My original intent here was to post several lists ranking some of my favorite movies, albums, books, etc of 2006, but abandoned that because a) I realized that I'd seen very few new release movies this year, b) I realized that I've read very few novels that were published in 2006 and c) I grew tired of trying to decided whether or not I liked Gulag Orkestar better than The Life Pursuit, and I'm not even sure that I care. So screw it, here's a general overview of things that made 2006 a pretty good year.
Book: King Dork by Frank Portman
Admittedly, it's sort of a rare event that I read books when they are newly released, mainly because I'm too cheap to buy hardbacks and there's something about owning a book rather than borrowing it from a library that I find very appealing, so this is only one of two books that I read this year which was actually released in 2006. So although that might make it an automatic shoe-in for my "favorite book of 2006" title, I'd probably give it to it anyway because I enjoyed it that much. It's a mystery story, an awkward coming-of age drama and an homage to The Catcher in the Rye all at the same time. Plus, the glossary at the end containing entries like this one: "atheism: a religion for people who figure they probably already know everything there is to know about everything" was an unexpected treat. What's not to like?
Place: Paris
My apologies to the cities of Boston, Columbus, Bowling Green, Muskegon and Brooklyn, but you just couldn't compete with Paris. I know that traveling isn't for everyone and traveling outside the country comes with its own special set of frustrations, but I'd rather have a trip to a place that blows my mind with its stunning beauty than an expensive car any day.
Live Show: Voxtrot @ The Lager House in Detroit, Michigan
To be honest, I don't see many live shows the older I get, but there's something about seeing a band that you absolutely love in a tiny, little hole-in-the-wall club, and although your shoes may be soaked in beer, the sound quality may be questionable at best and you may be struggling to breathe through the thick cloud of cigarette smoke, you just don't care because you're singing every word of one of your favorite songs three feet away from the person who's performing it.
Documentary Film/Scary Movie: An Inconvenient Truth
Never before have I found a power point presentation to be so gripping and terrifying at the same time. Although there will be plenty of people who will dismiss this as Gore's swan song for a second attempt at the Presidency, I applaud him for focusing such a strong light on an environmental issue that's gone ignored for far too long.
Television Show: Heroes
Since I keep insisting that I'm not really a science-fiction fan it took me a little longer than many other people to start watching this show, but after one episode I was hooked. This is perhaps one of the smartest shows currently on television, and although I'm still not quite ready to say that it's better than Lost, it's awfully close.
Renaissance: Detroit
Thanks in no small part to The Super Bowl and the incredible season that the Tigers had, Detroit was a pretty awesome place to live this year. I've always loved going downtown, but there's something thrilling about walking around on a random Saturday night and seeing a decent number of other people just hanging out there too that people who aren't from Detorit just wouldn't understand. The sporting events might be over, but the improvements are here to stay and the suburbanites have taken note.
Album: Ys - Joanna Newsom
Go ahead, roll your eyes at me. I don't care. I could point to several dozen reviews of this album which would justify its excellence, but that's annoying and pretentious and won't really convince people who have already decided to hate Joanna Newsom anyway. I wasn't really expecting to like this album much since I really disliked The Mike Eyed Mender, but what Ys has that her first album doesn't is some incredibly beautiful orchestral accompaniment. The more I listen to Ys, the more I adore it, and "Only Skin" has been the most beautiful 17 minutes of my day for the last couple of months.
Albums: the rest of my favorites, in no particular order
Band of Horses - Everything all the Time, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat, Beirut - Gulag Orkestar, The Decemberists - The Crane Wife, The Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I am, That's What I am Not, Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther, Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors, The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America, TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain, Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon, Built to Spill - You in Reverse, Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
And with that, goodbye 2006 and welcome 2007. Do your worst.
Book: King Dork by Frank Portman
Admittedly, it's sort of a rare event that I read books when they are newly released, mainly because I'm too cheap to buy hardbacks and there's something about owning a book rather than borrowing it from a library that I find very appealing, so this is only one of two books that I read this year which was actually released in 2006. So although that might make it an automatic shoe-in for my "favorite book of 2006" title, I'd probably give it to it anyway because I enjoyed it that much. It's a mystery story, an awkward coming-of age drama and an homage to The Catcher in the Rye all at the same time. Plus, the glossary at the end containing entries like this one: "atheism: a religion for people who figure they probably already know everything there is to know about everything" was an unexpected treat. What's not to like?
Place: Paris
My apologies to the cities of Boston, Columbus, Bowling Green, Muskegon and Brooklyn, but you just couldn't compete with Paris. I know that traveling isn't for everyone and traveling outside the country comes with its own special set of frustrations, but I'd rather have a trip to a place that blows my mind with its stunning beauty than an expensive car any day.
Live Show: Voxtrot @ The Lager House in Detroit, Michigan
To be honest, I don't see many live shows the older I get, but there's something about seeing a band that you absolutely love in a tiny, little hole-in-the-wall club, and although your shoes may be soaked in beer, the sound quality may be questionable at best and you may be struggling to breathe through the thick cloud of cigarette smoke, you just don't care because you're singing every word of one of your favorite songs three feet away from the person who's performing it.
Documentary Film/Scary Movie: An Inconvenient Truth
Never before have I found a power point presentation to be so gripping and terrifying at the same time. Although there will be plenty of people who will dismiss this as Gore's swan song for a second attempt at the Presidency, I applaud him for focusing such a strong light on an environmental issue that's gone ignored for far too long.
Television Show: Heroes
Since I keep insisting that I'm not really a science-fiction fan it took me a little longer than many other people to start watching this show, but after one episode I was hooked. This is perhaps one of the smartest shows currently on television, and although I'm still not quite ready to say that it's better than Lost, it's awfully close.
Renaissance: Detroit
Thanks in no small part to The Super Bowl and the incredible season that the Tigers had, Detroit was a pretty awesome place to live this year. I've always loved going downtown, but there's something thrilling about walking around on a random Saturday night and seeing a decent number of other people just hanging out there too that people who aren't from Detorit just wouldn't understand. The sporting events might be over, but the improvements are here to stay and the suburbanites have taken note.
Album: Ys - Joanna Newsom
Go ahead, roll your eyes at me. I don't care. I could point to several dozen reviews of this album which would justify its excellence, but that's annoying and pretentious and won't really convince people who have already decided to hate Joanna Newsom anyway. I wasn't really expecting to like this album much since I really disliked The Mike Eyed Mender, but what Ys has that her first album doesn't is some incredibly beautiful orchestral accompaniment. The more I listen to Ys, the more I adore it, and "Only Skin" has been the most beautiful 17 minutes of my day for the last couple of months.
Albums: the rest of my favorites, in no particular order
Band of Horses - Everything all the Time, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat, Beirut - Gulag Orkestar, The Decemberists - The Crane Wife, The Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I am, That's What I am Not, Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther, Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors, The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America, TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain, Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon, Built to Spill - You in Reverse, Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
And with that, goodbye 2006 and welcome 2007. Do your worst.
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