The Revolving Lounge's 2006 Picks

I've been reading a bunch of year-end lists lately, so I figured I would do one here at the Lounge. I'll continue adding on to the list for the next week or so. I'll start with a few of my favorite albums from this year.

Album Picks:

1. Grizzly Bear: Yellow House



First of all, I've seen these guys play twice over the last year, and they are one of the best live band's I've encountered. Each member demonstrates a refreshingly mature appreciation of restraint and balance, and the resulting sound is phenomenal. From their four-part harmonies to their impeccable dynamics, Grizzly Bear are a real pleasure to see perform.

These qualities are all on display on Yellow House. The album, whose booklet artwork is made up entirely of photos of an old house, is tremendously unified. Sharing an undercurrent of yearning and richly textured production, the songs fit together perfectly like a striking collage of mysterious photographs. While each song is crucial to the graceful dynamic peaks and troughs, stand-outs include "The Knife," "Marla," and "On a Neck, On a Spit."

P.S. Try to track down an acoustic performance (they've done a couple for radio shows and AOL) of "Little Brother." The live version is a little different and it's a real treat to see that the band seems to be constantly working on new ways to present their brilliant songs.