De 20 beste albumene i 2006

Jada, denne bloggen er et unntak. Jeg sverger at jeg kjapt skal gå over til det mer useriøse igjen. I mellomtiden kan du jo gå et å kjøpe en av albumene nedenfor, det er tross alt de 20 beste i 2006:

20. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood

Passion does battle with exhaustion on the smoldering "Hold On, Hold On," a song whose opening statement—"the most tender place in my heart is for strangers"—may be the most hopeful sentiment on the album, or the most cynical. Either way, Case sings it like she sings every line: with a conviction that demands attention, wrapping it in lush, atmospheric music and keeping its secrets for herself.

Tre Høydare: Star Witness, That Teenage Feeling, The Needle Has Landed

19. Pipettes – We Are The Pipettes

There's so much of this record that causes a big smile to split your face that it can't be described as anything other than a success. Revitalising pop's future by mining its past, they are The Pipettes. Any objections?

Tre Høydare: Pull Shapes, Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me, One Night Stand

18. The Fratellis – Costello Music

Costello Music - Jon, Barry (Fratelli, hence the pseudonym) and Mince's debut incursion into indie infamy, is a high-dose blast of rambunctious indie-rock that's far from avant-garde, yet thoroughly pleasurable nonetheless. Production genius Tony Hoffer has turned his attentions to yet another young British band with the same svelte results; charming, audacious songs written by a band who've made a name for themselves seemingly without any assisting record label ballyhoo. It's obvious from the moment opening track (and album standout) Henrietta kicks off, that The Fratellis subscribe to the same school of thought as The Libertines and their ilk; and their self-deprecating humour and lyrical content is similar to the London urchins ('Henrietta, we got no flowers for you/Just these three miserable c*nts sitting on the back seat').

Tre Høydare: Henrietta, Chelsea Dagger, Creepin’ Up The Backstairs

17. Beirut – Gulag Orkestar

Largely the work of an ambitious youngster named Zach Condon, Gulag Orkestar is an indie rock album filtered through the mind of a teenager who dropped out of high school to travel across Europe and soak in as much culture and music as possible. The result is something that sounds a bit like the Microphones crossed with Neutral Milk Hotel. It might be the only rock album you hear that doesn't contain any guitars, and it conveys an emotional and worldly power of the likes I've not heard in some time. Largely inspired by Balkan folk music, the album moves through mournful ballads and more upbeat tracks (that sound more like the work of a 10-plus member ensemble) with ease, layering horns, stringed instruments, ukeleles, mandolins, glockenspiel, drum, organs, piano, and other percussion under the soulful vocals of Condon himself, who has a similar range and style as Andrew Bird.

Tre Høydare: Postcards From Italy, Mount Wroclai (Idle Days), The Bunker

16. Moneybrother – Pengabrorsan

Ifølge Idol-munnhellet er målet med coverversjoner «å gjøre låta til sin egen». Anders Wendin (Moneybrother) går lengre enn den gjengse realitydeltaker i sin omgang med orginalene: Låtene er oversatt fra engelsk til svensk, dessuten har han, i noen tilfeller, valgt låter som er mest kjent med kvinnelige artister. Både den strøkne førstesingelen «Dom vet ingenting om oss» (Kirsty Maccolls «They Don't Know (About Us)» og «Midnatt til sju» (Donna Summers «Working The Midnight Shift» i Dire Straits-versjon) står støtt. I tillegg er Wendin modig nok til å gå på en ganske fri oversettelse (vers for vers, ikke ord for ord) av Tom Waits' «Downtown Train».

Tre Høydare: Dom vet ingenting om oss, Under Bordet, Downtown Train (Tåget som går inn til stan)

15. Ed Harcourt – The Beautiful Lie

The slightly flamenco-like tone of Whirlwind In D Minor opens the record - it's upbeat and infectious, with Harcourt's falsetto grabbing the attention in the verse, before gloriously gliding into a chorus of "will you love me when I'm old? I'm still hoping I can get that far". The single Visit From The Dead Dog has a similarly cheerful tone (despite the rather macabre lyrics), but it's Harcourt's traditional dark side that makes The Beautiful Lie his best album yet. The Last Cigarette marries the sad tale of a terminally ill smoker to an outrageously pretty acoustic melody while Late Night Partner is a stunningly stark piano ballad with Harcourt in particularly good voice.

Tre Høydare: Whirlwind In D Minor, Shadowboxing, The Last Cigarette

14.Camera Obscura – Let’s get out of this country

It sounds looser, sharper, and more adventurous, rolling out the best horn-burnished retro-pop it's ever produced alongside curveballs like the country weeper "Dory Previn." Singer Tracyanne Campbell sounds more winning than ever, whether inviting romantic disaster on "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" ("You can't stare at girls while holding a boy's hand") or turning an afternoon's escape into a personal referendum on the title track ("We'll find a cathedral where you can convince me that I'm pretty.") The name of Camera Obscura's last album: “Underachievers Please Try Harder”. Done.

Tre Høydare: Lloyd I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken, Let’s Get Out Of This Country, Come Back Margaret

13. Califone – Roots & Crowns

Califone have always been stupidly underappreciated, and the further we stumble into the 21st century, the more this music starts to feel both familiar and necessary: Roots and Crowns is bluesy and soulful without reverting to revivalist schtick, and experimental without relying on blind cut-and-pasting. It is old and new, dirty and clean, alienating and accessible, sweet and ugly, organic and industrial, doting and vicious. It is one of the most quintessentially American records imaginable.

Tre Høydare: Spiders House, The Orchid, Burned By The Christians

12. Islands – Return To The Sea

Return to the Sea is a case of Diamonds and Tambeur yanking up their anchor and setting sail for new waters, enjoying the freedoms of exploration and discovery. At no point in the record does it feel as if Diamonds is settling into any one genre or style-- hardly a surprise from this shape-shifting songwriter. It won't be a shock if, say, Diamonds and Tambeur announce 18 months from now that Islands is kaput and they're kickstarting another new band. And who really cares? As long as they continue to write songs as striking and immediate as the batch on Return to the Sea, their fans will follow them anywhere.

Tre Høydare: Rough Gem, Swans (Life After Death), Volcanoes

11. The Minus 5 – The Minus 5

Of the album’s 13 tracks, not one feels like filler. If McCaughey’s anything like his songwriting persona, he’d probably take his shot at greatness and fire it into the broad side of a barn, if not his own skull. This mean, wonderful little album hands him the bullet.

Tre Høydare: Rifle Called Goodbye, My Life As A Creep, Cemetery Row

10. Razorlight – Razorlight

Johnny Borrell has more than his fair share of detractors, those who take offence with his bolshie, semi-messianic front man shtick, but with the release of Razorlight it's now impossible to deny that the man simply oozes talent. Like a rather vicious slap in the face, the four-piece's striking second album is an unforgettable short, sharp shock - with just 10 songs spread over 35 minutes it never gets the chance to outstay its welcome and touches on everything great about classic, epic rock from the past 30 years.

Tre Høydare: In The Morning, Los Angeles Waltz, Fall To Pieces

9. Nellie McKay – Pretty Little Head

Pretty Little Head, released at last on Nellie McKay's own label, has enough provocative ideas and appealing melodies for three. Carried along by her jazzy piano and agile voice, the politically outraged pop songs are more than mere propaganda. Not every moment is essential, but compromise just isn't part of McKay's dazzling, defiant repertoire.

Tre Høydare: There You Are In Me, Cupcake, Bee Charmer (feat. Cindy Lauper)

8. Howe Gelb – ‘Sno Angel Like You

On 'Sno Angel Like You, Gelb's fifth solo release, it's clear he's found comfort as a solo musician. His Southwestern roots have always been apparent in his music, but 'Sno Angel Like You adds to Gelb's take on Americana with rich gospel undertones. Taking note from Lou Reed's successes with soulful backup singers, Gelb collaborated with the Canadian gospel choir Voices of Praise to record this album. The result: 'Sno Angel Like You is not only beautifully performed and recorded, but also wonderfully written. Gelb's songwriting pulls from early blues, folk and gospel roots, and his husky voice acts the perfect counterpart to the Voices of Praise's warm backup harmonies.

Tre Høydare: Paradise Here Abouts, But I Did Not, Nail In The Sky

7. Calexico – Garden Ruin

These are the kind of songs that gnaw their way into your consciousness. Hiding in these wonderful tunes is a good deal of anger about the current state of the Union, but it's played subtly and that's the marvel of this record: it's warm and accessible, but also immensely sophisticated.

Tre Høydare: Cruel, Panic Open String, Letter To Bowie Knife

6. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Ballad Of The Broken Seas

This is proof that Campbell made the right decision in leaving Belle And Sebastian. Up till now, she's had a solid, acclaimed solo career, but she hadn't quite broken the twee-pop ties that binded her to her past. Even Amorino's chamber-pop musings seem limited by comparison to the scope of Ballad Of The Broken Seas' wide-screen ambitions. Here, Campbell has composed not only an epic Ennio Morricone-style soundtrack but with that huge instrumental canvas, she's also provided layers of well-written dialogue, compelling plot lines, dazzling scenary and vividly drawn vignettes to make a truly cinematic experience out of what at first glance seems like a simple record.

Tre Høydare: Ballad Of The Broken Seas, Ramblin’ Man, The Circus Is Leaving Town

5. Tom Waits – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards

The songs here—soundtrack contributions, compilation rarities, and 30 never-before-heard, mostly new tracks—date back to the '80s and encompass a range of experimental styles. But for a collection of leftovers gathered from hither and yon, they hang together remarkably well. What's more, many of them rank among Waits' best output. Waits may call them orphans, but another artist would call this a career.

Tre Høydare: Road To Peace, Rains On Me, You Can Never Hold Back Spring

4. Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat

Balancing against the smooth gospel harmonies of Chandra and Leigh Watson, Lewis draws from country and pop to build indelible songs around some capital "T" themes. Loneliness, faith, and the way childhood dramas turn into grown-up problems all get dredged up in one memorable song after another. "It's a surefire bet I'm gonna die / so I'm takin' up praying on Sunday nights," Lewis sings on "The Charging Sky."

Tre Høydare: Rise Up With Fists, The Charging Sky, Melt Your Heart

3. The Elected – Sun, Sun, Sun

All told, Sun, Sun, Sun is a sweeping piece of music. When the songs are spare nothing feels left out, and when they're grandiosely band-heavy not one harmony or piano fill comes off as pilled on. Put on a pot of coffee, thaw out some ice cream and dig in. This pie is good to go.

Tre Høydare: Would You Come With Me, The Bank And Trust, Biggest Star

2. Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time

Though Band of Horses aren't likely to be heralded as trailblazers, they do sound quietly innovative and genuinely refreshing over the course of these 10 sweeping, heart-on-sleeve anthems. Ultimately, the band's most winning trait is its delicate balance of elements-- between gloom and promise, quiet and loud, epic and ordinary, familiar and new, direct and elliptical, artist and listener. Each of these aspects makes the others sound stronger and more complex, making Everything All the Time an album that's easy to get lost in and even easier to love.

Tre Høydare: The Funeral, Part One, Wicked Gil

1. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife

The album establishes a tone with its opener, "The Crane Wife 3," a mournful conclusion to the romantic tale told later. Throughout The Crane Wife, Meloy adopts the voices of the dead as well as the voices of their killers, and he sets stories of personal loss against stories that rumble with the explosions of war. On the centerpiece song, "When The War Came," The Decemberists hammer away softly, like a heavy-metal band trapped under a sofa cushion, while Meloy describes how plans go awry when cannons start firing. "When The War Came"—and The Crane Wife as a whole—implies that happy endings are impossible, so long as men with guns and knives still roam.

Høydare: Hele plata så klart, man kan ikke velge fra årets beste! Løp og kjøp!

Fag-Mag #9

Arvid Karlsen jr. i Horebukkmysteriet

Pastor Ulfs Julekalenderkrim er her og løper parallelt med høstkrimen.

I julekalenderkrimen møter vi Arvid Karlsen jr.:

Julen står i fare for lille Arvid. Hans prostituerte mors beste kunde er forsvunnet og hans mor har knapt råd til sprit og dop til seg selv. Det blir opp til lille Arvid å redde jula i år!

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Han en fryktinngytende førjulstid,

Pastor Ulf