2006 Music Journals

[Josh]

As usual, we'll start this thread early, though we may not have much use of it for a month or so. You all know the drill by now-- use this thread to chronicle the new releases you're listening to in 2006, keep up with your Top 10 list, post links to your reviews, etc. And, of course, please edit your posts to add on to them; don't keep making new posts every time you want to update your journal.

So, journal away!  8-)  

[Josh]

The Running Top 10:
1. The Hold Steady-- Boys and Girls in America... A
2. Bruce Springsteen-- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions... A
3. Tom Waits-- Orphans... A
4. The Decemberists-- The Crane Wife... A
5. Camera Obscura-- Let's Get Out of This Country... A
6. TV on the Radio-- Return to Cookie Mountain... A-
7. Jolie Holland-- Springtime Can Kill You... A
8. Gnarls Barkley-- St. Elsewhere... A-
9. Donald Fagen-- Morph the Cat... A-
10. Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint-- The River in Reverse... A-

Other worthwhile listens:
Paul Simon-- Surprise... A-
Kim Taylor-- I Feel Like a Fading Light... A-
The Roots-- Game Theory... B+
Lindsey Buckingham-- Under the Skin... B+
Solomon Burke-- Nashville... B+
Midlake-- The Trials of Van Occupanther... B+
Bob Dylan-- Modern Times... B+
Ray Lamontagne-- Till the Sun Turns Black... B+
Over the Rhine-- Live from Nowhere, vol. 1... B+
Sarah Harmer-- I'm a Mountain... B+
Johnny Dowd-- Cruel Words ... B
Kelly Joe Phelps-- Tunesmith Retrofit... B
Danielson-- Ships... B
Jeffrey Foucault-- Ghost Repeater... B
Over the Rhine-- Snow Angels... B
Patricia Barber-- Mythologies... B
Pearl Jam-- Pearl Jam... B
Old Crow Medicine Show-- Big Iron World... B
Def Leppard-- Yeah!... B
Bruce Cockburn-- Life Short Call Now... B
PJ Harvey-- The Peel Sessions... B
Band Marino-- The Sea and the Beast... B
Beck-- The Information... B
Paul Burch-- East to West... B
Cracker-- Greenland... B
Vienna Teng-- Dreaming Through the Noise... B
Johnny Cash-- American V... B
Derek Trucks Band-- Songlines... B
Van Morrison-- Pay the Devil... B
James Luther Dickinson-- Jungle Jim and the Voodoo Tiger... B
Beth Orton -- Comfort of Strangers... B
Neko Case-- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood... B
Alan Jackson-- Like Red on a Rose... B
Mastodon-- Blood Mountain... B
Black Keys-- Magic Potion... B
Greg Graffin-- Cold as the Clay... B
The BellRays-- Have a Little Faith... B
Elvis Costello-- My Flame Burns Blue... B
Jars of Clay-- Good Monsters... B
Vince Gill-- These Days... B
The Raconteurs-- Broken Boy Soldiers... B-
David Mead-- Tangerine... B-
Ron Sexsmith-- Time Being... B-
Lambchop-- Damaged... B-
Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys... B-
Jim Noir-- Tower of Love... B-
Birdmonster-- No Midnight... B-
Rosanne Cash-- Black Cadillac... B-
Leigh Nash-- Blue on Blue... B-
Willie Nelson-- Songbird... B-
Carl Hancock Rux-- Good Bread Alley... B-
Pretty Girls Make Graves-- Elan Vital... B-
Califone-- Roots and Crowns... B-
Josh Rouse-- Subtitulo... B-
The Little Willies-- Little Willies... B-
The Essex Green-- Cannibal Sea... B-
Sonic Youth-- Rather Ripped... B-
Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit... B-
Jackie Greene-- American Myth... B-
Golden Smog-- Another Fine Day... B-
The Sails-- The Sails... B-
Regina Spector-- Begin to Hope... B-
The Ditty Bops-- Moon Over the Freeway... B-
Pink-- I'm Not Dead... B-
Grant-Lee Phillips-- Nineteeneighties... B-
Scott H. Biram-- Graveyard Shift ... B-
Islands-- Return to the Sea... B-
Ramblin' Jack Elliot-- I Stand Alone... B-
Yo La Tengo-- I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass... B-
Woven Hand-- Mosaic... B-
Cassandra Wilson-- Thunderbird... B-
Willie Nile-- Streets of New York... B-
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan-- Ballad of the Broken Seas... B-
Belle and Sebastian-- The Life Pursuit... B-
Todd Snider-- The Devil You Know... B-
The Elms-- Chess Hotel... B-
Ani DiFranco-- Reprieve... B-
Mute Math-- Mute Math... B-
Madeleine Peyroux-- Half a Perfect World... B-
Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys-- Turntable Matinee... B-
Ollabelle-- Riverside Battle Songs... B-
Willie Nelson-- You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker... B-
Cat Power-- The Greatest... B-
Van Hunt-- On the Jungle Floor... B-
The Flaming Lips-- At War with the Mystics... B-
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's-- The Dust of Retreat... B-
Tom Russell-- Love and Fear... B-
Howe Gelb-- 'Sno Angel Like You... B-
Prince-- 3121... B-
Charlie Sexton/Shannon McNally-- Southside Sessions... B-
KT Tunstall-- Eye to the Telescope... B-
Tiny Rain-- Mizzle... B-

Suffered through:
Twilight Singers-- Powder Burns... C+
Guster-- Ganging Up on the Sun... C+
Aimee Mann-- One More Drifter in the Snow... C+
Scissor Sisters-- Ta Dah... C+
Joseph Arthur-- Nuclear Daydream... C+
Antje Duvekot-- Big Dream Boulevard... C+
Sleeping at Last-- Keep No Score... C+
Scott Walker-- The Drift... C+
The Court and Spark-- Hearts... C+
T-Bone Burnett-- The True False Identity... C+
Thom Yorke-- The Eraser... C+
Alejandro Escovedo-- Boxing Mirror... C+
Drive-By Truckers-- A Blessing and a Curse... C+
Mindy Smith-- Long Island Shores... C
Zero 7-- The Garden... C
Teddy Thompson-- Separate Ways... C
The Minus Five-- The Gun Album... C
Neil Young-- Living with War... C-
Ghostface Killah-- Fishscale... D+

Re-issues and compilations:
Willie Nelson-- The Complete Atlantic Sessions... A+
What It Is: Funky Soul and Rare Grooves... A
Nina Simone-- Forever Young, Gifted and Black... A-
T-Bone Burnett-- 20/20: The Essential T-Bone Burnett... A-

A+ (Masterpiece; should be listened to over and over again for its riches of beauty and truth)
A (Almost a masterpiece; flaws are almost irrelevant compared to its virtues)
A- (Excellent; the virtues far outweigh the flaws)
B+ (Very impressive; flawed, but still worth repeated listens)
B (Impressive; more virtues than flaws)
B- (Somewhat impressive; its virtues probably outweigh its flaws)
C+ (Barely above average; its virtues arguably outweigh its flaws)
C/C- (Mediocre; It flaws are as many or more  than its virtues, but its strengths are still worth noting)
D+/D (Sorely flawed; its flaws far outweigh its strengths)
D- (Worthless; its strengths?if there are any?are inconsequential compared to its flaws)
F (Abominable; insultingly, offensively bad, and detrimental to the spirit of its listeners)


Last update: 1/21/07

[murlough23]

Top 20:
1. Vienna Teng - Dreaming Through the Noise A+
2. Jars of Clay - Good Monsters A
3. Anathallo - Floating World A-
4. Sleeping at Last - Keep No Score A-
5. Mute Math - Mute Math B+
6. The Listening - The Rock 'N Roll Worship Circus Becomes The Listening B+
7. The Flaming Lips - At War with the Mystics B+
8. Copeland - Eat, Sleep, Repeat B+
9. Incubus - Light Grenades B+
10. Switchfoot - Oh! Gravity B+
11. Iona - The Circling Hour B+
12. Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked Ladies Are Me B+
13. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam B+
14. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations B+
15. The Elms - The Chess Hotel B
16. KT Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope B
17. The Violet Burning - Drop-Dead B
18. Matisyahu - Youth B
19. Plumb - Chaotic Resolve B
20. Snowden - Anti-Anti B

Honorable Mention:
21. Leigh Nash - Blue on Blue B
22. House of Heroes - Say No More B
23. Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac B
24. Michelle Tumes - Michelle Tumes B
25. Weird Al Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood B
26. Robert Randolph & the Family Band - Colorblind B
27. The Corrs - Home B
28. Rock Kills Kid - Are You Nervous? B-
29. The Wreckers - Stand Still, Look Pretty B
30. Sanctus Real - The Face of Love B

The Rest:
Over the Rhine - Live From Nowhere, Vol. 1 B
Meg & Dia - Something Real B-
Evanescence - The Open Door B-
P.O.D. - Testify B-
Cindy Morgan - Postcards B-
John Mayer - Continuum B-
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche B-
downhere - Wide Eyed and Mystified B-
The Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea B-
Matt Wertz - Everything in Between B-
Peter Bradley Adams - Gather Up B-
Ron Sexsmith - Time Being B-
Various Artists - FREAKED: A Gotee Tribute to dc Talk's Jesus Freak B-
Delirious? - Now Is the Time: Live at Willow Creek B-
Michael Giacchino - Lost Season One Soundtrack B-
Michael Giacchino - Lost Season Two Soundtrack B-
Jennifer Knapp - Live B-
Leeland - Sound of Melodies C+
Skillet - Comatose C+
Hellogoodbye - Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! C+
Newsboys - Go C+
Sean Watkins - Blinders On C+
Chris Thile - How to Grow a Woman from the Ground C+
Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way C+
All Star United - Love and Radiation C+
Charlie Hall - Flying into Daybreak C+
Family Force 5 - Business Up Front/Party in Back C+
Yellowcard - Lights & Sounds C+
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit C+
Starfield - Beauty in the Broken C+
Tiny Rain - Mizzle C+
Tool - 10,000 Days C+
Adie - Don't Wait C+
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left to Lose C
Caedmon's Call - In the Company of Angels II: The World Will Sing C
Joseph Arthur - Nuclear Daydream C
Joanna Newsom - Ys C
Chris Tomlin - See the Morning C
Pillar - The Reckoning C
Red Umbrella - Wishing for Boardwalk C
Mark Schultz - Broken & Beautiful C
Falling Up - Exit Lights C-
He Is Legend - Suck Out the Poison C-
Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas C-
Thom Yorke - The Eraser C-

Dishonorable Mention:
20. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers C-
19. Bebo Norman - Between the Dreaming and the Coming True C-
18. Starflyer 59 - My Island C-
17. Train - For Me, It's You C-
16. Brandon Heath - Don't Get Comfortable C-
15. Warren Barfield - Reach C-
14. Day of Fire - Cut and Move C-
13. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America C-
12. Ana Laura - Ana Laura C-
11. Building 429 - Rise C-
10. Red - End of Silence D+
9. Michael W. Smith - Stand D+
8. Brian Littrell - Welcome Home D+
7. Avalon - Stand D+
6. Nina Gordon - Bleeding Heart Graffiti D
5. Third Day - Christmas Offerings D
4. Krystal Meyers - Dying for a Heart D
3. The Killers - Sam's Town D-
2. Kutless - Hearts of the Innocent D-
1. Kutless - Live in Portland D-

Just Plain Don't Get It, So Can't Rate It:
The Accident Experiment - United We Fear
Danielson - Ships
Drive-By Truckers - A Blessing and a Curse
Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat
The Little Willies - The Little Willies
Mars Ill - Pro*Pain
Tom Petty - Highway Companion

Compilations/Singles/EPs:
Future of Forestry - Future of Forestry EP B+
Olivia the Band - Back to Friends Where Summer Never Ends EP B
Mute Math - Live at the El Rey EP B
Lost Ocean - Night to Life EP B-
Joy Williams - Every Moment: The Best of Joy Williams B-
Mat Kearney - The Chicago EP C
David Crowder Band - B Collision: The Eschatology of Bluegrass EP D+
Casting Crowns - Lifesong Live EP/DVD D-

Looking Back:
2005 Music Journal
2004 Music Journal
2003 Music Journal
1991-2002 Music Journals

(Last Update: 5/11/10)

[bdg13disciple]

No Doubt.

 1. Mars Ill - Pro*Pain (A) {w}
 2. Lightheaded - Wrong Way (A-) {c}
 3. The Listening - The Listening LP (A-) {c} {w}
 4. Cindy Morgan - Postcards (A-) {w} {c}
 5. MuteMath - MuteMath (A-)
 6. Charlie Hall - Flying Into Daybreak (B+) {c} {w}
 7.
 8. P.O.D. - Testify (B) {c}
 9. Cross Culture - Proof Positive (B) {w} {c}
10.

Next Fifteen.

Sullivan - Hey, I'm a Ghost (B/B-)

Not Exactly.
Brothers Keeper - Beyond Beautiful ('C) {c}, 4Him - Encore... For Future Generations (C+) {c}, End of the Spear Soundtrack ('C) {c}, Karen Clark Sheard - It's Not Over (C+) {c}, Lisa McClendon - Live from HOB New Orleans (C/C+) {c}{w}, Avalon - Stand ('C) {c}, Michael John Stanley - The Crimson Element (D+/C-) {c}

Next on the Agenda.
- Soul Plasma - The Soul Effect (3.Jan)
- Jennifer Knapp - Live (24.Jan)
- Darrell McFadden & the Disciples - I've Got a Right (24.Jan)
- Mainstay - Well Meaning Fiction (21.Feb)
- Ana Laura - Ana Laura (7.Mar)
- Caedmon's Call - In the Company of Angels II... (7.Mar)
- Anthony Evans - Letting Go (7.Mar)
- Sevenglory - Over the Rooftops (7.Mar)
- Shawn McDonald - Ripen (7.Mar)
- Warren Barfield - Reach (7.Mar)
- Watermark - A Grateful People (14.Mar)
- Building 429 - Rise (14.Mar)
- EleventySeven - The Land of Fake Believe (21.Mar)
- Jonas Brothers - It's About Time (28.Mar)
- Bruce Allen - Just B Allen This Time (28.Mar)
- needtobreathe - daylight (4.Apr)
- Sanctus Real - The Face of Love (4.Apr)
- Playdough - Don't Drink the Water (?.???)
- The Blood Violets - Secrets of the Soul (?.???)

Need to Acquire.

- Eager Seas - People Like People (24.Jan)
- Josh Turner - This Man (24.Jan)
- Gaither Vocal Band - Give It Away (24.Jan)
- Plumb - Chaotic Resolve (28.Feb?)
- Grits - 7 (7.Mar)
- Lonely Hearts - Paper Tapes (7.Mar)
- Jadon Lavik - Life on the Inside (7.Mar)
- Martha Munizzi - No Limits (14.Mar)
- Pocket Full of Rocks - Song to the King (14.Mar)
- The Classic Crime - Albatross (21.Mar)
- Kutless - Heart of the Innocent (21.Mar)
- Japhia Life - Fountain of Life (21.Mar)
- The Crabb Family - Blur the Lines (28.Mar)
- Carl Cartee - Unfailing (28.Mar)
- Family Force 5 - Family Force 5 (4.Apr)
- Hawk Nelson - Smile, It's the End of the World (4.Apr)
- Pettidee - Thug Love (4.Apr)
- Red Umbrella - Wishing for Boardwalk (4.Apr)
- Rob Hodge - Born King (18.Apr)
- MercyMe - Coming Up to Breathe (25.Apr)
- Phil Wickham - Phil Wickham (25.Apr)
- The Elms - The Chess Hotel (2.May)
- Cookbook & Uno Mas - While The Slept (?)
- Othello - Alive at the Assembly Line (?)
- Pigeon John - Summertime Pool Party (?)
- Sintax.the.Terrific - Curb Appeal (?)
- downhere, Sufjan Stevens...


KEY:
{c} = Review at CMCentral.com
{w} = Walk TRu at TRudATmusic.com
{h} = Review at HHftS.com
{s} = Review at SphereOfHipHop.com
{r} = Review at RenownMagazine.com

(updated 11.Feb)


peace... love... bdg...

[edited by schilleriana for font wackiness]
 

[worldofcm]

Updated 11/21

Running Top 10

1.  Switchfoot, Oh! Gravity. - A
2.  Jonny Lang, Turn Around - A
3.  Jars of Clay, Good Monsters - A
4.  Fair, The Best Worst-Case Scenario - A
5.  Cindy Morgan, Postcards - A
6.  Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Colorblind - A
7.  Mars Ill, Pro*Pain - A
8.  Skillet, Comatose - A-
9.  Gold City, Revival - A-
10.  The Listening, The Rock N Roll Worship Circus Becomes The Listening - A-

Just Missed the Cut:
MuteMath, MuteMath - A
Fernando Ortega, Shadow of Your Wings, Hymns & Sacred Songs - A-
Mike Bowling Group, Graceland - A-
CrossWay, A Beautiful Thing - A-
The Elms, The Chess Hotel - A-
DecembeRadio, DecembeRadio - A-
Downhere, Wide-Eyed & Mystified - A-
Leeland, Sound of Melodies - A-
Travis Cottrell, Found - A-
Jason Morant, Open - A-
Michelle Tumes, Michelle Tumes - A-
Bebo Norman, Between the Dreaming & the Coming True - A-
Hyper Static Union, Lifegiver - A-
Leigh Nash, Blue On Blue - A-
David Crowder Band, B Collision - A-
Brian Free & Assurance, It's So God - A-
Christina Aguilera, Back to Basics - A-
Chris Tomlin, See the Morning - A-

Decent, but not quite
Plumb, Chaotic Resolve - B+
Warren Barfield, Reach - B+
Avalon, Faith: A Hymns Collection
Booth Brothers, Harmony - B+
Jennifer Knapp, Live - B+
Sanctus Real, The Face of Love - B+
Mercy's Mark, Something's Happening - B+
Dove Brothers Quartet, Never the Same - B+
Shawn McDonald, Ripen - B+
Krystal Meyers, Dying For a Heart - B+
Three Bridges, Promises - B+
Jessie Daniels, Jessie Daniels - B
Selah, Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album - B
Hope's Call, Live to Love - B
FM Static, Critically Ashamed - B
MercyMe, Coming Up to Breathe - B
Hawk Nelson, Smile, It's the End of the World - B
Mark Schultz, Broken & Beautiful - B
Dunaways, Revival - B
Audio Adrenaline, Adios - B
Ayiesha Woods, Introducing Ayiesha Woods - B
Liquid, Tales From the Badlands - B
Justin McRoberts, Grace Must Wound - B
Newsboys, Go - B
Family Force 5, Business Up Front, Party In The Back - B
Todd Agnew, Do You See What I See? - B
Caedmon's Call, In The Company of Angels - The World Will Sing - B
Mat Kearney, Nothing Left To Lose - B
Brian Littrell, Welcome Home - B
Phillips, Craig & Dean, Top of My Lungs - B
Kingsmen, Good Good God - B
Hillsong United, United We Stand - B
Watermark, A Grateful People - B 
Detour180, Fighting For You - B
Mainstay, Well Meaning Fiction - B
Jadon Lavik, Life On the Inside - B
Kim Hill, Broken Things - B
Foolish Things, Let's Not Forget the Story - B
Caleb Rowden, Free From Ordinary - B
Cross Culture, Proof Positive - B-
Stacie Orrico, Beautiful Awakening - B-
Big Daddy Weave, Every Time I Breathe - B-
Dalton, Taste the Sky - B-
Charlie Hall, Flying Into Daybreak - B-
Mike Bowling, Influenced & Inspired - B-
Delirious?, Now Is the Time - B-
Ana Laura, Ana Laura - B-
Red, End of Silence - B-
Jaci Velasquez, On My Knees: The Best of Jaci Velasquez - B-
Brandon Heath, Don't Get Comfortable - B-
Rachael Lampa, Blessed: The Best of Rachael Lampa - B-
The Turning, Learning to Lose - B-
Day of Fire, Cut & Move - B-
Passion, Everything Glorious - B-
Anadara, Into the Unknown - B-
Mary Mary, A Mary Mary Christmas - B-
Circleslide, Uncommon Days - B-
Aly & AJ, Acoustic Hearts of Winter - B-
Phil Joel, The Deliberate People Album - B-
Carl Cartee, Unfailing - B-
4HIM, Encore...For Future Generations - B-
Talley Trio, Rise Above - B-
Crabb Family, Blur the Lines - B-
Lisa McClendon, Live From the House of Blues - B-

No Sir.
Kierra KiKi Sheard, This Is Me - C+
Jimmy Needham, Speak - C+
Anthony Evans, Letting Go - C+
Salvador, Dismiss the Mystery - C+
Seven Glory, Over the Rooftops - C+
Brenton Brown, Everlasting God - C+
Gutierrez Brothers, GB5 - C+
Gaither Vocal Band, Give It Away - C+
Fireflight, Healing In the Harms - C+
Fighting Instinct, Fighting Instinct - C
Adie, Don't Wait - C
Hillsong London, Jesus Is - C
Desperation Band, Who You Are - C
Pocket Full of Rocks, Song to the King - C
The Longing, The Longing - C-
Eleventyseven, And the Land of Fake Believe - C-
Israel & New Breed, A Timeless Christmas - C-
Smokie Norful, Life Changing - C-
Nicole C. Mullen, Redeemer:  The Best of Nicole C. Mullen - C-
Various Artists, Velocity - C-
David Phelps, Legacy of Love: David Phelps Live! - C-
Red Umbrella, Red Umbrella - C-
Hundred Year Storm, Hello From the Children of Planet Earth - C-
P.O.D., Testify - C-
KJ-52, Remixed - C-
Martha Munizzi, No Limits Live - D+
Flatfoot56, Knuckles Up - D+
Pillar, The Reckoning - D+
By the Tree, World On Fire - D+
Sarah Kelly, Where the Past Meets Today - D+
Decypher Down, End of Grey - D+
Various Artists, Sing Over Me - D+
Avalon, Stand - D+
Various Artists, Freaked! - D
Amy Grant, Time Again: Amy Grant Live - D
Jeremy Camp, Beyond Measure - D
Michael W. Smith, Stand - D
Stellar Kart, I Can't Stand Sitting Down - D
Kutless, Hearts of the Innocent - D
Building 429, Rise - D
Tammy Trent, I See Beautiful - D-
Jonas Brothers, Jonas Brothers - D-

Currently Digesting
GRITS, Redemption
Booth Brothers, Pure & Simple
Anathello, Floating World
The Violet Burning, drop-dead
Michael Sweet, Him
Third Day, Christmas Offerings
The Imperials, The Imperials
Matthew West, Sellout

Anticipating
GRITS, 7
House of Heroes, Say No More
Jackson Waters, Let It Fly
Jonathan Martin, Jonathan Martin
Judd & Maggie, Subjects
LordSong, Black & White
M.O.C., Garden State of Mind
Nate Sallie, Ruined For Ordinary
Riley Armstrong, La Loop
Run Kid Run, This Is Who We Are
Underoath, Define the Great Line

[plvarona]

Updated 7/26/2009

Top 10:
1. Jars of Clay: Good Monsters (A)
2. Sleeping at Last: Keep No Score (A)
3. Switchfoot: Oh! Gravity (A-)
4. Mute Math: self-titled (A-)
5. Edison Glass: A Burn or a Shiver (A-)
6. The Listening: The Listening LP (A-)
7. Copeland: Eat, Sleep, Repeat (A-)
8. Andrew Osenga: The Morning (A-)
9. The Violet Burning: Drop-Dead (A-)
10. Mars ILL: Pro*Pain (A-)
 
Honorable Mention:
11. The Elms: The Chess Hotel (A-)
12. Alli Rogers: The Day of Small Things (B+)
13. Fair: The Best Worst-Case Scenario (B+)
14. Leigh Nash: Blue on Blue (B+)
15. My Brightest Diamond: Bring Me The Workhorse (B+) (Link to full stream)
16. Robert Randolph & The Family Band: Colorblind (B+)
17. Sufjan Stevens: The Avalance (B+)
18. House of Heroes: Say No More (B+)
19. Plumb: Chaotic Resolve (B+)
20. Jonezetta: Popularity (B )
21. Michelle Tumes: self-titled (B )
22. Sandra McCracken: Gravity|Love (B )
23. Mat Kearney: Nothing Left to Lose (B )
24. KT Tunstall: Eye to the Telescope (B )
25. downhere: Wide-Eyed and Mystified (B )
26. Jason Morant: Open (B )
27. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: Don't You Fake It (B )
28. DecembeRadio: self-titled (B )
29. Sanctus Real: The Face of Love (B )

Mild Recommendations:
Flatfoot 56: Knuckles Up (B-)
Shawn McDonald: Ripen (B-)
The Classic Crime: Albatross (B-)
Skillet: Comatose (B-)
The Fold: This Too Shall Pass (B-)
Hundred Year Storm: Only When It Is Dark Can You See The Stars (C+) (Link to full stream)

Nah:
Michael W. Smith: Stand (D+) (Heard On AOL's Full CD Listening Party)

EPs, Greatest Hits CDs, Live CDs, etc.:
Jennifer Knapp: Live (A-)
Andrew Peterson: Appendix A (B )

Currently Digesting:
---

Current Releases I Plan to Check Out:
Bernard: A View Beyond The Cave
Matthew Perryman Jones: Throwing Punches in the Dark
Matisyahu: Youth
Showbread: Age of Reptiles
Vienna Teng: Dreaming Through The Noise
 
Current Releases That Somewhat Intrigue Me:
All Star United: Love and Radiation
Brandtson: Hello, Control
Ceili Rain: Whatever Makes You Dance
Gasoline Heart: I Know Who You Are
Jonny Lang: Turn Around
mewithoutYou: Brother, Sister
Cindy Morgan: Postcards
Tom Petty: Highway Companion
Red Umbrella: Wishing For Boardwalk
Starflyer 59: My Island
Various Artists: Please Don't Make Us Sing This Song

Current Releases I Plan to Buy Electronically - if available (Read as: Copy-protected):
Judd and Maggie: Subjects

Will Check Out - If I'm Feeilng Particularly Masochistic:
Building 429: Rise
The Jonas Brothers: self-titled
Kutless: Hearts of the Innocent
Stellar Kart: We Can't Stand Sitting Down

My "Year in Music" Column on Epinions:
http://www1.epinions.com/content_4926054532

[Wildcatblue7]

He is Legend is reportedly working on a new album.  I'm anxious to hear that one, certainly, and I'd like to hear the new Elms record and MuteMath's new one.

[Brenden]

Brenden's Music Journal

Top 15
1. Anathallo - Floating World - A+
2. Vienna Teng - Dreaming Through The Noise - A+
3. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America - A
4. Bob Dylan - Modern Times - A
5. Jolie Holland - Springtime Can Kill You - A
6. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped - A
7. Danielson - Ships - A
8. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife - A
9. Jars of Clay - Good Monsters - A
10. Tom Waits - Orphans:  Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards - A
11. Margot & The Nuclear So & So's - The Dust of Retreat - A-
12. Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions - A-
13. MarsIll - Pro*Pain - A-
14. Mute Math - Mute Math - A-
15. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country - A-

The Good

The Elms - The Chess Hotel - A-
TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain - B+
Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas - B+
House of Heroes - Say No More - B+
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere - B+
Stavesacre - How To Live With A Curse - B+
The Lonely Hearts - Paper Tapes - B+
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche - B+
Matisyahu - Youth - B+
Sleeping At Last - Keep No Score - B+
Joseph Arthur - Nuclear Daydream - B+
Weird Al Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood - B+
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood - B+
KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope - B
Johnny Cash�American V: A Hundred Highways - B
Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World - B
Switchfoot - Oh! Gravity - B
Damien Rice - 9 - B
Starflyer 59 - My Island - B
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics - B
Andrew Osenga - The Morning - B
Leigh Nash - Blue On Blue - B
The Raconteurs -  Broken Boy Soldiers - B
The Violet Burning - Drop Dead - B
Ron Sexsmith - Time Being - B
Beck - The Information - B
The Listening - The Rock And Roll Worship Circus Becomes...The Listening - B

The Fairly Good

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - B-
Red Umbrella - Wishing For Boardwalk - B-
Plumb - Chaotic Resolve - B-
John Mayer - Continuum - B-
Pivitplex - The King In A Rookery - B-
Evanescence - The Open Door - B-
Man Man - Six Demon Bag - B-
Chris Daughtry - Daughtry - B-
Thom Yorke - The Eraser - B-
Downhere - Wide Eyed And Mystified - B-
David Bazan - Fewer Moving Parts - B-
Half-Handed Cloud - Halos And Lassos - B-
Belle And Sebastian - The Life Pursuit - B-
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left To Lose - B-
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium - B-
Amusement Parks On Fire - Out Of The Angeles - B-

The Ugly

Muse - Black Holes And Revelations - C+
Family Force 5 - Business Up Front/Party In Back - C+
Shawn McDonald - Ripen - C+
Skillet - Comatose - C+
Drive-By Truckers - A Blessing And A Curse - C+
POD - Testify - C+
The Album Leaf - Into The Blue Again - C
Snakes On A Plane: The Album - C
Caedmon's Call - In The Company Of Angels 2: The World Will Sing - C
Newsboys - Go - C
David Crowder Band - B Collision - C-
Pillar - The Reckoning - D-
Kutless - Hearts of The Innocent - D-
Damien Jurado - ...And Now That I'm In Your Shadow - D-
Kutless - Live From Portland - F+
Paris Hilton - Paris - F


Currently Listening
Tiny Rain - Mizzle
Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Falling Up - Exit Lights
Andrew Bird - Fingerlings 3
Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - So Divided
Ray Lamontagne - Till The Sky Turns Black

[dgp11776]

Top 30
1.  Mars ILL - PRO*PAIN   10.00
2.  Sleeping At Last - Keep No Score  9.50
3.  Jars of Clay - Good Monsters  9.25
4.  House of Heroes - Say No More  9.25
5.  The Listening - Rock 'N Roll Worship Circus Becomes 'The Listening'   9.25
6.  Copeland - Eat, Sleep, Repeat  9.25
7.  mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister  9.25
8.  Band Marino - The Sea & The Beast  9.25
9.  Mute Math - Mute Math 9.00
10.  Diana Krall - From This Moment On  9.00
11.  Page France - Hello, Dear Wind  9.00
12.  Los Lonely Boys - Sacred  9.00
13.  Anathallo - Floating World  9.00
14.  Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome:  The Seeger Sessions  9.00
15.  Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country  9.00
16.  Red Umbrella - Wishing For Boardwalk  9.00
17.  Fair - The Best Worst Case Scenario  9.00
18.  Vienna Teng - Dreaming Through the Noise  9.00
19.  Switchfoot - Oh! Gravity  9.00
20.  Danielson - Ships  8.75
21.  Lonely Hearts - Paper Tapes  8.75
22.  Edison Glass - A Burn Or A Shiver  8.75
23.  The Elms - The Chess Hotel  8.75
24.  Tyler Burkum - Demo LP  8.75
25.  Starflyer 59 - My Island  8.75
26.  Jonezetta - Popularity  8.75
27.  Robert Randolph & The Family Band - Colorblind  8.75
28.  downhere - Wide Eyed and Mystified  8.75
29.  Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood  8.75
30.  Mars ILL - Old Ironsides  8.75

The Rest of the Recommended
Johnny Cash - American V  8.75
Leigh Nash - Blue on Blue  8.50
Salvador - Dismiss the Mystery  8.50
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls In America  8.50
Skillet - Comatose  8.50
Hundred Year Storm - Hello From the Children of Planet Earth  8.50
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit  8.50
The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics  8.50
This Day and Age - The Bell and the Hammer  8.50
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint - The River in Reverse  8.50
Times After Dusk - Like a Moth To the Flame  8.50
Pigeon John - And the Summertime Pool Party  8.50
Ray Charles & The Count Basie Orchestra - Ray Sings, Basie Swings  8.50
Plumb - Chaotic Resolve  8.50
Bebo Norman - Between the Dreaming and Coming True  8.50
Sarah Harmer - I'm A Mountain  8.50
KT Tunstall - Eye To the Telescope  8.25
Sanctus Real - The Face of Love  8.25
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere  8.25
The Violet Burning - Drop-Dead  8.25
Jonny Lang - Turn Around  8.25
Jason Morant - Open  8.25
Shawn McDonald - Ripen  8.25
Elvis Costello - My Flame Burns Blue  8.25
After the Sirens - What I Have To Give, Let It Be Enough  8.00
Tony Bennett - Duets:  An American Classic  8.00
Dead Poetic - Vices  8.00
Pivitplex - The King In A Rookery  8.00
Listener - Talk Music  8.00
Evanescence - The Open Door  8.00
DecembeRadio - DecembeRadio  8.00
P.O.D. - Testify  8.00
The Classic Crime - Albatross  8.00
Leeland - Sound of Melodies  8.00
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left To Lose  8.00
The Procussions - 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents  8.00
Jolie Holland - Springtime Can Kill You  8.00
Jenny Lewis With the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat  8.00
Hem - No Word From Tom  8.00
Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat  8.00
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open  8.00
Showbread - The Age of Reptiles  7.75
Jeremy Enigk - World Waits  7.75
Phil Wickham - Phil Wickham  7.75
Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac  7.75
Jack Johnson and Friends - Sing-a-longs and Lullabies For the Film 'Curious George'  7.75
MercyMe - Coming Up to Breathe  7.50
Cassandra Wilson - Thunderbird  7.50
Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther  7.50
Newsboys - Go  7.50
Various - My Other Band, Vol. 1  7.50
Family Force 5 - Business Up Front, Party In The Back  7.50
Phil Joel - The Deliberate People Album  7.50
Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics  7.50
Josh Rouse - Subtilo  7.50
Iona - The Circling Hour  7.50
Liquid - Tales From the Badlands  7.50
Daughtry - Daughtry  7.25
All Star United - Love and Radiation  7.25
Krystal Meyers - Dying For a Heart  7.25
Ron Sexsmith - Time Being  7.25
Dave Barnes - Chasing Mississippi  7.25
Mainstay - Well Meaning Fiction  7.25
Fighting Instinct - Fighting Instinct  7.25
Embrace - This New Day  7.25
The Little Willies - The Little Willies  7.25
Phillips, Craig & Dean - Top of My Lungs  7.25
Arctic Monkeys - What People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not  7.25
Judd & Maggie - Subjects  7.00
Spur58 - Sleepwalkers  7.00
Homeless J - 3 Seconds To Gaze  7.00
Foolish Things - Let's Not Forget the Story  7.00
Keane - Under the Iron Sea  7.00
Jessie Daniels - Jessie Daniels  7.00
Cindy Morgan - Postcards  7.00
Pillar - The Reckoning  7.00
The Longing - The Longing  7.00
Sullivan - Hey, I'm a Ghost  7.00
Half-Handed Cloud - Halos + Lassos  7.00
Watashi Wa - Eager Seas  7.00
Charlie Hall - Flying Into Daybreak  7.00
The Fold - This Too Shall Pass  7.00
This Providence - This Providence  7.00
Kutless - Hearts of the Innocent  6.75
Various - FREAKED - A Gotee Family Tribute  6.50
Enter the Worship Circle - Chair and Microphone Volume 2  6.50
Gasoline Heart - You Know Who You Are  6.50
The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes  6.50
NevertheLess - Live Like We're Alive  6.50
Desperation Band - Who You Are  6.50
The Crabb Family - Blur the Lines  6.50
Janis Siegel - A Thousand Beautiful Things  6.50
Starfield - Beauty In the Broken  6.25
Falling Up - Exit Lights  6.25

Not Recommended
Fireflight - The Healing of Harms  6.00
Chris Tomlin - See the Morning  6.00
GRITS - Redemption  6.00
Mark Schultz - Broken and Beautiful  6.00
Circleslide - Uncommon Days  6.00
Steve Tyrell - The Disney Standards  6.00
The Turning - Learning To Lose  6.00
Orson - Bright Idea  6.00
Thom Yorke - The Eraser  6.00
Andrea Bocelli - Amore  6.00
Dalton - Taste the Sky  6.00
Rascal Flatts - Me and My Gang  6.00
Matisyahu - Youth  6.00
Caedmon's Call - In The Company of Angels II - The World Will Sing  6.00
NEEDTOBREATHE - Daylight  6.00
Gaither Vocal Band - Give It Away  6.00
Building 429 - Rise  6.00
Frank Sinatra, Jr. - That Face!  6.00
Run Kid Run - This Is Who We Are  5.75
Flatfoot 56 - Knuckles Up  5.50
Jeremy Camp - Beyond Measure  5.50
Avalon - Faith: A Hymns Collection  5.50
Hawk Nelson - Smile, It's the End of the World  5.25
Cross Culture - Proof Positive  5.25
By the Tree - World On Fire  5.00
Michael Bolton - Bolton Swings Sinatra  5.00
Train - For Me, It's You  5.00
Hyper Static Union - Lifegiver  5.00
Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds  5.00
Selah - Bless the Broken Road  5.00
Taylor Hicks - Taylor Hicks  4.75
Life of Riley - Days Away From Life  4.50
Day of Fire - Cut and Move  4.50
eleventyseven - ...and the land of fake believe  4.50
Sarah Kelly - Where the Past Meets Today  4.25
Stellar Kart - We Can't Stand Sitting Down  4.25
Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer  4.25
Ana Laura - Ana Laura  4.25
Brandtson - Hello, Control  4.00
Warren Barfield - Reach  4.00
Il Divo - Ancora  4.00
Michael W. Smith - Stand  3.25
Avalon - Stand  3.00
Kutless - Live in Portland  2.00
Fergie - The Dutchess  1.50

EP's, Live Albums, Greatest Hits, Etc.
Delirious? - Now Is the Time - Live at Willow Creek (DVD)  9.50
Deas Vail - Collapse EP  8.50
Future of Forestry - Future of Forestry EP  8.50
Delirious? - Now Is the Time - Live at Willow Creek (CD)  8.50
Audio Adrenaline - Adios  7.75
Jennifer Knapp - Live  7.50
Luna Halo - Tour EP  7.50
Moses Mayfield - Live EP  7.00
Waking Ashland - Telescopes EP  6.75
Passion - Everything Glorious  6.50
David Crowder Band - Collision B:  The Eschatology of Bluegrass  6.00
4HIM - Encore...For Future Generations  6.00

Christmas Albums
Leigh Nash - Wishing For This  8.50
Over the Rhine - Snow Angels  8.25
Newsong - The Christmas Hope  8.00
Ginny Owens - Bring Us Peace  7.25
Todd Agnew & Friends - Do You See What I See?  7.00
Sarah McLachlan - Wintersong  7.00
Sufjan Stevens - Songs For Christmas  6.50
Moya Brennan - An Irish Christmas  6.00
Bette Midler - Cool Yule  5.50
Third Day - Christmas Offerings  5.25
Aimee Mann - One More Drifter In the Snow  5.00
Michael Bolton - Swingin' Christmas  5.00
AJ & Aly - Acoustic Sounds of Winter  4.00
Hawk Nelson - Gloria EP  4.00
Mary Mary - A Mary Mary Christmas  3.00

Final Update - 1/8/07

[danny316]

Dan's 2006 Music Journal

Ratings are based on CMG's scale.
MuteMath 7.9
Over the Rhine 7.4
KT Tunstall 7.0
Jenny Lewis With the Watson Twins 6.7
Jars of Clay 6.0
The Flaming Lips 6.0
Whispertown 2000 5.5
Niel Young 5.0

Gosh, none of this is all that good.

Interested in hearing:
Plumb
Radiohead
Jennifer Knapp
Leigh Nash

[bloop]

The Best of 2K6
1  Return to Cookiee Mountain, TV on the Radio (9.5)
2  Roots & Crowns, Califone (9.5)
3  Modern Times, Bob Dylan (9.5)
4  Ships, Danielson (9.5)
5  Boys and Girls in America, The Hold Steady (9.5)
6  The Crane Wife, The Decemberists (9.0)
7  Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Neko Case (9.0)
8  Savane, Ali Farka Toure (9.0)
9  Ys, Joanna Newsom (9.0)
10 Blood Mountain, Mastodon (9.0)
11 Keep No Score, Sleeping At Last (9.0)
12 Drum's Not Dead, Liars (9.0)
13 Citrus, Asobi Seksu (9.0)
14 Scale, Herbert (9.0)
15 AWOO, The Hidden Cameras (9.0)
16 Dreaming Through the Noise, Vienna Teng (9.0)
17 Good Monsters, Jars of Clay (8.5)
18 For Hero:  For Fool, Subtle (8.5)
19 Yellow House, Grizzly Bear (8.5)
20 The Sea and The Beast, Band Marino (8.5)
21 Game Theory, The Roots (8.5)
22 Rather Ripped, Sonic Youth (8.5)
23 At War with the Mystics, The Flaming Lips (8.5)
24 Fishscale, Ghostface Killah (8.5)
25 Pro*Pain, Mars Ill  (8.5)
26 So This is Goodbye, Junior Boys (8.5)
27 Amercan V, Johnny Cash (8.5)
28 Bitter Tea, The Fiery Furnaces (8.5)
29 The River in Reverse, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint (8.5)
30 The Information, Beck (8.5)
31 Silent Shout, The Knife (8.0)
32 Comfort of Strangers, Beth Orton (8.0)
33 Let's Get Out of this Country, Camera Obscura (8.0)
34 We Are the Pipettes, The Pipettes (8.0)
35 Springtime Can Kill You, Jolie Holland (8.0)
36 My Island, Starflyer 59 (8.0)
37 Mosaic, Woven Hand (7.5)
38 Destroyer's Rubies, Destroyer (7.5)
39 Eye to the Telescope, KT Tunstall (7.5)
40 Back to Basics, Christina Aguilera (7.5)
41 The Trials of Van Occupanther, Midlake (7.5)
42 Hell Hath No Fury, Clipse (7.5)
43 Morph the Cat, Donald Fagen (7.5)
44 Taking the Long Way, The Dixie Chicks (7.5)
45 Songlines, The Derek Trucks Band (7.5)
46 Mute Math, Mute Math (7.5)
47 Floating World, Anathallo (7.5)
48 Pearl Jam, Pearl Jam (7.5)
49 Return to the Sea, Islands (7.5)
50 Big Iron World, Old Crow Medicine Show (7.5)
51 Black Cadillacs, Rosanne Cash (7.5)
52 The Rock and Roll Worship Circus Becomes The Listening, The Listening (7.0)
53 Eat, Sleep, Repeat, Copeland (7.0)
54 Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Arctic Monkeys (7.0)
55 The Greatest, Cat Power (7.0)
56 Brother, Sister, mewithoutyou (7.0)
57 So Divided, . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (7.0)
58 The Eraser, Thom Yorke (7.0)
59 St. Elsewhere, Gnarls Barkley (7.0)
60 Light Grenades, Incubus (7.0)
61 The Body, The Blood, The Machine, The Thermals (6.5)
62 Fantasia, Fantasia Barrino (6.5)
63 10,000 Days, Tool (6.5)
64 Stadium Arcadium, Red Hot Chili Peppers (6.5)
65 Oh! Gravity, Switchfoot (6.5)
66 3121, Prince (6.5)
67 The Open Door, Evanescence (6.5)
68 Sam's Town, The Killers (6.5)
69 Idlewild, OutKast (6.5)
70 Say No More, House of Heroes (6.5)
71 The Air Force, Xiu Xiu (6.5)
72 Mizzle, Tiny Rain (6.5)
73 Hip Hop is Dead, Nas (6.5)

No Dice
Meds, Placebo (5.5)
Testify, P.O.D. (4.5)
The Drift, Scott Walker (6.0)
Paris, Paris Hilton (1.5)
Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance (5.0)
Endless Wire, The Who (6.0)
Comatose, Skillet (5.0)
Hearts of the Innocent, Kutless (2.0)

Hey, You Cheated! (covers, tributes, live albums, b-sides & raritiesetc.)
1  We Shall Overcome, Bruce Springsteen (9.5)
2  Orphans:  Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards, Tom Waits (8.5)
3  Live from Nowhere vol. 1, Over the Rhine (8.5)
4  Love, The Beatles (8.0)
5  The Avalanche, Sufjan Stevens (8.0)
6  Pay the Devil, Van Morrison (8.0)
7  Nashville, Solomon Burke (8.0)

Digesting
Morph the Cat, Donald Fagen

DON'T EVEN BOTHER:
0.0: Not one redeeming characteristic (F)
0.5-1.5: Painful (F)
2.0-2.5: Terrible (F)
3.0-3.5: Poor  (F)
4.0-4.5: Nearing average (D)

BE WARNED:
5.0: Average  (C-)
5.5: Slightly above average (C )
6.0: Pretty Good; serious flaws (C+)

TRY IT:
6.5: Solid; detracting problems (B-)
7.0: Good; well above average (B )
7.5: Impressive; few major reservations (B+)

BUY IT:
8.0: Excellent; repeated listens suggested (A-)
8.5: Exceptional; repeated listens demanded (A)
9.0-9.5: Great; Very few, if any, notable flaws (A+)
10.0: Essential; Among the best of all time (A++)

updated 1/13/07

[schilleriana]

listened to:
Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler - All the Roadrunning
Beth Orton - Comfort of Strangers
Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac
The Elms - The Chess Hotel
KT Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope
Mute Math - Mute Math


currently listening:
Kim Taylor - I Feel Like a Fading Light
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
Ramblin' Jack Elliott - I Stand Alone
The Violet Burning - Drop Dead
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Over the Rhine - Live from Nowhere, vol. 1
Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions


anticipating:
Emmylou Harris boxed set (Nov. 6)
Tom Waits - Orphans (Nov. 21)
KT Tunstall - (untitled)
Mary Gauthier - (untitled)


what happen?:
Gillian Welch - double disc re-release of Revival


these won't be out in 2006 after all:
Eleni Mandell - Miracle of Five (Feb. 2007)
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through (Feb. 6 2007)
Sam Phillips - Can I Trade You This for a Tank of Gas?
Gillian Welch - (untitled)
Over the Rhine - (untitled)


rumors:
Emmylou Harris
Julie Miller

[bebop]

Alright, I'm a longtime lurker, newtime poster, but I'll play.  I've always wanted to track my listening experiences.

Top of 2006
1.  We Shall Overcome - Bruce Springsteen: A
2.  Paul Simon - Suprise: A-
3.  Elvis Costello - The River in Reverse: A-
4.  John Mayer - Continuum: B+
5.  Switchfoot - Oh Gravity!:  B+
6.  Andrew Osenga - The Morning: B+
7.  The Listening - The Listening LP:  B+
8.  Good Monsters - Jars of Clay: B+
9.  Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac:  B+
10.  Beth Orton - The Comfort of Strangers: B+
11.  Mute Math - Mute Math:  B+
12.  Kt Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope: B
13.  Indigo Girls - Despite our Differences: B
14.  Plumb - Chaotic Resolve: B
15.  Elton John - The Captain and the Kid: B
16.  Leigh Nash - Blue on Blue: B
17.  Leeland - Sound of Melodies: B-
18.  Tarzan - the Musical:  C+

Umm, no....
The Elms - The Chess Hotel:  C-
Caedmon's Call - In the Company of Angels - the World Will Sing: C -
David Gilmour - On an Island: D
Glen Phillips - Mr. Lemmons - C+

Digesting
Robert Randolph - Colorblind
Derek Trucks - Songlines
Matt Kearny - Nothing Left to Lose
Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds
Out, but haven't heard

Charlie Hall - Flying into Daybreak
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones- Hidden Lands
Elvis Costello - My Flame burns Blue
Sleeping At Last - Keep No Score
Danielson - Ships
Sarah Harmer - I'm a Mountain
Edison Glass - A burn or a shiver
Johnny Cash - American V
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche

Anxiously Awaiting



Curious because of other Phorum members

[worldofcm]

6.  Gaither Vocal Band - Give It Away  6.00
 

Looks like you feel about the same way about that album as I do.

[dgp11776]

6.  Gaither Vocal Band - Give It Away  6.00
 

Looks like you feel about the same way about that album as I do.

Yeah, I wasn't expecting to feel so blah about it.  The album lacks the "holy mackeral!" moments of their last few.  Nothing really sticks out too much as being great, and only a few songs are real clunkers.  Just mediocrity...not what I've come to expect from them.

[Tom]

[Brenden]

[murlough23]

Re: The new Jars of Clay stuff:

Well gee, guys, if you're so excited about playing your new stuff for a West Coast audience, why the hell did you cancel both of your February 11th concerts?  :angry:  

[plumb_fan]

So they've finally decided to become the rock band everyone has tried to force them to be.

Maybe this will be their version of 6pence's self-titled with a bunch of songs about being pissed at their label.

[dgp11776]

JOSH'S #1 ALBUM OF 2006 IS A HIP-HOP ALBUM!!!  It's early, though.

[Josh]

JOSH'S #1 ALBUM OF 2006 IS A HIP-HOP ALBUM!!!  It's early, though.

I'm enjoying that album more and more, actually-- don't be surprised if it ends up staying toward the top of the list for many months to come. Heck... truth be told, I wouldn't be at all embarrassed to include it on my year-end Top 10 (though I doubt that'll happen, just because so many of my favorite bands and singers have new albums coming out in 2006).

[murlough23]

Because of that, I'm putting Mars Ill on my "anticipating" list, so that I'll make a note to actually listen to it.

When does it actually release, anyway?

NP: "Lullabye for a Stormy Night", Vienna Teng

[Josh]

Because of that, I'm putting Mars Ill on my "anticipating" list, so that I'll make a note to actually listen to it.

When does it actually release, anyway?

NP: "Lullabye for a Stormy Night", Vienna Teng

I think I remember hearing something about early May, but this album has been through so much legal red tape it's getting hard to keep track.

[adriftconscious]

EDIT:: whoops, this is the downfall of not reading the posts before mine. I had posted about the MuteMath album. I now see that several of you have logged it. On one cursory listen driving back from Minneapolis my impressions are highly highly favorable. Gonna give it a B+ for now, with definite chance to move upward. Thus far its the only album of this year that I've bought. I have no money, thus no music.

By the way, if you ever get a chance to see them live, jump at it, because they're amazing.

[NinjaRob17]

Top 10
1. mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister (A)
2. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife (A)
3. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America  (A)
4. This Day & Age - The Bell and the Hammer (A-)
5. Anathallo - Floating World (A-)
6. Mars iLL - Pro*Pain (A-)
7. Mute Math - Mute Math (A-)
8. Starflyer 59 - My Island (A-)
9. The Elms - The Chess Hotel (A-)
10. Mars iLL - Old Ironsides (A-)

I Liked It
Copeland - Eat, Sleep, Repeat (B+)
Danielson - Ships (B+)
Stavesacre - How To Live With A Curse (B+)
House Of Heroes - Say No More (B+)
The Listening - The Listening LP (B+)
Jonezetta - Popularity (B+)
Fair - The Best Worst Case Scenario (B+)

I Was OK With It
The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics (B)
Incubus - Light Grenades (B)
Dead Poetic - Vices (B)
Underoath - Define the Great Line (B)
Switchfoot - Oh! Gravity (B)
Edison Glass - A Burn Or A Shiver (B)
Sleeping At Last - Keep No Score (B)
He Is Legend - Suck Out the Poison (B)
The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine (B)
Matisyahu - Youth  (B)
Robert Randolph and the Family Band - Colorblind (B)
DecembeRadio - DecembeRadio (B)
The Classic Crime - Albatross (B)
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche (B)
Jars of Clay - Good Monsters (B)
All Star United - Love And Radiation (B)
Far-Less - Everyone Is Out To Get Us (B)
Showbread - Age of Reptiles (B)
Family Force 5 - Business Up Front, Party In the Back (B)
Weird Al Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood (B-)
Skillet - Comatose (B-)
P.O.D. - Testify (B-)
Nevertheless - Live Like We're Alive (B-)
The Fold - This Too Shall Pass (B-)
Disciple - Scars Remain (C+)
Flatfoot 56 - Knuckles Up (C+)
Pivitplex - The King In A Rookery (C+)
Hawk Nelson - Smile, It's the End of the World (C+)
Adie - Don't Wait (C+)

I Did Not Like It
Newsboys - Go (C)
The Turning - Learning To Lose (C-)
Decyfer Down - End Of Grey (C-)
Pillar - The Reckoning (C-)
Red - End of Silence (D+)
Kutless - Hearts of the Innocent (D)

EPs, Live Albums, Cover Albums, etc.
Falling Up - Exit Lights (B-)
Various Artists - Freaked!: A Gotee Family Tribute (C)

Digesting:
April Sixth - In Memory
Beck - The Information
Civil Twilight - Human
David Crowder Band - B Collision
Eleventyseven - And The Land Of Fake Believe
Evanescence - The Open Door
The Format - Dog Problems
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Muse - Black Holes And Revelations
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
Norma Jean - Redeemer
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Don't You Fake It
Reel Big Fish - Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Rocco DeLuca And The Burden - I Trust You To Kill Me
Rotten Musicians - Make A Face
Since October - Grasping For Hope
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Streetlight Manifesto - Keasbey Nights
The Sword - Age Of Winters
Tool - 10,000 Days
The Velvet Teen - Cum Laude!
The Violet Burning - Drop-Dead
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots
Children 18:3 - Songs Of Desparation EP
Battles - EP C/B EP
The Skies Revolt - Kamikaze Romantic Thoughts
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Black Label Society - Shot To Hell
The Killers - Sam's Town
The Mars Volta - Amputechture
Rock Kills Kid - Are You Nervous?
Cold War Kids - Robbers And Cowards
Pretty Lights - Taking Up Your Precious Time
dj BC - Let It Beast
Breaking Benjamin - Phobia
Bomb the Music Industry! - Goodbye Cool World
No Trigger - Canyoneer
TV On the Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
Snowden - Anti-Anti
Rock Plaza Central - Are We Not Horses?
Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites

[dgp11776]

Because of that, I'm putting Mars Ill on my "anticipating" list, so that I'll make a note to actually listen to it.

When does it actually release, anyway?

I think I remember hearing something about early May, but this album has been through so much legal red tape it's getting hard to keep track.

Josh is right - early May is the scheduled date.  My copy has "2004" on the back of it...crazy!

[TheWanderer]

[Tom]

3. Sullivan, B (reminds me so much of Sunny Day Real Estate but not quite as good)
 

ok. you talked me into wanting to hear them. if i can't have more of my beloved SDRE, then please give me a decent fake SDRE. =)  

[TheWanderer]

3. Sullivan, B (reminds me so much of Sunny Day Real Estate but not quite as good)
 

ok. you talked me into wanting to hear them. if i can't have more of my beloved SDRE, then please give me a decent fake SDRE. =)

I had seen people talking about them at CMCentral and then I saw the cd at Walmart.  I previewed it there and online and it's that type of emo-prog-indie rock that SDRE was so great at giving us.  Now, the singer is nothing like Jeremy Enigk, but the musicianship, layering, and etheral mood makes me happy.  I will be buying this one next.

[ajyouthguy]

Edited 1/17
1. Sleeping at Last—Keep No Score…
2. Copeland—Eat, Sleep, Repeat…
3. Mute Math—Mute Math…
4. Mat Kearney—Nothing Left to Lose…
5. Jars of Clay—Good Monsters….
6. Edison Glass—A Burn or a Shiver….
7. The Listening—The Rock and Roll Worship Circus Becomes The Listening…
8. Robert Randolph and the Family Band—Colorblind…
9. Switchfoot--Oh Gravity...
10. Andrew Osenga--The Morning…
11. Red Umbrella—Wishing for Boardwalk…
12. Plumb—Chaotic Resolve…
13. Skillet—Rebirthing…
14. Downhere--Wide-Eyed and Mystified…
15. Turn Off the Stars--Turn off the Stars...
16. Johnny Cash—American V...
17. Forever Changed--Chapters...
18. Hawk Nelson—Smile, It's the End of the World ...
19. Daughtry--Daughtry...
20. Leeland—Sound of Melodies…
21. The Elms—The Chess Hotel...
22. Soul P—The Premiere...
23. NEEDTOBREATHE--Daylight
24. Decyfer Down--End of Grey
25. P.O.D.--Testify

[TheWanderer]

updated my list with Matisyahu and P.O.D.

[RedcoatJones]

Since I've actually obtained/heard a few CDs from this year, I'll play along.

Changed my rating scale to reflect bloop's. I like that scale.

The running top ten:
1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (9)
2. Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way (8.0)
3. The Flaming Lips - At War with the Mystics (7.5)
4. Blue October - Foiled (7.0)
5. Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors (6.0)
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

No Cigar:


Assorted other releases (EPs, DVDs, etc.):
Gorillaz - Demon Days Live at Macnchester DVD (B)

Currently digesting:
Jars of Clay - Good Monsters

[bloop]

Mars Ill is out now . . . and it's a little expensive for an album that I only have word of mouth to go on.  We'll see.

1. Neko Case -Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (A)

I just noticed this.  *phew*  For a while there, I thought I was the only one.

[AldaForPresident]

1. Over the Rhine, Live from Nowhere vol. 1 - A
2. Vienna Teng, Dreaming Through the Noise - A-
3. Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds - B+
4. Rosanne Cash, Black Cadillac - B+
5. KT Tunstall, Eye to the Telescope - B+
6. Over the Rhine, Snow Angels - B+
7. Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - B+
8. Foo Fighters, Skin and Bones - B+
9. Def Leppard, Yeah! - B+
10. Prince, 3121 - B+
11. Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way - B+
12. Michael Giacchino, Lost: Original Television Soundtrack - B
13. Jay-Z, Kingdom Come - B-
14. Bob Dylan, Modern Times - B-
15. Beyonce, B'Day - B-
16. The Killers, Sam's Town - D
17. Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions - D

Updated 02/01/07

[Brenden]

Camera Obscura-- Let's Leave This Country

I just found out about these guys like a months ago, I'm interested in seeing what rating you give their cd.

[ewok20t3]

I changed my mind on what I had posted on cmcentral for this topic...

1. United We Fear - The Accident Experiment (Great album. Everyone should seriously check this out. It's like Tool meets Pink Floyd meets the catchy chorus' of Breaking Benjamin. www.theaccidentexperiment.net or www.myspace.com/theaccidentexperiment . If you check out their myspace listen to "Lukas' Star". Most of the best stuff isn't on there.)
2. The Melody and The Energetic Volume of Nature - Evans Blue
3. 10,000 Days - Tool
4. Decemberunderground - AFI

Nothing else that I've heard that came out this year has done anything for me.

[Josh]

I've expanded my Top 10 list to a Top 20, and I've just about got ten A-level albums at the front end of the list.

This has become, for me, the best musical year of the decade-- even though I have yet to hear an A+/masterpiece-status recording, I've heard so many albums that come so very close, and there have been more albums released this year that I'd deem "essential" than in any other year in recent memory.

I said that in 2004, of course, but I think this year's crop beats out that one.

[Josh]

HOLY COW!

DGP, do my eyes deceive me, or have you ranked Sleeping at Last AHEAD OF MARS ILL?!?

Dadgum, man! I have to hear this thing!

[dgp11776]

DGP, do my eyes deceive me, or have you ranked Sleeping at Last AHEAD OF MARS ILL?!?

Dadgum, man! I have to hear this thing!

To the first sentence:  after spending a lot of time with the new SAL disc, I have come to the conclusion that it is an absolute masterpiece.  From the sweeping string arrangements, to the deeply poetical lyrics, to the complex and unpredictable song structures, there isn't a thing I can say negative about it.  While Mars ILL is also a masterpiece in its own world, I didn't feel right putting it ahead of SAL any longer.

To the second sentence:  YES!  I can't say it's a slam dunk for you, though, because Ryan O'Neal's voice is still the same.  If memory serves correctly, that was your biggest problem with Ghosts.

[Brenden]