Connoisseur Javier's Top 3 Albums of 2006

Musically I can only assume it was a slow year although I cannot confirm this, I really haven’t listened to non-news radio nor watched any MTV in longer than I can remember. Certain names reach my eyes through celebrity scandals in the newspaper I’m sure I’ve heard chunks of their songs here and there as ring-tones on the subway or in commercials for the products they endorse but in my own little circle it has been a good solid year. Here’s what I’ve been listening to way too much:

Strapping Young Lad: The new black. Drawing similarities to the concept album Punky Brewster, this recording is centered on the idea of abhorring the current music scene but still being a part of it in a strange inevitable way. “Now that the music industry’s ill, and we’re the fucking antidote…” Devin sings in Far beyond metal and “so lets sing volumes for the souls that aren’t for sale” on Wrong Side. The concept holds together well and never seems too forced, although some lyrics are too simple for my tastes. Musically it draws from the obligatory City and Alien but also from his side projects such as Physicist and Devin Townsend Band creating a more complete and accessible sound than his prior works, with tighter drumming than ever. The album delivers some instant winners (Decimator, You suck, Wrong side, Far beyond metal) while the other tracks (Anti-Product, Hope, Fucker) quirks grow on you after a few listens. If anything it shows some real heaviness while leaving room to grow and delivers some chuckles with lines like “Oh you ironic pop rock fucks, don’t you fuck with metal! One line and we’re out of control, yeah we fucking own you!”

Iron Maiden: A matter of life and death. This album doesn’t get mentioned just for being an Iron Maiden album; I’m not that kind of metal fanatic. Instead I am tossing it on the heap of great albums this year because you’ve got a highly skilled veteran band putting out a fresh product, building upon the progression that started with A Brave New World and yielding results as interesting as the now classic Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The album chooses the themes of War, Religion and Politics and keeps going back to those elements to paint a scene of man’s inhumanity to man, framed in barbed wire and mustard gas.  Musically it plays with some proggy elements such as mixed percussion tempo, longer songs and slow motion guitar grinding making their songs heavier in contrast to Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals. But of course the signature dual guitar solo attacks and sing along choruses are there as well, making for an amazing live even before you factor in the high production values of their stage this year.

Lila Downs: La Cantina. In this release Lila Downs took a step back from the World Music trappings of Una Sangre (One Blood) to focus instead on her native Mexico, in particular its many drinking songs. As such the accordion and fiddle take center stage, but saxophones and electric guitars still figure into her sound together with some low-fi audio effects used to defuse any accusation that they are trying to make an artsy production out of these bar anthems. My favorite track from this album is an original called “La Cumbia del Mole” made available in Spanish and English, perhaps looking for some crossover magic to happen. Regardless, this song does a good job of summarizing the sexy alchemy that goes into preparing one of Mexicos signature dishes spiced up by its guitar solos and Lila’s own deep voice.  The remaining songs either sound like jukebox corridos, wedding mariachis and fatalist rancheras. If you can stand the contrast between playful debauchery (El Relampago) and drinking yourself to death (Penas en el Alma) this is a great introduction to some of Mexico’s more colorful standards.