KEXP's 10 (Well, 11) Best Debut CDs of 2006

Eclectic NPR station KEXP is an influential and innovative cultural force in Seattle and beyond. Senior director of programming Kevin Cole — host of KEXP's Afternoon Show, which highlights new releases, sneak previews, vintage tracks, rarities, B-sides and in-studio performances — recently compiled this list of 2006's 11 best debut CDs.

Band of Horses

Band Of Horses

Band of Horses: Everything All the Time

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  • "Great Salt Lake"
  • Album: Everything All the Time
  • Artist: Band of Horses
  • Label: Sub Pop
  • Released: 2006
 

This Seattle band, founded by former Carissa's Wierd members Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke, unveils an excellent album of country-tinged psych-pop — reminiscent of The Shins, Built to Spill, The Flaming Lips and Crazy Horse.

Sera Cahoone

Sera Cahoone

Sera Cahoone: Sera Cahoone

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  • "Couch Song"
  • Album: Sera Cahoone
  • Artist: Sera Cahoone
  • Label: Sera Cahoone
  • Released: 2006
 

Also of Carissa's Weird, this drummer also happens to be a fine songwriter, as evidenced by her self-titled solo debut. It's a gorgeous, low-key collection of atmospheric country-folk, featuring a healthy assortment of rootsy instrumentation and haunting vocals.

The Black Angels

Black Angels

The Black Angels: Passover

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  • "Black Grease"
  • Album: Passover
  • Artist: The Black Angels
  • Label: Light In The Attic
  • Released: 2006
 

This Austin band follows its debut EP with a powerful collection of dark, droning, psychedelic rock. With echoes of late-'60s music, the dread-filled songs on Passover draw strong parallels between the struggles of that era and world events today.

The Little Ones

Little Ones

The Little Ones: Sing Song EP

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  • "Lovers Who Uncover"
  • Album: Sing Song [Bonus Track]
  • Artist: The Little Ones
  • Label: Astralwerks
  • Released: 2006
 

This L.A. band makes its debut with a charming, sunny indie-pop EP, which combines pulsing rhythms with strong melodies in ways that recall Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, but with less of an obvious Talking Heads influence and a bit more Shins-style jangle.

Silversun Pickups

Silversun Pickups

Silversun Pickups: Carnavas

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  • "Lazy Eye"
  • Album: Carnavas
  • Artist: Silversun Pickups
  • Label: Dangerbird
  • Released: 2006
 

This Southern California band follows last year's promising Pikul EP with an even better album of psych-tinged indie-rock, sounding like early Smashing Pumpkins filtered through hypnotic My Bloody Valentine drones, with lots of noisy guitar effects and powerful hooks.

Common Market

Common Market

Common Market: Common Market

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  • "Connect For"
  • Album: Common Market
  • Artist: Common Market
  • Label: Sciontific
  • Released: 1969
 

Seattle rapper RA Scion hooked up with Blue Scholars beatmaster Sabzi to form Common Market. The resulting debut album is an excellent set of underground hip-hop, combining Scion's inspired, socially conscious raps with Sabzi's soul-infused production and slamming beats.

Lily Allen

Lily Allen

Lily Allen: Alright, Still

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  • "LDN"
  • Album: Alright, Still
  • Artist: Lily Allen
  • Label: Capitol
  • Released: 2008
 

This 21-year-old British singer-songwriter ignored her label's advice to make a conventional pop record and went her own way through MySpace, posting songs and humorous essays that gained her a ton of fans. Even better, the music is worth the hype she's generated: sunny, beat-driven pop flavored with reggae, ska, calypso, New Orleans R&B and hip hop, with colorful lyrics that send up ex-boyfriends and would-be suitors.

Art Brut

Art Brut

Art Brut: Bang Bang Rock & Roll

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  • "My Little Brother"
  • Album: Bang Bang Rock & Roll
  • Artist: Art Brut
  • Label: Banana/Fierce Panda
  • Released: 2005
 

This British band debuts with an oft-hilarious (and occasionally touching) collection of sarcastic art-punk. Lead singer Eddie Argo spits out acerbic lyrics about rock and pop culture in a declamatory style reminiscent of The Fall's Mark E. Smith while the band kicks up a giddy post-punk racket behind him. It might seem a bit too snarky and insular, but Art Brut's enthusiasm is irresistible.

Wax Tailor

Wax Tailor

Wax Tailor: Tales of the Forgotten Melodies

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  • "Que Sera"
  • Album: Tales of the Forgotten Melodies
  • Artist: Wax Tailor
  • Label: Decon
  • Released: 2005
 

Parisian producer JC Le Saout introduces himself via an excellent debut album of cinematic, down-tempo hip-hop. Both his use of samples (Nina Simone, Hitchcock, Doris Day) and new material from friends The Others and Charlotte Savary are expertly balanced throughout the record, making for an addictive and blunted journey.

Trentemoller

Trentemoller

Trentemoller: The Last Resort

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  • "Nightwalker"
  • Album: Last Resort
  • Artist: Trentemøller
  • Label: Hi-Note Music UK
  • Released: 2006
 

The debut album from Denmark-based DJ/composer/producer/remixer Anders Trentemoller, The Last Resort is an accessible-yet-challenging collection of tech-house electronica. Trentemoller's distinctive, hypnotic music employs beats and turntables to paint a loopy musical landscape.

Tapes 'N' Tapes

Tapes N Tapes

Tapes 'N' Tapes: The Loon

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  • "Insistor"
  • Album: Loon
  • Artist: Tapes 'n Tapes
  • Label: XL
  • Released: 2006
 

This Minneapolis band's album of ramshackle indie pop-rock — a word-of-mouth hit, thanks to appearances in high-profile blogs and music festivals — recalls Modest Mouse and the Pixies.

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The Loon

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  • Album: The Loon
  • Artist: Tapes 'N' Tapes
 

The Last Resort

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  • Album: The Last Resort
  • Artist: Trentemoller
 

Tales of the Forgotten Melodies

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  • Album: Tales of the Forgotten Melodies
  • Artist: Wax Tailor
 

Bang Bang Rock & Roll

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  • Album: Bang Bang Rock & Roll
  • Artist: Art Brut
 

Alright, Still

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  • Album: Alright, Still
  • Artist: Lily Allen
 

Common Market

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  • Album: Common Market
  • Artist: Common Market
 

Carnavas

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  • Album: Carnavas
  • Artist: Silversun Pickups
 

Sing Song EP

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  • Album: Sing Song EP
  • Artist: The Little Ones
 

Passover

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  • Album: Passover
  • Artist: The Black Angels
 

Everything All the Time

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  • Album: Everything All the Time
  • Artist: Band of Horses
 

Sera Cahoone

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  • Album: Sera Cahoone
  • Artist: Sera Cahoone
  • Label: Sera Cahoone
  • Released: 2006
 

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