Top 10 listening 2006

by LES EVERETT

IT'S been a year of listening to lots of new stuff and a year that has involved a lot of country driving accompanied by intense listening and singing-along. It's also been a shit of a year so music that let in a bit joy in has been welcome.

So here it is...the top 10 albums of 2006. According to me - and what would I know...

1. Old Cow Medicine Show - 'Big Iron World'. It's political, full of fun and from the heart and I love it.

2. Danny George Wilson - 'The Famous Mad Mile'. London based Queenslander with a great country voice and stories to tell.

3. Bruce Springsteen 'We Shall Overcome. The Seeger Sessions'. Hard to beat as a travelling companion. Filled with the sheer joy of playing music.

4. Johnny Cash - 'America V: A Hundred Highways'. The great man's last and you can hear the struggle in his voice. Brilliant to the last.

5. Bob Dylan - 'Modern Times'. Dylan seems to be enjoying himself on his with musical and lyrical bits borrowed from all sorts of places and delivered as no one else can. He's in good voice too including some nice phlegmy offerings on 'Rollin' and Tumblin''.

6. The Handsome Family 'Last Days of Wonder'. Songs of simple things presented with such incredible depth, pathos and fun. I'm glad I've got tickets to see them next year.

7. Jolie Holland 'Springtime Can Kill You'. Beautiful singing and wonderful writing.

8. Peter Busher and The Lone Rangers - 'Live at the Mustang Bar'. Australia's best male country singer nailed it with this one. A double album chronicle of classic country and the originals more than stack up too.

9. The Be Good Tanyas 'Hello Love'. It bubbles along like tasty slow food. Strong originals, well-chosen traditional songs and even a touch of Prince thrown in as a bonus. A couple of contributions from Old Crow Medicine Show too.

10. Lambchop -'Damaged'. Strange, simple and multi-layered.

Special mentions: 1. Alan Jackson - 'Like Red on a Rose'. I read about this somewhere and bought it the other day in Kalgoorlie. Nice.

2. Po' Girl - 'Vagabond Lullabies'. Again it's new to my place. An outfit containing Be Good Tanya Trish Klein and a sound with just the right amount of banjo - plenty.

Hits of the year at our place - songs that have attracted repeated playings.

1. 'I Hear Them All' - Old Crow Medicine Show.

2. 'Vacant Eye' - Pete Stone.

3. 'I Wish it was Over' - Teddy Thompson.

4. 'Beauty in this Town' - Danny George Wilson. YEAH.

5. 'That's How I Got To Memphis' - Solomon Burke.

6. 'Freedom' - Buffalo. It's from 1973 but re-issues count.

7. 'Mexican Blue' - Jolie Holland.

8. 'Cracker' - Lambchop.

9. 'Atta Way To Go' - Solomon Burke.

10. 'Lonely Stretch' - The Triffids. Another reissue.

30 December 2006

australianrules.com.au

OCMS

It's a beauty

Disclaimer