As it gets to be three quarters of the way through 2006, I've been thinking about my records of the year, and I figured I tie this into a new list of recommended CD's.


1)Rafael Toral - Space

Until this record, I was not a fan of Toral's work. Not that I hated it, I thought he was bogged down by his influences. It did not surprise me in his recent Wire article he broughtup My Bloody Valentine as I felt he was going for an MBV hybrid with Phill Niblock and La Monte Young influences. But it never quite connected for me. With Space, he's ditched the guitar in favor of homemade electronics and feedback machines. Forging into new sci-fi style territory he explores jazzy and Cage-ian cocepts to an amazing degree, and produces the most interesting, entertaining and unexpected new music so far this year.

2)Wolf Eyes - River Slaughter

There's only a 1000 of these LP's and they are pretty much all gone and the reissue is unlikely, this is Wolf Eyes, and it's shame, as this their masterpiece. Human Animal their new widely available Sub Pop album is very good, but River Slaughter shows them going in an ambitious new direction of ominous ambience and shocking dynamics, proving once again that these guys have more depth than what folk originally thought. Hit ebay, track it down however you can, it's worth it.

3)Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid - The Exchange Sessions Vol 1
4)Girl Talk - Nightripper
5)Scott Walker - The Drift
6)Ryoji Ikeda - Dataplex


7)TV on the Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain

One of many good indie rock records this year. TVOTR finally deliver on their promise taking the best aspects of Talking Heads and Pere Ubu and giving it a wonderful studio realised background.

8)Fe-mail - Blixter Toad

9)The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls In America

The past few weeks has found me playing this on my ipod constantly. I have followed Craig Finn and Tad Kubler all the way back to the Lifter Puller days. The Hold Steady sound nothing like anything else on this list. Classic rock, narrative lyric driven and sung by Craig Finn in style more spoken than Stephen Malkmus. Their sound lands somewhere between early boss (that's right, Springsteen) and The Jim Carroll Band. It's so refreshing to hear a record that's well written and so memorable. Some hardcore Hold Steadyfans might resent the big choruses, but to me, they've wanted to put the big choruses in all along and held back, now, they are not, and you'll see why this band is amazing.

10)Grizzly Bear - Yellow House

GB basically combine the atmospheres that Animal Collective create but keep them more grounded, with the prettiness of Sufjan Stevens without the preciousness. Yellow House is very enjoyable record that show's a major leap foward for Grizzly Bear.