We here at Earvolution have decided that the Best Albums of 2006 idea has probably run its course. Let's be honest, you don't need us to tell you that Bob Dylan, The Raconteurs and Pearl Jam put out great albums; that The Hold Steady, Cold War Kids and Wolfmother had breakout years and Gnarls Barkley put out the Song of 2006.

What we can do for you is list, in no particular order, a handful of albums that though worthy, many not have received the attention they deserved.

U-Melt: The I's Mind

U-Melt spent 2006 establishing themselves as one of the hardest-working bands on the jamband touring scene. Shortening the solos, U-Melt successfully brought the fun and intensity of their live shows into the studio. Zac Lasher talked to Earvolution about the new album and more here.




Tea Leaf Green: Rock 'N' Roll Band

A companion to the identically titled DVD, Tea Leaf Green's live album gave long time fans a high-quality audio version of the San Francisco rockers' best songs and offered new listeners a perfect introduction to their sound. More on the DVD/CD releases here and our exclusive "embedded" weekend interview with TLG from the Dave Matthews Randalls Island Getaway is here.





Block: The Last Single Guy

The star-crossed love child of Beck and Lou Reed, the New York singer-songwriter poetically captures the fading beauty of the Big Apple, ruing the day that Avenue A turned into a "punk theme park." Read our full album review here.





Willy Porter: Available Light

Born of loss, Porter celebrates life on Available Light. Containing a nice dose of Porter's inimitable guitar, it's his songwriting, especially on the post September 11 elegy "One More September," that stands out. Check out our full album review here.




Carolina Chocolate Drops: Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind

The sounds of the Carolina foothills as channeled through a trio of twenty-somethings that know the era only through history books . . . and their mentor, legendary fiddler Joe Thompson.

More on the album here.




Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: Nothing But The Water

How can you not love a girl who demands her J.J. Cale records back from her ex? And, who looks better in an Earvolution t-shirt? Technically a 2005 release, this album got the remastering and rereleasing treatment for 2006. Anchored by a transcendent title track, Potter & The Nocturnals get bluesy, funky and little gospel on their debut disc. More on the band here.



Foundry Fields Recordings: prompts/miscues

Bleak musings on a post-apocalyptic future never sounded so enjoyable. Front man Billy Schuh's airy voice gives even the direst of visions an optimistic slant.

More on the album here.




Radio Birdman: Zeno Beach

Australia's version of The Ramones wakes from a lengthy slumber and comes up with one of the freshest albums of the year. The veteran rockers crisp, in-your-face songs prove that hard driving rock isn't solely the province of the young.

More on the album here.





Vernon Reid & Masque: Other True Self

Exploring jazz, funk and avant-garde, Reid brings the rock instrumental album out of the doldrums. With Leon Gruenbaum alongside, Masque interprets Depeche Mode and Radiohead and give life to Reid's excellent originals. Vernon Reid spoke to Earvolution about the album and much more here.

Labels: Block, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Foundry Field Recordings, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Masque, Radio Birdman, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt, Vernon Reid, Willy Porter

By: David Schultz

Their story of the Australian band Radio Birdman tends to be an oft-told tale in the annals of seventies-era punk rock: their label poorly promoted their first record; it never released their second and the band's real recognition came when fans found them long after they broke up. Formed in 1974 by Detroit native and navy pilot Deniz Tek (guitar) and Australia's own Rob Younger (lead vocals), Radio Birdman embodied the burgeoning punk attitude of the era with the same fury of bands like the MC5. Their original lineup, which included Chris Masuak (guitar), Pip Hoyle (keys), Warwick Gilbert (bass) and Ron Keeley (drums), burned brightly; their impassioned energy resulting in a mythical history of raucous concerts marred by audience outbursts. Unfairly blamed for the violent antics of their fans, the band finally called it quits in 1978. Although their fame never quite spread to America, Radio Birdman remains one of the seminal punk rock bands in Australia.

In 1996, Radio Birdman reunited at the Big Day Out, remaining together for sporadic live performances. Bragging that they owe nothing to no one, Radio Birdman has returned to the studio for the first time in more than 25 years to record Zeno Beach, their completely independent, self-produced and self-financed new album. Despite the passage of time, Birdman's lineup remains relatively stable. With Gilbert employed as an animator by Walt Disney, the band's longtime friend Jim Dickson has stepped in on bass, joining original members Tek, Younger, Masuak and Hoyle. Completing the group, Radio Birdman has picked up the talented Russell Hopkinson, one of Australia's top drummers.

Age may have refined Radio Birdman's sound but it hasn't blunted their edge. Tek and Masuak resurrect their dual guitar style, imbuing Zeno Beach with simple yet intense guitar riffs that give the album a timeless sound. Opening with the appropriately titled "We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today)," Zeno Beach goes from one three minute burst to the next, building on Tek and Masuak’s irresistible guitar licks; some tracks venture towards sinister surf rock others drift towards punk. Hoyle's keyboards transform the album into something special, keeping Zeno Beach from becoming one barebones punk rock guitar assault after another. The solos on the album are short but they are powerful and to the point. Younger’s voice, too often drowned in the mix, remains sonorous and deep, becoming an instrument all its own.

"Connected," "Subterfuge" and "Locked Up" show that Radio Birdman haven't lost their touch in crafting undeniably catchy hooks; these hits could have originated in any era. On "The Brotherhood of Al Wazah" they stray from the formula with astonishing results: Hopkinson beautifully connects Younger's eighties-style verses to a jam with Hoyle and Dickson that sounds delightfully out of place but no less wonderful despite the anachronistic quality.

In 1977, The Ramones hitched a ride to Rockaway Beach. Close to thirty years later Radio Birdman catches a wave to "Zeno Beach" finding the future out of reach; a sentiment that may have seemed more apropos in their heyday. Radio Birdman's return begs the question of whether punk rock or surf rock can be played by those who have outgrown the youthfulness that fuels the genre. On Zeno Beach, Radio Birdman shows that you can clean it up, present it in a more mature form and still create one of the freshest, most energetic records of the year.

Labels: Radio Birdman