Category Archives: 2006

2006

Mixes By Year: 2006 Most Recommended Albums

To my ears 2006 was one of the standout years of the decade- time will tell if revisionist history proves me right or wrong.  The year lacked any clear cut standout albums that other years in the 00’s had- there was no “Kid A”, “Funeral”, “Stankonia”, or “Merriweather Post Pavilion”- though stellar albums by TV On the Radio, Clipse & Ghostface Killah came close.  What 2006 lacked lacked in those standout albums it made up for in the sheer quality, diversity and depth of excellent albums and songs- my list of great songs from 2006 goes on for so long would take me 20 volumes of my mixes to cover everything.


High quality pop music was massively abundant in ’06- much more so than today (in 2010).  Great songs with an R&B/Hip Hop bent by artists like Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Beyonce, Ciara and (even one great song from) Christina Aguilera as well as lesser names like Christina Millian, Cassie & Cherish were all over the airwaves.  Amy Winehouse was able to bring a fresh approach to old school soul to huge sales and popularity both in the U.S. and the U.K.- her native country.  Lily Allen, another young Brit, took her sassy, upfront reggae flavored pop to the top of the British charts as well- less successful but still notable in the U.S.  The U.K’s most successful new band in a long while were the Arctic Monkeys who set U.K. sales records with their debut album- a fresh take on Strokes influenced indie-rock told through the eyes of pub crawling, skirt chasing 18 and 19 year olds.


2006 was also the real start of the post-Katrina Bush malaise.  While many people were disillusioned throughout his administration the vast majority of the rest of the country seemed to catch up in ’06.  To me “Return to Cookie Mountain” perfectly captured the sound, the frustrations and the indignation of what it was like to be living in America in the middle of quite a nasty decade, under an administration you were hardly proud of.  The Thermals “The Body, the Blood, the Machine” took the right wing, especially the religious right, head on helping (along with people like Jon Stewart and Bill Maher) people like me feel more sane.  Other albums like “Silent Shout” by The Knife (though they come from Sweden) and “Blood Mountain” by Mastodon captured the eeriness (with the former) and the gloom, anger and escapism (with the latter) of the age.


“Hell Hath No Fury” by Clipse, my pick for album of the year, was also a signifier of the times.  While the entire lyrical content of the album was about drug pushing and the lifestyle that goes with it, there was an ominour tone throughout- consequences for the protagonists’ actions and a feeling that things would ultimately not end up well.  That’s a far cry from most of the celebratory rap of the previous 10 years- drug rap and otherwise.  The year saw some other great releases by The Roots, the aforementioned Ghostface Killah and J Dilla along with a top shelf mix-tape from the increasingly popular Lil Wayne.  Though high quality releases all there was not a blockbuster in the bunch.  T.I. was the only high quality rap release that year to achieve blockbuster status- this would be the beginning of rap’s waning dominance of the charts.


Every artist/band mentioned below is still making making music today with the exception of the sadly deceased Dilla, Amy Winehouse who is a big question mark due to her mental health and addictions and Be Your Own Pet who broke up.  Some of the artists like Phoenix and Grizzly Bear have made superior albums since.  All of the below music still carries influence today.  We’ll just have to see which ones end up emerging as the greats of their age.



Amy Winehouse- Back to Black

Buy Back to Black – Amy Winehouse

Buy Back to BlackAmazon




Beyonce- B’Day

Buy B’Day – Beyoncé

Buy B’DayAmazon




Phoenix- It’s Never Been Like That

Buy It’s Never Been Like That – Phoenix

Buy It’s Never Been Like ThatAmazon



The Thermals- The Body, the Blood, the Machine

Buy The Body, the Blood, the Machine – The Thermals

Buy Body the Blood the Machine Amazon




Neko Case- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Buy Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Neko Case

Buy Fox Confessor Brings the FloodAmazon




Peter Bjorn & John- Writer’s Block

Buy Writer’s Block – Peter Bjorn and John

Buy Writer’s Block Amazon





Grizzly Bear- Yellow House

Buy Yellow House – Grizzly Bear

Buy Yellow House Amazon




Belle & Sebastian- The Life Pursuit

Buy The Life Pursuit (Bonus Tracks) – Belle and Sebastian

Buy Life Pursuit Amazon




Mastodon- Blood Mountain

Buy Blood Mountain – Mastodon

Buy Blood MountainAmazon




The Knife- Silent Shout

Buy Silent Shout – The Knife

Buy Silent ShoutAmazon




Clipse- Hell Hath No Fury

Buy Hell Hath No Fury – Clipse

Buy Hell Hath No FuryAmazon





J Dilla- Donuts

Buy Donuts – J Dilla

Buy DonutsAmazon




Band of Horses- Everything All the Time

Buy Everything All the Time – Band of Horses

Buy Everything All the TimeAmazon




TV On the Radio- Return to Cookie Mountain

Buy Return to Cookie Mountain – TV On the Radio

Buy Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)Amazon




Ghostface Killah- Fishscale

Buy Fishscale – Ghostface Killah

Buy FishscaleAmazon




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

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

Buy Whatever People Say I Am Thats What I Am Not Amazon



The Hold Steady- Boys and Girls in America

Buy Boys and Girls In America – The Hold Steady

Buy Boys & Girls in AmericaAmazon




Be Your Own Pet- Be Your Own Pet

Buy Be Your Own Pet – Be Your Own Pet

Buy Be Your Own Pet (Dig) Amazon




Lily Allen- Alright, Still

Buy Alright, Still – Lily Allen

Buy Alright, StillAmazon




The Roots- Game Theory

Buy Game Theory (Bonus Track Version) – The Roots

Buy Game TheoryAmazon

Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 1

Best of 2006 Volume 1 (2/13/07)

1.  The Thermals- Here’s Your Future

Buy Here’s Your Future – The Body, the Blood, the Machine

2.  The Raconteurs- Steady As She Goes

Buy Steady As She Goes – Broken Boy Soldiers

3.  The Hold Steady- Stuck Between Stations

Buy Stuck Between Stations – Boys and Girls In America

4.  Nas- Hip Hop is Dead

Buy Hip Hop Is Dead – Hip Hop Is Dead

5.  Hot Chip- Over and Over

Buy Over and Over – The Warning

6.  Peter Bjorn & John- Young Folks

Buy Young Folks – Writer’s Block

7.  Camera Obscura- Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken

Buy Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken – Let’s Get Out of This Country

8.  Lily Allen- Smile

Buy Smile – Alright, Still

9.  The Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Cheated Hearts

Buy Cheated Hearts – Show Your Bones

10.  Arctic Monkeys- I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor

Buy I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

11.  The Pipettes- Pull Shapes

Buy Pull Shapes – We Are the Pipettes

12.  Justim Timberlake (Feat. Timbaland & T.I.)- My Love

Buy My Love (feat. T.I.) – FutureSex/LoveSounds (Deluxe Edition)

13.  Lupe Fiasco- Kick, Push

Buy Kick, Push – Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor

14.  Ghostface Killah- The Champ

Buy The Champ – Fishscale

15.  Clipse- Trill

Buy Trill – Hell Hath No Fury

16.  The Rapture- The Devil

Buy The Devil – Pieces of the People We Love

17.  TV On the Radio- Wold Like Me

Buy Wolf Like Me – Return to Cookie Mountain

18.  The Knife- Silent Shout

Buy Silent Shout – Silent Shout

19.  Belle & Sebastian- We Are the Sleepyheads

Buy We Are the Sleepyheads – The Life Pursuit (Bonus Tracks)

Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 2

Best of 2006 Volume 2 (2/13/07)

1.  The Strokes- You Only Live Once

Buy You Only Live Once – First Impressions of Earth

2.  Gnarls Barkley- Crazy

Buy Crazy – St. Elsewhere

3.  Mastodon- The Wolf is Loose

Buy The Wolf Is Loose – Blood Mountain

4.  Boris- Woman on the Screen

Buy Woman On the Screen – Pink

5.  Sonic Youth- Incinerate

Buy Incinerate – Rather Ripped (iTunes Version)

6.  Bob Dylan- Thunder on the Mountain

Buy Thunder On the Mountain – Modern Times

7.  Band of Horses- The Great Salt Lake

Buy The Great Salt Lake – Everything All the Time

8.  Beach House- Apple Orchard

Buy Apple Orchard – Beach House

9.  Belle & Sebastian- Another Sunny Day

Buy Another Sunny Day – The Life Pursuit (Bonus Tracks)

10.  Cat Power- The Greatest

Buy The Greatest – The Greatest

11.  Neko Case- Hold On, Hold On

Buy Hold On, Hold On – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

12.  Beyonce- Irreplaceable

Buy Irreplaceable – B’Day

13.  Clipse- Momma, I’m So Sorry

Buy Momma I’m So Sorry – Hell Hath No Fury

14.  TV On the Radio- I Was A Lover

Buy I Was a Lover – Return to Cookie Mountain

15.  The Roots- Game Theory

Buy Game Theory – Game Theory (Bonus Track Version)

16.  Ghostface Killah- Shakey Dog

Buy Shakey Dog – Fishscale

17.  T.I.- What You Know

Buy What You Know – King

18.  Be Your Own Pet- October, First Account

Buy October, First Account – Be Your Own Pet

19.  Love Is All- Ageing Had Never Been His Friend

Buy Ageing Had Never Been His Friend – Nine Times That Same Song

20.  Sally Shapiro- I’ll Be By Your Side

Buy I’ll Be By Your Side (Extended Mix) – Disco Romance

Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 3

Best of 2006 Volume 3 (2/29/08)

1.  The Rapture- Get Myself Into It

Buy Get Myself Into It – Pieces of the People We Love

2.  Escort- Starlight

Buy Starlight – Starlight – EP

3.  Junior Boys- In the Morning

Buy In the Morning – So This Is Goodbye

4.  Brightblack Morning Light- Everybody Daylight

Buy Everybody Daylight – Brightblack Morning Light

5.  Califone- The Orchids

Buy The Orchids – Roots and Crowns

6.  Peter Bjorn & John- Objects of My Affection

Buy Objects of My Affection – Writer’s Block

7.  Arctic Monkeys- A Certain Romance

Buy A Certain Romance – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

8.  Mates of State- Like U Crazy

Buy Like U Crazy – Bring It Back

9.  Hot Chip- And I Was A Boy From School

Buy And I Was a Boy from School – The Warning

10.  Beyonce- Suga Mama

Buy Suga Mama – B’Day

11.  T.I.- Why You Wanna

Buy Why You Wanna – King

12.  Ghostface Killah- Be Easy

Buy Be Easy – Fishscale

13.  Nelly Furtado- Say It Right

Buy Say It Right – Loose (iTunes Version)

14.  Justin Timberlake- What Goes Around (Comes Around)

Buy What Goes Around…/…Comes Around Interlude – FutureSex/LoveSounds (Deluxe Edition)

15.  Amy Winehouse- Tears Dry On Their Own

Buy Tears Dry On Their Own – Back to Black

16.  TV On the Radio- Province

Buy Province – Return to Cookie Mountain

17.  Killer Mike- That’s Life

Buy That’s Life – I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind


Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 4

Best of 2006 Volume 4 (3/2/08)

1.  Phoenix- Long Distance Call

Buy Long Distance Call – It’s Never Been Like That

2.  Mission of Burma- 2Twice

Buy 2wice – The Obliterati

3.  The Guillemots- Trains to Brazil

Buy Trains to Brazil – Through the Windowpane (Bonus Track Version)

4.  TV On the Radio- Hours

Buy Hours – Return to Cookie Mountain

5.  Herbert- Something Isn’t Right

Buy Something Isn’t Right – Scale

6.  Fugiya & Miyagi- Transparent Things

Buy Transparent Things – Transparent Things

7.  Thom Yorke- Harrowdown Hill

Buy Harrowdown Hill – The Eraser

8.  The Knife- We Share Our Mother’s Health

Buy We Share Our Mothers’ Health – Silent Shout

9.  Clipse- Nightmares

Buy Nightmares – Hell Hath No Fury

10.  The Game- Okay (One Blood)

Buy It’s Okay (One Blood) – Doctor’s Advocate

11.  Amy Winehouse- You Know I’m No Good

Buy You Know I’m No Good – Back to Black

12.  Snoop Dogg (Feat. R Kelly)- That’s That S**t

Buy That’s That S*** – Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

13.  CSS- Alala

Buy Alala – Cansei de Ser Sexy

14.  Band of Horses- Weed Party

Buy Weed Party – Everything All the Time

15.  The Hold Steady- Chillout Tent

Buy Chill Out Tent – Boys and Girls In America

16.  Cat Power- Lived in Bars

Buy Lived In Bars – The Greatest

17.  El Perro Del Mar- Here Comes That Feeling

Buy Here Comes That Feeling – El Perro del Mar

18.  Love Is All- Felt Tip

Buy Felt Tip – Nine Times That Same Song

19.  Lily Allen- LDN

Buy LDN – Alright, Still

20.  Belle & Sebastian- Funny Little Frog

Buy Funny Little Frog – The Life Pursuit (Bonus Tracks)

21.  The Pipettes- Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me

Buy Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me – We Are the Pipettes

Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 5

Best of 2006 Volume 5 (6/10/09)

1.  Sunset Rubdown- Stadiums + Shrines II

Buy Stadiums and Shrines II – Shut Up I Am Dreaming

2.  Danielson- Did I Step On Your Trumpet?

Buy Did I Step On Your Trumpet – Ships

3.  Band of Horses- The Funeral

Buy The Funeral – Everything All the Time

4.  The Thermals- Pillar of Salt

Buy A Pillar of Salt – The Body, the Blood, the Machine

5.  Clipse- Ride Around Shinin’

Buy Ride Around Shining – Hell Hath No Fury

6.  Ghostface Killah- Kilo

Buy Kilo – Fishscale

7.  Christian Falk (Feat. Robyn & Ola Salo)- Dream On

Buy Dream On (New Version) – Robyn

8.  The Knife- Marble House

Buy Marble House – Silent Shout

9.  Luomo- Really Don’t Mind (Radio Edit)

Buy Really Don’t Mind – Radio Edit – Really Don’t Mind

10.  Bat For Lashes- What’s A Girl to Do

Buy What’s a Girl to Do? – Fur and Gold

11.  Beyonce- Upgrade U

Buy Upgrade U (feat. Jay-Z) – B’Day

12.  Nelly Furtado- Maneater

Buy Maneater – Loose (iTunes Version)

13.  The Long Blondes- Only Lovers Left Alive

Buy Only Lovers Left Alive – Someone to Drive You Home (Bonus Track Version)

14.  The Decemberists- Yankee Bayonet (I Will be Home Then)

Buy Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) – The Crane Wife

15.  Grizzly Bear- Knife

Buy Knife – Yellow House

16.  M. Ward- Requiem

Buy Requiem – Post-War

17.  Liars- The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack

Buy The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack – Drum’s Not Dead

18.  Glenn Hansard & Marketa Irglova- Falling Slowly

Buy Falling Slowly – Once (Music from the Motion Picture)

19.  Robin Thicke- Lost Without U

Buy Lost Without U – The Evolution of Robin Thicke (Deluxe Edition)

Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 6

Best of 2006 Volume 6 (6/13/09)

1.  Rihanna- S.O.S. (Edit)

Buy SOS – A Girl Like Me

2.  Beyonce- Ring the Alarm

Buy Ring the Alarm – B’Day

3.  Robyn- Cobrastyle

Buy Cobrastyle – Robyn

4.  Arctic Monkeys- Fake Tales of San Francisco

Buy Fake Tales of San Francisco – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

5.  The Hold Steady- Massive Nights

Buy Massive Nights – Boys and Girls In America

6.  Built to Spill- Goin’ Against Your Mind

Buy Goin’ Against Your Mind – You In Reverse

7.  Grizzly Bear- On A Neck, On A Spit

Buy On a Neck, On a Spit – Yellow House

8.  TV On the Radio- A Method

Buy A Method – Return to Cookie Mountain

9.  Turbulence- Notorious (7″)

Buy Notorious (Original 7″ Mix) – Notorious – EP

10.  Burial- Southern Comfort

Buy Southern Comfort – Burial

11.  Justice vs. Simian- We Are Your Friends (Original Mix)

Buy We Are Your Friends – Donkey Punch (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)

12.  The Rapture- Whoo! Alright Yeah…Uh Huh!

Buy Whoo! Alright, Yeah… Uh Huh – Pieces of the People We Love

13.  Be Your Own Pet- Bunk Trunk Skunk

Buy Bunk Trunk Skunk – Be Your Own Pet

14.  Boris- Pink

Buy Pink – Pink

15.  Mastodon- The Crystal Skull

Buy Crystal Skull – Blood Mountain

16.  The Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Dudley

Buy Dudley – Show Your Bones

17.  Clipse- Mr. Me Too

Buy Mr. Me Too – Hell Hath No Fury

18.  Belle & Sebastian- White Collar Boy

Buy White Collar Boy – The Life Pursuit (Bonus Tracks)

19.  Amy Winehouse- Back to Black

Buy Back to Black – Back to Black

Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 7

Best of 2006 Volume 7 (8/23/10)

1.  Amy Winehouse- Rehab

Buy Rehab – Back to Black

2.  Ciara- Promise

Buy Promise – The Evolution

3.  Cassie- Me & U

Buy Me & U – Cassie

4.  Camera Obscura- Let’s Get Out of This Country

Buy Let’s Get Out of This Country – Let’s Get Out of This Country

5.  The Decemberists- The Perfect Crime #2

Buy The Perfect Crime #2 – The Crane Wife

6.  The Thermals- I Might Need You to Kill

Buy I Might Need You to Kill – The Body, the Blood, the Machine

7.  Be Your Own Pet- Adventure

Buy Adventure – Be Your Own Pet

8.  F**ked Up- Crusades

Buy Crusades – Hidden World

9.  M. Ward- To Go Home

Buy To Go Home – Post-War

10.  Beirut- Postcards From Italy

Buy Postcards From Italy – Gulag Orkestar

11.  Dixie Chicks- Easy Silence

Buy Easy Silence – Taking the Long Way

12.  Neko Case- Margaret Vs. Pauline

Buy Margaret Vs. Pauline – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

13.  Califone- Burned by Christians

Buy Burned By the Christians – Roots and Crowns

14.  Jarvis Cocker- Running the World

Buy Running the World – Children of Men (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

15.  Lil Wayne- Georgia…Bush

* Available on “Dedication 2” Mixtape

16.  Clipse- Dirty Money

Buy Dirty Money – Hell Hath No Fury

17.  The Roots (Feat. Maimouna Youssef)- Don’t Feel Right

Buy Don’t Feel Right – Game Theory (Bonus Track Version)

18.  J Dilla- Workinonit

Buy Workinonit – Donuts

19.  Phoenix- Consolation Prizes

Buy Consolation Prizes – It’s Never Been Like That


Mixes By Year: Best of 2006 Volume 8

Best of 2006 Volume 8 (8/23/10)

1.  Arctic Monkeys- When the Sun Goes Down

Buy When the Sun Goes Down – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

2.  Beck- Cellphone’s Dead

Buy Cellphone’s Dead – The Information

3.  Barbara Morgenstern- The Operator (Single Edit)

Buy The Operator (Single Edit) – The Operator – EP

4.  My Robot Friend- One More Try

Buy One More Try – Dial Zero

5.  Justin Timberlake- Lovestoned/I Think She Knows (Interlude)

Buy LoveStoned/I Think She Knows Interlude – FutureSex/LoveSounds (Deluxe Edition)

6.  Nelly Furtado (Feat. Timbaland)- Promiscuous

Buy Promiscuous – Loose (iTunes Version)

7.  Regina Spektor- Fidelity

Buy Fidelity – Begin to Hope

8.  The Long Blondes- Lust in the Movies

Buy Lust In the Movies – Someone to Drive You Home (Bonus Track Version)

9.  Ghostface Killah (Feat. Ne-Yo)- Back Like That

Buy Back Like That – Fishscale

10.  J Dilla- Anti-American Graffiti

Buy Anti-American Graffiti – Donuts

11.  The Tough Alliance- Silly Crimes

Buy Silly Crimes – New Waves – EP

12.  The Knife- Neverland

Buy Neverland – Silent Shout

13.  Belle & Sebastian- Sukie in the Graveyard

Buy Sukie In the Graveyard – The Life Pursuit (Bonus Tracks)

14.  Lily Allen- Nan You’re A Window Shopper

Buy Nan You’re a Window Shopper – Alright, Still

15.  Phoenix- Courtesy Laughs

Buy Courtesy Laughs – It’s Never Been Like That

16.  Tokyo Police Club- Cheer It On

Buy Cheer It On – A Lesson In Crime

17.  Peter Bjorn & John- Amsterdam

Buy Amsterdam – Writer’s Block

18.  Drive-By Truckers- Gravity’s Gone

Buy Gravity’s Gone – A Blessing and a Curse

19.  The Thermals- Returning to the Fold

Buy Returning to the Fold – The Body, the Blood, the Machine

20.  Beach House- Saltwater

Buy Saltwater – Beach House

21.  The Mountain Goats- Woke Up New

Buy Woke Up New – Get Lonely

22.  Neko Case- Star Witness

Buy Star Witness – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood