Mid-Year Best Discs

[beedubyah]

Love:
 Morrissey - Ringleaders... - So good I want to put my fist through a window
 Walkmen - Hundred Miles Off - No barnburners like The Rat or Thinking of a Dream I Had, but much more consistent. Great album.
 Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere - 'Last Time' is a certified nut-tingler
 Neko Case - Fox Confessor...
 Ambulance - EP - Beautiful tunes. If they only translated better live.
 Muse - Black Holes and Revelations - Muse's 'Be Here Now' or 'OK Computer'? They certainly went balls out on this one. Only given it one listen, but I was blown away.
 
 Like:
 Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops - Decent, but no standouts like their previous
 Strokes - First Impressions - I know theyre not cool anymore, but its pretty damn good.
 Wolfmother - Standout singles but not consistent
 Arctic Monkeys
 The Streets - Trying to decipher whether I am just into him because I'm a bit of an anglophile or whether I legitimately dig the sound. I still dont have an answer but I like the album either way.
 
 Suck:
 Pearl Jam - Some songs I not only just dont care for, I actually want to punch Eddie Vedder in the face. Just completely devoid of any melody at times.
 Snow Patrol - As a very large fan of their last album and show at the 930, Ill admit it. They've become the Goo Goo Dolls. 'Put some Sufjan Stevens on'?!

[eltee]

Originally posted by andyrichter:
  woops. i almost forgot the new johnny cash.  i listened to it earlier today.  great record.

I'm with you!!
 
 Add [for me]: Josh Ritter - Animal Years; Glen Phillips - Mr. Lemons (LP), Unlucky 7 (EP)

[dumpkopf]

I'm glad 2 people mentioned Islands. That CD is awesome.
 
 Then in no order
 
 The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia...
 Boris- Pink
 Liars - Drum's Not Dead
 
 and I know its not out yet but
 
 Thom Yorke - The Eraser

[xneverwherex]

so far...
 
 People in Planes
 The Lovely Feathers
 Liam & Me
 Elefant
 Phoenix

[brennser]

forgot the essex green

[kookiemnstr8]

Originally posted by brennser:
  forgot the essex green

Oh, good point!  Can't believe I left that one off.

[SPARX]

I'll add:
 
 Serena Maneesh - Zuruck
 
 High Violets - To Where You Are
 
 Loose Fur - Born Again in the USA

[Jaguar]

Without a doubt my top 2 are...
 
 </font>

• <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">Fleeting Joys - "Despondent Transponder"</font></li>
  • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">The Daysleepers  "Hide Your Eyes" (EP)[/b]</font></li>
  <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">
   Not only are they about 2 of my favorites for the year but apparently, many others in the know agree.
   
   Fleeting Joys have completely sold out of their debut full length in only about 3 or 4 months time and are in the process of creating new music and working out deals for future releases.
   
   The Daysleepers (from my inside source) have done phenomenally well, especially for DIYers, and have (hmmmm....not allowed to reveal too much here) let's say, some major attention on them. They too have new works in the making. Some of their future work will be produced by Robin Guthrie of The Cocteau Twins.
   
   My remaining 8, well, I need more time to reflect on that since there's a lot that I like. Probably would include...
   
   </font>
  • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">God Is An Astronaut - "A Moment Of Stillness" (EP)</font></li>
    • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">The Flies (Sean Cook's new band) - (s/t)</font></li>
    • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">The Black Angels - "Passover"</font></li>
    • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">The December Sound - (s/t) (EP)[/b] (Actually from late 2005)</font></li>
    • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">Daturah - (s/t)</font></li>
      • <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">The Morning After Girls - "Prelude: EP's"[/b]
         (I don't care that it's from last year. It didn't get much attention here until this year and it's part of the soundtrack of my 2006)</font></li>
      <font size="2" face="Arial, Veranda">

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by SPARX:
  I'll add:
 
 Serena Maneesh - Zuruck
 
 High Violets - To Where You Are
 
 Loose Fur - Born Again in the USA

The High Violets are another one fighting for my list. Damn, there is so much more and I can't pick one of over the other.

[Sage 703]

My favorites:
 
 10. Psapp - The Only Thing I Ever Wanted
 9. Alcian Blue - S/T
 8. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
 7. Islands - Return to the Sea
 6. Calexico - Garden Ruin
 5. Pearl Jam - S/T
 4. Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
 3. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
 2. Editors - The Back Room (US version dropped in '06)
 1. Middle Distance Runner - Plane in Flames
 
 
 Possibly great, but haven't listened to them enough yet: White Whale, Thom Yorke, Camera Obscura, Cex, Sonic Youth, Bruce Springsteen, Aloha, Muse.
 
 Albums I haven't heard but would like to and are probably very good: The Streets, Belle & Sebastian, Clearlake, Arctic Monkeys, Jenny Lewis, Neko Case, Amy Millan, Cat Power, Flaming Lips.
 
 Disappointments: Morrissey, Wolfmother, Tool, The Raconteurs

[Jaguar]

Hey Sparx, I heard a completely different version of "Nothing To Say" by The Stevenson Ranch Davidians yesterday on 3WK.com. (I had drifted away from that station for awhile and when I came back, they had a whole shitload of good new music that is appealling to me. They are getting kind of gazing. They always know how to please me.       ) Definitely the same song as from their debut EP (2005) but remixed with a lot of extra layers and effects. Do you know what's up with that?
 
 The Stevenson Ranch Davidians are another band who may be fighting for my full list later on in the year if they've got a new release to represent 2006.

[Tom Servo]

I wish I listened to enough new music so that a full 10 albums could make my "best of" but I'm not quite there yet.  Here are my favorites so far this year:
 
 Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
 Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
 Subways - Young for Eternity
 Wedding Present - Interstate 5
 
 Honorable Mention (could still make it): Band of Horses, Mellowdrone, Built to Spill, Rogue Wave
 
 I'm sure I'll find a few other potential favorites by poaching off of others' lists that look like mine.  I also left off some that were actually released last year but that I only started listening to this year, namely Okkervil River.

[SPARX]

Originally posted by Jaguar:
  Hey Sparx, I heard a completely different version of "Nothing To Say" by The Stevenson Ranch Davidians yesterday on 3WK.com. (I had drifted away from that station for awhile and when I came back, they had a whole shitload of good new music that is appealling to me. They are getting kind of gazing. They always know how to please me.           ) Definitely the same song as from their debut EP (2005) but remixed with a lot of extra layers and effects. Do you know what's up with that?
 
 The Stevenson Ranch Davidians are another band who may be fighting for my full list later on in the year if they've got a new release to represent 2006.

Nice catch, I forgot to mention them. They have a new release,  Psalms, Hymns, & Spiritual Songs with a revamped lineup. You can hear a few tracks here:
  http://www.thestevensonranchdavidians.com/index_files/page0005.htm

[Jaguar]

Thanks! Obviously, I haven't been on their site for awhile. Damn! I'm listening now and I can already tell that they've beefed up the production. I knew they were working on new material but kind of let it all drift for too long with so much else out there to occupy my ears.

[snailhook]

neil young - living with war
 six organs of admittance - the sun awakens
 sonic youth - rather ripped
 espers - II
 vetiver - to find me gone
 om - conference of the birds
 birchville cat motel - our love will destroy the world
 bardo pond - ticket crystals
 mission of burma - the obliterati