Saturday, December 23, 2006

2007 - Best in Music

The World According to Trinidude05: The World According to Trinidude05

2006 was a bit of an oddity in that much of this list didn't exist, until probably the third-quarter of the year. It would appear that British have landed, again. The early lack of good music though did encourage some risk-taking of some older acts (The Kaiser Chiefs, OK Go and Snow Patrol).

Here goes:-

1) Keane - Under the Iron Sea: a very good friend of mine once posited that some of the best music has been made on drugs e.g. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Stone Temple Pilots. To this list, this artist and album needs to be added. How can a trio missing a critical piece of musical instrumentation generate such a quietly huge sound? Plaintive singing, exquisite prose, stunningly simplistic arrangements, and the drugs have resulted in an amazing adult contemporary album. Download this: Nothing in My Way, Leaving So Soon, A Bad Dream, Try Again.

2) Muse - Black Holes and Revelations: a UK band, with an arena-filling sound, crunching guitar work, false siletto voices, boasting politically charged, emotive lyrics. What else is there to say....I need to see them live! Wembley Stadium in June 2007??? Download this: Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, Map of the Problematique, Exo-Politics, City of Delusion

3) Lily Allen - Alright, Still: a snotty British, rich-girl decides to make an album because she is tired of hearing the same shit on the radio and her life really is not all that it is cracked up to be. Energetic, acerbic wit, biting attitude, ole-school South-London dub-sounds contribute to a sparkling debut disc. Not necessarily out to be a pop-princess, but has all the trappings of becoming one. Download this: Smile, Knock 'Em Out, LDN, Everything's Just Wonderful, Friday Night

4) John Legend - Once Again: making the delivery of a sophmore album and yet again making infidelity sound so good, this album is filled with tongue-in-cheek lyrics, story-telling, early Motown inflluences. I said this when he released his first disc and I must be redundant, infidelity never sounded this good. Once you've hit track 8, let's just say it's music to make babies! Download this: Tracks 8 to the end

5) Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That Is What I'm Not: come on with an album title like that, coupled with the horrible artwork, one only has to play track one to realize that these guys were drunk in producing this brilliant piece of work. A bonafide infusion of punk-rock with a new alternative sensibility. Download this: The View from the Afternoon; Fake Tales of San Francisco; Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured; Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But...

6) Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough: demonstrating why she retains the title of the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul and obviously exerting more control in every activity related to this album, she delievered the second best disc (behind "What's the 411?") of her career. Heartbreak, inspirational, R&B delivered with such soulful finesse...you'll be bringing out the wine glasses and candles. Download this: No One Will Do; MJB Da MVP; I Found My Everything; One

7) Fergie - The Dutchess: given to me as a gift, which I begrudingly accepted, it emerged as the disc which most surprised me for 2006. Excellent production by Will.I.Am (her former Black Eyed Peas cohort), incredible vocal range and irreverance easily puts this disc as the front for best dance album for the year (sorry Justin Timberlake). Anyone who can get Ludacris and Rita Marley and John Legend to contrabite on their disc must be doing something right (apart from paying some big money). This is the album which Gwen Stefani wanted to make, but failed miserably in delivering. Download this: Clumsy, Pedestel, Voodoo Doll, Glamourous; Big Girls Don't Cry; Mary Jane Shoes; Finally.

8) Justin Timberlake - Future Sex/Love Sounds: if I hear "Sexy Back" one more time, I swear..
This time around he channels not only Michael Jackson, but delivers some moments to which even Prince would stand up and ask, "Wha' da funk son?" An album which has Timbaland's foot and hand prints all over it....but seemlessy welding both artists styles, resulting in one of the best collaborative efforts for the year. The album unfortunately is inconsistent, boasting exit-ludes and interludes more interesting than the cookie-cut ballads offered up. Download this: Lovestoned; I Think She Knows (Interlude); What Goes Around; ...Comes Around (Interlude); Summer Love; Set The Mood (Interlude).

9) Nelly Furtado - Loose: Yet another album featuring the madcap production skills of Timbaland. However, as much a fan as I am of Timbaland's grooves, he needs to give Stella back some. His 80s synthethized beats overpower Furtado's delivery, sometimes relishing it to just fluff. However, she's a unique talent, with quirky musical interpretation and vocal delivery and this shines through on certain tracks. Download this: Say It Right; Te Busque; Do It; In God's Hands

10) Maximus Dan - Love Generation: This is the first local act ever to make this list. When he first hit the scene several years ago all dressed in army green outfits, I could barely understand a word he was saying. All I could discern was a passionate performer whose mantra is persistent positivity. He has since cultivated a stage prescence and nationalistic repertoire built on a rapso-ragga-soca hybrid. Download: Love Generation; Jah Jah Team

1 comment:

TheHOchieS said...

Muse at Wembley Stadium - YESSS!!

Thanks for finally putting out the list. Good read and well, hm. You know I trailed off after Arctic Monkeys. Ha.

Let's see what 2007 brings. So far I'm not hearing about anything I'd want and after that disappointing Bloc Party song, things aren't looking up.