"A truly dynamic band with a variety o..." more

"A truly dynamic band with a variety of sounds. They can lull you to sleep with the syrupy ballad "Manitoba" only to rock you to your feet with album highlights "Insistor" and "Crazy Eights". Its hard to define these guys in a word, but "enthusiastic" sounds pretty good. They simply have a real nice energy." less

"In "Return to the Sea" we have perhap..." more

"In "Return to the Sea" we have perhaps the most luscious opening 18 or so minutes of any album of 2006. In this span, the listener is in utter bliss ending in an awesome climax in my track of 2006 "Rough Gems". The last half of the album is more or less a soft descent into sweetness with tracks like "Volcanoes" and playfully hidden "Bucky Little Wing". Just a sweet up and down ride that is fulfilling to no end." less

""So This is Goodbye" is easily my fav..." more

""So This is Goodbye" is easily my favorite electronic album of 2006 and I highly recommend it. STIG features a healthy mix of restraint, urgency, and listenability. The opening track "Double Shadow" is catchy and displays the vocal athleticism of Greenspan. However, the album really satisfies in the next track "The Equalizer," which opens with atmospheric synths, only to go full-fledged into heavy bass thumps. "Count Souvenirs" and "In the Morning" fill out the middle of the album: both are tuneful and memorable. The album is not without missteps, though. "Like a Child" is a bit of a snoozer that never reaches maturation (sorry for the pun). And "When No One Cares", a Sinatra cover, sounds weepy and trite. Still, this is a darn fine album that should find appeal among the experienced electronic fans as well as the casual indie fans." less

""Gang of Losers" is an album with a l..." more

""Gang of Losers" is an album with a lot of depth regarding instrumentation and musical arrangement. Whether it be "Highest", a minimal ballad that brings to mind Radiohead, the catchy pop leanings of "Hate then Love" and "You and I are a Gang of Losers", or the nice acoustic version of "There Goes my Outfit", this album has it all. An hour of blissful, consistent tunes - highly recommended!" less

"One will be hard-pressed to find a ca..." more

"One will be hard-pressed to find a catchier, more accessible album in 06 than HIFEG. An album I keep going back to, HIFEG is incredibly consistent listen whose greatness lies not in a single track but spread equally throughout its 40 minutes. Particularly endearing to the Awkward Stage are the delicious lead vocals - soft yet confident. An easy pick for this list." less

"I think M. Ward is a shaggy, un-shave..." more

"I think M. Ward is a shaggy, un-shaven, cigarette puffing mountain man who makes amazing albums. Post-War in particular has a warm, maroonish sound with many amazing tracks. Whether it be the soft opening track on the pangs of loneliness or its successor, "To Go Home", a confident celebrative collaboration between M. Ward and Neko Case, each will find something (or everything) to love in this top-tier album of '06." less

"Spencer Krug, in SUIAD has recreated ..." more

"Spencer Krug, in SUIAD has recreated the dream-space, a varied landscape of fantasy, urgency, and fragility. With a wholly different feel in my opinion than 2007's Random Spirit Lover (a bit less aggressive, much more contemplative and gentle) fans of SR will yet feel right at home. In conclusion, this is a flat-out beautiful album cover to cover connected always by Spencer Krug's unrestrained creativity and lovely piano / keyboard arrangements." less

"Classic rock that extends into the te..." more

"Classic rock that extends into the territory of "epic" while retaining what we most love about classic rock: its homeliness and relatability. The album opens with hit single "Stuck Between Stations" that is not as grandiose as other tracks but has the sound of a band already arrived. The next track is similarly strong and its playful tone (the song is about a race horse named Chips Ahoy) with its background shouts "Aaaahaaahaa" endears the listener. Arguably, the best point of the album are its last three tracks, where the buildup from the previous tracks is rounded out in a masterful close. Get the whole album - you won't regret it!" less

"Timeless. Glamorous pop songs that ar..." more

"Timeless. Glamorous pop songs that are carefree and catchy as bubblegum. Everyone seems to have a different favorite song on the album (Blues are still Blue, Dress up in you, Acts of the Apostle I,II, Price of a Cup of Tea). Considering accessibility and tunefulness, this must be considered in any top ten list of 2006. Simply a must-have." less

"YLT does not need your approval - on ..." more

"YLT does not need your approval - on the contrary they are, as the title suggests, "not afraid of you" (or your criticism). Featuring diverse instrumentation and spanning multi-genres, this album emits a confident cool that is at the same time accessible and novel." less