MacKenzieLand: Top 10 Albums of 2006

1. White Whale – WWI
[Featuring members of the Get Up Kids, Butterglory, The Higher Burning Fire, and Boys Life, the Lawrence, KS quintet is everything indie rock is searching for.]


2. The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
[Yeah he's sober now, but Greg Dulli still kills.]


3. Joanna Newsom – Ys
[I tried to ignore her, but Newsom is lovely.]


4. Mew - And the Glass Handed Kites
[Gorgeous sonic goodness that'll make Lush fans squeal.]


5. Tap Tap – Lanzafame
[Reading, England's answer to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.]


6. Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
[Just one listen to "Life Is a Pigsty" and you'll understand why this Moz album rules.]


7. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
[A Sub Pop gem featuring former members of Carissa's Wierd.]


8. Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat
[A New York City scape lush in poetry and romance. Thank you Richard Edwards.]


9. Christina Aguilera – Back to Basics
[Lady is a vamp. 'Nuff said.]


10. I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness - Fear Is on Our Side
[Sounds like early '90s synth rock without the kitsch. Second coming of 24 Gone?]


Honorable mentions:
Ellen Allien & Apparat - Orchestra of Bubbles
Isobel Campbell - Milk White Sheets
Russian Circles - Enter
The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Nelly Furtado - Loose
Elbow - Leaders of the Free World
Black Heart Procession - The Spell
Deftones – Saturday Night Wrist
Jim Noir – Tower of Love
Dani Siciliano - Slappers
Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
The Rosewood Thieves - From the Decker House EP
The Walkmen - Pussy Cats

words.music.words.music.

Here comes another shameless plug! Latest scribing from yours truly.

Joanna Newsom - Ys [Metro Times]
Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist [Metro Times]
The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home [All Music Guide]
*Also appearing in this week's "Artist Spotlight" on AMG!

Thanks for reading. xo

Ys is Coming to Your Town!

Indie rock's reigning princess Joanna Newsom takes to the road this winter in support of her second album, Ys. Her beau Bill Callahan will also be sharing the stage through the Austin gig while Newsom will end the year with a handful of solo shows on the West Coast. The Northern Sinfonia and the London Symphony Orchestra will also join Newsom on select UK dates in January.

NOVEMBER
29 Malibu CA @ the Malibu Performing Arts Center
30 Los Angeles CA @ the El Rey Theater

DECEMBER
01 Santa Cruz CA @ The Rio Theatre
02 Eugene OR @ WOW Hall
03 Portland OR @ the Aladdin Theater
04 Seattle WA @ Showbox
05 Vancouver BC @ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church
08 Minneapolis MN @ the 400 Bar
09 Madison WI @ Great Hall/Memorial Union
10 Lawrence KS @ Granada
11 Norman OK @ Meacham Theater/University of Oklahoma
12 Houston TX @ Orange Show
13 Austin TX @ The Parish
14 Marfa TX @ Ballroom Marfa
15 Albuquerque NM @ Launchpad
17 San Diego CA @ Casbah
19 San Francisco CA @ Great American Music Hall
20 San Francisco CA @ Great American Music Hall