The Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2006

Daaaamn it’s been a long year! Pretty early in 2006 I was thinking that things were kinda shaky for rap music. T.I.’s King and Ghostface Killah’s Fishscale, though they didn’t suck at all, were the only two albums I remember being talked about. There was this commercial at the movies I saw describing the state of hip hop as this Sin City-esque hell-hole in need of salvation (starring the Black Eyed Peas, of course!), and one of rap’s most unique artists, J Dilla, unfortunately lost his life. But with the bad came the good, and looking back there’s no doubt in my mind this was a good year.

I’d say the music of 2006 was really consistent: it seemed to me that some of the big name artists, like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg, were more lyrically conscious than I’ve known them to be. Also, the quality of gangsta & other more-commercialized music was much higher, especially with E-40, Keak Da Sneak, and the rest of the hyphy crew here in the Bay Area, yadadamean? (all biases aside haha) And hey, to top it all off yours truly joined this sexy blog, so it was a pretty tight year in my mind.

To celebrate, I’ve made all you IGIF lovers a list of my favorite rap albums of 2006. Some of them came out way earlier in the year, and some I just recently discovered. The artists are from all over the place and their commercial popularity varies, as does the critical acclaim/disdain each album received. It’s too late to stuff these in your stocking, but no worries, the after-Christmas sale shopping orgy will soon ensue:

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DJ Shadow – The Outsider

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DJ Shadow’s latest work received a ton of criticism, a lot from die-hards who were expecting something along the lines of his classic Entroducing… That’s understandable, but there’s also no denying that so many of the hyphy-inspired tracks here are hot as hell, especially “3 Freaks,” which has one of the best beats I’ve heard all year. I think people gotta embrace change a bit more…

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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The Roots – Game Theory

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I’ve probably never heard a bad word about the Roots from my friends, and likewise I’ve never heard an album by them that I disliked. However they have never really been my thing, never really blown me away, and never been as amazing as so many people tell me. That’s a lot of never’s. But I do really like Illadelph Halflife and this is probably my favorite album since that 1996 piece. The whole theme of the album is very dark, and accordingly their lyrics are very socially and politically conscious: Black Thought has so much confidence and control in his words. Although it’s really short, check out the intro by J Dilla…chilling.

[MP3] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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Jay-Z – Kingdom Come

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Maybe it’s cuz he’s been the poster child of rap for so long, or maybe it’s cuz I’ve just never fully jumped on his bandwagon, but when Jigga announced his return I had no reason to think that he was only doing it to get his face back in the limelight and make more money. Foolish me; he came back because he believed the music was faltering, and so someone with his power and fame could get those concerns out to the biggest audience. What I just said is b.s. if his comeback album was nothing special, but it is: the lyrics are some of the best I’ve heard from him, and as usual his beats do not fail. A few of my favorites from Kingdom Come are “Show Me What You Got”, “Lost Ones”, and “Minority Report.”

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Cunninlynguists – A Piece Of Strange

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Underground albums are great not only because the lyrical content tends to be very impressive, but there’s usually something unique or unconventional about them. This is one of the most subtle and serene rap albums that I’ve heard. It is in part due to the simplicity of the beats, but also because DJ Kno is given a lot of time to do his own thing. The verses don’t begin immediately, and are often interrupted with mini jam sessions…which in turn give A Piece of Strange a very complete feel to it. I also really like the range of topics they discuss in their rhymes, from defending southern rap to personal relationships to imagery in American society.

[MP3] Cunninlynguists – Since When (via Nine Bullets)

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E-40 – My Ghetto Report Card

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Even if you don’t like the beats and rhymes here, it’s still true that this is one of the most important releases of the year because it introduced the sub-genre of hyphy music to the rest of the country. I’m happy that it was E-40, a very smart and sharp MC with great technical skill, that was one of the primary artists to popularize hyphy to more people, rather than just some run-of-the-mill rapper who has no sort of musical history behind him/her. I love thought-out gangsta rap, and I really love bass; so a cd that has both of those and rep’s my own home while staying pretty true to the musical style over here is a great combination. This type of music has been going on in the Bay Area for years now. It was just a matter of time before it got a little more recognition, even if it spawned funny shit like this. Bitch, please.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury

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Oh man this CD is so addicting. The Neptunes really went all out to make such great beats. Badass beats often fall under some very specific sounds, a big reason why there’s a lot of repetition in gangsta music and other radio-friendly rap. So it’s really hard to make thugged out music that sounds completely fresh yet catchy—exactly what the production on Hell Hath No Fury was able to do. Like I’ve said before, the delivery of Malice and Pusha-T match so well with those beats: the rhymes are slow, which creates some extra anticipation, a subtle technique that can make the delivery even more impressive. I think that rappers with a faster delivery would make this album a lot less catchy. The lyrics aren’t for everyone, after all it still is gangsta music, but overall the album is too unique to not check out.

[MP3] Clipse – Wamp Wamp (What It Do) (Feat. Slim Thug)

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Ghostface Killah – Fishscale

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Ghostface makes hip hop look good, there’s no other way to say it. There are so many times in this album I’m like, “how the hell does he keep this up?” The rhymes are jaw-dropping, and they never stop! It’s just layer upon layer of extremely clever wordplay, the persistence is really admirable. I also love the style of production on Fishscale. Most of the songs seem to have a similar theme in terms of music, lots of strings and 70s R&B sounds, but the album manages to not sound repetitive at all—you don’t get tired of the same style, as many tracks manage to maintain the same excitement. I’m guessing this is cuz of Ghostface’s delivery, which in itself is a very electrifying style. “The Champ” and “Back Like That” are a couple of the many tracks to pay attention to. Also take a look at his newest album, More Fish. Yeah, he’s still as sharp.

[MP3] Ghostface Killah – The Champ (via Badminton Stamps)

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Zion I & The Grouch – Heroes In The City Of Dope

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For those of you who’ve been following my posts for a while now, you probably already know that I am very partial to Zion I, a Bay Area duo of MC Zion and DJ Amp Live. On this album they team up with The Grouch, a member of the underground group Living Legends. Zion I have never failed to impress me and this album is no exception. In a sense much of these lyrics are a response to the hyphy movement, since they seem to be sorta fed up with the supposed one-dimensionalism to that type of music (listen to the speech by The Grouch on the final song, “Bad Lands”). These guys are very spiritual and deep with their rhymes, and DJ Amp Live is consistently on task. It is difficult and unfair to describe how great their music is, you really just have to listen to it and hear for yourself!

[WWW] Listen To MP3s at their MySpace page!

Buy: Amazon | iTunes

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Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor

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Apparently Lupe Fiasco is a practicing Muslim who does not drink or smoke, and is a big fan and participant in skateboard culture. When others usually glorify street culture, he brings a different perspective to rap in his lyrics. I reviewed Food & Liquor a little while back, so you can see my opinion of it. If there’s one other thing to say about Lupe, it’s that he seems so versatile: he can be deep and personal, catchy and simple, or political with his words. “Hurt Me Soul” has some of the most positive lyrics I’ve heard this year, and “Daydreamin” is just as awesome, with the soulful vocals of Jill Scott behind it.

[MP3] Lupe Fiasco – Hurt Me Soul

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Nas – Hip Hop Is Dead

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Hands down my favorite album of the year. It doesn’t have that underground feel to it, but still there is almost no aspect to Hip Hop Is Dead that is anything but amazing. The rhymes are brilliant and the lyrics are boldly meaningful. Behind that is risk-taking music that sounds as exciting as any rap album I’ve heard since maybe Mos Def’s Black On Both Sides. I’ve ranted and raved about Nas’s newest work way too much, but my words can’t do it justice. Here’s Nas’s:

Unforgettable, unsubmittable, I go by N now, just one syllable;
It’s the end cause the game’s tired;
It’s the same vibe, Good Times had right after James died;
That’s why the gangsta rhymers ain’t inspired;
Heinous crimes help record sales more than creative lines,
And I don’t wanna keep bringing up the greater times,
But I’m a dreamer, nostalgic with the state of mind.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Shoutouts also go to Outkast, Snoop Dogg, and Jedi Mind Tricks. I liked each of their albums as well, but simply didn’t have any more room to fit them in. If you’re a fan of rap, or even if you’re not, I hope you are able to give these albums a listen. Happy holidays to everyone, and rest in peace James Brown: your influence transcends music. And if it weren’t for your brilliant work, rap music would not sound like it does today, simple as that. Thanks for reading everyone!

The Best Albums of 2006

It was 97 years ago that the first record was released. Yes in 1909, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite was slated as a four-disc set by Odeon Records with a retail price of 16 shillings — about $101. A lot has changed in 97 years; from vinyl albums to plastic CDs, from buying records in stores to dowloading them in your home; the music industry, whether advocating change or merely suffering its consequences, has been evolving year after year to incorporate new technology allowing for advancement in all aspects of music production, output, retail, and promotion. A big part of that advancement has been the music blog, considerably occupying any traditional notion of a “grassroots” effort to strengthen the independent music community. With the most records released in 2006 than ever before, it has become even more of a challenge to sift through the surfeit of records released to store shelves and iTunes pages alike to truly find the albums belonging in the upper tier of 2006.

While we certainly hold no claim in providing the most thorough list of the year’s best albums (see the bottom of the post for albums we overlooked, intentionally or otherwise), we’re confident in the albums we chose. This has been a great year in music, and as our first year as a music blog it has undoubtedly been a learning experience for us. The albums below represent not simply great music, but some even demonstrate advances in music and changes in genres we really never thought possible. Whether these albums will move on as influences in the years to come, only time will tell… but for the time being, in this iPod-toting, hipster-chic, ever-changing landscape we all occupy, this is what we’ve got. Love it or hate it, here’s our list of The Best Albums of 2006:

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+/- (Plus/Minus) – Let’s Build A Fire

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David Bowie, the perpetual hipster that he is, is quoted as saying of TV on the Radio’s Return To Cookie Mountain, “The sampling, multitracking and mashing identifies them as the spawn of a techno-industrial society.” The same can be said for this much overlooked album from the ever-ungoogleable +/-. Where TV freaking nails the collective views of essentially an entire body of irritated, fed-up new-generation neophytes, Let’s Build A Fire is much more personal, more uninviting, less open. If you can break down its walls you’ll find a whole world of meaning to interpret: from tender brushstrokes of love and sorrow to heavy slices of pain and remorse. It’s a lovely, quiet, compelling album and certainly one to follow… especially if Bowie’s prospect is on the money.

[MP3] +/- – Steal The Blueprints

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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The Thermals – The Body, The Blood, The Machine

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This is my first rendevous with The Thermals, so forgive my ignorance to the rest of their catalog… but first impressions are everything, and with the strength of this album I’ll certainly be backtracking through the band’s other albums soon enough. As I said when I first posted on the album, this is the record I’ve been waiting for Ted Leo to release. It’s an edgy, clever mix of songs flirting ever-so intently with post punk in a way that 2006 hadn’t yet seen. The Thermals have created a great, emotional album which, all intents and purposes aside, has and will continue to hold me over until Ted Leo’s new album comes out in March.

[MP3] The Thermals – A Pillar Of Salt

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Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium

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Regardless of their unparalleled commerical success in recent years, Stadium Arcadium was a 2006 gem and one of the better albums the Chili Peppers have ever released. For a band that has been making music prior to my conception, I’d be hard pressed not to incorporate this into our 2006 list. “Snow (Hey Oh)” showcases one of the more catchy guitar riffs of the year while “Tell Me Baby” takes the familiar Peppers’ sock-cock era sound and blends it with a sweet pop melody that explodes into a Hendrix-like fury when guitarist John Frusciante cuts loose.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Girl Talk – Night Ripper

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I never thought I’d get into commercial hip-hop, but Night Ripper apparently had other plans for my indie-track mind. I also never thought I’d see a mash-up quite like this one. Greg Gillis compiled literally hundreds of samples and clips from a variety of different decades and genres and pieced them together into a masterpiece of beats, melodies, and ass-kicking tracks. Even at the quantum level, Gillis has mixed and matched and mashed his way into my ears and more importantly my heart. Nothing pulls at my heartstrings like hearing “Wait until you see my DICK” played repetitiously over the strings from “BIttersweet Symphony.” Done and done.

[MP3] Girl Talk – Hold Up

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Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

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If there’s one big success story for a blog band, it’s got to be that of Arctic Monkey’s debut album, one that sold 300,000 copies it’s first week in the UK, ousting The Beatles from the record of fastest-selling album ever. The shit quickly hit the fan, however, as Pitchfork gave the album an unexpectedly mediocre rating and the blogger-backlash began. Sure, the Libertines have made the same music before, but Arctic Monkeys make it look so easy. How else could a bunch of 17 year olds become some of the richest musicians in the UK? The music is fun and oh-so catchy, the lyrics are clever and quirky (even if much of their humor goes right over my American head), and the attitude pisses me off just enough to give the record another spin so I can continue to look to excuses to hate this band. Ultimately, however, few falts exist, and I’m sure that even when 2007 rolls over the band like a snowstorm in Denver, the album will maintain some longevity… even if I don’t listen to it again until 2070.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Final Fantasy – He Poos Clouds

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Final Fantasy’s Has A Good Home! was one of the true unexpected surprises of 2005, leaving many to wonder how he’d treat his next endeavor. When we heard the title, we rolled our eyes. When we heard the album for the first time, we were put off by it’s clear lack of instant-likeablilty (especially when compared to his debut). But time moved on and the album grew on us, we prodded deeper and deeper into the album’s faint nuances and thick metaphor and came out bewildered but tremendously satisfied. Where Owen Pallett’s debut stuck an instant chord with our ears, He Poos Clouds has left a deafening imprint on our minds. If you haven’t locked yourself in a room with this album and a box of tissues, do it now… before the success (or lack thereof) gets to Owen’s head and he goes Dave Chappelle on our asses.

[MP3] Final Fantasy – This Lamb Sells Condos

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The Beatles – Love

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We’re not so much ranking the music here as we are the effort put into the album by George Martin and his son Giles. Clearly the music here is better than anything on this list, but it would be unfair to call this a new album. What impresses us most about Love is the idea that even as every single song on this album has been written about to death, has been analyzed and scrutinized and absorbed and loved, something different can still be procured. I’d never thought that Ringo’s drumming from “Tomorrow Never Knows” could be placed so hypnotically under George’s vocals from “Within You Without You,” or that “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite” could segue so effortlessly into the refrain from “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” Some call this album a sacreligious throw-away, but for those of us who have exhausted The Beatles we know and love, Love is a breath of fresh air, and a testament to The Beatles’ durability nearly forty years after they disbanded.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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The Panda Band – This Vital Chapter

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Taking nods from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s and their own Aussie eccentricities, The Panda Band really came out of nowhere with this fantastic album. The instrumentation is phenomenally complex and rewarding, specifically the orchestration and guitar work. The vocals aren’t for everyone, but that never stopped Joanna Newsom and it shouldn’t stop these guys. The future looks very bright for The Panda Band, as long as you all give them the attention they honestly deserve. Check out the song below and click one of the links to buy This Vital Chapter, you’ll be glad you did. Trust us.

[MP3] The Panda Band – Eyelashes

Buy: Amazon | iTunes

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Cat Power – The Greatest

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It’s been a decade since Cat Power released her first album and The Greatest is, no pun intended, one her greatest releases to date. Her collaboration with session bands in Memphis helps to release the hidden country side of her voice while her elegant lyrics remain as beautiful as ever. With help from her session bands, the remarkable orchestration adds a new facet to Chan Marshall’s music – one with a full and bluesy sound that still manages to highlight Marshall’s quirky individual talents that all of her fans, including myself, have grown to love and appreciate.

[MP3] Cat Power – The Greatest

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Regina Spektor – Begin To Hope

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Regina Spektor only needs a piano and her voice-box to send chills down your spine. Her vocal range and eccentric compositions are fun, mystical, and awe-inspiringly beautiful. Begin To Hope is an album that shrugs off the typical female-to-female comparisons and firmly establishes Spektor as a premiere musician on the rise. Her vocals are an intense attraction, whether she is singing chipper songs such as “On The Radio” or bellowing out dark love tracks like “Apres Moi.” Clearly, this release confirms that Spektor is not some novelty female artist looking to seduce listeners with her smooth voice and a bat of her eyes, but rather a musician who appears to naturally create music as a form of honest expression. Spektor’s verbosity coupled with overly-creative arrangements on piano and synth make me (entirely too) anxious for her next release.

[MP3] Regina Spektor – Fidelity

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The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers

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Supergroups have historically been a slippery slope for many musicians. Frampton and Marriott had Humble Pie, Dylan, Harrison, Petty, and Lynne had Traveling Wilburys, Spencer Krug, Destroyer, and Carey Mercer formed Swan Lake… and with the help of The Greenhornes, Jack White and Brendon Benson formed The Raconteurs. But unlike most of the other supergroups listed here, The Raconteurs clicked and produced an album showcasing literally only the pros from both superstars: White’s Zeppelin-like axing and musicality and Bensons’s melodic pop sensibilities. Benson’s soothing, toned-out croon and White’s screeching solos and whiney bellows. Here’s to 2007 and beyond; hopefully The Raconteurs continue to fill the area that both Benson’s and White’s solo work can’t seem to grasp.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Josh Ritter – The Animal Years

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The folk genre has always been a tricky beast to tame, especially after artists like Bob Dylan and Donovan handcrafted their art that made them almost instantly and immortally famous. Paying homage to his folk-based roots, Josh Ritter released his first original peice of work under a major label and created his best album yet. The Idaho native produced an album full of intimate ballads, raw sounds, and top shelf lyrical imagery that will throw any listener for a loop. From creating an epic of sensational proportions with “Thin Blue Flame” to singing a tale about his home with nothing more than a guitar in “Idaho,” Ritter’s brilliant lyricism and potential appear to have taken full form on The Animal Years.

[MP3] Josh Ritter – Thin Blue Flame

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Cold War Kids – Robbers & Cowards

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While some music critics review an album solely for its sound, simply for how it tickles their ears and makes them feel, others find it necessary to pretentiously and shamelessly drop a “holier-than-thou” riff and dig-dig-dig-dig deep to find something to dislike about a band that really is producing good music. Such was the case with CWK and Pitchfork. Marc Hogan is entirely entitled to his opinion, but the reason music blogs jumped on this band is because the music is endlessly enjoyable, their live shows are impossibly energetic and and engaging, and most importantly because that impressed us. If you’re looking for an entirely original band with phenomenal non-religious lyrics, look elsewhere. If, however, you’re like most music fans and just want to hear something good, seriously good, don’t let the Cold War Kids pass you by.

[MP3] Cold War Kids – Hospital Beds

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Bob Dylan – Modern Times

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There aren’t many artists that can pull off a musical reinvention successfully, especially those artist that are “past their prime.” Despite his recent shift to the country side of music and a head full of gray hair covered deftly by a cowboy hat, Dylan has crafted what appears to be a warmly nostalgic album on the surface, but carefully hides handfuls of vengeful and complex feelings. From coyfully crafted protest lyrics (“If it keeps on raining/ The levee’s gonna break”), to the politically charged “Workingman’s Blues 2,” to the estranged ballad, “Thunder On The Mountain,” referencing Alicia Keys, Dylan takes a frisky groove album and disguises it with poetic overtones. With the renaissance of Dylan continuing, Modern Times has proven to be one of Dylan’s finest albums to date and can proudly stand toe-to-toe with earlier releases from the 60’s.

[WWW] Find MP3s Over at The Hype Machine

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The Format – Dog Problems

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The Format’s second full-length release was anything but problematic. Dog Problems is the closest thing to pop perfection I’ve heard all year. Catchy melodies were a prevalent theme throughout the album, with songs like “I’m Actual” and “The Compromise” hooking listeners right away. This album was leaps and bounds different and better than their debut, with orchestration on “Dog Problems” and “I’m Actual” that make you wonder why they were dropped from their major label. Shortly after the July release of Dog Problems, Nate told me in an interview that he is really proud of the album but is ready to start working on another release. With a better idea of where they want to take their sound, I’m just as ready for new material as they are.

[MP3] The Format – Dog Problems

Buy: Amazon | iTunes

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Arizona – Welcome Back Dear Children

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Some bands just never get a break. Arizona is by a very wide margin one of the most overlooked and underappreciated bands of 2006. Their instrumentation might be what struck me first: impressive chord changes, extended intros and outtros, Beatles-like refrains and melodies. Every song on this album has something different to offer. “Diventa Blu” is a short yet remarkably beautiful ballad sung in Italian with vocals like that of Radiohead and Sigur Ros. “Splintering” is an exciting track that builds on percussion and bass-bowing yet ends with a surprising Modest Mouse-like rock freakout. “Away” is a beautiful spiral of piano and drums and acoustic guitar and feedback, and ends wonderfully with a slow-fading overlaid vocal melody. If you’ve been reading IGIF for a while, by now you must trust our taste in music and have most likely found a lot of great stuff on here… don’t let Arizona slip through your hands, it just might be the best thing we’ve discovered all year.

[MP3] Arizona – Splintering

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Destroyer – Rubies

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Beginning with a nine-minute epic about…well, it’s 9 minutes long. It’s about a whole lotta shit. Filled with semi-chaotic guitar riffs, eloquently jumbled words, and Dan Bejar’s extraordinarily awesome voice, this album is undoubtedly Destroyer’s best. However, Destroyer’s music is a paradox. While you can spend months listening to each song, dissecting each phrase and deconstructing each melody, you’re nowhere closer to understanding what Bejar is saying. Along with that, while some people may hear the album and be completely blown away at the first listen, others will be enraged at Dan Bejar’s voice and his songwriting. To be honest, that was my first reaction. I thought, “How the hell can this guy be part of the New Pornographers?” But as I listened through the album, it quickly became one of the most excellent albums I’d heard in a while. Each song is amazingly complex, although “European Oils” and “Painter In Your Pocket” tend to stand out in my mind as the real gems. For those who really love Destroyer, try playing the Rubies Drinking Game—take a shot every time there’s a reference to a previous album, “rubies,” “blood,” or a previous song!

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Sunset Rubdown – Shut Up I Am Dreaming

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Sunset Rubdown may take the cake for one of the best side-projects ever created. Perhaps the shared creativity limited Krug before, but Sunset Rubdown seems to showcase the best of Krug’s individual abilities. His effortless raw energy captivates on the first listen and only gets better with each subsequent visit. Shut Up I Am Dreaming displays Krug’s stunning lyricism and ability to transform his emotionally charged (albeit bizarre) voice into that of a calm and collected musician. “Us Ones In Between” is a piano driven tune that contains the line “And I’ve heard of creatures who eat their babies/ And I wonder if they stop to think about the taste” yet somehow manages to remain oddly romantic. While it may seem that everything Sufjan touches turns to musical gold, Krug is not far off showing that his vast musical abilities make him appear to be a more off-centered and experimental version of Stevens.

[MP3] Sunset Rubdown – Stadiums And Shrines II

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Islands – Return To The Sea

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When the Unicorns disbanded, it was unclear what their next musical venture would be. Then came the news of Islands, a reincarnation of sorts featuring Nick Diamonds and J’aime Tambeur from The Unicons…and the news that members of the Arcade Fire would be helping out too… and quickly we builded high anticipation for Islands’ debut Return to the Sea, and when the album was released it was clear that the band had delivered as promised. RTTS is a brilliantly orchestrated album with elemental and quirky lyrics spit from Diamonds’ trademark voice. There are cute knock-offs like “Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby” and epic compositions like “Swans (Life After Death).” There’s a glass ceiling for indie-pop that retains some bands into obscurity and that some bands smash through to the point of ridiculousness, but only Islands have managed to create an indie-pop album that’s equally meaningful and debonair as it is cute and fluffy…like an Oxford-educated puppy.

[MP3] Islands – Rough Gem

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Beirut – Gulag Orkestar

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I know, I know: Zach Condon hates being compared to Neutral Milk Hotel. But to be completely honest, who the hell would hate that comparison? Since I first fell in love with In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, I’ve been waiting for an album with similar depth, richness, and power. Enter Gulag Orkestar. From the instant that the vocals started on the title track, I was engulfed in an Eastern European miasma of sounds. Beirut’s Gulag Orkestar presents an amazingly intricate reaction to indie music. With a voice like Jens Lekman’s, a musical sensibility like Jeff Magnum’s, and a depth of sound like The Decemberists at their most decadent, Beirut is one of the best new artists to surface in the past few years. The first time I listened to “Postcards from Italy,” I was stunned and left breathless. From the mandolin intro to the horn breakdown to the beautifully moving bridge, this song is captivating in a way that defies description. It’s no surprise this song is Number 1 on my iTunes Top 25 Most Played list. From start to finish, this album is a magnificent blend of indie sensibilities and European orchestral traditions.

[MP3] Beirut – Postcards From Italy

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The Decemberists – The Crane Wife

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If you haven’t yet seen the December 20th episode of The Colbert Report, you should be informed that Stephen Colbert did defeat Decemberists’ guitarist Chris Funk in their Guitarmageddon Shred-Off. However, Colbert is a double winner because the victory prize was a copy of the Decemberists’ The Crane Wife! Okay, let’s get down to business. For their first jaunt in major-label production, the Decemberists managed to maintain their unique songwriting style while adapting to more expansive sounds. Colin Meloy has never sounded better, nor have his lyrics ever been so sentimental. The album is much more cohesive than their past LPs, as the songs are bookended with The Crane Wife trilogy. With two tracks that last over ten minutes, the album sounds more like The Tain than Picaresque, which is definitely a good thing. As the album’s closer, “Sons and Daughters” is a beautifully simple piece about peace, a song about rebuilding a broken world after war has finally ended. It’s an inspiring closer to an extraordinarily epic album, and it’s another example of the Decemberists’ brilliance.

[WWW] Find MP3s over at The Hype Machine

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Annuals – Be He Me

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“Brother,” the opening track of Annuals debut album, really sets up this album to be something spectacular; it holds a certain level of emotion and intensity that few bands manage to capture in the span of one song. While that track may arguably be Be He Me’s best, the remaining 11 don’t disappoint in the slightest bit, further demonstrating and propelling Annuals’ natural remarkable talents, particularly in lyricism and composition. “Complete or Completing” is a fun waltz on the surface, carrying along almost listlessly like an endless set of crashing waves, but this is a particular highlight of Annuals’ craft: all of their songs slowly build and morph into vast and complex amalgamations, sending the listener for a spin both figuratively and literally, as perhaps all great music should. Each song presents itself like a novel, and while that might suggest a daunting listening experience, the reality is quite the opposite. I’ll withhold any declarations of profundity within Annuals’ lyrics (something that’s always in the mind of the beholder)… but as the year comes to an end and emotions sway within each and every one of us, Annuals’ singer Adam Baker offers some sound advice: “Remember that everything is round: / Complete or completing.”

[MP3] Annuals – Complete Or Completing

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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Joanna Newsom – Ys

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We’ve all been there: sitting and enjoying the lovely Milk Eyed Mender when all of a sudden some non-believer directs “WTF is this?!?!” attention your way. Whether you’re on the giving end of such statements or the receiving end, there’s no denying the extent that Newsom’s sophomore effort Ys surpasses her debut, something many of us knew would be a challenging task. Ys is 2006’s epic; some of us choose to scale its walls and others don’t. But for those of us who can enjoy her vocals, break through the complexity of her lyrics, and subsequently stand wide-eyed in awe of Ys’s brilliance, the experience is endlessly worthwhile. With the help of Van Dyke Parks, Joanna has created an album of monumental beauty. “Emily” might be the most beautiful example of Joanna’s grace; her voice has blossomed into something more accesible and even reaches points of clear elegance, but the true highlight of the record is her lyricism. Her words are so refined, her imagery so rich and stimulating, as if digging beneath each metaphor might open the gates to a heart-stoppingly beautiful world of endless meaning and attainment. Ys was no doubt one of the most fulfilling albums of 2006, not only smashing through almost all expectations we had but also showcasing the best of Joanna’s talents and potential.

[MP3] Joanna Newsom – Cosmia

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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Grizzly Bear – Yellow House

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Grizzly Bear’s Horn Of Plenty was one of the more underappreciated releases of 2005, considered a gem in some tighter-knit circles while shunned for it’s inaccessibility in the broader scope. On this sophomore release, Droste took the best that HOP showcased and upped the ante by the thousands, creating a gorgeously elusive and meditative collection of songs. Yellow House is perhaps the most beautiful recording of the year, yet the strongest aspect of the album is not its most instantly recognizable. Upon spending just under an hour losing yourself in all that Grizzly Bear offers with Yellow House, you’ll begin to pick up on the subtle nuances and tender brushstrokes that really give this album its pervasive quality and character: the fluttering flutes that begin the album’s opening track “Easier,” the infectious percussion and sporadic notes that give close to “Knife,” the distorted ambience wafting around “Reprise”– it’s moments like these that give Yellow House its clear durability, and make no mistake: there are hundreds more, just waiting to be plucked from the album’s dense soundscapes. Grizzly Bear have not only proved their importance to the progression of their genre, but have produced a testament to the ever-maleable nature of music and art in all forms.

[MP3] Grizzly Bear – Easier

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain

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“We were talking about the space between us all, and the people who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion, never glimpse the truth, then it’s far too late when they pass away. We were talking about the love we all could share when we find it; to try our best to hold it there. With our love, with our love, we could save the world. If they only knew. Try to realize it’s all within yourself; no one else can make you change. And to see you’re really only very small and life flows on within you and without you. We were talking about the love that’s gone so cold, and the people who gain the world and lose their soul. They don’t know, they can’t see, are you one of them? When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find peace of mind is waiting there; and the time will come when you see we’re all one and life flows on within you and without you.” – George Harrison, “Within You Without You”

[MP3] TV On The Radio – I Was A Lover

Buy: Amazon | iTunes | Insound

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ALBUMS WE OVERLOOKED:

Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Liars – Drum’s Not Dead
The Knife – Silent Shout
Tom Waits – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
Man Man – Six Demon Bag
Cursive – Happy Hollow
Danielson – Ships
Yo La Tengo – I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
Xiu Xiu – The Air Force

All hip-hop albums were relegated to Louie’s upcoming list of the Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2006 – stay tuned!

Merry Christmas!

My little brother is going nuts because Santa not only paid him a visit, but devoured the cookies that he left for him. The family is in town and there are presents to be received and given! May the festivities begin and no matter where you are – have a terrific Christmas!

[MP3] Death Cab For Cutie – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
[MP3] The Knife – Christmas Reindeer
[MP3] Greg Barkley – Drummer Boy (Oh No! Oh My! Lead Singer)
[MP3] The Kinks – Father Christmas
[MP3] Yo La Tengo – It’s Christmas Time
[MP3] The Polyphonic Spree – Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
[MP3] Andrew Kunz – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reign Deer
[MP3] The Format – Holly Jolly Christmas
[MP3] Bright Eyes – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
[MP3] Destroyer – Every Christmas

Time to go see if Santa remembered me..

Review: Nas – Hip Hop Is Dead

In his 8th album, the Street’s Disciple creates a wake up call full of musical experimentation and dense wordplay. – by Louie Michaud

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Illmatic proved to a bunch of us that Nas has an incomparable talent, and as I’ve said in the past I was not expecting him to repeat his work, but instead make an album that reflects those same abilities. In all honestly I figured this album would be pretty solid, like Stillmatic solid—not at all perfect, but pretty consistent, laced with a few real hits. I did not expect Nas to blow me away with his crazy wordplay on the first track. I did not expect Nas to be so brutally honest with his message, to expose the problems in hip-hop while still remaining poetically optimistic. I did not expect the music to so smoothly cross genres. I did not expect to be speechless as the last 30 seconds of the final song finished. Never have I been happier to be wrong…

Beats have never been Nas’s strongest asset, but with the help of Kanye West, L.E.S., will.i.am, and Dr. Dre, among others, almost every single track on Hip Hop Is Dead is creative enough to hold its own. A few songs, like “Money Over Bullshit,” “Carry On Tradition,” “Play On Playa,” and “Hustlers” are very catchy and straight up solid. There are also a couple tracks, “Not Going Back” and “Let There Be Light,” that utilize the best aspects of modern R&B to the point that the music is gripping and purposeful, instead of being half-assed or boring.

And then there are the biggest standouts, a handful of tracks that make this album very different than a standard hip-hop release. “Who Killed It?” is unconventional in the tightest way ever, with quirky 30’s detective music and punch-line beat breaks that change under the guidance of Nas’s Edward G. Robinson impression (props to my dad for picking up on that one). “Blunt Ashes” is meant to be trippy; Nas’s dragging flow f#%!s with you, especially with the haunting sounds in the background, and even more if you follow his lead and blaze yourself.

To me, “Black Republican” sounds exactly like it should, like the sound of two rap superstars coming together to unite when it’s really needed, even if that wasn’t Jay-Z’s and Nas’s intent. “Still Dreaming” and “Can’t Forget About You” could be seen as huge risks, blending rap with Bossa-Nova/lounge music and jazz ballads, respectively. But this might be the most exciting feature to the album, because the aforementioned songs are so beautiful; they are complete musical compositions that do not sound at all like awkward genre combinations.

I really love the music on this album, but the great thing is that you don’t have to settle on that alone, cuz the lyrics are just as infectious and meaningful. Nas manages to talk about so many different topics: the role of young rappers and the power-imbalance in the music industry (“Carry On Tradition”), living a new life outside the ghetto while still staying true to it (“Black Republican,” “Not Going Back”), getting caught up in the wrong lifestyle (“Still Dreaming”), and how paranoia from weed can complicate expectations as a famous figure (“Blunt Ashes”).

The themes are dark and explicit, but Nas also stays on the positive side. He reminisces of better times (“Can’t Forget About You”), gives props to some of the founders of rap (“Where Are They Now”) and looks forward instead of worrying about how he is perceived in the industry (“Let There Be Light”). On “Who Killed It?” sort of in the same way Common made the song “I Used to Love H.E.R.”, Nas refers to hip-hop as a woman with white gloves and a long cigarette as he cleverly investigates the murder of rap music. On the final track, “Hope,” he breaks the music down into its simplest form, rapping without music, as he defends hip-hop and points out that if anyone is to blame for hip-hop being dead, it’s those who don’t give a shit about it: those who couldn’t care less if it wasn’t there in the first place.

All of this is done so skillfully. In my opinion it is so hard to find any weaknesses in Hip Hop Is Dead. I would say that I really like 14 of the 16 tracks, with the exception of “You Can’t Kill Me” and “Hold Down The Block.” Those two songs are not bad at all, just not as outstanding as everything else. I also do not think it’s a coincidence that the guest appearances of Snoop Dogg, The Game, Kanye West, and the vocal contributions by Chrisette Michele and Tre Williams are very impressive, something that tends to happen with great albums. So what else is there to say? It’s lyrically sharp as hell, the music is technically creative, and the content covers issues that very badly needed to be discussed. Nas has upped his game and created something so amazing that it will hopefully influence certain artists in the industry to work harder, to strengthen a genre that according to God’s Son is in great need of repair. The woman with white gloves reiterates this idea on “Who Killed It?”, saying ”if you really love me/ then I’ll come back alive.”

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Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy Hip Hop Is Dead

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Benoît Pioulard

Often drawing comparisons from the likes of Elliott Smith and My Bloody Valentine, Thomas Meluch a.k.a. Benoît Pioulard recently made waves on the DIY scene with his late-2006 LP Précis. Meluch has been self-producing and releasing DIY music since he was 16, but nothing he’s released thus far comes close to the grandeur and beauty that exudes from this release.

[MP3] Benoît Pioulard – Ash Into The Sky

Born and raised in Michigan, Meluch’s francophone pseudonym came from a dream he once had, the loosely euphoric combination of sounds that seems to suit his soft croon and eclectic instrumentation quite aptly. Précis is almost so precious that describing it with words rather than sounds or any other representation of emotion would be degrading.

[MP3] Benoît Pioulard – Palimend

If you’ve got a soft spot in your heart for DIY folk, let yourself be taken away by Benoît Pioulard. The melodies are seizingly gorgeous, the lyrics are tender and comforting… it just might be the most perfect Winter record we’ve come across all year. Check out one more track from Précis before you click the links below to buy the album… it would make the perfect Christmas gift for someone in need of console.

[MP3] Benoît Pioulard – Triggering Back

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Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy Précis

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IGIF’s Most Popular Posts of 2006

As we wrap up the year with our soon-to-be-published Best Albums of 2006 post, we’ve compiled a list of our most popular posts from this year. Not surprisingly, these posts were typically features, reviews, and some of our more controversial posts. As for the features, I’ve re-uploaded the ZIP files for all of them so you can go ahead and grab those if you haven’t already!

IGIF’s 100th Post Extravaganza!
Wow…100 posts… quite a long time ago, considering our 1000th post is coming up early next year!

IGIF Presents: When We Were Young
This was IGIF’s first big feature, showcasing some of the best alternative rock songs from the 1990’s on two discs. Check it out for a blast from the past, some really terrific songs on here.

Sigur Ros Live @ The Orpheum, Boston, 2/7/2006
This was my first time seeing Sigur Ros and it was even better than what I could have imagined. Click the link for some pretty sweet photos from the show.

Hip Hop Anonymous
This was officially IGIF’s first dedicated hip-hop post (before Louie hopped on board), showcasing songs from MF Doom, Blackalicious, and Kanye.

Memorial Day: The Bands
Nathaniel compiled a fairly thorough history of bands and their often-tragic breakups.

Mommy, Where Do Blogs Come From?
Nathaniel answers the long pondered question of where in the hell did most of our blogging compatriot’s get the names for their blogs? The results are shocking, indeed.

Boneroo: A Collection of [Live] Songs
As Bonnarooo 2006 approached, Nathaniel made this mix of live songs showcasing the abundant talent of this year’s festival… and I made up entirely inappropriate album artwork!

Connor’s infamous “OMG” post about Arizona
This one brings back some good memories. I blew up over a great band and subsequently got plenty of backlash from many of our wonderful readers for my hyperbolic ranting. I stick by my words, however, and you’ll see when our Best of 06 list is published!

IGIF Presents: 50 Fine Lines
At this point in time, I was reaching a sort of mid-blogger crisis, so I decided to compile a list of 50 great songs from 2006 that helped me keep my cool.

IGIF Presents: Twenty
Nathaniel and I turned 20 right around the same time in June this year, so to celebrate we made a musical history of sorts of our lives thus far.

IGIF Presents: The Top 15 Title Tracks of the Minute
Long-time friend, first-time IGIF contributer Will spanked out this list of some of the best title tracks of recent memory.

IGIF Presesnts: Sound Tracks
I compiled a list of some of my favorite songs from feature films in a feature dubbed “Sound Tracks” (sound being an adjective, meaning solid…not sure if anyone really ever got my intention).

From IGIF with LOVE
Ahhh… the transition post. You’re all familiar with IGIF’s sexy sleek layout, but some of you might not know that before August 2006, we were a horse of a different color…

IGIF Presents: Beat Therapy
IGIF’s resident hip-hop sexpert Louie compiled a list of his favorite hip-hop beats of all time. Check it out, ZIP still works!

From Deutschland Mit Love
Nathaniel’s tribute to all-things German! I never thought I’d see the day when Rammstein songs were featured on IGIF…*sigh*

IGIF Presents: Ice Cold: An IGIF Christmix
Cold weather, finals, girl touble… a swirl of stress lead to this nice little winter-time mix, one that hopefully might get us all through the holidays and into the new year.

The Best Songs of 2006
Last but certainly not least is our list of the Best Songs of 2006, compiled just days ago!

Ahh, so many good memories… let’s hope 2007 can be just as productive and fun-filled…

"Endless Entertainment," or: The Lack Thereof, or: Yes, Ryan, A Post About Bright Eyes

I know I keep saying it / thinking it / praying for it / banking on it, but 2007 is shaping up to be a great year in [independent] music. We’ve got some of the most highly anticipated albums of the past few years coming from bands such as The Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Radiohead, M.I.A., Animal Collective–the list goes on and on. Slowly but surely we’ve been getting little tastes, little snippets here and there, of what’s to come and generally it’s been a two-way street: the new CYHSY songs began to induce what surely would have been vomit from my stomach but the new Shins album is helping me keep it down.

Today, with the simple but ultimately SPAM-generating hand-over of your email address, Conor “I Only Spell My Name With One ‘N’” Oberst a.k.a. Bright Eyes allows us to stream a new song from his forthcoming album Cassadaga, entitled “Endless Entertainment.” Alas, Conor… if only it were that easy:

[WWW] Bright Eyes – Endless Entertainment (via YANP)

[Deep breath] Ohhhhkay. Maybe it’ll grow on me, maybe it won’t, but I’ll tell ya: “First Day Of My Life” didn’t need to grow on me, I only needed one listen to absolutely dig “Lover I Don’t Have To Love,” and even “Pull My Hair” struck a chord somewhere the first time I heard it. This isn’t a bad song but it isn’t a great song either. As Matt suggested, Oberst is best when he’s at some sort of experimental extreme, not skirting along the medium. You can’t score a touchdown if you don’t make it past half-field.

Oh and one more thing: Kenny G called, he wants his smooth adult-contemporary jazz-pop back. Just sayin’ is all…

What do you think? Am I being too harsh?

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Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning

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Josh Ritter: Best of 2006 List

It’s that time of the year – and I’m not talking about Christmas this time around! Music sites and blogs from A to Z are compiling their coveted “Best of 2006″ lists for the masses of music lovers to criticize or praise. This year-end delicacy has quickly become a staple for many music sites, including this one, with the subjective lists encompassing an entire year’s worth of music. While we’re putting the finishing touches on a few more of our lists, one of my favorite musicians crafted a list of his own. A few weeks ago Josh Ritter, and the fine people at his record label, passed on his concise “2006 Artist Discoveries” list. Being the music savants you all are, you probably know a decent amount of the artists included but check it out his picks none-the-less!

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The National, “Alligator” All The Wine [MP3]
This may have come out in 2005, but we spent all of 2006 in the van listening to it. Great album and great words. [Buy]

Dawn Landes, “Fireproof” Kissing Song [MP3]
Dawn’s great – saw her at a UK festival this summer and she blew my mind. This is an album she made herself. [Buy]

Guillemots, “From the Cliffs” Trains To Brazil [MP3]
This was the soundtrack to my drive to and from my brother’s wedding in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. The melodies are almost supernatural.[Buy]

The Raconteurs, “Broken Boy Soldiers” Store Bought Bones (Live @ Lollapalooza) [MP3]
I love this record because it feels so tip of the tongue. Less a finished polished thing than the act of creation being recorded in real-time. “Blue Veins” is classic, and “Store Bought Bones” is hilarious. At least to me… [Buy]

The Kooks, “Inside In/Inside Out” She Moves In Her Own Way [MP3]
(Josh didn’t have anything to say specifically about The Kooks – but check the post I made on them from August for more info!) [Buy]

Thomas Fraser
This guy died in 1977, but I’ve just discovered him. He lived in the Shetland Islands in the North Sea, fourteen hours by boat north of mainland Scotland. At his home he recorded thousands of songs on reel to reel tapes: cowboy songs, reels, Jimmie Rodgers songs, things generally not heard north of Northern Virginia some how implanted in the middle of nowhere. It’s pretty riveting. [Buy]

John Prine, Live show – Los Angeles, Oct 27, 2006 It’s A Big Old Goofy World [VIDEO]
John Prine is the great Technicolor battleship of modern American rock. He has never been in or out of style, he has just floated through decades of good and bad times, writing songs with lyrics that seem to me like looking through the curve of a half-full coke bottle. John Prine gives me faith that if I do what I do and keep doing it, I can do it for as long as I want keep doing it. That’s hard to do! [Buy]

Bob Dylan, “Modern Times” Thunder On The Mountain [WWW]
“Love and Theft” is my favorite Dylan record ever. “Modern Times” follows in the same vein, but while “Love and Theft” was the fighting rooster, “Modern Times” is the old pasture stud. It’s full of experience and seems content. [Buy]

Hilary Hahn, “Paganini and Spohr Concertos” Adagio [STREAM]
Hilary put these two rivals on the same album which I don’t think has ever been done and which displays her brilliance as a violinist as well as her sense of humor. I think Hilary is way more rock than most rockers. [Buy]

Doris Kearns Goodwin, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”
I’m a runner and I’ve found audio books to be my favorite running companions. I fly through those suckas. “Team of Rivals” has two great things going for it: it’s a really novel and engaging approach to studying a such well known figure, and its REEEALY long. Some books are too short to run to. [Buy]

Movie: “The Departed” Official Trailer [VIDEO]
It reminds me of my years in the Boston mafia. The characters I met, the parties, the good times and the bad. All those memories…

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So there it is, an insightful look into the artists that made 2006 a great year for Josh Ritter – as if his latest album The Animal Years wasn’t reason enough to make 2006 exciting for him. Be on the lookout to for his LP to make it onto our year-end list! In the meantime, check out a Ritter concert review, a one-on-one interview I snagged, or buy The Animal Years just in time for the Holidays!

The Shins: "Phantom Limb" (New Video!)

Sorry For The Inconvenience

By now you’ve undoubtedly noticed that we’re having a falling out with our servers. We’ve been tirelessly cutting through red tape, jumping through hoops, and shrugging off ridiculous ultimatums for the last 24 hours and have taken about as much as we can handle.

That being said, we’re bringing the conflict to a close so we can move on with business as usual and continue to showcase some fine music on our site. I’m extremely sorry for the seemingly endless inconvenience that MidPhase has put everyone through, so if you think you’re frustrated just imagine how Connor and I feel. Of course it has to happen as soon as we showcase the Best 25 Songs of 2006 – typical! I’m going to attempt to get those links (and others) functioning as quickly as I can – so sit tight and hold on for a little while longer.

[MP3] Hot Chip – Bad Luck
[MP3] Ambulance LTD – Stay Tuned

UPDATE (2:58 PM): The 25 Best Songs of 2006 feature is now fully functional! All of the songs are back up and running!