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Song of the Day #6,613: ‘Stuck Between Stations’ – The Hold Steady

Continuing my look at the albums of 2006…

Memory is a funny thing.

When I saw that the Brooklyn-based Hold Steady released a well-received album in 2006 — their third record, Boys and Girls in America — I thought it would be a great opportunity to listen to a band I’ve heard a lot about.

So listen I did, and I really enjoyed the clever, narrative songwriting, lead singer Craig Finn’s brusquely emotive vocals, and the band’s muscular performances. It’s a gritty, cinematic treat. Bruce Springsteen on a bender.

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Song of the Day #6,612a: ‘Put Your Records On’ – Corinne Bailey Rae

Continuing my look at the albums of 2006…

It turns out the perfect antidote to yesterday’s Joanna Newsom experience was Corinne Bailey Rae’s self-titled debut. This collection of soulful pop is the opposite of critic bait — it’s music to water your plants to on a lazy Sunday morning.

English singer-songwriter Bailey Rae started as an indie rock performer before shifting to R&B and neo-soul. This album, buoyed by lead single ‘Like a Star,’ debuted at #1 in the UK, making her just the fourth British woman to achieve that feat with a first album.

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Song of the Day #6,612: ‘Monkey & Bear’ – Joanna Newsom

Continuing my look at the albums of 2006…

Sometimes I have to throw up my arms and admit that I just don’t get something. Sometimes the critics call an album the best of the year and one of the best of all-time and I can barely make it through even once.

That’s the case with Joanna Newsom’s Ys, the sophomore release by the chamber folk artist. Reading the effusive praise for this album, I can’t help but wonder if it’s all an elaborate prank.

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Song of the Day #6,611a: ‘Crazy’ – Gnarls Barkley

Continuing my look at the albums of 2006…

The blog recently featured some discussion about what constitutes a “supergroup”, with one contention being that the collaboration must include more than two people. By that definition, Gnarls Barkley isn’t a supergroup, but it sure put out some super music.

Producer Danger Mouse and Goodie Mob member CeeLo Green created the Gnarls Barkley persona as a lark, giving the character an elaborate and humorous backstory. That sense of humor is evident on their debut album St. Elsewhere, but it doesn’t get in the way of the music sounding great.

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Song of the Day #6,611: ‘Sunny’ – Bobby Hebb

The Lovin’ Spoonful held on to the top spot of Billboard’s Top 100 the week of August 23, 1966, for the third and final week, with ‘Summer in the City.’

At #2 that week was Bobby Hebb’s ‘Sunny,’ which peaked in that spot for two weeks. This track, written by Hebbs after the death of his brother in 1963, became an international hit for him and his only song to crack the Billboard Top 20.

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