MUSIC : The 2006 List

It's that time of the year again. Continuing the tradition of last year, here's the list of MY favourite music of 2006. This year I'll try to make the list simpler (not enough time, really!). And just like last year, coming up is my list of Favourite Movies & TV Shows of 2006. Read on..


FAVOURITE BAND/ARTISTE 2006


Arctic Monkeys

In 2006, more than ever before, artists have had to hit hard and hit fast to make an impact. YouTube, MySpace Music and the new blogocracy mean that overnight sensations can now happen, almost literally, in the course of a single day. Careers aren't built, they're launched – vertically, like a rocket. And if they don't shoot straight into the stratosphere, they're finished before they've started. Arctic Monkeys are the most famous exemplars of this super-success. By the time their album came out in January, they were already huge. 4 teenagers from Sheffield lead by the talented Alex Turner has taken the term 'online music' to another level. They cultivated a fanbase by making MP3s available on the internet, and before they had even released a proper single, managed to have a sell out concert in London's Astoria.

Arctic Monkeys' sound is based entirely on music from the past five years. The laconic, distorted vocals bear the influence of the Strokes. The choppy punk-funk guitars have been filtered through Franz Ferdinand, the frantic rhythms and dashes of ska come via the Libertines. So what makes them different? It's those lyrics that set the Monkeys apart from their contemporaries. Turner effortlessly describes scenarios that everyone can identify with - a taxi ride home, pretentious bands who pretend to be cool, arguments with a girlfriend - and manages to make every line sound pithy, funny, poignant and immensely quotable. Musically, it's scratchy, raw guitar rock all the way - the sort that makes you fall in love with music all over again.

Their debut album has been voted as the best album of the year from Time Magazine recently. If you haven't yet listen to their album, that's one reason to start.



FAVOURITE ALBUMS 2006

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Clearly the album of the year for me. This album contains many of my favourite lyrics this year: all that's left is the proof that love's not only blind but deaf - (Fake Tales of San Fransisco); anticipation has the habit to set you up for disappointment - (View From The Afternoon); there's only music, so that there's new ringtones - (A Certain Romance); All you people are vampires/All your stories are stale/Though you pretend to stand by us/Though you're certain we'll fail - (Perhaps Vampire Is A Bit Strong But..). Beneath all the internet hype, this album has all the ingredients -startling youth, tremendous potential, a gifted lyricist, and a rock-solid rhythm section. What more could you ask for? FAVE TRACK : Fakes Tales of San Fransisco

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam's best studio album in a decade is like Vs. with politics -- iron-rock riffing and a lyric righteousness forged in real battle. "World Wide Suicide" and "Army Reserve" don't just protest the Iraq War and its disastrous consequences. These are songs about universal accountability. Now that's classic rock. FAVE TRACK : World Wide Suicide

Dewa 19 - Republik Cinta

Being a die-hard Baladewa, this album had to be on my list. To take Nazim Masnawi's comments on my review of this album "..I think if they produce crap one day, I'll probably love it to death!". I agree. Amazing album. FAVE TRACK : Selimut Hati

Muse - Black Holes & Revelations

Never mind the barmy black-hole conspiracy theories that inform much of the songwriting of Matt Bellamy, the multitasking mastermind behind Muse – this is a brilliant album, dark, dense and crunchingly heavy, but also bristling with musical references to such disparate influences as Queen. This sense of adventure is what makes Muse the heavy rock band that it's OK for everyone to like, and it's what makes this their finest album. FAVE TRACK : Starlight

Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds

If I told you I like the new JT album six years ago, you would probably laugh at me and shouted 'Fag!'. But Justin Timberlake is not the teeny bopper, boy band member anymore. He is stepping up the bar for pop music and himself. His partnership with Timbaland is one of the best pairing in pop music. The sound that they created on this album is totally mind-blowing. Timbaland's drum programming is clean, intelligent, and has an organic feel that is lacking in many types of music. Justin's phrasing contains hints of the great soul singers before him but does so in a way that is fresh and accessible to our generation. This album will probably make u realize that maybe Timberlake is his generation's Prince. Pop/dance album of the year. FAVE TRACK : My Love

Snow Patrol - Eyes Open

Epic in its sonic architecture, intimate at its emotional core, this is the real sound of 21st-century rock. While most indie guitar bands are still in thrall to the '60s beat boom, Snow Patrol employed dance maverick Jacknife Lee and all the technology of the modern studio to lend a glittering, machine-driven sheen to their anthemic choruses. Singer Gary Lightbody's poetic ruminations on love and loss ensure that the biggest selling album in the UK this year has a beating, human heart. FAVE TRACK : Chasing Cars

James Morrison - Undiscovered

This 22 years old kid from England will not be undiscovered no more. If you hear his voice, you will probably compare him to soul greats like Al Green, Otis Redding or even folk heroes like Van Morrison or Cat Stevens. The truth is, he is a mixture of all of them, but with a very interesting twist. You will be hearing more from this kid, I guarantee. FAVE TRACK : You Give Me Something

M. Nasir - Sang Pencinta

The only mainstream local album that matters this year. Every song from our own 'sifu' sounded very fresh and new. Not as life-changing as 'Saudagar Mimpi' but still pack a few punches and probably could teach our own local artistes a thing or two about producing a good quality album. FAVE TRACK : Juwita Citra Terindah

Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury

With musical partners the Neptunes, Clipse have crafted 12 unrelenting tales of desperation and distribution, glamour and gloating. Lyrically, the album is spare and incisive- wordplay abounds but the punches are quick and devastating- and musically, Malice and Pusha T have arguably snatched the best dozen Neptunes tracks in years. Together, the quartet has crafted an album that's sonically deep, dark, and one of 2006's finest. Hip hop on a higher level. FAVE TRACK : Wamp Wamp (What It Do)

Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor

Food & Liquor is packed with quality rhymes and production. Lupe Fiasco confidently works his gifts over a variety of topics as he focuses on relationships: racial, cultural, and religious relationships ("American Terrorist"); father-son relationships ("He Say She Say"); and even his own ambivalent relationship with hip-hop ("Hurt Me Soul"). Props to our Muslim brother from the West, Mr Lupe Fiasco. You've done a great job. FAVE TRACK : Kick Push

Nidji - Breakthru

Indonesia's answer to Coldplay, Nidji stays away from the current trend of Indo alt-rock scene spearheaded by Radja, Peter Pan and others, and created a new Brit-pop influenced album that is very rich in lyrics and musical department. There are 2 versions of this album, one in English and another one in Indon; proving that this band is aiming for a bigger audience, and bigger success. FAVE TRACK : Heaven

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

Major Thom managed to keep his first solo album a secret until just before it dropped -- the reason, he explained, is that he didn't want to raise any questions about whether Radiohead were breaking up. The sound recalls Kid A's quiet glitch-tronic moments, in disarmingly straightforward verse-chorus-verse tunes. But even in morose ballads such as "The Clock" and "Atoms for Peace," Yorke's steely intelligence shines through. FAVE TRACK : The Clock

Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

With crack-rap ascendant, Wu-Tang's iron man dares to tell everything he knows - not by showing off fresh slang but by displaying his knowledge of old-school slangin'. As always, Ghost raps on the edge of some kind of breakout or breakdown, but it's the beats that seal the deal. Ghostface illustrates everything in such intricate, minute detail that it's easy to get lost in his flows. This album will undoubtedly be remembered as a classic. FAVE TRACK : Whip You With A Strap

Gigi - Next Chapter

Gigi are back to their usual self - producing great rockin' tunes. But on this particular album, the tunes are more laidback and mellow, but of course, still rockin'. This album marks their 12th years together as a band, and proving to their listeners that they are still here, stronger than before. FAVE TRACK : Kepastian Yang Ku Tunggu

Chris Cornell - Unplugged In Sweden

The sweet sound of nothing except Chris Cornell's voice and his guitar. Cornell giving us the taste of his upcoming solo album on this September 7th performance on a Swedish radio show. The underground bootleg album of the year. FAVE TRACK : Billie Jean

TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

When it comes to Brooklyn’s TV on the Radio, most folks fall into one of two camps: They know nothing of the band, or they’re sick of hearing about them. This year's art-rock indie darlings have released a triumph so loaded with tension that it takes real work to unpack. The band's major-label debut comes with David Bowie's seal of approval -- the Thin White Duke contributes vocals to "Province." Now, that's something. FAVE TRACK : Wolf Like Me

Various Artistes - Radio Malaya

Local underground compilation of the year. Featuring wonderful tracks from indie pop favourite Couple, punk mainstays Carburetor Dung, experimental outfit Furniture, a rare track from the now defunct Sgt Weener Arms and new material by Ipoh great, Muck. A must-own compilation. FAVE TRACK : Mari Nyanyi Menjilat - Carburetor Dung

FAVOURITE SONG 2006

My Love - Justin Timberlake feat T.I.

Single of the year. This song got me hooked from the very first listen. Timbaland is a genius for writing this wonderful track. Check out the chorus : Timbaland manage to combine five different sounds together; an echoing synthesizer, a human beatbox, an opera like piano, a sratching noise that sounded like the voice of Porky Pig and JT soulful voice. It's a work of art and it sounded so good. T.I. verses was the icing on the cake. Much respect for JT and Timbaland who are willing to take risks and continue to suprise us.

Runners-Up : Starlight - Muse; Crazy - Gnarls Barkley; What U Know - T.I.; Irreplaceable - Beyonce; So Sick - Ne-Yo; Incinerate - Sonic Youth; Me & U - Cassie; Too Little Too Late - Jojo; Black Sweat - Prince; Trouble - Jay-Z; Save Room - John Legend; James Morrison - You Give Me Something

FAVOURITE VIDEO 2006

OK Go - Here it Goes Again

Four guys, eight treadmills, one solid classic. So much has already been said about this video that the most I can tell you is just to sit back and enjoy. Watch the band having a lot of fun as they get good exercise accompanied by their great music. Watch for this on best-videos-ever lists for years to come. Watch yourself hit replay. Here we go again. (Also check out their other video 'A Million Ways', the video that started it all.)

Runners-up : My Love - JT feat T.I.; Leave Before the Lights Come On - Arctic Monkeys; Crazy - Gnarls Barkley;