Top Songs of 2006: 20 - 11

As I look at how I've ranked my favorite 40 songs of the year it has become increasingly clear to me that this year has been all about bands returning a previous sound. Or in the cases of newer bands, working off the foundation of the sounds of previous bands' work. That's probably not entirely true. What's true is that as I get older I do appreciate music that is somewhat nostalgic of my late teens and 20's. Read on and you'll see...







20. The Twilight Singers "Andiamo" (mp3)
Powder Burns is not a great album, despite what Denis Leary states on national television. "Andiamo", however, is a great rock and roll song - incendiary, sultry, even absurd. It is, by far, the closest thing to the Afghan Whigs that Greg Dulli has done since forming the Twilight Singers ("Teenage Wristband" notwithstanding). Hey, I love the Twilight Singers and I respect Dulli enough to support his growth as a songwriter, but those Afghan Whigs lovers out there can't help but be excited by this song combined with the recent news that the Whigs are rehearsing together again.












19. Channels "Chivaree" (mp3)
With Waiting For The Next End Of The World, J. Robbins returns to his My Own Special Sweetheart - Jawbox strength. Originally released on the 2004 EP Open, Channels (J. on guitar, his wife Janet on bass, and former Kerosene 454 drummer Darren Zentek on drums) rerecorded this track for Waiting and the difference is staggering. The reworked version shows a band that's tight, raw and desparate to rock out.







18. Sonic Youth "Incinerate" (mp3)
I've been a big fan of the last two Jim O'Rourke-influenced Sonic Youth albums (Murray Street and Sonic Nurse) - replete with the requisite sound/noise-scapes that the band first developed in the 80's. With O'Rourke's departure, the band returns to early 90's form on Rather Ripped.
The dueling guitars of Ranaldo and Moore backed by the rhythm section of Gordon and Shelley on this "pop" song remind you why they are one of the most influential bands of the last quarter century (see Pavement, Archers of Loaf and a host of others).







17. The Lovely Feathers "In the Valley" (mp3)
Yes, yes, yes. Everyone loves the bands from Montreal (and Toronto and Vancouver for Pete's sake). But The Lovely Feathers are the only the dance-punk group of the entire Canadian invasion, so they're getting points for originality already. If you don't shake your ass to this song there is something really wrong with you.

16. The Walkmen "Many Rivers to Cross" (mp3)

The best cover song of the year. Well, it's really a cover of a cover which makes it even more interesting. In 1973, Harry Nilsson with the production help of John Lennon, covered the Jimmy Cliff original. Now, 23 years later the Walkmen release their version with a genuine blue-eyed soul that would never let on that 80% of the band went to DC's swankiest prep school.






15. Richard Buckner "Canyon"
Edmonton native and Brooklyn resident, Richard Buckner, has alway been adept at writing striking folk songs. With his 2006 release, Meadow, Buckner working with a full band gives his songwriting just the jolt of energy it was looking for - "Canyon" is the highlight of this album.







14. Sufjan Stevens "The Henny Benney Band" (mp3)
Sufjan Stevens owned 2005 with Illinoise - album of the year, song of the year for "Chicago". It is insane to think that this song was left off that album. How many fucking songs did he write? Ordinarily, I would have found it obnoxious for an artist to release an album of extras when the original already had over 20 tunes, but this is clearly the exception.







13. Gnarls Barkley "Just a Thought"
I know jackshit about any hip hop song released in the last 10 years. But I happened upon this song thanks to a friend. Imagine, a hip-hop song talking honestly about depression and the contemplation of suicide. The drum track alone would have made my top 40.






12. Lemonheads "No Backbone" (mp3)
Why is this song so high up? Easy. It effortlessly brings me back to 1992 - a time when people actually gave a shit about Evan Dando as a songwriter (It's A Shame About Ray). Dando returns to his roots on this track and gets J. Mascis to masturbate lead guitar all over it. God Bless Massachusetts!










11. Les Savy Fav "Ragin' in the Plague Age"
"No one is getting sober until the liquor is all gone" - that line itself gets you in the top 20. The former RISD students, now all grown up and living in NYC, continue to make the smartest art punk out there best exhibited by this song - that and Tim Harrington's insane stage show. Allegedly the comic David Cross has an instructional video on how to dance like Harrington. Get me YouTube, STAT!