Micah's Lists

Micah's Drippingly Sentimental Top Ten

01. Yellow House - Grizzly Bear (9.5.6) On a Neck On a Spit, Easier, Knife
02. Hand On String - Michael Andrews (2.14.6) Hand On String, Tracings, Orange Meet Lemon
03. Destroyer's Rubies - Destroyer (2.21.6) - Rubies, European Oils, Painter In Your Pocket
04. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood - Neko Case (3.7.6) - John Saw That Number, Star Witness, The Needle Has Landed
05. Everything All The Time - Band Of Horses (3.21.6) - Funeral, St. Augustine, Wicked Gil
06. Return To Cookie Mountain - TV On The Radio (9.12.6) - Wolf Like Me, Hours, Things You Can Do
07. Son - Juana Molina (5.23.6) Rio Seco, Micael, Malherido
08. Passover - The Black Angels (4.11.6) Better Off Alone, Bloodhounds On My Trail, Black Grease
09. Bring Me The Workhorse - My Brightest Diamond (8.22.6) Something of an End, Dragonfly, Workhorse
10. eponymous [EP] / Shut Up I Am Dreaming - Sunset Rubdown (1.16.6/5.2.6) A Day In The Graveyard, Three Colours, Stadiums & Shrines II
Key: rank. album - band (release date) 3 tracks to check out to see if it's up yer alley

In depth analysis:
YELLOW HOUSE - Grizzly Bear
Released on Benjamin's birthday! Probably his top pick also ...unless music boxes count. So mesmerizingly produced (as if Pet Sounds has crashed into Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes) that as it starts on both of our eyes grow wide & ears prick up. The memories of waltzing around the kitchen floor in my socked feet with my baby boy in my arms will be unforgettable.
HAND ON STRING - Michael Andrews
A very close second & perhaps another sentimental favorite. I listened to this almost exclusively as I painted the nursery. So charmingly unobtrusive I had it on repeat even - something I never do. Heard it for the first time on headphones yesterday & heard an entirely differently album.
DESTROYER'S RUBIES - Destroyer
Erika said it beautifully: "If this album consisted of the title track alone, it still would have made #1" Though I'd adjust it slightly it to say: "If this album consisted of any single one of it's tracks, it still would have made #3" A triumph.
FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD - Neko Case
Garth Hudson - 'nuff said. I thought this was a sure thing at number one for a long time. Neko didn't know what hit her - I didn't even see 1, 2 or 3 coming.. Strangely nearly all of my picks are dripping with a thick atmospheric ambiance & FCBTF is up to it's pretty neck in it.
EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME - Band Of Horses
Was in quite a fist fight for the 4th spot. Whereas FCBTF seems to drag a bit (I think it'd be just a little better if she'd whittled it down maybe about 2 songs & made em b-sides) this is simply a sharp, excellent, classic pop album. I'm still stunned by the amount of affection folks from all walks & tastes are giving this record.
RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN - TV On The Radio
The most impressive band operating today. The first time I remember being in a car without an adult somebody's big sister was driving me to see Dave Sitek's high school band play - it was my first ever "rock concert". The excitement I was feeling was unparalleled at the time & the show absolutely blew my mind wide open to music... all these years later he still continues to do so. The exuberance I felt as a prepubescent teen in that nearly empty auditorium I felt again at First Ave's packed show this summer. To quote the cliché: must be played at maximum volume.
SON - Juana Molina
If I said the title had nothing to do with it's appearance in my top ten I'd be lying. Initially wrote off this album pretty quickly (if it's not in English it can't be that great, right?) but returned to it for a closer listen just a couple of weeks ago - a welcome new arrival. I dig the steel drum drum'n'bassey breakdown in Micael. My highschool had a steel drum band... man those kids thought they were the shiznit in their sunglasses, shorts, & caribbean shirts... Meanwhile the rest of those orchestra nerds were stuck in their white buttonup shirts & black slacks... suckers.
PASSOVER - The Black Angels
When I first heard "Better Off Alone" on the car radio at 3am I nearly went right off the road. "A drugged-up Sean Ryder (Happy Mondays) fronts a drugged-out John Cale led Velvet Underground -- just what I've always wanted!!!" Since hearing the rest of the album that's obviously not what's going on (but add that to my "wants for 2007" list, Mickey) Instead this is just really nice to play loud. What I'd put on in the garage this summer when I wasn't blasting Cookie Mountain & how I think I'll be listening to Entrance next summer. Great stuff for swinging a hammer over your head.
BRING ME THE WORKHORSE - My Brightest Diamond
Beth Gibbons (Portishead) replaces Antony & leads The Johnsons in selections from Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness. Along with FCBTF I could use this album a little shorter too but fairly alluring stuff.
SUNSET RUBDOWN / SHUT UP I AM DREAMING - Sunset Rubdown
Cull tracks from both of these albums & you've got yourself a genuine masterpiece. I'm partial to the EP but SUIAD is here because hearing the Casio SK1 beat beginning "I'm Sorry..." nearly brought me to tears (am i the only feller old enough to instantly recognize that?) Another sentimental choice I guess.
...SO Now, all that said I still haven't heard a lick of Bob Dylan's Modern Times, The Root's Game Theory & Thom Yorke's Eraser (among hundreds of other albums) but it's been rare that any releases by any of these folks didn't land somewhere in my tops. So, I suppose the fact that I was passive & unenthusiastic for all three albums says something - but the truth is that I can't imagine these three not knocking out some of the above (No matter how much Dylan shoots his mouth off)

Honorable Mention/Album That Makes Me Wish I'm Something I'm Not
I'm completely with Mickey on the Hold Steady-alternate-universe-thing. Therefore Boys & Girls in America gets an honorable mention in the Album That Makes Me Wish.../Honorable Mention section cos if I were a burgeoning fratboy at the U I'd be all over this album. I'm quite sure of it. I'm not though. Instead it just seems kinda like the The Replacements were re-Born In The USA to this dad. Nice record but if it weren't for the local flares which tickle me to no end I could probably leave it... so anyway, onto Album that Makes Me Wish I'm Something I'm Not (aka Honorable Mention) ...my heavens we have a TIE!
Begin To Hope - Regina Spektor
Ahh, to be a 13 year old girl. I'm sure this album would have me absolutely levitating. I picture myself laying stomach down on a sunken bed & listening to "On The Radio" over and over again in a wood-paneled basement bedroom. My hot pink socked-feet up in the air behind me and wiggling about, flipping the pages of Sassy magazine & staring at the dust caught in a hazy sunny beam of light streaming in through a small window at the top of the room. Oh, the buoyant joy.
eponymous - Brightblack Morning Light
I'd have no idea BUT I would imagine this the greatest stoned album of the year. I've never been one much for strictly trip albums - however I can be quite lazy so this release does have some real appeal.

Missed the Boat in 2005
Perspectives - Mt. Egypt
Openers for BOH this summer in the Entry. Less Bright Eyes-y than "Battening The Hatches" & now Lambchoppy enough to keep me satisfied.
All Rise - Inara George
When it's at it's best it's sounds like Astrud Gilberto has moved to Laurel Canyon; still delicious bubblegum when it's at it's worst.

Biggest Disappointments
I don't think there any big disappointments this year - I was a pretty pleased top to bottom. Well, cept for the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs' album, Show Your Bones - I spit on that lameass follow-up shit. Oh, & I was fairly down on that mess Beck released I guess. Okay some but I wouldn't say this was another year of discontent... As for rockshow disappointments it'd be seeing Islands/Frog Eyes/Sunset Rubdown at First Ave. I'm not putting this on FE or SR though - this is entirely on those bastards, Islands. SR ; FE were simply out of their element - they needed an "intimate" setting to shine. Instead they were stuck playing to a small, uninterested crowd who were there to see Islands in a big cavernous venue. I've been On Carey Mercer's tip for what seems like forever & was quite down about the lackluster showing. I nearly drove down to Carlton to the Cavern the very next night (where SR & FE were playing without Islands) because I'm sure they'd tear the place apart (& sounds like from Erika that they did) Islands ARE the steel drum kids I mentioned above all grown up. Still just as obnoxious & smug too.

Diamond in the Rough
Lambchop - Damaged
Yup, I'm picking the whole album. It's exquisitely produced, brilliantly played but still somehow seems to totally miss the mark. Throughout the album however there are tiny little sonic flourishes that I think are just wonderful (A Day Without Glasses 1:34-3:06, Beers Before the Barbican 3:47-4:20, are two of my favorites) the rest doesn't seem to be engaging in it's entirety though. Or maybe it's just that first song rubs me the wrong way & soils the rest of the album ...then ends on a sour note too... I dunno. Perhaps I just need to invest a lot more time into Damaged. It took ages for me to fall for Is A Woman. Now its' collection of sparse-blue-midnight piano tunes have since made it one of my greatest loves of all time.
'07 Wishlist
Charlie Wadhams.
Charlie Wadhams, Born 1978, Los Angeles, California

Best Live Shows
Dirty On Purpose, 7.22.6, 7th St. Entry (which would get my Venue of the Year award. Nearly EVERY SINGLE ONE of the folks in my top ten played there this year - that's not a bad turnaround from being shut down last year) After learning Ericka Foster (singer/keys) quit the band I nearly turned around before it started. Boy did they make a believer out of me - turned my frown right around & then absolutely blew the fucking roof off the joint. I was so impressed that I even chatted them up after the show (something else I never do) The friendliest bunch of fellas too. That George is a guitarist to watch - The reincarnation of Kevin Shields (if he were dead) Unfortunately, pathetically, their debut LP doesn'tcapture an ounce of thrash, excitement, mayhem from their live act & is so ill mixed that it doesn't even come anywhere near my top ten. (hmm, add Hallelujah Sirens to my few disappointments) Shameful

Dusted-offs
I wasn't sure how to approach this category considering I primarily listen to the oldies but goodies... so instead I've picked my top 6s from past 6s.
1956
Midnight At Mable Mercer's - Mable Mercer
eponymous - The Art Tatum/Ben Webster Quartet
Three Ragas - Ravi Shankar
Ella & Louis - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Sings the Cole Porter Song Book - Ella Fitzgerald
eponymous - Elvis Presley
1966
Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
Revolver - The Beatles
Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan
...Dictionary Of Soul - Otis Redding
eponymous - Love
Boom - The Sonics
1976
eponymous - Ramones
A New World Record - Electric Light Orchestra
Musical Massage - Leon Ware
Coney Island Baby - Lou Reed
eponymous - Blondie
On The Track - Leon Redbone
1986
Tinderbox - Siouxsie & the Banshees
License To Ill - The Beastie Boys
London 0 Hull 4 - The Housemartins
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
Graceland - Paul Simon
Deep Breakfast - Ray Lynch
1996
The Sound Of - McAlmont & Butler
Being There - Wilco
Black Love - The Afghan Whigs
Traveling Without Moving - Jamiroquai
Illadelph Halflife - The Roots
Drop The Roof - Out Of My Hair

Genre Sucker
I've always listened to a healthy amount of Classical music but this year it really was on full force - even prior to baby's arrival - unstoppable afterwards.

Over-hyped?
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Another triumph for Peter Gabriel's Real World label... but wait! the tricks on you - It's not! No seriously, it's an amazing story - really. It's a technical feat. An amazing debut. I'd even say a very delightful, enjoyable listen. HOWEVER I strongly question if this this isn't an album essential to know the backstory to really appreciate & love. Only because that question perpetually lingers in my mind does this end up here.

Other Media Does Exist
My favorite film of the year had to be Pride & Prejudice.
But again I primarily watch old movies...
1926 - Faust
1936 - Fury
1946 - It's A Wonderful Life
1956 - The Killing
1966 - Alfie
1976 - All The President's Men
1986 - Hannah And Her Sisters
1996 - Waiting For Guffman