Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The Hourly Radio and Billboard! Best of 2006

I've loved these guys since minute 1. Again, 'bout time that the nation took notice!
Goodies for you from me: Their interview at Sons of Hermann Hall plus the tour diary from the Stellastarr* tour, now with silly videos.

from their press release:

THE HOURLY RADIO
HISTORY WILL NEVER HOLD ME
NAMED #1 RECORD OF 2006 in BILLBOARDS CRITICS CHOICE! by Jason MacNeil!!!



JASON MACNEIL
Billboard.com contributor

1. The Hourly Radio, "History Will Never Hold Me" (Kirtland Records). Texas outfit's debut features fantastic songs, great hooks and no dull moments.
2. Keane, "Under the Iron Sea" (Interscope). Darker than album one but just as stellar with "Try Again" and "A Bad Dream."
3. Tom Petty, "Highway Companion" (American Recordings/Warner Bros.). Yet another taken-for-granted gem in a catalog of songwriting gold.
4. Primal Scream, "Riot City Blues" (Columbia). Music-mixing mad hatters get back to Stones-y basics.
5. Vince Gill, "These Days" (MCA Nashville). Axl Rose will release a similar amount of material ... by 2057.
6. Ron Sexsmith, "Time Being" (Warner Music Canada). Slight departure for the underrated musician, with the same excellent results.
7. James Dean Bradfield, "The Great Western" (Sony BMG). Solid solo album for Manic Street Preachers frontman will hold most over until band's next release.
8. Calexico, "Garden Ruin" (Quarterstick). Branching out into a slightly rockier format does wonders for fine band.
9. The Black Keys, "Magic Potion" (Nonesuch). Seedy, sparse, bluesy, fuzzy and great!
10. Sloan, "Never Hear the End of It" (BMG Music Canada). Adventurous 30-song release touches on both the old and new

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