Halfway through 2006: A music review

Without anything compelling or meaningful to say about politics, religion, or subjects the unenlightened might deem more "important", I have decided to craft a review of the first half of 2006 in music. The following are brief snippets about albums I have purchased this year, which includes one 2005 EP I was late in purchasing but had to include. So without further ado about nothing:

• Band of Horses, Everything All the Time - I have Pandora to thank for this one. I had heard good things, and then I heard "Weed Party". Opening with the aptly-titled "The First Song", the album draws you into its dense walls of music. "The Funeral" is a particularly strong song, building slowly to anthem status.
  
  
• Built to Spill, You In Reverse - ever since that random guy in the hostel in Paris introduced me to these guys, I've been hooked. The new album finds Doug Martsch continuing to play the role of guitar god, with epic length songs (album opener and highlight "Goin' Against Your Mind" clocks in around 8 minutes) vaguely akin to those on "Perfect From Now On". "Conventional Wisdom" has quite possibly the most infectious main riff ever, and "Liar" and "Wherever You Go" are two of my other favorites.
  
  
• Faktion, Faktion - in the new wave of straightforward angst-ridden alt-rock, you can do worse than this gang from Dallas (e.g. 10 Years, Chevelle). While I enjoy the album well enough, nothing outside of "Control", "Distance", and "Answers" really draws me back in for repeated listens.
  
  
• Guster, Ganging Up on the Sun - well, it's hard to deny their sound has changed since "Lost and Gone Forever". While I do miss the relatively spare production and Brian Rosenworcel's echoing hand drums, I have to admit the shimmering guitars and more prominent bass lines are quite appealing. "C'mon" and "Dear Valentine" are perfect sing-alongs, and "One Man Wrecking Machine" manages to be nostalgic without sounding trite (I mean after all, who doesn't want to build a time machine to try to get into the homecoming queen's pants). Another solid effort from Guster, fitting comfortably right alongside "Keep It Together".
  
  
• Live, Songs From Black Mountain - a disappointing effort from Live, but probably largely due to unrealistic expectations from yours truly: I want another "Throwing Copper" or "The Distance to Here", and they're comfortable building on the adult alternative of "Birds of Prey". They do exactly that, and perhaps some of these songs will grow on me as did some from the former album, but they haven't yet. Still, I have to admit I respect an alternative artist who has the cajones to subtitle a song "A Song for My Daughters About God".
  
  
• The Long Winters, Ultimatum - the aforementioned 2005 EP. Only 4 songs, but a very intriguing hint at what might lie ahead. Opening track "The Commander Speaks Aloud" is so heartfelt and poignant I actually teared up. I really can't adequately describe the beauty of that song. Somehow, when John Roderick sings "This is all I wanted to bring home", it makes me think of my father. And I'd better stop going down that path before I start blubbering. Suffice to say, you need to hear it. (The rest of the album is quite solid too, particularly "Everything is Talking".)
  
  
• Pearl Jam, Pearl Jam - bearing the heart of "Ten" without the strength of the songs, this much-talked-about album is a sort of return to Pearl Jam's roots. Eddie Vedder's yells smack of catharsis and the music is as strong as it was 15 years ago, resulting in a solid album that, while surpassing "Riot Act" and "Binaural", doesn't quite reach "Vs." and "Ten" status. Still, if nothing else, "Life Wasted" arrives with a much-anticipated Pearl Jam video.
  
  
• People in Planes, As Far As the Eye Can See - in competition with Built to Spill for best album so far this year. Atmospheric, melodic, and seamlessly alternating between slow introspection and rocking riffs, the boys from Wales pretty much don't miss here. "Narcoleptic" and "Token Trapped Woman" are easily two of the top 5 new songs I've heard in 2006, and "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)", "For Miles Around (Scratch to Void)" and "Falling By the Wayside" all achieve near-equal quality. (Though, note to PiP: I actually have "played scuba" with a barracuda, so there.)
  
  
• Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium - as has likely been repeatedly observed by countless music critics, John Frusciante is an awesome guitarist and Flea is an amazing bassist. Their talents are on display again here. There's a little classic rock influence evident here (compare the solo at the end of "Dani California" to "Purple Haze"), but primarily the Peppers are sticking with the brand of adult alternative they perfected on "By the Way". While this album falls short of its predecessor's promise (how could it not?), there is definitely a lot of great music here: "Tell Me Baby", "Slow Cheetah", and "Desecration Smile" are some of my favorites. Also, I still think "Hard to Concentrate" is a great song to play at a wedding.
  
  
• She Wants Revenge, She Wants Revenge - picked this one up after they received Interpol comparisons. The similarities stop at the voice, as this music is more industrial and less atmospheric. Which isn't to say bad. The lyrics are straight out of the dirty rock n' roll catalog, but they fit. Won't change your life, but it's a fun listen.
  

With 2006 release dates set for new albums from the Long Winters, TV on the Radio, Audioslave, the Decemberists, and Barenaked Ladies, plus theoretical '06 releases from Bloc Party, Counting Crows, Wolf Parade, the Wrens, Eisley, the Shins, and even (gasp) Guns N' Roses, the rest of the year promises to be even more aurally exciting than the first half.

As always, I'm sure I'm missing a lot. Recommendations are of course not only welcome but appreciated.

Song lyric of the day:
"Can't explain it, it was something to see
Can't contain something so ethereal"
- Audioslave, Original Fire