With the passing of one year and the start of another, we at Twangville relish the opportunity to reflect on our favorite music of the past year. Over the next week I’ll be highlighting my favorite albums and songs from 2006, culminating with a preview of some highly anticipated 2007 releases.
10. Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers by Lucero This is the album where Lucero fully declare their rock and roll ambition. In a manner similar to Springsteen’s “Born to Run” album this is a collection of grand rock anthems with Lucero’s southern sensibility. Singer-songwriter Ben Nichols’ whiskey-soaked vocals are the perfect match for his rough-hewn poetry. “The weight of guilt son’s gonna drag you down… If you can’t bear no crosses, you can’t wear no crown,” he sings on the guitar-drenched “The Weight of Guilt.” The album centerpiece is “I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight,” an epic which sees the band supplement their requisite guitar blasts with organ and piano. I can only imagine that the Boss would be proud.
9. The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let’s Go Out Tonites by Butch Walker It is no surprise that Walker served up some of the catchiest hooks of the year, from the punchy “too famous to get fully dressed” to the leisurely “taste of red” (with strings recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios). Although lyrically not as consistent as 2004’s Letters, Walker achieves pop nirvana with a sonic wall of sound on “Hot Girls in Good Moods” and the soaring chorus of “Bethamphetamine (Pretty Pretty).”
8. A Blessing and a Curse by Drive-By Truckers
Although they moved away from the thematic song cycles that drove their recent releases, the Truckers have lost none of their potency. The band’s three singer-songwriters still excel at character-driven songs, beginning with the anti-love song “Feb 14” and closing with the lyrical union of resignation and optimism on “A World of Hurt.” Of course there is never any doubt that the Truckers will treat to a healthy dose of guitar. A Blessing and a Curse doesn’t disappoint with the deadly tandem of “Easy on Yourself” and “Aftermath USA” showcasing the band’s guitar prowess.
7. Light ‘Em Up by The Fags
These guys describe themselves as a “melodic rock & roll trio from Detroit.” That a mild under-statement. This is the kind of album that will reach out from the speakers and grab you by the throat. The songs overflow with attitude, driven by screaming guitar and a pounding backbeat. Singer John Liccardello’s raspy vocals only amplify the sarcasm in his lyrics, to wit on the track “Here’s Looking at You”: “You know where the door is, don’t let it hit you from behind. I know where the floor is and I’ll lower that bar every time.”
Alas, having been tortured by the major label game for the past few years, the band called it quits shortly after releasing this album on their original indie label. A true shame.
6. Boys and Girls in America by The Hold Steady
Craig Finn has always been a masterful wordsmith, telling tales of rudderless youths with the perspective of an elder statesman. On their latest release, however, Finn and his compatriots have fully coalesced as a rock and roll powerhouse. Tad Kubler continues to propel songs with his thrashing guitar but it is keyboardist Franz Nicolay purposefully interjects himself into the mix for a more well-rounded, radio-friendly sound. Leave it to Finn to top it off with a captivating lyrics, such as his modern spin to the old adage “It’s only fun until someone loses an eye” with the line, “It started recreational. It ended kinda medical.”
5. Where Are We Going and When Do We Get There by Jabe
It is supremely satisfying to see an artist evolve, as Jabe does on this rich and evocative song cycle. From the ambling “Broken Back Road” to the percussive jam on “Bound to Drown” the musicianship is astounding, perfectly balanced to match the lyrical tone of the song. And judging from recent live performances and demos posted here, it is only going to get better.
4. The Man Who Killed Love by Will Hoge
Will Hoge takes us on a Southern-tinged rock music history tour with this triumphant release. Whether channeling Otis Redding on “Woman Be Strong” or an Allman Brothers or Little Feat jam on “Wait ’til Your Daddy Get’s Home,” Hoge and his crack band breathe life into every song. By the time you get to the rousing “Hearts are Gonna Roll” and the horn-driven rave-up on “Love from a Scar” you’ll be hooked.
3. The Animal Years by Josh Ritter
Masterful albums have the ability to paint pictures, vivid in tone and rich with imagery. The Animal Years achieves this level of greatness, brilliantly combining Ritter’s contemplative lyrics with a simple yet striking production. The album’s focal point is “Thin Blue Flame, a gorgeous epic that contemplates the disturbing state of global society, “It’s a Bible or a bullet they put over your heart It’s getting harder and harder to tell them apart.” The Animal Years firmly establishes Ritter as an extraordinary songwriter as he cascades from love songs to politics with equal aplomb.
2. Sing Me Back Home by New Orleans Social Club
Although the high profile collaboration of Allen Toussaint and Elvis Costello on The River in Reverse garnered most of the attention in 2006, it was the New Orleans Social Club that truly captures the spirit of the beleaguered city. Six weeks after the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, a collective of displaced musicians — anchored by George Porter Jr. and Leo Nocentelli of the legendary Meters, Ivan Neville and jazz pianist Henry Butler — gathered in Austin. Over the course of a week they recorded a musical gumbo, conveying both the musical diversity of New Orleans and the range of emotions in responding to the tragedy. The thread weaves from Ivan Neville’s funkified version of John Fogerty’s “Fortunate Son” to Henry Butler’s melancholy take on the West Side Story classic “Somewhere” to the Sixth Ward All-Star Brass Band Revue’s romp through “I’m Walking to New Orleans” and “The Saints.” By the time you reach the John Boutte’s closing take on the Annie Lennox ballad “Why”, you will recognize the true power of music.
1. Streets of New York by Willie Nile
I was trying to decide what sets Willie Nile apart from the pack. It might be that, at a time when many of his contemporaries are starting to falter, Nile releases what is arguably his strongest album to date. His songwriting is sharper then ever, filled with instantly memorable melodies and reflective lyrics that explore a broad range of themes. Nile’s defining quality, however, is his charismatic spirit. It’s a passion and enthusiasm that is infectious and earned Nile the admiration of fans and peers alike.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.