Niklas' blog

It’s that time of the year, right? Well, having been laying down for three days due to getting food-poisoned at my parents’ place (which all the participants were), I’m eager to return in style, so while writing and writhing in bed, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the egoistic diatribe that is my list of the best of 2006, in no particular order – except that Nadia Comaneci rules¹:

Albums

Neko Case – “Fox Confessor Brings The Flood“: I’ve rarely heard a modern voice as strong as Neko Case’s, and combined with these extraordinary songs it’s little wonder that no more people have found out about her.² Neko Case describes her own music as “country noir” and that’s better than I can put it. Imagine the non-scary version of David Lynch’s darkest films, combined with lyrics about love, serial-killers and desire, and you get this, the perfect match. The songs are magnificent, and the Neko Case-gig I attended this May was the best gig this year: unforgettable. More about the album:

All Music Guide: “Fox Confessor Brings The Flood is a rich, mature and deeply satisfying piece of music that deserves and demands attention — if this isn’t Album of the Year material, it’s hard to say what is.”

Prefix Magazine: “Case’s genius as a writer, evident from track to track, stems from her ability to write lyrics that conjure up amazingly clear images but that still leave the songs as a whole up to interpretation.”

Ali Farka Toure – “Savané”: I’ve written about it here. More about it:

Amazon.com: “His unsentimental, voluptuously masculine, spirit-guided magic is captured at its best, for all time, in this magnificent farewell.”

Dirty Pretty Things – “Waterloo To Anywhere“: while I first thought this album to carry little to allow it to fight Babyshambles’ “Down In Albion”, I am now proven wrong. This is, simply put, great music. Energetic, driven by will, force and a band where the members work as one, and I’m very much looking forward to them 1) releasing their next album and 2) coming to Stockholm to play, whenever that will happen. More about the album:

Urb: “While the album is a fun first listen, it’s in taking that second and third spin of Waterloo to Anywhere that the band’s infectious quality becomes a full-fledged epidemic.” [Sep 2006, p.142]

All Music Guide: “Barât’s music doesn’t have the baggage associated with Doherty’s brooding, poetic aspirations, but it doesn’t quite have the same impact, either.“

Lady Sovereign – “Public Warning“: I’ve been expecting this so long that I’ve actually collected the 7″’s she’s released, patching together a makeshift version of the album to come. The only thing about it that disappoints me about the album is the extra version of “Love Me Or Hate Me” featuring Missy Elliott, but skip that, and you have the most well-produced, the most well-written and easy-cum-play album of the year. A good review is found here.

Belle and Sebastian – “The Life Pursuit“: even though these music-geeks have got it together as much as Elvis Costello and Courtney Love, they still have the nerve to pull off a 70’s-sounding album using great tracks…this is just very, very good.

The Knife – “Silent Shout“: when I first heard this album I was out taking pictures in the early hours on a Sunday, snow everywhere while hearing the siblings Drejer pushing analogue bits arranged in such a matter that I got really, really scared. Not frightened as such, but I remember thinking to myself that this may be the best electronic album I was to hear in a long, long time. I still have not heard anything electronic to out-shine it since its release. I’ve written about it here. By the way, here’s the funniest review I’ve seen about this album; makes me wonder if Q Magazine are regretting these sour words:

Q Magazine: A hideous mess of electro noodling and maddeningly obtuse, tuneless vocals. [May 2006, p.126]

Barbara Morgenstern – “The Grass Is Always Greener“. Morgenstern first schooled as a classical pianist and then drifted into electronica, and I must say, I couldn’t be happier about that transformation. Beautiful electronics merging with joyful and professional composition can at times be sorely missed, but never here.

Arctic Monkeys – “Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not“: I know Zak’s planned to have a go at me for saying this, so yeah, I was wrong! This is a good album and considering it’s made by some youths with swagger and humor, having crafted great tracks with quite good, cynical lyrics, this beat most from the indie heavens this year around.

Matmos – “The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast“: Glitchy, rhythmic musique concrète with powers almost unknown, from a duo with humor.

The Pipettes – “We Are The Pipettes“: I like most of their tracks but they were better before they almost completely changed their sound. More about that (from yours truly) here.

Under The Radar: The Pipettes are a one-trick pony for sure but they offer one hell of a ride. [#15]

Morrissey – “Ringleader Of The Tormentors“: so, did the man gain anything after Alain Whyte, old-time guitar-companion left the band? Seems that way, even though Whyte’s mark is left on “Ringleader” very much, especially in the suggestive and odd “Life Is A Pigsty”. So, what’s left? Greatness! Kicking off the album is a track with Arabic influences, saying Moz’ll probably see us in far-off places, unless the USA doesn’t bomb us. I won’t go into into details, but the man now shows more rocks, a voice better than ever (in some ways) and his libido.

Blender: “Longtime devotees may miss Morrissey’s Smiths-era vocal histrionics, but his supple croon has matured into a thing of beauty.” [May 2006, p.103]

Mogwai – “Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait“: my review is here.

Songs (not on any of the above albums)

Littl’ans featuring Peter Doherty – “Their Way“: this is the track of 2006³. I can’t think of anything that really comes close to it.
The Raconteurs – “Steady, As She Goes“: I didn’t care much for their album, but this track is great in its simplicity.
Franz Ferdinand – “The Fallen [Justice Remix]“: I have no love for Veronica Mars or whatever that’s being shown in the video, but the track is Franz Ferdinand’s “The Fallen”, as remixed by Justice. Here’s the original.

Books

“In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio (Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences)“: special note. This is the best anthropological book I’ve read in ages, with all that it entails. Philippe Bourgois offers an extremely insightful look into nationalism, racism, cultural differences, crime (both from police and non-police) and the come-uppance of the underdog, making this a must-read for anybody even remotely interested in seeing the real cracks between the people who aren’t well-off and those who are, especially in a country where the divide between the rich and poor is extreme, e.g. the USA.
“The Libertines: Bound Together”
“Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique”
“Factory Records: The Complete Graphic Album”
“Overheard In New York”

Films

“Syriana“: great political film about what could very well go down behind the scenes when oil and extreme money lead the way.
“Jesus Is Magic“: the best new comedian I’ve seen in ages. Except for Carrot Top. I’m fucking joking.
“Tristram Shandy: A Cock And Bull Story“: another full-on piece of greatness from the brilliant director-writer-ensemble. Meta at its best.
“10th And Wolf“: the most unexpected, good mafia-film of the year. Really good.
“Awesome! I Fuckin’ Shot That!“: Beastie Boys go tour-de-force, and this is a really good concert video, as shot by 50 people (and more).
“Das Leben Der Anderen“: a most heinous and beautiful story about Stasi working their way in East Germany. A must-see.
“Elizabeth I“: I haven’t seen better acting, a tighter script, greater cinematography or a better story than this in a costume-drama for a very long time and mind you, I usually really like the BBC costume-dramas.
“The Line Of Beauty“: a most brilliant mini-series converted from Alan Hollingworth’s novel, exploring a young man’s trip into the world of English upper-class and, more definitely, himself.
“The Notorious Betty Page“: clearly better than it would have been without Mary Harron, Guinevere Turner and Gretchen Mol, it’s a calm yet harrowing look at censorship and how it affects people.

TV-series

“House, M.D.“: anybody says “What about Lost?” and I’ll kill you.

Disappointments of the year

Of course, the continued invasion of Iraq, helping to further arm the world and increase disease. I’ll let Noam Chomsky have a few last indirect words on that.

Album: Immortal Technique – “The Middle Passage”. Why? He’s not released it! It was supposed to chime this year but still…no cigar! I think it will be great when dropping, though.

Film: “V For Vendetta“.

Gig: Babyshambles in Stockholm – i.e. their no-showing. They’ve cancelled three times so far, and yes, what can one expect from a band run by a junkie? Still, he’s a genius and that makes things all the harder. Fawk.

Reissues

Depeche Mode – “Violator [Collector's Edition]“: actually a lot better than expected, and I’m really not counting the DVD even though it’s the most interesting of all the accompanying ones for all the reissues; when you see it, though, and you know François Kevorkian actually did spend a week on perfecting the sound of a hi-hat, that Flood forced the band to think outside the box, that Alan Wilder was mad for Kraftwerk at the time (little wonder), it all just fits together, and the sound on the remastered disc makes me just wanna put it next to Nine Inch Nails “The Downward Spiral [Deluxe Edition]” and say “good work”.
The Jam – “All Mod Cons [Deluxe Edition]“: if people think dreams about Albion started with Pete Doherty they’d better rewind their clock a bit and look up this masterpiece. Here remastered and released with a bonus-CD containing extras, it’s a quite cheap must-buy if you don’t own it, and forget that, if you like rock/indie/punk and you need melodies, force and great lyrics, get this. Seldom has “angry young man” fit in as well as here.
Brian Eno/David Byrne – “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts“: I’ve heard people say this is a great experimental album and I’ve nodded. I’ve seen people exalt this as the essential experimental album, and I’ve semi-nodded, not quite sure which album could beat it to that, actually. Yes, it is that good. Mostly, being experimental means somebody isn’t afraid to mix up a few of his/her own cultural elements, but this is western, Arabic, African, Asian (among other) mashed into one, done 25 years ago. Big up!
Pulp – three albums reissued: oh yes. I’ve been doing the Catcliffe Shakedown since these were ejected to the market. Not that the sound-quality is bettered, exactly, but I must say it’s a treat to own all the b-sides and a lot of outtakes.
“All The President’s Men“: good political stuff, Hoffman and Redford doing very well, backed by great directing by Alan J. Pakula plus the script by William Goldman (adapted from the book by Woodward/Bernstein, of course).

Still immensely missed

Bill Hicks
The Libertines
James Brown

By the way, if you’re looking for some other musical best-of-the-year-lists, check this one out.

…and finally, the most obvious laugh of the year. That’s it, folks!

1. Which reminds me of the Electrobank-video starring Sofia Coppola, including gnarly opponents![back]
2. Still, as Robbie Williams and his likes are reigning the worlds of the major record-companies…[back]
3. Actually, this track was released in October 2005, but remember, there are time-zones…[back]