Call us old fashioned, but we like our year-end backward glances to come after we’re done furiously ripping open presents and before we pop the champagne for New Year’s. Rather than subject you only to what we on the DCist music staff deemed this year’s best and brightest (don’t worry, we’ll do that too), we asked a handful of our favorite local artists what their favorite albums of 2006 were. A lot of great musicians had a lot to say on the matter, so over the next couple days we’ll be letting you know what the locals that make us all twitterpated were getting excited about in ’06. We’re kicking things off today with Cedars, Middle Distance Runner, Deleted Scenes, The Roosevelt and DJ Zach Pleasant. Each took a slightly different approach — some gave us a list of picks, some told us why they loved the albums they did, and some took the truly novel approach of letting each member speak up!
Cedars
Brian: Trentmoller, The Last Resort
Admittedly, one of my guiltiest pleasures is minimalist electronica – the kind of sound necessary for late night drives or cross country flights. Trentemoller’s The Last Resort is an electronic record that embodies warmth, emotion, and beautiful instrumentation. Consider it the perfect soundtrack for the shores of Ibiza, or in my case, a warm, overcrowded train ride to Metro Center.
Ed: Junior Boys, So This is Goodbye
Very chill but layered record, great for dinner parties and sex. What else can you ask for?
Fico: Elbow, Leaders of the Free World
Along with Doves, Elbow is one of those bands we all look up to. Guy Garvey’s voice is as honest as it gets in my opinion. I’ve heard them being described as a “drinking man’s Coldplay,” I can see some of that. Chockfull of fantastic melodies and lyrics that describe beautifully different scenarios such as the streets of Manchester, the self-doubt of meeting an ex-girlfriend’s new beau, the post break-up bravado and subsequent vulnerability phase… and yes, even our idiot leader and his kin. This record has it all, a tour the force as pro-journalists like to say.
Luke: Youth Group, Casino Twilight Dogs
Pays proper homage to the notion of a “tune.” Guitars, drums and vocals are rarely glossed over with walls of effects, yet the music still shimmers and soars as if it were meant for a higher calling. The music starts in the clouds and dips into the canyons of isolation and simplicity. You can listen and not apologize for being a member of the bleeding hearts club. Youth Group does what U2 and James used to do with music and wordplay.
Collective Plug: Cedars, Another Season
It’s our record and we luv it. It starts with “This Century” which was the first song we wrote as a 4-piece, a total stomper. “Holiday” follows with us at our most “U2ish” moment as some have said. Our collective favorite track is “Arrivals/Departures”, it’s different from most of the stuff we have done, the outro has some great atmospheric stuff and when we play it live we love reaching that part of the song and just going with it and havin’ it, know what I mean?
