Most Disappointing Albums of 2006 | MP3

I'm not one to completely trash an album. It has nothing to do with having a disdain for ruffling feathers. It has more to do with my nonexistence in the artist promotion world, a severe lack of funds and eMusic’s limited catalog. (Promoters, send free cd's C/O AngryCitizen) I usually buy music I think I'll enjoy, which decreases an albums chance of making this list. On the rare occasion I'll make the dreaded impulse-buy, which will inevitably produce an album that rockets to the top of this list. Thus, my albums-I-hate list for '06 doesn't run as deep as my hatred for these four...

Bob Dylan - Modern Times

    After five or six spins I needed refuge from Dylan’s meandering six-minute-jams. I initially felt the same about Love and Theft which eventually grew on me. Not only has Modern Times not grown on me, whenever I see the cd I run away. Literally, I head for the hills, a drifter's escape. Aside from Someday Baby and Nettie Moore I can't muster the strength to listen to Workingman's Blues #2, Spirit On the Water, Ain't Talkin', hell, 80% of the album. What am I missing? Seriously, because I know Dylan, his massive catalog is looking right at me giving me the finger, bootlegs and all. Are critics heaping praise on Modern Times because
1) Dylan's backing band is tight, or
2) Are we giving Dylan credit for still making decent music 45 years later?
One and two are not reasons to anoint this album a classic. Somebody get Jan Wenner on the phone so he could explain this one to me.

Swan Lake - Beast Moans
    You would think a band that employs two lead singers who front bands that released albums on my best of '06 list (it's coming soon, I'm slow) could come together and produce a winner. Not the case with Beast Moans. The album reminds me of Ships by The Danielson Familie, minus any enjoyable songs. Krug's quirky intensity and Bejar's charm are completely stripped from this album.  Beast Moans sounds like a steaming pile of guitars, keyboards and yelps mashed together. It's one part coherent, one part disorganized disaster. Some might find that charming, I find it unlistenable. All Fires and Are You Swimming in Her Pools? are enjoyable songs simply because they sound like Sunset Rubdown b-sides. When Beast Moans works you get a haunting and brilliant song like Pleasure Vessel. When it doesn't work, which is often, you get songs like Shooting Rockets and Petersburg, Liberty Theater, 1914. I'm pretty sure Beast Moans is a slow burner, an album that requires extra work, but as of now it does nothing for me.

MP3 Swan Lake - All Fires
MP3 Swan Lake - The Freedom

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (Impulse buy one)
     Can the Grammy's and Rolling Stone magazine be wrong?? I saw Stadium Arcadium and for unexplained reasons something inside me said, “buy it!” So I bought it, impulse-buy style, and then looked at the 28 song bloated double disc set and slightly vomited in my mouth. 28 songs!! My problem with the Peppers lies with lead singer Anthony Kiedis and his lyrical content, or lack thereof. I couldn’t believe Antony Kiedis had 28 song worth of lyrics inside him. He doesn't. Stadium Arcadium is repetitive and of course Kiedis' lyrics don't make a whole lot of sense. There are a few decent songs that faintly remind you of the old Chili Peppers rhythm section. Funky and fun. But at 28 songs, Stadium Arcadium is waaay too long for anyone to sit through . Plus, two hours of lines like (Rain on my frustration / Save my queen / now break this / Wash me down my station / Make more rain forsaken) will make you beg for Modern Times.

Listen to Stadium Arcadium.

The Liars - Drums Not Dead (Impulse buy two)

Just listen.

Comments

[Brian]

Im glad SOMEONE Spoke up about that Bob Dylan album. dont get me wrong, in his time Dylan was the man, and he is a music legend. But He, like the rolling stones, had his time in the light and currently is far from his A game. this album was very hard to listen to.

[Angrycitizen]

The album does nothing for me. Today I went back and listened to some of the album and my opinion hasn't changed.

[Ryan - the RSL Weblog]

The Swan Lake is definitely growing on me - but let's be perfectly honest... I wouldn't have given other artists the same opportunities to be liked that I gave this album. Its a good album, but not great. And what I was hoping for was something of significance here! I wanted to like it as much as Spencer Krug's Sunset Rubdown.. And nothing it seems will compare to Wolf Parade's "Apologies..." album.

[Jeff]

Beast Moans definitely does require too much patience but it does grow on you. That said, it's no Apologies or Shut Up I'm Dreaming. And no matter how many times you hear it there will just be some unlistenable clunkers. As for the other three, you're dead on. That fucking Liars album is terrible. As I've said before, when someone tells me the drugs needed to enjoy it, I'll take them. But all the weed in the world can't even make that remotely listenable.

[Angrycitizen]

Jeff:

I feel bad lumping beast moans with drums not dead. Moans does have some redeeming qualities and I feel like it's an album I will go back to at some point down the road. On the other hand, drums not dead will never ever, ever rob another minute of my life.

Ryan:

I totally agree. The bar was set really high and Beast Moans was sort of an experiment.