The Top 10 Albums of 2006
According to Joe Sweeney
Here it is. My yearly take on music that tons of people care about. In case you're unfamiliar with me and my muse, my name is Joe Sweeney (aka Joe's Weeney, Sweensryche, or That Fat Tub Of Shit), a bearded man who writes about music and such when he’s supposed to be doing his job as an advertising copywriter. A haver of nosebleeds and a lover of nosegays, my wife suspects I may have halitosis. Now that you know me, I demand that you get to know the ten best records to come out in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand And Six.
1. The Roots – Game Theory
Where previous Roots records followed the soul/R&B/jazz path set by A Tribe Called Quest in the early ‘90s, Game Theory feels more like Public Enemy than any Native Tongue. Frothing over with high-voltage beats that throw sparks and churn like a locomotive, the record’s attitude can be summed up in this lyric from Black Thought, which appears in the intoxicatingly aggressive title track: “And put the writing on the wall for y'all to read it and weep/Cause I'm the force of the Lord, the rage of hell/You'd rather head for the hills and save yourselves/My man rip drums like he ringin’ the bells.” As always, both Thought and drummer ?uestlove are on top of their game, and the rest of the group steps it up as well – especially Kamal on keyboards. Gone are the warm, Fender Rhodes-laden grooves of yesteryear, replaced by jarring synths and ominous low-register piano. Thematic motifs include discomfort (“Don’t Feel Right”), disillusionment (“False Media”), retaliation (“Here I Come”) and death (“Can’t Stop This,” a spectacular, eight-minute ode to the late producer J Dilla).
2. Tom Waits - Orphans
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans of the unconventional to gorge themselves, this three-disc, 56-track collection of new and never-before-heard tracks, soundtrack tunes and covers is a testament to Tom Waits' enduring genius. Alternately sexy, heartbreaking, romantic, nostalgic and hilarious, Waits is on top of his game from beginning to end, whether he's aping Elvis ("Lie To Me"), finding Christ ("Lord I've Been Changed"), pondering death ("The Fall Of Troy") or pulling our leg (the priceless hidden track "Missing My Son"). The track sequencing is a big reason for Orphans' success; each disc has its own mood and theme, from the rowdy, growling "Brawlers" to the aching ballads of "Bawlers" and the tantalizing mixed bag of "Bastards." As track 20 of disc three fades away, the words of a famous orphan come to mind: "Please sir, I want some more."
3. Scott Walker - The Drift
Scott Walker’s The Drift may be the most horrific album ever made (and I mean “good horrific,” not “Kenny Rogers facelift horrific”). An almost unbearably dense mélange of sound effects, thundering percussion, faux operatic vocals and lyrical topics that range from death and disease to making pee pee and punching Irish donkeys, you’d never guess that Walker got his start as a ‘60s pop crooner. Equal parts horror film, stage show and prog rock concept album, The Drift is a sea of dissonance, disturbing visuals and volume shifts that will have you jumping out of your seat – it happened to me in my car, waiting to order the 5 for $5 special at Arby’s. And if you think My Chemical Romance is Goth, check this snippet from “Clara,” a song about the execution of Benito Mussolini and the woman who insisted on dying with him: “This is not a cornhusk doll/Dipped in blood in the moonlight/Like what happen in America.”
4. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
There’s no hyperbole that hasn’t been used to describe Bob Dylan, so I’ll say that Modern Times, his 32nd studio album, is real good. In a way, this is a mere continuation of the sweet, bluesy Americana that marked 2001’s magnificent Love & Theft. But Modern Times one-ups its predecessor by being truly playful, relying more on charming, Tin Pan Alley pop melodies and referencing Alicia Keys in the album’s first minute. Hell, the album title itself is a joke – nothing here is remotely modern; it’s all timeless American songcraft. This includes Dylan’s lyrics, which are typically cutting, romantic and well-timed, especially on the sprightly blues tune “Spirit On The Water,” where he doesn’t shy away from his status as a senior citizen: “You think I’m over the hill/You think I’m past my prime/Let me see what you got/We can have a whoppin’ good time.” It’s a remarkable fact, but Bob Dylan is not past his prime. Am I saying that because I tend to think of old people are cute, shriveled peanut-headed babies? Possibly. Could it be that Dylan’s just that great? Sure. Either way, I just want to kiss him on top of his adorable little peanut head.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
With the sparkling double album Stadium Arcadium, Red Hot Chili Peppers have come full circle. It’s the most beautiful thing they’ve ever done, and their most entertaining record since 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik. More recent records like By The Way (2002) and Californication (1999) were heavier on sun-streaked balladry, which made forays into classic Chili Peppers funk feel a bit out of place. On Arcadium, the band manages to bring these disparate styles together in a way that sounds completely natural. As a result, the songs are gorgeous and kinetic, communicating wider ranges of moods and emotions in 4-5 minute intervals. The verse of “Tell Me Baby” features a monster groove a la Blood Sugar Sex Magik, replete with Frusicante’s chattering funk picking and Flea’s throbbing slap bass. But when the chorus kicks in, Kiedis’ pleading vocal and Frusicante’s falsetto harmony intertwine like two flowers reaching towards the sunlight. The guitarist has always been RHCP’s unsung genius, and Stadium Arcadium is the showcase he deserves. On top of his lyrical playing, his harmonies burst and blossom all over both discs – an angelic, mournful voice without which these songs would certainly suffer. California seems go hand in hand with rock stardom: rich, inviting and littered with devilish pitfalls. Red Hot Chili Peppers have survived it all, and with Stadium Arcadium, they just may have created the definitive soundtrack to their beautiful, unforgiving birthplace.
6. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Much like the members of The Beatles enjoyed individual success after the band's demise, the Wu-Tang Clan has spawned some enduring solo careers. And in the canon of Wu-Tang Clan solo artists, Ghostface Killah is the George Harrison, the underappreciated yet consistently brilliant MC. (Ol’ Dirty Bastard was a torchered genius who died young, so he’s the John Lennon, and RZA’s a revolutionary talent that spreads himself too thin on his solo work, so he’s the Paul McCartney. And obviously, U-God is the Wu-Ringo.) When Ghostface released his debut solo record, Ironman in 1996, the rapper proved that he had the stamina, wit and writing ability to carry an album on his own. But when compared to other Wu-Tang debuts like Method Man’s Tical and ODB’s Return to the 36 Chambers, it seemed lacking in the explosive personality department. Ten years later, it’s a different story. Fishscale, Ghostface’s fifth record, is a remarkable return to form. It’s also a glaring reminder that Ghostface is the only Wu-Tang member doing anything worthwhile these days. Full of raw asphalt beats, crackling soul samples and the rapper’s fiery, emotional rhyming, it’s a rare example of an approaching-40 MC actually using his life experience to his own advantage.
7. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
When Pearl Jam released their smart, punchy single “Worldwide Suicide” earlier this year, a local DJ made the insightful observation that the song was getting airplay because the band “finally got their balls back.” If this particular station’s playlist is any indication, then Nickelback must have freakishly large testicles. Male genitalia comparisons aside, Pearl Jam’s self-titled record is their best in a decade, full of rollicking rock n’ roll songs that toe the line between arena gloss and bar band swagger. It’s not the sequel to Ten or Vs. that everybody’s supposedly been waiting for, but it’s proof that these guys are in the canon of rock veterans you can count on. The thing is, for those following the band over the years, this isn’t news (Pearl Jam isn’t a far cry from the band’s very solid 2002 release, Riot Act). It’s the first three tracks that grabbed people like that DJ, because they’re all loud, anthemic gems that give the band lots of room to test-drive their newfound gonads. But the real masterpieces on Pearl Jam are the ballads; “Parachutes” is one of the greatest, most Beatlesque melodies the band has ever written, and “Inside Job” is a stunning, 7-minute mood piece that closes the record in true classic rock fashion. “But wait,” you might say, “I thought ballads were written and performed by people without balls. Didn’t Pearl Jam grow back their balls?” I’m not the authority on these things, but I’ll say this. Pearl Jam is a document of a great band running on all cylinders. It’s not the balls of their bodies that matter – it’s the balls of their souls.
8. The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
With At War With The Mystics, the torchbearers of richly layered, eccentric prog-pop continue where they left off on 2002's Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. The formula is pretty much the same: Cleverly written, imaginative tunes and ingenious production flourishes, all centered on the bizarre beauty of Wayne Coyne's voice, which sounds like the love child of Ella Fitzgerald and the guy from Canned Heat. This band always manages to come off as not too serious, not too silly, and never middle of the road. If nothing else, At War With The Mystics is a reminder that there is no band like The Flaming Lips.
9. Dr. Octagon - The Return of Dr. Octagon
The Return of Dr. Octagon is a bit of a puzzler. The album is a paltry 34 minutes long, and the only moments that truly fit the Dr. Octagon character – a time traveling, intergalactic, impostor gynecologist – are four skits. For these reasons, it’s tough not to believe the conspiracy surrounding the album, namely that this is an unsanctioned label concoction, which was never approved for release by Octagon (aka "Kool" Keith Thornton). But if you put all the drama aside and listen to the damn thing, you’re in for a deliciously phantasmagorical half-hour. After the perverted galactic hold music of the opening skit “Our Operators Are Masturbating,” Dr. Octagon gets environmental on our asses with “Trees,” warning us about the consequences of wrapping paper consumption over a Neptunes-meets-Depeche Mode beat, courtesy of production team One Watt Sun. “Aliens” is the most adventurous of the bunch (which says a lot), an apocalyptic landscape of slasher-flick synths and dissonant pianos, with a horn section hitting strategically placed octaves. And the track contains one of the most skillfully executed tempo shifts in hip-hop history, revving its engines on an incredible, frenetic ska outro. If this is actually a record company hack job of throwaway vocal tracks and not the “real” return of Dr. Octagon, as many of his fans seem to believe, it’s even more of a testament to his talents.
10. Rock Kills Kid - Are You Nervous?
The debut album from this California quintet is pure major-label, '80s throwback fluff - the kind of stuff that The Killers are taking to the bank these days. But unlike that band, who is desperate to be taken seriously, Rock Kills Kid's songs are catchier, more fun and totally unpretentious. Tracks like "Life's A Bitch" and "Don't Want To Stay" sound like The Cure sans shoegazing, and "I Need You" is a great disco song, complete with clipped guitars, clavinet and a bass line totally ripped off from Chic's "Le Freak." From beginning to end, Are You Nervous? knows what it is and never oversteps its bounds, resulting in a killer good time.
The Top Five Singles of 2006
1. Beyoncé – "Deja Vu"
2. Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"
3. KT Tunstall - "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree"
4. Paul McCartney - "Jenny Wren"
5. Gwen Stefani - "Wind It Up"