The Ineligibles

The Beatles
St. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

This album is really here to represent The Beatles generally. I’ve never been too keen on them really. They had my respect, of course, and there have always been a few songs I loved, but I always saw them as far more culturally important than musically entertaining. Somewhere along the line, then, my taste must have changed, cause a chance re-listening to St. Pepper’s left me speechless. Most of the tracks I knew, of course, but they, for some reason, hit home in a way that they never had before (‘With a Little Help from my Friends’ for example, turns out to be beautiful. I had always found it annoying before…). I have been listening to loads of The Beatles stuff since, and to a greater or lesser extent, it is all brilliant. How it passed me by before, I have no idea. Whether it was a change in my taste, a change in my stubborn practice of treating with distrust anything which everyone else agrees is exceptional, or what, I don’t know, but I had an epiphany this year, and The Beatles turned out to be very, very good indeed. Who would have thought?

Test Icicles
For Screening Purposes Only

Shit name, even shitter live show, but the Test Icicles album (the first album of any kind I bought in 2006) is a wonderfully off-beat punk trip. This is spiky music, in terms of both attitude and sound. The mixture of penetrating guitar and discordant electronica is not wholly new, but it is dilevered here with a unique slant. I always enjoy this album, and hear all kinds of things (Hole, Bloc Party, Death from Above 1979 etc etc). ‘What’s Your Damage’ has become my driving game track of choice (especially during GTA chases). My only doubt is whether another album of the same will hold my attention. I have a feeling this is a one trick pony, and whilst it is a super trick, I’m not sure it is good enough to carry another record, at least, not unless they change something.

Orange Goblin
Coup de Grace

As with St. Pepper’s, this is just here to represent the whole Goblin back catalogue. 2006 has, in many ways, been the year of the Goblin. I have bought all five of their albums this year, and I closed the year by seeing them live (they ruled!!!). The Goblin do simple stoner rock. They have changed from a more psychedelic slant on the genre to become more straight-head rockers. I have to say, I tend to prefer their newer stuff, but it’s all great. Orange Goblin have, to a degree, put me back in touch with my musical roots. Their deference to Sabbath, coupled with their willingness to reinvent both the classics and themselves, has had much the same effect on me as the Wolfmother album. Pure, brilliant, unashamed ROCK! Grrrr…