Listmania!
Top 25 Albums of 2006
Sam's TownSam's Town by The Killers
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £0.99
Killers proved that their knack for Killer tunes could shift from 1980s British electro pop to American stadium desert rock effortlessly and in doing so created a classic. (Highlight: Read My Mind)
Show Your BonesShow Your Bones by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Buy new: £3.48 / Used from: £2.31
At times it's typical Karen O aggresion, at others devestatingly heartfelt vulnerability and at best both. This was a surprisingly warm and tender masterpiece. (Highlight: Zinner's solo on Turn Into)
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £3.50
That it still taste sweet having been force fed to us with the aggression of prison officers to hugerstriking suffragettes goes to show how special it is.(Highlight: Alex Turner's top wit of lyric)
Back To BlackBack To Black by Amy Winehouse
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £1.70
Winehouse proved the surprise hit of 2006 with her genius combination of modern lyrics and classic soul. (Highlight: Amy's vocals. The best in Britain)
Ballad of the Broken SeasBallad of the Broken Seas by Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £2.18
A massively under rated highlight of 2006. Campbell and Lanegan's voices combined are like honey on gravel. Beautiful stuff. (Highlight: any moment the 2 duet)
Someone to Drive You HomeSomeone to Drive You Home by The Long Blondes
Buy new: £7.98 / Used from: £0.37
The glamour of Blondie and the grit of Pulp, Long Blondes long awaited debut was the stuff of legend. (Highlight: The sinster climax of Once and Never Again 'I'd love to feel a girl your age')
SavaneSavane by Ali Farka Touré
Buy new: £6.98 / Used from: £3.50
I'm not really a world music boff but there's no denying that this is a classic. (Highlight: The very fact this was his last work left to the world is powerful enough)
Black Holes and RevelationsBlack Holes and Revelations by Muse
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £2.79
Space rock to conquer galaxys. Sublime stuff from Britain's boldest mainstream band. (Highlight: Finale Knights Of Cydonia)
Fur and GoldFur and Gold by Bat for Lashes
Buy used from: £4.89
A heady combination of the haunting melodies of Kate Bush, the vocal fragility of Joni Mitchell and the experimentalism of Bjork.(Highlight: Horse and I, a song that makes Thom Yorke feel like a wolf)
The GreatestThe Greatest by Cat Power
Buy new: £6.48 / Used from: £4.04
Perhaps the most beautiful voice of the year, Chan Marshall has a truly special gift which combined with ace songs like this inevitably provides an album of the year. (Higlight: The Greatest)
Alright, StillAlright, Still by Lily Allen
Buy new: £3.98 / Used from: £0.89
In the year in which pop stars like Justin and Furtado gained credibility for their great albums, Lily stood out as the coolest, most knowing pop star in the world.(Highlight:The hilarious Not Big)
Howling BellsHowling Bells by Howling Bells
Buy used from: £9.88
The darkest and best thing to comeout of Australia in years, this is an album of gothic sumptuous pop heaven. (Highlight: Juanita Stein's vocals on Setting Sun)
Hit The FloorHit The Floor by You Say Party We Say Die
Buy used from: £3.99
Energetic, chaotic and politically challenging electro pop punk from a band that sound like Blondie soundtracking a political Tim Burton film. (Highlight:The sheer rage that The Gap is delivered with)
Silent ShoutSilent Shout by The Knife
Buy new: £6.98 / Used from: £5.49
The unsettling nature of Radioead's OK Computer combined with the dancability of Aphex Twin at his best. So basically it's ace! (Highlight:Karin Dreijer Andersson's odd vocals on stand-out Like A Pen)
Cansei de Ser SexyCansei de Ser Sexy by CSS
Buy new: £8.98 / Used from: £2.29
Because why be interlectual when you can dance to songs about making love and listening to DFA 1979! (Highlight: The lyrics to Music is My Hot Hot Sex)
Writer's BlockWriter's Block by Peter Bjorn and John
Buy new: £3.98 / Used from: £1.34
A warm, gentle compilation of gems inspired by every era of pop since The Beatles (Highlight: Victoria Bergsman's guest vocal on Young Folks)
Ten Silver DropsTen Silver Drops by Secret Machines
Buy new: £8.98 / Used from: £0.91
Atmospheric, epic rock from one of the most adventurous bands in the world today. (Highlight: Alone, Jealous and Stone)
Return to Cookie MountainReturn to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio
Buy new: £7.48 / Used from: £5.50
David Bowie makes an appearance. That not enough?! (Highlight: Wolf Like Me)
Live It OutLive It Out by Metric
Buy new: £7.48 / Used from: £5.92
Smart, political Canadian rock from the thinking person's Garbage.( Highlight: The chorus of 'I fought the war but the war won' from Monster Hospital)
YsYs by Joanna Newsom
Buy new: £9.08 / Used from: £5.89
Sounding like Kate Bush has swallowed Billy Holiday and travelled back to medieval times, Ys affirms Newsom as the successor of Bjork and Bush as female eccentrics. (Highlight: Her oh so odd voice)
The Chronicles of a Bohemian TeenagerThe Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
Buy new: £6.88 / Used from: £0.98
Political electro-folk from Southend teenager Sam Duckworth. A truly special talent. (Highlight: The 'ba ba ba's in Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager p.2)
Give Me a WallGive Me a Wall by Forward Russia
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £1.38
Clever energetic dance metal punk. That just about sums up this album's-worth of huge choruses and pretentious titles. (Highlight: Twelve)
St. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
Buy new: £5.18 / Used from: £0.15
The inescapable sound of 2006. If Crazy isn't still going round in your head I recommend medical attention. (Highlight: The classic Crazy)
The Trials Of Van OccupantherThe Trials Of Van Occupanther by Midlake
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £4.49
Nostalgia for fans of the Eagles, Byrds and Fleetwood Mac, what it lacked in cool it made up for in beauty. (Highlight: Roscoe)
WolvesWolves by My Latest Novel
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £2.20
Like Arcade Fire echoing through the Scottish highlands. The warmest, most comforting record of the year. (Highlight: Learning Lego)