Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America
    14%
  • A Whisper in the Noise: As the Bluebird Sings
    14%
  • Boris: Pink
    0%
  • Tapes 'n Tapes: The Loon
    0%
  • Emily Haines: Knives Don't Have Your Back
    14%
  • Josh Ritter: The Animal Years
    7%

Total Votes: 14

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Beirut - Gulag Orkestar

Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming

The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

A Whisper In The Noise - As The Bluebird Sings

Boris - Pink

Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon

Emily Haines - Knives Don't Have Your Back

Josh Ritter - The Animal Years

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The votes are counted, the ballots in, and we have ourselves some top albums. These are not just any top albums. This is not some list compiled by elitist music snobs. This is not some "Top 40" shoved down your throats by some record execs. These are your top albums. You choose them.

You have a diverse taste in music. There were only six albums that appeared on multiple lists, with seventy two total. This made for a rather interesting ranking process. Let's just say we have a lot of ties.

Since this is your list, let's cut the editorializing and get on with the list:

Albums 57 - 72

  • Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me

    Shut up. I know it's not good. I like it anyway.
    - E to the Z

  • Boris - Dronevil Final
  • Uffie - Hot Chick EP
  • Woelv - Gris
  • Eric Bachmann - To the Races
  • Psalm One - Death of the Frequent Flyer
  • The Rapture - Pieces of The People We Love
  • Bob Dylan - Modern Times
  • Ratatat - Classics
  • Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
  • The Elected - Sun, Sun, Sun
  • Two Gallants - What the Toll Tells
  • Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
  • The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely
  • The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
  • Xiu Xiu - The Air Force

Albums 51 - 56

  • The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon
  • Girl Talk - Night Ripper
  • Dixie Chicks - Take the Long Way
  • Andrew Bird - Fingerlings 3
  • P.O.S. - Audition
  • Junior Boys - So this is Goodbye

Albums 45 - 50

  • Cursive - Happy Hollow
  • Lupe Fiasco - Love and Squalor
  • M. Ward - Post War
  • Xiu Xiu - The Air Force
  • Built to Spill - You in Reverse
  • Piano Magic - Incurable

Albums 39 - 44

  • Pony Up! - Make Love to the Judges with Your Eyes
  • The Mars Volta - Amputechture
  • Asobi Seksu - Citrus
  • Bitter - Sweet
  • Annuals - Be He Me
  • People Under The Stairs - Stepfather

Albums 31 - 38

  • Regina Spector - Begin to Hope
  • Islands - Return to the Sea
  • Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
  • Tool - 10,000 Days
  • Camera Obscura - Lets Get Out of This Country
  • Bonnie Prince Billy - The Letting Go
  • Jens Lekman - oh You're so Silent Jens
  • J Dilla - Donuts

Album 30

  • Joanna Newsom - Ys

Albums 23 - 29

  • Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
  • Placebo - Meds
  • Tv on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
  • Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
  • Saturday Morning Soundtrack - Self-titled
  • Tap Tap - Lanzafame
  • Tim Hecker - Harmony in Ultraviolet

Albums 19 - 22

  • Lily Allen - Alright, Still
  • Hot Chip - The Warning
  • Magnolia Electric Co - Fading Trails
  • The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns

Albums 12 - 18

  • Tilly and the Wall - Bottoms of Barrels

    From the very first track the band exhibits its classic ability to make addictively poppy music soulful and fun. Tilly's new record explores the valleys of loss, love and listlessness as well as the peaks of exuberant empowerment in its 40 minute run-time.
    - E to the Z

  • Destroyer - Rubies
  • The Twilight Singers - A Stitch In Time
  • The Thermals - The Blood, the Body, the Machine
  • Maritime - We, the Vehicles
  • Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea
  • Audrey - Visible Forms

Album 11

  • Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat

Albums 5 - 10

  • Josh Ritter - The Animal Years

    With The Animal Years, Josh Ritter delivers a great folk album, testing the boundaries of the genre throughout. It is easy to get lost in his music and the imagery of his lyrics. His use of historical and cultural allusions greatly influences a deep human feeling throughout this album.
    - Me

  • Emily Haines - Knives Don't Have Your Back

    I fell in love with the Emily Haines album - Knives Don't Have Your Back - on my first listen. She's stripped away the rock rhythms and dance grooves that are her Metric staples and crafted a bare, devestatingly personal record. Sad, haunting, introspective and beautiful.
    - E to the Z

  • Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon
  • Boris - Pink
  • A Whisper In The Noise - As The Bluebird Sings
  • Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

    Wonderful storytelling and damn catchy music.
    - ScooterDMan

    The singer, Craig Finn was drunker that Eddie Money at a Rib-Burnoff. He kept mumbling about baseball and the old Cleveland Browns when he wasn't forgetting lyrics.
    Fun show though.
    - Pete ZaHutt

Album 4

  • Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming

Albums 2 - 3

  • Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
  • Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Album 1

  • The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

    You'll certainly find The Decemberists expanding their musical horizons and experimenting with new styles throughout The Crane Wife. But give this album a few listens. It is certainly a new path, and the most unique offering by The Decemberists to date. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.
    - Me

Well, there you have it. These are your top albums of 2006. Just to add a little authority to this list, the top two albums listed here, The Crane Wife and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood are also the highest vote getters within the comments.

If anyone would like to add a blurb, just comment below with your blurb

  • 14 Votes
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2.6
0.5
{"commentId":437228,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
Adam Hobson

Albums are grouped with other albums they tied with. Since so many different albums were submitted and so few overlapped, there were quite a few ties as you can see.

{"commentId":437228,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    Reply#1 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:17 AM EST
    {"commentId":437233,"authorDomain":"listenup"}
    listentothis

    I've only heard of four of those groups/artists (Pearl Jam, Lupe Fiasco, Muse, and The Strokes) though I haven't heard any of the mentioned albums.

    Good job, though! It must have taken a while to organize everything.

    {"commentId":437233,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"listenup"}
      Reply#2 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:21 AM EST
      {"commentId":437857,"authorDomain":"vassleer"}
      vassleer

      Wow. Does it make me an idiot if I have only heard of maybe ten of the bands on this list and only own three of the albumns? (Pearl Jam, Tool and the Decemberists)

      What makes me feel worse is that I have only even heard of two of artists in the top 10 (the Decemberists and Emily Haines)

      Guess I'll go back to my Snow Patrol CD... :)

      {"commentId":437857,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"vassleer"}
      • 1 vote
      #2.1 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:46 AM EST
      {"commentId":437938,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
      Eric Atienza

      Guess I'll go back to my Snow Patrol

      *dons snob outfit*
      As long as it's the first one and not the disappointing second one =p
      *takes off snob suit*

      I've actually only heard of about 3/4 of this list. But that's why these lists are great. Start at number 1 and as you go down the list finding bands you've never heard of check them out and see if they are for you.

      {"commentId":437938,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
      • 2 votes
      #2.2 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:23 AM EST
      {"commentId":438159,"authorDomain":"vassleer"}
      vassleer

      lol...it is the first one. I guess I should have mentioned that I printed the list out and when I get back home I'll be giving these bands a listen.

      You are right - that's what makes these lists so great.

      {"commentId":438159,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"vassleer"}
        #2.3 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:01 PM EST
        Reply
        {"commentId":437284,"authorDomain":"scooterdman"}
        ScooterDMan

        Great work, Adam. Thanks.

        {"commentId":437284,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"scooterdman"}
          Reply#3 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:14 AM EST
          {"commentId":437340,"authorDomain":"mandrake"}
          mandrake

          Wow, this is a pretty impressive list. I certainly wasn't expecting this. I have to say, I don't completely agree with the ordering, but the overall quality of these albums is superb.

          {"commentId":437340,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"mandrake"}
            Reply#4 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:21 AM EST
            {"commentId":437360,"authorDomain":"jointhebrigade"}
            Tim Stanton

            How come Xiu Xiu's The Air Force made it in twice?

            Happy to see Sunset Rubdown up there -- this is my pick for the year. Stunned to see "A Whisper In the Noise" up there. I love this band, but no one else seems to have heard of them (until now). Neko, Beirut, Maratime, Band of Horses -- great to see all these getting a nod.

            {"commentId":437360,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"jointhebrigade"}
              Reply#5 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:02 AM EST
              {"commentId":437597,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
              Adam Hobson

              How come Xiu Xiu's The Air Force made it in twice?

              Because the list was long and mistakes get made ;-) I'll remedy that in a moment.

              {"commentId":437597,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
              • 1 vote
              #5.1 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:28 AM EST
              {"commentId":438462,"authorDomain":"baxter"}
              Tim Baxter

              Another small error - Bitter - Sweet should be

              Bitter:Sweet - self-titled

              {"commentId":438462,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"baxter"}
                #5.2 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:07 PM EST
                Reply
                {"commentId":437829,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
                Eric Atienza

                Nice to see my picks spread out over the entire list. I should tell you, though, that I made a mistake with the Lupe Fiasco record. It's actually called "Food and Liquor". I keep getting it confused with the We Are Scientists record "Love and Squalor".

                {"commentId":437829,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
                  Reply#6 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:32 AM EST
                  {"commentId":437944,"authorDomain":"iarnuocon"}
                  iarnuocon

                  I must be getting old. There's a lot of stuff on here that I like and have in my collection (Built to Spill, Eric Bachman, the Decemberists, Sunset Rubdown, etc.), but there's also a lot of stuff that I just find unlistenable (if that's a word). I'm surprised to see Joanna Newsom ranked so far above Eric Bachman. Bachman gets regular rotation on my MP3 player, and I haven't listened to Newsom since the initial listen upon purchasing. IMO, Bachman's record is orders of magnitude better. I'm surprised the Futureheads didn't make it on the list, although I suppose their 2006 offering would rightly be categorized as a reprise of their 2004 debut, so maybe there's good reason. What about the Arctic Monkeys? I'd also give a nod to And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.

                  Just thought I'd mention some bands that didn't make the cut (which is likely my own fault for not taking part in the poll), but are totally deserving to be on this list.

                  Thanks for all the food for thought. There's quite a few bands on here that I have yet to give a listen to. This article will keep me busy for a while.

                  And this is probably outside the purview of this type of article, but if you want to get far outside the mainstream, but still very cool, I'd recommend anything by paperball off the hippocamp website. These folks are constantly releasing 'outsider' music throughout the year, and there's no doubt some really good stuff that will never, ever, ever get enough attention to make a list like this.

                  {"commentId":437944,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"iarnuocon"}
                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#7 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:25 AM EST
                  {"commentId":438162,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
                  Eric Atienza

                  Yeah, there were some bands that were placed higher than I would have thought (notably Tapes n' Tapes and the Hold Steady) but there are also albums on there that I totally forgot came out this year (like the Muse record and Built to Spill.)

                  As far as the Arctic Monkeys, personally I thought they were alright but mostly a rehash of the Libertines who were alright but mostly a rehash of the Clash.

                  {"commentId":438162,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
                  • 1 vote
                  #7.1 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:02 PM EST
                  Reply
                  {"commentId":438202,"authorDomain":"jrmehle"}
                  jaredvolkl

                  Not one that I'd actively listen to. I guess my tastes are a little different. If you're in the mood for Top 10's, we have one going over at Decoymusic.com

                  {"commentId":438202,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"jrmehle"}
                    Reply#8 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:18 PM EST
                    {"commentId":438371,"authorDomain":"benno"}
                    Benno Hansen

                    I'm sorry, excuse me, I think you forgot Amon Amarth > With Odin on Our Side somewhere in the top 10! Right?

                    {"commentId":438371,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"benno"}
                      Reply#9 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:30 PM EST
                      {"commentId":438545,"authorDomain":"jrmehle"}
                      jaredvolkl

                      Great album! I just saw them last week with Children of Bodom. I posted a few pics too.

                      {"commentId":438545,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"jrmehle"}
                      • 1 vote
                      #9.1 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:36 PM EST
                      {"commentId":438564,"authorDomain":"benno"}
                      Benno Hansen

                      I was actually kind of kidding from a kind of disappointment. However, everyone has got to admit that list above is in serious need of some brutal Swedish metal :)

                      PS: Your link requires registration.

                      {"commentId":438564,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"benno"}
                        #9.2 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:45 PM EST
                        Reply
                        {"commentId":438378,"authorDomain":"tcervo"}
                        gecko85

                        For those of you wanting to check out some of these bands you've never heard of, you can find many of them on eMusic. The nice things about eMusic are the price (works out to about $0.25/song) and the fact that you get high quality MP3 (192-VBR) with no DRM whatsoever.

                        If anyone is interested in trying it out, let me know and I'll send you an invite. You'll get 25 free song downloads with no obligation, just for trying it out. (Sure, you can get the same 25 free song downloads just by going to www.emusic.com, but if you let me send you an invite, I'll get 50 free downloads if you sign up.)

                        {"commentId":438378,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"tcervo"}
                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#10 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:31 PM EST
                        {"commentId":438451,"authorDomain":"stacym"}
                        StacyM

                        Huh. Good year for music out of Minneapolis I guess.

                        Thanks for putting this together Adam, I've got some bands to add to my ipod a year late. :)

                        {"commentId":438451,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"stacym"}
                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#11 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:03 PM EST
                        {"commentId":438543,"authorDomain":"charlie-b"}
                        charlie-b

                        Any list that neglects Tom Waits is no list of mine. I do however have 14 of the albums listed.

                        {"commentId":438543,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"charlie-b"}
                        • 2 votes
                        Reply#12 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:35 PM EST
                        {"commentId":439222,"authorDomain":"protoolrobot"}
                        protoolrobot

                        Mike Patton's Peeping Tom. Honorary robot mention.

                        God, he rules.

                        {"commentId":439222,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"protoolrobot"}
                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#13 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:10 PM EST
                        {"commentId":439375,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}
                        Viki Babbles Gonia

                        Where's Justin Timberlake?

                        Hee hee. I've been forced to listen to Chicago's Kiss FM just a little too often lately, thanks to my children. I'm hoping if I check out some of the bands on this list, my theoretical age will go down a few years.

                        Nice work, Adam. I know it must have been a huge job putting this together.

                        Seriously, though. Where's Justin?

                        {"commentId":439375,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}
                          Reply#14 - Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:52 PM EST
                          {"commentId":439796,"authorDomain":"leonwestbrook"}
                          leonwestbrook

                          I'm disappointed that Rolling Stone AND Pitchfork both snubbed Emily Haines.

                          I'm glad she is getting SOME recognition.

                          {"commentId":439796,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"leonwestbrook"}
                            Reply#15 - Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:11 AM EST
                            {"commentId":440112,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
                            Eric Atienza

                            I found I was much happier with the prefix list than most of the others that I've seend.

                            {"commentId":440112,"threadId":"62353","contentId":"489305","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
                            • 1 vote
                            #15.1 - Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:29 AM EST
                            Reply
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