speed of dark

It's time I started talking about my Favorites of the Year list. I don't call it "best" of the year. I am neither a musician nor a professional in the music field, and I don't feel qualified to judge which artist is better than another. I just know what I like (although I don't always know why I like it).

I don't compile a list of favorite albums because I don't buy many albums. Not that I don't have favorite albums this year, but I don't listen to enough full albums to compile a list and make a fair comparison. I will post about the individual artists who gave me numerous favorite songs this year, but I don't make a list of them. The favorite songs list, however, is a pretty righteous deal.

To be on the favorites list, the song must have been released during the current year. Pre-releases and songs from previous years that I just discovered don't count. Re-releases in the current year do count, especially if they are appearing on a new artist's first full-length CD.

French Kicks, who in spite of their Brit-pop sound are from Brooklyn, NY, released an album this year called Two Thousand which has a track that I'm sure will be on my favorites list this year. I owe Indie Mom for introducing me to them last year with "One More Time" from The Trial Of The Century. That song is about as addictive as crack. You suspect nothing on the first listen, but then it sneaks up on you and makes you want to hear it again and again. The rest of the album turned out to be pretty good too.

The French Kicks candidate for Favorites of 2006 is "Knee High," a beat-driven rocker with their familiar smooth, cool, high vocals and some charming Oriental-sounding chord progressions. Another gem from this album is "Go On." The album as a whole probably deserves more attention than I have been able to give it. I have also included here an older song that shows their current signature sound beginning to develop back in 2002. It kind of stands out on that album.

One More Time from The Trial of the Century (2004)

A Favorite Song of 2006
Knee High from Two Thousand (2006)

Go On from Two Thousand (2006)

Trying Whining from One Time Bells (2002)

French Kicks are currently on tour in the eastern U.S.

11/11/06 Bowling Green, OH @ Howard's Club H
11/12/06 Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
11/13/06 Toronto, ON @ Mod Club (w/ Ok Go)
11/14/06 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
11/15/06 Philadelphia, PA @ TLA (w/ Ok Go)
11/17/06 Sayerville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom (w/ Ok Go)
11/18/06 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza (w/ Ok Go)
11/19/06 Washington DC @ 9:30 Club (w/ Ok Go)

Visit French Kicks on MySpace
Official Website
Buy French Kicks at Amazon and also at iTunes.