Continuing my look at the albums of 2006…
I came very close to putting the Dixie Chicks album Taking the Long Way on my personal top ten of 2006, but listening to it again I realized I’m very enthused by about half of its tracks and could give or take the rest.
But I definitely wanted to feature it this week because it’s a milestone record with artistic, commercial, and political import — the rare album of true historic cultural significance.
The two songs atop the Billboard Hot 100 the week of August 16, 1986, had reversed positions from the week before. Peter Cetera’s ‘Glory of Love‘ was now in the #2 spot while Madonna ascended to #1 with ‘Papa Don’t Preach.’
Looking up at them was former Go-Go’s lead singer Belinda Carlisle, whose debut single as a solo artist peaked at #3. ‘Mad About You’ was the first of three top five singles for Carlisle.
Throwing back to the week of August 15, 1976, we find Elton John and Kiki Dee atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,’ the song that claimed Billboard’s official Song of the Summer crown that year.
At #2 that week was ‘You Should Be Dancing’ by the Bee Gees, on its way to a single week atop the Hot 100. This song — and Children of the World, the album on which it appeared — marked the band’s shift to disco, a controversial but wildly successful move.
Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 2006…
#1 – The Life Pursuit – Belle and Sebastian
My favorite 2006 album is one of my favorite releases by one of my favorite artists, and therefore a shoo-in for this spot.
After four gentle indie pop releases between the mid-90s and 2000, Scottish septet Belle and Sebastian entered the 2000s with the goal of expanding their sound. Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) was their first foray into a more upbeat electronic territory, and The Life Pursuit continued that evolution.
Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 2006…
#2 – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Neko Case
The fourth album by alt-country singer-songwriter Neko Case is a gothic treasure, as rich and tactile as maple syrup from her home in rural Vermont.
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood spins everyday life into romantic fairy tales, with Case’s pure, aching vocals bringing conviction to every note.
Meet Me In Montauk 