Thursday, December 14, 2006

Toby Castle - Top 10 Albums 2006

10. The Futureheads - News and Tributes

There were quite a few difficult second albums out there. The Futureheads could have done a Killers, but they ended up with a much finer, richer and listenable album than their first.

The only good thing to come out of Sunderland.

9. Camera Obscura - Lets Get Out of This Country

Rachel made me get this... She liked the cover – we’ve got the same wallpaper in our house! I’m glad she did. Contains one of the singles of the year in ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken’. Great vocals with lush orchestrations.

8. Captain - This Is Hazelville

Outstanding album. Great vocals - female/male singer harmonies mix with fine tunes. It’s not pop and it’s not rock but it works. ‘Broke’ is ace single.

7. Ali Farka Toure - Savane

Was introduced to this guy on a Gilles Peterson mix downloaded from colleague in the summer.Cool guy and sounds great - stripped down rhythms and beats with great vocals.

Recorded in a mobile studio on the banks of the Niger River in Mali and it shows.

6. The Automatic - Not Accepted Anywhere

Quality rock. Not for a quiet moment after work, more for getting ready to go out, driving very fast or hitting the running track.

5. Boy Kill Boy - Civilian

‘Suzie’ is one of this year’s top singles. Album of pure post-punk outpourings.

A modern day Charlatans.

4. Hot Chip - The Warning

Dismissed as over-rated electro pap. In fact, the only electric beats album to have found its way onto my iPod this year.

Blissed out, plinky-plunky tunes.

3. The Sunshine Underground - Raise the Alarm

These Leeds boys remind us how bad the Arctic Monkeys really were. Indie disco at its best.Air drumming-tastic.

2. The Young Knives - Voices of Animals & Men

“You were screaming at your mum and I was punching your dad” - lyric of the year. Would have been No. 1 if not for Jarvis. Exactly what Razorlight want to be, really.

1. Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis

The last album I bought and straight in. Lyrically brilliant at some times, deeply melancholic but epic without all of Pulp’s overbearing indie cheese. This is the album that should have followed up Different Class.

French civilisation obviously appeals to this Sheffield lad.

Over-rated or whatever name you gave it...

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

Snow Patrol - Eyes Open

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