What’s up everyone, my name is Tyler the Intern. I’m the versatile, do a little bit of everything around here guy at WTMD. I work a lot with Mike the Program Director and if you ever come into volunteer, which we always welcome, you will see me running all over the place. One of my favorite things I get to do around here is pick up the bands that are coming in for interviews and many of the artists you hear on the station have had the pleasure of riding in my big blue station wagon. I also have the 8-11pm air shift on Thursday nights so be sure to tune in. I am also going to keep you all updated on the Top 89 Albums of 2006 every day so you can see where your favorite artists ended up. But first I want to share my top ten albums with you.
These are in no particular order and there are lots of albums that I wish I could have included, so we’ll say they are with us in spirit. But here’s what made it in my book.
1. Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards: This album is so amazing and if you haven’t heard these guys you are missing out. At first listen it was a little strange because you hear things that sound like they don’t belong but you begin to understand it is the Kids’ genius in action. In the song Hang Me Up To Dry it sounds like your family cat or your drunk uncle is trying to play piano on parts.
2. Citizen Cope - Every Waking Moment: I got to catch this guy on tour twice this fall. Once at 9:30 Club down in DC and up at the Electric Factory in Philly. Amazing live shows even though Cope looks like he’s about to pass out while playing up on stage. That but the album served me well on many car rides home as well as just chillen’ out. You can really feel his emotions coming through your speakers.
3. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife: This album is incredible and something no music lover should be without. I also caught them at the 9:30 Club and got to meet a few of the band members after the show. Very down to Earth humble people who truly love what they do. The live show was more amazing than I expected it to be. The stage was dressed with the artwork from the album and about eight big red paper lanterns. But the music was flawless and I have never seen such an attentive crowd at a show before. I actually heard an empty beer cup fall down stairs while the band was taking a break between songs. Not the usual shouting and carrying on you would hear at any other show.
4. The Mars Volta – Amputechture: If you want to travel to another world where people are speaking in tongues of mixed Spanish and English and the music in the air transitions from beautiful classical guitar to monster face melting solos intermittently then this is the album for you. Every album these guys put out is just more amazing than the last.
5. Beck - The Information: Fun do-it-yourself album cover art + funky happy upbeat tunes you can groove to at any time = one of the best albums of the year hands down.
6. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers: I thought that good ole’ rock and roll was almost gone before this record came out. But in fact it is here to stay as long as Jack White and the other boys of The Raconteurs want it to be. My buddy Bug (production manager here at WTMD) and I got to catch these guys at Pimlico Race Track here in Charm City for the gigantic Virgin Fest. The live show just made the album even better for me and solidified it’s placement in my top ten.
7. The Bridge - The Bridge: Local boys from The Greatest City in America, finally lay down some of their popular live tunes that they had been playing every Wednesday night down at the 8X10 in Federal Hill this summer. It’s hard for some bands to bottle up their live show on a studio album but the bridge are no stranger to this and the funky tunes come through the speakers just as I remember down at the 8X10 and at the All Good Festival this year.
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium: What more can I say, a double disc from one of my favorite groups and every song is strong. Needless to say I made the album a playlist on my iPod so I could listen to it over and over in the car this summer. These guys also rocked out the Virgin Festival at Pimlico and I would have to say John Frusciante was the MVP for the day.
9. Silversun Pickups – Canvasas: Fuzzy indie rock out of Silver Lake CA. Kick ass vocals. Put this album on and it will also reinforce that the rock is here to stay.
10. Alice Smith - For Lovers, Dreamers & Me: Alice was opening for Citizen Cope on his tour this fall and she is something special. She has so much control over her beautiful voice and she also came out on stage with Cope for a couple numbers. She also did her first ever radio interview here at WTMD. Get her cd now so you can say you were listening to her before she blew up because she will do just that.
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