Duncan Clark Poop 06


Time seems to be at a premium this year so this is going to have to be an abridged version of the POOP list. It was a good, not great, year for music. No single work towered over everything else. The list is headed up by the first decent folk-rock band to come out of England in a long time. Politics made a welcome and needed comeback ranging from explicit self-righteousness (Neil Young)to party while you protest (Michael Franti) to the more sublime but equally as effective (Springsteen who put more energy and enthusiasm into revisiting old folk songs than he ever has in any of his other solo work). Not surprisingly, some of the more astute political commentary comes from Woody Guthrie in the third installment of the Mermaid Avenue project by the Klezmatics. Musically, Dylan mined the same territory while still being able to say something new. It was a great year for NYC bands. Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo and the Strokes all put albums whichrank up there with their best work and that’s not even counting the decent effort by the remains of the NY Dolls. Dinosaurs like Paul Simon and Tom Petty showed new life and Cheap Trick came from out of nowhere with an album that rivals the energy of their first couple of albums. The Novaks album is actually from 2005 but the first I heard of them was on Bill Kelly’s show last year. Not mentioned below but deserving of recognition were albums by Elvis Costello and Allan Toussaint, the Vines and the live album from the Eels. Also there were welcome returns from Ray Davies and Cat “Yusef” Stevens.

CDs

1. THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF MAY
2. MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEADYell Fire!
3. THE KLEZMATICS- Wonder Wheel
4. THE RACONTEURS- Broken Boy Soldiers
5. SONIC YOUTH- Rather Ripped
6. CHEAP TRICK- Rockford
7. WILLIE NILE- Streets of New York
8. THE DEREK TRUCKS BAND- Songlines
9. NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE- Live at the Fillmore East
10. THE DECEMBERISTS- The Crane Wife
11. YO LA TENGO- I Am Not Afraid of You And I Will Kick Your Ass
12. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-We Shall Overcome- The Seeger Sessions
13. THE ARCTIC MONKEYS- Whatever People Say I Am…
14. PRIMAL SCREAM- Riot City Blues
15. BOB DYLAN- Modern Times
16. THE STROKES- First Impressions of Earth
17. PAUL SIMON- Surprise
18. TOM PETTY- Highway Companion
19. THE NOVAKS
20. JOSEPH ARTHUR- Nuclear Daydream
21. JOAN OSBORNE- Pretty Little Things
22. JOHNY CASH- American V: A Hundred Highways
23. LOREENA McKENNITT- An Ancient Muse
24. COCKTAIL SLIPPERS- Mastermind
25. NEIL YOUNG- Living With War


 

TOP REISSUES


1. TONY JOE WHITE- Swamp Music: The Monument Recordings
2. RICHARD THOMPSON – The Life and Times of Richard Thompson
3. THE PRETENDERS – Pirate Radio
4. JAMES BROWN – The Singles Vol. 1: The Federal Years 1956-1960
5. The reissues of the early latin albums from the Fania label such as Joe Cuba and Ray Barretto


 

TOP CONCERTS

1. CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG- Bethel NY
2. THE POGUES- Nokia Theater NYC
3. GANDALF MURPHY & THE SLAMBOVIAN CIRCUS OF DREAMS- Towne Crier Café
4. BENEFIT CONCERT WITH PETE SEEGER, NATALIE MERCHANT, THE KLEZMATICS, SUSAN McKEOWN, JAY UNGER & MOLLY MASON- UPAC
5. MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD- The Chance