Jackson Free Press

It's the most wonderful time of the year, I think. No, not Christmas! End of the year Best of Lists! I'm totally a geek for lists, and I really burst all over with excitement as each big music venue boasts their lists. NPR and Amazon are already up.

NPR's customer top five:

1. the Decemberists - The Crane Wife
2. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
3. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
4. M. Ward - Post War
5. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

See the rest here

Amazon Customer Top 5:

1. Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way
2. Andrea Boccelli - Amore
3. Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris - All the Roadrunning
4. Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome
5. Bob Dylan - Modern Times

see the rest here

Amazon Editors Top Five

1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
3. the Decemberists - The Crane Wife
4. KT Turnstall - Eye to the Telescope
5. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

see the rest here

And finally, my own personal Top 10:

1. Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way
(cause this was such a brave and really good album for them to do. And Natalie Maines has finally figured out what to do with that voice).

2. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
(For a million reasons. This is one of the most brilliant records I've ever heard. Her voice. Her stories. Her bending of musical rules. She doesnt waste time or space, gives you just enough to be satisfied but still wanting more.)

3. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
(It's sprawling and beautiful, a different record than anyone else could ever make).

4. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
(It's a rock record that doesn't let up. Nick Zimmer is a damn chainsaw on guitar, and Karen O is the rock woman of the year. Again, no other songs sound like theirs.)

5. Rainer Marie - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together
(Haunting songs that claw with beauty. It's a really emotional record, and I'm kind of a sucker for that)

6. Jay-Z - Kingdom Come
(Hov's back, making hip-hop feel alive, like a revival. A couple of underwhelming spots, but he's still on top off the game)

7. The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia
(Cabaret punk that is severely alive)

8. The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
(fun, girl punk-pop-rock with catchy dance tunes)

9. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
(see my last post for more about this)

10. Yo La Tengo - I'm Not Afraid of You, and I Will Beat Your Ass

(honorable mentions: Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor, the Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury, Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds, Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies, Lil Wayne / Birdman - Like Father, Like Son, TI - King)

Previous Comments

ID

109188

Comment

I've only heard of Gnarls Barkley. And one song, at that.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2006-12-06T21:04:32-06:00

ID

109189

Comment

Gnarls Barkley would probably be in my Top 10 too. They've managed to mash a whole lot of genres into one album without being cliche or over-the-top. My Top 10 albums in no particular order: - TV On The Radio - "Return To Cookie Mountain" (Alt) - Thom Yorke - "The Eraser" (Alt.Electronica) - Peaches - "Impeach My Bush" (Electro) - Hot Chip - "The Warning" (Prog.Rock/Glitch) - Gnarls Barkley - "St. Elsewhere" (Alt/Electronica/Dance/Disco/Hip Hop) - Eric Himan - "Everywhere All At Once" (Folk/Rock/Blues) - I Am X - "The Alternative" (Alt.Electronica/Electro) - Ursula Rucker - "Ma'at Mama" (Hip Hop/Neo Soul/Spoken Word) - DJ Shadow - "The Outsider" (Hip Hop/Trip Hop) - Zero 7 - "The Garden" (Trip Hop/Electronica) Lots of individual and random house and trip hop as singles and white labels including Fedde Le Grande, Starkillers, Superchumbo, Tiga, Paul Oakenfold, Mark Knight, Kamisshake, Jamie Lidell, Eric Prydz, Bob Sinclair and more.

Author

kaust

Date

2006-12-07T08:11:25-06:00

ID

109190

Comment

ooh good list, knol. i like that hot chip song about crap kraft dinner. he has such a nice voice. I haven't heard TV on the Radio's new disc, but critics are freaking over it. Man oh man. And I do like The Eraser. And cute old Eric. I have St. Elsewhere, but I couldnt get into it this summer. Maybe I didn't give it enough tries. I only listened to it like three times then left it in Wichita while I went to the West Coast then the African West Coast. I'm going back to Kansas for Christmas, though, and will listen again.

Author

casey

Date

2006-12-07T12:54:11-06:00