boosterjuice
Refugee
Well, it's that time of year again. The cold has set in and Christmas is soon upon us. Now is a great time to polish off your mp3 player and listen to some great tunes. It's also the time of year to shop for Christmas presents. This year, you may want to consider purchasing albums for your music-loving family members and friends.
2006 was a great year for music. I hope that 2007 is equally as impressive.
Here are my top 5 albums of the year that you need to pay attention to.
5. Snow Patrol: Eyes Open
Snow Patrol is evolving very nicely. Although Eyes Open doesn't match Final Straw, it does bring us some staple songs that will fit nicely on any mix CD. Eyes Open was a little bit of a let-down at first. The first single, "You're all I have", although a good song, turned many off because it sounds much too poppy for Snow Patrol. Those who gave the album a fair shake were deeply rewarded with a few jewels.
Beware of Snow Patrol conforming to poppy influences. I hope their success doesn't get to their heads. There are a few poppy tunes on this record and this is an unwelcomed departure from their earlier work.
Songs to Explore:
You're All I have: 4 star song. Too poppy but a good song none-the-less.
Hands Open: 4 star song, Again, too poppy. By this song, most die-hard Snow Patrol fans must have almost been vomiting.
Shut Your Eyes: 4 stars song. Ahh, finally some innovation back. This song has a great guitar riff.
Make This Go on Forever: 5 Star song. This song is simply incredible! It's the runner up for song of the year. We finally see a song that gets beneath the surface of poppy safe music.
Set the Fire to the Third Bar. 5 Star song. Wow, too gems in a row. Snow Patrol incorporates vocal harmony from a female singer. The result is an erry and unforgettable performance. This song will get stuck and embedded in your head.
4. Kasabian: Empire
Kasabian's "Empire" was my most highly anticipated album of 2006 and it didn't disappoint. Empire isn't as innovative or as important of an album as Kasabian's self-titled debut, but what this album does is cement and solidify Kasabian as an enduring force in the rock world. To have a solid 2nd album is huge for a bands career. Just ask U2 who almost folded after their 2nd album.
Empire doesn't give us any songs of the year like "Club Foot" was. But does give us a solid array of 4-star songs that will keep your ears filled for years to come. Kasabian seems to have departed from their electro beat innovative style that made them a huge success. The finished product is a much more rock orientated album with suttle techno influences.
Songs to Explore:
Empire: 4 star song. The title track starts the record off on the right foot.
Shoot the Runner: 5 star song. An amazing chorus sets this song apart.
Last Trip: 4 star song. I'm loving the vocals on this one in the prechorus.
Me Plus One: 4 star song. Talk about diversity. This song clearly emphasizes that Kasabian can fuse different styles into its albums.
By My Side: 5 Star song. Probably the most complete song on the album. It builds nicely.
Stuntman: 4 star song. This is great song. It starts off with Kasabians traditional techno beats. The impatient listening will be tempted to skip this one. But, hold on, it gets better and surprises us with one of the best chorus's on the album.
3. The Vines: Vision Valley
This album, although dismissed by many critics, is what I find myself listening to most often. It's got an amazing flow and no band comes close to pulling off harmonies like the Vines. I view the Vines as a modern-day Beatles. They use their vocals as an instrument and it produces some of the most awesome music I've ever heard. Vision Valley, the title track, is the best song of the year. I am simply awestruck by this song. The reason that this album isn't in the #1 position is due the "rock screaming" that the lead singer does in some of the songs. Don't get me wrong, I like the heavier stuff just as much as the next guy. But I view screaming as anti-music. To be honest, some great songs are wrecked because of the screaming going on in the chorus. My advice to the Vines; stop the screaming and focus on your major strong point, vocal harmony.
Songs to Explore:
Nothin's Comin': 4 star song. A great song that showcases the Vines' harmony effect on a heavier song.
Candy Daze: 4 star song. A Fun loving song.
Vision Valley: 5 star song. Song of the Year. I dare you to listen to this song just one time. It's very addictive so be careful.
Don't Listen to the Radio: 4 star song. Another great fun loving song that's fun to drive to. There's even a little slight screaming mixed in and I'm okay with it.
Take Me Back: 4 Star song. The Vines really know how to write awesome slow songs.
Going Gone: 4 Star song. Another example of a great slow song with amazing harmonies.
DopeTrain: 3 Star song. A good example of a song that has been wrecked by screaming.
Spaceship: 5 star song. Why does this song have to end???? The first 2 1/2 minutes of this song are amazing. I just wish they could keep it going. But maybe too much of a good thing is a bad thing.
2. Mute Math: Mutemath
Mute Math gets the prestigious distinction of "best new artist of 06". Their debut album, Mutemath, is a solid outing and will help solidify Mute Math as rock contender for years to come. Their sound is innovative, their chord progressions are unique, and their lyrics are uplifting. The most promising musical aspect of Mute Math has to be the drummer. Gone are the simple 4x4 beats of yesteryear. In comes highly complex beats that even Jonny Nash couldn't shake a stick at. But, the key difference here is that the beats compliment the songs perfectly.
The Mutemath album isn't perfect. The only hang-up I have about this album is the lack of diversity. Although the songs are innovative, they all have a similar feel to them. Let's hope that the next album can match the innovation but also give us some diversity.
Songs to Explore:
Typical: 5 star song. Great guitar work
Chaos: 5 star song. Amazing beats and innovative
Noticed: 4star song. Great chorus and guitar interlude. Again, the drummer gets it going on this one.
Without It: 5 star song. One of the best chorus's I've ever heard. Don't let the mediocre verse fool you.
You are Mine: 4 star song.
1. Red Hot Chilli Peppers: Stadium Arcadium
WOW, what an awesome double album! There is SO much good material on here. There are about 10 awesome songs. I'm not a chilli pepper fan per se. I don't like their funk influence and I think that it can bastardize the rock style. Although there are many funk-type songs on this album, the good greatly outweighs the bad and has earned the RCHP the #1 album of the year in my books!
Stand Out Tracks (count em all up; 14 in total):
- Dani California (5 star song!) Check out the guitar lick at the end.
- Snow
- Stadium Arcadium
- Slow Cheetah- (5 star song!)
- Especially in Michigan
-C'mon Girl
- Wet Sand
- Hey
- Desecration Smile- (5 star song!)
- Hard to Concentrate
- 21st Century
- She looks to me (5 star song!)
- Make you feel better
- Turn it again
Honorable Mention:
- Keane: Under the Iron Sea
Keane just missed the cut-off
- The Album Leaf: Into the Blue Again
Amazing post-rock
- Muse: Black Holes and Revelations
- The Strokes: First Impressions of Earth
2006 was a great year for music. I hope that 2007 is equally as impressive.
Here are my top 5 albums of the year that you need to pay attention to.
5. Snow Patrol: Eyes Open
Snow Patrol is evolving very nicely. Although Eyes Open doesn't match Final Straw, it does bring us some staple songs that will fit nicely on any mix CD. Eyes Open was a little bit of a let-down at first. The first single, "You're all I have", although a good song, turned many off because it sounds much too poppy for Snow Patrol. Those who gave the album a fair shake were deeply rewarded with a few jewels.
Beware of Snow Patrol conforming to poppy influences. I hope their success doesn't get to their heads. There are a few poppy tunes on this record and this is an unwelcomed departure from their earlier work.
Songs to Explore:
You're All I have: 4 star song. Too poppy but a good song none-the-less.
Hands Open: 4 star song, Again, too poppy. By this song, most die-hard Snow Patrol fans must have almost been vomiting.
Shut Your Eyes: 4 stars song. Ahh, finally some innovation back. This song has a great guitar riff.
Make This Go on Forever: 5 Star song. This song is simply incredible! It's the runner up for song of the year. We finally see a song that gets beneath the surface of poppy safe music.
Set the Fire to the Third Bar. 5 Star song. Wow, too gems in a row. Snow Patrol incorporates vocal harmony from a female singer. The result is an erry and unforgettable performance. This song will get stuck and embedded in your head.
4. Kasabian: Empire
Kasabian's "Empire" was my most highly anticipated album of 2006 and it didn't disappoint. Empire isn't as innovative or as important of an album as Kasabian's self-titled debut, but what this album does is cement and solidify Kasabian as an enduring force in the rock world. To have a solid 2nd album is huge for a bands career. Just ask U2 who almost folded after their 2nd album.
Empire doesn't give us any songs of the year like "Club Foot" was. But does give us a solid array of 4-star songs that will keep your ears filled for years to come. Kasabian seems to have departed from their electro beat innovative style that made them a huge success. The finished product is a much more rock orientated album with suttle techno influences.
Songs to Explore:
Empire: 4 star song. The title track starts the record off on the right foot.
Shoot the Runner: 5 star song. An amazing chorus sets this song apart.
Last Trip: 4 star song. I'm loving the vocals on this one in the prechorus.
Me Plus One: 4 star song. Talk about diversity. This song clearly emphasizes that Kasabian can fuse different styles into its albums.
By My Side: 5 Star song. Probably the most complete song on the album. It builds nicely.
Stuntman: 4 star song. This is great song. It starts off with Kasabians traditional techno beats. The impatient listening will be tempted to skip this one. But, hold on, it gets better and surprises us with one of the best chorus's on the album.
3. The Vines: Vision Valley
This album, although dismissed by many critics, is what I find myself listening to most often. It's got an amazing flow and no band comes close to pulling off harmonies like the Vines. I view the Vines as a modern-day Beatles. They use their vocals as an instrument and it produces some of the most awesome music I've ever heard. Vision Valley, the title track, is the best song of the year. I am simply awestruck by this song. The reason that this album isn't in the #1 position is due the "rock screaming" that the lead singer does in some of the songs. Don't get me wrong, I like the heavier stuff just as much as the next guy. But I view screaming as anti-music. To be honest, some great songs are wrecked because of the screaming going on in the chorus. My advice to the Vines; stop the screaming and focus on your major strong point, vocal harmony.
Songs to Explore:
Nothin's Comin': 4 star song. A great song that showcases the Vines' harmony effect on a heavier song.
Candy Daze: 4 star song. A Fun loving song.
Vision Valley: 5 star song. Song of the Year. I dare you to listen to this song just one time. It's very addictive so be careful.
Don't Listen to the Radio: 4 star song. Another great fun loving song that's fun to drive to. There's even a little slight screaming mixed in and I'm okay with it.
Take Me Back: 4 Star song. The Vines really know how to write awesome slow songs.
Going Gone: 4 Star song. Another example of a great slow song with amazing harmonies.
DopeTrain: 3 Star song. A good example of a song that has been wrecked by screaming.
Spaceship: 5 star song. Why does this song have to end???? The first 2 1/2 minutes of this song are amazing. I just wish they could keep it going. But maybe too much of a good thing is a bad thing.
2. Mute Math: Mutemath
Mute Math gets the prestigious distinction of "best new artist of 06". Their debut album, Mutemath, is a solid outing and will help solidify Mute Math as rock contender for years to come. Their sound is innovative, their chord progressions are unique, and their lyrics are uplifting. The most promising musical aspect of Mute Math has to be the drummer. Gone are the simple 4x4 beats of yesteryear. In comes highly complex beats that even Jonny Nash couldn't shake a stick at. But, the key difference here is that the beats compliment the songs perfectly.
The Mutemath album isn't perfect. The only hang-up I have about this album is the lack of diversity. Although the songs are innovative, they all have a similar feel to them. Let's hope that the next album can match the innovation but also give us some diversity.
Songs to Explore:
Typical: 5 star song. Great guitar work
Chaos: 5 star song. Amazing beats and innovative
Noticed: 4star song. Great chorus and guitar interlude. Again, the drummer gets it going on this one.
Without It: 5 star song. One of the best chorus's I've ever heard. Don't let the mediocre verse fool you.
You are Mine: 4 star song.
1. Red Hot Chilli Peppers: Stadium Arcadium
WOW, what an awesome double album! There is SO much good material on here. There are about 10 awesome songs. I'm not a chilli pepper fan per se. I don't like their funk influence and I think that it can bastardize the rock style. Although there are many funk-type songs on this album, the good greatly outweighs the bad and has earned the RCHP the #1 album of the year in my books!
Stand Out Tracks (count em all up; 14 in total):
- Dani California (5 star song!) Check out the guitar lick at the end.
- Snow
- Stadium Arcadium
- Slow Cheetah- (5 star song!)
- Especially in Michigan
-C'mon Girl
- Wet Sand
- Hey
- Desecration Smile- (5 star song!)
- Hard to Concentrate
- 21st Century
- She looks to me (5 star song!)
- Make you feel better
- Turn it again
Honorable Mention:
- Keane: Under the Iron Sea
Keane just missed the cut-off
- The Album Leaf: Into the Blue Again
Amazing post-rock
- Muse: Black Holes and Revelations
- The Strokes: First Impressions of Earth
