2006 is Over

So kiss 2006 goodbye. But before we let go completely I'm going to give you a run down on the music, movies, news stories and personal things that 2006 will be remembered for (at least this week anyway).

Top 10 Records of the 2006

11. The Blood Brothers - Young Machetes: I'm doing 11 records this year because I love the Blood Brothers new album. It' so much fun. Great, loud, fun post-punk. An awesome record.

10. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar: My introduction to this record was a co-worker telling me he loved it. So I gave it a listen. My first response was it wasn't really anything special. But I kept listening and kept listening and have come to love this record. Who doesn't love a little world circus music? A record that is catchy enough to keep you coming back.

09. Sébastien Schuller - Happiness: Another co-worker recommendation. A good mix of electronic instruments and catchy songwriting.

08. Starflyer 59 - My Island: Every year there will be a Starflyer 59 or Joy Electric record in my top 10. This year is no different. My Island is the most fun record Starflyer has released since The Fashion Focus. A very drum and bass heavy record (which they'vereallyy never had). The title track reminds me a lot of Daniel Amos. More great music from my favorite band.

07. The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine: I like the Appleseed Cast. I really liked Mare Vitalis and Low Level Owl when they came out. What I call "intelligent emo". I was slightly disappointed when Two Conversations came out and was more worried when they signed with the Militia Group. But my fears were lost as soon as I heard the opening track to Peregrine, "Ceremony". At that moment I knew I had nothing to fear. This record isn't as beautiful or technical as Mare Vitalis or Low Level Owl but it's a brutal rock album. Good live show a couple weeks ago @ the 930 Club.

06. Johnny Cash - A Hundred Highways: Anyone who knows me knows I love Johnny Cash and I was terribly sad when he passed away. So having a new Cash record was great news to me. I was excited. This is the record he recorded right before his death and you can tell. Cash himself sounds like the voice of death at times. "If You Could Read My Mind" is the most fragile Cash has ever sounded. A beautiful song. An amazing collection of songs for his last record. Thanks for the songs Johnny.

05. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere: I know what you're thinking. A mainstream record in my top ten. YES! I have a secret love for really good hip-hop. Gnarls Barkley is really good hip-hop. The first time I heard Crazy I was sold. This record starts and finishes strong. Plus their cover of "Gone Daddy Gone" is incredible. If you haven't heard this record you're stupid.

04. Kaki King - ...Until We Felt Red: There are moments when a song enters your life and won't leave and you're happy about that. Jessica by Kaki King was that song. Her latest record ...Until We Felt Red was released during a transition period in my life. Jessica was the right song at the right moment. It's a song I will still listen to everytime it comes on. It's since been replaced by "Gay Sons by Lesbian Mothers" as my favorite track on the record (which she performs live perfectly). An amazing guitarist and, as it turns our, songwritter.

03. Unwed Sailor - Circles/The White Ox: Both of these records came out under the radar which really surprised me because The Marionettee and the Music Box was so well received. 2 great eps by one of the best instrumental bands out there.

02. mewithoutYou - Brother Sister: mewithoutYou is awesome. They're great live and they have great records and they're awesome guys. Brother Sister is their best record yet. If you like insightful and meaningful lyrics to great rock music (and let me mention a harp) then you need to hear this record. It didn't leave my cd player or itunes playlist for 2 months. It's always a pleasure to hear something fresh in music and that's what mewithoutYou is.

01. Hammock - Raising Your Voice... Trying to Stop an Echo: Hammock = Amazing. When I first heard Winter Lights on a Christmas podcast last year I went online and bought Kenotic and Stranded Under Endless Skies and played them nonstop. Jump ahead to Novemember. Hammock signs to Darla and releases Raising Your Voice... Trying to Stop an Echo. I ordered it and then fell in love. Hammock makes great atmospheric music. Layers of guitars, sparse vocals, a hint of percussion, plus Matt Slocum on Cello. I am still trying to wrap my head around all the layers and sounds of this record. Beautiful.

Movie of the Year:

There were a lot of good movies this year. I saw a lot more movies in theaters this year then any previous. But out of all the movies that came out this year my favorite was "The Departed". You can't ask for much more in a movie. A, generally, quick movie plot, lots of action, a great cast, and a stellar ending. Scorsese should get an Oscar for sure.

Stuff:

Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter, died this year. I joked a lot about this because he did spend his adult life jumping onto crocodiles and picking up deadly snakes and then to have a stingray kill you was amusing to me but he will be the person I miss the most. I always enjoyed The Crocodile Hunter as a tv show and as bad as his movie was I was still entertained because hey, it's the freaking Crocodile Hunter!

Al Gore had a big comeback in 2006 with An Inconvenient Truth. Glad to see that Al can bounce back after "losing" the election like he did.

Saddam Hussein was put to death a day ago. Doesn't really help anything in Iraq.

Personal:

For me personally 2006 was a year where I learned a lot about myself and let go of most of what I was. I'm hoping in 2007 to work on things I'm not really happy with (being really shy and awkward around people I don't know) and working towards a deeper understand in who Christ is and what he wants from me. I spent most of this year just figuring out that I still love him and coming to an understanding of what I actually believe. This coming year I want to wrap myself in his love and his word. My belief is strong but that's where I feel it ends.

"We have all our beliefs, but we don't want our beliefs. God of peace, we want you."

God Bless.