Friday Mixtape Volume 51: The Top 20 of 2006
jamie on December 22nd, 2006
So, last week, I kind of ran out of time to write anything proper about tracks #35 through 21 on my top 50 of 2006- Therefore, I'm getting a jump on the top 20 this week, and writing this up well in advance. But before I get to those top twenty, let me go back and look at 35-21 for a second:
Getting nearer the top of the list, I found that a lot of these tracks were hangin' out on my iPod early in the year, and have managed to stay favorites throughout all this time. Tracks like Orson's No Tomorrow, which was on the very first mixtape I published here, and Mark Ronson's sublime cover of Radiohead's Just (which was on the unpublished volume one this year). These have endured most of the year, while tracks from The Duhks and Just Jack are brand-spankin' new. Elswhere on last week's mixtape were tracks from the amazing Rhymefest, who's album Blue Collar is one of the best rap albums this year, and James Morrison- who has yet to break out over here in the US, but given the chance will be just as big a hit here as in the UK.
Now, we come to the top 20. My favorite tracks from this year's mixtapes.
20 - Scott Matthews - Elusive
I first heard the hauntingly simple Elusive on Zane Lowe's Radio One show back in May. He proved to be a bit elusive himself, as it took me a while to track down this singer-songwriter from Wolverhampton. The haunting backing vocals give a fitting air of mystery to the track, which I always find very soothing for some reason.
19 - Jamie T - Salvador
This was a track that I sought out early in the year after hearing it on the radio. Proving he had more staying power than a one-hit-wonder, Jamie T has continued to release qaulity singles from his forthcoming debut album Panic Prevention. I actually owe my personal discovery of Lily Allen to Jamie T- While searching for this very song on his myspace page, I stopped to check out his top 8- amongst whom was miss Allen. The rest is history- thanks Mr. Wimbledon!
18 - The Shins - Phantom Limb
An early leak from the Shins, turned into the first single from their album Wincing The Night Away, due out early next year. Up until hearing this, I was pretty much a non-fan of The Shins. I now have to say that I really like the sound. I read some new writer's prediction that the album would be a disappointment- but perhaps only a disappointment to those who expect the band to release another Chutes Too Narrow, which I don't hear in the new songs. Me, I'm already impresseed.
17 - Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
Even though this track was getting spins late in 2005, it really made waves this year- especially in the US. Suddenly, it seemed, the song was everywhere. Every kind of radio wanted to play it- from AAA to hard rock. It was on TV shows and commercials, and stereogum constantly updated us on their various live performance costumes. But it's flame seemed to burn out just as quickly as it ignited, and after a couple of months of saturation, it faded. In the UK, the duo actually pulled the single form store shelves intentionally. Perhaps they quietly did the same in the US, to preserve it. Either way, by the time it was all done, I was sick to death of it (it's still an individual's ringtone on my phone though). That may be why it's coming in at number 17, and not higher- that's my prerogative.
16 - Muse - Starlight
I tend to think a lot of Muse's songs sound too much alike. But Starlight is just a great song. I just haven't gotten tired of listening to it. I hear they do an amazing live show, and I'm sure had I seen it, I may think a bit differently.
15 - Lupe Fiasco - Kick Push (RO Blvd remix)
Lupe Fisco's Food And Liquor and this track got the guy three Grammy noms this year, and I hav eno doubts that there is pleanty more instore for the Chicago native. This song was bad-ass when it was first released, but RO Blvd. took it to a new level, smoothing it out with some easy jazz guitar in the beat.
14 - The View - Wasted Little DJ's
I logged in to myspace yesterday (lame, I know) to find The View listed on the frontpage of myspace music, and the first thought I had was "asted-way ittle-ay eejay-day", and it made me smile. Beyond having the coolest pig-latin hook in the world, The View are on fire (that's their website by the way), and showing no signs of stopping. Their second single, Superstar Tradesman is another gold rocker. The band has a few US tour dates coming in January. Unfortunately, none of them are in or around Atlanta. Guys, if you fancy a stop-over in the south, I know a great little venue.
13 - General Noise - Bird
The first Atlanta band in the top 50, I ran into Andy Perez on General Noise at the Ten High in the spring, and was handed a three-song disc that lead off with this pop wonderpiece. Definitely smacking of Ben Folds, it still has the band's own sound, and is so damn good I've had Ben Folds fans ask me where I found such a bootleg. With great pleasure, I told them it wasn't folds, and they could find these guys locally. Tey don't play too many public shows, but when they do, I definitely recommend catching one.
12 - I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona
Wow, not too much is more confusing than a 29 member group that calls themselves I'm From Barcelona, then names their first track We're From Barcelona- but hell, when that song is as freakin' catchy as this, who cares? The track, and it's video on YouTube, spread liek viral wildfire across the internet. The mass chorus and simple lyric makes it perfect for drive-time sing-alongs.
11 - Eller - Bag Of Bones
The second Atlanta band on the countdown is the amazing Eller. It was hard for me to pick a single favorite to represent the band on the countdown (in fact, I've included two track in the actual mixtape), as so many of their songs are just so excellent. I hope to hear much more from Jonathan in the coming year, and hope you all do too! Did I happen to mention that the man behind Eller, Mr. Jonathan Eller, is also an amazing graphic artist. His drawing skills are phenominal, as shown in the self-promotional poster he drew (right).
10 - The Kooks - Naive
Another song from early in the year, this one was the second single I heard from the Brighton band, who would go on to release two other favorites this year (She Moves in Her Own Way and Ooh La). The opening bars of this song still generate an immediate toe-tapping response in me, which is often followed by much finger drumming and some sing-along. That's why it's at number 10.
9 - The Fratellis - Creeping Up The Back Stair
The opeing drums of this track always remind me of my days in the Indiana Drumline, playing Gene Krupa's part in Swing Swing Swing. But it's not jsut the nostalgic opening that got this song on the top ten of my list. The fast-forward movement of the song, lead by the lyric and guitar, and backed by frenetic drumming was a great start- but the handclaps sealed the deal. Backing up your first single wiht a whole album of terrific tunes helps too. Another band that I couldn't pick just one from, I've included Henrietta in the package.
8 - The Feeling - Sewn
In conversation recently, I described Athens, GA band The Modern Skirts as "an American version of The Feeling". The other party to the conversation looked at me quite puzzled- trying to figure out if I was doggin' the Skirts or not. I had to explain that I was, in fact, NOT- but rather paying them a rather large compliment. The Feeling put together incredibly catchy hooks and melodies blend it with a lot of pop sensibility (much the way The Skirts do with a little more of a punk sensibility). Sewn was an early release to radio, and it took nearly a month for me to track down my own version of it, but it was worth the wait. Since the first spind of Sewn, the band has dropped thre more great tracks as singles, and even topped the UK iTunes charts for a bit. The Platinum-selling album Twelve Stops And Home is a great pop album, start to finish.
7 - Snow Patrol - Hands Open
Snow Patrol's Eyes Open was probably my most anticipated album early in 2006. Their 2003 album Final Straw was a slow-burner for me, and by the time I was completely in love with it, they had announced the completion of Eyes Open, and I was salivating like a dog. Thanks to the internet, I got an early version of this amazing album, and havne't stopped listening to it since last March. Of course they do well in the UK, but it took a prominent play on Grey's Anatomy to propell Chasing Cars into the US charts. In whole, I think the album is a great step forward for the band form the previous album. It shows maturity in writing and produciton, while sticking to the essential sound that made me like them to begin with. It was hard to pick a favorite track from the album, but I think that Hands Open best combines the elements of rocker and anthem that I love from the band. A close second would have been Chasing Cars, but I figured everybody had that by now.
6 - Stephen Fretwell - Emily
Stephen Fretwell's excellent album Magpie was origianlly released in 2004, and the single Run was playing in the UK late in 2005, but I didn't get my hands on it, or this radio-edit single version of Emily, until early last year. It quickly became a personal favorite, and I even found myself spontaneously playing it at an open mic night once (beer and adrenaline was involved).
5 - Captain - Glorious
Another band whose whole album is so good that I found it hard to pick one representative track for them- Captain kind of snuck into my veins with periodic radio plays of their early singles, including Frontline (late 2005), Broke, and this track mid-year. The album This Is Hazelville finally cam eout in August, and I completely love it. The way that the groups mass of influences all blend together intheir own music creates a sound that is likeable to listeners across many genres. I especially love the vocal doubling that happens throughout the album between Rik Flynn and Clare Szembek. They are both so in tune to each other that they seem to sing with just one multi-timbred voice. Again, I couldn't pick just one- so I've included the first single, Frontline as well.
4 - Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - I Spy
Up here, in the top5 zone, there are mostly artists and tracks that my little iPod would tell you that I've listened to probably 10 times as much as any of the 5,000 other in his catalogue (that is, he would tell you this if you could find him- he's been missing since Monday- last seen in the vicinity of The Gym OF Buckhead's cardio machines. He's a white, 2nd generation, 20 Gb iPod named "Jamie's ipo" - there wasn't enough room for that last "d". If you've seen him, tell him to go home- his owner misses him much). Anyway, this is one of those songs that I've listened to over and over this year- it's been on so many different palylists on my iPod- from "Workout 2" to "Driving To Florida", and at one time I spent an hour listening to it on repeat to transcribe it's guitar chords. I just love how the song builds from just Sam Duckworth and his acoustic, adding in plucked strings, then a laptop beat and strings in the first minute. There's a level of complexity to music that drives my ears crazy- so many little details and different levels within the track to tune in and out individually. This level of complexity, all built on top of a relatively simple song structure. That's what I enjoy so much about most of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly's whole album.
I have to admit to how difficult it was for me to separate the top three, and put them in any order- All three artists, their singles and albums deserve #1's
3 - Eskiimo - Patience
Earlier this year, one of Eskiimo's members dropped me a note, asking if I might check out their site. I went to their myspace, and fell in love with them at first listen. I've included this track on multiple mixtapes throughout the year, and listen to it again and again- never tiring of it. In fact, my entire collection of Eskiimo songs (form myspace, their mixtapes, etc.) get repeat playtime in my car, office and at the gym. I just find that the poppy, upbeat songs seem to fit somewhere in just about every setting. Unfortunately, the band suffered some label troubles this year (nothing to do with them, but the internal workings of a major label, and apparent pettiness amongst A&R reps), setting back the relase of their full album. The band are still working on their debut album, and hope to release it independantly next year. That should mean they'll be found in the best of 2007 list then!
2 - The Hush Sound - Wine Red
The Hush Sound dropped Like Vines in the middle of the year. A young band from the Chicago area, the band's bevy of influences and youthful energy flow through piano keys, guitar strings, drums, and microphones- straight into their listeners' hearts. Like Vines is a rarity in my world- an entire album that I love very track from. Usually, there's a set of tracks near the end of an album that lack the power and creativity displayed in early tracks (even on great albums). These are the tracks that I don't even bother copying to my iPod. Like Vines exists on my iPod in it's entirety, and I keep the CD in my glove box for the days when the current mixtape has finaly worn out on me, or I just need a little more of a pick-me-up. Signed to my favorite indie label, Fueled By Ramen, I expect a lot from this band in the years to come, and nothing will stop me from catching a live show in the next year!
1 - Lily Allen - LDN
What else would you expect to top my Best of 2006 list? I must have listened to LDN a thousand times before it was even released on Alright Still. Lily's songs from myspace and her mixtape carried me through soccer season, rang in summer in flurry of fun, poppy, reggae-inflected tracks. As I mentioned, it was while searching for Jamie T's track that I found Lily's myspace (which, at the time was simply labeled "LilyMusic"- no reference to her surname). I immediately fell for LDN, with it's piano-and-horns loop and slick lyrics. But just days later, I was searching for another artist I had heard of recently- Mark Ronson (who did Just). It was a podcast of his East Village Radio show where I heard his freshly-mixed cover of the Kaiser Cheif's Oh My God. A bit of internet sleuthing lead me to find that myspace.com/lilymusic and the Lily Allen singing on Ronson's track were the same, marvelous voice!
It's a mighty list, if I do say so. I hope you all enjoy it, and would love to hear your comments and ideas. Hope everybody enjoys whatever holiday they may be celebrating this week - I'll be celebrating Boxing Day in the pub watching beloved Chelsea FC! Download the top 20 through then.
Who's the girl in the top image? She's by far the most gorgeous woman in the world- SportsByBrooks.com's Colene..figured if I was doing a "best of" list, I'd put the best beauty at the top of it 
