2006 in clumps of songs (formerly known as "albums")

For the last couple of years, the debate over whether or not the album is dying has been a constant around the web and in my life. Though I will miss the album and all the good times we've had together, I look forward to what's next. Single songs mean that we can be exposed to more acts, we won't have to wait as long between artists releases, and getting rid of the restrictions of physical media means that artists can be more creative with how they release music. Four songs released every Monday for a month? 40 songs that play seamlessly and last three hours without interruption? A single 90 minute song? Anything's possible.

So while the album certainly isn't dead yet, there were a number of albums that, while they were mostly enjoyable as full albums instead of individual songs, they were much more creative in terms of song length and album structure. Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood used short songs to create a whole and Joanna Newsom's Ys did the same with much longer songs. J Dilla and Girl Talk created long, seamless records and LCD Soundsystem created one single 45-minute song.

But even though we're starting to see the future of what "an album" can be, and while I can't wait for those days, it was funny to me that 2006's music was much more enjoyable as full albums than as individual songs. There were very few single songs that blew me away, but lots of albums that were more enjoyable when taken in as full collections instead of individual songs. Funny how things happen that way.

And now...my favorite eight records of the year. I normally do seven, but hey...let's break some boundaries (cue "He's a Rebel"). It should go without saying, but I'll still say it: the comments are ready and waiting your own favorites and thoughts for the year.

2006 R.A.Y.A.s (Reid's Album of the Year Awards)

1. Belle and Sebastian, The Life Pursuit
In the jukebox: "Funny Little Frog" and "The Life Pursuit" (b-side)
It's a surprise to exactly no one that this was my favorite album of the year. The weird thing is, it was also one of my biggest disappointments of the year due to the direction (or non-direction) that Belle and Sebastian are going with their music. They're following their influences way too closely, and slowly but surely cutting off their own sound and style, choosing instead to play genre games like "Spot the ape!"

But what's disappointing about the album is ultimately what makes it so amazing. It's one of the best documents of the magic of pop songs: that a great melody, interesting lyrics, an arrangement twist or two, and loads and loads of feeling can lift just about anything. It's something that we see every year, but it doesn't make it any less incredible when it happens.

Also, it's easily B&S's best album title and cover.

2. The Pipettes, We Are The Pipettes
In the jukebox: "Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me" and "Judy"
Second to pop smarts trumping dull presentation is when a gimmick turns out to be brilliance. There probably weren't many people whose first impression of the Pipettes wasn't a skeptical raised eyebrow. It's like girl groups, but sassy! They talk about having one night stands, but they still wear matching outfits and do coordinated dances while they're singing! They're like the indiepop Supremes! If you're retching right now, welcome to the club.

But gimmick is like cockiness: it only works if you have the goods. It doesn't matter that only one of them has a great voice and that she's also the only one who might actually fall into the category of "the prettiest girl (I)'ve ever met"; the Pipettes have the songs, the moves and the voices enough to make one of the most consistently enjoyable records of the year, a record that could overcome even kabuki makeup, lavish stage shows or commercials between songs. Should it come to that.

3. Phoenix, It's Never Been Like That
In the jukebox: "Long Distance Call" and "Courtesy Laughs"
If I could have one do-over for 2006, it would be...well, actually there's a lot of things I would have done differently. But one of them would be that I wouldn't have turned down the chance to see Phoenix, instead opting to go to a boring and awkward dinner party. At the time, though, I didn't have any interest in Phoenix. Their previous album had struck me as boring and awkward.

But Ivan and Armin's rave reviews of the show got me to take a chance, take a chaka-cha-chance on this record and the incredible, exuberant pop-rock wrap suited the songs so much better than their retro '70's soft rock/disco attempts on Alphabetical. Like most of the records this year, there was no one bite here that set me reeling around the apartment, but it was fantastic full meal.

4. Camera Obscura, Let's Get Out Of This Country
In the jukebox: "If Looks Could Kill" and "Let's Get Out Of This Country"
A life lesson that everyone learns at some point or another is that thrills may come, but they inevitably go, leaving you with disappointment. It doesn't mean that you aren't still thrilled by the thrills, but you do start to appreciate the importance of reliability, of the constants that you can always count on.

I don't imagine that the folks of Camera Obscura would be too flattered being lumped as old faithfuls, but I mean it as the highest compliment (or in the case of this list, the fourth highest compliment). Every Camera Obscura record has been a reliable treat. You know it's going to sound like Belle and Sebastian and talk about feelings and crushes and disappointment, but you can always count on the melodies being gorgeous and the strings swelling exactly where you want them to. They're feel as wonderful as a fluffy pillow when you're tired. And that's probably a comparison that they would be flattered by.

5. Lily Allen, Alright, Still
In the jukebox: "Everything's Just Wonderful" and "Smile"
Great pop songs? There's tons. Every year and every era and every kind of pop has at least a few songs that are full-on classics. But if you go find the full albums that these songs appear on, you'll find that 95% of them (note: numbers not fact-checked) are diamonds buried in mud; singles in more than one way. Translation: a full album of music that is aimed at the pop chart and is also quality from beginning to end is a rare, rare thing indeed.

Maybe Lily Allen meant to make filler and made fantastic, catchy songs accidentally. Maybe she intended to make a serious, artistic work and it ended up sounding supremely poppy instead. But with all pop, who cares? As long as you can walk along a city sidewalk singing, "Sun is in the sky oh why oh why would I want to be anywhere else", and feel not only the brilliance of the song but know that the next song coming up is just as good, artistic intentions don't matter.

6. Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
In the jukebox: "From the Ritz To The Rubble" and "Mardy Bum"
You could set a clock by the British press lauding some band as saving rock 'n' roll. And chances are that it's just some refried post-punk with loud guitars and sneering vocals and an album cover that says, "we're just rough lads singing 'bout nights on the boozer and fags and birds." And God knows that Arctic Monkeys are all of those things, with a horrible band name to boot.

It's one of those "why did I buy the album if I was so cynical about them" moves that I question at years end, but am damn glad I spited myself. Chumming it up with all the lad-rock cliches are clever lyrics, sharp hooks and some of the most exhilarating super RAWK endings in a long, long time. I can't imagine that Whatever People Say... is destined to be an influential classic, and they hyperventilating will surely die out after a year or so, but for 2006, this was a record that quickened my pace and blows a little of the dust off of the old rock star dreams way back in my brain.

7. Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat
In the jukebox: "Rise Up With Fists!!" and "Melt Your Heart"
Let's say you're a singer. You want to convince people that you're real and earthy. You don't really have the voice or the swagger to pull of ballsy rock 'n' roll, and you're never going to make a convincing experimental record. So what do you do? Come on...it's an easy one. You go country, of course! It's a piece of cake: all the chords are pre-chosen for you, and if anyone doesn't like it, you can just say that they don't get it!

But there's an easy misstep to make: don't overdo it. Don't put on a false country twang, and there's only so much you can sing about your man done you wrong or how you can't wait to die and meet your savior before people are going to start calling bullshit. And this where Jenny Lewis gets it right. She doesn't try and convince you that she's really down-South under her Hollywood glitz or put on characters after switching genres. They're country songs alright, but they're geniunely Jenny Lewis, for better and worse. But she knows that it's in staying genuine that she can make these songs sound so sweet.

The fact that she has a gorgeous voice doesn't hurt.

8. Peter Bjorn and John, Writer's Block
In the jukebox: "Young Folks" and "Roll The Credits"
Yeah, I remember the early '90's, too. The distortion and acoustics kissing each other. The drone. Every drip of the excessive reverb. It was only a matter of time before someone's fond memories translated to an album, and leave it to the Swedish to be innovators of a retro sound, to remind us that you can sound loud and quiet at exactly the same time, that even the thickest curtain of reverb can still be sliced open by a great hook. It doesn't necessarily make me hope that this is the beginning of the next retro style, as I'm perfectly happy to leave some of the production sins of the '90's back in that time, but it's nice to hear a little slice of the past in the present.

OFF THE LIST BUT STILL GREAT...

Jarvis Cocker, Jarvis
While it's clear that Different Class and His 'n' Hers are classics that will never be topped, it's still very much Jarvis, and damn is it ever good to see him again.
Video: "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"

Thom Yorke, The Eraser
If this is what happens when a Radiohead rushes out an album, I hope that the whole gang puts their next album together in an afternoon. I especially loved the acoustic versions of the songs on The Eraser.
Video: "The Clock", acoustic

The Fratellis, Costello Music
Take all of the smarts and cynicism out of Arctic Monkeys and you have The Fratellis. But it's still a hell of a lot of fun.
Video: "Henrietta"

Cat Power, The Greatest
Chan adds a little grit to her sky gazing and her new earthiness is exactly what her tunes needed.
Video: "Lived In Bars"