bag of songs: Top 25 Albums of 2006 11 to 25

Well it's finally here, after much debating and changing and rearranging my top 25 albums of 2006. Most likely it should be called favorite 25 as it's all subjective anyway, and if I did it again next week it would most likely change. I'm sure everyone will find something to agree or disgree with here, but these are the ones that spent the most time in my cd player.iPod,etc. They are the ones I enjoyed listening to the most. All in all it was a pretty good year for music. So, kick back and enjoy, add a comment if you feel moved and stay tuned for the top 10 tomorrow.

Clicking a link on an artists's name will take you to more music by them at The Hype Machine

25 Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man standing
The original "Killer" both confirms and reaffirms his legacy here. Twenty one duets with everyone ranging from from Little Richard to Keith Richards to Kid Rock, his contempararies as well as those he influenced, all lend a hand. Strongly showcasing both Jerry Lee's rock and country side, with lots of star power thrown in, it's a classic Jerry Lee Lewis disc.
MP3: Jerry Lee Lewis - Lost Highway (w/Delaney_Bramlett)

24 Lloyd Cole Antidepressant
Lloyd Cole releases his first new album in 3 years and one of his strongest. He's outgrown the youthful longing of his Rattlesnakes era work for a disc full of mature and insightful songs without losing his poetic sting. Bonus points for name checking Scarlett Johanssen.

MP3: Lloyd Cole - New York City Sunshine

23 Lindsey Buckingham Under the Skin
A quiet subtle disc that puts his Fleetwood Mac days behind him, fans of people like M.Ward,Ray Lamontagne,Elliot Smith,etc should be all over this Alas, it will most likely pass into music history largely unnoticed as just one more footnote in Lindsey's long career.

MP3: Lindsey Buckingham - Show You How

22 Nellie McKay Pretty Little Head
Nellie McKay has a Tin Pan Alley flair for songwriting and her new one Pretty Little Head is no exception. Literate, funny and sharp her 2nd release and her 2nd double disc collection she's also highly prolific. Guest turns by none other than K.D Lang and Cyndi Lauper. Initially bounced by her record label for being too long at 23 songs, she held to her principles and got it released on her terms.
MP3: Nellie McKay - Mama and Me

21 The Pernice Brothers Live A Little
Joe Pernice is a master of pop songcraft and this new one is no exception. The production is a little more stripped down this time allowing the songs to really shine.

MP3: The Pernice Brothers - Lightheaded

20 Cold War Kids Robbers & Cowards
A dark quirky sound that finds the middle ground between the surrealism of TV On the Radio and raw rootsy sound of The White Stripes.

MP3: Cold War Kids - We Used To Vacation

19 Golden Smog Another Fine Day
Golden Smog takes a more rock based approach this time around and comes up with record that sounds less like the side project supergroup that it is and more like a full time band with something to prove.

MP3: Golden Smog - 5-22-02

18 Soul Asylum The Silver Lining
Bassist Karl Mueller's swan song disc due to his untimely death from cancer sets out to prove that Soul Asylum is still a vital musical force. Their most focused effort since Grave Dancer's Union is filled with huge sounding guitars and classic Soul Asylum hooks.

MP3: Soul Asylum - Crazy Mixed Up World

17 The Shrinking Islands In The Black Carpet
The Shrinking Isalnds prove tht you don't need noises and gimmicks to make a great record much like the bands that launched college radio back in the eighties. Great songs and pristine prodcution values make up a brilliant pop record that takes their influences and molds them into their own distinct sound.
MP3: The Shrinking Islands - State Fair

16 The Blow Paper Televison
A New Wave snyth pop meets 60's Girls groups vision of boys and girls in America. A completely different approach to this group of insanely catchy, danceable relationship songs.

MP3: The Blow - Parentheses

15 Clipse Hell Hath No Fury
Street level rap at it's finest, full of the stacatto beats and raw grit that get back to the roots of the music.

MP3: Clipse - Mr Me Too

14 Pearl Jam Pearl Jam
Easily their best and most accessible disc since VS. They also reaffirmed their place this year as one of the best live bands going.

MP3: Pearl Jam - Army Reserve

13 Wolfmother Wolfmother
The best of 70's style guitar rock excess dragged screaming right into the 00's. This disc never claims to be anything more than it is and succeeds grandly. Three guys making a glorius racket.

MP3: Wolfmother - Woman

12 Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium
Almost too much of a good thing and sure maybe some of it sounded a bit familiar, but its the Chili Peppers at their funk rock best and there really is a genuinely bad song in the bunch.

MP3: Red Hot Chili Peppers - C'mon Girl