nice list. however, i’ll be the first one to deride you for not including a favourite album of mine. in this case it’s mogwai. but i only say that cause i’m a massive fanboy and have nothing better to do than slating people for not adding them to their top twenty albums of 2006. now where did i put my stanley knife to carve their names into my skin?

By Amardeep on 07 Jan 2007 at 10:57 am

I will, at this point, say: “Yay! Yay for Sparklehorse!”

By Scaryduck on 07 Jan 2007 at 1:32 pm

A big “yay” for Juana Molina, Ali Farka Toure and Beirut.

A big “huh?” for the Flaming Lips. (Gave it yet another go this week. Still a nope from me.)

And I really must, must give a listen to Joanna Newsom, Hold Steady, Midlake and the new Yo La Tengo.

By mike on 07 Jan 2007 at 10:08 pm

Haven’t heard any of ‘em. Barely heard _about_ them.
Tom Waits 4evah!

By Sigg3 on 08 Jan 2007 at 1:46 pm

Interesting list Frase- that Yo La is way good from a patchy band and I’d put the Monkeys higher (it’s ageing well). Ghostface Killah passed me by, largely because of the crappy sleeve I think, and I know nowt about Lila Downs.
Personally I just love that Brightblack Morning Light album, even if they are hippies that live in a tent (but only in the summer. When it gets chilly they move in to a drum over a garage). I just admire people who think ‘now, can the horn section come in at 7 minutes fifty seconds?’. I mean, did they forget they were there? Or did they turn up late?
Best singles?- The View ‘Wasted Little DJs’, Jarvis Cocker’s ‘Running The World’ and Hot Chip ‘Boy From School’ for me.

By Jelb on 09 Jan 2007 at 1:10 am

Thanks, Fraser.
Happy new year!

By Andrea Carpani on 10 Jan 2007 at 4:53 pm

Good lord, we actually have an album in common on our ‘best of year’ list , but again you have a desperate lack of real ball breaking head pounding earth shaking gut busting heavy metal.

1) Black Holes & Revelations - Muse
All the self restraint of Pink Floyd on an unlimited budget.

2) Gypsy Punk Underdog World Strike - Gogol Bordello
Paaaarty!

3) Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not - Arctic Monkeys
Britain’s best punk band ?

4) Costello Music - The Fratellis
The very essence of infectious pop-rock.

5) Blood Mountain - Mastodon
The kings of sludge metal give it some woaaaaargh!

6) Birthing The Giant - Cancer Bats
Its like a gonzo cross of Black Sabbath and Lynyrd Skynyrd with a dollop of Sepultura.

7) Valor Del Corazon - Ginger
So it’s Wildhearts lite.

A Matter Of Life And Death - Iron Maiden
The oldest metalheads in town put out a decent album.

9) Care In The Community - Babar Luck
Brit Asian new wave indy folk punk whatever.

10) Liberation Transmission - Lostprophets
The boyos hit the big time.

By Yorkshire Soul on 10 Jan 2007 at 6:52 pm

Two albums, kind of, Mr Yorkshire. Gogol Bordello made my best-of list for last year.

By fraser on 10 Jan 2007 at 7:46 pm

Good call on the Chris Knox album. Not many in the UK I would guess.

By Mike on 16 Jan 2007 at 10:50 pm

Cool stuff hope Airs latest appears in your 2007 edition

By da on 01 Apr 2007 at 8:29 pm